Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90 - Light And Shadow>
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112 - The Morning Comes>
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118 - After The Storm
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132 -
Chapter 133
Chapter 134 - Epilogue 1.3
Chapter 135 - Epilogue 2.1: Traces Of Life
Chapter 136
Chapter 137 - Epilogue 2.3
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140
Chapter 141 - Epilogue 4.1: Ever After>
Chapter 142 - Epilogue 4.2
Chapter 143 - Epilogue 4.3
Chapter 144 - Epilogue 5.1>
Chapter 145 - Epilogue 5.2
Chapter 146 - The Most Romantic Weekend>
Chapter 147 - Short Stories 1.2
Chapter 148 -
Chapter 149 -
Chapter 150 -
Chapter 151 -
Chapter 152 -
Chapter 153 -
Chapter 154 - Short Stories 3.1: Unexpected Things Happen>
Chapter 155 - Short Stories 3.2>
Chapter 156 -
Chapter 157 -
Chapter 158 -
Chapter 159 -
Chapter 160 -
Chapter 161 - Short Stories 5.1: The Man Behind The Mask>
Chapter 162
Chapter 163
Chapter 164 -
Chapter 165 -
Chapter 166
Chapter 167 - Short Stories 6.2
Chapter 168 - Short Stories 6.3
Chapter 169
Chapter 170
Chapter 171
Chapter 172
Chapter 173
Chapter 174
Chapter 175
Chapter 176
Chapter 177
Chapter 178
Chapter 179
Chapter 180
Chapter 181
Chapter 182
Chapter 183
Chapter 184
Chapter 185
Chapter 186
Chapter 187
Chapter 188
Chapter 189 (End)
Categories Genre: All, Completed, Fantasy Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 189
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
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LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 189 Page No. 188 Page No. 187 Page No. 186 Page No. 185 Page No. 184 Page No. 183 Page No. 182 Page No. 181 Page No. 180 Page No. 179 Chapter 173
Chapter 173:
The third song ended. The emperor and the empress bowed to each other gracefully. It was clear that they were still very much in love.
They smiled at each other and walked towards Norma and Roberto.
Empress Sa Bina smiled brightly and asked, “Oh, Duchess Lonensia. I thought you would dance with your son, but I see that you haven’t.”
Norma controlled her facial expression and replied respectfully. The game was over and she knew she would gain nothing by fighting back.
“My knees have been bothering me lately. Thank you for thinking of me, your highness.”
Bina smiled again. “Oh no. I will pray that you recover soon. Now that I think about it… I heard the Maram hot springs are great for arthritis. The Lonensian family owns a castle there, right?”
“… Yes.”
Norma’s fingers trembled. The empress was forgiving. It was clear that her highness wanted Norma to go spend some time in Maram to think about what she had done.
To other noble families, Norma spending time away from the city would be proof that the royal family won the game. Norma’s life of power was over.
The Duchess remembered what Bina whispered to her.
“Duchess, I don’t plan on being your puppet.”
Checkmate.
Norma tried her best to control her trembling voice.
“You are right, your highness. I think it would be best for me to take a trip.”
The emperor asked Roberto, “Now that I think about it, Roberto hasn’t danced with anyone at a royal ball, right?”
When Roberto hesitantly nodded, the duchess stepped in as if to protect her son.
“This boy has no experience in big social events, so he feels awkward when he attends one.”
The emperor replied as if he was genuinely worried, “I see. How sad it is that such a handsome young man is still unmarried. That is why I have decided to find a good match for you.”
“Pardon, your highness?!”
“Pardon?!”
The mother and the son gasped in shock. When Lucretius flicked his fingers, the door opened, and a woman walked in.
“Let me introduce you to her. This is my empress’ favorite prima donna.”
When everyone saw who she was, all the guests gasped. The woman who walked in had long black hair.
“Black hair? Oh my… There was another woman other than her highness who had black hair?”
“Then that rumor must have been about…”
“But her face… Isn’t she Amarince Toul? The famous soprano singer?”
“But I thought Amarince didn’t have black hair?”
People whispered curiously. As the black-haired woman walked towards Lucretius, he introduced her to Norma and Roberto.
“Now, this is the prima donna who sang beautifully at the recent performance.”
Amarince looked pale as she bowed to the emperor, the empress, and finally the duchess and Roberto.
Both Roberto and Norma kept their jaws dropped. People who knew Amarince could tell that she was wearing a wig. On top of that, she was wearing a dress a mere singer could never afford. Under the bright chandelier light, it looked expensive, but still of lesser quality than the dress the empress was wearing. It was obvious that someone made this dress with lesser quality material to make it resemble another dress.
The dress the empress was wearing at the masquerade.
Everyone knew what it looked like because the three noble ladies who were witnesses to the scandal gossiped about it excessively.
Norma realized immediately.
‘This must be that woman!’
This had to be the girl who helped Roberto by pretending to be the empress. Norma began to sweat in fear. She stared at the emperor and the empress who looked relaxed and confident.
‘So they knew everything?! And they also had a clear proof against me?’
Norma felt faint.
Lucretius asked innocently as if he knew nothing, “But this is very strange. I thought you didn’t have black hair. And that dress… It looks very similar to the one the empress wore for the masquerade. Up close, it is slightly different, but it’s very close.”
Amarince kneeled and with her trembling hand, she took off her wig.
Her red hair spilled out as she explained, “I would like to apologize to your highnesses.”
Bina asked, “Oh, apologize? For what?”
“The strange rumor about her highness is all because of my mistake.”
People gasped audibly.
Amarince continued clearly.
“… After my performance at the castle… I have come to love you, your highness, as you are the one who gave me the greatest honor. That’s why when I got another chance to perform at the castle, I was excited to participate in the masquerade. So… I wanted to dress like your highness, but when I did, sir Roberto…”
Everyone listened intensely when suddenly, Norma interrupted her.
“How dare a lowly singer to accuse my son?! What are you saying, girl! Your highness! This woman is lying…!”
However, no one listened to Norma.
The emperor announced, “No, let’s listen to Amarince. It is true that the recent rumor has caused an issue between my empress and myself. Thankfully, the singer sent a letter that explained everything, and the empress was able to forgive me and return to me.”
When Lucretius gestured her to continue, Amarince added, “Sir Roberto initially thought I… was her highness, but when he realized it was me, we became drunk with the night’s excitement and… we were together when we were seen by a few people.”
“T, that’s a lie…!”
Norma couldn’t hide her anger while Roberto just stared at Amarince.
He couldn’t believe this situation. He thought he knew Amarince very well. He was sure she was in love with him. She was the type of woman who would die if he asked.
Yet here she was, betraying him. Oddly, he didn’t feel angry. He only felt confused.
‘How?’
How could this woman do this to him? He thought she couldn’t live without him.
Amarince continued, “When I heard the trouble I have caused her highness, I couldn’t just stand by. I had to come here and officially explain myself. I know I have done an unforgivable thing, so I am ready to accept any punishment you deem fit.”
Roberto still couldn’t believe it as he continued to stare at her. When she was done, Amarince looked up and stared directly at Roberto’s eyes.
“…!”
Amarince didn’t look away. She looked at him without fear. She had never done this before.
Suddenly, Roberto realized she wasn’t under his spell. He had no control over her. It was, in fact, him who was being controlled and finally fooled by his own arrogance.
The only thing left for him was to admit that these people had trampled over him with this humiliating defeat
Total Chapters in book: 189
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
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