“I’d like to get dressed.”

“Oh, yes, Empress.”

The maids opened their eyes wide in surprise at the words of the Empress who was sitting like a doll.

“His Majesty is coming soon, and I’ll be in trouble for looking so haggard. Bring me my jewelry box.”

“With Your Majesty’s permission, I will do so. I will send someone right away.”

Hazel nodded silently.

A few moments later, the jewelry box was placed in front of Hazel, just as she wished. It was a jewelry box filled only with things that she valued exceptionally.

Every anniversary, or even if it was not such an occasion, the Emperor would often present her with the most precious and beautiful jewels. It contained earrings and necklaces adorned with diamonds and pearls, as well as a peacock brooch made of emeralds and onyx.

Hazel rummaged through the jewelry box and took out a ring inlaid with red gems. The jewels sparkled under the candle and shone quite lustrously. Hazel slowly slipped it onto her ring finger.

In the evening, the emperor always came to visit her.

“You seem a little different…”

Achilleon slowly closed and opened his eyes and carefully studied Hazel’s appearance, which had changed over the course of the day. She was beautiful, wearing light makeup and jewels, but there was something strange about her.

“If you don’t like it, then…”

As she raised her hand to remove the accessories from her ears and neck, Achilleon gently took her hand.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you like this.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

Achilleon only smiled faintly at the faint words of gratitude that came out of her mouth without hesitation.

“I haven’t seen that ring in a while.”

“It was given to me by His Majesty, and I cherished it. It is not a common piece of jewelry. ….”

Achilleon took Hazel’s ringed hand and kissed it as he asked,

“What’s with you all of a sudden?”

His voice had a sharp edge to it. It was a situation that could send her to heaven or hell, depending on how she answered. But Hazel answered easily.

“I would like to say a prayer.”

“Why? Do you want dead people to go to heaven?”

Hazel quickly shook her head as her face lost its pleasantness.

“You told me to have a baby. Somehow God will hear my words if I pray earnestly.”

“Is that really all you want?”

“Yes.”

Hazel answered quietly, though there was doubt in Achilleon’s blue eyes. Hazel pleaded with him again, her gaze becoming more agile as she watched his expression.

“Can I? I want to pray to God to give me a child as soon as possible…It would be nice if there was someone who could deliver my prayers to God.”

“Who would you like to join you in prayer?”

“Anybody. It’s His Majesty’s people anyway… He’ll know if I say any strange prayers. He has divine powers.” Hazel said obediently.

“You’re a very religious wife, aren’t you? I hadn’t noticed it before.”

Hazel shuddered at the hand stroking her chin.

“…….”

“But there’s a better way to have a baby than praying.”

Achilleon said, dropping the cloak on his shoulders.

“We are not innocent people who know nothing, are we?”

Hazel, who was looking at the hand he had reached out, faltered and put her hand on it, and Achilleon caught hers with his eyes shining.

“Give me a child.”

Hazel said as she sat on top of Achilleon’s lap with a giggle. A slight frown from his face passed over her, but she didn’t let that look stop her.

“That’s how I can get out…I’ll do it. As much as you want, I understand.”

“…Are you sure?”

Achilleon asked, lifting Hazel’s chin.

“I’m glad.”

A thin, shattering smile appeared on Hazel’s lips. The next moment Hazel slowly pressed her lips to his. She bit, licked, and continued the gesture over and over, while Achilleon still only observed her obsessively.

“Achilleon.”

Hazel called his name with wet eyes, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her. Achilleon crumpled happily and looked at her with a stiff face for a while. But a short moment later…

Achilleon, holding her small head in one hand, changed his posture and pushed Hazel down on the bed. His hot lips assaulted and restrained Hazel’s.

“Hazel”

“…….”

“Hazel.”

He called her name as if he was dying. He didn’t stop calling her name for a long time, even when she didn’t answer, even when she didn’t respond in any way.

Hazel’s tears gushed from her eyes.

***

Contrary to the idea that he might not listen, Achilleon gave Hazel time to pray with the High Priest in the afternoon.

The High Priest Mameth, with his almost silver-turned-hair and beard, was a man revered by the people of the Empire as an agent of the living God.

“What is the most painful thing?”

Hazel was kneeling on her knees in front of the stone statue blindfolded, and the High Priest stood in front of her, listening to Hazel’s prayer.

Around them were twelve glass coffins in their original form, each containing mirrors, necklaces, books, crowns, and other sacred objects left behind by past saints.

Hazel’s hand landed on one of the ornate jeweled crowns and grabbed it.

“Please let me have a child. That’s all.”

Hazel said with a blank expression.

“I will pray with you that your prayer will reach God.”

“The saints will also give me strength, won’t they?”

At Hazel’s question, the High Priest thought for a moment, then nodded.

“This is the place where the holy relics left by the saints of the empire are kept. If you pray hard enough, it will come true.”

“I’ve heard of the power that resides in the holy relics. It was when I first married into this empire. We had our wedding ceremony after praying in front of the holy relics of the saints.”

“I remember I was the wedding officiant. It was a prestigious position.”

“Do you still think so?”

Hazel said, bursting with laughter.

“I’m locked up every night, tending to the emperor’s desires. Being an empress is just a pretense, what’s the difference between a woman who sells her body…. Oh, I’m worse than that.”

The High Priest spoke in a benevolent tone.

“God will save the Empress.”

“…….”

For a moment, the gray eyes of the High Priest looked different than usual. It was the same compassionate light, but it shone uncommonly, as if it was trying to strongly inform Hazel of something.

“Perhaps Empress would like to pray alone.”

At these words, the High Priest beckoned to the knights guarding behind him.

“Why don’t you stand outside the door? It’s not like there’s another way in or out of the sanctuary anyway.”

The knights hesitated for a while but retreated to the door nonetheless.

A moment later, the High Priest whispered to Hazel.

“Have a moment of truthful dialogue with God, I’ll step aside.”

“…….”

The High Priest smiled benevolently at Hazel and withdrew quietly.

Hazel, seeing that the High Priest was gone, quickly stood up. Then she closed the door tightly from the inside and approached the glass coffin where the holy relics were kept.

The place where Hazel stood in front of was the coffin that contained the crown.

She knew that she was doing something crazy, but she had no choice.

Hazel lifted the glass lid and took out the crown. When she first married into this empire, she heard the words from the priests, and at the time, she had not paid much heed to them. But now…

Each object has its own hidden power. And this crown had the power to turn back time. However…

“How do I prove it?”

Faith is based on unconditional belief, not proof.

And so she did not believe it. But right now, at this moment, the power of this relic was what she needed more than anything.

“Please turn back time.”

Hazel whispered quietly. But the only thing that touched her hand was a cold golden touch. Her hand, holding the crown, began to tremble.

“Please bring me back…….”

But there was no response to her urgent words from the crown in her hands. As usual, it was nothing more than a beautifully crafted crown.

“Please, let everything be as it should be. Please save me from this cruel nightmare.”

Hazel sat down with tears streaming down her face. The crown fell from her weak hands with a clang to the floor.

“It’s stupid.”

She shouldn’t have been fooled by the idea of a holy object. There was no such thing as a holy object, no such thing as the power to turn back time. She just wanted to lean on such things because she was desperate.

What was planned was a disaster that would befall her.

Bang. Bang.

Suddenly, Hazel’s body bounced up as she sat on the floor. It was as if something large and blunt was thrown at the door of the tightly closed sanctuary.

Bang. Bang.

It was noisy outside, and Achilleon’s screaming voice could be heard through the crack in the door.

“…No, no, no…”

Hazel strained to her feet and tried to get up, but her fear-stricken body wouldn’t move.

Bang!

Achilleon stood in the open doorway with a sound that tore her ears.

“Hazel!”

“…….”

“Come here.”

“No, no.”

Hazel clutched her crown like a madwoman.

“No, no, no.”

“You want that? If you wanted it, you should have said so. I would be happy to put anything you want in your hands.”

“…….”

“When did I ever fail to grant you what you want?”

As Achilleon approached, Hazel let out a paroxysmal scream.

“Don’t come!”

His blue eyes, tinged with anger, glared at her. Achilles’ face was wrinkled by Hazel’s fierce rejection.

“Don’t come, no. I… I’m going back to when we didn’t meet, when we didn’t know each other.That’s what I’m going to do.”

A moment later, a white light began to shine from the crown Hazel was holding.

“Hazel? Hazel?”

Achilleon rushed over to her with a surprised look on his face. At that moment, the light emitted from the crown enveloped them both.

****