It was a cloudy day. The sun-kissed white clouds blossomed in the blue, free to fly with the wind. Though beneath the sea of clouds was a gray that deepened to steel, making it harder for the sunlight to touch the earth, yet it was something that I was rather happy about.

I, Calypso Berenice, thrived in the dark.

For most people, the sun was lovely, but it burned my skin and made me squint more than what was normal. The sun just wasn't for me—not like it was for Arsen or even Phoebe.

I shifted my gaze from the window and now I was staring at myself in the mirror as my maids and ladies-in-waiting made me look as presentable as ever for the national assembly.

They really did a great job. The clothes felt perfect against my skin. It was a rich burgundy-colored dress that resembled a gown in the Victorian era, embroidered with gold threads and decorated with luxurious gemstones that made it glitter like the stars in the night sky. I didn't know how much it cost to make this dress, but it must be spectacular.

It doesn't matter though. After all, what's the use of having so much money if you don't get to show it off, right?

On my neck hung a ruby necklace; it was a set with my earrings. The color reminded me of Arsen's eyes, and today I shall wear it for everyone to see. It was already common knowledge that I was obsessed with red anyway.

I couldn't help the thrill. My heart was thumping loudly in my chest with anticipation. This would be an important event that could help me get closer to my goals.

Well, I just hoped that my uncle would do his part properly since it wasn't like Arsen could do it. It was already known that even though Arsen was the emperor, he was pretty much a pariah among the high-ranking nobles.

When an emperor had more than one child and there were multiple candidates for the throne, it was common practice for the nobles to support one heir over the other. If the heir they supported later became emperor, they would in turn gain greater power and possibly even overtake the other great families.

But that hadn't been the case with Arsen, even though he was the only legitimate candidate at the time.

All the nobles had wanted his father, the late emperor, to marry one of their own. My mother, precious daughter to one of the most influential families in the empire, had been the strongest candidate. She had even become engaged to the emperor for a time. It wasn't a secret that Odette Elloid coveted the empress's seat—she had always been an ambitious woman like that.

But the emperor had already fallen in love with someone else—a princess from a small and powerless country. He ignored all the opposition of his court and married her, making her his empress.

His decision lost him the support from the nobles, but greater than that, lost Arsen their support, too.

In a lot of cases, an heir's maternal family determined their power and influence—Arsen's mother lacked both due to her origins. The empire that initially benefited from a balance of power between the nobles and imperial family started leaning to the nobles' side and left Arsen's position unstable.

The situation turned from bad to worse for him when his parents suddenly died in an accident before they could even solidify his position.

He was the sole legitimate heir to the throne, but he was also only fifteen at the time. He was young and lacked support, making him easy prey for other distant relatives who coveted his position.

Well, you already know the one person who wants his place more than anyone else, right?

With the late emperor passing, the empty throne needed to be claimed, but Crown Prince Arsenio Arcturus still wasn't able to claim it.

And for a very simple reason—the nobles didn't acknowledge his ascension.

Honestly, Arsen could have just taken the easy way if he wanted to. If I had been in his position, I would rather become a tyrant and get rid of anyone who dared to defy me. After all, he was the sole heir and also the youngest swordmaster in the empire. It would be easier for him to control people with force and fear.

But he didn't. He wasn't that kind of person. Despite his abilities, he didn't like unnecessary violence. Arsen was too compassionate and soft-hearted to resort to something like that.

So in the end, he yielded and borrowed power from the nobles to ascend the throne.

Their help didn't come without a price of course.

It was a sort of taming in which they grasp the rope and bind Arsen to raise him as their own dog. And in the middle of all of this power struggle was me, Calypso Berenice. I was the bridge that connected the imperial family and the nobles.

It wasn't until his betrothal to me that the relationship between the imperial family and nobility finally improved. As the empress who came from two great noble families—the dukedom of Berenice, Guardians of the North and the Empire's Shield; and the dukedom of Elloid, symbol of overwhelming wealth and prosperity—my role was very important in this game of thrones. I was the key player. I had the role of holding the emperor's reins.

It was no secret that I hold more power than the emperor himself.

And that was how Arsen got the nickname scarecrow emperor.

If I thought about it right now, it was amazing that he didn't hate me despite my role in this.

Does being male lead give him a heart as big as the pacific ocean?

"Your Majesty!" Mary's voice brought me back to the present. The maids and ladies-in-waiting were nodding in satisfaction as they looked at me with happy smiles. They had finished dressing me for the event and I once again stared at myself in the mirror.

"You look absolutely stunning, Your Majesty," Eli complimented. "Oh, and His Majesty has arrived to take you to the conference hall."

Walking down the stairs all dressed up, my maid and ladies-in-waiting trailing behind me, a silly thought suddenly came across my mind. I was having a kind-of Cinderella moment.

Not that I was envious of her story or anything. Because let's be realistic, did you think Cinderella or Snow White lived happily ever after?

No way. They would have probably fought and divorced eventually.

Well, now it made me curious whether Phoebe and Arsen would also have lived happily ever after if we had followed the original story.

As soon as I thought of his name, he came within my view. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at me with a gentle smile. His black suit was embroidered with gold threads and the brocade design complimented his scarlet hair. He looked as bright as the sun.

As expected of the male lead.

He was absolutely breathtaking.

But I could see in his eyes that he couldn't wait to get this over and done with it and it gave me some relief. Arsen always hated these kinds of formal events, and seeing that he still did make me feel some kind of familiarity.

"You look beautiful." Arsen held out his hand to receive me at the bottom of the staircase.

I held back my grimace and smiled at him. I didn't know how I should feel to hear that from the beautiful male lead, but at least my waiting maids were incredibly happy that their hard work had paid off.

Arsen turned to them. "Thank you very much for taking care of the empress."

They all bowed, Eli speaking on their behalf, "We were only doing our duty. It is the greatest honor for us to be able to serve Her Majesty, the empress."

All further pleasantries were interrupted as Arsen's aide came forward to remind us that it was time to depart. Arsen held his hand out to me again. I gently grabbed onto it, and it was when I stepped closer to him that I noticed it. The harsh smell of whiskey.

I immediately scrunched my nose. "Seriously, did you drink before coming here?" I whispered as soon as we were out of earshot.

His eyes widened. He smiled nervously. The smile of someone caught in the act.

"Only a little bit," he answered honestly. "But I assure you, I'm completely sober. I just need it to... calm my nerves."

"Really?"

"I swear." He sighed at my look of disbelief and looked down at his shoes dejectedly. "I knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do, but the alcohol helps me turn down the volume of my thoughts. Somehow, it steadies me."

I was about to scold him again, but then I remembered that he, too, was currently fighting his own demons.

Who am I to tell him how he should live his life? It's not like I have the best coping mechanism either.

Hell... I'm probably the last person he should learn how to cope from.

I just shook my head. We both fell into silence and began our walk toward the Ashington Palace.

"How about you? How are you feeling?" Arsen asked. He continued off my confusion, "I'm worried because you've just recovered from your injuries. And recently you've looked... Ah no, I'm just glad that you seem better now."

"Hmm..." I raised my eyebrows. "Recently I've looked like what?"

"Well, you've looked..."

"Awful? Tired? Sick?"

Arsen shook his head despite obviously agreeing with my checklist inside. "No, you looked... sad."

I faltered for a moment. Perhaps it was his honest response. Or maybe it was the unexpected softness in his eyes. But the second he said it, I wished he hadn't. "I—How was your preparation for the meeting?"

Oh, my mother would have been horrified by my poor deflection skills, but thankfully it wasn't anyone else. It was just Arsen. He would have understood.

He smiled bitterly at my obvious attempt, but didn't comment on it.

"Not so bad I guess. You've tested me yourself."

"Good. As long as you follow through with my plan, everything will be just fine."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I'll leave it in your capable hands." He chuckled.

I scoffed at him but didn't mind his teasing. "At least this meeting wouldn't be as boring as usual."

"True. Still, I hope we'll be finished quickly and just be done with it. I thought my ears would rot off last time, listening to those high-and-mighty nobles talking non-stop about improving our empire. Hah... like they would give a damn about it if it wasn't aligned with their own agendas."

I knew what he was trying to say, but it was inevitable. "Unsurprising, right?"

"Yeah, but do we really need to keep entertaining them?"

"Unfortunately, yes. It's annoying, but there's nothing to be done about it."

"There's plenty to be done!" Arsen replied. Sounded every bit as self-righteous, typical of him.

"You know that I don't enjoy doing it as much as you, but what would we do then? Take on the entire nobles?"

Arsen shrugged. "Not the worst idea if I'm being honest."

"It's short-sighted, Arsen. It doesn't matter whether we're the emperor and empress, they'll oust anyone who steps a toe out of line. I don't know about you, but I'm not interested in living the rest of my life looking over my shoulders. I'd rather be on this side, where I have control. So if that means smiling in their faces, spending my own money, and working around the corruption to suit my needs, then that's what I'll do."

After all, I wasn't a kind and righteous heroine. I was an unlucky extra. And this wasn't a fairytale.

I would rather see mad dogs fight mad dogs. Not a puny puppy fighting a mad dog just to suffer so much and whose only chance of winning was by some kind of unfair miracle shit.

Arsen sighed dejectedly. "I know. I think I'm just a bit frustrated."

I swatted his arm and tried to lighten the mood. "Okay, now stop whining and be professional. I don't really mind taking over the lobbying, but you know I can't always be around for all the meetings. It's better if you know enough to stick a dagger back at them when they try to take advantage of you."

We were getting closer to our destination and it wouldn't do us any good if we appeared with frowns like we had just eaten a whole lemon.

"Yes, ma'am," he answered, a small smile blossoming across his lips.

Ah, how long has it been since we last had this kind of casual conversation?

I couldn't remember.

But it didn't feel bad or awkward.

Not that I had forgiven him, but how could I look away when he was smiling at me like that?

It was at that moment that I could feel my heart beating faster.

Like it was bungee jumping or skydiving—the thrill of doing something reckless. Something you don't want, shouldn't want, but at the same time, you want it more than anything in the world.

Damn...

How messed up.

Then again, what was life without risks? It would be super boring. Even the perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden got so boring that eating the forbidden fruit seemed like a great idea.

So yes, your temptation shall ruin me.

And yet, I don't look away.

I was lost in my own thoughts when Arsen opened his mouth again.

"To be honest, I'm just grateful that your uncle didn't try to bring his bloody parrots to the national assembly this time."

"Oh, don't remind me." I paused to chuckle. "You won't even believe the stunt he pulled at my cousin's wedding. It was unfortunate that you were at the battlefield during that time and couldn't witness it yourself. My uncle was such a bloody prick. I almost lost face because I couldn't hold back my laughter."

"What did he do?" Arsen asked, leaning closer at the prospect of a good story.

"Uncle Leander insisted that his son and in-laws check the bride's virtue right before the wedding. He also made a fuss about the dowry and the fact that Marchioness Everett wouldn't let him have his bloody parrots in the reception."

"So he was a total nightmare." Arsen laughed. "Why am I not surprised?"

It was a good thing that the Everett family was a stubborn sort and wouldn't want to back down and lose the chance to connect with the Elloids. If it wasn't for that, they might have already canceled the wedding.

"Why didn't he then?"

"The marchioness threatened to bring her lizards if he still insisted on bringing his parrots. All two-hundred-thirty-seven of them."

"Your uncle finally found his match, yeah?" He drawled, a smirk already in place. "No offense, but seriously, what the bloody hell is wrong with your relatives?"

"Well, they love to be extravagant for starters, and they like abundance, especially when it comes to madness."

We finally arrived in front of a building. The Ashington palace was huge and it was lit with glowing magic stones, making it look like something out of a fantasy movie. The center of the entire building had a huge dome–the ballroom. It had a huge arch for an entrance with carved doors of mahogany and countless soldiers stationed outside for safety.

We entered the building, walking between pillars and marble statues. I straightened my back, keeping my posture poised and elegant, but my arms felt heavy.

I tried to suppress it earlier so as not to get distracted, but now that the door was in front of me, I couldn't help the dread at the thought of seeing Constantine's face again.

"Wait." I gripped Arsen's arm tighter. "Let's observe the situation first before we enter."

He made no protests and just let me steer him away from the entrance.

There was a hidden room behind one of the statues near the conference hall that was only known to the emperor and empress. Its function was to—well, observe. Our predecessor would usually use the room to assess the political tide and power dynamic before entering the lion's den.

Whoever built this secret chamber must have been a genius. It had been installed with magical tools that would help us see and hear into the hall, but not the other way around; like an audio-equipped one-way mirror in the modern world.

Though my first intention was to procrastinate, this might turn out to be a great idea after all.

I observed the conference hall through the transparent barrier. Many people had already gathered and were either busy greeting each other or preparing for the meeting.

There would be over one hundred attendees. It might seem like a lot at first glance, but each one of them was absolutely indispensable to the national assembly.

Members of the royal court; the most powerful nobles in the empire; and the heads of all major institutions of the Imperial Palace.

It could be said that they were the people who moved the Graniel Empire.

Among them, my uncle was considered the apex of wealth and the pillar of the Graniel Empire. He was standing close to the barrier, being greeted by the middle-aged man standing beside him.

"Duke Elloid, it is nice to see you again." The older man clapped a hand over his.

"Haha, long time no see Marquess Clifford."

"It seems that the imperial family has not arrived yet."

My uncle followed his movements and looked around the conference room. His eyes lingered on the front door for a second before started scanning the room once again. It wasn't hard to guess who he was looking for.

I followed his gaze to the other side of the room where the handsome silver-haired man was talking to a few low-ranking nobles. Even with his unfortunate background, he was still half-royal, and if he hadn't failed to secure the city last week, then he might have had more high-ranking nobles surrounding him instead.

I scoffed at the sheer irony of it. Constantine had looked so normal—but of course, why shouldn't he? People often overestimated how psychopaths would look, as if there should be some chilling aura that they oozed. But if the neighbors of many serial killers never quite noticed the wolf among them, as evidenced in the documentaries I had watched as Hanbyeol, why should anyone notice Constantine Aragon's true nature?

People liked to think that these callous murderers would look different because they don't like to contemplate that they, too, could easily be one. The average person didn't like to think that the line between upstanding citizen and norm-breaking monster was not a firm wall set by a benevolent emperor to keep out the barbarians; but a simple path drawn by a stick upon sand, with a ringmaster standing by.

So yeah, it would be easy for someone like Constantine to fool everyone. Besides his outstanding appearance, he had also worked hard for years to worm his way into high-society, and hid behind his philanthropic image. He had even made sure to be the first noble to provide aid a couple of years prior, when a severe drought had plagued a remote region of the empire.

But after the monster incident, the number of his supporters seemed to have decreased significantly. After all, people would only love you as much as they can use you. Their loyalties ended where the benefits stopped.

"Duke Elloid, Marquess Rothschild, Marquess Clifford," another nobleman greeted them.

In no time, Uncle Leander was already surrounded by other nobles who had come to greet him. Although most were high-ranking nobles that had the power to shake the empire, there was no anxiety in his eyes. He was already used to being the center of attention among people who wanted to gain favor from his dukedom.

"Duke Elloid, I've heard that the orphanage and school projects are going well." One of the nobles, Count Lawrence, opened with a sugary smile.

"I've also heard that more than half of the costs were covered by the Elloid family. Ah, as expected, Your Grace's generosity is truly something to admire," another added.

"Haha... We do like to give a lot, perhaps even more than we should. We Elloids like to be generous." Uncle Leander laughed as people kept pouring compliments at him and I wanted to roll my eyes. He definitely didn't need more of an ego boost.

"The Helios Empire was boasting not long ago of their own projects; how they built their schools and orphanages... Yet in just a few months, Her Majesty has managed not only to build schools and orphanages throughout Graniel, she's also expanded farmlands from our nobility's unused and neglected lands. We're already seeing some improvement with the famine in our remote regions—Khanka, Enia, Adorar, and so on. At this rate, we can proudly say that we're more advanced than Helios. But it's only to be expected, of course; the empress is an Elloid after all."

The count spewed at length all of my achievements. His accolade satisfied me, even if he was only sucking up to my uncle.

"Haha... Of course we are. They might call themselves the nation blessed by God, but other than their pretty faces, we have always been superior!"

The conversation continued for a while, but at some point, my uncle caught sight of Marquess Sloane standing awkwardly among the nobles, and a subtle smirk flashed across his face.

"Did you hear of the attack during the harvest festival?" His voice dropped, thick with concern, but he could not hide the twinkle in his eyes. "Today we will be re-evaluating Duke Aragon's position and whether the capital's safety should remain under his responsibility."

Marquess Sloane's eyes swayed slightly. He was in the middle of negotiating a marriage between Duke Aragon and his daughter, and it was probably too late for him to back down. My uncle only smiled, as if he hadn't just made a personal attack.

"We all heard the news," Count Marshall said. "The monster sure caused a big ruckus, injuring the empress and everything. Though I do wonder how it managed to even get to the capital..."

"Ah, I was very heartbroken when I heard that my lovely niece was injured." Uncle Leander sighed, shaking his head slowly. I almost gagged watching his performance.

All the nobles around immediately tried to console him, as if they were also feeling the same thing. It was like watching a cheap soap opera, though I must admit that this one was pretty entertaining.

"With the empress injured under his watch, even Duke Aragon wouldn't be able to escape the consequences," Marquess Clifford added.

Uncle Leander shifted his gaze at Marquess Sloane. "I heard that your daughter is about to be betrothed to Duke Aragon?" He asked, eyes widening slightly as if he had just remembered it.

Everyone's attention was suddenly on the marquess, and they were all chiming in.

"Yes, I've also heard the rumor," the others chimed in.

"Ah, marquess, I hope your family won't be affected by this incident. It's very unfortunate—"

"It has nothing to do with us." His response came out heavy and quiet. "So I hope Your Grace won't talk about him anymore."

That quickly shut everyone up. Some of them even looked ashamed for a moment, but Uncle Leander was only happy to watch the spectacle.

Luckily for them, the awkwardness was interrupted by the attendant's voice echoing through the conference hall: "Young Master Xavier Berenice of the Berenice family entering!"

I almost forgot that he was attending in place of our father this year.

There was a slight irritation in my uncle's eyes as he watched him.

Xavier sat down in his designated seat, not bothering to mingle, and only bowed his head slightly to the people who came to greet him.

We had spent quite a long time watching, so finally Arsen asked if I was ready to join them.

No. I wanted to shout, but of course I didn't. Instead, I tried to fight the sudden nausea that was building up in my stomach. You can do it, Calypso. You're in control. You can handle this.

I held my breath.

Counted to ten.

Released it.

Then prepared to engage myself in an act of self-torture.

Finally, I nodded.

I hooked my arm through his elbow and he led us out and back toward the conference hall. He gave a signal to the attendant by the front door, and the man announced our presence. I took one long breath.

The door opened with a great rumble, and an immediate silence filled the room.

There was a sudden silence as soon as the door to the conference room was opened.

"Their Majesties, Emperor Arsenio Arcturus and Empress Calypso Berence entering!"

Everyone's eyes lit up in anticipation.

We had come fashionably late, which meant we had a full room gawking at our entrance, striding in with our robes billowing behind us.

"Blessing and glory upon Their Majesty," they greeted in unison.

Servants pulled out our seats for us and we sat at the far end of the room, overlooking the entire hall.

I faced all the nobles before me. Contrary to my anxious heart just a second ago, a smile slowly bloomed across my face as I faced the nobles.

It was easy to slip back behind the mask once you got used to it; like turning on a switch. Having to laugh when all you wanted to do was cry. All those fake personas.

Yes, I'm tricking you all.

But does it matter?

Compared to all these rotten bastards who turned their backs on me when I needed their help the most, I was an angel.

Well, angels aren't just from heaven of course.

With those messed up thoughts still in my mind, I opened my mouth and said, "Everyone, thank you for coming. Let us start the meeting."

***

Author's Note:

I'm back early with another update because I feel like it. I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit boring. This story is a slow burn, so please be patient with me. Oh, but I promise, we'll get to the more exciting part soon.

Please feel free to share any theories or ideas you have. It helps me know if I'm still steering the story on the right course and from what I've read so far, the crazier you think it is, the better!

Last but not least, thank you so much to everyone who still sticks by, and to all the new readers, welcome! I love and read all your comments and know that you are all greatly appreciated.

The theme song for this chapter is Pierrot Laughs at Us by IU

With a red hat on my head
I am a clown, always smiling
Behind that laughter
There are tears that no one knows of

Even though I smile at my miserable self
I am beautiful
Everyone with their black neckties
They can't say anything

Everyone is dancing and laughing
But I don't like that
While we drink and look for love
We forget the truth

I like the smiling clown better
I like the clown who knows sadness better

Even though I smile at my miserable self
I am beautiful
Everyone with their black neckties
They can't say anything

Everyone is dancing and laughing
But I don't like that
While we drink and look for love
We forget the truth