Chapter 22

With the lagging Roen behind, the party finally arrived at the palace. When they came down the mountain, it was surprisingly rainy, and by the time they arrived at the palace, a sunny sky was revealed.

Amelie looked around openly without hesitation. The description in the novel was the same. Inside the huge space called the Imperial Palace, there were numerous buildings. It’s the place where the royal family lives and takes care of state affairs. When she saw the places where Renee in the novel would have been running around diligently, her heart was moved.

The carriage went deep into the palace and stopped. The surrounding area was made up of trees and bushes, it was hard to tell if there was a building inside at first glance.

Serwin stepped down first, escorting Amelie. Amelie took his hand. Perhaps thanks to the cup of her tea, he didn’t collapse from the exhaustion of the long journey.

“Congratulations on your safe return.”

“Congratulations.”

In front of Serwin, knights knelt and greeted. The scene of dozens of knights shouting in unison was full of energy. But Serwin led Amelie by the hand without even looking at them. The two got off at the main gate and went inside.

“Where am I?”

“Where you will stay from now on.”

The entrance, narrow enough to make it difficult for a carriage to enter, was like a path in the forest.

“I hope you like it.”

“I like it.”

Because it is an imperial palace, she wondered if it was a square and breathtakingly colorful place, but she liked the familiar scenery with many trees. After walking a little along the road, a wide space emerged and a white building appeared. The bell-shaped roof was decorated with engravings, so a different pattern was created based on the angle of the sunlight as the light changed.

“Wow.”

Amelie admired. There were people in front of the building. There was one woman who looks like she is in her 30s and 40s, and two young women who are believed to be maid.

They greeted Serwin and Amelie with stiff faces. Amelie felt a repressed fear from them. In particular, the two maids couldn’t even raise their heads or hide their facial expressions. Their fear, of course, was directed at Serwin.

“It’s a place I prepared before I went to greet you. So, it might not suit your taste. Try to adapt slowly while living here.”

“Allright.”

“This is Mrs. Enard, the maid of honor. If you tell her anything, she’ll listen.”

“Hello, Lady. I’m Enard.”

Mrs.Enard? Amelie thought she had heard the name somewhere.

Where did I hear it? Somehow, I have a bad feeling about it.’

Amelie gropes her memory and she could easily come up with the name. The maid of honor, Mrs. Enard. She comes from a fallen aristocratic family and is a veteran who has long worked in the Imperial Palace. In the novel, she was found to have abused Amelie, and she was beaten by Renee.

“….Hello.”

She was the first one she met at the palace. And so she doesn’t have a good feeling about it. Amelie held Serwin’s hand hard. Serwin swept the back of Amelie’s hand, perhaps thinking she was nervous. He threatened her maid of honor.

“She’s my guest. I’d like you to serve her politely.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Mrs. Enard and her maids bowed deeply.

‘I’ll listen to Serwin’s words well, so will it be okay for a while?’

Unless Serwin neglects and ignores Amelie, Mrs. Enard will never bully her. Because it will be a waste of her life. That was just Amelie’s hopeful prediction.

Serwin turned to Amelie.

“I have to go to the Imperial Palace to deal with something.”

“I’m fine, but—right away? Why don’t you take a break?”

“I’m fine because I slept well. I’ll be back later at night, so you can stay calm.”

Amelia nodded her head. Serwin looked down at her cutely, stroking her bangs slightly with his fingertips. It’s the way he used to be when she was a bird.

‘Don’t you really think I’m a pet bird?’

Amelie, who was suspicious of Serwin, suddenly felt a strong gaze and turned her head.

The maid of honor was watching Amelie and Serwin alternately with her eyes wide open. Mrs. Enard, who was skillfully hiding her face, also  looked surprised. It was because she had never seen Serwin take care of others or be friendly before. The Hateful Tyrant Emperor and a woman!

Receiving enthusiastic eyes from them, Amelie sighs.

“Then, I’ll be leaving.”

“Yes. See you later.”

Serwin firmly turned away. Walking slowly on long legs, suddenly strode toward Amelie.

“Would you be okay to be alone?”

“Pardon? I’m not a child—”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

It was Serwin who was anxious to be alone no matter how hard she looked at it. Amelie held Serwin’s hand and patted him.

“I’ll be here the whole time, so if you feel a little weird, come right away. That’s enough, right?” (She was talking about the disaster.)

“Okay.”

Serwin left the palace with a lightened step. Amelie looked on a little further from behind him and turned to Mrs. Enard.

“Shall we go in? I’d like to show you around the palace and introduce you to some of the maids who will serve you.”

Mrs. Enard suggested. Amelie replied with a slightly anxious look.

******

Contrary to her concerns, Mrs. Enard and her maids served Amelie perfectly. Amelie sat on the sofa in her bedroom, drinking warm tea they had prepared, and listened to their introductions.

There were many employees at the palace, but there were three maids dedicated to Amelie. Mrs. Enard, maid of honor, Milena and Charlotte. In addition, there were other maids, who took care of menial chores, and chefs but they decided to be introduced later.

‘I don’t know about Milena and Charlotte but who else was like Mrs. Enard?’

Before becoming empress in the novel, Renia Manbus had bullied Amelie by bribing her maids.

“I’ll serve you with all my heart.”

The maids and maid of honor said in unison. Amelie was weighed down by a great deal of pressure when she saw it. When she thought these were all the people who bullied Amelie in the original, she could only see enemies.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

Please, don’t bother me. Amelie begged inside.

******

“You’re tired of coming from far away, aren’t you?” How about taking a bath?”

“I’ll have clothes ready to change in the meantime. What’s your favorite color?”

Unlike the original, the maids were very kind. They picked out exactly what she wanted, and asked her before she said it first.

“I want to take a bath first.”

The bath was ready as soon as the words fell. Mrs. Enard showed Amelie to the bathroom.

‘My eyes almost go out.’

It was a splendid bathroom. The bath was large enough for four or five people, and hot water was constantly flowing out. Next to the bathtub, there were cool drinks and fruits to take a bath. The lights installed all over the place showed yellow lights, softly illuminating the white bathtub.

A maid was waiting in the bathroom with dozens of bottles of flavour. Milena and Charlotte rolled up their sleeves and prepared to serve.

‘I think these people and I are similar in status—’

Perhaps Amelie, who is using the surname of a commoner, is lower.

“What kind of scent do you like?”

The maid held out a bottle of flavored milk. Mrs. Enard introduced them one by one.

“I’ve only got the basics. If there’s a scent you want, I’ll buy it or ask for it.”

“Would you like to smell it one by one?”

“Uhm… I like the scent of flowers.”

“If it’s a flower scent, how about this? It’s a mild scent of lilac.”

“I’ll take it.”

When Amelie’s permission was granted, the maid sprayed the tub with scented oil. The scent of flowers came up while it was hot. That alone made her feel drowsy. Amelie undressed and went into the bathtub.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘Ah, that’s so nice!’

Amelie dipped herself in the hot water and enjoyed the drowsy mood.  Every time she took a long breath, a lilac scent filled her body. Meanwhile, the maids gave her a massage with their perfumed hands. They gently rubbed the tight muscles of her back neck and shoulders, rubbing her soles and calves. The massage was so delicate, and it didn’t hurt at all when they touched the tightly wound area.

When the body heated up to some extent, Mrs. Enard poured a drink into a glass. Her glass was very cold. The drink was cold, so it was a tea with a fresh aroma. When she swallowed one or two sips, her stomach was refreshed and her breath opened.

‘Heaven. It’s heaven.’

After taking a bath, Amelie sat on the sofa. Her whole body stretched like melted rice cake.

*****

While Amelie had a ‘hard’ time, the Imperial Palace was crowded with people. Hearing the news of the return of the emperor, nobles flocked. It was the first time that Serwin had been away from the Imperial Palace for such a long time. Everyone guessed what was going on, and the big hall was cluttered like a market floor.

“Your Majesty The Emperor is coming in!”

Immediately the door opened, and Serwin came in. As soon as he was seen, there was tension in the hall. The nobles bowed their heads, terrified. Serwin was walking slowly along the dark red carpet, they could not see anything like the pet dog that was following Amelie around from before. He sat on the high throne and slowly looked down at the nobles, like a predator choosing food. It was the return of tyrant Serwin Henesia.

******

Serwin looked around at the nobles gathered in the hall.

The empire’s politics were finely balanced by various forces. There is no end to the branches, but it could be divided into four main categories. Villains hidden in the shadows, scumbags, young competent imperial bureaucrats, and loyalists who truly thought of their country.

Each force had one representative figure leading the pack. Marquis Lewin, Count Manvers of the Rascal, Baron Everry,  and Duke of Odorus, a decrepit loyalist.

The empire was running as they helped and kept each other in check.

This was not the plan from the beginning. Serwin created this board through proper purges and a reign of terror.

At first glance, it seems to have found stability, but the imperial nobles were stupid and arrogant. If he didn’t step in regularly, they would keep climbing because they didn’t know the sky was high. That’s why Serwin called in the nobles as soon as he arrived at the palace. To reignite the fear in the minds of the aristocrats.

When His fierce gaze washed over them, the nobles shook their shoulders unconsciously and swallowed dry saliva. There was more than one question, but they didn’t dare open their mouths first. If Serwin was in a bad mood, their head could be taken off right away.