Chapter 3: CH 3

Anastasia raised her head with a puzzled look on her face.

What caught her eye was the expression of her father, Duke Barantes, who seemed to be very angry at her.

‘‘….Did my father ever look at me like that?’

Anastasia, who was puzzled, soon realizes her current standing at the moment.

‘Ah, the scene that’s happening right now is the same as the original story….’

“Tomorrow is the death anniversary of His Majesty, Emperor Seon. But you’re doing it again! How can you repeat such a frivolous act?”

“…….”

“Even if Lady Duphort made a few minor mistakes, it doesn’t mean that it’s right for you to slap her and then throw a teacup at such a poor girl?”

When she heard the name Lady Duphort, it reminded her of the young lady who fell on the floor.  She had covered her cheek with a flushed face as fragments of teacups were scattered on the floor.

‘…I see, so that’s what happened.”

The moment she realized what happened, Anastasia’s expression became serious.

“I already expected myself to be in trouble and that I’ll be walking on eggshells with the people around me. But I didn’t realize that it would be this bad.”

(TN/N: ‘walking on eggshells’ means to be very careful not to offend or upset someone.)

And it seems that the sound that she heard right after her regression, was from the slap on the cheek.

Upon realizing that fact, she felt very sorry for the young lady. Even though it wasn’t her own doings.

Anastasia just bowed her head as if she had nothing more to say.

Originally, Duke Barantes would have felt sorry for his daughter and stopped his rant.

To that extent, he was weaker than anyone else in the world towards his only blood.

However, the evil act that his daughter had committed from the past is just way too much.

And he hoped that someday she would realize that the patience that he’s giving her, might reach its limit as well.

“Not only your court lady but as well as the other servants. If you don’t like them, you can just instruct them to get out. It’s not appropriate for the Empress to use abusive language or to physically abuse them. Now, only a handful of servants remained here at the Empress’s Palace, less what it was a year ago. Mrs. Rochester is also complaining that there’s a lot of work piling up due to lack of manpower.”

“…….”

“And what do you think the Empress’s job is? Did you think that the only thing that you have to do is just to have tea time everyday and not work at all? I understood that the first year would be difficult for you, since you suddenly received the oracle to become the next Empress. But until now, you haven’t made any effort to learn anything, you’ve just been playing around everyday… Did you have any idea how much Madame Rochester suffered because of you? It comes to a point where I really don’t want to see her, because everytime we meet I always feel sorry for her.”

Anastasia let out a deep sigh inwardly at his father’s non-stop criticisms.

…Although it was expected that violence and abusive language were basic to its subordinates, it seemed that they did not hesitate to abandon their duties.

“Before that, you’ll have to master the affairs of the palace first because without me, you can’t do anything.”

‘So that’s what you meant when you said that. Now I understand.’

“And how many new dresses do you wear every week? If you wear the dress you have now, you won’t be able to wear it even at least ten times in your life.”

For luxury.

“And also save your budget, Your Majesty. What have you been doing these days? Most importantly you’re not going to any gambling houses these days, are you? Because I’m now forbidding you to go to any gambling house,Your Majesty.” 

Even gambling…?

‘There was no mention of such details in the original work.’

Anastasia was about to break down. That was like the end of the line for her.

‘Well, it seems like there will be no end to it, even if I list them all.’

After that, Duke Barantes’ complaints continued for a long time.

It seemed that there were a lot of things that were piled up because of Anastasia’s doing.

“These days, I often think that I might have raised my child wrong. I was so wrapped up in other things, since we lost your mother on the day that you were born. I should have given you love when you needed it the most…. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the oracle, Her Majesty wouldn’t have been able to get married at all. Everyone was talking about you, I should have listened to those rumors. Now all this happens, it was all because of me.”

“…….”

“Please be more cautious now and emulate yourself as the Empress of this country, Your Majesty. Even though you have been blessed by the temple, if you continue to take such reckless steps, your seat will always be at stake. The oracle cannot protect you from all of your evil-doings.”

“…I understand, father.”

Anastasia, who had been listening silently, quietly opened to speak.

Duke Barantes’ eyes widened, since he was surprised by her demure response.

“I think I’ve been too harsh.”

“…Are you serious?”

“Yes, I just realized that you would not treat me like this if I did not exceed my limits.”

Anastasia answered in a very solemn voice to her father’s question.

“I would never do something like that again, I will change for the better. I promise you that.”

“If you do that, then this father will have no regrets.”

Duke Barantes slowly held Anastasia’s hand, with a satisfied smile.

The warmth that she felt through their clasped hands, gives Anastasia a sense of stability for the first time after her regression.

That’s when she realized that she’s really back.

“Her Majesty, would have no idea how much I feel. As if I was walking on thin ice everyday. I’m alway nervous that I might hear bad news coming from the Empress’s palace.”

“I won’t ever let that happen again in the future. I promise.”

“Can I trust you?””

“Yes, of course.”

Anastasia smiled faintly and nodded, but Duke Barantes was not completely convinced.

She felt bitter, but she couldn’t help it. Since Anastasia has done a lot of evil things that she will need to overturn.

It was a natural reaction coming from him, since the Duke who had been promised before, had witnessed the original Anastasia not adhering to her promises. 

“Then I’ll get going now.”

“You won’t even have a cup of tea.”

“I want to do that too, but I’ve been putting off urgent work…”

It didn’t seem to be a lie, but his face was full of regrets.

“When I heard the news about your court lady, I was shocked and immediately ran here. Haa… I feel so embarrassed to face Count Duphort now. How can I face him tomorrow?”

“…….”

“And I trust that you would definitely change for the better.”

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“Yes I am. Then, I’ll see you at the memorial service tomorrow.”

“Ah.”

At that, Duke Barantes, who stood up from his seat, asked.

“Does that include your relationship with His Majesty the Emperor?”

“…….”

“You must get along with His Majesty, the Emperor. The Empress is, after all, the legal wife of the Emperor. All of the decisions within the Empire are within his hands. Apart from other things, aren’t both of you a couple?”

After that, the words of Duke Barantes continued for a long time, but Anastasia did not answer and just smiled.

-ˏˋ ━━━━━━ ʚɞ ━━━━━━ ˊˎ-

In the original story, Anastasia and Wilhelm’s relationship was not very good.

Anastasia took pride in being the woman that was chosen by the oracle. For her, no one can match her greatness that she even looked down on the Emperor, himself. Even to her husband she had no affection for at all.

Because she loved herself more than anyone else, it may have been impossible for her to love another.

Who would marry her? Seeing her arrogant appearance, no one would dare to love her.

After hearing numerous rumors about her, who’s been famous even during her days as a Princess, Wilhelm did not expect anything from Anastasia from the very beginning.

Even more so after they got married and he found out that rumors wasn’t exaggeration at all

As Anastasia’s journey to become the Empress reached its climax, the Emperor’s criticism increased as well. She felt very annoyed and unlucky too since he always admonished her every time they met.

Naturally, the couple’s relationship was very cold. Although she was an unloved Empress, Anastasia didn’t mind at all.

Since the Emperor didn’t care much about succession, he thought of adopting a member of the Royal Family as an adopted child.

‘And in the original story, Anastasia is considered an insignificant character.’

No matter how much she thought about it, it’s still kind of strange. Why didn’t she go to the guillotine even after the abduction? Even if she had the privilege of the Barantes family.

‘After all, I need to behave well from now on.’

She would be reborn from the evil Empress into the Empress of the oracle.

For her to fulfill her duty as an Empress, she needs to be merciful towards her subordinates, as well as reducing her luxurious things and becoming more frugal.

The action itself wasn’t that hard or difficult because her original personality was the opposite of Anastasia from the original story.

Even if there was no fear of death, she would have acted that way.

But there’s just one thing.

‘I’m sorry, Dad.’

Because she wouldn’t allow herself to get along with Wilhelm

‘It would be better for all of us, to leave our relationship as it is.’

‘If only I could, I would have abandoned my position as an Empress and left this place right away.’

Even in this familiar room she is in right now, it still haunted her by reminding her of her last memories before her regression.

However, she couldn’t leave the Imperial Palace until a new oracle was issued.

In that case, it was right to avoid contact with Wilhelm as much as possible until she left the palace.

Even if she would have a good relationship with him, she would only make him hesitate the moment she had to dethrone herself.

He was a good man, so even if he doesn’t love him, she will take care of him.

‘I cannot reproduce the tragedy before my reincarnation. I will never do that again.’

Anastasia’s hand gripped the hem of her dress, and was full of strength.

Before returning back, she felt like she had a weight around her neck, vividly recalling the news that Wilhelm had been killed.

‘And it’s good for me as well.’

When I see you, I want to talk to you,

When I talk to you, I want to be with you.

When we’re together, I dream of the future.

But that wouldn’t be the case in the end.

It’s a feeling that she can’t stand even if she wanted to, and it’s a motion that she couldn’t stop even if she tried.

If the end is already set, it is only right not to even start.

Above all else, she had no intention of repeating another stupid mistake again.

One terrible tragedy was enough.

“……”

Anastasia’s eyes, who had been thinking about Wilhelm for a long time, suddenly become flustered.

After wiping her nose and eyes, Anastasia said.

“I don’t have to set myself up too much.”

After all, we’ve been living together like a poor couple for two years now so it won’t be strange or difficult to behave like that for another year.

Anastasia, who had been sitting in the empty drawing room, got up and went outside.

Mrs. Rochester, who was waiting at the door, opened her mouth and said.

“The dress designer you called for has finally arrived, Your Majesty. Would you like to go and see them?”

“I’m sorry, but please send them back.”

“…Pardon?”

“I mean to send back the tailor because I won’t be fitting any dress today.”

(Mrs. Rochester’s POV)

The Duchess of Rochester looked at Anastasia with a puzzled look on her face, as if she had forgotten that it was rude.

‘What? Didn’t she request them herself? But why did she want me to send them back?’

‘And she’s not gonna order a new dress as well?’

‘What the hell is happening here? I wonder if the Empress is making fun of me.’

She felt a bit complicated, like a tangled thread in an unprecedented event.

The words that came soon made the Duchess of Rochester even more confused.

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