"She will come for me... She will definitely come for me!"
Late at night, after returning to her chambers following the banquet's end, the Empress couldn't find peace. Like one possessed, she kept muttering the same words to herself.
Despite the Emperor significantly increasing the number of palace guards, the Empress still didn't feel safe. Cold sweat ran down her back, and fear of the impending threat wouldn't let her close her eyes.
The Second Princess, worried about her mother's condition even at the banquet, came to check on her. The Empress's complexion brightened at the appearance of her precious daughter. And as soon as the door closed behind her, the Empress's fingers painfully dug into the girl's shoulders.
"My child, stop that crazy woman immediately!"
Despite her mother's pleas, the princess hesitated.
"Mother, what are you talking about?"
"You must kill her!"
Jerica's pupils sharply dilated.
"For me!" the Empress exclaimed hoarsely, "You must finish her off for me!"
Stunned, Jerica stared at the Empress. The woman seemed beside herself.
"Mother, sit down first," the princess wanted to seat her mother so she could calm down a bit, "You are too agitated right now. I'll order the servants to bring you a sedative..."
The Empress burst into hysterical laughter.
"A sedative? I don't need one!" barked the first lady of the imperial court, "I just want you to finish off that wretch right now!"
"..."
While Jerica remained silent, the Empress continued to mutter incoherently, as if talking to herself.
"This is the end for us. You understand that, don't you?" the Empress's voice shuddered.
"Mother..."
"You saw it with your own eyes!" she insisted, "This is not a human, but a monster. We have turned a blind eye to what was happening for too long, and this is the result. First, the Tersian Empire, and now — our turn..."
"But... Didn't Father himself send Kaena to resolve the border conflict?" the princess asked cautiously.
The Empress clenched her fists.
"She was supposed to die! Die!" the Empress screamed, "But she returned alive! Do you understand what this means? Now she will want revenge on us!"
Knowing her older sister's character well, Jerica realized that her mother's fears might not be unfounded. After the Crown Princess stabbed her cousin to death right at a family dinner just for uttering a few unflattering words about her, the other members of the imperial family preferred to be on their guard with her.
"If you don't poke the bear with a stick, it won't growl."
However, this time, the Emperor and Empress had clearly gone too far.
Feeling that things were indeed bad, Jerica tried to reason:
"Mother, even if Kaena holds a grudge against you, it's unlikely she would actually commit a coup d'état..."
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The Empress raised her voice, throwing a piercing look at her daughter.
"How can you give such guarantees when our lives are at stake? Tell me, how can you be so sure?!"
The Second Princess couldn't find an answer and bit her lip.
"It's useless for a person to fight the devil," the Empress muttered, "If you're going to act against them, you have to use their own methods."
"What?"
Jerica grew worried that her mother might worsen the situation with rash actions.
"It must be done at night," the Empress declared confidently, "Tonight."
Unlike the other members of the imperial family, Kaena de Ronan did not live on the territory of the Imperial City, but in her own residence. The frightening black castle was located far from the capital and places inhabited by people. Not only did the Crown Princess live there, but it was also the main base of the Dark Army.
In other words, this place was a true haven of evil.
The Crown Princess's residence was perhaps even better guarded than the Imperial Palace. At one time, the Empress had tried to send several assassins there, but they couldn't even reach the main holdings. The next day, their heads, every single one, were sent back to the Empress.
Since then, the Empress had made no further attempts to attack her domain.
Getting rid of this girl was extremely problematic in principle. In the Empress's eyes, the Crown Princess was like a rat — no matter how much you poisoned it, it would still come back and bring a litter. Previous futile attempts only confirmed this.
However, now, for the first time in a long while, they had a "chance."
Because Kaena hated the Imperial Palace, she hadn't stayed there since she was a child. And this time was no exception. Despite the late hour, the Crown Princess still went to her estate.
Given that she had returned so suddenly, many soldiers from her army had not yet been notified of her return. Accordingly, during the trip, Kaena would be accompanied by a minimal number of subordinates.
If not now, another opportunity might not present itself.
The Empress still remembered the look of those golden eyes that she had caught on herself that day from the thirteen-year-old girl. That look, full of madness, she remembered for life. And it hadn't changed since.
The Empress knew that sooner or later Kaena would want revenge for her mother. She was just waiting for the right moment. Ascending the throne, as payment for her childhood, she would kill the entire imperial family. Valencia Gross le Bauer could never allow this.
"Jerica, listen to me," the Empress's hands trembled on her shoulders, "Summon all the forces of the Imperial Army, but get rid of that villainess today!"
"You're asking me to use my position?" the Second Princess protested.
"What else did you become Captain for?" the Empress cried, "Isn't it to protect me and your father? I'm asking you to fulfill your filial duty!"
"Mother... You..."
Despite the fact that Kaena had committed many atrocities, she was still a member of the imperial family, and moreover Jerica's own sister. No matter how cruel and merciless the girl was, the Second Princess couldn't simply stab her in the back.
"As your daughter, I will do anything you ask," the princess finally declared, "Anything but this."
"Jerica!"
The Empress exclaimed desperately.
"How can a commander stoop to such a thing?" Jerica continued imperturbably, "You're asking me to attack someone from ambush! Is that the act of a noble knight?"
"You...!"
The woman exhaled indignantly.
"In this world, I have no one dearer than you and Father. I will do anything for your wellbeing. But... Do not ask me to kill."
From the Second Princess's look, it was clear that this was a decision that was not even up for discussion.
Jerica de Ronan bowed slightly and left the room. The Empress followed her with an angry gaze. Then she exhaled noisily and closed her eyes tightly.
Maybe, because she had been too pampered in childhood, the girl grew up so soft?
Why isn't she like her mother at all? Is it really so difficult to put family interests first?
Controlling herself, the Empress soon calmed down.
After all, knowing her daughter's character and that she wouldn't harm even an ant unnecessarily, she could have expected such an answer. Based on this, she already had a backup plan ready.
"You may come out."
As the Empress stared coldly at the door from which the Second Princess had just exited, a barely perceptible rustle was heard in the room. A man in black clothes with his face covered appeared before her on his knees.
"Your Majesty, I am listening."
Without looking at the assassin, the Empress handed him a vial of clear liquid. In appearance, it was ordinary water, but in reality — one of the most powerful poisons created on the continent.
The Poison of Seven Herbs — a famous deadly concoction containing the seven most poisonous herbs of the continent. It was impossible to buy it on the ordinary market, so the Empress had to go to great lengths to find a master potion maker. But it was worth it. One drop was enough to kill a herd of healthy horses. Not to mention one person.
"Do it quietly," the Empress commanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The assassin disappeared as silently as he had appeared. The Empress stared intently into the dark gloom outside the window.
The black sky, with not a single star, foreshadowed that this night would be long.