Chapter 120

 

“It seems this was not solely the doing of His Highness the Crown Prince, was it?”

 

Hayden tried his best to appear nonchalant, but couldn’t prevent his emotions from creeping into his voice.

 

Deep betrayal was evident in Hayden’s eyes as he stared at the pawns of the Empress.

 

And why wouldn’t there be? Consider the amount of devotion he had poured into the royal family over the years.

 

He had even committed unspeakable acts to curry favor with the Empress.

 

Reflecting on his actions and the benefits he had reaped, there was no way the royal family could treat the Modrov family in such a manner.

 

Entwined in a web of mutual interests, Hayden was privy to the royal family’s darkest secrets.

 

‘Or perhaps, this is their chance to dispose of me?’

 

Hayden sneered silently, grinding his teeth.

 

One thing was clear: the Empress was monitoring him, fearing that certain secrets might come to light.

 

The knights sent by the Empress kept a close watch on Hayden, showing no interest in his convenience.

 

“Return to your place.”

 

It seemed the knight’s warning confirmed the suspicion that the Empress had abandoned Hayden, without even a glance his way.

 

But Hayden was not the type to back down at such a meager threat.

 

He scrutinized the opponent’s expression and asked, “Do you monitor me so diligently out of fear that I might let something slip?”

 

Finally, the knight’s gaze returned to Hayden.

 

His face remained expressionless, but his eyes betrayed an undeniable discomfort.

 

It seemed the knight was quite uneasy about being chosen as Hayden’s conversational counterpart.

 

The knight warned again, in a business-like tone.

 

“You won’t like what happens if you continue to spout nonsense.”

 

“So, you’ve decided to abandon me, then?”

 

“Better to roll in a dung heap than in the netherworld, they say.”

 

“A worm in the dung heap can be easily dealt with at any time. Don’t think I’ll fall for such trivial tricks.”

 

The knight, rendered speechless by Hayden’s retort, clamped his mouth shut.

 

Hayden was right.

 

If one meekly complied with the royal family’s treatment, they might preserve their life for the moment, but such a promised future could not be long-lasting.

 

The Empress was not one to leave potential troubles behind, and death was above all an effective means to conceal the truth.

 

Having been dragged here, Hayden was as good as having received a death sentence.

 

“Grant me an audience with Her Majesty the Empress, I have urgent matters to convey.”

 

A metallic edge tinged Hayden’s voice as he requested this final negotiation.

 

Hayden was not unaware that he stood on the brink of a precipice.

 

A single misstep could lead to a fall from which not even his body would be recoverable.

 

After taking a deep breath, Hayden spoke.

 

“Tess.”

 

The mention of a buried name caused his interlocutor to falter.

 

Hayden, observing the reaction closely, added in a secretive tone.

 

“I have something to tell Her Majesty the Empress about Princess Teresa.”

 

***

 

Rosalia Elje Leman, the Empress of the Leman Empire, was born into nobility.

 

As the eldest princess of Vardem, a neighboring kingdom to Leman, she naturally enjoyed a life of luxury and opulence, receiving courtship from equally high-status men as she came of age.

 

Among many distinguished suitors, Rosalia’s eye was caught by the heir to the Leman Empire.

 

She could have married a noble from her homeland and stayed there, but Rosalia chose to marry a prince from a neighboring country and journey to a foreign land.

 

Rather than marrying a noble and distancing herself from the throne, she wanted to become the Empress of an empire and command the world.

 

It was a youthful ambition, but considering her position to actually realize this dream, it was not something to be dismissed as mere childish folly.

 

Eventually, her goal became reality, and she now stood at the pinnacle of power, able to control everyone at her whim.

 

Her life was perfect.

 

Except for the large burn scar that remained from her past.

 

“Her Majesty the Empress, please come this way.”

 

After a brief wait, the confirmation to enter was given.

 

Rosalia checked her veil out of habit to ensure it was in place before following the knight’s lead.

 

Inside the small interrogation room, Count Modrov was bound and waiting for her.

 

Hayden’s complexion was notably poor, likely due to the harsh questioning he had undergone.

 

Rosalia gazed at Hayden’s weary face before suddenly commenting.

 

“You’ve aged quite a bit.”

 

She recalled the last day she had met Hayden.

 

Though it felt like a long time had passed, it was only about three years ago.

 

He didn’t seem this aged back then; perhaps it was not the passage of time but a lack of care that was the issue.

 

After all, he had been captured and brought directly to the royal palace shortly after returning from wandering the provinces, hardly having a moment to rest.

 

Considering his past as the capital’s most handsome man, who attracted the attention of countless women, his current appearance was indeed less than expected.

 

Rosalia took her seat with an overt scoff.

 

Despite her insulting treatment, Hayden remained silent. After all, there were things more important than pride.

 

“So, you’ve finally shown your face.”

 

“Do I have a particular reason to meet with you separately?”

 

Rosalia asked flatly.

 

Although she was interested in the deal Hayden had proposed and had sought this meeting, she did not want to show any signs of desperation to him.

 

She spoke with an air of disinterest.

 

“Speak then, if you have something to say. That’s why you requested this conversation, isn’t it?”

 

There was an implication that any unnecessary pleasantries would lead her to quickly change her mind and leave.

 

Despite feeling irked by her authoritative tone, Hayden took a short breath to calm his emotions.

 

Being able to bring up his matter directly was, in any case, a welcome development for him.

 

Hayden tried to meet her eyes through the veil as he spoke.

 

“Release me.”

 

“If you’re thinking of asking for forgiveness, you’ve picked the wrong person. This affair was entirely my son’s doing.”

 

Rosalia calmly deflected the responsibility.

 

Of course, before proceeding with the plan to purge Hayden, Richard had sought her permission, but Rosalia spoke as if she had no will of her own in the matter.

 

Hayden had suspected as much but could not outright accuse her of lying.

 

He realized it was time to unveil something that would truly capture her interest.

 

Hayden was confident that the bait he offered would pique her interest.

 

“It’s an enticing proposal, especially since it involves the woman who caused you to wear a veil.”

 

Before Hayden could finish speaking, the knights waiting behind him forcefully pushed him onto the desk.

 

The intense pain from his head hitting the surface was so severe that his vision spun.

 

Gasping in shock, Hayden blinked several times with effort.

 

Rosalia looked down at the trembling Hayden with a dry gaze and quietly raised her right hand, signaling that it was enough.

 

The knights, catching her cue, stepped back.

 

Only then could Hayden straighten up and face her again.

 

“So, you said there’s something I need to know about Teresa.”

 

Hayden wasn’t the only one unsettled by the situation.

 

Rosalía was surprised to find her voice coming out more composed than she had expected.

 

She couldn’t be sure what Hayden was about to reveal about Teresa, but merely the mention of the name made her heart race.

 

Whether it was due to longing, a sense of victory, or guilt, she couldn’t tell.

 

“Let’s hear it then, this secret that you knew and I did not.”

 

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the veil hiding her face meant she didn’t need to manage her expression.

 

Rosalia looked at Hayden with a stern face.

 

Feeling the silent pressure, Hayden finally parted his trembling lips.

 

“Princess Teresa’s child is alive.”

 

Princess Teresa was the beloved daughter of the previous emperor and the younger sister of the current emperor.

 

However, not many remembered her now, as she had been confined to the palace from a young age and had not been seen in public since.

 

It had been 15 years since the princess was said to have died in a fire, so it wasn’t strange that she had faded from public memory.

 

But the Empress had not forgotten Teresa for a single day since that fire, which had also left an indelible scar on Rosalia.

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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