Chapter 59: Keep Craving, Valeria

“What?”

Valeria raised her head, which was being slammed on the floor. Thelight pouring from the wide window cast Susan’s shadow over her head. There was no cheerful smile or gentle gaze on Susan’s shady face.

“When did I tell you to deliver that drink to his Majesty? You did something stupid. Ah, now I understand why you’re in this position.”

Susan shook her head and closed her eyes as if in trouble. Valeria forced her brain to work for dear life. Did she really not say that to me? It had been weeks, but she couldn’t remember clearly. But she could not have said that. Otherwise, she would not have offered alcohol to the emperor. Valeria squeezed out her voice and complained of injustice.

“How dare you tell a lie in front of his Majesty, young lady! I’m sure the lady on that day….”

“Shh. Valeria, calm down.”

Seeing Susan’s gaze, cold enough to hide her cornea, Valeria closed her mouth unknowingly. Susan, who checked her face, told the emperor.

“Your Majesty, it seems that Valeria is under a big illusion. I did give this kid a glass bottle. A glass bottle containing Isla’s auditory hallucinations.”

“What? Isla’s auditory hallucination?”

The emperor scoured Susan in a suspicious tone.

“How do you have that expensive medicine?”

If it was Isla’s hallucinations, I’ve heard rumors from time to time after I started working at the Imperial Palace. It was a high-end drug that was said to be difficult to find even in the large upper and noble families that broke through the trade path with the East continent. Susan’s answer was succinct.

“Her Highness Vivianne had saved me. That’s all it was.”

This time, everyone’s eyes turned to Princess Vivianne. The princess was sitting in her chair in her elegant posture, with her dreamy, bright blonde hair hanging down. Princess Vivianne’s languid yet playful voice reverberated in the room.

“Yes, I did. My lovely friend is right, Your Majesty. If it’s for Agrane, it’s an easy matter.”

“You know that Jim doesn’t care much about what you do, Vivianne.”

“Of course. I’m always grateful, Your Majesty.”

“But the news that you, the pillar of the empire with Wilhelm and the pride of Jim, live in Isla’s hallucinations is not very good news.”

Princess Vivianne opened her eyes wide. Then she bent down and burst into laughter as if she couldn’t stand it.

“Hahaha! What? Pride? Oh, my God, Your Majesty. To think of me as such a precious daughter….”

Valeria could feel how thrilled Vivienne was by her voice which was drenched in joy While Valeria couldn’t take her eyes off the beautiful face of Vivianne, the princess whispered.

“We didn’t use it for entertainment. It’s all about relaxing Agrane’s tension. As your Majesty knows, there will be an imperial hunting competition soon. My lovely Agrane wants to show results by demonstrating her little hunting skills. And that’s what she’s going to dedicate to Your Majesty! What a kind heart.”

What is this nonsense? There was a time when Princess Vivianne visited Susan. However Susan said that Vivianne was a woman who was kind to all her guests who visited the castle and tried to pay attention to them. No one thought it was because they were close friends. It was only twice that the Princess had a personal meeting with Susan. Valeria, who was stuck with Susan for more than half a day, knew better than anyone else.

‘So, how about after I started being called to His Majesty?’

The emperor’s gaze turned to the chieftain. the Count of Cairo, who said bowing his head.

“These days, the two of them have often enjoyed hunting.”

The anxiety that had been lumped in her chest began to grow.

‘No, I am only telling the truth. The truth is about to be revealed.’

Susan smiled softly and accepted the chieftain’s words.

“But because I’m a person who can’t see blood…. Right after I enjoyed hunting with Her Highness, I always had nightmares even if I stayed up all night or fell asleep. That’s why Her Highness gave me a gift of Isla’s auditory hallucinations.”

An aide who was listening next to the emperor brushed his chin and added,

“The reason Isla’s auditory hallucinations were originally used as a medicine is because if you inject a very small amount, you can relax and fall asleep easily. It’s just that we don’t use it very often because it’s expensive.”

Something was wrong.

“In addition, Isla’s hallucinations mix well with blood without any special reaction, so mixing the two kills the efficacy and increases the amount. The reason why the two are mixed is that the peculiar smell of Isla’s hallucinations disappears when it comes into contact with blood. However, if the mixture is old, all of Isla’s hallucinations are oxidized and only the blood remains. It makes sense if that’s why there was only pure blood left in the vial.”

What Valeria wanted was not this atmosphere. Where did the problem start? Ever since the Emperor called Susan? From when Susan was brought along with Princess Vivianne? Or back when she accepted Susan’s offer? Susan said,

“That’s why I trusted Valeria with the medicine. But I didn’t expect it would reach you. No wonder I’ve been having nightmares for the last few days. I never imagined such an absurd thing would happen….”

There was a brief silence. Valeria slowly raised her head in Susan’s shadow and looked up at her white cheeks. Green eyes calmly submerged under the shade, staring at Valeria. Her facial expression and her gaze all felt like a lifeless doll’s.

She couldn’t understand. Why did she regard that woman as an immature woman? When she began to wonder about such a question, she suddenly got goosebumps on her back. She couldn’t beat Susan. Especially if Princess Vivianne supported her.

“Anything else to say, Valeria?”

But Valeria wanted to live. She forcibly opened her mouth, which could not be opened at the emperor’s question.

“Why did you joke that you’d…harm His Majesty?”

“Hmm.”

While Susan was keeping her eyes open and reticent, she heard a giggling laugh behind her.

“Ah, so funny! As expected, your maid is not a child to be in the Imperial Palace, Agrane. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I don’t know what the hell you like about that maid so much.”

Vivianne, who laughed to her heart’s content, straightened her back and said,

“We talked about it a few days ago over tea with Agrane, Your Majesty. Remember? Last year, a hound went crazy and went on a rampage chasing wolves”

“You mean Kybold.”

“Yes, it tried to attack you, but you did not kill the mad dog for pity. I was wondering if you’d let him go again this year. I laughed and chatted with Agrane, and said that if that bastard did the same thing again this year, I’d shoot it! I’ve omitted the middle part, but I guess she must have firmly misunderstood me.”

The tone was so provocative and harsh that it was hard to believe that it came from a delicate voice.

“I don’t like my time with Agrane to be disturbed. And Agrane’s maid also stood outside the room. Well… if she didn’t hear the story in detail, she might have misunderstood.”

There was a brief silence.

“Valeria.”

Valeria clenched her fist at Susan’s call.

“Apologize to His Majesty.”

She looked up in a fit of anger. Sometimes you want to carry out your will even though you know you will lose. It was like that now. However, as soon as her eyes met with those of the emperor, such an idea evaporated in an instant.

The man’s attention was already lost on Valeria. No, it wasn’t enough to say that he became distant but was indifferent. She didn’t even really love him, but her heart broke. There was only one thing Valeria could do.

“My ignorance and… stupidity please… Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor’s gaze fell from her as if he had been waiting. The flimsy eyes moved between Susan and Vivianne. He stared at her with a faintly questioning face.

“It’s the first time you’ve shown so much interest in others, Vivianne.”

Princess Vivianne gently raised the corners of her lips.

“Agrane is half my destiny. I decided to spend the rest of my life with Agrane. We will definitely be the most beautiful, wise, and lovely best friends in the Empire. I mean it.”

“Isn’t she the child that Wilhelm brought?”

“Wilhelm is not reliable.”

There was a palpable tension in the room. But as if it were none of her business, Vivianne smoothed her nails with a nonchalant look.

“I’m not like Wilhelm. I’m confident that I’ll never lose what I have even if I have to kill it. So please think of my lovely Agrane as cute.”

She smiled playfully as if she was asking her biological father for a favor.

The Emperor’s response was unquestionably concise.

“That sounds fun.”

At the end of the sentence, Valeria was already forgotten by the emperor.

***

Bang!

The door closed. Valeria slowly examined Susan’s room, which was very familiar, now it perhaps even felt like her own. Maybe this scenery was the last scene she would ever see. All the way here she felt like she was being dragged to the slaughterhouse. From Susan’s point of view, Valeria would be no less than a traitor, so her future was as clear as a whistle. As soon as she entered her room, Susan took a deep breath and slapped her on the cheek

“Ugh!”

Valeria clenched her teeth. Her cheeks were burning.

“How was it?”

Contrary to her strong hand, Susan’s voice was gentle.

“You saw a lot of things when you went up high? The scenery and the world that you lived without knowing about all your life, and the ecstasy of putting everything under your feet. The things you’ve felt around you.”

Valeria bowed her head in a choking mood.

“That sight makes people’s greed and passion boil. Makes you want to see and feel more of the world. I really like people with such greed and passion. But being stupid and ignorant is the worst.”

“Sorry, sorry….”

“Don’t worry, Valeria. His Majesty will no longer care about you, but I am not merciful.”

What did that mean? Valeria stopped breathing because her frantic heart was about to pop out of her throat. Susan’s gaze at her was as warm as her voice. Except for the somewhat gloomy-looking face, everything before this seemed like an illusion.

“So keep craving for more. Do your best to achieve what you want. It’s okay to use me as long as you don’t stab me in the back. Instead, remember this.”

With her head down, Susan whispered to Valeria.

“As long as you’re as sensible as you were today… We can have more things.”

Haa, she was alive! She was alive, she was not dying. Susan had uplifted Valeria again. She didn’t know what was going on, but for Valeria, just feeling the joy of being able to live was enough. She was also convinced. That the Susan she thought she knew no longer existed.

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind, Miss.”

The name of this woman with a strange face was…. Yes, it must have been Agrane Karold.