After the duke left, Aran was left in a troubled state of mind. Enoch said that hed support her will and not many people openly opposed it, but some of the higher-ranking aristocracies were keen on making trouble.
Aran sighed and looked over the documents Duke Silas left her.
ClearedChangeback, Duke Heston, Marquis Bjorn
The names on the document were the all-powerful aristocracy. Aran rubbed her temples and singled out those who were likely to be persuaded and those who shed have trouble convincing.
ClaredChangebackwas a man whom she could persuade and sway to her side. She had known him since childhood and the late emperor helped his father oftentimes. It was worth making the effort to change his mind.
Duke Heston seeks a marriage partner for his successor. Theres potential to conciliate with him on the condition that she introduces him to a suitable and stable house.
And
Arans face darkened when she saw Marquis Bjorns name one the list. He was tough, vicious, and a difficult person to work with. He had no antipathy towards her. Duke Silas agreed to persuade him, but even he was skeptical of the outcome. He wasnt sure how effective the plan would be.
If she was unable to change Marquis Bjorns mind, her plans would all but go down in smokes. The only reason the aristocracy accepted her will was due to the power of the Grand Duke she borrowed. Theyll readily accept Enochs will but it didnt mean that theyd not snap back.
Aran looked down at her palm and bit her lip like a bad habit. She could still feel the sting in her hand.
Was he angry? Would he reverse his decision?
Aran knew this well without him, she was nothing but a weak empress. She was in a precarious situation. She despised him, loathed him to the core, yet she had no choice but to rely on him.
With a heavy heart, Aran wrote letters toClaredChangebackand Duke Heston. It was too much for an empress to send a personal letter with hopes to change the minds of noblemen, but she was helpless and she didnt know what else to do.
Finishing the last two letters, she put it to the side and pulled out another paper. The previous two letters had been difficult, but this one, this one stumped her.
In the end, she couldnt write a letter to Marquis Bjorn.
She knew she couldnt avoid conflicts with him forever. Still, her mind told her to avoid him so. She hoped that Duke Silas would be able to persuade him.
***
The first person to reply to the empress letter wasClaredChangeback. He expressed his intention to visit her and exchange opinions as soon as he found the time.
Arans downtrodden face brightened after a long time hearing a positive answer she did not expect. They were estranged now, but they were once friends.
It would be easier to deal with Marquis Bjorn if she could changeClaredChangebacksmind. Maybe shed be able to solve the problems without borrowing Enochs powers.
Arans face, reminded of that man, sank again. She hadnt seen him since thatday. She was pleased that he hadnt shown himself before her at first, but as the days passed and grew longer, he hadnt visited her once and she began to feel uneasy.
Things had changed the first time she met him. At first, it was she who took the initiative, always anxious to see him, to see his face. A large hole filled her heart whenever his presence was not around.
Especially when he was a servant. He was always on edge, always afraid, always angry. His life turned upside down. The thought ofitbroke Aran and she could do nothing but throw away her pride and hug him tight.
But things have changed since the Bloody Wedding. Perhaps Enoch hoped to see her plead and clinging crazily to him like she used to.
She suddenly felt a sense of loss thinking of it. Aran never thought of a life without him. She had loved him affectionately when they were young and now, when she loathed him, she couldnt do anything without him.
She gave a mixed, complicated sigh. Marquis Bjorn was nothing compared to Enoch. Regardless, it was better to deal with the marquis herself than to ask for Enochs help.
Aran finished her day a bit late due to her prolonged worries, returning to her bedroom quarters thereafter with heavy steps.
She placed the letter fromClaredChangebackon the table and took off her heavy dress.
Dressed in thin layers, she refused to allow her maidservant to follow her and headed to the bathroom alone. Only after she was alone did she take off her panties.
Since the Bloody Wedding, she had never undressed in front of anyoneotherEnoch. No matter how skilled the maid was in cleaning, Aran was embarrassed to show her dirty body in front of others due to her s*xualintercourse with Enoch. The habit still lingered even when the purple marks were no longer visible.
Aran threw her body in a bath of hot water without hesitation. Unlike her troubled mind, her body quickly warmed up.
Soon, sleep washed over her and darkness came.