The carriage stopped inside the Nyxveil Mansion. I looked at Hao Ran, who had turned into a beautiful, chubby cat with the most luscious white fur and ocean-blue eyes. I couldn't help but adore how adorable he looked in that look.
"Hey, why don't you pat me like this?" Master said with an annoyed look, seeing how I was running my fingertips on the back of Hao Ran's cat body.
"You are way too old to be patted, Master," I said.
Master smacked his lips while looking at Hao Ran, who was closing his eyes with a proud expression. I shook my head at their childishness.
*knock knock*
Instantly, Master transformed into his black cat form and jumped down from the seat to sit beside my leg. The door of the carriage opened, and Rina looked surprised by the presence of two cats.
"When did cats come inside?" She gave me a surprised look, and I smiled innocently, "I sneaked them inside when no one was looking."
She didn't look like she brought it, but she didn't pray for an answer anymore.
It seems like Rina is finding out how to serve me better, good for me.
"Words about the incident in Nordwyn Residence reached the ears of the Emperor, and he has sent palace representatives along with His Highness the Crown Prince."
The corner of my lips curled up into an unconventional smirk. I could have guessed something was happening when I saw a few carriages standing before the mansion. And as I wanted, the Emperor has learned about it.
"I should make my appearance then; after all, I am the one who caused this havoc," I said in a deliberately calm tone. Rina nodded her head and opened the carriage door fully for me to step out.
Hao Ran and Master followed me in their cat form as I stepped out of the carriage. The cold spring breeze couldn't make my excited mind calm.
Politics is like chess; each and every person is like a pawn, be it the queen or the knight. Pawns on the chessboard think they are in control of the moves made. However, who has the real power in this game of chess?
Neither the King nor the Knights—it's the players. The players of the two sides fight silently through their pawns, finding tricks to defeat the other party.
Right now, in this political situation, I won't say I am a player. However, I am not a pawn either.
This current political situation isn't something I am familiar with. But it's not long before I will alter this into my familiar field, like my past life. Till then, I won't directly get involved.
Rather, I will stir up events that will force the real players of this game to come out through the pawns they have been fighting.
Inside the mansion, Imperial Knight guards were standing on their edge, and the tension surrounding the thick air bearing the aroma of coffee and sweets made my nostrils tingle a bit.
I found Alancia pacing back and forth while biting her nails anxiously. It's been a while since I last saw her. She looked more haggard than I remember seeing her.
She noticed my presence and instantly rushed toward me.
"Just what had you done in Nordwyn Residence that Imperial Envoys and His Highness came without any prior words?" She bashed at me with her not-so-usual feminine tone.
Her pastel green eyes were anxious and desperate, and her complexion looked paler.
Surely, I am not worried about her well-being, but I need her to stay sane for my future plans.
I smiled, cold and emotionless.
"Stop worrying yourself with things that are beyond your capability, Alancia."
Her eyes widen, stunned and shocked. I stepped closer. Alancia and I are at the same height, but due to my posture, I look slightly taller.
Putting my right index finger under her chin, I made her look up.
"Remember what I told you before? You are just a pretty face who thinks anything will go according to her plan."
Her cheeks started turning red in anger, her body slightly trembling, her eyes screaming how much she wanted to hit me but felt too inferior to do it.
"Selentia, do you think you are better than me just because you are master of Crimson Abyss and are favored by Father now?" She gritted her teeth. Wanting to trigger me with some words is indeed foolish.
I chuckled slightly before grabbing her by her throat and bringing her closer to me. Her face was drained of all color; fear took over her expression.
My face hardens just like my heart did years ago.
"I am far worse than you are, Alancia. You feel inferior to me, don't you"?
A denial left her mouth like a whisper, but tears streaming down from her eyes said otherwise.
"Of course you do. Because unlike you, I don't plan on hiding behind a man's back," I said with a cold smile on my lips.
"Be it Ezekian or... Kaelith."
Her body froze at the mention of Kaelith. I tightened my grip around her throat a bit, but not too tight, so she would be able to breathe.
"Just some advice to you as your sister. Never think a man can save you from a hell from which you can't save yourself".
I let go of her throat, breathing heavily, and while catching on the air, she looked at me.
Angry, defeated, helpless, and... pitiful.
"What do you even know, Selentia? In High Society, women can't live without a man's protection. Not everyone is born with great power like you!"
Her voice came out as a whisper, full of complaints and questions. These words... they were exactly the same words she spoke to me in our past life.
At that time, I couldn't really understand the emotions and weight behind those words....
But now... I do after meeting Xavier.
Xavier is probably the most powerful human in the entire world currently, yet he is the most vulnerable person who is constantly fighting against malicious energy.
He has a strong bloodthirst, which he controls with everything. He is the first prince of the greatest empire in the world, yet he has no place to call home or to return.
His only hope is me, the one who freed him from one hell to throw him into another. He never spoke out, but his eyes spoke louder.
How much he craved freedom. How much he craved peace within himself.
Alancia is no different. Unlike me, who never had to face the typical rules of a lady of a prominent ducal household. She has had to face it ever since she can remember.
Unlike me, who had the freedom to sneak out of the mansion even though I had to pay a price later, she didn't have that. Even now... Nobody asked her whether she wanted to leave Wymhold and move to the Holy Empire.
Caged and shackled by others' perceptions, she must have thought the best bet would be to find a powerful man who could at least grant her some level of power.
Her eyes first fell on Ezekian. I doubt it was love.
In our current generation, after Crown Prince Ezekian, he is the man who holds the most power. Nordwyn is far from the capital, and word has it that the people there are more liberal than here.
If she had married Ezekian, she would have been the archduchess. Other than the Empress, there won't be any woman higher than her. And once that happens, she won't have to be restricted like this.
But things flipped unexpectedly. Our parents are getting divorced, and she has to move to the Holy Empire with her mother. Which is most likely moving from one cage to another.
In that situation, the Crown Prince is suddenly showing interest in her. As I heard from Rheon's intel, Kaelith had been directing situations where he crosses paths with Alancia outside Nyxveil Mansion and shows great interest in her.
For Alancia, it's like a golden, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She isn't naive enough to believe Kaelith is in love with her, but she won't miss this opportunity to become the Crown Princess and later an Empress.
In her eyes, the Empress has all the freedom in the world. Alancia from my past life must have believed it too. This is why she agreed to marry Kaelith without any second thought, and even after nearly 24 years of loveless marriage, she refused to step down.
I didn't understand her previously. Loathed her for her actions toward me for all our lives. I hated how she would manipulate everyone through her tears and put me in odd situations.
But I wonder....
Had she the same freedom as me, would she have done the same? I was born with a power that allowed me to trample over all odds and even let me stand high and proud even after being titled as the daughter of a traitor to humanity.
However, it wasn't the same for her. Though people never directed their hatred directly to her, did she ever have someone who truly respected her and decided to stay by her side?
I was an outcast in the Court of Ignis, but amid all the hatred, I had some who supported me selflessly.
My circle wasn't huge like hers; I wasn't in the spotlight like her. But I was a shadow who had people getting under her shadow willingly and thoughtlessly. While in her case, people only sought after her light with selfish and cruel intentions.
Alancia's shoulder trembled, soft pressed sobs left from her mouth. I couldn't resonate with her pain and loneliness.
But....
" You and I are different, Alancia. I am worse than you but that doesn't mean I have an easier life than you," I said.
" Liar! You have a much easier life! Mom and Dad never put you any restrictions unlike," Her voice got lower, " Me."
So, that's what Alancia thought about me.
Ironic!
How I always believed she had it easier because she didn't have any scar on her body or any hatred and poison directed toward her and she believed I had it easier because I wasn't restrained by anything even if it meant struggling against death.
But at the end, we both struggled through our own fate.
A small smile appeared on my lips as I lifted her chin.
She indeed resembled Mother way too much.
No wonder Father never found himself scolding her despite knowing how she was causing trouble to me.
" Our lives are different so comparing it is foolish, Alancia. You have something that I don't have."
Her eyebrows curled up a bit looking at me, " Huh?"
I just smiled, " Stop looking for someone to save you and use your strength to win your freedom. No need to crumble before a selfish man for the sake of your precious freedom."
Her eyes fluttered and tears stopped coming from her eyes. I wiped off her tears and stepped away from her.
Turning my feet to walk toward the stage which I arranged, I gave her a final look with a smile and she looked at me speechlessly.
You have something that I don't have and can never have, Alancia. But if I tell you what it is, you won't ever realize it's worth.
I can only hope, your fate will show you the real path to freedom and all of your unanswered questions will be answered.