The Great Wish - Chapter 11.2

Vol.2 Chapter 11 Part 2 

Sienna went to the Red King's palace. Patricia greeted her with a smile. 

"Welcome, Silver King. Now, come and sit here. I've prepared all your favorites." 

The table was full of various fruits, puddings, colorful cookies, and a cream cake. Seeing all her favorite snacks only served to offend Sienna even further. 

Was she treating her like a child? Did she really think that these kinds of things would make her heart waver? 

"Mother, there is something I need to tell you." 

"There's plenty of time. Let's talk after you've had something to eat." 

"Return my ladies-in-waiting to me." 

"Excuse me?" 

"I believe I will have to be a bit impolite with you today. It doesn't matter to me whether your ladies-in-waiting see it." 

The smile from Patricia's face disappeared in an instant. Her lips were still turned up, but there was no warmth in her eyes. 

"But there is no need for others to listen in on an intimate conversation between mother and daughter." 

Patricia gestured with her hand. The ladies-in-waiting immediately exited the room. 

"You've crossed the line." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Why did you put your hands on my people?" 

Levan's report was filled with shocking news. 

Countess Pope's family had been completely reduced to ruin. The tea leaves that had been cultivated on their lands had withered, and the storeroom where they kept the leaves to be sold was burned to the ground. 

They did their best to quickly find the capital to pay back their debts, but a loaning business of ill-repute had gotten involved. With the interest piling up, the earl and his son frantically went out to find some money, but they were turned away. The family ended up losing their lands. 

The countess's son-in-law's family was also torn apart. That family was about to collapse after facing allegations of financing an anti-imperial organization. 

The countess had fainted from the shock, and her devastated daughter-in-law stayed by her said as she tended to her. 

Emma had been threatened with the security of her family back at home. 

All of this happened during the time Sienna was out of the capital. It all happened in less than a month. 

"Your people, Silver King? Who are you talking about?" 

"I'm talking about my chief lady-in-waiting." 

"Ah... This is about Countess Pope. I think I heard something about that. It seems that they weren't able to properly take care of their household matters." 

"Mother." 

Sienna clenched her teeth. 

"I'm not sure why you're coming to me about something related to the countess's family." 

"You're telling me something very different from what I've heard." 

"Princess, I'm not sure what you've heard, but it seems that you need to work on differentiating lies from the truth. The Palace is always full of conspiracies and schemes. Now that you're an adult, you need to learn about the wicked things of this world. There will be jealous people who will try to alienate you from me, Princess. You must trust your mother." 

Patricia spoke in a pleasant voice, but her expression resembled a cold, smiling snake. 

Sienna realized that her mother would never give her the answer she wanted even if she presented her with the evidence. She decided to change tactics. 

"It seems that I was mistaken." 

"I believe so." 

"My chief lady-in-waiting is currently suffering. Can you help me, Mother?" 

Patricia's eyes widened before smiling back at her. 

"It seems that you overestimate my talents, Princess." 

"If it's out of your reach, can't you ask Uncle for some help? Doesn't the House of Rimone have enough power to do so? I will use this opportunity to see whether I can trust the ducal house of Rimone as emperor in the future." 

Patricia silently gazed at Sienna before lifting her teacup. 

Sienna realized that this was the first time she saw her mother without a smile on her face. 

"There is no such thing as one-sided kindness in this world. If something goes, then something must return." 

"Yes, I'm listening." 

"Your chief lady-in-waiting is no good for you, Princess. As your mother, I'd like you to keep someone wise around you instead." 

Patricia told Sienna her demand in a roundabout way. 

She would pull the countess out of the deep abyss she was currently in. However, Sienna would have to end all personal interactions with the countess. This deal would only benefit Patricia. 

'If the Princess takes it, it's all well and good. But if she doesn't... it doesn't hurt me one bit.' 

From the start, her objective was to separate Countess Pope from the Princess. Even if didn't happen, this incident would serve as a harsh warning. She also needed something to take the wind out of the Princess's sails. It seemed that she had been too indulgent with the Princess. 

Sienna lowered her eyes so that Patricia wouldn't see them shake. A child was asking her parent for help. It was nothing to lose face over. She would only have to let go of her pride a little bit. However, this current situation was a power struggle. 

'If I back down here, I will only end up backing off when more important matters come up.' 

The first step was always the most difficult. The second time would always be easier. 

Sienna silently got up. She looked at Patricia, who was calmly enjoying her tea, before turning around. 

"Think about it carefully, Princess. There isn't much time." 

She hear Patricia speak out from behind her. 

'Is this how you're going to do this, Mother?' 

Sienna bit her lips, and her gold eyes deepened. 

'You're going to try to keep me in your grasp and shake me? …It will not go your way.' 

Sienna was lost in thought as she sat at her desk in her study. 

'What I have, and what I can do...' 

A sturdy maternal family. An unshakeable legitimacy. 

The Rimone family and her mother were her strongest allies. However, if the end of their sword was ever pointed at Sienna, she would be left completely powerless. 

From a young age, she only focused on her imperial studies. Surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting, she received lessons from prominent scholars. She received special treatment and attended the Imperial Council as well as the Central Council. 

She only learned how to look down on the world as a ruler. She never paid any attention to social events. She would rather read one more book instead of making small talk with others. She had never made a friend. 

She didn't have anyone by her side. She had always believed that the seat of the emperor was a solitary position. 

'Did I choose to become this way?' 

Patricia had isolated Sienna. She had guided Sienna so that she wouldn't be able to rely on anyone else. At times, it was Sienna's weakness, but it also proved to be her strength. Because she was so used to being alone, she wasn't scared of being alone. 

That was Patricia's mistake. She believed she knew her daughter very well. She believed she was the only one who was close to her daughter. She shouldn't have been so greedy to become Sienna's sole ally. 

Instead, she should have kept a lot of people around Sienna and used them as her weakness. 

Additionally, Patricia failed to see the biggest difference between herself and her daughter. 

A person always saw the world with their own standards. Patricia didn't realize that her own ambitions and Sienna's ambitions weren't the same. 

Sienna didn't want to become the emperor to gain more power. She wanted to be a wise ruler who brought prosperity to the Empire. She didn't want to receive that position by becoming a puppet underneath her mother's control. 

Sienna stared at the edge of her desk before she raised her head and stood up. A determined gleam flashed across her eyes. 

She called for her lady-in-waiting. 

"Let's go to the Iron King's palace."