TMC 10

CHAPTER :10

Asher, who had been searching far and wide for Stella’s whereabouts, rushed to the imperial palace at Teo’s summons.

The atmosphere between the two men sitting across from each other was heavy.

After a long silence, Teo was the first to ask for an update.

“Have you still not found her?”

“No. It seems someone has pulled strings behind the scenes. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to vanish so completely without a trace.”

“Who do you think would dare do such a thing?”

A brief silence made them realize instantly who had hidden Stella.

The Empress.

No one but her could have smuggled someone away so perfectly right under Teo’s nose.

He bit his lip in bitterness.

“It is the Empress.”

“That is what I suspect as well.”

A considerable amount of time had passed since Stella disappeared.

Yet, not a single trace of her had been found anywhere in the capital.

The only things she had left behind were a single dagger and a cryptic note.

“She just needs to be alive. Then…”

Teo said, his face twisting in anguish.

“Considering that the star created when she was born has not fallen yet, she must still be alive.”

It was a small mercy in the midst of misfortune, but there was no telling how long it would last.

This was something both men knew all too well.

Anxious, Teo pressed Asher.

“We don’t have time.”

“Yes, I know that as well.”

“Otherwise, I will ask the Empress myself.”

If it was the Empress, there was a high probability she knew where Stella was.

No, he was certain she knew exactly where she was.

Teo hastily tried to stand up.

At that, Asher quickly grabbed Teo’s arm.

“If you do that, Her Majesty will only hide her away even deeper. So that she can never be found.”

Their conversation was making no progress.

With no proper solution, it was only natural that they were talking in circles.

“Damn it!”

Teo spat out in anger.

He deeply resented the fact that he couldn’t search for her himself because his body had not yet recovered from the fire at the Bronte estate.

Had he been in his usual condition, he would have searched for her himself instead of going through Asher, and it infuriated him that he couldn’t.

“I understand your concern for my sister, but Your Highness’s recovery must come first. Only then can you fight against the Empress.”

“Do you trust me?”

Asher blinked slowly once.

Then, he bared his honest feelings, which he could not easily reveal to anyone else.

“I do not trust you, Your Highness. However, if you had ordered Stella’s death, you wouldn’t be wearing such a desperate expression.”

“Desperate…”

Teo let out a hollow laugh.

“After all, from your perspective, it might actually be better for her to disappear. It would be more advantageous to take a proper woman as your Empress rather than one with a blemish on her name. Isn’t that why His Majesty permitted the annulment of your engagement?”

“Lord Bronte!”

“I am merely stating reality.”

Teo twisted his lips in a grimace at the feeling of utter helplessness.

“…”

“Even if we find Stella, it will be difficult for you to marry her.”

“The annulment was not my choice. Once I find Lady Bronte, I will undo it without fail.”

Blue veins bulged on the back of Teo’s hand.

Seeing his rage, Asher offered a bitter smile.

“I cannot say I hope you succeed in that, Your Highness.”

“Lord Bronte.”

“Yes. Speak.”

“Do you care for your sister?”

Teo’s question carried many implications.

First, was Asher the one who threatened Stella’s life?

Second, was he sincere about finding Stella?

Third, what did he intend to do with Stella once she was found?

There were more, but the conclusion was one and the same.

Was he an enemy? Or an ally?

“You suspect me.”

“…”

“I am not blaming you.”

Exposed, Teo smiled bitterly.

Asher, on the other hand, nodded as if it were only natural and looked at him with a hint of pride.

Yet, he did not satisfy Teo’s curiosity.

“It is not a bad thing for Your Highness to suspect those close to you. To ascend the imperial throne, you must always be cautious—even if it is our Bronte family. Therefore, continue to constantly suspect and investigate everyone around you.”

Silence fell once again at words far more terrifying than any blame, and a knock echoed from outside.

“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”

Teo and Asher’s faces stiffened as they looked at each other.

They could not hide their expressions at the sudden visit of the person they least wanted to face.

“Your Highness. I repeat, do not let on that you are searching for Stella.”

“…”

Teo did not answer.

“Then, trusting in your discretion, I shall take my leave.”

Asher bowed to take his leave and turned toward the door.

At that very moment, his eyes locked directly with those of the waiting Empress.

Asher gave the Empress a formal greeting.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress. May the brilliant light of the night sky reach Her Majesty…”

“Lord Bronte.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Do pay me a visit sometime.”

Asher bowed his head, giving a polite, formulaic reply of “I am deeply honored,” as the sharp clicking of her heels faded into the distance.

Meanwhile, Teo forced his body up, putting weight on his toes as he watched the Empress enter with her elegant posture.

Though a faint tremor ran through his legs due to his still-unhealed body, he showed no sign of it.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

Seeing Teo’s determination not to show any weakness, the Empress’s eyes curved into crescent moons.

“Prince, has your body recovered?”

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s concern, I have improved greatly.”

“Is that so? I am glad.”

“Glad.” The word was truly laughable.

In reality, she was probably regretting that she hadn’t managed to kill him.

Teo clenched his jaw at the Empress’s sly smile.

“To what do I owe the honor of your visit?”

As if she had no intention of staying long, she glanced toward the window before continuing.

“I heard Lady Bronte has gone missing. For an injured girl to disappear… The shock of the annulment must have been quite severe.”

Teo ground his teeth.

The one who had harmed her, and the one who had driven the annulment, was the very Empress standing before him… yet he couldn’t even show that he knew.

It was his first time feeling such utter helplessness, and his breathing grew increasingly ragged.

‘The Empress is undoubtedly the one who smuggled Lady Bronte away! But where did she take her? Which nobles are in contact with the Empress? Damn it, there are too many.’

Because of the Empress’s powerful influence, it was difficult to even identify who was involved.

Asher had told him not to let anything show, but if the Empress was going to provoke him first, that changed things.

He couldn’t just stand by idly.

“Are you saying she ran away?”

“Otherwise, it would be difficult to vanish so thoroughly without a trace, wouldn’t it? Who knows? Perhaps she ran away with a lover.”

An elopement. It wasn’t even funny.

Teo barely managed to suppress a scoff.

As far as Teo knew, Stella’s social circle was entirely monitored by the Empress.

If there had been someone she loved, the Empress would have pushed her out of her position as the prospective Crown Princess long ago.

“Lady Bronte knows nothing of men. Your Majesty knows that best of all. You need not worry about such things.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes, so please cancel the annulment.”

“Would you still say that even if Lady Bronte returned as a corpse? To cancel the annulment, to live forever cradling her in your arms?”

“Your Majesty!”

Teo’s face turned stark white.

“My goodness, my words were too harsh.”

The Empress continued, her eyes crinkling gently.

“But please understand, Prince Teo. You must know how painful it is for a mother to watch her child live clutching onto a ghost, don’t you? I only wish for you to find a new mate. That is why I requested the annulment.”

On the surface, she pretended to care for Teo, but she showed absolutely no intention of reversing the annulment.

She refused to allow even the symbolic title of “Star of the Empire” to be attached to Stella’s name.

He already knew that all of this was to place her son, Valerie, on the throne.

“And if she is alive?”

“It would be a blessing.”

“…”

“However, I do not know if Lady Bronte would choose to be the Prince’s woman of her own accord. If, by some chance, Lady Bronte wishes to return to her position, I will gladly reconsider the annulment.”

It was an unsettling remark, but at the mention of reconsidering the annulment, Teo could not say any more.

“I will trust Your Majesty’s words.”

Stella Bronte—she would certainly not reject the position of Empress, and the two of them would wed and become husband and wife.

* * *

A summer night illuminated by bright moonlight.

Stella shivered slightly at a sudden chill.

Jena, who was by the window, turned around.

“Would you like me to close the window if you’re cold?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“It would be troublesome if you caught a cold. I’ll leave it just slightly open so the breeze can pass through. How does that sound?”

Jena closed the window halfway and turned around.

A gentle breeze blew in, tickling Stella’s hair.

“It’s perfect.”

“Then, please sleep well.”

Jena withdrew with a bright smile.

Once Jena, who had not left her side for even a single moment, departed, Stella’s world began to fill with silence.

She listened to the sounds of nature drifting in through the window.

The chirping of crickets blended with the rustle of leaves swaying in the wind.

Stella lifted the blanket and looked down at her feet.

‘They throb a little, but I can walk. In a few days, it shouldn’t interfere with daily life.’

The time to part was drawing near.

‘I must leave this place now.’

That had been decided even before she came here.

Even though she had lost all her memories, a corner of her heart kept warning her not to trust anyone in this country.

So, leaving was the right choice.

Yet, why did she feel such a lingering regret?

Stella stared at the wheelchair beside her before shifting her gaze to the garden beyond the window.

Most of the trees in the estate were smaller than those elsewhere.

Except for the large trees that provided shade, they were all trimmed short.

As if to match the line of sight of the Duchess, who used a wheelchair.

And flowers that the Duke probably wouldn’t care for were blooming in abundance along the walking path.

She wondered if they were the flowers the Duchess had loved during her lifetime.

Looking at it, all the efforts Duke Castillo had made for his wife touched her heart.

‘This must be what family is originally like. Caring and paying attention to every little detail.’

Her gaze, which had reached the edge of the garden, shifted to the pendant in her hand.

‘But why…’

She gripped the pendant tightly.

Clouds cast a shadow, darkening the surroundings.

‘Why am I running away from my family?’

Stella had not heard anything of the outside world, so she knew nothing.

Since coming here, the only things she had remembered were a cruelly echoing voice and her name, Stella Bronte.

‘Do as you wish.’

Adrian, who told her to do whatever she wanted, unlike the voice echoing in her head—she couldn’t help but open her heart to him so easily.

‘Because he tells me to do whatever I want.’

It felt as though she could do whatever she pleased.

The words that no one would say a thing no matter what she did here sounded incredibly comforting.

She had no intention of actually causing havoc in the mansion, but the thought alone warmed her heart.

‘It feels like a place where dreams come true.’

It felt as if she were in a world inhabited by fairies, completely cut off from reality.

Stella closed her eyes and felt the energy around her.

The wind blew in, wrapping around her body in a familiar embrace.

‘I feel like a child.’

Would he indulge me even if I acted like a child?

Even if she ran into his arms saying she was afraid of the night, it felt as though Adrian would smile brightly and open his arms to her.

‘It also feels as if my body is floating in the sky.’

Was it normal to have these feelings after only a few days?

Just as only the light is visible when it shines in the darkness, she could see only him.

Even when she closed her eyes, his smile flickered before her, making her heart flutter to the point of madness.

‘No. Get a grip.’

Stella shook her head vigorously.

‘I can’t stay here forever.’

The clouds parted, and the moonlight streamed in, gently settling on Stella’s hair.

Her violet hair swayed pleasantly, as if telling her to have courage.

‘Everything will be fine.’

Just as she was barely regaining her peace of mind, the voices of the maids passing through the hallway drifted in.

“The young master’s mood is quite terrifying, isn’t it? He hasn’t gotten angry even once since the young lady arrived. Did something happen?”

“They say someone from the imperial palace visited.”

At the mention of the imperial palace, Stella’s steps naturally directed her toward the door.

She listened intently to the conversation drifting from outside.