NPyG9TvZ0Akq8RE3sq

n1OnIbMdjMwivHyoaS8eG7PwZfIkQV

Chapter 257

“…She acts faster than I expected.”

As she said that, Iona exchanged a brief glance with Leroy.

She had thought it would take more provocation to stir the Empress, but the reaction had come sooner than expected.

“Guide them to where the guest is.”

The butler bowed and, following Leroy’s command, led them to a nearby drawing room.

As they walked down the corridor, Iona felt the tightening sensation of anxiety constrict her throat.

Even for someone like Iona, who had lived through the future and returned, the Empress was a daunting figure.

Unlike the Crown Prince who likely wanted her captured alive, the Empress would have no hesitation in baring her murderous intent.

Judging by the reactions of the servants, it didn’t seem the messenger had come with hostile intent—but it was not something she could be certain of from appearances alone.

Staring warily at the door to the drawing room, Iona finally took a deep breath before stepping inside.

The determined look on her face quickly gave way to visible confusion.

The person waiting inside was so unexpected that Iona faltered.

“…Dame Saskia?”

At her name, Saskia stood up from her seat with a warm expression.

“Iona, it’s been a while.”

Then she glanced at Leroy and offered a half-hearted greeting.

“And you, Duke. Have you been well?”

Knowing full well that Saskia had no real interest in him, Leroy responded with a short, perfunctory reply.

Finally regaining her composure, Iona stepped closer to Saskia and asked,

“What brings you here, Dame? I was told Her Majesty the Empress sent a royal messenger…”

“Ah, well, the moment I clocked in this morning, I was hit with an assignment from above. What can a salaried worker do? Orders are orders.”

As she spoke, Saskia lifted the lid of a box placed on the table.

Inside was a document bearing the seal of the imperial household—proof that her visit was indeed by the Empress’s command.

Holding up the document, Saskia asked casually,

“Want to read it yourself? Or shall I do the honors?”

“…Go ahead and read it. There are eyes watching, after all.”

“They’re all hand-picked by me. Don’t worry.”

Saskia replied without even glancing back.

When Iona looked over the knights who had accompanied her, they were indeed all familiar faces.

Yet even so, Iona hesitated to speak.

Noticing her reluctance, Saskia took the hint and began reading aloud the first line.

“To the young heirs of House Han, whom I hold in deep affection…”

Affection?

That was a term the Empress would never use for them.

Yet the rest of the letter was equally jarring in its tone—unnaturally kind and courteous.

The Empress went on for several lines describing how well Iona and Leroy suited one another, before ending with a gentle invitation.

“…And so, I wish to invite you to my palace, that we may inquire after one another’s well-being and share the stories we have long kept to ourselves.”

Rolling up the letter and tucking it back into the box, Saskia looked up and asked,

“So, when do you think you’ll be able to visit?”

“We don’t have any pressing engagements in the capital… We could come as soon as tomorrow, but…”

“I’d rather not look too eager on our end. Let’s say in about three days—that should be just right.”

At Leroy’s gentle comment, Iona finally snapped back to reality.

She turned to Leroy, choosing her words with care.

“This whole atmosphere feels a bit…”

“It’s friendly. Definitely.”

Leroy gave a casual shrug.

Reflexively, Iona let out a sigh.

The tingling discomfort along her spine hadn’t been just her imagination. Apparently, Leroy had felt the same all along.

The fact that Saskia, someone close to Iona, had been chosen as the envoy, and the familiar, almost affectionate tone used in the message—any outsider might’ve assumed a truly close relationship.

It was all strangely cordial treatment from the Empress, something Iona had never once expected from her.

The Empress, who always kept them tense with her unknowable intentions—what kind of scheme was she planning this time?

“Well then, let’s tentatively schedule the luncheon for three days from now. Details can be finalized in writing if needed, so keep that in mind.”

As she spoke, Saskia scribbled something onto a small slip of paper and signed the bottom.

She handed it to one of her nearby attendants, then gestured with her eyes for all of them to leave the room.

Propping her chin on her interlocked fingers, Saskia smiled.

“Alright, official business is done. Now let’s talk personally for a bit.”

“You’re not going back with your men?”

“If you’ve got outside duty, it’s polite to kill a little time before returning. Don’t you think?”

Iona stared at Saskia with a blank expression, clearly unconvinced.

She had never once wasted time outside before returning from an assignment.

Saskia seemed to catch that message just by reading Iona’s face, and her expression dimmed a little.

“…Right. You’re so damn diligent. Fine, good for you.”

“I’m saying this because I’m concerned. Staying close to us while serving in the Imperial Palace isn’t exactly a wise move.”

“What’s the point of distancing myself now? Her Majesty the Empress found out you were back in the capital and immediately pointed to me to send. Everyone already knows I’m your only friend.”

Iona wanted to argue that she had plenty of acquaintances from her embroidery group, and that Saskia was more of a superior than a friend—but she held back.

The way Saskia’s face lit up, claiming she was Iona’s only friend, made her seem oddly proud.

And it wasn’t the kind of remark meant to insult or offend.

With a quiet sincerity, Iona said,

“Still… please be careful.”

“Iona, be honest with me. Did you cause some kind of mess?”

Unofficially, she already had. And soon, she was going to do so publicly as well.

Iona simply nodded without a word.

Saskia sighed, as if she had expected it.

“Figures. The Crown Prince had been keeping quiet for a while… and now he’s throwing a fit again.”

Iona almost instinctively moved to soften Saskia’s choice of words—but stopped herself.

On second thought, it wasn’t all that inaccurate.

“What happened?”

“This morning. I was getting ready to head out, following Her Majesty’s orders, when the Crown Prince suddenly showed up. Started demanding to know what orders I’d been given by the Empress, saying I wasn’t allowed to leave the palace, all sorts of nonsense… it was complete chaos.”

Saskia grimaced as if the memory alone made her shudder.

“So how did it end?”

“How do you think? Someone from the Empress’ palace showed up. Then those two started butting heads like you wouldn’t believe… Eventually, he said he’d go talk to the Empress himself and stormed off to her quarters. I slipped away in the middle of all that.”

“And what about the fallout? His Highness isn’t the kind to just let something like that go.”

“Exactly why I don’t want to go back. What am I supposed to do? Disobey a direct order from the Empress and just stand my ground? That’s absurd. But now I have to deal with the aftermath, too? What kind of unfair nonsense is that?”

Grumbling in frustration, Saskia rubbed her aching temple.

Caught in the feud between the Empress and the Crown Prince—she was, quite literally, the shrimp caught between battling whales.

She couldn’t easily disregard either side’s commands, leaving Saskia stuck in an impossible situation.

It wasn’t hard to imagine how tense the atmosphere in the palace must’ve been since morning.

After a moment of silent thought, Iona suddenly spoke up.

“Captain.”

“Hm?”

“Call back the subordinates who just left.”

“Huh?”

“We need to reschedule.”

Saskia stared at Iona, clearly taken aback.

They’d been discussing the clash between the Empress and the Crown Prince, and now she suddenly wanted to change the visit date?

Completely at a loss, Saskia asked blankly,

“To when?”

Three days would’ve been enough time for emotions to cool and logic to return.

But Iona had no intention of giving her enemies time to regroup and fortify their defenses.

The only leverage Iona had regarding her birth was suspicion—nothing concrete. To verify that suspicion, she had to exploit a moment of emotional vulnerability.

She couldn’t afford to give them the time to patch up their lies or build more around them.

Without hesitation, Iona gave her answer.

“Right now.”

---The End Of The Chapter---

Join Patreon to support the translation and to read 5 chapters ahead of the release.

Join on Patreon