The atmosphere inside the chamber felt strangely peaceful despite the chaos consuming the imperial palace outside. For years the room of Valeria had been treated like a shrine of tragedy, a silent place where priests, physicians, and healers came and went with defeated expressions while the Second Empress remained trapped in endless sleep. Even the servants had unconsciously lowered their voices whenever they walked past the corridor, as though afraid loud sounds would disturb the lingering sorrow surrounding the chamber. Yet today everything felt different. Warm sunlight slipped through the curtains while candles flickered softly around the room, giving the once lifeless chamber a warmth it had not possessed in years.
Sitting beside the bed, Diana carefully scooped another spoonful of porridge before bringing it toward her mother. Her movements were gentle and cautious, almost afraid this moment would disappear if she moved too quickly.
Valeria accepted the spoonful with a smile before quietly observing her daughter for a few moments.
Then suddenly her lips curved teasingly.
"Daughter," she said softly, "I heard from the servants that they found quite the fine suitor for you while I was asleep."
Diana instantly froze.
"M-Mother…"
A faint blush spread across her cheeks while Valeria's smile only deepened further.
"Well?" the Second Empress asked. "Tell me about him."
Diana immediately looked away. "There's still nothing confirmed yet…"
Valeria quietly watched her reaction. There was no fear in Diana's eyes. No bitterness either. Instead there was embarrassment, nervousness, and something far softer hidden beneath it all. Relief quietly settled within Valeria's heart.
She had spent years trapped in darkness while her daughter grew up inside the poisonous environment of the imperial palace. One of her greatest fears had always been Diana being forced into a political marriage she hated.
Yet the girl before her now did not look trapped.
She looked flustered.
Valeria rested her chin lightly against her hand before smiling knowingly.
"I did not ask whether the engagement was confirmed," she said. "I asked whether you like the boy."
Diana's face turned even redder.
Instead of answering directly, she immediately began complaining.
"Azriah is dramatic, narcissistic, and constantly flaunts things he has no reason to flaunt," she muttered. "He keeps teasing me with that stupidly handsome face of his and acts like the world revolves around him. He says outrageous things whenever he wants, causes problems everywhere he goes, and somehow still acts proud afterward. He's insufferable. And he likes doing stupid things that create disasters for everyone around him."
Valeria listened quietly.
The more Diana spoke, the harder it became for the Second Empress to suppress her laughter.
Because despite all the complaints…
Not once did Diana sound like someone who disliked the person she was talking about.
Instead she sounded helplessly fond of him.
When Diana finally stopped talking, Valeria softly laughed.
"He sounds like a responsible and interesting young man."
Diana stared at her in disbelief.
"How did you reach that conclusion from what I just said?"
Valeria smiled warmly.
"Because your eyes never once showed dislike."
Diana opened her mouth to argue before slowly falling silent.
Her expression unconsciously softened.
Memories surfaced one after another inside her mind.
Azriah arrogantly smiling amidst chaos.
Azriah sitting beside her mother's bed into the night while betting his own life to heal her mother.
Azriah casually provoking nobles without fear.
Azriah carrying exhaustion in his eyes yet still acting as though nothing in the world could burden him.
Diana lowered her gaze slightly.
"…If it wasn't for him," she whispered softly, "I wouldn't be able to talk with you like this right now."
The room became silent afterward.
Valeria's expression gentled completely.
She reached out and lightly touched Diana's cheek.
"Then I suppose my daughter truly likes him."
"Mother!"
Diana instantly looked away again in embarrassment while Valeria laughed softly at her reaction.
But before the princess could recover, a knock suddenly echoed from outside the chamber.
A servant's voice followed immediately after.
"Your Highness, Lady Seraphine Veyrin has arrived."
Diana quickly composed herself.
"Let her enter."
Moments later the doors opened and Seraphine Veyrin stepped inside gracefully.
Her long purple hair flowed like silk beneath the candlelight while her elegant violet eyes calmly scanned the room. Even among the empire's nobility, Seraphine possessed beauty so ethereal that many compared her to a moon spirit descended from ancient myths.
Dressed in refined robes embroidered with silver runes, she greeted both women respectfully.
"Greetings, Princess. Greetings, Second Empress."
Valeria smiled gently.
"How many times must I tell you? In private you may call me auntie."
Seraphine giggled lightly.
"Imperial protocol is difficult to forget."
Despite her words she moved closer naturally, concern appearing in her eyes as she observed Valeria carefully.
"Are you feeling any discomfort?"
Valeria shook her head slowly.
"Honestly, I feel even better than before I became sick. I should probably be able to walk soon."
Both Diana and Seraphine frowned immediately.
"Absolutely not," Diana said firmly. "You need proper rest first."
Seraphine nodded in agreement.
"Your vitality still hasn't fully stabilized yet."
Walking toward the bed, Seraphine slowly raised her hand.
Gentle violet mana began flowing from her fingertips as she activated healing magic. Intricate runic circles shimmered around her hands while she carefully examined Valeria's body.
The chamber became silent except for the faint humming of mana.
Seraphine checked her heartbeat, nerves, breathing, vitality, and eventually even her magical circuits.
Several minutes later the magic faded completely.
Seraphine looked genuinely amazed.
"Azriah truly knows medicine absurdly well," she admitted.
Diana immediately looked toward her.
"All of your bodily functions are recovering perfectly," Seraphine continued. "At this rate you should return to normal life within a week. Even your magical circuits look almost brand new."
The way she said it carried unmistakable admiration.
There was pride in her voice.
The sort a wife unknowingly shows while praising her husband.
Diana instantly noticed it.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yeah," she muttered, "he sure knows how to win over girls' hearts too."
Seraphine blinked before suddenly realizing how she sounded.
A faint blush crossed her face briefly before she frowned instead.
"What exactly did he do for you to say that?"
Diana immediately looked away.
"Nothing."
"Princess."
"Nothing important."
Seraphine narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"What did that idiot do this time?"
Diana hesitated before reluctantly muttering,
"He arrived at the palace and almost caused a political catastrophe by knocking out a duke's heir."
Seraphine stared blankly for two seconds.
Then she sighed deeply while covering her face.
"…That sounds exactly like him."
"You say that far too casually."
"Because compared to his usual behavior this is relatively mild."
Diana looked horrified.
Valeria meanwhile seemed highly entertained by the conversation.
Then suddenly Seraphine's expression shifted slightly as if remembering something important.
"Speaking of political catastrophes," she said carefully, "the Lionhearts proposed a marriage alliance with the imperial family."
Diana froze instantly.
"…What?"
"During the border dispute with the Idrilla Highbloods," Seraphine explained calmly, "House Lionheart offered military and political assistance in negotiating peace. In exchange they requested marriage between the imperial family and their heir, Emryn Lionheart."
The spoon in Diana's hand nearly slipped.
The Lionhearts were not merely another noble house.
They were one of the empire's strongest military families, famed for producing monstrous knights generation after generation. Their influence over the western territories rivaled even portions of imperial authority itself.
If such a family desired political marriage with the imperial bloodline…
Refusing would not be simple.
"When… when did this happen?" Diana asked quietly.
"They publicly announced it this morning."
Seraphine's gaze darkened slightly.
"The First Empress's faction considered accepting it."
Diana fell silent.
Her thoughts immediately became chaotic.
If Valeria had not awakened…
If Azriah had not intervened…
Then the political balance inside the empire would have continued collapsing toward the First Empress's side. Under such circumstances Diana herself would eventually become nothing more than a bargaining piece for alliances.
Seraphine then continued speaking.
"But that wasn't the only proposal."
Diana looked up again.
"What do you mean?"
"The Lionhearts also approached House Antioch."
Diana's eyes widened completely.
"What?"
"They attempted to prevent any engagement between you and Azriah by proposing alliance through another marriage arrangement."
Diana suddenly felt irrationally irritated.
"And what did House Antioch say?"
Seraphine smirked faintly.
"From what I heard? Lady asta apparently laughed in the middle of the meeting and asked whether the Lionhearts had collectively lost their minds."
Diana stared blankly for a moment before covering her face.
"…Of course she did."
Valeria softly laughed again.
But Seraphine's expression soon darkened afterward.
"The Lionhearts did not stop there either," she said coldly. "Before approaching the imperial family, they sent a marriage proposal to House Veyrin."
Diana blinked.
"…For you?"
Seraphine nodded with visible disgust.
"For my hand."
The atmosphere inside the room shifted immediately.
Even Valeria's expression became colder.
"You refused?" Diana asked carefully.
"Naturally."
Seraphine's eyes sharpened dangerously.
"I would rather drink poison."
Diana rarely heard genuine hatred in Seraphine's voice, yet the disgust toward Emryn Lionheart sounded completely sincere.
"Is he truly that bad?" Diana asked quietly.
Seraphine remained silent briefly before answering.
"Emryn Lionheart is the type of man who believes the world belongs beneath his feet simply because he was born talented."
Her voice carried quiet contempt now.
"Arrogant. pervert . cunning . Possessive. The kind who treats people as objects he owns."
Her eyes darkened further.
"Women especially."
Diana's expression slowly stiffened.
Seraphine then looked directly into her eyes.
"I do not particularly like you, Princess."
Diana blinked in surprise.
"You are prideful, stubborn, emotionally repressed, and politically exhausting to deal with."
Diana looked offended immediately.
"Excuse me?"
"But," Seraphine interrupted calmly, "I still don't want to see you rot beside a disgusting bastard like Emryn Lionheart."
Silence filled the chamber afterward.
Diana could tell Seraphine genuinely meant every word.
That realization sent unease crawling down her spine.
If someone as composed and intelligent as Seraphine despised Emryn this much, then the rumors surrounding the Lionheart heir were likely even worse than what nobles whispered publicly.
Her thoughts unconsciously drifted toward Azriah Antioch afterward.
That shameless, dramatic narcissist who smiled arrogantly while causing disasters everywhere he went somehow suddenly felt far more comforting in comparison.
At least Azriah's arrogance never carried malice behind it.
He teased people, provoked them, and occasionally acted insane, but he never made others feel trapped.
Even during his most outrageous moments there was strange freedom around him, as though he genuinely did not care about the invisible chains binding everyone else.
Diana quietly lowered her gaze.
For some reason…
Just imagining another woman standing beside Azriah instead of her suddenly made her chest feel uncomfortable.
Then she remembered something else entirely.
"Wait," she muttered slowly, "if the Lionhearts are moving politically now…"
Seraphine nodded grimly.
"Then your mother's awakening threatens their plans completely."
Outside the chamber, the imperial palace continued trembling beneath growing political storms.
And somewhere within that chaos—
Azriah Antioch was almost certainly smiling at the center of it all.
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Seraphine Veyrins artwork at the comment section .
Diana Elysiums artwork at the comment section.