When Arya saw Bluebell’s surprised look on her face, Arya burst into laughter and said, “So I told you. It can’t be failed. Carl is absorbed in a belief that he has absolute power. The more conceited one is, the less one looks around. He’d never even dream we’d be preparing for this. On the other hand, we are preparing thoroughly. So don’t worry.”

Bluebell felt like she was seeing the illusion of a knife tip hanging over Carl’s neck. She swallowed dry saliva in a terrible mood.

“So dear Bluebell, please prepare for the safe birth of the imperial descendant. There’s not much time left to celebrate victory. Like I said before, you can be a true empress.”

Arya rose to her feet at the end of the remark. Bluebell held Arya’s hand as if she had been possessed.

Arya looked back in wonder. Bluebell asked, looking up at her with a complex face.

“So, what is the date of the occasion?”

*

Hain said, rubbing Sienna’s arm.

“I’ll have to call a tailor to prepare a dress for the Holy Celebration Day.”

Sienna nodded at Hain’s words. She wanted to pay more attention than usual for the event as she had to stand in front of the citizens.

Holy Celebration Day was held every 10 years in the leap year and was quite large for being rare.

The myths of the beginning of Leipsden were as follows. The dragon enjoyed entertainment in the form of a human being and had a child with a human woman, which was the story of the child who built the Leipsden Empire.

The Holy Celebration Day parade was an event where the dragon’s son began to pray for the dragon’s blessing, feeling merciful for his people. Now, not only the royal family but also the high-ranking aristocrats participated in the event, praying for blessings for the people of the country and boasting the robustness of Leipsden.

“As usual, you would prefer to call Gerald the tailor, right? I think his dresses have been the most popular ever.”

“Do it that way.”

After deciding on the dress Sienna will wear on the Holy Celebration Day, Hain brought up a story about a recent hunting competition. It was not a regular event, but sometimes hosted by the emperor for the unity of the nobles. Carl was about to host his first one since he became emperor.

The hunt was held to figure out which aristocrats would join in Count Ferrer’s rebellion and to test their minds. Of course, on the outside, the purpose was officially to honor the efforts of the nobility.

Sometimes the empress also participated in the event, but both empresses were pregnant, so they decided not to participate.

“He’s a Chancellor now, but he used to be a knight. But how can you not catch a weasel?”

Hain grumbled at Pavenik’s failure to get any reward from the hunting contest.

“The Chancellor wouldn’t have had time to properly participate in the hunt. He probably didn’t have time to do anything because he had to follow Carl.”

“But still…”

“And even though it’s called a hunting contest, and it’s actually like a hound and servant competition. It’d be nice to use a bow, but they have to hunt with a sword. The more servants there are to drive the beast, the more advantageous it is.”

The bow, a long-range weapon, was strictly managed by the state and could not be used by aristocrats.

When hunting for amusement, the game was carried out by releasing servants and dogs to drive animals to one place and hold them using a snare. Then the hunter puts a sword in the animal’s heart and kills them. That was why most of those who performed well in the hunting competition were high-ranking aristocrats with money.

“Yes, but I hear his Majesty the Emperor was brilliant. He caught a big white leopard without the help of servants or knights. It’s a precious beast, but it’s so vicious that it takes many knights to catch it. Well, he killed it with a single stroke. The fur was so good that everyone envied.”

When Sienna was also curious about the fur color, Carl burst in with the door open.

“Welcome. By the way, you didn’t abandon your work today, did you? Chancellor Pavenik seems to have a lot of complaints about the workload. After Sharillo was conceived, you leave your work behind with excuses to come here.”

“Did he give you such a complaint?”

“No way. The Chancellor is too busy to leave the office and come see me. I just heard it through people going back and forth.”

Hain, who was nervous to see Carl, went out saying she would bring out the tea. It was easy to know who Sienna was talking about. Carl did not care about her and gave Sienna a box.

“There will be an event in the Empire soon, so wear it then. Doctor says you should keep yourself warm.”

When she opened the box, the smooth red cape was folded neatly. The rim of the cape was adorned with white leopard fur.

Sienna smiled pleasantly. He made a present for her with something precious enough for the nobles to covet.

“How pretty! I mean, this fur is very smooth.”

“I’m glad you like it. I asked him to make the whole cape with leopard fur, and he dissuaded me because that would be too heavy and too hot to wear.”

“If the whole cape was leopard fur, I’d really have to wear it in Heidel.”

“I’ll make it for you when we have to go to Heidel later. Oh, and wear the necklace I gave you as a gift before. I want you to wear that necklace in front of the citizens.”

At Carl’s suggestion, Sienna nodded cheerfully. The sapphire necklace had a heavy meaning, but now it felt like it was enough weight to carry.

Sienna also wanted to wear the necklace in front of everyone. To let them know that she was truly Carl’s beloved companion.

*

Time passed and it became the Holy Celebration Day. Thanks to Hain, Sienna was more colorful than ever.

The dress delicately covered to the end of the neck was made of thin cloth embroidered with glittering white thread. It was not only very beautiful, but very warm too. The thin, light gold belt placed on the pleated hem of the skirt also emphasized that her belly was filled with the crown prince while not pressing against the stomach.

And she wore a cape that Carl gave her as a present. A smooth-shaped cape decorated with precious white leopard’s fur. She was simply conspicuous from afar.

Hain gave Sienna a white dress because it matched with a red cape, but above all, it was because of the blue sapphire necklace that shone on her neck. The sapphire glowed on Sienna’s neck.

Sienna, who was moving toward the main castle where the carriage was located today, ran into Bluebell surrounded by the convoy of guards. Bluebell was wearing a dark green dress.

Bluebell crumpled her face as soon as she saw Sienna. Then she checked the necklace on Sienna’s neck and made a more uncomfortable impression. Sienna greeted her anyways.

“Long time no see.”

But Bluebell spoke in a nervous voice without receiving Sienna’s greetings.

“It’s a sapphire necklace.”

“Yes.”

“Carl… must have given it to you to compliment you for conceiving the blood of the imperial family. Do you know the meaning and weight of the necklace?”

If in the past, Sienna would have felt burdened by the fact that she was wearing this necklace in front of Bluebell. But not anymore.

Bluebell has never apologized for the incident where Sienna had not been able to wake up for a long time after taking medicine because of Bluebell’s shabby conspiracy. Rather, she only criticized Sienna.

Since then, Sienna may feel sorry for Bluebell being fooled around by Arya, but she doesn’t feel guilty. Sienna said proudly.

“Of course, I know.”

“You do…! Ha! I envy you. I thought you were a poor woman who didn’t have anything, but it must have been my misunderstanding. I was the one who was really poor. Everything I thought was mine became yours. The position of Empress, the heart of Carl, the mother of the royal child.”

Jamie, who was escorting Sienna, tried to step up against Bluebell’s aggressive tone, but Sienna grabbed his arm and dissuaded him. Bluebell continued her words without pretending to see Jamie.

“Enjoy it. You must feel like you won the whole world. Enjoy that. Just keep this in mind though – you may feel like you’re standing on top of the world, but it will soon be over. It’ll be even worse when you are thrown to the ground from so high.”

“You’re being rude!”

Eventually, Sienna, who couldn’t stand it, said to her. It was because she thought Jamie would pull a knife and make things go worse if she let Bluebell speak any longer.

“Oh, I guess I went too far. In the presence of the great empress.”

Bluebell used the title “The Empress” for the first time, not “Sienna,” but the mockery made her feel worse. Sienna glared at her with cold eyes.

Bluebell approached Sienna. Despite Jamie’s vigilance and silent threats, Bluebell came right in front of Sienna and whispered in her ear.

“I won’t regret it. Never.”

Then she grabbed a large sapphire necklace around Sienna’s neck with her hand.

“What a beautiful thing. A truly valuable gem grows on blood.”

It was an ominous remark.

Sienna suddenly had a hunch. It was a groundless confirmation.

It wasn’t because of Bluebell’s words. It was because of her face. The face was very much like Sienna’s own in the past—when she thought she was driven to the edge of a cliff and made a foolish choice.

As soon as Bluebell and the knights escorting her moved away, Jamie grumbled.

“Who is that scumbag? She may have a pretty face, but she sure has a terrible personality. Is she the Second Empress?”

Mindful of the eyes around them, Jamie used honorifics to Sienna, but he didn’t seem to realize that he spoke bluntly about Bluebell. But Sienna was deep in thought that she couldn’t point it out.

“By the way, the knights of the Second Empress.”

Jamie kept frowning, checking the direction they went.

“They carry…murderous spirit. You know, as if they are going out for a battle, not escorting the empress.”

At Jamie’s words, most of the Phoenix Knights agreed with a nod. Among them, Havali expressed doubt.

“There’s something else that’s strange.”

“Of course. You felt it too, didn’t you?”