TER𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

LXXXVl-90

⭑. ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭
Chapter 86 – Desires (2)

“Wine is sweeter when drunk at night. Isn’t that so?”

“Yes, of course.”

Anne sat very close to Ivan. He had his arm around her waist, but his gaze was turned towards Viola. Viola could tell that Anne liked Ivan. The reason she had sat alone at the last party was that Ivan hadn’t been there.

Grand Duke Ivan was the one who would become the Emperor of the Arpen Empire if the crown prince were to die somehow. At the center of people in power, there is always someone who wants to use that power. Just like Viola herself… and Anne was no different.

“Grand Duke Ivan, have you heard the news about Guinev?”

“Ah, about Princess Guinev. Yes. I heard that the Emperor hid her away. I wonder where she is.”

“Please say what you told me before.”

“Oh, is it okay to say it in front of so many people?”

“Certainly.”

Those present were in the same situation. They were all curious to hear any news about Guinev, who had been taken hostage and then disappeared. Ivan acted as if he knew something but didn’t reveal easily. At the moment he was just opening his mouth to speak, when suddenly came a loud noise from outside and an unexpected person entered.

Everyone was startled and stood up quickly. It was the empress.

The empress walked over to Viola, took a cup from someone’s hand, then poured little by little wine onto Viola’s face. It was shocking. One of the princesses gasped, then dropped their gaze to the floor, trembling.

“Your Imperial Majesty!”

“Be quiet.”

Before Ivan was able to intervene, the empress commanded one of her servants to wipe the makeup off of Viola’s face. It only took a moment for the makeup to be removed from the wine-stained face. Exclamations rose in the air. When Viola’s face was revealed, the Empress laughed dryly.

“Did you think no one would know, just because you hid your face? No matter how much Lustian wants you, you won’t become Crown Princess of this empire.”

Viola brushed the wet hair away from her face. She looked straight into the eyes of the empress.

“You can calm down. I have no intention of becoming Crown Princess.”

It was more important to reassure the empress than to calm the shocks of those present at this sudden revelation of her true identity.

The empress’s eyes were ablaze with fury. It seemed like she immediately wanted to have Viola captured and beaten to within an inch of her life. The crime of purposefully concealing her identity to try to escape the final test… She intended to cover that crime with the single act of pouring wine upon her face.

Inwardly, Viola laughed bitterly. The reason the empress didn’t push her any further was that she had Lustian on her side. She was using Lustian’s affection for her as a protective shield. Her heart hurt, and her insides writhed in disgust. To deceive him, to use him, to use his affection as a shield…

Every time her heart wavered because of him, Viola forced herself to recall Edward’s death. Now was no different.

“Fine, let’s see how long you can keep that mindset. And don’t bother disguising yourself anymore in the future.”