Episode 13

Episode 13: A Nighttime Visitor

“What?”

Mary blinked at me, wide-eyed in disbelief.

I repeated myself calmly.

“I said I’ll be attending the banquet tomorrow.”

“A-Are you serious?”

“I can’t skip an official imperial event.”

“W-Well, that’s true, but…” Her voice was thick with disbelief.

It wasn’t just Mary, the other maids had the same reaction.

Well, I suppose I can’t blame them for being surprised.

Official events in the imperial palace were usually hosted by the Emperor and Empress together. But ever since Helena became Empress, she hadn’t attended a single one.

Jealous that the Emperor only doted on the imperial concubine, she had feigned illness and excused herself every time.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” I said with a bright smile. “I know it’s sudden, but could I ask you to start preparations now?”

“O-Of course, Your Majesty!”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. We’ll make sure everything is perfectly ready.”

“Leave it to us!”

The maids clenched their fists with newfound determination.

Until now, Helena had never asserted her authority as Empress. She never attended events, and so the maids of the Empress’s quarters had unwittingly shrunk into the background of things.

But now, she had suddenly declared she would reclaim her rightful place.

“For the necklace and earrings—shouldn’t we go with violet tones to match Your Majesty’s eye color?”

“No, no! With Your Majesty’s fair skin, brighter colors would suit you better!”

They began analyzing my personal color palette.

“Oh! Speaking of, I heard the Marquisate of Hilbert recently imported some rare gemstones from overseas!”

“We can trust their quality. No matter the cost, we’ll get them immediately.”

The ladies-in-waiting buzzed with excitement, flitting about with dresses and jewels.

Wait… are they more excited about this than I am?

“You don’t have to go overboard. Just keep things as usual and that’ll be more than enough.”

Honestly, I didn’t want to stand out.

I was still the villainess in people’s eyes—there was no need for me to make a grand entrance and draw unnecessary attention.

But the maids thought differently.

“That won’t do.”

“Tomorrow, Your Majesty must shine brighter than anyone else.”

They looked ready for battle.

“Don’t worry. No matter what, we’ll get ahead of the imperial concubine’s preparations!”

Mary raised her voice so determinedly that Countess Chloe sharply called her name to quiet her down.

Ah, I see now—they’re worried I’ll be overshadowed by Fay at the banquet.

Still, I hadn’t expected them to be this enthusiastic. If I had known, I would’ve told them sooner.

Their sincerity made me smile without even realizing it.

Jerome’s birthday banquet, huh?

Since it was the Emperor’s birthday, it was a significant event throughout the Empire. But to me, it held a more… personal significance.

It was the day the Empress’s jealousy and cruelty toward the imperial concubine became public.

In the original story, Helena had grown so jealous and angry that she declared a strike. She refused to do her duties, making excuses to avoid them. But to her surprise, the imperial concubine had filled the Empress’s role flawlessly. That only deepened the Emperor’s trust in her.

Then the real disaster struck.

Blinded by jealousy, Helena publicly lost control.

She dumped wine over the concubine’s head, slapped her face… and then stood over her weeping figure, laughing like a madwoman.

To do that right in front of the Emperor…

Helena had been bold—recklessly so.

But I had no such intentions.

If the original Helena had gone on strike, then I’d do the opposite—I would carry out the Empress’s duties properly. And when the Emperor showed affection for his beloved concubine, I’d just smile calmly through it.

Let’s do this! For my happy Empress life!

I rolled up my sleeves and spoke energetically to my maids.

“Bring me the list of supplies and food for the banquet. Ah! And we’ll need attendants to help me get ready, plus musicians.”

The maids looked briefly stunned, then quickly answered in unison.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Right away, Your Majesty.”

“We’ll have it all prepared!”

The Royal Knights’ conference room.

A meeting was underway between the captains of the imperial guard, those who protected the palace inside and out.

The room was quiet and solemn.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a man entered.

Jet-black hair. Languid, glittering blue eyes. Strikingly handsome, he drew every gaze the moment he appeared.

There was something distinctive in the air around him.

“You’re here.”

The three captains already seated rose and bowed their heads.

Leonard gave them a small nod.

Then his gaze moved to the white-haired knight seated at the head of the table.

Gabian, commander of the First Order of the Pentrian Empire.

“Apologies for being late.”

“You, late? That’s rare. Take your seat—we’ll begin.”

As Leonard sat, Gabian began the meeting.

“His Majesty has ordered that the security around the imperial concubine’s palace be doubled.”

A murmur spread across the room.

“The concubine’s palace already has a sizable guard detail.”

“You’re saying it must be increased even more?”

Gabian nodded at the captains’ questions.

“There was an intrusion recently, and even before that, there have been troubling signs targeting that palace.”

“…That may be true, but still, this is excessive…”

“The Emperor’s birthday banquet is coming up. As you all know, such events are when suspicious individuals most often sneak in disguised as guests.”

“But doubling the guards would mean nearly half of the entire knight force will be deployed to the concubine’s palace…”

“That could leave dangerous gaps elsewhere.”

The captains couldn’t hide their concern.

“This was a direct order from His Majesty. Adjust your schedules and make it happen.”

Gabian’s firm tone ended the objections.

That’s when Leonard, who had been quietly listening until now, spoke up.

“Was there any mention of increased security for the Empress’s palace?”

All eyes turned to him in surprise. It was rare for Leonard to speak in these meetings. Even more unusual that he’d brought up the Empress’s palace—so starkly contrasted with the concubine’s.

Gabian looked momentarily thrown for a loop but shook his head.

“No. His Majesty’s instructions only mentioned the concubine’s palace.”

“…I see.”

Leonard’s voice was low, his gaze darkening.

The Empress—a position said to be the highest-ranking woman in the palace—was far from a life of ease and luxury.

At a glance, it looked like all she did was smile prettily at events and greet guests, like a glorified hospitality worker.

But the reality was quite different.

The Empress had to oversee every imperial event. And by “oversee,” that meant literally everything—sending out invitations, selecting food, hiring musicians, and choosing decorations to set the mood.

Sure, she could give broad directives, but to maintain control over the event, she needed to be familiar with everything.

“If I’d known it was this much work, I would’ve gone on strike like the original Helena.”

Ever since I declared I’d fulfill the Empress’s duties, it had been nonstop chaos. Even having two bodies wouldn’t have been enough to get everything done with no stress.

“It was a mess at first, but somehow, it’s finally coming together.”

Jerome’s birthday banquet was now just a day away.

“The overall theme is set, the food is finalized, the musicians are booked, the carpets and decorations… phew, it’s endless.”

I’d gone through every last detail. Now all that was left was the final document:

The guest list.

The names of everyone I would meet tomorrow.

I stared at the paper in my hand like it might burn a hole through it.

The list included brief profiles of each guest, compiled by the maids.

There were some familiar names—residues of Helena’s memories. They were probably important people. But all I could feel was vague familiarity. I didn’t actually remember who they were.

I couldn’t help letting out a long sigh.

How was I supposed to memorize all of this? Even as a former K-student exam veteran and crammer extraordinaire… this was too much.

Hundreds of names, titles, and relevant details in a single day?

“Nope. It’s impossible. I give up.”

I officially surrendered.

Countess Chloe, who had been silently observing, let out a quiet laugh.

“You don’t need to memorize everyone, Your Majesty.”

“What? But they’ll all come to greet me. I can’t respond carelessly.”

“You already have so much on your plate. None of them will expect the Empress to know them all,” she added reassuringly, “besides, they’ll introduce themselves before greeting you. Just focus on the key figures.”

“Hmm…”

Now that she said it, that did make sense.

“For example, this guest here would be one of the most important.”

“The Kingdom of Calus?”

“A major power in the north. Their king recently ascended the throne and will be visiting to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday.”

“A foreign king? Definitely someone important.”

“The Kingdom of Calus is on an entirely different level from other nations.”

Calus… the name sounded familiar.

“That probably explains why His Majesty’s been so tense lately.”

“Yes. Everyone’s being extra careful this time. There are so many high-profile guests.”

“Alright. Could you help me prioritize the list?”

Countess Chloe selected a list of about eighty key names and handed it to me.

“It’s settled, then. I’ll memorize everything about these people by tomorrow. Good work today, everyone. Go get some rest.”

“Thank you. Have a restful night, Your Majesty.”

Countess Chloe and the maids exited.

Now then… time to enjoy some quality time with my bed. I collapsed onto the mattress.

“Haa… At least it’s finally done.”

Tomorrow was the banquet. It would be my first time standing before such a crowd.

Would I do okay?

No—I’d be fine.

I was the Empress, after all. The entire banquet would go perfectly and I could relax.

…Right after I memorized all of this.

I lifted the guest list with tired eyes.

And that’s when it happened.

Thud!

A loud sound echoed through the room. I bolted upright and turned toward the noise.

By the open window, behind the long curtains, something rustled.

What…?

A chilling sense of unease crept over me. I remembered the previous intruders. Had someone been hiding in here all this time? Or was this another break-in?

Stay calm. First, I need to call for help.

If I shouted, the nearby knights would rush in at once.

Just as I opened my mouth to yell—

“There’s an intru—!”

My voice froze in my throat.

A hand had suddenly clamped over my mouth.

Then a low, unfamiliar voice whispered into my ear.

“Shh. Just stay quiet for a moment.”