Enoch was attending to state affairs as if the imperial marriage ceremony were no concern of his. He had no difficulty even presiding over the council in the audience chamber, one of the emperor’s most important duties.
“Your Majesty, it is reported that barbarians have appeared near the empire’s territorial borders far from the capital and are raiding the area.”
“Identify the vulnerable points, establish new guard posts there, and dispatch soldiers.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The minister offered a bow and returned to his place. Duke Taira stepped forward and bowed.
“Your Majesty, as we have celebrated the grand occasion of the imperial marriage, it would be fitting to do something to commemorate it.”
That was just like Duke Taira.
Enoch rested his arm on the throne and propped his chin in his hand, watching him with an indifferent expression.
“What do you propose?”
“Might Your Majesty hold a banquet for the people and grant them a reduction in taxes?”
It was the customary thing to do whenever there was a joyous occasion in the empire, but hearing it from Duke Taira’s mouth made Enoch reluctant to go along with it.
“The imperial treasury is not flush at present. We cannot waive taxes.”
Enoch said firmly.
“Moreover, there must be a better way than letting the people make merry and squander.”
“However, the imperial marriage is a great occasion. You ought to bestow your generosity upon the people.”
“I am not saying I will do nothing.”
Enoch’s voice resonated low.
“I am saying I will do something more productive than what Duke Taira proposes.”
At those words, the corners of Duke Taira’s eyes tightened slightly. But Enoch paid it no mind and continued.
“For this occasion, I intend to return a portion of my personal assets to the treasury and from that treasury extend charity to the poor.”
It was a way to do good without placing any burden on the imperial treasury.
“Is there a better proposal than this?”
Duke Taira had no answer. Because Enoch was entirely right.
“Then let it be done so.”
Duke Taira pressed his lips together with a bitter taste, but he did not retreat just yet.
“Since the matter of the imperial marriage has come up, I would humbly ask whether my wife and I may be permitted to have an audience with Her Majesty the Empress?”
Everyone knew that Alexa was not Duke Taira’s natural daughter. Yet this was nothing more than an attempt to flaunt his standing as the father of the new empress.
Enoch saw through the intention clearly, but he nodded. He had no desire to stir up unnecessary trouble.
“You may.”
“I am deeply grateful.”
Only then did the duke offer a proper bow and return to his place.
Several more items of business followed, but the council proceeded smoothly. And so the final day of the imperial marriage ceremony drew to a close.
* * *
Duke Taira summoned his attendant and sent word for his wife to enter the palace at once. A short while later, the duchess arrived, and the two of them made their way to the Empress’s chambers.
“We pay our respects to Her Majesty the Empress.”
The words were courteous enough, but Duke Taira remained as arrogant as ever. Alexa paid him no mind, however, and turned to smile at the duchess, who had always been kind to her.
“Have you… consummated the marriage?”
At the duke’s words, Alexa’s cheeks flushed faintly.
“My goodness, this man. You mustn’t ask such things so carelessly.”
“What of it? We are family.”
The duke’s gaze turned back to Alexa.
“Yes… it has been consummated.”
Alexa answered shyly, and the duke smiled with satisfaction.
Given Enoch’s demeanor, he had worried greatly that the empress would be treated coldly, but it seemed that taking in an adopted daughter and sending her had been the better choice after all.
“I had already received word from the Empress Dowager’s palace, but confirming it in person like this makes it all the more gratifying.”
The empire and House Taira were so deeply entangled that it had grown rotten.
Ordinarily, what passed in the emperor’s bedchamber was something that should never be spoken of anywhere, yet it had already reached the duke’s ears. That alone was enough to show the power and arrogance of House Taira.
“Please, let us speak of that no more.”
The duchess restrained the duke and turned to smile at Alexa again.
“I brought along a few of the things you were fond of when you were at our estate.”
Alexa gave a glance, and Matilda stepped forward to receive the basket. Inside were several varieties of fine confections and refreshments.
“Thank you for bringing these.”
“Not at all. It is nothing.”
The duchess gave the duke a nudge in the ribs. It was her way of saying it was time to stop pestering her and take their leave.
She was a woman herself, and she knew well enough how difficult the day after a wedding night could be.
“Then we shall take our leave for today.”
“Please do take care of your health.”
The duchess took both of Alexa’s hands in hers and spoke. Alexa offered her a grateful smile.
She could only feel thankful for the duchess’s thoughtfulness, who had looked after her like a true daughter even during her time at the estate.
* * *
The night of the final banquet arrived.
Enoch wore a black formal coat, and Alexa wore a flowing white dress. The two of them, a fine-looking pair, sat side by side on the throne, and the sight was truly pleasing to the eye.
“The empress is twenty years old and yet she sleeps so much.”
Enoch spoke while watching the waltz repeat itself meaninglessly before them. Alexa’s cheeks reddened for no particular reason.
“And she is no longer a small child, either.”
Mm. Alexa bit her lip ever so slightly. Enoch caught it from the corner of his eye and smiled.
“I am teasing. You must have been exhausted during the imperial marriage ceremony.”
Alexa said nothing.
Enoch turned his head, and Alexa’s face, pale as a blank sheet of paper, came into view.
“Empress…?”
Alexa opened her mouth as though to say something, but from it came a sudden rush of dark red blood.
“Empress!”
Enoch pulled Alexa into his arms, but the dark red blood would not stop. She kept coughing it up, and it soaked into his black formal coat.
“Summon the imperial physician! Now!”
It was the beginning of what would come to be known as the imperial marriage poisoning incident.
* * *
When Alexa opened her eyes again, the familiar sight of the Empress’s bedchamber greeted her.
“Empress.”
Enoch, who had been keeping watch at her bedside, called out to her in an urgent voice.
“Empress, are you with me? Do you recognize me?”
Alexa tried to answer, but her throat burned as though it were being scorched, and only a rasping sound came out.
“No. Don’t say anything.”
Enoch added quickly.
At that, the imperial physician who had been waiting behind him stepped forward.
“Your Majesty the Empress, I will examine you briefly. The poison has damaged your throat, so please refrain from speaking.”
At the word poison, Alexa’s blue eyes wavered.
Who on earth, and with what intent, had poisoned her? And during the imperial marriage banquet, no less, before it had even ended.
This had never happened in the original story, and she could not make any sense of it at all.
“Fortunately, your fever has broken. It appears the antidote administered in haste was effective.”
It was something Alexa had no memory of.
She had no recollection of anything after coughing up blood at the banquet. Alexa looked at Enoch with wavering eyes.
“Empress, someone has poisoned you. I am conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, so do not worry.”
Enoch said with a grave expression.
He felt a sense of guilt that something like this had happened even with him right there beside her.
At the same time, his anger toward the unknown culprit grew stronger. To dare use poison in his very presence, whoever it was, he could never forgive them.
“I will search everything thoroughly, find the culprit, and punish them severely.”
Enoch said with solemn resolve.
Yet when he looked at Alexa’s pallid complexion, he could not help the look of sorrow that came over him.
“Empress, from this moment on, everything around you will be guarded with the utmost vigilance, so nothing like this will ever happen again. I swear it on my name.”
Alexa managed a faint nod.
It was unexpected that Enoch would go so far to protect her, but she felt a sense of relief spreading through her.
“Physician, what is the empress’s condition?”
“She has passed the critical point. If she rests and recuperates from here, she will certainly recover.”
“I see… That is a relief, at least.”
Enoch felt genuinely reassured.
To Alexa, that fact felt stranger than the poisoning itself.
Surely the Enoch of the original story had despised Alexa’s very existence. And yet the Enoch she had seen up until now was quite different from the one she knew.
Perhaps, much like a butterfly effect, the small changes she had been making to the original story had caused this poisoning incident, something that had never existed in the original, to come about.
“Empress, I know you will get through this.”
Enoch took Alexa’s small hand in both of his. The warmth of it felt deeply comforting.
In turn, Enoch felt a pang in his chest at how cold Alexa’s hand was. Just moments ago she had seemed perfectly fine, and then she had coughed up that dark red blood. He still could not believe it.
“I will protect you without fail, so you need only focus on getting well.”
Enoch tightened his grip on Alexa’s hand.
“Your Majesty… if I may humbly say, Her Majesty the Empress has only just regained consciousness. She must take her medicine and rest.”
The imperial physician spoke carefully, and Enoch nodded and rose from Alexa’s bedside.
“I will come again, so until then, focus only on your recovery.”
With that, Enoch turned and walked away with heavy steps.
Alexa still found the entire situation bewildering.
