Chapter 05
By the time Adel had soaked in the warm water long enough to wash away her fatigue and stepped out of the bathroom, the surroundings had already grown dim.
Her entire body pleasantly relaxed, Adel wanted nothing more than to lie down on the bed and fall asleep as she was. However, when she entered the bedroom wearing her bathrobe, there was an unexpected visitor.
It wasn’t the Emperor. The woman who had been sitting on the sofa slowly rose to her feet and offered a respectful bow. Adel quietly studied the woman, whose wavy golden hair fell all the way to her waist.
This was the Empress’s bedroom. Guests were always received in the sitting room, and the maids guided visitors there as well. So how could this woman be sitting so boldly in the bedroom when its owner wasn’t even present?
Moreover, hadn’t Adel clearly instructed that any visitors were to be turned away?
Unfamiliar with the customs of Ehmonte, Adel chose to remain silent for the moment and observe the situation. Adelaide’s golden eyes glinted chillingly in the darkness of night. Against her jet-black hair, those golden eyes carried a hint of something wild. A taut, unyielding gaze hovered between the two women.
The first to step back was Diane. Having completed her initial assessment of the Princess of Gotthorp, she bowed her head politely and introduced herself.
“Greetings, Your Highness. My name is Diane Poitiers.”
Diane Poitiers.
At the sound of that name, a small note tucked away somewhere suddenly came to mind. A surge of irritation rose up, but Adel merely tilted her head, smiled faintly, and brushed past Diane to sit at the vanity.
“My clothes are getting soaked. Hurry and dry my hair.”
At Adel’s words, the attendant serving her hurried over and began blotting the moisture from her hair. Diane silently watched Adel through the mirror.
The Witch of Gotthorp. The Black Panther of Gotthorp. These epithets were unknown in Ehmonte. The two empires, separated by the sea, took little interest in one another. Crossing the deep and treacherous waters to swallow the other whole would only bring losses to the one who tried.
Even so, the moment Diane first saw the princess emerge from the bath, she vaguely imagined a golden-eyed beast lurking deep in a dense forest. A shiver—almost like a thrill—shot from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head. And Diane was pleased.
Thank goodness.
The corners of Diane’s lips slowly lifted.
Truly, thank goodness. This isn’t a face His Majesty would like.
Unable to control her expression, Diane turned her body to hide her face. Adel was watching her through the mirror.
She’s smiling?
Adel’s eyes narrowed.
She hadn’t paid much attention to the information written on the small note. In Gotthorp, concubines and illegitimate children were treated very harshly. As a result, the Emperor’s mistresses there couldn’t even come near the Empress, her mother. People tend to view the world through the lens of their own experiences, and so Adel had taken a light view of the Ehmonte Emperor’s mistress.
But to come seeking her out directly like this… that changed things.
At that moment, Diane turned back and approached, taking a towel from the maid.
“Your Highness, may I dry your hair for you?”
Adel met Diane’s eyes through the mirror.
“Are you a maid?”
At the question, Diane lifted her lips into a smile, then shook her head.
“No, I am not.”
“Then why do you presume to dry my hair? And I clearly instructed that I would not receive any more visitors today. If you are not a maid, why are you in my bedroom without my permission?”
At the calm yet firm tone, Diane blinked and slowly lowered the hand holding the towel. Adel watched her reflection in the mirror.
Her glossy, abundant golden hair flowed in gentle waves, swaying at her waist. Her flawless face held sky-blue eyes, as if a fragment of the clear sky had been set within it. Her slender shoulders looked as though they might snap at a single tap. She appeared barely twenty years old. Her manner of speech and expression seemed utterly obedient.
Adel slowly rose from her seat, turned, and faced Diane directly. Diane, who had been looking down, lifted her head to meet Adel’s gaze.
“If I offended you, I’m sorry. But I wanted to let you know something.”
“About what?”
“About His Majesty’s preferences.”
“……”
At first, Adel thought she had misheard. Her brows immediately furrowed, her lips twitching before she could stop herself. Diane smiled brightly at her reaction.
“I thought you might be curious about His Majesty’s preferences, Your Highness, so I came to tell you.”
It was said that when faced with an unexpected situation, people froze for a moment. Before Adel could respond, Diane continued in an innocent tone.
“Well… His Majesty likes wavy hair. But with your hair being so straight… You should try curling it.”
Then she studied Adel’s face closely and added,
“And… with your complexion being so pale, wouldn’t it be better to add a bit of rosy makeup to your cheeks?”
Her concerned tone and expression made a deep irritation surge within Adel.
For Adelaide Gotthorp, the journey to Ehmonte was no different from exile. She hadn’t come of her own will. And now, the moment she arrived, this woman dared to say such things to her?
Adel stared straight at Diane and pulled her lips into a smile. Her red lips stood out against her pale cheeks, and her golden eyes flashed sharply. A nearby maid took a step back at the sight, but Diane didn’t flinch.
Adel raised her hand and grabbed a handful of Diane’s thick golden hair. It was a clear act of rudeness, but Adel didn’t care. Diane had been the first to overstep—and above all, Adel was the one destined to become Empress.
“Preferences… preferences, you say.”
Adel let out a short laugh and released Diane’s hair. Then she turned and walked to a comfortable armchair, settling into it. She closed and opened her eyes lazily but didn’t offer Diane a seat. Tilting her head, she crossed her legs.
“Why?”
“……”
“Why give me such advice? Advice I didn’t ask for, and delivered with such care.”
Her tone was flat, but the meaning beneath it bristled with thorns. In response, Diane curved her red lips and smiled with crescent eyes.
“You wouldn’t know His Majesty’s preferences, so I thought I’d tell you—”
Adel cut her off sharply.
“So why?”
“……”
“Are you someone who goes around telling people about preferences here and there?”
After saying that, Adel chuckled softly. The eerie sound echoed through the dim bedroom, carrying a chilling undertone. Turning to the maid who was watching nervously, Adel spoke gently.
“I’ve heard Ehmonte’s moonshine is quite famous. I’m curious. Bring me a glass.”
“Pardon?”
“I said bring me a drink. I think I’ll sleep better after having one.”
“Ah, yes. Understood.”
As the maid quickly left, Adel closed her eyes and sank back into the sofa.
“Didn’t you say you’d dry my hair? Go on, then.”
“……”
At Adel’s command, Diane took a deep breath, then picked up the towel. Because Adel was fully reclined against the sofa, drying her hair wasn’t easy. Diane was roughly blotting the ends when Adel, eyes still closed, suddenly spoke.
“Would you pass my preferences along to His Majesty as well?”
“…What kind…?”
“I like men who speak for themselves when it comes to private matters.”
With her legs crossed and posture relaxed, Adelaide whispered this with a sly grin. Diane fell silent for a moment, blinking, then replied coldly.
“Yes, I understand.”
“And one more thing.”
“Please go ahead.”
Adel, who had been leaning back with her eyes closed, slowly opened them. Her long lashes fluttered, revealing those familiar golden eyes. She fixed Diane in her gaze and whispered,
“I’ve never once in my life considered adjusting myself to suit someone else’s preferences. So you don’t need to share His Majesty’s tastes with me. Keep them to yourself. I already have enough trouble figuring out my own preferences—there’s no need to bother with someone else’s.”
A crack appeared in the always-gentle smile on Diane’s face. Seeing it, Adelaide tilted her head and smiled.
“That’s all. You may go.”
At Adel’s command, Diane swallowed hard and took a step back. Turning away, she carefully composed her expression. After a long, steady breath, she regained her composure by the time she set the towel down. Turning back to face Adel, Diane smiled sweetly, her eyes curved like a crescent moon, and bowed politely.
“I was so eager to meet you, Your Highness, that I overstepped my bounds. Please forgive me.”
