Chapter 9

Petra spoke relievedly, but there’s a hint of wonder in her eyes. Apollonia swallowed her dryly. Petra leaned in a tight grip on her wrist, whispering to Apollonia in a voice inaudible to anyone else.

“It’s amazing.”

“It’s smudged because my arm is wrapped in a handkerchief. I’m not bleeding that much either.”

Apollonia rashly answered while taking her hand out of Petra’s grasp, and rushing out the hall. Contrary to her answer, her face was as white as a sheet. Looking at the wound that had already faded a little, Apollonia only thought one thing.

‘Did I get caught?’

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After Apollonia stormed out, the banquet hall continued on. There was a murmur here and there that the emperor’s concubine had hurt The Princess with a kettle while arguing with her.

“What are you doing? Quickly clean up that dangerous thing! Do you want to see these important guests get hurt?”

Petra ordered the royal servants to clear up the kettle’s fragments that were still stained with blood. She then cleared up the situation with a composed face and slowly approached Catherine, who was terrified in the midst of the crowd.

“Duchess of Liefer…”

“What’s going on, Queen?”

Catherine had never properly greeted The Duchess of Liefer. Rumor had it that The Emperor trusted his younger sister, but at best she thought it would be a common brother and sister relationship. On the other hand, she thought she would beat Petra as the Queen and take the seat next to the emperor.

But as she was directly facing her now, Cathrine felt just how foolish her thoughts had been.

All the guests at the banquet focused their attention on Petra’s every move. The royal servants reacted like lightning to her instructions. It was obedience to a different level than the politeness that Cathrine received, and Petra seemed familiar with it.

More than that, it was Petra’s eyes that made Catherine nervous. Her golden eyes resembled that of a beast, flashing as if to catch and rip her limbs without a chance of escape.

Catherine’s legs loosened under Petra’s gruesome influence.

“Duchess, I don’t know what you’ve seen, but I’ve done nothing wrong. The kettle was just a mistake…”

“What did you say to The Princess?”

“….yes?”

“Since there’s no empress, you want to receive a greeting similar to the Empress?”

Petra’s cold eyes gazed up and down at Catherine. Only then did Catherine notice why Petra was upset.

“Duchess, I just want to get along with the princess…”

“Are you saying that you want to teach Her Highness The Princess who does not know manners?”

Petra grinned and stepped closer.

“Even though His Majesty has entrusted me with the management of the internal palace, I think you must be very frustrated with my work for you to say something like that.”

Petra, the actual hostess of the palace, took Catherine’s words as a challenge to try to become empress. Realizing her mistake, Catherine’s face turned pale.

“No, it’s not like that!”

“If the Imperial Palace seems so lacking, we should solve the problem.”

Petra spoke slowly but her voice sounded somewhat cold.

“The Queen…no, drag Lady Loenheim out.”

Petra’s voice fell like a blade. The guests murmured behind Catherine.

“What, what do you mean? I’m the one who’s married to His Majesty! On whose order are you dragging me out…”

“It is considered treason to disturb the imperial order and injure the royal family. Now you’re a sinner.”

Petra cut her words coldly. Whether it was the imperial order or the Princess’s safety, it didn’t matter to her at all, she just needed a reason to get rid of the queen. Two servants of the imperial palace already surrounded Catherine.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Wh-what..it was all a mistake.”

Catherine’s voice trembled. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the woman looked around desperately. At last, her gaze stopped at the body of a man walking in the distance.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

Catherine called out to her lover and her husband as if holding onto her lifeline. The Emperor, who stood tall, slowly approached Petra and Catherine from the other side of the banquet hall.

Right, what so great about The Duchess? The Emperor will come to save her.