Roberto smiled mysteriously. “Does it matter if it was me or not? Either way, you will benefit from this, mother.”

“What?”

“The important thing is that the rumor has started, and the emperor will soon hear of it.”

“…”

He was right. There was no way the emperor wouldn’t hear about it, especially when it concerned him and his wife.

“Even if the emperor is the kindest and the most patient man in the world, he wouldn’t be able to think objectively if he hears about a rumor concerning his wife having an affair. They will drift apart, and this will be your chance, mother. You can make this work.”

“…”

Again, Roberto was right. This was the best chance Norma would ever get for her plan to work, but she couldn’t help feeling uneasy about it.

Roberto whispered firmly, “How it happened or who caused it doesn’t matter, mother. This is your only chance and you better take it.”

His whisper sounded like that of the devil.

***

It was time for the empress to get dressed.

The maids and a few noble ladies were gathered together discussing which outfit and jewelry would suit the empress the best. They smiled politely and pretended not to be aware of the ongoing rumor. It was best to act ignorant.

Just then, the door to the dressing room burst open.

“Oh my!”

Everyone gasped in shock but quieted when they saw who it was.

It was Emperor Lucretius. It was common for the emperor to visit this room when the empress was getting ready, so everyone was used to this.

“…?”

However, something wasn’t right. The maids and the ladies realized something was different. The emperor usually looked at his empress with love and sweetness in his eyes, but today, he looked tense. As he walked towards his wife, everyone bowed deeply.

The empress saw him as well and smiled. “Oh, hello, your highness.”

She seemed ignorant of what was going on.

Emperor Lucretius quietly walked towards Sa Bina. She seemed confused.

“Is something the matter, your highness?”

Lucretius, who looked angry, replied, “… How long were you going to lie to me?”

His voice had never been this cold towards his wife. The empress’ face turned pale.

“What are you talking about?”

The emperor sounded frustrated as he yelled, “Ha! I can’t believe how unashamed you are!”

The empress raised her voice as well. “I don’t understand what you are talking about. Just tell me!”

“Everyone knows now. The rumor! Are you denying it?”

“What rumor?”

“That you were meeting with another man last night early in the morning!”

“Pardon?!”

The empress’s face became even paler.

“I don’t understand what you are talking about…!”

The emperor couldn’t take it anymore. He shouted, “My internal affair chief came to me this morning with this disturbing rumor. Apparently, a few of the ladies saw a woman and a man together.”

The empress replied in frustration, “And are you telling me that that woman was me?”

“That’s right!”

“That’s preposterous. Did these people really claim that they saw me? Who are these ladies? Bring them to me immediately! I will not forgive them for lying!”

The emperor flicked his finger. The door opened immediately, and the servants brought the three pale noblewomen into the room.

The ladies looked awkward as they bowed deeply to the emperor and the empress. Without a proper greeting, the empress yelled sharply, “Are you ladies the witnesses who claim to have saw me with another man?”

The women kneeled.

“N, no, your highness! We didn’t see the faces of the woman or the man!”

The empress turned to the emperor and glared at him. “So the witnesses’ accounts don’t suggest it was me, yet why is it that your highness accuses me of such a vile crime?”

The emperor quietly ordered the women, “Tell me again the details of what you saw that night. About the woman you saw.”

When a fearful silence continued, the emperor shouted his order again.

The women flinched and replied, “… T, that woman had… black… hair.”

“…!”

The emperor turned to the empress again.

“Who else has black hair in this world other than you and Beatrice? No one. They couldn’t have confused a three-year-old child for a woman, which means it had to be you.”

Empress Sa Bina laughed bitterly. “So your highness already decided that I am guilty of this, which means there is no point for me to say anything anymore. Even if I explain myself to you, you will think I’m lying. Isn’t that right?” She continued sharply, “Black hair? It was the night, which means dark brown can look black in dim light. Besides, my old stepfather, Duke Aeal, had black hair, which means there could be others with the same colored hair as well. Isn’t that right?”

All the empress’ maids gathered around the emperor and kneeled to beg.

“Your highness, her highness is innocent!”

“That’s right. Her highness went to bed early last night!”

However, the emperor couldn’t be convinced.

“I didn’t spend the night with my wife last night, and as her maids, I know you are loyal to your empress; therefore, will lie for her without hesitation.”

“…”

This didn’t make sense. The emperor and the empress were in love, so why were they acting this way all of a sudden?

Just then, the emperor said to the empress, “Didn’t something similar to this happens in my father’s generation?”

“…!”

People gasped in shock.

Lucretius was referring to the tragedy of his birthmother Empress Beatrice. It was such a traumatic event for him. Perhaps it changed him forever.

The empress stared at her husband silently. She seemed to want to say something, but in the end, tears rolled down from her eyes quietly.

The emperor seemed determined to believe what he believed. He acted very differently than usual. Instead of looking at his wife with love and trust, he looked at her as if she was a complete stranger.

After a short silence, the empress announced quietly, “If your highness can’t trust me, then how could I stay in this castle with the shame you bestowed upon me?”

The maids and the noble ladies gasped in shock. Even the emperor seemed surprised.

“What?”

“I am unable to go back to my homeland, as you are aware, but I also can’t stay here with a man who cannot trust me.”

The emperor shouted in anger, “Empress, shouldn’t you be begging for my forgiveness first? If you apologize, then perhaps I…”

The empress shook her head. “I have done nothing wrong, so there is no reason why I should beg your forgiveness, your highness. In fact, it is you who should be apologizing to me, but you keep insisting you know everything. I have nothing more to say to you.”

The empress’ voice was firm and unwavering, but her eyes filled with tears again.

Without hesitation, she announced coldly, “Since your highness cannot trust me, I will leave to stay at Maram with the princess.”

“…!”

Things were happening unexpectedly and too fast.