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The Empress's voice trembled unnaturally.
However, from the moment the Paternity test magic tool and Rosia's name popped up, there was a face that naturally came to her mind.
‘Could it be, that Ayla Blanche bitch….’
Come to think of it, everything was too strange.
Ayla always gracefully avoided the traps, as if she knew all the plans she had so painstakingly woven.
As a result, things had gone wrong like this.
“Are you saying Ayla said that?”
“Why are you so sure she said it?”
The Empress, realizing her slip, quickly changed her words.
“Well, I also heard about what happened at the Blanche Family. I heard Ayla Blanche figured out how to break the Paternity test magic tool, right? Who else would say such ridiculous things but her?”
On the outside, she pretended to be calm, but on the inside, she was extremely disturbed.
‘Ayla suspects Darian’s birth. Then, could Peony have the same suspicions?’
Currently, Ayla was Peony's closest subordinate.
Now that she suspected Darian, there was a high possibility that Peony had the same suspicions.
If the Princess were to dig into this fact, Darian's position would become uncontrollably precarious.
If all the truth were revealed, they would fall into the abyss together.
‘…I have to get rid of Peony somehow before that.’
The determination to carry out the plan during the coming-of-age ceremony became stronger than ever.
Darian's expression twisted as he saw the Empress's pale face.
“…So, I really was a fake.”
The man staggered backward.
As if even the alcohol had worn off in an instant, his clenched fists trembled.
“Da, Darian. It’s all a misunderstanding….”
“A misunderstanding? Then, would you be okay with me getting a Paternity test done separately without the Emperor's knowledge?”
The Empress's hand, which had been reaching out to grab Darian, paused.
In her son's blue eyes, there was a firm resolution to uncover the truth at all costs.
The Empress's heart grew anxious at the sight. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Do you have to hurt your mother like this? Can you handle the consequences?”
“This isn’t a matter of handling it or not. Living like this, pretending not to know, is just deceiving myself.”
Darian gritted his teeth, and the Empress's eyes trembled helplessly.
Soon, she lowered her head as if resigned.
“Ha… Fine, if you’re so stubborn, I can’t help it. I’ll tell you the truth you want to know so badly. Yes, you are not the Emperor's biological son.”
Darian's eyes widened at the calmly spoken words. He then muttered in disbelief.
“How many years, no, how many decades have you been deceiving me….”
The Empress, unable to bear his sharp criticism, shouted angrily.
“But I had no choice…! Originally, I was the Emperor's first wife. But as soon as he ascended the throne, he brought in another woman. Yes, I’m talking about Peony's mother.”
A burst of laughter escaped the Empress's lips.
“When did he ever say he would only look at me and love me? As soon as he ascended the throne, he suddenly made all sorts of excuses and coveted the princess of a neighboring country. In the end, I, who was pushed out to become the Empress, had to find a way to survive. I had to have a child to preserve my position at all costs.”
“Is that why you had me?”
“…Yes. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to have you, a son, in one go. After I gave birth to you, everything went so smoothly. Serena died giving birth to Peony, and I finally rose to the position of Empress.”
A cynical smile appeared on the Empress's lips. It was the smile of someone who knew her sins well but would never regret them.
“Ha, haha….”
Darian, having confirmed the truth, let out a suppressed laugh.
Soon, his face twisted in pain. He shouted with all his might.
“What… what were you thinking when you did this, Mother!”
“I told you I had no choice! If it weren’t for you, I would have been pushed out by Christina in the power struggle. Your existence is what kept this mother alive.”
The Empress continued in a trembling voice.
“So, can’t you please have mercy on this mother? Can’t you just pretend you don’t know and live as you have until now?”
Before she knew it, the Empress's hand grabbed Darian's sleeve. She desperately shook it as she pleaded.
“If you just keep your mouth shut and live as you have until now, everything will be safe. You will get the throne, and then there will be no more problems….”
Darian retorted coldly.
“It’s too late, Mother. It’s already over. As you said, someone else already knows the truth.”
“…What?”
“As you expected, Ayla mentioned it. I don’t know how she found out about this….”
Darian stopped speaking and laughed in vain.
“No, it’s not that hard to guess. I’m a defective product with no Dragon's power, unlike the rest of the Imperial Family.”
“A defective product? You’re definitely not….”
“In other words, you knew I was a fake all along… and you were trying to keep Peony in check and bring Ayla in as my wife? How long were you planning to continue this charade? If you have any conscience, shouldn’t you stop deceiving others?!”
The Empress's eyes shook greatly at Darian's desperate cry. But soon, the shaking slowly turned into resentment.
‘What have I done for you until now?’
She felt wronged and resentful towards Darian, who didn't understand her feelings.
“How can you… think so much about others and not think about this mother at all?”
Darian's tightly closed lips trembled. The Empress continued in a voice filled with emotion.
“Do you think I did it because I wanted to? At first, yes, I had you to survive. But as I raised you and watched over you, do you really think I only thought about that? No. I just made the best choice I could for your happiness! Thanks to that, you’ve grown up so wonderfully!”
She gasped for breath and raised her voice.
“And now that it’s been revealed that you’re not related to Peony by blood, why can’t you let her go! What are you lacking that you’re trying to give up what you can have, talking about conscience?”
“Do you really think everything you’ve done until now was for me?”
The Empress raised her voice even more, as if unable to bear his gaze.
“Yes! I wanted to bring you only the best in the world. Is that wrong? Then what should I have done! Should I have taken you, a child, and left the Imperial Palace? …I believe you know what would have happened if I had done that.”
Darian stood there blankly for a while after hearing all those words.
Soon, a hollow laugh escaped his lips. His expression became empty in an instant, as if all his soul had left him.
Then, in the next moment, an extremely cold voice came out of his mouth.
“…Leave.”
At the short and firm dismissal, the Empress stared at his face as if frozen.
“As a final courtesy to my mother, I will keep this matter a secret. But… I will never see you again until the day I die. And I will no longer aim for the throne.”
Darian's empty gaze turned to the air.
“So, don’t even dream of doing anything strange to Peony. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to reveal all the truth.”
The Empress paused, speechless.
Darian seemed so adamant that he wouldn't listen to anything she said now.
‘…If I put more pressure on him here, it’ll be a disaster.’
Feeling a sense of crisis, she remained silent and racked her brain.
As if she had found a solution, the Empress closed her eyes tightly and opened them, saying.
“Yes, you must have been very surprised. I understand.”
“……”
“I’ll leave for today. You need time to calm down too.”
Before turning around, the Empress stopped for a moment and looked at Darian. And she left a final request.
“But don’t forget one thing. The one who cherishes you the most in this world… is not Peony or Ayla, but this mother.”
Darian did not answer.
The Empress's footsteps slowly faded away, and with the sound of the door closing, the room was once again plunged into silence.
Soon, a sound that was neither laughter nor tears escaped the man's lips.
Only sobs, like the cries of a beast, echoed in the silent space.
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