Cornelia took a deliberate sip of her tea, letting the silence stretch just long enough to be noticeable.
“The fragrance is exquisite, Your Majesty. Is this white tea from the southern provinces?”
The Emperor set his cup down with a sharp clack. “I didn't summon you here to critique my tea, Cornelia.”
“Ah. Forgive me. I suppose the beauty of the gardens made me forget myself for a moment.” I let out a soft, practiced sigh. “Your Majesty must be displeased that I haven't reached out until now, correct?”
“Displeased is an understatement. However, I am glad you’ve finally seen fit to return to your senses.”
The words were entirely transactional, devoid of any fatherly warmth, but I accepted them with a pleasant nod.
“Thank you for saying so. I hesitated because I had nothing of value to offer. As Your Majesty is well aware, I was... distracted by my pursuit of the Duke.”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of doubt crossing his face. “Distracted? Does that mean your obsession has finally cooled?”
“It has. I’ve come to realize that no matter how hard I try, I will never truly be the Duchess of Brant in that house.”
The Emperor’s brow furrowed. He understood the implication immediately: the Brant family had been neglecting a princess of the blood. While he viewed Cornelia as a tool, she was still *his* tool, and the idea of her being ignored by a house he despised was a personal insult.
“Explain yourself. Is Brant truly treating you with such blatant disregard?”
I nodded slowly, my expression one of weary resignation. “For the past five years, I have been treated as less than a guest. The household staff ignores my orders, and the Dowager looks through me as if I were made of glass.”
“Less than a guest?” the Emperor echoed, his voice dropping an octave.
“Indeed. It has reached the point where the servants seem to believe Madeleine of Arguin is the true mistress of the house, and I am merely an unwanted specter.”
A cold, dangerous question followed. “Has the Marquis’s daughter and Duke Brant committed adultery?”
In the Schwanherd Empire, the laws regarding marital fidelity were absolute, modeled after the legendary devotion of our founders, Siegfried and Odette. If the Duke had committed adultery against a princess, it would give the Emperor the legal grounds to strip him of his titles and seize the Brant estates.
I offered a bitter smile. “I have no evidence of a physical affair—not yet. But their closeness is common knowledge, and it is more than enough to keep me on edge and the staff emboldened.”
The Emperor leaned back, a shark-like smile touching his lips. “I see. I’ve tolerated their 'friendship' thus far because of our business ties to the Arguin jewelry houses, but if they’ve been using the Crown Prince's connection as a shield for their impropriety...”
“I can provide you with the evidence you need,” I said, cutting to the heart of the matter. “I will uncover their weaknesses and deliver them to you—provided Your Majesty promises to fulfill a condition of my own.”
“You dare to place conditions on me?”
In the Imperial family, such an approach was unheard of. The Emperor ruled with absolute authority, and for a daughter to speak to him as an equal in a negotiation was a staggering display of arrogance. But instead of rage, I saw a flicker of curiosity in his purple eyes.
*He’s intrigued,* I thought. *He likes that I’m finally playing the game.*
“Very well,” he said, his voice smooth. “Let me hear this condition.”
I suppressed the urge to smile. “I intend to leave the Brant estate permanently in the very near future.”
The Emperor looked puzzled. “And?”
“When I do, I want Your Majesty to hide me. I want to disappear, and I want the Imperial House to ensure that Eric Brant can never find me.”
The Emperor’s eyes widened, and he slowly leaned forward. “You want me to help you vanish? To hide a Duchess from her husband?”
His face turned grave as he considered the fallout. “Do you think I’m a fool, Cornelia? If the Duchess of Brant disappears while under my roof, Eric will hold the Imperial family accountable. He’ll use it as an excuse to incite the nobility against me. If he finds out I was the one who hid you, it will be open war.”
He looked at me with a pained expression. *She’s as foolish as ever,* he seemed to think. *Wasting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on a petty escape.*
“Your plan is reckless,” he said coldly. “If you want a divorce, cite his infidelity and use the law to pressure him. That is the rational way to handle this.”
I shook my head. “It’s impossible. Not only is the evidence circumstantial, but both Eric and Madeleine have curated impeccable reputations in high society. A legal battle would only drag on for years and leave me vulnerable.”
“And you think hiding is a better solution? How could you possibly provide me with anything valuable enough to justify such a risk?”
I hesitated for a moment, then leaned in. “Because I am pregnant with his heir.”
The Emperor froze. For the first time, a genuine smile spread across his face—not of joy, but of cold, calculating satisfaction.
He finally understood.
The House of Brant was currently a unified front under Eric’s leadership. Even if Eric were to fall, one of the subsidiary branches would take his place, and they would likely be even more hostile to the Crown.
But if I gave birth to Eric’s firstborn, that child would be the indisputable heir. If the Emperor had control over that child—and through me, the mother—he could effectively transform the House of Brant into a puppet of the Imperial family.
“How do you plan to escape his surveillance?” the Emperor asked, his gaze now sharp and focused. “Even today, I know his knights are following you.”
“It won't be easy,” I admitted. “But I have a plan that will succeed—if I have the full support of the Crown.”
*As I thought,* the Emperor mused. *She’s using me. She’s using her own father to secure her freedom.*
For a moment, a flicker of genuine regret touched his eyes. *It’s a shame she isn't a boy. She has my mind, after all.*
He quickly pushed the thought aside. To him, a daughter was still a tool, regardless of her intelligence. She was a means to an end, and right now, she was providing him with the perfect weapon to dismantle his greatest rival.
“What is it you need me to do?” he asked, his voice indifferent once more.
I watched him, knowing exactly how his mind was working. He wanted to use my child to control the Brant legacy. He thought that by protecting me, he was securing a future puppet.
*Go ahead, Father. Think what you like. As long as you keep us safe until I can disappear for good, I’ll play along.*
I had learned from a young age to use every resource at my disposal. It was a lesson that was still serving me well.
“First,” I said, “we need to move public opinion. We need to create a scandal so great that Eric won't be able to simply demand my return.”
“A scandal? What specifically are you planning?”
I began to outline the first phase of my plan, tailoring the details to appeal to his desire for the Duke’s downfall.
The Emperor listened, a dark, amused smile playing on his lips. “If we follow this through, he won't just lose a wife; he’ll lose the faith of the people. Excellent.”
I allowed a small smile to touch my lips. *Yes. Excellent.*