Chapter 35: The Truth in the Letters

The Emperor’s entrance and greetings concluded swiftly.

‘He seems to have become much more unwell.’

It hadn’t been long since I last saw him, yet it was obvious.

The sunken shadows beneath his eyes, the gaunt line of his jaw.

Rohan glanced subtly at Marquis Fabian.

Did that sharp-eyed marquis truly have no thoughts upon seeing the Emperor like this?

‘No.’

He must have known.

Perhaps he did not know what the future would bring, but at the very least, he would know that the Emperor’s health was failing.

“It seems everyone expected has arrived. Then, let us all enjoy the banquet.”

At Emperor Beltar’s words, the musicians prepared to play.

But...

“Your Majesty. There is still one person who has yet to arrive.”

With Rohan’s words, all eyes turned to him.

“One person? Who could that be?”

Was there someone important enough to be announced to the Emperor who hadn’t yet arrived?

Everyone wore puzzled expressions.

“Her Majesty the First Empress, Empress Amanda, is entering!”

“……!”

“……!”

“What did you say? Who?”

At the doorkeeper’s shout, the hall erupted into commotion.

Creeaak...

The grand doors opened.

Step, step, step.

A woman entered, holding up the hem of her voluminous dress.

“...Empress?”

Beltar’s eyes grew wide as if they might tear.

“N-no. How can this be?”

“What on earth...”

On either side of him, Empress Sherilda and Empress Emilia’s mouths fell open in shock.

“Amanda?”

Marquis Fabian raised an eyebrow and muttered quietly.

Tap.

Amanda, moving to stand before the head seat, offered a proper greeting to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty. Amanda Schubert, First Empress, greets you after a long time.”

Her wavy hair radiated a delicate beauty, her dress neither excessive nor plain.

Though her body was thin, her eyes were alive with spirit, and everyone showed their surprise at her presence.

And of all those here, it was Emperor Beltar who was most shocked.

“Empress, how did you...”

He couldn’t even finish his words.

Until recently, he’d heard she could not even walk, confined to her bed every day.

All the officials around him believed so.

That Empress Amanda was merely waiting to die.

And yet, here she was, dressed of her own accord and attending the banquet.

“My health has improved greatly. So, I wished to come and congratulate Your Majesty on your birthday.”

Rohan, sensing his mother’s tension, quickly spoke up.

“As Your Majesty knows, Mother’s condition recently deteriorated rapidly. When I consulted a physician, he said her body was sick because her heart was burdened.”

“Is that so?”

Beltar had been aware of that much.

But there was nothing he could do.

Their hearts had grown as distant as the farthest ends of the continent.

“But.”

Rohan took an envelope from his pocket.

A rather thick envelope.

“It turns out that this sickness of heart was not of her own making, but rather the result of someone’s scheme.”

“What?”

Beltar’s eyes narrowed.

“What is he saying...?”

“Are you saying that someone deliberately gave Empress Amanda a broken heart?”

The nobles murmured anxiously.

“What’s inside here are none other than letters—the original letters exchanged between Your Majesty and my mother, Empress Amanda.”

“What do you mean by originals? Are you saying there are copies as well?”

Hardly had Beltar’s cheeks begun to tremble when Rohan drew another envelope from his breast.

“These are forged letters, someone daring to copy Your Majesty’s handwriting and creating lies. They were kept in my mother’s quarters.”

“……!”

“……!”

The banquet hall was thrown into a commotion.

“No doubt, the letters in Your Majesty’s possession from my mother are also forgeries. Because the originals are in my hands.”

“Who could dare do such a thing!”

Bang!

Emperor Beltar’s fist crashed down on the armrest of his chair.

“Are you truly telling the truth?”

“Father. Would I dare to speak falsehoods on your birthday, in front of all the great nobles of the Empire?”

At Rohan’s confident voice, Beltar clenched his fist even tighter.

“Prince Rohan, come with me.”

“Yes, Father.”

When Rohan bowed his head, Beltar was the first to leave his seat.

“Mother.”

“Prince.”

Empress Amanda grasped Rohan’s hand tightly.

Her thin fingers trembled in his grasp.

No doubt, beneath her composed appearance, she was deeply nervous.

“Martin, please attend to my mother.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Do not worry.”

Just then, Empress Sherilda spoke up.

“Empress, please come sit here.”

She smiled, gesturing to the empty seat beside her.

The seat that had always been prepared, but left vacant—Amanda’s chair.

---

In a splendid chamber behind the banquet hall.

This was a space prepared for the royal family to rest.

There, Emperor Beltar sat waiting for Rohan.

“The originals. Give them to me.”

“Yes, Father.”

No sooner had Rohan entered than Beltar reached out for the letters.

“……”

He read through each letter from the envelope, one by one.

“This is...”

After reading for some time, he finally spoke, his face a complex tangle of emotion.

“Who could dare...”

Rage flickered in Beltar’s violet eyes.

“Where did you find these originals?”

“Are you familiar with the scribes of the Imperial Capital?”

“Of course. They’re the ones who make copies of every important document in the Capital.”

The scribes studied the unique calligraphy used in imperial documents, compiling and organizing records and manuscripts.

Only the most skilled were chosen to work in the Imperial Capital.

“One of those scribes copied both your handwriting and my mother’s. The originals were kept at his house.”

“What? I’ll have that wretch brought before me at once!”

“It’s too late to punish him, Father. He’s no longer of this world.”

“Haaah.”

Rohan’s eyes sharpened.

“Father. While the forger certainly committed a crime, is not the one who gave the order even more guilty? That person intentionally sowed discord between you and my mother.”

“Then who is this mastermind?”

“Well...”

Rohan already knew.

He knew exactly who had orchestrated all of this.

That was why he was able to track down the forger, to retrieve the originals after much hardship.

However...

“I am still investigating.”

The scribe who had swapped the letters was already dead.

Without clear evidence, he could say nothing more.

---

—I found these originals with great difficulty. Lady Along secretly set them aside without her husband’s knowledge.

With Lucretia’s help, the originals had been found, but the dead scribe’s wife knew nothing.

“I see. I shall look into this myself. If I discover who it is... I will never let them live.”

With just one forged letter, the Emperor—the Sun of the Empire—had been deceived. For Beltar, even death would be too light a punishment.

“It won’t be easy, Your Majesty.”

If he were to learn that the mastermind was none other than Empress Emilia, the mother of his own blood...

Rohan was curious to see what expression Beltar would wear.

“With the scribe dead, they will try even harder to conceal their tracks.”

“Then what am I to do? Just close my eyes and pretend nothing happened?”

Beltar’s face twisted in frustration, and Rohan leaned in closer.

“There is one way.”

“A way?”

“How about this, Your Majesty?”

---

Meanwhile.

At the platform above the banquet hall, Empress Sherilda and Empress Amanda were conversing.

“I didn’t expect you to come in person, Empress.”

“I should have visited sooner... but I was too ill to move.”

“I know, I know well.”

With a look of pity, Sherilda took Amanda’s thin hand in her own.

“You must have suffered greatly.”

Sherilda’s voice was full of sadness and guilt as she murmured, holding that bony hand.

“I’m sorry I could not care for you more.”

“No, it’s all right. After what happened with Crown Prince Joshua, you must have been so distraught. For my part, I’m just glad to see Your Majesty so healthy.”

A warm exchange passed between the two women.

And then, someone stepped before them.

“I heard your health was failing, but seeing you here, the rumors must have been unfounded.”

A woman dressed in splendid finery smiled as she approached.

It was none other than Emilia Schubert, Second Empress and mother of Elliot.

“Your Majesty, Empress Amanda.”

With a polite bow, Emilia smiled at Amanda.

Her smile seemed gentle.

But beneath it, something sharp glimmered unmistakably.

With her father, Marquis Kazin Fabian, behind her, there was nothing in the world that frightened Emilia.

“Truly, with your presence, Empress Amanda, the banquet shines even brighter. Frankly, I think your illness is already cured.”

Her voice dripped with a hint of mockery.

She scrutinized Amanda, searching for a crack in her composure.

Amanda met Emilia’s gaze and returned a cautious smile.

“I’m not yet fully recovered, but today was special—I simply had to be here. It’s only right, as his wife, to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday.”

Amanda’s tone was calm, but tension was woven through her words.

She could not make a mistake.

If she gave Emilia anything to seize upon, it would surely be used against her son.

Amanda’s powerless hand gripped her skirt tightly.

‘Be brave. Stand tall.’

All the way here, Amanda had repeated the vow to herself.

Ever since she heard from Rohan that the letters from the Emperor were forged.

She resolved to overcome her weakened body, gritting her teeth and persevering.

All for this day.

For this very moment.

At Amanda’s words, Emilia raised her eyebrow and nodded lightly.

“Of course. I’m just worried you’ll overexert yourself and your condition might worsen. I’m sure Prince Rohan values his mother’s health above all else.”

She placed special emphasis on the word ‘overexert’.

There was a barb in her words.

It was the sort of sly, roundabout talk that noblewomen used to subtly undermine each other while feigning concern.

“Thank you for your concern, Empress Emilia. I didn’t know you worried so much about me. But you needn’t be concerned. I truly have recovered now.”

But Amanda simply beamed at her in reply.

She was no longer the Amanda of before.

Not a burden on the imperial family, but the dignified Empress of the Empire.

“W-what...”

For a moment, Emilia was flustered and snapped her fan open.

“......”

Sherilda considered stepping in, but held her tongue.

She had seen and met countless people as Empress.

Emilia’s intentions to belittle Amanda were obvious to anyone, but Amanda, with an innocent expression, blocked every one of Emilia’s jabs.

‘Amanda has changed a lot.’

Had Amanda’s change led to Rohan’s?

Or was it Rohan’s strength that revived Amanda?

Whatever it was, to Sherilda, it was a good sign.

A small smile played on her lips.

And there was someone quietly observing all of this from outside the banquet hall window.

“Well, it seems there’s nothing to worry about. Like mother, like son, I suppose.”

It was Elpirian Retina, who had aided Amanda’s rehabilitation for the past month.

“It’s rewarding to see my efforts pay off.”

With a soft chuckle, she vanished into the air as if she’d never been there at all.