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80.
Rebecca answered as if responding to his curiosity.
"Of course, ‌‌‌Your Majesty. You will have no choice but to take my hand in the end."
"Why is that?"
"Because I can achieve what you desire."
"And how would you know what I desire?"
Rebecca turned her gaze from Zahidra to the sky above.
"Long ago, after the rebellion succeeded, the Rotandus Empire boasted an unprecedented stronghold of imperial authority. But as the Temple's power grew, the Emperor's authority weakened, and the influence of the Duke of Johannes, who allied with the Temple, expanded."
Zahidra gazed silently at ‌‌Rebecca's blue eyes, bathed in moonlight.
"To counter the Duke of Johannes's power, Your Majesty strengthened the Latrannis Family in the borderlands. Yet now their influence has grown to threaten imperial authority itself. Moreover, the Earl of Devonshire controls the Empire's ‌‌commerce with an iron grip."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I will place the Temple, the Duke of Johannes, the Latrannis Family, and the Earl of Devonshire—all four powers—beneath your feet. Then the true empire you desire will be born."
Zahidra let out a hollow laugh.
"And how do ‌‌‌you intend to do that? By resorting to some trite seduction scheme?"
At his words, Rebecca released a bitter smile.
"While that wouldn't be an ineffective method, what is easily gained ‌is easily lost. I have no intention of relying on such ‌‌‌temporary ‌‌measures. Of course, beauty does have its advantages—it can serve as ‌‌‌‌excellent camouflage."
"Camouflage?"
"No one bothers to look for true ability hidden ‌beneath my appearance. That's why they all reveal their weaknesses before me."
"Hidden ability, you say?"
Rebecca tapped her head lightly with her fingers. ‌‌
"I ‌‌‌‌possess no ‌‌remarkable talents—merely a somewhat sharp mind."
Zahidra's ‌eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"The rumors I've heard suggest you see the future. You don't possess foresight, do you? And weren't you called a saint?"
At those words, Rebecca released a faint laugh.
Zahidra's gaze upon her gleamed with piercing intensity.
"Does Your Majesty believe such things? I merely fabricated those rumors to ‌‌secure my divorce from the Earl of Devonshire. The future is nothing but the product of the past and present, is it not? Making minor ‌‌‌predictions is a simple matter."
A satisfied smile briefly graced Zahidra's lips upon hearing this.
Had Rebecca claimed to see the future, this precious private audience would have ended then and there.
He was not swayed by hollow abilities.
The notion that she gathered ‌‌‌‌information to predict the future was far more convincing to Zahidra than the claim of actually seeing it.
Rebecca continued her words.
"And fortunately, it seems I do possess divine power, but I have no intention of becoming the Temple's slave. It would be far too wasteful to ‌squander this life on such things."
'It worked.'
Rebecca noticed Zahidra's perpetually raised eyes lower slightly, and she smiled.
Since she wore a ‌‌mask regardless, Zahidra would never see the victorious smile she subtly ‌‌‌released.
Because of this, Rebecca could smile freely.
"You don't believe my coming here with Julian today was mere coincidence, do you?"
"Well, seeing that you wear a mask, you didn't come merely to show your ex-husband that you're living well. And the ‌‌‌‌fact that you summoned me so discreetly suggests you're planning something significant."
Rebecca marveled inwardly.
Zahidra—he was born to be an Emperor.
During his reign in my past life, the Empire remained stable throughout.
There were no wars fueled by conquest, nor did he simply ignore neighboring kingdoms growing in power.
Taxes were collected at reasonable levels, and while noble excesses were not absent, Zahidra handled such matters with impartial justice whenever they arose.
He was praised as a benevolent ruler throughout his life.
But I saw the sharp eyes hidden behind his gentle smile.
The reason he ‌‌could grasp such honor was because he had shed that much blood with his own hands.
Absolute imperial authority was never obtained freely.
'Now that I think about it, how did Zahidra suppress the Temple back then?'
Recalling Zahidra from my previous life, I slowly opened my mouth.
"That's correct. Something tremendous ‌‌will unfold in this mansion today. I apologize for not informing you beforehand. Time has been pressing so urgently...."
In truth, Julian and ‌‌‌I were uncertain ‌‌about Zahidra.
More precisely, about ‌‌Zahidra's attitude toward Zeppelin.
Seeing how he confined Zeppelin at his Villa previously, he ‌‌didn't seem to harbor particularly favorable feelings.
However, that didn't mean the Emperor completely agreed with casting Zeppelin out.
The Devonshire Family was a meritorious house of the Emperor, and that alone still held considerable value for use.
Because of this, I had hesitated until just now about informing Zahidra of today's ‌‌undertaking.
But now that matters ‌‌had come to this, all that remained was to entrust myself to fortune and the power of my three-inch tongue.

I began to speak.
"Before that, I have something I'd ‌‌‌like to ask Your Majesty."
"Speak."
Zahidra was already giving ‌my words sufficient attention.
I answered.
"Between ‌‌the Duke of ‌‌Johannes ‌‌‌and the Earl of Devonshire—which will you choose?"
"Must I choose?"
"Yes. You must choose."
"Why?"
"Because I have chosen the Duke of Johannes."
I lifted my chin high.
Before a powerful opponent, confidence could sometimes be the solution.
"Since I have chosen Julian, he will rise to greater heights, and Zeppelin ‌‌‌‌will become a setting sun. Which will you choose?"
Zahidra let out a scoff.
"I'm curious about the source of your boundless confidence. From the beginning, what exactly of mine are you relying on to listen to such preposterous talk?"
"If you answer my question, I will tell you. Everything ‌‌‌about the plan I have devised."
Zahidra fell silent in ‌‌thought for ‌a moment, then spoke.
"Since you're so confident that your plan is flawless, I should choose Johannes. In terms of wealth, Devonshire may have the advantage, but wealth can simply be seized, can it not?"
"A ‌‌wise choice, Your Majesty."
I bowed my head. Then I began to explain the plan ahead step by step.
As I laid out everything that ‌‌‌would happen tonight, Zahidra ‌‌‌couldn't hide his excitement, raising his eyebrows.
"If that ‌truly succeeds, it would be quite extraordinary."
"Did I not tell you? I am confident."
"Then what should I do to help?"
Rebecca answered without a moment's hesitation, her voice resolute.
"Remain silent."
"What?"
"Whatever the Duke of Johannes and I ‌‌do, do nothing. Neither support us greatly nor reject us. That is all I ask."
"You want me to do nothing and merely watch?"
"Yes. But there is one condition."
"You always have conditions. Very well, speak."
"Once. Only once—save us. No matter the circumstances, help us just ‌this one time. If you do, I will give you what I promised Your ‌‌‌‌Majesty."
Zahidra's eyes, which had softened slightly, turned glacial in an instant.
He could have demanded support ‌‌‌for everything. Alternatively, he could have ordered the destruction of Devonshire right then and there.
Yet Rebecca asked for only one rescue—not three, not many, but a single one.
Zahidra's expression betrayed unmistakable satisfaction, though he deliberately narrowed his eyes into a menacing gaze.
"Do you truly believe I will keep my word? If things ‌‌go awry, I may cast you aside. I ‌could abandon such a trivial promise without hesitation."
"That is acceptable. Your Majesty will surely keep the promise."
"How can you be so certain?"
"You will understand once you remain silent."

Though she spoke indirectly, the true meaning beneath her words was clear: handle the rest myself, and you need ‌‌not concern yourself.
How audacious and irreverent.
Yet at the same time, intrigue stirred within him.
'Rebecca!' ‌‌
His instincts had not deceived him.
Even her plea for aid at the victory banquet had been calculated.
Zahidra regarded Rebecca, who stood before him with noble composure.
Most people—especially those meeting him for the first time—trembled with fear in his presence.
But she showed no sign of disturbance before him.
Instead, her eyes held the serene detachment of one who had lived through countless ‌‌‌‌‌ages, calmly awaiting his response.
Zahidra studied the depths of Rebecca's gaze.
Her eyes bore ‌‌‌‌‌the mark of someone who had crouched in waiting for an eternity.
It was a familiar gaze.
Her eyes resembled his own reflection in the mirror on the day he resolved to poison the Crown Prince.
Zahidra's deliberation was not brief.
With hands clasped ‌‌‌‌behind his back, he gazed at the unusually brilliant full moon and spoke.
"I shall watch."
Behind her radiant mask, Rebecca laughed coldly.
"You will suffer no loss from this."
* * *
Alicia watched blankly as Julian led his betrothed away, supporting her.
They appeared like a storm, captivating everyone's very soul, and departed just as tempestuously.
The Duke's fiancée, who had stolen all eyes and vanished with the Emperor to the ‌‌‌balcony, twisted ‌‌‌her ankle while descending the stairs. ‌‌‌
"My sunshine!"
Julian uttered the embarrassingly affectionate nickname before embracing his fiancée, who had collapsed.
It went without saying that the father-in-law was ‌‌shocked by Julian's deeply concerned demeanor.
Though it was merely a twisted ankle, Julian fussed over his fiancée as though her entire leg were shattered.

From his normally taciturn and cynical lips poured forth an excessive torrent of affectionate words that should never have emerged.
"How unseemly."
Zeppelin, who had recovered by then, approached Alicia's side. His face deeply ‌‌furrowed, he glared at Julian's conduct.
"Look. Even the Emperor finds it disagreeable."
At his words, Alicia turned her gaze toward ‌the Emperor.
Though his brow was furrowed, Alicia sensed somehow that he was suppressing laughter.
"Since my fiancée is in pain, I suppose we must take our leave now."
Julian supported his fiancée and bid farewell to Zeppelin and Alicia.
The Duke's fiancée kept her gaze fixed on Zeppelin, offering only a slight bow of her head.
Zeppelin flinched, meeting the large, sharp eyes visible through her mask.
The moment their eyes met—her cold, profound blue gaze and his—a tear suddenly fell from one of his eyes.
'What?'
It happened so swiftly that no one noticed his tear.
Zeppelin wiped away the tear that had traced down his cheek with his finger.
And ‌‌he gazed endlessly at that dewlike tear suspended there.
The Countess who fled has returned
E-book publication.

January 12, 2022
Author.

Long Night Sky
Publisher.

Desert Fox
Published by.

Woongjin ThinkBig Co., Ltd.
Submission received.

naver.me/54VzzLSn
Blog.

blog.naver.com/wj_fennecfox
Twitter.

@wjt_fennecfox

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