By Zephyria 
Around noon, Cecile, who visited the Empress’s palace, came face to face with a face that looked just like his own. Despite the sudden invitation to lunch, the round table was filled with delicious dishes.
“Try it, Cecile. The chef said he put in special effort because you were coming, but I wonder if it will suit your taste.”
The warm potage and roasted mushrooms made for an enticing entrée, and the veal, drizzled with butter and orange sauce, was perfectly cooked and tender at first glance.
While Cecile’s plate changed several times, the only thing in front of Empress Elizabeth was a single plate with just a few greens. Even that, she cut into small pieces and put in her mouth bit by bit.
Maintaining her figure was a habit that Empress Elizabeth could never let go of throughout her life. She was obsessively fixated on her appearance.
Thanks to this, she maintained her beautiful looks even as time passed. Without a doubt, she could be called the most beautiful woman in the Verka Empire. The story of Elizabeth, who rose from a commoner to the position of Empress solely based on her captivating beauty, was legendary within the empire.
Fifteen years ago, the current Emperor Arnold was isolated in a remote village after encountering a fierce snowstorm during an imperial tour. The place where he spent the night waiting for the storm to pass happened to be Elizabeth’s home.
The beautiful Elizabeth was a single mother with a five-year-old child. Emperor Arnold, who fell in love with her at first sight, brought Elizabeth to the palace, ignoring all the adverse conditions. Despite the strong opposition from the nobles, they dared not defy the Emperor’s will.
The Empress at that time was kind and virtuous. She treated the child, whom the Emperor had brought without any forethought, with utmost care as if he were her own family.
A year later, the Empress, who had been particularly frail, succumbed to the aftereffects of an epidemic and passed away.
The clever and ambitious Elizabeth never missed the opportunity that came her way. She skillfully seduced the Emperor, who was infatuated with her, and ultimately ascended to the position of Empress.
She wanted to make the Verka Empire entirely her own. The problem was that a successor had already been designated long ago. Crown Prince Alexis, despite his young age, was not easily swayed. He constantly kept Elizabeth in check and maintained his noble dignity as the rightful heir to the throne.
Thus, it had been ten years since Elizabeth and Cecile entered the palace.
Cecile was naturally recognized as a member of the royal family when his mother became the Empress. However, the surname that followed him was still ‘Adrian,’ and although he enjoyed all the wealth, he was not called a prince. He was, in essence, a ghost, wandering without a title or position.
But an opportunity arose. When Crown Prince Alexis, now seventeen, left the empire for monster subjugation, Empress Elizabeth began to reveal her ambitions in earnest.
Seizing the chance while Alexis was away, she worked hard to expand her influence and somehow elevate Cecile to a respectable position. Thus, five years passed, and influenced by his mother’s excessive desires, Cecile found himself obsessively fixated on the position of Crown Prince without even realizing it.
Well, that was all in the past now.
Cecile scooped a bit of orange sauce with his knife and spread it over the well-cooked meat. As he recalled the past, a faint smile appeared on his face. Looking back now, it seemed like an absurd desire, but he couldn’t understand why he had been so obsessed.
Just then, the Empress spoke up.
“This morning, news of victory arrived. The Crown Prince is said to be returning to the palace soon.”
“Is that so?”
“He’s been wandering the Black Forest for five years. How can he return in one piece? His life is remarkably long, unlike his mother.”
Elizabeth gulped down her wine as if her appetite had vanished.
In front of her, Cecile quietly set down his fork and knife. After rinsing his mouth with wine, he carefully wiped his lips with a napkin. He had unconsciously absorbed the etiquette of the royal court.
“He has dedicated five years for the empire. How about welcoming him sincerely?”
“Welcome?”
The Empress scoffed.
“Rather, we should show him what’s what. Five years is a long time. He needs to be taught how much the palace has changed during that time.”
In his previous life, Crown Prince Alexis and the knights he led returned with the achievement of subjugating all Magical Creatures, but they received a welcome that was worse than nothing. The subpar welcome party was personally prepared by Empress Elizabeth for him.
It was significant in showing who truly held power in the empire. This incident would turn the Crown Prince and the Empress into adversaries. From Cecile’s perspective, it was an event that must be prevented.
“We must not take lightly the efforts the Crown Prince has made during this time. Including The Senate, all the citizens of the empire are expressing their gratitude to him. If Your Majesty shows signs of resentment, what will happen? It would be unreasonable and unsightly.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“I will take charge of the banquet. It will be a welcome from a younger brother to his older brother, so it has enough justification. Even if the preparations are lacking, it will be due to my inexperience, so it won’t reflect poorly on you, Mother.”
The Empress seemed to find Cecile’s suggestion quite agreeable as she tapped the table with her neatly arranged fingers.
“Alright. Since you are a proper member of the royal family, it wouldn’t be bad to show something this time. If you need help, just ask for anything. Felix will assist you a lot.”
Well, Cecile forced a wry smile, feeling troubled.
“I think it would be better for Felix to take a break for a while.”
“Why? A person of such skill is rare.”
“You see, he’s been coughing a lot lately. It could be due to his age, but… I saw blood on his handkerchief not long ago, and I’m worried it might be an epidemic.”
The reason the former Empress passed away early was also due to an epidemic. Elizabeth, who was extremely sensitive about illness, gasped in shock.
“What? Is that true?”
“I asked indirectly, but he insists he’s fine. He probably knows that Your Majesty dislikes it immensely. Even if I pressed him, he would surely deny it.”
“Absolutely not! He must be sent away immediately!”
“But Felix is my attendant.”
“So what if he is?”
Cecile barely held back a laugh. His mother reacted exactly as he had expected.
“How do you plan to send him away?”
“I’ll figure it out somehow.”
“…I have no choice then. Just make sure he spends the rest of his life without regrets.”
Cecile then picked up his knife and fork again and began to cut the meat into chunks. The food had gone cold, but it was indescribably delicious.
Felix was expelled from the palace within a day. With just a bundle of belongings and a land deed in hand, the old man looked up at Peridot Palace with a face filled with anger.
Cecile leaned against the window, watching the scene unfold. A proud smile crept onto his face as things went according to his wishes.
If he continued to change things one by one like this, it would be fine. Today, the beautiful moonlight shone brightly on his head.
The next morning, as soon as Cecile opened his eyes, he took off his clothes. The ancient number inscribed on his chest had changed to 999.
“Wow… how considerate.”
He never expected to be informed of his death so directly.
With a sigh, Cecile picked up his clothes again. As he pulled the golden thread Seolleong rope, the door opened as if it had been waiting, and young faces in attendant uniforms entered, bustling about.
Not only Felix but all the attendants had been completely replaced in just one day. In total, there were six of them. They were all young men in their late teens to early twenties, all from humble noble backgrounds. They were carefully selected for being kind and not overly ambitious.
All of them were people Cecile had chosen himself.
“I’m hungry.”
“I’ll prepare your meal right away, Cecile. The weather is lovely today; how about dining in the garden?”
“Yeah, that sounds good.”
Stretching lazily on the bed, he resembled a lazy cat. Despite just confirming his limited time left, Cecile’s face looked remarkably refreshed.
After all, he had a lot to do starting today. He felt that it was too precious a time to be submerged in gloom.
* * *
The empire was literally buzzing. The Crown Prince and the knights he led had returned to the capital. The citizens showered petals and confetti on the Crown Prince, who rode at the front, creating a festive atmosphere.
The palace was just as noisy. They had been busily preparing for a grand banquet for several days.
Cecile had tea time in his garden. The clear sky without a cloud and the vibrant scenery of the garden adorned with camellia petals helped calm his restless heart today.
At that moment, Leo, who held the position of head attendant at Peridot Palace, cautiously approached Cecile. Bowing slightly, he whispered in Cecile’s ear.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has entered the banquet hall.”
“Is that so? That’s a relief.”
“After all the effort put into the preparations… aren’t you going to go see him?”
“You’d be better off without me there. I have enough sense to know that.”
Cecile smiled and took a sip of his black tea. Although he had added a lot of sugar, the tea still tasted bitter. When the perceptive Leo asked if he should add cream, Cecile merely shook his head.
In his previous life, Cecile had also attended a banquet. What had the outcome been?
Contrary to the purpose of a congratulatory banquet, it had been a place filled with sharp slanders and shouts. In short, it had been a complete mess.
Now it was different. The nobles who had caused trouble back then were all gathered in this garden, and the welcome party being held in the main palace was prepared without any shortcomings.