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“Whom shall you choose?” Adele’s companion prodded, their words hanging heavy in the air.
A moment passed before Adele answered, her voice smooth as silk. “Lionel Baldr. I would choose him,” she whispered with a seductive smile.
The response elicited a gasp from her companion, who addressed her as “Empress!” in shock.
Undeterred, Adele continued, “Pay no attention to my sweetheart. I will not pay attention to your lover either.” She reclined leisurely on the sofa, unperturbed by the tension in the room.
Karl, her companion, glared fiercely at her, but she held his gaze and spoke again. “This is what His Majesty said. Did you forget?” she asked, her voice laced with a hint of amusement.
Karl gritted his teeth in frustration, but Adele remained unfazed. “Don’t pay attention to my lover. Just like His Majesty said,” she repeated, her tone casual and unconcerned.
“How many times have you seen a lover? Aren’t you just protesting against me?” Karl challenged her, his voice sharp with irritation.
Adele’s lips curled into a sly smile, revealing her pearly white teeth. “What do you need to look at for a long time? You can come in at a glance,” she replied, her gaze fixed on him.
As the tension between them grew thicker, Karl’s expression turned dangerous. “Won’t you regret it?” he asked, his voice low and menacing.
Adele did not flinch. “Your Majesty, won’t you regret it?” she countered, her eyes sparkling with fierce determination.
Their gazes locked, and the air between them crackled with tension. They were two parallel lines, never meant to intersect. Neither was willing to concede, and they both knew it. With a heavy heart, Karl rose from her seat and made her way out of the room with rough steps.
As she reached the door, Karl turned back and gave one last warning to Adele. “Think wisely, Empress. Don’t regret later,” she said, her voice heavy with meaning.
The words lingered in the room long after Karl had gone. Adele shook her head, her smile turning grim. “Think wisely, Adele. Don’t regret it belatedly,” she murmured to herself.
As she contemplated her situation, Adele couldn’t help but think of her mother. She wondered if it was just a coincidence that she always seemed to encounter people like Karl, or if it was because those were the only kinds of people who made it to the top. She knew she needed wisdom, but she had no idea where to find it.
****
With a forceful hand, Karl flung open the door, causing the ladies-in-waiting to instantly bow their heads in deference. By his side stood Mrs. Giggs, who lowered her head in reverence. Karl, who had been poised to ignore the presence of the maids and proceed on her way, abruptly halted in front of Mrs. Giggs. She was clad in a formal dress with a high collar that reached up to her neck, and every strand of her silver-gray hair was meticulously pulled up.
“Is it a person or a position that you are loyal to?” he inquired.
“…Your Majesty, the Emperor,” Mrs. Giggs replied, her head still bowed.
Karl placed her hand on Mrs. Giggs’ shoulder, causing her to lift her head. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I, born to a lowly handmaiden, must be cherished to become an Emperor. Do you think I took Princess Elisabeth’s place merely because I was born as a man?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Such a lie. I know everything. That’s why I’m surprised. When the Empress summoned you, I thought you wouldn’t come. Why? Because she’s my Empress. But you did. You, who so vehemently refused when I asked for your help for Diane. You answered the call of an Empress whose face you had never seen before.”
Mrs. Giggs closed her eyes at Karl’s contemptuous words and let out a soft sigh.
“Tell the Empress this, then. In order to thrive in my empire and my palace, she must be in good standing with the owner of this place. That way, you too can be by the Empress’s side, right? Isn’t that right, nanny?”
“…” Mrs. Giggs remained silent.
Satisfied, Karl patted Mrs. Giggs on the shoulder, straightened himself, and turned to walk away, his footsteps echoing across the dimly lit hallway. Mrs. Giggs remained frozen in her hunched position until the sound of her footsteps faded away.
“Madam,” the lesser lady-in-waiting called out to her.
Mrs. Giggs stood up and straightened her clothing, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ears. Her subordinates were taken aback by her poised demeanor and remained silent, but Mrs. Giggs strode confidently and knocked on the door of the Empress’s parlor.
“Your Majesty, this is Hannah Giggs. May I come in?”
The Empress sat with her arms crossed and legs crossed, eyes closed in contemplation.
“Your Majesty the Empress,” Mrs. Giggs said, breaking the silence.
“If you have something to say, say it. I am listening,” the Empress replied without opening her eyes.
Mrs. Giggs hesitated for a moment before speaking, carefully choosing her words. “I was the general manager of the imperial palace appointed by Her Majesty, the previous empress, and the nanny of Her Highness the Grand Duke.”
“I know,” the Empress replied, still with her eyes closed.
“I took care of one more baby at the same time. It was unofficial, and very few people know about it,” Mrs. Giggs continued.
The Empress opened her eyes slightly, intrigued. “Go on,” she said.
“I was also the nanny of His Majesty the present Emperor,” Mrs. Giggs revealed, causing Adele’s eyes to widen in surprise.
“Why are you saying that now?” the Empress asked.
“Deep in his heart is a child who has not yet grown up,” Mrs. Giggs said softly.
“A child who desperately wanted to be loved but never received it, who crouched after receiving a twisted love rather than a correct love.”