She had been honest, and there had even been moments when she showed him her unguarded side, as open as a child.
Above all, Alexa had told him she would turn her back on House Taira and become a woman of Dias. That was a sincerity the emperor Enoch found difficult to come by.
“I am glad the empress is a pure-hearted person.”
Alexa could not hide her expression.
Enoch liked that about her too. The life of an emperor meant being surrounded by elaborately dressed-up lies. Thinking of it that way, Alexa’s existence, with every emotion written plainly on her face, felt immensely precious.
“I am glad… simply knowing that Your Majesty understands my true feelings.”
Alexa said in a clear, bright voice.
She was still shy, her eyes cast slightly downward. In the sunlight, she looked remarkably pure and lovely.
“The imperial palace may seem to have everything, yet sincerity is a rare thing to find.”
Enoch’s voice resonated with quiet gravity.
“I hope the person you are now does not change.”
Alexa’s heart stirred.
“If Your Majesty does not change… then my heart will not change either.”
Alexa gathered her courage and spoke.
At that, Enoch smiled.
“I will not change.”
For now, she wanted to believe his words.
The flow of the original story had already twisted from the very beginning, so a different fate might be waiting for her.
Thinking of it that way, it seemed she could open her heart to Enoch.
“Then I will not change either.”
Alexa looked at Enoch directly, without looking away.
They were already husband and wife, and the flow of the original story had changed. As long as they trusted each other, there was no reason they were destined to be unhappy.
“What I treasure most right now is that sincerity of yours.”
Alexa gave a small nod.
She wanted to lean on Enoch’s gentleness now. She had ended up possessing Alexa and living this life by some twist of fate, but was it not only natural to wish for a happy life while she was at it?
“I will not disappoint you.”
At those words, Enoch smiled with satisfaction.
Even his own mother took the side of House Taira, and yet the empress who had been fashioned by House Taira had declared herself a woman of Dias and taken his side. He was grateful for that alone.
And now, looking at each other with such sincerity face to face, that feeling deepened all the more.
After Enoch left, Alexa fell into thought.
The warm and gentle attitude he had shown her seemed genuine. If so, it meant she had changed the great flow of the original story.
‘That means… there is no telling what will happen.’
From the imperial marriage poisoning incident onward, the flow of the original story had been broken. From here on, she would have to navigate her future by her own judgment alone.
That meant there was a chance she could escape the wretched fate of the original.
‘Perhaps I can live with him like an ordinary couple.’
Alexa was already empress. So the best fate she could hope for was to cherish each other and live together with Enoch like an ordinary couple.
Today, she felt she had caught a glimpse of that possibility.
Alexa had been certain that Enoch would never take someone of Taira blood into his heart, yet he had spoken of consummating the marriage. It meant he had the intention to do so.
‘But…’
The situation had changed so drastically from when she first possessed the body, and Alexa’s feelings swayed back and forth. Even the mere thought of consummating the marriage with him was enough to make her cheeks burn.
She had only hoped not to be treated too coldly, and she had never imagined she would end up wrestling with thoughts like these.
“Your Majesty the Empress, it is time to retire for the night.”
So much time had already passed. Half the day had slipped away while she was thinking about Enoch.
Nothing like this had ever happened in her previous life, and it felt strange.
“I will bring you some warm milk.”
Alexa nodded at Matilda’s words. Matilda smiled brightly.
“Actually… when His Majesty the Emperor left earlier, he gave orders that since Her Majesty the Empress sleeps as much as a child, we should bring her warm milk with a pinch of sugar at night.”
At those words, her cheeks burned again for no particular reason.
It was partly because it reminded her of Enoch teasing her for being like a child, and partly because he had given orders for something so small.
“His Majesty the Emperor is truly considerate.”
The cold man from the original story was nowhere to be found. Enoch was showing a side of himself that was blunt yet gentle.
“He must be… a naturally attentive person.”
“That is not so. The men of the Dias imperial family are renowned throughout the continent for being indifferent.”
That left her with no excuse to fall back on.
“You have already consummated the marriage, so there is no need to be embarrassed over something like this.”
“I am not embarrassed… I just… thought it was unexpected of him to be so attentive.”
“Then that is good.”
Unlike what Matilda believed, the marriage had not yet been consummated. Perhaps that was why his small consideration felt all the more affecting.
“You are newlyweds, so of course you would be affectionate.”
Alexa nodded without thinking. Then, feeling awkward, she went into the bedchamber first.
Before long, Matilda brought in a tray with the milk.
The warm milk made her heart feel soft and full. A faint sweetness lingered on her tongue.
But she had a feeling she would not sleep well tonight. Her head was full of nothing but Enoch.
* * *
Enoch had a habit of rising before dawn. It was also a tradition of the Dias imperial family, which had valued martial arts for generations.
He would rise before the sun and swing his sword at the training grounds, then wash and prepare for his state affairs. That routine had never changed.
“Your Majesty, it is time to proceed to the audience chamber.”
“Very well.”
Din offered a bow to Enoch. Enoch put on his black formal uniform and entered the audience chamber.
“His Majesty the Emperor enters!”
The chamberlain called out in a loud voice, and all the nobles rose at once and bowed to him.
“We pay our respects to His Majesty the Emperor.”
At their head, as always, stood Duke Taira. Having to see that face at every council session was a torment in itself.
The one saving grace was that Enoch stood in a position to look down on Duke Taira. But if Duke Taira’s power continued to grow, even that might become impossible.
“Is there any business to report today?”
Enoch asked in a commanding voice. No man could have suited the throne more.
“I will speak.”
Duke Taira stepped forward without fail.
“Eastern trade has grown somewhat sluggish of late. Might it not be wise to reduce the tariffs slightly to restore it?”
Trade with the eastern kingdoms was a longstanding affair. And that trade was one of Duke Taira’s major sources of income.
In other words, it was a shameless request to reduce tariffs for the sake of his own business.
“We cannot grant special treatment to the eastern kingdoms alone.”
“However, this is also a path toward the prosperity of the empire. Have the eastern kingdoms not produced fine craftwork and luxury goods for generations?”
“That is precisely why no exception can be made.”
Enoch’s voice rang out firmly.
“Craftwork and luxury goods are not resources essential to daily life. If trade has grown sluggish, there must be another reason. Find that reason and correct it. There is no cause to reduce the tariffs.”
Duke Taira’s expression stiffened.
In the late emperor’s time, nothing like this would have happened, but the current emperor Enoch kept House Taira in check far too closely.
“Duke Taira knows this matter better than anyone, so find the problem and come back to report it.”
“…Yes.”
Duke Taira had no choice but to take a step back. There was no need to quarrel with the emperor over such a minor matter.
But Enoch too would eventually have to accept the power of House Taira, just as the late emperor had. Was that not precisely why they had gone to such lengths to make an empress of Taira blood?
There had been that unfortunate incident, but now that Alexa had recovered her health, the chances of winning Enoch’s heart were high. When that happened, Alexa would whisper favorable words about House Taira into his ear from his side.
They say that even the greatest hero is weak to pillow talk. At least, that was what Duke Taira believed.
In the end, Enoch would have no choice but to accept House Taira.
“Is there any other business?”
The nobles were watching Duke Taira’s reaction. His proposal had been rejected outright, and it felt awkward to raise new business.
“The knighting ceremony is coming up.”
The one who stepped forward readily was Chancellor Davison. He was the head of Marquis Colton’s house and led a faction that stood against Duke Taira’s power.
“If Your Majesty were to personally conduct the ceremony, it would be a great honor for the knights and would further enhance the dignity of the empire.”
At those words, Enoch nodded.
“The chancellor is right. I will conduct the ceremony personally.”
The difference in tone from his response to Duke Taira’s proposal was stark.
But there was nothing unreasonable about it, so Duke Taira could say nothing.
“Furthermore, as Her Majesty the Empress has safely recovered her health, it would be fitting to lift the empire’s marriage ban.”
No one within the empire had been permitted to marry until the imperial marriage was safely concluded. But now that Alexa had barely escaped the danger of the poisoning and returned to her daily life, the time had come to lift the marriage ban.
“Do so.”
Lifting the marriage ban meant that the empress’s position was secure.
