The Evil Empress Adores Me

Now that they mention it, Lady Bennet once said something along those lines to me at the victory ball. 

‘Ah, truly. You’re not a flower in a crannied wall, so why are you here alone?’

The situation has now been completely reversed. She has to go through what she puts others in. 

Lady Bennet tried her hardest to hold her head high and maintain a calm facade, only for her expression to contort in the process. 

But… … .

‘Even if people mock Lady Bennet…I take no joy in it.’ 

In all honesty, I didn’t want to hear or partake in such gossip. 

After all, when Lady Bennet insulted me, no one sided with me. 

If I started ridiculing Lady Bennet with them, I would be the same as her. 

And there’s no reason for me to protect Lady Bennet. 

Conveniently, Sienna noticed me and invited me outside. 

“Charlize, how about getting some fresh air for a while?”

“Oh, that sounds like a good idea.”

Finally, a breather from everything.

Sienna and I went out together. 

***

It was a refreshing night.

The cool breeze was accompanied by the moon, which scintillated like a well-polished silver mirror in the night sky. 

Beneath the skies, leaves of various colorful shades glistened in the moonlight. 

But even with the beautiful scenery before my eyes, something still didn’t sit right with me. 

Lady Bennet’s contorted expressions from earlier were still vivid in my mind. 

“Charlize.”

A calm voice called me. 

I hurriedly fixed my expression and looked back. 

“Sorry?”

“Is something up? You don’t look so great.”

Ah, was it that obvious?

I couldn’t hide my embarrassment. 

“Lady Bennet’s on my mind.”

“As expected, it’s Lady Bennet again.”

Sienna seemed to share the same sentiment.  

“It’s like her attitude has been completely flipped.”

It made more sense when Sienna said that. 

I let out a short sigh.

“It’s bizarre. The noblewomen were obviously taking my side, but I’m not thrilled about it.” 

“That’s understandable. I’d also have mixed feelings about it.”

Sienna silently nodded.

After pondering about it for a while, I suddenly opened my mouth.

“Lady Bennet…she seemed pretty hurt, didn’t she?”

“Does it bother you?”

“Actually, I don’t like the fact that it bothers me, but I’d rather not have her ridiculed.”

I let out a long sigh and nodded.

“Oh.”

At my answer, Sienna’s pupils dilated with a perplexed expression.

I shrugged and continued.

“Honestly, how could I worry about Lady Bennet?”

After everything that’s happened so far. 

She poured tea over me when I was younger, and mocked me at the victory ball because I was all by myself. 

And don’t get me started when she hurt Ellen at the spring party…

‘Thinking about it, she’s really been a pain for me, hasn’t she?’

Calming my churning stomach, I scrunched my brow. 

“Still, I don’t agree with what happened back there.” 

The only reason I got goosebumps was when I saw the ladies’ reactions earlier. 

To be able to mercilessly cut off Lady Bennet, someone whom they were close to…

She most likely treated them the same way.

(“I’d rather have Lady Bennet’s attitude remain unchanged, but what were those people thinking?”)

“Charlize.”

“It’s almost unbelievable that she behaves so differently now that the situation’s changed.” 

Though, haven’t I learned enough already through Damian?

When he was imprisoned, no one gave him a second thought.

But look what happened after, Damian made all those achievements in the North, where he shone brightly like the sun. 

Now, everyone’s eager to meet Damian. 

Looking back, it was the right thing to do. 

When it comes to Lady Bennet, how could I trust a person who can change their behavior just like that? 

But then.

*Rustling*

“Kyaaak!”

I thought I could hear the hem of a dress tearing against the bushes, followed by a sharp scream ringing out. 

Thud!

Simultaneously, someone tumbled violently to the floor. 

“What, what?”

Surprised, I raised my head.

Sienna quickly became alert and looked around.

“Stay here for a while.”

Sienna moved in stride and raised her hand to clear away the bush.

And in it…

‘Ah, dear.’

I quietly bit my lip.

Lady Bennet was sitting in the bush with a disconcerted face.

Her reddish eyes made her appear as if she were about to burst into tears. 

…I couldn’t shake off this feeling that somehow she was trying to get away from the public eye.

“W-What is it?!”

Lady Bennet looked at me with her chin held up, pretending nothing had happened.

However, judging by the slight trembling around her eyes, it seemed that she couldn’t properly get a grip on her emotions.

“Ah, what am I gonna do now?’

What should I do? This is so awkward!

I broke out in a cold sweat.

I’m guessing she heard everything I said!

I tried my hardest to cloak any embarrassment I was having. 

“Well, um…”

Let’s smile first.

There’s a saying that you can’t spit on a smiling face, right?

I acted as nonchalantly as possible and smiled. 

“Good evening, Lady Bennet.”

The moment she heard those words, Lady Bennet’s expression became a mess. 

“Are you making fun of me right now?”

She was furious, baring her teeth. 

No, what did I do?

I looked at her in a confused state. 

But Lady Bennet breathed heavily, unable to hold back her anger. 

“Am I funny to you?”

“Pardon?”

“Am I, aren’t I? I was a noblewoman, a relative of Her Majesty, the Empress, and I held myself in high regard.”

Lady Bennet clenched her fists.

The blades of grass she held in her hands were squashed. 

“Look at how drastically different things are for us now.” 

“Hey, Lady Bennet.”

“You. You’re the fiancée of His Highness, the Crown Prince, and you’ve awakened the power of the divine beast. Whereas I, on the other hand, have nothing.” 

“No, what kind of enmity is this now…”

Having listened to those complaints, Sienna opened her mouth, unable to hide her disbelief. 

I hurriedly grabbed Sienna’s wrist.

“S-Sienna!”

She whispered in a hushed voice as her brow became wrinkled. 

“Don’t stop me.”

“Don’t.”

“Lady Bennet is insulting Charlize!”

“I know. However, could you please bear with it for a little while?”

It seemed that the desperation on my face worked, Sienna wore a sullen face as she quieted down. 

I quickly turned to Lady Bennet.

“Well, Lady Bennet, why don’t you calm down a bit?”

“Calm down? Seriously?”

Ugh!

Lady Bennet snorted, her tears welling up while she spoke. 

“How can I calm down here?”

“But…”

“Her Majesty, the Empress, treats me like a thorn in her eye, and all the other ladies who used to follow me, have turned their backs on me.”

Lady Bennet raised her voice, tearing up.

“Don’t be hypocritical, I know you’re laughing at me on the inside!”

A chilling silence passed.

I quietly looked down at her.

Lady Bennet appeared shell shocked at her own screaming as the reality of it set in. 

After a while.

I opened my mouth in a calm voice.

“First of all, when I told you to calm down… it was meant for your sake.”

“For my sake, what nonsense is that…”

“Let’s show excitement or break down in front of other people.”

‘Despite it being nonsense, you’ve shown yourself breaking down in front of others.”

Lady Bennet glared at me with grim eyes.

I spoke in a calm tone.

“You’re just giving others another reason to poke fun at you, Lady Bennet.” 

Lady Bennet seemed to give what I said some more thought. 

I must have hit the nail on the head. 

“And, Lady Bennet, I’m sure you already know that.”

“…what?”

“That you’ve been acting was wrong all along.”

Her face grew red, indicating that my words had hit the mark. 

It’s true, isn’t it?

She couldn’t have been absolutely oblivious to all the wrong she did…

If she really believed she wasn’t in the wrong…

‘She wouldn’t be hiding out here, she would have gotten into a heated argument in front of everyone.’

Not taking things lightly in unfair situations is encoded in her formidable personality. 

I shrugged lightly.

“If you are a mature adult, shouldn’t you have an attitude of apologizing and reflecting on your mistakes?”

“That means not taking your anger out on other people.”

At those words, Lady Bennet flinched, and her shoulders became taut.

I narrowed my eyes and added. 

“And above all, I’m also a victim who was victimized by you.” 

Lady Bennet reflexively tried to protest, but in the end, she clenched her teeth and hung her head low. 

Um, did I say it too harshly?

But, I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?

How many times have I been treated with contempt by her?

Even though I think so, I

As I thought so, I took a peek at Lady Bennet’s complexion. 

Fortunately, she seems to have calmed down a bit now.

Whoa, really…

She’s messed with so many people in so many ways. She has a knack for causing suffering. 

I let out a big sigh and continued.

“And, there’s one thing you were mistaken about, so I’m just going to correct that part.”

“….mistaken?”

“I never thought of making fun of you, Lady Bennet.”