The Woman Who Hated Her (4)

「Those who harm the royal line shall not escape execution. 」

It was common knowledge for the citizens of the Empire, and Kilianerisa should have been no different. If what she said was true, she was essentially choosing death for herself.

Wasn’t the so-called “bet” she mentioned earlier overly biased?

When doubts filled her mind, Kilianerisa finally revealed her final piece of the story.

“Do you think I’m not in my right mind? How about this then? The Emperor is going to find out that in truth, all of this was a scheme devised by the Queen, Lerian, to drive out the Empress, Kilianerisa.”

She folded her eyelids gracefully and sang softly, as if she were telling an amusing story. She had a joyful expression, as if she were having fun. On the other hand, Lillian’s complexion quickly turned pale. She stuttered, struggling to voice her question.

“……Why?”

In response, Kilianerisa replied, as if wondering why Lerian didn’t already know.

“Well, of course, it’s to confirm his love. Aren’t you curious? Who will he choose?”

To be honest, she wasn’t entirely without curiosity. But she didn’t want to go to such extreme lengths to find out. It all seemed so absurd from the start. Lerian couldn’t decide where to begin with her questions, feeling overwhelmed by the situation.

Choosing her words carefully, Lerian began with the question that intrigued her the most.

“Why would you suggest such a bet, knowing what would happen to Your Majesty if His Majesty chose me?”

Her voice wavered with uncertainty, while her fingertips had grown cold, and she had to clench them together the entire time she was speaking.

“You didn’t think I would suggest a bet like this without knowing that much, did you? I’m prepared for that. If he chooses me, you may not die, but you won’t be able to stay as Queen for much longer.”

She paused for a moment, then continued slowly, swallowing her breath.

“I know that Leonard doesn’t love me. In fact, he probably despises me.”

‘Despite knowing all of that…’

Lerian’s thoughts became increasingly tangled as she tried to process everything. Amidst the confusion, Kilianerisa continued her words.

“But you, as a presence that continuously occupies his attention, are well aware that you might never get another chance, aren’t you?”

Kilianerisa’s voice, as she spoke this way, felt ominous, as if it could choke the life out of Lerian any moment. It made Lerian feel like prey standing before a predator, causing her to curl up with fear.

“Remember, I don’t need to give you such an opportunity. I can use my power to get rid of you right away.”

Lerian knew. That’s why she had endured silently listening to this absurd conversation.

“Speaking of which, wasn’t your maid’s name Mary?”

When Mary was mentioned, Lerian finally met Kilianerisa’s gaze for the first time. Could it be that she intended to use Mary to threaten her this time?

“Why? Are you scared I might do something to her?”

Kilianerisa’s mocking tone infuriated Lerian, but she couldn’t muster the anger to confront her. Silence was her only form of resistance. In response to Lerian’s silence, Kilianerisa chuckled as if she found her cute.

“It seems you still didn’t realize, seeing how much you cherish her. Poor Lerian.”

Something welled up inside her. She didn’t know what she was supposed to be ignorant of, but she couldn’t endure this any longer. Just as she was about to say something, the words that came out of Kilianerisa’s mouth made Lerian caught off guard.

“Mary, she’s the one I assigned to you.”

Lerian froze, her eyes blinking in confusion, as Kilianerisa continued.

“Haven’t you ever suspected? Why a girl like her, who was the beloved child of a nobleman, suddenly volunteered for a position that no one else supported?”

“Oh…”

Lerian made a sound of realization, almost like a whimper. A shiver ran down her spine. No, no, that couldn’t be. She denied it, but Kilianerisa continued, cruelly revealing the brutal truth.

“That child, she volunteered to be your maid as a favor to me. Well, you didn’t know, so you probably used that laughable acting to come between the Emperor and I. Oh, and by the way, that was also something I instructed her to do.”

Even though it was a warm spring day, her whole body felt as if she were standing on a cold, snowy field.

The place where she had no one else to rely on but Leonard and Mary, who had been her only friend. But in reality, even that had been a pawn in Kilianerisa’s hands. An indescribable disappointment overwhelmed her.

Why had she never suspected anything? She had been incredibly foolish. Lerian couldn’t even lift her head anymore, so she turned away from Kilianerisa’s gaze and lowered her head, mumbling in a voice filled with bitterness.

“Why on earth…”

“It was a kind of amusement. But even it started to bore me after a while.”

Lerian realized how satisfying she had thought her life was, only to discover that it had been manipulated by someone else. At that moment, she understood how utterly powerless a person could become. It felt as if her life itself had been ruthlessly trampled upon.

She couldn’t even muster the strength to get angry. If she were to express her anger here, she’s afraid that it might also be another part of Kilianerisa’s scheme.

Kilianerisa, who was watching Lerian, continued to speak relentlessly, as if etching her words into Lerian’s mind.

“This is the last chance I’m giving you. So, it would be wise to accept it. Well, if you don’t even have the courage to accept it and choose to quietly wait for me to chase you away, who knows what might happen.”

It was undoubtedly a clear threat. She had no choice. Kilianerisa was now telling her to either jump from paradise to hell or to accept this gamble.

It was cruel.

Whether Kilianerisa was oblivious to Lerian’s distraught heart, she continued to press her.

“I don’t think it’s a bad offer for you. You’re curious too, aren’t you? Will our Emperor choose the innocent Empress despite everything, or will he choose his beloved lover, even after all the dirty tricks?”

Lerian lifted her head, staring at her as if glaring. However, the tears that welled up in her eyes only made her appear pitiful. Kilianerisa raised an eyebrow. Even though Lerian’s eyes were clouded with tears, she could still tell that Kilianerisa was urging her to make a choice.

Although it seemed like there were two options presented, in reality, there was only one choice Lerian could make.

In the end, Lerian had no choice but to accept this absurd proposal.

“It’s a wise choice.”

Kilianerisa’s voice, as she said this, sounded strangely melancholic. Was she going crazy?

That evening, with the help of the physician Kilianerisa had arranged, the false news of her pregnancy spread throughout the palace, and Leonard was overjoyed. Lerian tried to force a weak smile as she looked at him, but in truth, she was filled with anxiety. She feared that this deception would be exposed at any moment.

All she could do was hope, with all her heart, that Leonard’s smile would remain the same, and that she would continue to see that smile in the future, even if it meant prolonging this deception.