“Empress Sister was a minor?”
“Yes.”
“Since when?”
“Hmm. Probably since she was born?”
“That can’t be…”
I was so shocked that my legs gave out beneath me.
The Empress was a minor.
That meant that, regardless of whether it was before or after my possession, she was younger than me.
She wasn’t Empress older sister—she was Empress younger sister.
Why had I simply assumed that the Empress was older than me in the first place?
Did she look that old?
No, that wasn’t it.
Now that I actually knew her age, I realized it suited her quite well.
But if it had turned out that the Empress was older than me?
I probably would have just accepted it.
She could look mature when she needed to, and young when she wanted to…
It was difficult to gauge her age just by appearance.
“Wait a minute. If she was a minor until now, then all the things I imagined about her…?”
“What kind of delusions were you having…?”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ is demanding an explanation, questioning exactly what kind of thoughts you were having!]
A sudden realization struck me, and cold sweat started pouring down like a waterfall.
Whenever the Empress acted irritatingly, I’d indulge in some… imaginative scenarios.
And now I found out that she wasn’t even an adult…?
“I didn’t say anything out loud, did I?”
“No. Although I have heard my lord mutter all sorts of nonsense to himself, I have never heard any inappropriate remarks about Her Majesty.”
“Phew. As long as I didn’t say it out loud. There’s a saying that imagination is free, isn’t there?”
“…”
“Say something, would you? It’s awkward when you just stare.”
“Yes, well… What exactly were you imagining?”
“Nothing much… probably.”
“…”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ gives you a suspicious look but decides to let it slide this time.]
I was worried I might have let something slip unconsciously while fantasizing about the Empress.
If I hadn’t, then that was a relief.
After all, anyone can have thoughts.
Besides, I thought she was an adult.
Of course, all of my imaginings were entirely wholesome.
I sighed in relief, placing a hand on my chest.
‘Wait a second. So, was Archduke of the North seriously encouraging his underage niece to launch physical attacks on me…?’
That thought suddenly resurfaced, and my anger flared.
He had no problem goading a minor into physically assaulting me.
But I, who planned to raise my ideal bride from a young age and eventually take her as my wife, was the one deemed creepy?
This was an injustice I couldn’t ignore.
The next time I saw him, I needed to have a stern word.
‘Come to think of it, has the Empress been quiet all this time because she was waiting for the coronation…?’
She hadn’t said a word when she heard about my engagement to Yuri.
She hadn’t reacted when she learned about Irene Vermont’s exile either.
Normally, if the Vermont family made a move, she would immediately summon me to the palace.
But this time, there was no response.
So she had been gathering her strength, waiting to unleash everything after the coronation.
Even when she was a minor, her attacks had been fierce enough that I trembled in fear whenever we met.
How strong would she be now that she was an adult?
Just imagining it made my brain feel like it was short-circuiting.
‘My long-guarded purity is in danger.’
I had sworn to give my chastity to the bride I personally nurtured on the day she became an adult.
Wait. Hold on.
If I thought about it, the Empress had also only ever looked at me because I had traveled back in time.
Did that mean she was practically another bride that I had raised?
If so, then wouldn’t it be fine to offer my chastity to her as well…?
‘No, wait. The Empress might not even care about that.’
Honestly, the Empress wasn’t particularly lustful.
Maybe she hadn’t reached out because she was just too busy.
Ever since my last invitation to the palace, had I been viewing the Empress as some sort of man-eating beast?
I shouldn’t judge people based on preconceived notions.
I resolved to reflect on my biases.
.
.
.
“Once the coronation is over, I’ll finally be an adult…?”
Click.
Wearing her ceremonial attire for the first time in a while, Vanessa Friedrich stood in front of the mirror.
She gazed at her own reflection, her lips curling into a slightly awkward smile.
She had never thought the boundary between adulthood and childhood was all that important.
After all, she had inherited the throne and seized power a long time ago.
They say a coronation is the greatest opportunity to reinforce imperial authority by showcasing the legitimacy and dignity of an empress.
But Vanessa had already been wielding near-absolute imperial power, even without such a ceremony.
To her, the coronation was nothing more than a formal event.
Becoming an adult didn’t seem particularly meaningful either.
And yet, now, she found herself so eager to reach adulthood that she could hardly sleep at night.
‘And it’s all because of Count Vermont…’
Once she became an adult, all obstacles to taking Aslan Vermont would disappear.
Then, she could truly have that man without any hesitation.
Vanessa couldn’t stop the grin spreading across her lips, a thrill of excitement coursing through her.
‘Wait, why did I even want Count Vermont in the first place…?’
A sudden question crossed her mind, and she tilted her head in thought.
Surely, she hadn’t been this desperate to have Aslan Vermont from the very beginning.
When had it started?
Was it when the massive Aura released from Vermont split the mountain range?
Was it when she first met the Count—who, despite appearing subservient, had an indomitable will?
Was it when he skillfully persuaded the unruly noblewoman who had been causing endless headaches for both the imperial palace and the fortress city?
Or… was it back when, as a child, she met a stranger who taught her how to trust people?
She wasn’t sure.
But one thing was certain: at first, it was nothing more than a matter of possession.
She had simply thought she could secure a loyal subject—someone who was highly competent, yet so simple at heart that he would never betray her.
Her plan to make him Grand Chamberlain had originally been nothing more than a means to bring him into the imperial palace.
But at some point, she realized she had become completely fixated on making Count Vermont her Grand Chamberlain.
“Tch. He has far too many women around him…”
Vanessa clicked her tongue sharply.
Was this jealousy?
She had always considered jealousy an ugly and repulsive emotion when she saw it in others.
Yet, now that she felt it herself, it seemed oddly romantic.
“I suppose I can let that slide… Hmm, yes. I am a generous ruler, after all…”
Obsessing over someone’s past relationships?
As a ruler, there was nothing more disgraceful than that.
She had no intention of pressuring Count Vermont to cut ties with his women.
Even so, she couldn’t ignore the dull ache in her chest.
“Count Vermont may be sly, devious, and somewhat depraved, but at least he has firm convictions.”
Yes, Aslan Vermont may have committed some eyebrow-raising acts—such as scouting young girls from childhood and raising them into his ideal brides.
But he would never lay a hand on a minor.
When she looked into his mind, she knew with absolute certainty that he would never cross that line, no matter what.
That meant the current frontrunner in his heart was none other than her—the soon-to-be adult, Vanessa Friedrich.
‘Surely, he isn’t planning to take Irene Vermont and his knight as well…?’
Of course, that was assuming Irene Vermont and his personal knight were excluded.
Both of them had already reached adulthood, yet nothing had happened so far.
That meant he likely didn’t consider them potential brides.
Especially considering one of Aslan’s past remarks—“Twenty-five is not just overripe, it’s rotten.”
And since Irene was turning twenty-five this year, she was completely out of the running.
Vanessa sighed in relief.
“So all I need to do is establish the ‘done deal’ first, and it’s over.”
It didn’t matter who he had his eyes on first.
It didn’t matter who he had promised to marry first.
It didn’t even matter who he had gotten engaged to first.
None of that was important.
The only thing that truly mattered was—
Who sealed the deal first?
That was the only deciding factor.
‘Count Vermont is surprisingly indecisive. Once I get him into my bed, it’ll be smooth sailing from there. Just in case, I should prepare an aphrodisiac. And I must incapacitate his knight beforehand to prevent any interference…’
Vanessa stroked her chin, already drawing up detailed plans in her head.
Forget romantic confessions or anything of the sort.
That could all come later—after she had secured Aslan Vermont as her own.
Right now, her mind was consumed with only one thought—
How to lure Aslan into her bed.
