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"Trying to be smart, using your head, Riel? You've fallen for your own trick."
Iana whispered with a mocking face.
At that moment, Riel's pent-up anger exploded.
Smack!
Riel slapped Iana's cheek hard. Iana's face snapped to the side.
Riel spoke loudly, as if she no longer cared if her voice was overheard.
"Iana, you're right, I was mistaken. I'm someone who can do this."
"......"
Iana slowly turned her head to look at Riel.
"Because I am the Emperor's woman, whom no one can treat carelessly."
Riel's clenched fists trembled.
Iana, who had been watching, slapped Riel's cheek in return.
Smack!
Riel's bobbed hair became disheveled from the force of the blow.
Riel raised her hand again.
"How dare you!"
Thwack!
Iana grabbed Riel's wrist tightly, provoking her.
"Riel, get a grip. You are not the Emperor's woman whom no one can treat carelessly, but..."
"......"
"Just a mistress who could be discarded tomorrow without leaving a single record."
Iana, holding Riel's wrist, and Riel, whose wrist was held, struggled for a long time.
But Riel was losing out to Iana's strength.
When Iana roughly shook off Riel's wrist, Riel walked to the table in front of the sofa.
Then, as if venting her anger, she tore the dress Iana had brought with her hands.
Iana watched the scene silently.
Soon, pieces of torn dress and buttons littered the floor.
Riel swept her disheveled hair back with her hand, then said with a meaningful smile.
"If I can't be an object of admiration, I can be an object of fear."
"......"
"I'll show you, Iana. How far The Villainess of Rubena can go."
Riel's eyes, full of animosity, even seemed to radiate madness.
Riel stepped on the torn cloth and walked to open the door.
Bang-.
Standing in front of it were the head of the orphanage and people who seemed to have rushed over at the sound of the commotion.
"......!"
The people were shocked to see the torn pieces of clothing on the floor.
Riel said in a neurotic voice, as if annoyed.
"What are you just looking at? Get out of my way."
"Yes? Ah, yes."
The head of the orphanage was startled and quickly stepped aside.
Riel held her head high and walked out the door.
The head of the orphanage, with a flustered expression, asked Iana.
"A-Archmage, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
Iana replied.
"I think I should escort you to the headmaster's office now because His Majesty the Emperor is coming..."
The head of the orphanage dragged out the words, afraid of being misunderstood for eavesdropping on the two's conversation.
"We made a commotion. I'm sorry."
Iana approached and offered a polite apology. Soon, she watched Riel's back as she walked down the hallway.
Riel walked down the hallway with an arrogant face, not caring about her messy dress.
Rather, the noble ladies who were coming towards her were flustered and stepped aside.
Iana thought as she watched Riel.
'Riel, reveal your true colors and fight like that. At least that's more human.'
✦ ✦ ✦
As afternoon came, people who had heard the rumor that the Emperor was coming flocked to the front of the orphanage.
The noble ladies quickly sent people to bring in the men of their families to get the Emperor's attention.
Additional royal guards who had come to provide support strictly guarded the path leading to the main gate of the orphanage.
The Empress and the people of the orphanage waited for the Emperor at the entrance of the building.
When Iana approached the Empress to provide protection, the Empress quietly opened her mouth.
"The Grand Duke was right."
At the Empress's words, Iana recalled what Charles had said.
"If Duke Havel goes hunting with me that day, His Majesty the Emperor will be induced to go to the orphanage."
At that moment, the people who had gathered stirred.
Softly, softly.
Riel, having somehow obtained a dress, changed into a clean dress and walked out of the building entrance with dignity.
Then, she stood side by side with the Empress in front of the people, as if to show off.
"Oh my goodness..."
The people were aghast at the sight of the mistress from a family of traitors daring to stand side by side with the Empress.
An unpleasant expression was evident on the Empress's face as well.
"Lady Riel, please stand in the back in accordance with etiquette."
"Why should I? Your Majesty the Empress."
Riel stared straight at the Empress and refused outright.
As if she were responding to the rumor that she would soon become the Empress.
"What did you say?"
The Empress, who rarely got angry, frowned.
The Empress's and Riel's gazes collided fiercely.
It was then.
Boooooo.
The sound of a horn announcing the Emperor's arrival echoed.
Thump, thump, thump.
The Emperor's procession on horseback came in a long line.
The leader of The Nine stood at the front, and Charles and Duke Havel followed behind the Emperor.
Soon, the Emperor's party, having dismounted, walked towards the building entrance.
Iana's eyes met Charles's, who was walking behind the Emperor.
The two exchanged a brief glance.
When the commander of the royal guard raised his sword high, all the people who had gathered lowered their heads.
"We greet His Majesty the Emperor."
The Empress approached the Emperor and said with a gentle smile.
"Your Majesty, you didn't say you were coming today, did you?"
The Emperor glanced at Riel, who was standing next to the Empress, and continued.
"I wanted to participate in a good event at least once, and I happened to have the time. Empress."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The Empress lowered her head slightly and offered her thanks.
The Emperor's gaze turned towards Riel.
"Riel, you came too. You didn't say anything until this morning, did you?"
At the Emperor's question, Riel replied with a smiling face.
"Her Majesty the Empress invited me. The more people who are together, the better the good things are."
The Empress could not say anything at Riel's brazen lie.
No matter how much the Empress argued with the mistress in front of the people, it was the Empress who would lose face.
Riel seemed to have aimed for that point.
Iana did not miss that moment and deliberately spoke with an angry face.
"If Lady Riel says that, those in charge of guarding, including me, will be reprimanded."
She was going to point out that Riel had appeared unexpectedly, not at the Empress's invitation, causing problems with the security.
"What does that mean?"
The Emperor asked with a puzzled face.
Iana pointed to the building entrance with both hands and said.
"I'll tell you the details later after we go inside."
The Emperor looked at Iana, Riel, and the Empress in turn, as if gauging the atmosphere.
As the atmosphere turned cold, the Empress stepped in.
"The children have been waiting for Your Majesty for a long time."
At the Empress's words, the Emperor approached the children who were lined up.
At the moment Iana's eyes met Riel's, who was following the Emperor, she said with her eyes.
'Riel, if you act recklessly as the Emperor's mistress, I will confront you with my position as the Archmage of the Imperial Palace.'
✦ ✦ ✦
While the children of the orphanage were performing a play for the Emperor and Empress, Iana was tidying up the Arika Vine with purification magic in the backyard of the orphanage.
Soon, Charles walked towards Iana.
"Your Highness, why did you come out here?"
When Iana asked, Charles answered with a wink.
"I heard there was an unfortunate incident before His Majesty the Emperor arrived? So I came to check the security status."
As Charles came closer, Iana whispered lowly.
"It went according to plan. The royal guards of Her Majesty the Empress have captured that person."
"They will try to appease or harm the shadow merchant by any means."
Charles carefully examined Iana's face as she spoke.
"Iana, why is one side of your face swollen?"
"That's..."
Iana couldn't continue speaking with a troubled face.
Charles asked with a serious face.
"Tell me what happened. Don't tell me..."
Iana looked around and opened her mouth in a barely audible voice.
"I was slapped by Riel. I slapped her too."
"What?"
Charles stroked Iana's face with a surprised expression.
"I'll try not to get into a fistfight as much as possible."
"That's not what I meant..."
Just as Charles was about to say something.
"Your Highness!"
A guard knight belonging to The First Order of Knights rushed from the orphanage building.
"What's wrong?"
"His Majesty the Emperor has ordered us to prepare to return to the Imperial Palace right away."
At the knight's words, Iana asked with a puzzled face.
"I know there are more events after the performance, but is there a problem?"
"It's not that, but Lady Riel said she wasn't feeling well. It seems..."
"......"
"She thinks she's pregnant."
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