The Abandoned Empress

< Do you remember what I requested of you in the past? Even if your wish to be freed from him comes true…>

Suddenly, I recalled what the late emperor told me before he passed away, gasping for breath

I felt depressed somehow. The late emperor treated me kindly. Even though he sometimes bluffed and appeased me, he honored my intentions at the end of his life. That’s why he said that to me in his last moments.

Looking up at the blue sky, I whispered to myself, “‘Yes, Your Majesty. I remember what you told me. You asked me to stand by the crown prince even as a friend even if I ended my relationship with the imperial family by becoming the successor of my family. I know I will be heartbroken, and it will be very difficult for me to do so, but I will. Just like my father did so, I’ll try to be someone that he can share trust with.”

I let out a deep sigh.

While walking along the road blankly, I heard someone sighing out like me. Startled, I looked around and found myself walking in the garden of the Central Palace, where I sometimes had tea time with the late emperor.

Who let out a sigh here a moment ago? This is a place where no one can enter without approval.

I looked around, but no one was visible. When I stepped further inside, tilting my head, I saw a woman standing in the shade of a tree with its leaves turned red. At that moment, I suddenly stopped walking toward her because of her hair color.

‘What the heck? Why is Jiun here now when the nobles in the capital are prohibited from leaving their houses by the emperor’s order?’

As I felt a bit suspicious, I decided to observe her for a moment instead of approaching her. She might be here for some reason. As they can’t move around freely because of their treason charges, the Jena family or the noble faction might have sent her here because she is the child of God’s prophecy.

Pacing up and down under the tree for a while, she stood in front of a bunch of white flowers. When she muttered something and reached out, white light repeatedly came out. The withering flowers were back to life thanks to the continuing light.

I unwittingly frowned at that. I saw her using her divine power last time, but I didn’t know she could use it continuously without any failure.

Then, what was wrong with her when Beatrice passed out? Did she just pretend she couldn’t use her divine power? I thought she often failed because her divine power was incomplete, or perhaps things didn’t work out well as she wished.

At that moment, I recalled a scene in my memories, with me dropping tears on the day when I saw Frincia’s baby, and Beatrice moaning and desperately begging me to save her baby.

I felt something hot coming up from my heart.

‘How can you do that, Jiun? Like me, you know the pain of losing a child, right? How can you pretend not to know her suffering? What the heck do you want?’

The moment I stepped forward with my fists clenched, Jiun, looking back at the rustling sound, said with a very happy expression, “Uh, were you here? Good. I was just looking for you…”

“Lady Jena, what are you doing now? Did you use divine power a moment ago?”

She replied through her quivering lips without showing any feelings, “Ugh? Yes, so what?”

“Oh, you knew how to use it, and that three times without any failure.”

“What the heck are you talking about? You already saw me using divine power before, right? I’ve got some more important things to tell you.”

As she kept trying to change the topic, I made a sarcastic expression. I was not sure when I started to show it, but I found myself speaking to her in a tone as if I didn’t recognize her, even though I bowed to her.

“But why couldn’t I see your divine power when Baroness Feden passed out?”

“Hey, that ‘s because… ! ”

“I thought you failed repeatedly because of your incomplete divine power, but now it seems that you didn’t use it on purpose.”

“Not, that’s not…”

“You are awesome. You said you want to beat me? Yes, you’ve come a long way. How can you play with the lives of the two? I don’t know why you did so, but at least your aloofness seems to be one cut above me, given that you were so cruel when you experienced the same pain as me. I was literally spaced out when Baroness Feden passed out like that.”

“… Hey.”

As I kept rebuking her, she gradually contorted her face, staring at me sharply, clenching her teeth. Then, she moved up and down her lips as if she wanted to say something.

I waited for a while, wondering how she would make excuses, but she just hesitated without saying anything. When I giggled at her sarcastically, raising my eyes, she yelled at me suddenly, “You’re right. I didn’t use my divine power on purpose. Are you satisfied now?”

“…So, you didn’t use it.”

“Think whatever you want! You won’t believe what I say anyway.”

“Tell me honestly. Didn’t you use it on purpose or couldn’t you use it?”

“I told you to think whatever you wanted. Why does it matter to you whether I use divine power or now?”

“Oh my…”

I let out a big sigh because I was dumbfounded. I was trying to catch my breath, while calming down my troubled heart, when I suddenly heard a bell ringing somewhere.

What the heck is it? Call-up order again? Why at this time …?

“Why? You are suddenly speechless…”

“Can you be quiet?”

“What?”

“I told you to shut up for a moment.”

I listened to the repetitive sound of the bell ringing, ignoring her who was trying to say something.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Uh, that’s the total call-up order. But the meeting place is…the training field of the 2nd Knights? What the heck is this? What is going on?

When I hurriedly turned, Jiun grabbed the hem of my skirt, and said, “Where are you going again? I’ve got something to tell you.”

“I have nothing to say. Let go of me now!”

“Hey!”

Leaving her behind despite her sharp calling, I ran to the 2nd Knights. Given the circumstances, it was highly likely to be a call-up order for training, but I had to run because the call-up order this time was very unusual.

A large number of knights were already gathered at the 2nd Knights’ training field. Everybody was puzzled at the unusual call-up order invoked in a long time. Call-up of each knights division was common as it was often invoked for training purposes, but the gathering of all the knights divisions at one place was very unusual.

“Why did they invoke the call-up order for all the knights?”

“Well, it might be for reasons of training.”

“That might be true, but given the timing and the place, it’s strange this time.”

When everyone began to gossip about it, my father stepped forward and said, “Everybody, pay attention! We have a special mission for all the knights except for the royal knights.”

“Special mission?”

“Isn’t it a training situation?”

“No. From now on, all the knights except for the minimum manpower to guard the Imperial Palace will be organized into one unit of five full-fledged knights and ten apprentice knights. You will work on three shifts until the situation is over. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

Only

“Good. Then let me give you the mission. Each unit will be dispatched to the roads leading to the capital and will carry out the mission of searching for a specific figure. The man you have to search for is …”

I swallowed, listening for him. Who the hell is this man that prompted the emperor to issue a general call-up order?

“The wanted man is Marquis Mirwa. He is a felon who has defied the summons order and fled. So, you have to catch him by all means.”

Who? Marquis Mirwa? My eyes popped up when I heard his name.

So, was he really the main culprit? The investigation results that the emperor gave me the other day were also true? Oh my God! I always felt suspicious about his behavior, but I thought he might have been trapped by somebody because of his increasing power.

“If you understand my point fully, go back and confirm which unit you belong to, then disperse to your place immediately. Those appointed as the unit leaders should go to the captain of their knights division for their search area, then let your unit members know about it. The unit leaders of the 4th Knights Division, come and see me.”

“Yes sir!” The knights replied strongly and dispersed.