《The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡± She never imagined that she would say this¡­¡­¡­¡­ She felt the freedom, as if she was completely free from him. At Rodelia¡¯s calm tone, who looked refreshed, Kane widened his eyes as if doubting his ears. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡­! You¡¯re lying because you¡¯re angry at me, right? You said you loved me!¡± ¡°I did love you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°However, it was only small.¡± Kane¡¯s eyes, which had never been shaken under any circumstances, swayed like a stormy sea, but she didn¡¯t feel guilty for hurting him because she had just given back exactly what she received. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t scream at me!¡± She was no longer swayed by him. That fact freed Rodelia completely. Even to herself, only meaningless glances passed beyond the surprisingly cold voice, and the low, faint sound of shoes shattered the quiet stillness. At the end of Kane¡¯s gaze, a man walked slowly through the corridor filled with impermanent darkness and stood next to Rodelia. As if to mock Kane, the man hugged her waist and smiled. ¡°Rodelia, no way¡­¡­..!¡± Leaving behind Kane¡¯s look of disbelief, Rodelia slowly shifted her gaze to the man next to her with a smile on her lips, as if she was looking at her beloved one. ¡°Kane, I don¡¯t have any lingering feelings for you anymore.¡± Kane¡¯s expression began to distort indescribably at Rodelia¡¯s attitude, which seemed to have no emotion. ¡°So¡­.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never come back to you.¡± Rodelia smiled more brightly than anyone else and held the man¡¯s big hand tightly. Cerdian Eisen, the man of many rumors. He was the only savior who took her out of the endless nightmares she was swimming in. *** Rodelia Florence was the perfect empress and beloved wife. She had always been, and she believed she always would be. She had earned the love of Emperor Kane and the support of the people, so there were no common concubines that had plagued the previous Empresses. All she had to do was produce a successor and all would be perfect. She was sitting by the window of the Empress¡¯s palace, which overlooked the capital of the Thebes Empire, drinking her tea leisurely. It was her first day off in a long time, and she wanted to go out, but the maids desperately tried to stop her from catching a cold, so she had no choice but to agree to just enjoy the breeze. Humming and nibbling on a cookie, Rodelia came up with a plan for her future child. ¡®I hope my first child will be a daughter.¡¯ Letting out a small laugh, she put down her teacup. Just looking at her like this, she resembled the appearance of a noble lady of her age. She had to hide herself behind her position as Empress, and when she had time to herself, she often showed this kind of free figure, a secret appearance she had never shown even to Kane. Suddenly, she remembered that she hadn¡¯t had many encounters with Kane lately. Looking at the beautifully blooming pink cyclamen, Rodelia felt sad. ¡®No matter how busy you are with work, you don¡¯t pay much attention to me, do you?¡¯ Deciding to go see Kane right away, she stood up from the window and adjusted her disheveled appearance. ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t disturb him when he¡¯s busy. What if he can¡¯t concentrate on his work because of me?¡¯ However, Rodelia, thinking of Kane¡¯s recently emaciated appearance, sat down by the window again, muttering. It was the beginning of winter, so the breeze was cool, and the fallen leaves dancing between the winding streams was truly spectacular. She was a little disappointed that she couldn¡¯t see Kane on their third wedding anniversary, but other than that, it was a perfect day. That was, until her head maid of honor, Viscountess Cohen, came out of the blue with the news. When Rodelia put down her teacup, stretched, and went to her study to read, Viscountess Cohen came into her office with a serious look on her face. ¡°¡­¡­ Empress.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Viscountess was a woman with a stubborn expression. But today, for some reason, there was a hint of anxiety on her face that was unlike her. She tried hard to hide the signs like biting her lips and avoided eye contact with Rodelia, but she couldn¡¯t hide the anxiety that leaked out. What on earth could she be hesitating so much? Could it be that she was going to ask for a great favor? The Viscountess moved her lips as if she was about to speak, but only looked at Rodelia. She was very tense and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Rodelia looked down at Viscountess Cohen, who was shorter than her, with a worried look in her eyes. ¡°You look so gloomy, is there something wrong?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, so tell me. I¡¯ll help you if I can.¡± ¡°No¡­¡­¡­.. Your Majesty, it may be a false rumor¡­¡­¡­¡± The Viscountess stopped again in mid-speech. When Rodelia smiled gently at her as if she was okay, the Viscountess, who wiped off the cold sweat on her forehead with a chubby hand, took a deep breath and continued to talk. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but a rumor has spread throughout the palace that Princess Eisen has been coming and going from the Emperor¡¯s bedchamber.¡± After hearing the news, her neatly tidied eyebrows were distorted, and with a dumbfounded look on her face Rodelia asked as if she couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± She believed that she must have heard it wrong. She wanted the Viscountess to quickly answer that it wasn¡¯t so. But despite Rodelia¡¯s earnest pleas, there was only a silence between them. Soon the low sigh of the Viscountess echoed throughout the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be the bearer of such news. Your Majesty.¡± Rodelia¡¯s heart dropped. The wind, which was blowing coolly and tickling her cheeks, quickly turned into a blade and stabbed her flesh, and she heard the Viscountess¡¯s cautious voice in a determined tone, as if she was pronouncing a death sentence. It was a perfect day, but it was only a kind of prelude to the tragedy. A device to make the tragedy even more horrific, so to speak. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a rumor. Right? The imperial palace is full of all sorts of ridiculous rumors.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this is ¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± She didn¡¯t want to believe it. Viscountess Cohen held out a crumpled piece of paper in her hand to Rodelia, who was pacing around, unable to sit still with anxiety. She took the paper with trembling hands and looked down at it. But she couldn¡¯t make out what was written on it, because the written letters filled the paper tightly and erased everything. Why did she give her such a piece of paper? Rodelia¡¯s questioning gaze went to the Viscountess, and she pointed with her eyes to what was written at the bottom of the paper. Rodelia¡¯s brow furrowed, her gaze turned to the paper again. Rodelia¡¯s limbs trembled in shock. She tightened her grip on the note, but the moist, wavering gaze went to the Viscountess. ¡°The note is from a maid in the imperial palace.¡± Viscountess Cohen¡¯s miserable voice spread through the air. Their notes were simply information sources that could find out everything about the Emperor. However, just because she was a maid in the imperial palace did not mean that she knew everything and could be trusted. Rodelia decided to check it out herself. She trusted Kane completely. She tried to sound as calm as she could, and she spoke in a rather strong voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Emperor¡¯s office.¡± *** The way to the Emperor¡¯s office was quite a challenge. The palace servants even sighed as they glanced at Rodelia and whispered. Was it really a fact that she was the only one who didn¡¯t know? Come to think of it, she realized that this has happened often recently. Maybe they were signaling her to notice. ¡®No, Kane wouldn¡¯t do that to me.¡¯ Rodelia ignored their stares and looked straight ahead. From now on, rumors like this should be widespread, but as an Empress, she must not be swayed by something as mere as this. Rodelia gritted her teeth to hold back her tears. Her precarious gait, as if she was about to collapse, felt quite heavy. When she arrived in front of the Emperor¡¯s office, she exhaled and nodded to the servant. It was a signal to let the Emperor know that she had arrived. Shortly, the huge mahogany door creaked open slowly. In the dimly lit room, the full depths of Kane¡¯s face came into Rodelia¡¯s swaying vision. Reflected in the faint lighting, his eyes were blank and his face was noticeably gaunt, as if he had lost weight without knowing it. There were unorganized papers lying here and there on his desk. ¡°Kane?¡± As soon as she saw his pale face, she forgot the purpose of her coming here. Rodelia, unaware of the stares around her, strode closer to Kane, who seemed to have become a different person over the past few days. ¡°What¡¯s going on?mAre you sick or something? Why is your face look so bad?¡± All the time she was close, Kane¡¯s eyes grew sharper, but she didn¡¯t care. It was at that moment that his health was of utmost importance to her right now¡­It was the moment she reached out and touched Kane¡¯s cheek. With a dull thud, her hand was pushed off coldly. ¡°Huh?¡± This couldn¡¯t have happened. Rodelia stared blankly at her drooping hand and looked up at Kane. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, so don¡¯t worry about it. By the way, what happened to you coming without any notice?¡± Kane¡¯s cautious voice was terribly dry and cold. His cold eyes frowned as if he had touched something foul. Then he took a handkerchief from his pocket and quickly wiped his hands and then threw it on the floor. It was the first birthday present Rodelia gave Kane after they were married. It was a handkerchief that she had painstakingly embroidered all night, though she was not very good at it. [Well, people can¡¯t be too perfect. So you¡¯re more attractive.] In the past, Kane mumbled as he accepted the handkerchief, words that had made Rodelia dizzy. He saw the messed up embroidery and teased her with his adorable eyes. Nevertheless, it was such a precious handkerchief, and now he was treating it like it meant nothing to him. Her head went blank. ¡°¡­Empress!¡± Looking blankly at the handkerchief lying on the floor and recognizing Kane¡¯s voice calling her, Rodelia finally broke through her reverie. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing? The next time you come to me, I want you to give me some sort of warning beforehand. I¡¯m not a free person.¡± The Emperor who had been so kind and warm to her was no more. It was only when she saw Kane¡¯s cold voice and dry expression that she realized it. Until now, she had dared to deny and not believe everything that informed her of his change of heart, but his heart had already left her¡­An embarrassing silence followed. Even the servants hesitated, sensed the chilly atmosphere and left. ¡®Word will spread widely¡­¡¯ Sighing at the sight of them, Rodelia turned her gaze to Kane. ¡±I just stopped by to check on something¡­.¡± With a trembling voice, she struggled to spit out words, and decided to retreat. ¡°But¡­since Your Majesty doesn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood today, I¡¯ll come back.¡± Rodelia hurriedly changed her words. The words came up to her choked throat, ¡°Did you have a mistress?¡±, but she couldn¡¯t get it out. Because she wanted him to tell her himself, but she didn¡¯t have the courage to ask or listen. In fact, how should she deal with it if he told her he had a woman and won¡¯t treat her like he used to? ¡°Right, see you later.¡± Kane met Rodelia¡¯s wavering gaze and spat the cold words with a cold expression. He acted as if he couldn¡¯t talk about anything because it was his private life. ¡®So you, don¡¯t bother me anymore¡¯¡­¡­¡­.. his voice seemed to echo in her ears. ¡°What do you mean next time? The noble Empress has come all the way here, so I think it would be better to check.¡± As Rodelia turned to walk out, unable to reply, a seductive female voice echoed silently through the air. She was able to discern immediately who the owner of the voice was. Does it have to be this cruel? She didn¡¯t want to face his lover like this. Her whole body went rigid.Rodelia, who grabbed her trembling hands and shifted her gaze towards the source of the voice, discovered the existence she had been struggling to deny and laughed in vain. ¡°Princess Eisen¡­.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 *** Three years ago, Rodelia was a little more shy, repressed, and insecure than she was now. She was the highly prized only daughter of the Marquis of Florence. The position of Duke of Thebes had been vacant for quite some time, and the Grand Duke of Eisen, who claimed to be above the Emperor, was not interested in power, so it was safe to say that the Marquis were the most powerful. There was the Marquis of Collide, but their position was decidedly different. Her father, the Marquis of Florence, was a power-hungry man . Although he didn¡¯t show it outwardly because of his external image of being benevolent, he had the ambition to make Rodelia the Empress. The Marquis did not allow her to have any contact with any men, and did not allow her to go out, because of his crazy theory that the position of Empress should be flawless, but thanks to him, Rodelia was raised to be a golden branch with all the love in the world. The actual situation was a little different. The Marquis was angry as fire every time Rodelia made a mistake, and she would be whipped. It was abuse that was allowed in the name of love. In the end, he had successfully rounded up the previous emperor and achieved the feat of a political marriage with the crown prince, and Rodelia, who had received all the education she needed to become an Empress from an early age, had no choice. ¡°Father¡­..don¡¯t want to get married like I¡¯m sold to a stranger.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®sold¡¯? Your partner is the crown prince, who will be the next emperor. You¡¯ve been doing well so far, right? You¡¯re not going to disappoint this father, are you?¡± What would it be, if not a sale? Rodelia knew very well that this marriage would mean exchanging herself for her father¡¯s power in the future. But she couldn¡¯t even reply to her father¡¯s stern voice. Whenever the Marquis spoke to her in a shout, she always shrank back, for no matter what she did, she always ended up obeying him. ¡°You are the one to be the Empress. I like it.¡± Fortunately, the Crown Prince had a likable impression. His demeanor was a bit overbearing, but to her, who had grown up under the Marquis, it was no big deal. At that time, the Crown Prince was like a savior to her. Crown Prince Kane also liked Rodelia. Of course, it was because of her dazzling good looks. Her fresh green eyes that made people dizzy when they looked at them and her blond hair that swayed as if it contained the morning sun made her pale skin look a little more mysterious, and the graceful attitude she wore also seemed appropriate to stand by her side. He had the impression that she looked a little cold, even somewhat shrinking in demeanor. Isn¡¯t she just the right person to tame as he likes? He hated fierce women, and she was the perfect companion. The Marquis of Florence¡¯s greed bothered him a little, but he was not a wimp. He was smart, young, and had the power to subdue nobles with ease. Since their first meeting, Kane had been kind to Rodelia. It was also Kane who had first approached Rodelia, who had been formally educated as an Empress and was facing prosecution. ¡°That¡¯s how it is with everyone at first. You have excellent basic etiquette and will learn quickly.¡± Rodelia was instantly smitten with Kane. It was only natural, since she wasn¡¯t able to receive proper love from the start. She believed that with Kane, the title of Empress would not be so bad. It was a political marriage, but they came to love each other. Thanks to Kane, she gradually emerged from the shadow of the Marquis of Florence, regained her vitality, and brightened. **** She finally knew stability in her life, but it all came apart again in an instant. Her limbs began to shake. Rodelia tried to calm down but it was hard to do so. ¡°Ah¡­d*mn it.¡± With a sigh that included a tantrum from Kane, the woman with wispy red hair hanging down to her waist, Sola Eisen, appeared from the bedroom. She only had a plain white cloth wrapped around her body as she gently approached Kane¡¯s side. There was no need for explanation, Rodelia could tell what kind of relationship she had with Kane. [Don¡¯t trust the Emperor too much.] Grand Duke Eisen¡¯s warning about his twin sister Sola Eisen floated through Rodelia¡¯s head. However, she didn¡¯t believe him when he told her that. What did she say to him then? [Thank you for your concern, but I trust His Majesty.] It was strange. She believed that there must be some misunderstanding. If she had believed the Grand Duke, would she hurt this much? An empty smile spread across Rodelia¡¯s lips. ¡°Kane, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She spoke it a little hoarsely, hiding her horror, but Kane said nothing and just looked at Rodelia with a complicated expression. She hoped not, but his silence was the same as an affirmative answer. She felt as if her heart, which had been so painstakingly suppressed, would plunge into the mire. ¡°His Majesty is so weak-hearted that he can¡¯t tell you himself. So I have no choice but to tell you myself.¡± (Sola) ¡°¡­.¡± Rodelia¡¯s gaze crossed with Sola¡¯s dark eyes as she let out a long breath. Staring her up and down, Sola slowly opened her mouth again. ¡°His Majesty is tired of the Empress. You¡¯re not interesting because you are so obedient and submissive.¡± (Sola) With a sneer, Sola gently sat on Kane¡¯s lap, who said nothing. She wrapped her thin arms around Kane¡¯s neck in a showy gesture and looked up at Rodelia. The previous emperor¡¯s concubines knew better. They wouldn¡¯t go this far in front of the Empress for fear of being hated, but it was because they were from the commonwealth. Sola was confident and arrogant as if she was flying in the sky, perhaps because she was a Princess in the first place. Raising herself from Kane¡¯s lap, Sola approached the hanger with a sexy gait and dropped the wrapped cloth on the floor. Then she lifted Kane¡¯s uniform jacket and put it on, and looked at Rodelia again. Sola¡¯s curvy figure was in full view. ¡°I suppose that means that as an Empress, she¡¯s a honourable person, but as a woman, she¡¯s not so good.¡± (Sola) Sola¡¯s long eyes narrowed as she laid down the facts and spoke plainly. Kane made no reply to her words. He was a figure that disappeared like dust until the last remaining trust. Unspeakable questions lingered in Rodelia¡¯s head. Her vision began to blur. After wobbling for a while, Rodelia patted the desk with her frail hand. ¡®Did Grand Duke Eisen really know that his sister had become the Emperor¡¯s mistress and warned me?¡¯ ¡®If so, why on earth?¡¯ Sola and her brother, Cerdian, had just made their appearance in the social world. It was common for the children of the closed-off Grand Duchy of Eisen to go outside the castle when they reached adulthood, and they did the same. ¡®She (Sola) approached Kane as soon as she left the Grand Duchy, didn¡¯t she?¡¯ Rodelia¡¯s beautiful brows twisted darkly in suspicion. Kane¡¯s impression of her also wrinkled slightly at the sight, but soon returned to a dry expression as he sighed once and said in a cold voice, ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain anymore. You seem to have an understanding, so I would like you to leave now.¡± Rodelia couldn¡¯t understand Kane, who had changed in an instant. It was true that a few days ago he had confessed to her that he loved her. As doubtful as it may seem, it must have happened after Princess Eisen stepped into the royal family. Or there might have been some unspoken circumstances. She wanted to believe that. She was biting her lip with an indifferent expression and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you love the Princess?¡± She hoped that Kane would tell her he did not. And that it was just a misunderstanding. She was willing to believe him if he told her that. Rodelia¡¯s wistful gaze turned to Kane. However, there was no unexpected change. After a long, complicated stare, a dry voice came from Kane¡¯s mouth, one she had never heard before. ¡°Yes. I love her.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was beyond belief. Rodelia didn¡¯t want to believe it. However, Kane didn¡¯t care about Rodelia, who froze in shock. He just looked down at his documents again. Rodelia¡¯s body began to tremble. As she grasped for a ray of hope, the heart that she had been trying so hard to hold in place collapsed helplessly. Had he really fallen in love at first sight? What could have stolen his heart in such a short time? Why on earth? She was convinced until the very end that he wasn¡¯t, but the moment she heard him say he loved the Princess, she couldn¡¯t stop her eyes from turning red. The hurt piled up in the pitiful look in Rodelia¡¯s eyes. Because she loved him and she believed his love was eternal, and her heart ached as much as she believed him. ¡°You told me that you loved me. Was that all a lie?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lie. It¡¯s just that my heart is small.¡± The look in Kane¡¯s eyes that turned indifferent pierced her heart. As the first time she received his cold stare, the loss was too great for words. She had no choice but to admit that his heart went missing. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have humiliated her, the Empress, in front of others, let alone the mistress. Hot tears streamed down her pale cheeks. ¡°Hic¡­¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Rodelia, who came to her senses at the sound of Sola¡¯s laughter, quickly wiped away her tears. ¡°Is it that easy to cry? The position of Empress is nothing.¡± It was an attitude that she was above her. Sola said with a sharp gaze. It was the first time in her life that she was insulted in such a low-grade manner. Clenching her fists tightly, Rodelia hardened her eyes coldly and stood upright. She¡¯d already lost face, but as Empress, she didn¡¯t want to seem ridiculous any longer. ¡®I have to alm down. I am the Empress of the Thebes Empire.¡¯ She had learned how to act in a situation like this. And even though, she had practiced countless times, the reality was not as easy as the practice. Het limbs trembled, her heart pounded, and she felt driven to the edge of a cliff. But it was something she had to endure. Rodelia opened her mouth, trying to keep a calm figure. ¡°Yes, the Princess is right. The position of Empress would not have been much without the favor of His Majesty.¡± It was a bitter truth. Kane, he could only stare at Sola, whether she said anything insulting to Rodelia or not. Fortunately, her cold voice leaked out as intended, and she breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. But she felt as if she had become an uninvited guest among them. She no longer had the courage to be here. She lifted her gaze and looked at Kane. She was about to say, ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± when his increasingly gaunt face entered her field of vision. She hated him, how could his feelings disappear in an instant? But like an idiot, she began to worry that he might be sick. As her eyes scanned his body, Rodelia spotted his darkly burned arms under his sleeves. She looked at Kane with startled eyes. ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong with your arm¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Startled by Rodelia¡¯s gaze, Kane pulled down his sleeve and covered his arm in a panic. He looked perplexed and opened his mouth coldly like a blade. ¡°Empress, isn¡¯t it time for you to understand? I hope you don¡¯t bother me anymore and leave me now.¡± Chapter 3 *** Rodelia stepped out of the office as if to escape. When she opened the door, her eyes met with the startled expression of the chamberlain. She finally managed to change her expression and gave him an appropriate smile. And to avoid collapsing, she walked with more care than usual. This was because she was worried that rumors would spread that there was a dispute with the emperor because of the mistress. If that happened, the only one who would be in trouble would be herself, the Empress. Rodelia grabbed her chest and headed for the Empress¡¯s palace. In her mind, she could clearly remember Kane holding Sola¡¯s waist and kissing her. While kissing, he turned his gaze to her. Her heart fell apart as she looked into his light blue eyes that never wavered. As she thought of the image once more, a familiar sadness enveloped her body. Her regular breathing became more and more intense, and she burst into tears. Rodelia hurried to a secluded part of the garden, lest the palace servants should discover such a wretched sight, and wept behind a pile of bushes. The whole gorgeous view of the garden, which had looked so beautiful not long ago, was now superimposed on the image of Sola mocking her. In contrast, she wondered if it was just an illusion that made her own shabby appearance stand out even more. It was funny how the exact same scenery could change a person¡¯s perspective on it in an instant. Rodelia let out a self-mocking laugh at her emotional state. ¡®It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s no big deal.¡¯ She struggled to encourage herself to do so. She had heard of this happening often. She was the Empress anyway, and no Emperor in history had ever been without a concubine. Yes, it was likely just a short play. But¡­ Knowing this, why does her heart ache so much? Despair, which had come so close, was not an emotion that left easily. Tears spilled over Rodelia¡¯s eyes and she ended up blaming herself. Did Kane really get tired of her submissive side? From the moment she first met Kane, she had made a constant effort to avoid going against his moods. She tried to match every single one of his tastes. She always woke up at the earliest possible hour to style her hair, adjust her appearance, and wrap her body in his favorite scent in order to look perfect. It was the only way she believe that he would love her, even if it was painful for her. Wasn¡¯t that what the Marquis of Florence taught her? [Look graceful and noble, but don¡¯t look weak. Emotions should also not be easily revealed. Especially if they are feelings of weakness. You must always be a perfect and beautiful woman. You must pretend not to know even if you know, and pretend not to hear even if you heard it. That is the perfect virtue of an Empress, and the only way my daughter will not be abandoned.] Rodelia closed her eyes as she contemplated the words of her father. Indeed, their marriage was going well. Kane also said he liked it because she listened well. But why? Why on earth¡­. All the questionable emotions that had been lying in the back of her mind came flooding out at once in a voice laced with anger. She cried for a while, unable to hide the burning feeling in her chest. She wasn¡¯t dressed properly, and the cold wind was wrapping her skin, but it was so painful that she didn¡¯t even feel the cold. It wasn¡¯t until evening, when the light was getting darker, that she finally calmed down. Rodelia slowly raised her buried head and looked around. The hurried footsteps of the servants had disappeared and there seemed to be complete silence. How much time had passed? The maids must have been struggling to find their missing Empress. ¡°They must be worried¡­¡± Now she had to hide her emotions and return to her position as Empress again. Rodelia, who was looking around with a low gaze, struggled to get up. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­.¡± She wondered if she had lost her strength from crying so much, or if her body had stiffened from the cold. She felt dizzy. Rodelia faltered and fell forward. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting to feel a fairly deep pain. However, she did not feel the pain she was expecting, but only felt a warm touch. ¡°What are you doing here all alone?¡± A voice, so low and gentle, crept into her ears. A large hand wrapped around her thin waist. Her startled gaze went to the man in question. His endless red eyes intersected with Rodelia¡¯s gaze. She took a deep breath at the identity of her unexpected opponent, and her eyes opened even wider. ¡°Grand Duke Eisen¡­?¡± How could he be here? No, it was more that because of their embarrassing position. Finally coming to her senses, Rodelia parted her lips. ¡°Let go of me.¡± She was shaking so hard it was funny to hear herself say it. ¡°Your body is very cold.¡± But Cerdian did not let her go, as if he did not hear her words. He only murmured in concern. It was only when Cerdian saw Rodelia¡¯s furrowed brow that he let go of her body. Her gaze crossed his. ¡®I think this happened somewhere before¡­.¡¯ Somewhat deja vu made her raise an eyebrow. But the thought was soon buried in Cerdian¡¯s calm voice. ¡°I apologize if I¡¯m being rude.¡± Apologize¡­..it was a word that didn¡¯t suit him. If someone saw this scene, they would make a fuss, ¡°The great Eisen said sorry?¡± She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it became more of an exaggeration and spread. For some reason, she could imagine, and Rodelia inadvertently burst into a low laugh. Cerdian seemed a little embarrassed as he took it that she was laughing at him. But that was short-lived. ¡°Will you forgive me?¡± He returned to his original indifferent face and spoke with his seductive voice. Facing him, Cerdian seemed sharper and more arrogant than she remembered. He was neatly dressed in his dark blue uniform, buttoned up to the neck, but the scattered silver hair that accompanied it gave him a vaguely sexy atmosphere. It was then that information about him finally came to her mind one by one. He had always been a man for whom a low posture did not suit. ¡®Be careful of the Grand Duke.¡¯ It was a saying that the people couldn¡¯t know and shouldn¡¯t know. They have rumors trailing behind them. Some of them were things they just couldn¡¯t talk about. But what did such things have to do with her? She didn¡¯t care if they were true or not. The only fact that mattered now was that Cerdian was Sola¡¯s flesh and blood. Remembering that made her wary of Cerdian. Who knows what he was hiding behind that gentle voice? It was strange that he had appeared in such a secluded place, as if he had been waiting for her all along. ¡°Is there anything I can do but to forgive the Grand Duke?¡± However, she couldn¡¯t be blatantly hostile. Rodelia looked up at him with a calm smile on her lips. It was an action to capture his intentions exactly. However, she couldn¡¯t tell if he was determined to hide it or if it was genuine, but there was no slight shaking on his perfect face. ¡°Is that so?¡± Even his short answer was filled with pure affection. As an Empress, she had met many people, but Cerdian was a particularly difficult person to read. It was the same when she first met him. He and Sola had come to the imperial palace for a formal greeting after their coming of age ceremony. [I¡¯m Cerdian Eisen] While greeting, Cerdian¡¯s eyes kept looking at her. She couldn¡¯t tell what emotions contained in the gaze. That troubled her even more, so she avoided him. She felt like she shouldn¡¯t get involved. His gaze kept following her. How hard she had tried not to get caught being embarrassed. Perhaps that was why, when she faced Serdian, she was reminded of that moment and her body stiffened. However, as an Empress, she must not appear weak. Rodelia fiddled with her sleeves, pretending to be fine, catching her disheveled breath, and making up a voice as cold as possible. ¡°¡­¡­Let¡¯s pretend today didn¡¯t happen. Instead, you didn¡¯t see me either.¡± She didn¡¯t think he would spread gossip. But she wanted to make sure. If the noble faction heard that the Empress was crying alone, it would cause a great deal of hurt. ¡°Of course.¡± He did not show any agitation in his cold voice. He gave only a formal answer and stared at Rodelia¡¯s cold, stiff face. His brow furrowed as he looked into her eyes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Cerdian¡¯s expression quickly disappeared and he walked away without a second thought. ¡°I thought you were going to say something.¡± (Cerdian) It was before the tension had dissipated that Rodelia put her hand on her forehead and exhaled. ¡°If you decided to forget about today, so forget about this too.¡± (Cerdian) A muffled voice crossed the heavy air. Before she knew it, Cerdian came back. He leaned over and wiped the remaining tears from Rodelia¡¯s cheeks. Her body froze by Cerdian¡¯s unannounced action. ¡°What are you doing now¡­¡­¡± ¡°When I see a beautiful woman in sorrow, I can¡¯t just ignore.¡± He smiled tantalizingly at the embarrassed Rodelia. The distance was so close that his breath tickled her skin. ¡°Especially when you¡¯re called the Flower of Thebes.¡± It was quite a playful word, but it wasn¡¯t unpleasant. Was it because of his cold eyes? Goosebumps broke out on her back¡­was it because of the cold wind? Rodelia closed and opened her eyes to loosely maintain a sense of normalcy. The first thing she saw was Cerdian¡¯s raised lips. ¡°It¡¯s just a small favor I¡¯ve selfishly committed, so please don¡¯t place any great significance on it.¡± It was certainly close enough that he could have kissed her on the lips. However, he, who quickly raised his upper body, said dryly as if nothing had happened. ¡°A small favor?¡± His demeanor was so calm that there was no discomfort, as if they were having an everyday conversation. Even the moment he took off the jacket he was wearing and put it on Rodelia¡¯s shoulders, she kept blinking. However, Cerdian¡¯s last words finally brought her back to her senses. ¡°Do you still believe in the Emperor?¡± Chapter 4 *** In the cold wind, the heat rose on her cold cheeks. Rodelia was embarrassed. She wanted to hide somewhere. Her spirit, which she had struggled to keep in check, once again processed like a thread. ¡®As expected, he knew everything. He knew everything but he asked.¡¯ Her lips were dry and her throat thirsty. Rodelia clenched her fists in shame. ¡±I didn¡¯t know that Grand Duke Eisen knew so much about the Empress¡¯s personal business¡­..¡± Had the rumor started among the servants? Did Sola have already spoken ill of her in front of Cerdian? ¡®You must have laughed at me¡­¡¯ The best course of action in the current situation was to just back away. Biting her lower lip, Rodelia lowered her head. If it had been someone else, she might not have been this embarrassed, but he was Sola¡¯s brother. It was partly because she had flamboyantly ignored the warnings he¡¯d given her in the past. If she had listened to his words properly, she probably would not have been this sad. Rodelia had to suppress the overwhelming emotions that were welling up in her. It took a lot of effort for her to make eye contact with him again. She thought he would say ¡°You should have listened to me,¡± or ¡°That¡¯s nice!¡± or something that would hurt her feelings. But what came out of Cerdian¡¯s mouth was unexpected. ¡°It¡¯s not the Empress¡¯s fault, so why are you lowering your head?¡± She gradually lifted her anxiously wavering gaze at his calm voice. A disturbed mind was bound to weaken. Her heart stiffened again at Cerdian¡¯s words. ¡°It is not your fault that the emperor¡¯s mind has changed.¡± ¡®It¡¯s my fault.¡¯ She had always believed that everything was her fault. Obviously, Kane changed because of her submission. Didn¡¯t Kane deny it, and Sola also said so. But Cerdian had told her it was not her fault, as if to comfort her. Why on earth would he do that? Did he come back again to comfort her? But Cerdian was the flesh and blood of Sola, who took Kane. Why would he give her such a favor? Was it because of guilt? Rodelia¡¯s brows visibly narrowed. She had never received a favor without a price in her life. And even to her father, the Marquis of Florence. Thinking that Cerdian was obviously hiding his true intentions, she asked suspiciously. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As if to look into her anxious mind and soothe it, his voice was determined without shaking. But her deep sense of caution was still there. Rodelia, who couldn¡¯t let go of the doubt, looked at Cerdian as if she wanted an exact answer. Eventually, with a meaningful smile, he answered. ¡°It¡¯s all the emperor¡¯s fault. Because he¡¯s that kind of man.¡± Rodelia¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. It¡¯s the emperor¡¯s fault. It¡¯s Kane¡¯s fault. Then, with a hot breath, the pining she had been holding back boiled over. Cerdian¡¯s warm comfort was a trick to separate her and Kane; he meant to break down her wall of doubt. With this, the doubt that had been lit from the feet up quickly rose to the chin and became the name of conviction. Cerdian Eisen was an obvious enemy. He made it sound like it was no big deal, like he was just trying to comfort her, but it must all be a carefully calculated answer. A sharp voice came from between Rodelia¡¯s lips as she considered what his true intentions might be. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± But didn¡¯t he say it¡¯s just a small favor, so there¡¯s no need for her to be so cautious? [There isn¡¯t a person in the world who would show such unrelenting favoritism to someone who has no ability or use for it as you do, young lady.] It couldn¡¯t be. Rodelia gave a small shake of her head. Like her father, the Marquis of Florence, had said, she was just a useless person who could never be loved by anyone, a being who should never have been born. She never thought she¡¯d see the day when words that hurt her so much when she was a child would come in handy. Her head grew cold. Cerdian was just Sola¡¯s flesh and blood, nothing more, nothing less. It was obvious that all of these actions were part of a plan to separate her from Kane. She felt pathetic because she was shaken by this for a while. She couldn¡¯t let herself be swayed by him, who might possibly look out for his sister. She had to make up her mind. ¡°¡­¡­ Grand Duke, this is the last time I will tolerate your rudeness. Please step back.¡± Rodelia let out a firm and dry voice. Cerdian¡¯s expression wavered for a moment as he was waiting silently. ¡°Cerdian.¡± (Cerdian) But the shaking was short-lived, and what came back was his abrupt reply. Rodelia was puzzled at his words, as she had no idea what the hell he was talking about. As if he didn¡¯t care about her reaction, he raised his red lips smoothly again and said in a low voice, ¡°My name is Cerdian.¡± He scrutinized it again, low and grave. It was as if he was asking her to say his name. He seemed to have no intention of leaving until he heard the answer he wanted. Rodelia straightened her back and faced him. ¡°Yes, Grand Duke Cerdian.¡± Was she in a hurry or was her voice hoarse? Cerdian gently pulled his closed lips up in satisfaction. His smile was coldly beautiful, but arrogant. Perhaps that was why the feeling of rejection came over her like an instinct. Rodelia took a deep breath in to calm down. ¡°Grand Duke, this is between me and His Majesty¡­..so it¡¯s between husband and wife. It¡¯s not something the Grand Duke has to care about, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Rodelia could have simply responded calmly, but she deliberately pushed him away coldly. She was fiddling with her sleeves to hide her nervousness. The sound of her dress rustling in the wind echoed through the air. He dropped his gaze on the sleeve for a moment, as if noticing her uneasiness, then made eye contact again and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°But if you need help, just let me know. I¡¯ll always be your two hands, or all, if you ask.¡± Cerdian¡¯s sharp eyes narrowed much more. ¡°Anytime.¡± He spoke slowly with a friendly smile on his lips. She felt somewhat numb and almost lost strength in her legs. But she didn¡¯t want to be caught swaying, so she averted my gaze and answered. ¡°I appreciate your concern, but I won¡¯t get any help from you.¡± ¡°I understand. You might think I¡¯m untrustworthy. Is it because I¡¯m Sola¡¯s brother?¡± He replied nonchalantly, as if he had expected such a response from Rodelia. ¡°You know well¡­¡­. Do you think I would believe you, Sola¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°I hope you do believe me. Only if you do, the Empress won¡¯t be hurt anymore.¡± Hurt? She already had enough pain. She wondered if this was a warning of greater things to come, but after daring to ignore it, she spoke in a decisive tone. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s and the Princess¡¯s relationship is merely a passing breeze for a while. His Majesty will surely come back to me again, so don¡¯t worry. Your concern is gratefully accepted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what ulterior motive the Grand Duke has for doing this to me, but ¡­¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be so harsh to someone who was treating me favorably, but she couldn¡¯t trust him. Rodelia just kept her tone cold and continued to speak plainly. ¡°Do you think the position of Empress is so free that I am swayed by such feelings?¡± Outwardly, she looked perfect, but her trembling was not hidden even in the darkness. She never thought that a situation that didn¡¯t go her way could stimulate her mind so much¡­ Cerdian¡¯s expression crumpled and he loosened the blue cravat that was tied on his neck. It certainly didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. Because ever since he first met her, she had been ridiculously avoiding his gaze. He had heard that she was quite a wallflower, unlike her cold appearance. She was the perfect woman for the position of Empress. He had high hopes for her, but he was disappointed. He knew that rumors were not worth believing. In fact, it was only her appearance that had been devalued. He wondered what was so difficult about winning over one woman who was on the edge of a cliff. He was confident that she would come to him quickly, but he soon realized that his thinking was arrogant. The woman named Rodelia Florence hardened her face and took a step back even though he thought she might fall for it. It was as if she knew he was someone who instinctively must be avoided, no matter how much he pretended to be kind and acted in a way that didn¡¯t match his true nature to sway her heart. Thinking that she was a woman of mischievous intuition, he hardened his expression and remembered the day of his coming-of-age ceremony . [Companion? Who do I need something like that?] Cerdian had never thought of getting married or dating. For him, love was an incomprehensible feeling. He had never learned such a feeling. His parents had married and given birth to him in order to continue the line of the Eisen family. He didn¡¯t think it was a big deal to say that the survival of the family depended on him. He didn¡¯t have a grain of affection for the Eisen, so it was none of his business what happened to the family. He had no desire to live until he felt a deathly agony wracking his body. He wanted to die and be rid of this crazy pain¡­¡­. It was a curse. A curse that came down on the Eisen family. In order to maintain the power of the Grand Duchy, he couldn¡¯t just take his own life. ¡®Why me of all people?¡¯ Cerdian stopped walking and closed his eyes in the pain that was rushing in again. ¡°Rodelia Florence.¡± He lifted his eyelids slowly and spoke her name in a low voice, the name of the only daughter the Marquis of Florence cared so much about. He must hold the Empress of the Thebes Empire, the Jewel of the Empire, in his hands if he was to quell this unending pain. Cerdian chuckled to himself. ¡®Rumors of human hunting are not a misnomer, either.¡¯ It was as if he was now laying the foundation stone for the hunt for Rodelia. ¡®She is an interesting woman.¡¯ She was more difficult to deal with than he¡¯d expected, but there was something about her that stimulated him subtly. But that was all. Rodelia was just a necessary means to an end, nothing more, nothing less. It could only be used and discarded once it had served its value. Cerdian thought of her pure, shining, young, green eyes, and before he knew it, he was on his feet again, calm and collected. Chapter 5 *** Ten days ago. To Rodelia Florence, the man, Cerdian Eisen, was like a candle that had gone out. They hadn¡¯t seen each other again or had any special contact since he had risen to the rank of Grand Duke and come to greet her at the Imperial Palace. So it was that she hadn¡¯t even given a grain of thought to Cerdian. Now it was time for even the memory of his existence to fade. ¡°¡­¡­ Empress.¡± That was certainly the case before Viscountess Cohen, Rodelia¡¯s matron of honor, came into the office with a serious look on her face. ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± Viscountess Cohen looked around a few times and pulled out a stiff piece of parchment with the Grand Duchy seal stamped on it from her pocket. ¡°Grand Duke Eisen sent it. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯ve also been told that he wanted it to be conveyed secretly.¡± ¡°Grand Duke¡­?¡± Rodelia asked with a curious expression. What made him want to send a personal letter to her? ¡°I hope it¡¯s nothing serious¡­¡­¡± Rodelia took the letter with a questioning look on her face, and Viscountess Cohen spoke in a low voice. Her head was filled with wonder as her eyes reached the edge of the letter as she unfolded the parchment and read down the neat writing. Wrinkling her brow deeply, Rodelia read the letter over and over again. What on earth was Cerdian¡¯s intention in sending such a letter? It was difficult to understand. ¡®What news do you have that you must keep it a secret, even from the emperor?¡¯ There were some suspicions, but Cerdian was the current lord of the Grand Duchy of Eisen, who could control the imperial family. That was why, no matter how much of an Empress she was, she couldn¡¯t recklessly refuse to meet him. In other words, thanks to Grand Duke Aisen, the imperial family was as strong as it had ever been. Kane couldn¡¯t speak hastily either. ¡®If it¡¯s something bad, I¡¯ll have to do my best to resolve it¡­¡¯ After much consideration, Rodelia told Viscountess Cohen to give the Grand Duke an affirmation. And Cerdian really came to see her when the moon was high on the Empress¡¯s palace. ¡°Have you been waiting for me?¡± **** Rodelia was sitting at the tea table on the balcony drinking a cup of hot tea. It was late autumn, so the night was quite chilly, and sometimes there was a strong wind blowing. The cashmere shawl over her shoulders was blown away because of the gust of wind. ¡°Huh?¡± The shawl fell into a pile of fallen leaves without her having time to catch it. Looking at the shawl helplessly, she sighed and went to her room to get her coat. She was too afraid of the dark to go down and get it. Just then, a familiar voice tickled her ears from behind. ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡± Rodelia turned around in surprise to see Cerdian leaning against the balcony railing with her shawl in his hand. Her complexion flushed with surprise. She was on the third floor. There were no ladders or secret passages. ¡°How did you¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡± Rodelia¡¯s eyes opened wide in surprise, but Cerdian smiled slightly and inquired about her well-being. The low voice tickled her ears again. ¡®How on earth did he get up here?¡¯ Rodelia retreated with a wary look on her face. Imperial security shouldn¡¯t be this useless¡­.. However, she didn¡¯t dare to say those words out loud. It would be like admitting the weakness of the security by saying such a thing to someone who had already entered. ¡°Did I startle you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t usually visit like this, so there¡¯s no need to be so surprised. Did I embarrass the Empress now, since I¡¯ve only been coming in by a different route?¡± Her expression seemed to show all her thoughts. Panicked, Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened. After a while, Cerdian approached her with an innocent smile on his face, as if to reassure her. However, her vigilance only grew stronger and she bit her lips. ¡°I must strengthen the Imperial Guard.¡± ¡°The Imperial Guard is innocent of any wrongdoing. I was merely using a different way.¡± Suddenly, he draped the shawl back over Rodelia¡¯s shoulders, which had stiffened in surprise. Startled by Cerdian¡¯s sudden action, she drew in a short breath. ¡°Your expression reveals all your thoughts.¡± Tapping her cheek with his long fingers, Cerdian chuckled lowly. Come to think of it, it was quite difficult to manage her facial expressions in front of Cerdian. However, she could do it well in front of Kane. For the first time in her life, her heart pulsed wildly. Rodelia raised her gaze with her clenched lower lip and looked straight at Cerdian. As she had felt when she first met him, his face was like a well-made sculpture. His hair was disheveled, unlike the well-groomed figure she had seen at that time, but that made him look more attractive. His facial structures under the moonlight were sharp and delicate at the same time. ¡®I heard he enjoys hunting humans¡­¡¯ This was a man following a rumor that he enjoyed luring people to slaughter land with his appearance that could possess anyone. Rodelia had a slight feeling that the rumor might be true. Rodelia, who had been admiring his face for a while, quickly changed her expression in the cold wind that seemed to urge her to come to her senses. ¡°¡­¡­what is your intention of visiting at this late hour, Grand Duke?¡± Retreating again, Rodelia pretended to be unshaken and asked nonchalantly. She was curious about how he came in, but first she had to know his purpose of wanting to meet her in secret. ¡°The Empress should know this.¡± He was very hesitant, despite his calm voice. Cerdian¡¯s closed lips were moving slightly. The unexpected appearance eased Rodelia¡¯s guard a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so hesitant, but I¡¯m fine, you can tell me.¡± She interjected with a ritualistic smile. Until that moment, she had never imagined that her story would come out from between his lips. ¡°It¡¯s about the Emperor.¡± ¡°Kane? No. ¡­¡­ Has something happened to His Majesty?¡± It was an uncharacteristic mistake. She was so startled that she called Kane¡¯s name without even knowing it. Although she immediately realized her mistake and corrected it with the word ¡®His Majesty¡¯, Cerdian¡¯s expression was hardened. No matter how much of an empress she was, it would not have been good to see that the emperor¡¯s name was spoken. However, it was only for a moment, and the nervousness was even greater. ¡°What is it that I have to know about His Majesty?¡± Her voice came out quite sharp with frustration. Could it be that he had a health problem? Or did some other word come up among the aristocracy? All sorts of thoughts were swirling in her mind, but Rodelia soon realized that she had been worrying about useless things. Because the news Cerdian gave her was quite shocking. ¡°My sister and the Emperor are seeing each other.¡± His voice was drier than ever, overshadowing his hesitation and nervousness. A strange sense of incompatibility wrapped around Rodelia¡¯s body. ¡°That¡¯s¡­..What does that mean¡­.?¡± ¡®I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re meeting.¡¯ Rodelia asked back foolishly at Cerdian¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t care for his attitude, as if she was neglecting Kane. She just focused all her attention on the word ¡®meet¡¯. ¡®Yes, I must have misheard him.¡¯ ¡®Why is Sola meeting Kane? ¡­¡­¡­. There¡¯s no reason for that.¡¯ Not only did Sola have no interest in politics, she had no connection to Kane. Blinking her eyes and reflecting on what Cerdian had said, Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°No way¡­¡± Rodelia¡¯s green eyes were shaking wildly, like waves of anger. But it was too early to jump to conclusions. There was no reason for Kane, who only a few days ago had whispered that he loved her, to meet another woman. Cerdian¡¯s words must have meant something else, or it was something he might have misunderstood. ¡°I¡¯m really worried too.¡± Rodelia shook her head. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But the silence and affirmation in Cerdian¡¯s quiet eyes made her crumble. Her limbs went cold and stiff, and her eyes grew distant. ¡°Really, really?¡± A watery voice leaked out. It was hard to accept the fact. Her legs, which had lost their strength, could no longer support her weight and she staggered. She tried to reach out and grab the railing, but it was too late. A moment before she was about to fall down, Cerdian¡¯s large hands firmly supported her and helped her up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rodelia quickly pulled his hands away. She smiled and said she was okay, and sat down in the chair with her trembling legs. Had she been absent minded for a long time? In all likelihood, she didn¡¯t feel like Kane would do anything to betray her. She heard that he had been so busy with his political duties that he didn¡¯t even get proper rest¡­ ¡°The Grand Duke must have gotten something wrong.¡± The end of her thought was denial. She might not have been confident enough to accept the truth. But what came back was his sighing consolation. ¡°I hope so too.¡± Rodelia raised het and stared at him. Beneath Cerdian¡¯s messy silver hair, his red eyes, reflecting the moonlight, were filled with an unsettling emotion that she did not understand. ¡°But don¡¯t trust the emperor too much. This is all I have to say.¡± Chapter 6 **** Don¡¯t trust Kane¡­¡­? It was only a moment to read what the emotions in Ceridian were. Rodelia¡¯s eyes narrowed at the words that followed. Kane was the same as her savior. Thanks to him, she was able to break free from her father, the Marquis of Florence, and because of that, she knew a stability she had never felt in her entire life. Kane was her lover, perhaps more than that. [I do not want the Empress to be swayed by useless rumors. You are always to believe only what I tell you.] She was suddenly reminded of the words Kane used to say. Then her crumbling heart heated up, and all her senses came alive. She felt the cool wind passing by her skin, and she came to her senses. ¡°¡­¡­ I think it¡¯s more appropriate to trust His Majesty, who has been by my side for a long time, than you, who I¡¯ve only met twice.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to believe me, but in the end it will be you who will be hurt.¡± ¡°Grand Duke, I appreciate your concern, but I will believe His Majesty no matter what you say, so please refrain from rude words.¡± Cerdian¡¯s mouth twisted as he spoke in a cold voice. ¡°I do not know to what extent your trust in the Emperor¡­¡­.. I wish Your Majesty would take my words a little more seriously. Because right now I am the only one who cares about you.¡± ¡®The only one who cares about me¡­¡­¡­.? What does that mean?¡¯ Rodelia¡¯s brow creased. It was hard to understand a word he said. She closed her eyes softly, trying to shake off the many thoughts that came to her mind. As she listened to the sound of the leaves on the trees being swept by the wind, she gathered her thoughts. And when she opened her eyes again, it was the empty space that greeted her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Rodelia leaned against the railing and looked around for Cerdian. But there was no trace of him anywhere. The only thing that resembled evidence that he was here was the heat against her cheek and the cold body scent that filled the air. ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t lean like that, you might fall! It¡¯s chilly, please come inside quickly.¡± Having barely come to her senses at the cry of the maid who was worried about her, Rodelia glanced around and entered the room. In the days that followed, her doubts about Cerdian¡¯s whereabouts slowly faded away, but his words always haunted her. Although she trusted Kane, it was true that she was curious. But after a while, thanks to Kane sending her a ring along with a letter, her worries disappeared like a melting snow. [Rodelia, I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯ve been so busy lately that I haven¡¯t been paying attention to you. It¡¯s been selfish of me, however, I hear that blue diamonds are popular among noble ladies these days. Don¡¯t be offended by the maids, you can show off as much as you like.] The neatness of Kane¡¯s handwriting put her mind at ease. After all, Kane didn¡¯t betray her. Cerdian must have made a mistake. Kane and Sola might have just met for business, but Cerdian was worried for nothing. Thinking about it, it bothered her about being cold to him. ¡®Then I guess he said those words out of concern for me, but I treated him so badly¡­If I see him again, I¡¯ll have to apologize and also tell him that he misunderstood something.¡¯ But she was foolish. **** Rodelia was walking in the garden in a daze. Her steps were impeccably graceful and her posture was upright. It was hard to believe that she was someone who had recently suffered a major heartbreak, and she didn¡¯t look much different from her normal demeanor. She thought it would be irresponsible for her to neglect her Empress¡¯ duties due to personal matters. Her daily routine was the same. In time, strolling through the garden was a regular routine after Rodelia had finished her work. If there was one thing that had changed, it was that these days she didn¡¯t talk to the maids and walked around without thinking. In order to shake off her thoughts about Kane, she had to force herself to work more than usual, and it was partly due to the fact that she was physically exhausted. Everyone talked about Rodelia. And the position of the maids was painful. They were in a position to know better than anyone else that Rodelia¡¯s heart was dead. The maids sighed as they looked at her empty eyes in a complicated way today. ¡°¡­¡­ Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Empress!¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Oh, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Baroness Verna called out to Rodelia, who was walking along, looking only at the clear sky. The Baroness smiled brightly as she spoke. ¡°How about having a tea party for the first time in a while, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°A tea party?¡± ¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s been a long time since we had a tea party.¡¯ The tea parties hosted by the Empress were mostly for the purpose of socializing with the noble ladies and bringing peace to the Imperial family, but Rodelia hadn¡¯t bothered with that part recently. She thought she was doing well on her own, so she didn¡¯t care about that part. ¡­¡­Since she couldn¡¯t postpone it forever, it¡¯d be better to have it since they were talking about it. Rodelia paused for a moment, then smiled affirmatively. ¡°Yes¡­¡­.it¡¯s been awhile.¡± ¡°At times like this, you have to solidify your position, Your Majesty.¡± When Baroness Verna indirectly brought up the subject of Kane, the other maids stopped her with a scowl. Rodelia also seemed perplexed, perhaps unexpected that the words that were brought up. However, she couldn¡¯t have a weak reaction to Kane¡¯s story forever. She quickly pulled herself together and waved her hand, saying that she was fine. ¡°From what I heard, Princess Eisen seemed to be reaching out to the high-ranking noblewomen.¡± Baroness Verna squirmed and spoke carefully again. Others seemed to be frustrated, wanting to let her know quickly. ¡°Why on earth would she do such a thing? A mistress can only be loved by the Emperor¡­..¡± ¡°Lady Sarah! Watch what you¡¯re saying!¡± ¡°Ha! I¡¯m sorry, Empress.. ¡­.¡± Sara kept her mouth shut as she was scolded by Baroness Verna. She could be cute at her young age, but she looked hateful because of her grumpy appearance. She was the youngest daughter of the wealthy Count Polton, but she was clumsy enough that the Count and Countess took good care of her. So there was no point in saying anything¡­. The environment in which she had lived was so different from that of Rodelia. Knowing this well, she had no choice but to smile bitterly with a pale expression. ¡°Your Majesty, however, it¡¯s strange. Why would a Princess want to reach out to the social world?¡± ¡°Yes. That point is a bit odd. If she has an ulterior motive¡­¡± When Rodelia didn¡¯t say anything, Sarah couldn¡¯t hold back and opened her mouth, whether she thought it was okay or not. Baroness Verna also gave her affirmation. Even Viscountess Cohen nodded, and they all seemed to sense that Sola had some other purpose. So it was only natural that Rodelia¡¯s doubts grew. The thought that Sola might want the title Empress began to rise in her head. ¡®If it¡¯s really like that¡­¡¯ Rodelia paused for a moment, clenching her fists. It was something that couldn¡¯t be left unsaid. She may have failed as Kane¡¯s lover, but she was a good Empress in her own way. It was all thanks to Rodelia that she was able to properly mediate between Emperor Kane and the nobles. She would often find a point of agreement between them and come up with a plan that satisfied everyone. So, even if such a situation arose, she was sure that everyone would stand by her side, except the Eisen family. Rodelia felt the need to think more seriously about the tea party and looked at the maids. ¡®To strengthen that relationship, it¡¯s better to host a tea party as soon as possible¡­.¡¯ It seemed that the general preparations for the tea party would be better left to the head maid of honor, Viscountess Cohen. This was because Viscountess Cohen and Rodelia¡¯s tastes were similar, and Viscountess Cohen, who had an excellent eye for detail, was usually the one who mainly prepared for social occasions on behalf of the busy Rodelia. ¡°Viscountess Cohen¡­..¡± ¡°Empress, would you mind leaving the tea party to me?¡± When Rodelia was about to assign the task, an unexpected voice interrupted her. She looked towards the sound of voice and saw Lady Sarah¡¯s big eyes shining. The freckles on her cheeks fluctuated as she giggled. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Sarah was really the opposite of herself, as she had felt from the beginning. Rodelia, who had yet to adapt to such an innocent and bold appearance, touched her forehead with dry hands. It was hard to say no, but it was an important gathering, so it was a task that could not be entrusted to Sarah, who had just become a maid. Rodelia steeled herself and cautiously expressed her intention to refuse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Sarah, but another time. It¡¯s an important gathering so I¡¯ll have to leave it to someone with more experience. I¡¯ll ask you next time we have a lighter party.¡± She tried to be as cautious as possible, but her mood wasn¡¯t good and her voice came out in a hard tone. In fact, as an empress, she had to maintain her dignity, so her speech like this was important when she faced difficult situations. ¡°¡­¡­ I understand, Your Majesty.¡± Sarah grumbled and replied sullenly. As expected, Sarah was offended. Rodelia¡¯s heart was weakening, but it was something she couldn¡¯t help because it was a really important time for her. She swallowed a sigh inside. In the past, Kane used to comfort her whenever she had to say something harsh like this.¡­. [Rodellia, you¡¯re doing a great job. Come to think of it, it¡¯s a problem because you¡¯re too nice] Was that why he gave his heart to Sola? Because she (Rodelia) was too nice? Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t do this, her thoughts about Kane began to dominate her mind again. Coming back to her senses and shaking off her thoughts, Rodelia struggled to speak. ¡°¡­.The Viscountess Cohen will take care of the party.¡± She deliberately said in a cheerful voice to hide her contorted expression. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I will make sure everything is ready. When would be a good time for the party?¡± Viscountess Cohen seemed to be aware of Sarah and treated Rodelia with more impeccable courtesy than usual. It was an attitude that she was trying to teach Sarah strictly as head maid. While Rodelia was grateful for such a reaction from Viscountess Cohen, she was also worried. if the relationship between the maids was twisted, it would be troublesome. She hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that. Rodelia took her steps again to think about the party schedule. ¡®Oh, is it almost time for the winter flowers to bloom?¡¯ ¡®Yes, that would be a good time for the party.¡¯ Staring blankly at the red rose petals, Rodelia slowly opened her mouth. ¡°I think we should do it in a week, in time for the winter flowers.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Chapter 7 *** *** The winter flowers that bloomed only in the imperial household were very rare. It was the winter flowers that all the noble ladies were eager to see, both because of the unusual sight of them blooming and because they were so beautiful. Kane had planted many winter flowers in the garden of the Empress Palace. Thanks to them, every time they bloomed, ladies would send gifts to Rodelia every year. It was like a form of flattery for them to come and see the flowers. ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing the winter flowers bloom again. Your Majesty, what gifts have you received this year?¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± Rodelia was getting her hair done with the help of Viscountess Cohen in preparation for the tea party. Thanks to her question, she realized that there were no gifts from the noble ladies this year. She didn¡¯t want any gift, but it was strange that there wasn¡¯t even a single gift sent this year. It was normal to have at least one letter. As Rodelia was wondering, she heard an imminent voice from outside the door. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s Baroness Verna.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As if waiting for Rodelia¡¯s permission, the wooden door swung open with a bang. Baroness Verna, who had appeared with a cold wind, hurried in, gasping for breath. The hem of her dress stained with dirt from running and getting stepped on by her shoes. ¡±Your Majesty¡­¡­! We¡¯re in trouble!¡± Rodelia didn¡¯t understand why the Baroness was so flustered. And as if she didn¡¯t care who was there, the Baroness just behaved in a terrible manner. Rodelia opened her eyes wide and waited for her to speak. ¡°Winter flowers, ¡­¡­ there are no winter flowers, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What? There are no winter flowers?¡± Baroness Verna¡¯s words startled the maids. Rodelia was also perplexed. Did she mishear that there were no winter flowers? It didn¡¯t make sense. She did confirm that they were fine until yesterday. The words the Baroness delivered belatedly were even more shocking. ¡°And¡­ All the ladies who received the invitation sent a refusal.¡± What?¡± ¡°If they refuse¡­.¡± Lady Sarah fussed, and even Viscountess Cohen, who was grooming Rodelia¡¯s hair, hardened her body. Her long eyelashes trembled after hearing unexpected words in a row. This was because she could roughly predict what happened. ¡°And today, they say that Princess Eisen held a tea party. Everyone seems to have gone there¡­¡­.¡± Her prediction was right. Baroness Verna looked at Rodelia¡¯s face and said in a small voice. Trying to keep her composure, Viscountess Cohen eventually dropped the comb in her hand. The sound of the dropped brush echoed in the quiet room. Rodelia came to her senses at the sound and was angry at herself for being so careless. Sola was a woman who had the audacity to have skin-to-skin contact with the emperor in front of her, the Empress. She should have foreseen this in advance. Rodelia clenched her fists in anger. No matter how blind she pretended to be, Sola shouldn¡¯t go this far. It seemed that she had to go see Sola and make it clear. Because she could no longer be a laughing stock. Her anger appeased, Rodelia maintained her determined gaze, looked at Baroness Verna, and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Where is it?¡± * ¡°What, Stella Palace?¡± Rodelia¡¯s brows twisted noticeably. Stella Palace was a palace with a reputation for beauty, so it was a place that was only offered to important guests when they were visiting. Seeing that he had given such a place to Sola, it certainly seemed that Kane was completely obsessed with her. She wanted to rush over as soon as she heard the news, but fortunately, thanks to the frantic efforts of the maids, she was able to finish the preparation. They adorned Rodelia in the most beautiful way possible, and she shone even more because she was a beautiful woman. Her long blonde hair was neatly braided and hung to one side, and the beautiful dress, which blended well with her dark green eyes, accentuated her white skin. ¡°Is there a need to do this?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what are you talking about? You have to show them how beautiful you are!¡± Rodelia, who was usually rather plain compared to her status as empress, looked at her reflection in the mirror and reacted awkwardly. The maids said it was natural, and at times like this, they burst into anger saying that the Empress should not lose to Sola. Rodelia was eventually unable to overcome the maids¡¯ torch and was able to leave the palace only after putting several more hair pins on her hair. The sun was exceptionally warm and the breeze was cool. Arriving at the entrance of the Stella Palace with her attendants, Rodelia felt even more depressed when she saw that the weather was the exact opposite of her mood. The quaint and gorgeous exterior of the Stella Palace, which usually looked so beautiful as such, now felt fierce, as if it were holding her captive. The sculpted statues made of crystal seemed to glare uniformly at Rodelia, and the well-groomed sunset lawn seemed to be edging towards her. ¡°Should I just go back?¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Your Majesty! Go and find out for yourself who betrayed you!¡± As much as she wanted to, it wasn¡¯t as easy as they thought. The closer they got to the central garden, the more Rodelia¡¯s expression stiffened. The closer they got, the more the sound of joyful laughter and conversation filled her ears. In contrast, the only sounds around Rodelia were the quiet sounds of footsteps and the occasional sighs of the maids. As she walked quietly to the gazebo in the garden, she saw Sola Eisen and the noble ladies chatting and laughing. The hurt deepened when she saw them talking, even Kane, whom she missed so much. Was Kane so free that he would attend a party of noble ladies for his lover? Even Rodelia, who had perfectly mastered such situations as an Empress, couldn¡¯t manage her facial expressions. Her facial muscles tensed as she deliberately pretended to be okay and tried to maintain her expression. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Emperor?¡± The maids were more than a little surprised to see Kane. They all gulped in their breath without saying a word, looking only at Rodelia¡¯s pale face. After standing for a while, Sola gently stroked Kane¡¯s hair. In response, Kane also smiled at her. Facing that sight once more, Rodelia¡¯s sinking heart was stirred again. It was a situation she had come across once and thought she would be fine, but she wasn¡¯t. She thought she hated Kane, but she didn¡¯t. In fact, she wanted to face him and run to him now because she missed him so much. She had trusted him and he betrayed her, and yet she still couldn¡¯t come to her senses. A self-mocking laugh escaped her. Her fists clenched tightly, and a deep scratch appeared on her palm. Does Sola really love Kane, or¡­¡­.? At that moment, Sola spotted Rodelia and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips. She looked at Kane again and lowered the hand that had been stroking his hair. Slowly she went down and her hand stayed firmly in Kane¡¯s large hand. Immediately the wedding ring tumbled from Kane¡¯s finger to the floor. ¡®Are you that naive?¡¯ Kane just sat there without reaction, letting Sola take off his wedding ring. Everyone saw the scene clearly. Viscountess Cohen, who had been looking only at the pale face of Rodelia, who was watching them, slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, I think it would be better for you to go back.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Rodelia didn¡¯t want to, because if she was to leave from here, it would really be like losing to Sola. But what should she do? It was an obvious fact that if Kane took Sola¡¯s side, the whole social circle would start a rumor. The Empress¡¯s face had already hit bottom, but she hadn¡¯t abandoned her pride yet. There was a stark difference between being just a rumor and being humiliated in front of a crowd of people. The line that struck the bottom of even the remaining patience of Rodelia, who was wondering, ¡°Should I really leave?¡± pierced her ears clearly. ¡°Your Majesty! Look over there, it¡¯s winter flowers!¡± Sarah pointed somewhere with the eyes of a startled rabbit. Rodelia¡¯s gaze was fixed on Kane and Sola so she hadn¡¯t even seen it yet, but it was winter flowers. Rodelia slowly turned her head to where Sarah had pointed, thinking that it wasn¡¯t true. She hoped Sarah was mistaken, but it was true. Did they transfer all the winter flowers from her palace to this place? It would have been impossible without Kane¡¯s orders. Did he love Sola enough to give her what belonged to the Empress? It was funny. Rodelia¡¯s lips quivered. Maybe Sola had made up her mind and wanted to humiliate her. But how on earth did she know and fit it into the tea party schedule? Kane would not have told her. He wasn¡¯t that bad to humiliate Rodelia like this. So was it a maid? Too many things were happening at once, and her head was throbbing. She felt as if something had snapped. Her mind went blank, and Rodelia strode towards them, thinking of nothing. The hem of her dress, which she couldn¡¯t grab, dragged along, but she didn¡¯t care. The maids, who were confused by her sudden action, hurriedly followed Rodelia. ¡°Thank you all for attending the Princess¡¯s party. I hope you enjoyed it. I think it would be better if I leave you to your own devices.¡± As she approached the gazebo, Kane¡¯s gentle voice bored clearly into Rodelia¡¯s ear. [Kane, you have to avoid the seat in these situations.] [Oh, is that so? I was about to interrupt your conversation without a care in the world, wasn¡¯t I? ] The words that she joked with him raced through her mind. She straightened her posture to keep her emotions in check, but they weren¡¯t emotions she could lay down that easily. He dared to use the words she told him back then here? The pride she had gathered seemed to vanish into ashes. ¡°Empress¡­.?¡± The expressions of the noble ladies hardened as they spotted Rodelia approaching expressionlessly, but without losing her grace. Some rattled their teacups in panic or jumped up from their seats. Rodelia suppressed her anger and smiled gracefully . Then she made up a plaintive voice and spoke. ¡°Ladies, you are all gathered here.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­.¡± Rodelia greeted them calmly. It was more painful than annoying to see them avoiding her eyes and looking confused. Because in the end, it seemed that all of her efforts to mediate between Kane and them had come to nothing. ¡°Empress¡­..Why ¡­¡­.?¡± Kane did the same. He looked very surprised. His cold eyes shook. Rodelia purposely ignored his gaze and opened her mouth coldly. ¡±Your Majesty, didn¡¯t you give me the winter flowers? How could Your Majesty take my flowers so arbitrarily, without asking my permission? ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­¡± Kane¡¯s brows furrowed noticeably. What could he say, he wondered, looking for an excuse? He swept his hair roughly. It was an action he made when he was embarrassed. Rodelia kept her dry stare and slowly turned her attention to the winter flowers. The flowers looked even more beautiful, especially today. The jewel-like blue petals glistened in the sunlight. In contrast, she felt more shabby. Rodelia¡¯s cold gaze lingered on the winter flowers for a moment. Everyone stared at her breathlessly, not knowing what to do. When she looked at them again, Rodelia spoke slowly. ¡°And ¡­¡­ today is the day of my tea party, and you are all here. I was surprised that you sent your rejection on this day as if you had planned it.¡± She met the eyes of the noblewomen one by one and smiled at them, and they moved their eyes this way and that to avoid Rodelia¡¯s gaze. Those who usually used to please her changed their attitudes like this, so she realized how great the Emperor¡¯s favor was. In the face of such favor, all of her abilities as an Empress that she had built up so far were of no use whatsoever. Her smile was more self-mockery than emptiness. ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t even know you were throwing a party today. Empress.¡± Chapter 8 *** *** ¡°¡­¡­ I didn¡¯t even know you were throwing a party today. Empress.¡± Rodelia was silent, her expression hardened, and Kane sighed, pretending that he really didn¡¯t know. ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe, but it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Your Majesty knows well that I host every party in the Imperial Palace. Did you have to do this? You¡¯re so cruel.¡± Wasn¡¯t he really cruel? With him bringing in a mistress was already hard enough, now he wanted to humiliate her in front of the nobles too? ¡°It¡¯s my fault, Your Majesty. I didn¡¯t know about the announcement of the party hosted by the Empress¡­¡­.¡± Sola looked at Kane with a sad face, pretending to be innocent, as if mocking Rodelia. Her body trembled weakly, and her eyes were filled with clear tears. The pity seemed to double in contrast to her gorgeous appearance. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Kane stared at Rodelia with trembling eyes for a moment. He quickly closed his eyes and exhaled softly as he turned his gaze to Sola again. Collapsing again at the sight, Rodelia consciously tried not to cry. ¡®Do you have to placate Sola even in this situation?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t understand how on earth he could fall in love with Sola this much and ignore the Empress in front of the noblewomen. Her limbs began to tremble with embarrassment, but she had to remain calm. ¡°How could you humiliate me in front of the nobles, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Empress, that is not¡­ ¡­.¡± Fortunately, instead of a quivering voice, a cold one came out. Rodelia looked at them with a relieved expression. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Your Majesty. My heart hurts because everything seems to be my fault. ¡­¡­. Empress, next time I will report every single thing to you, so please relieve your anger.¡± Sola looked pitiful again, begging for forgiveness. How could she be so pretentious without blinking like that? Is she the same person who spoke harshly to her the other day? It was appalling, but Rodelia couldn¡¯t say anything. No matter what she said here, Kane and the noblewomen would all take Sola¡¯s side. Even if Rodelia¡¯s maids would get involved, it would only make her feel more ashamed. She was no empress now, just a woman who had fallen out of favor. Everyone here still minced no words, looking out for Sola¡¯s mood, not Rodelia¡¯s. If Sola had been a mere status maiden, things might have been different, but she was the only princess in the empire. In terms of status by birth, Sola was in a higher position than Rodelia. Therefore, Rodelia¡¯s arrival here was as good as admitting to herself that the Empress had lost her power. Maybe Sola was trying to take advantage of this situation. Thinking it was her fault for not thinking it through, Rodelia bit her lips tightly. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She wanted to die because of shame. As she grabbed her innocent sleeve in bewilderment, an extremely low but amused voice rang out in the silence. ¡°What are you doing? Sola, publicly humiliating the Empress is truly your typical behavior.¡± ¡°Your Highness, Grand Duke Aisen?¡± Baroness Verna¡¯s slightly surprised voice followed behind the amused man¡¯s voice. ¡°Grand Duke?¡± Everyone turned their heads in unison. A few unmarried ladies who quickly put down their cups and took out a mirror to check their appearance. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s the Grand Duke.¡± Viscountess Cohen whispered to Rodelia, but she couldn¡¯t look back. She had refused Cerdian¡¯s help all at once, so she did not want him to see her being publicly humiliated like this. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what are you doing?¡± Lady Sarah approached the dazed Rodelia and whispered quietly. She finally calmed down, and she turned around slowly, through clenched teeth. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rodelia¡¯s gaze met Cerdian¡¯s. With a look of characteristic arrogance, Cerdian was perfect again today. Why did he visit the Imperial Palace dressed so beautifully? His handsome face stood out even more by his neatly raised hair. The broad shoulders and firm body that lay beneath the crisp uniform looked even more pronounced. The red eyes with the high nose also gave off a strange vibe, somehow intimidating. He had always had a reputation for good looks, but it was hard to adapt every time she saw him. Cerdian approached right in front of Rodelia and looked at her. Rodelia quickly avoided his gaze, realizing that she had been staring at him without her knowing. But the noblewomen, noticing their subtle atmosphere, exchanged meaningful glances. Then, feigning nonchalance and striving to maintain a calm demeanor, she consciously straightened her back. But she couldn¡¯t hide her anxiety and fiddled with her sleeve. While everyone was at a loss, a high-pitched voice rang out. ¡°How did the Grand Duke get here?¡± Kane, who had been looking at Cerdian with a disgruntled look on his face the whole time, opened his mouth. Rodelia¡¯s surprised eyes went to Kane. Kane didn¡¯t usually show his emotions to others so easily. As a result, he was a notoriously difficult emperor to deal with. It was amazing that he expressed his emotions as he did. And wasn¡¯t Cerdian a brother of Kane¡¯s beloved Sola? ¡°I just wanted to stop by and see my sister. She¡¯s been in the Imperial Palace for so long, I can¡¯t even see her face anymore.¡± Cerdian raised both ends of his lips and spoke slowly. He didn¡¯t seem to care whether Kane was wary of him or not. It made Kane¡¯s brows furrow more. It was a very amusing situation for Rodelia, who had been embarrassed by Kane. The noblewomen only blinked and held their breath. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­ brother, you should have sent a letter then.¡± Sola also looked nervous. She kept glancing at Cerdian. ¡°Don¡¯t I have the heart? Just write a letter instead of coming to see my sister?¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have come to the imperial Palace to see you. I see you don¡¯t like it. Anyway, it¡¯s my mistake.¡± Cerdian spoke with a faint smile on his face, as if he was joking, but his eyes were cold. It was a cynical attitude to have towards her own sister. Solar trembled with fear without answering anything. After a moment of scowling, Cerdian turned his gaze to Rodelia. ¡°It¡¯s great that the Empress is here, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What?¡± ¡°The Empress invited me to the tea party. I wanted to see the winter flowers bloom, and I can¡¯t tell you how much I was hoping for it.¡± ¡®Invite you to the tea party?¡¯ Rodelia¡¯s questioning gaze went to Cerdian. When their eyes met, he smiled lightly at her. It was then that she finally realized his hidden meaning. ¡®You¡¯re trying to save my face, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ It may have been planned, but he kept helping her. Deciding to accept the favors he was giving her, Rodelia decided to sit back and watch, neither confirming nor denying. Far away from Rodelia, Cerdian¡¯s gaze turned to the winter flowers. He gazed at the flowers for a moment with indifferent eyes, then slowly opened his mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m seeing them here.¡± ¡°Hahahaha ¡­¡­ so beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± The noble ladies made an effort to break the frozen atmosphere. However, he didn¡¯t seem to be planning on playing along. Cerdian said sharply, without any regard for Kane¡¯s position. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really fit in with my sister. They were much more beautiful where they were.¡± ¡°What does that mean, Grand Duke?¡± Noticing Cerdian¡¯s sarcasm, Kane cut him off nervously. ¡°It¡¯s meant exactly as it is. The flowers don¡¯t look good here, is that a problem?¡± Cerdian responded to Kane¡¯s words casually, as if wondering why he was being so sensitive. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The reality of the empire was that no matter how much of an emperor he was, he could not be recklessly harsh with Grand Duke Eisen. Kane decided to stop the word war with him. Instead, he brought up a subject that had been bothering him for a while. ¡°By the way, did you say the Empress invited you to the tea party? Why?¡± Kane, who could not hide his hidden anger, gritted his teeth. The reaction was as if he was jealous of the relationship between Cerdian and Rodelia. He isn¡¯t happy that Rodelia is talking to another man while he is hanging out with his mistress publicly? That¡¯s funny. Kane glared at Cerdian like he was going to kill him. ¡°We had a conversation the other day.¡± ¡°What kind of conversation?¡± Cerdian seemed to be bothered by Kane¡¯s questioning. His brow furrowed and he let out a frustrated voice. ¡°Do I have to tell you that, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cerdian took a step forward. Kane in front of him looked so diminutive. He was also shrewd wherever he went, but that was probably because Cerdian was taller. Kane felt it, too, and he put the cup he was holding on the table with a clank and hurried to take a seat. Kane¡¯s sort of obsession was always to be necessary and inferior to others. Kane¡¯s lips twisted badly as he was still unable to say anything this time. Suppressing his anger, Kane opened his mouth, looking at Rodelia. ¡°Empress, tell me. Did you invite the Grand Duke to your party? And what conversation have you been having with him?¡± Chapter 9 *** ¡°Empress, tell me. Did you invite the Grand Duke to the party? Have you been talking to him?¡± As if Kane wanted her to deny what Cerdian had said, he gave Rodelia a sharp look. Rodelia frowned involuntarily. He looked so ugly, so caught up in his inferiority complex. Maybe that was why she somehow didn¡¯t want to do what he wanted. If it went on like this, the Emperor would lose his pride, but didn¡¯t she lose her pride first because of him? And no matter what the intention was, it wasn¡¯t Kane, but Cerdian who was the only one who was on her side when everyone turned their back on her. ¡°Yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before she decided what to do. Rodelia ignored Kane and replied calmly with an elegant smile on her lips. She had a showy attitude. With an amused smile, Cerdian held out his hand to Rodelia. It was quite childish behavior. Smiling, she took Cerdian¡¯s hand in hers. Her heart was overwhelmed by the deviation that she had never done before. ¡°Your Majesty, then, have a good time with Sola.¡± Leaving Kane with a bewildered look on his face behind, Rodelia left the gazebo with a graceful walk. She was still holding Cerdian¡¯s hand. She felt Kane¡¯s blatant gaze behind her, but didn¡¯t look back. An amused smile crept across her face. ¡®Consider it a small revenge for humiliating me.¡¯ **** ¡°So, where were we?¡± Rodelia sent the maids away and walked amicably with Cerdian, exchanging small talks. No, she made it look that way. In fact, she just talked all by herself and he was just standing there. ¡°You can stop now, they won¡¯t be able to hear the conversation here.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Cerdian¡¯s low, laughing voice echoed through the air, tickling her ears. Her face flushed with embarrassment, Rodelia quickened her pace a little. It was Cerdian who first broke the silence between them after such a long walk. ¡°Do you think it was just talk?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ what?¡± She knew what Cerdian meant when he asked calmly, but she pretended not to know. ¡°About the Emperor.¡± But Cerdian didn¡¯t seem to be willing to let it go. He stubbornly picked at her wound. As a result, the mind that was relieved by her little revenge on Kane sank to the floor again. Rodelia¡¯s body began to tremble slightly as she stopped. She couldn¡¯t say with any confidence, ¡°Yes.¡± She really didn¡¯t know what her feelings were anymore. It was true that she still loved Kane. But it hurt too much to love him, and she didn¡¯t know how long she could keep feeling this way. She wasn¡¯t sure if Kane would ever come back to her. No, even if he did come back, would her wounded heart be able to fully accept him? Heartbroken, Rodelia fiddled with her sleeves and hesitated, while Cerdian, who had been watching her closely, slowly opened his mouth. ¡°The Empress is always touching her sleeves when she¡¯s anxious.¡± Rodelia stopped. It was a fact that even Kane, her former lover, did not know. On the other hand, Cerdian, whom she had not met for long, noticed it immediately. ¡®Kane was never this interested in me.¡¯ Soon after, she smiled bitterly and replied slowly. ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t answer, I¡¯ll change the question. Do you still need my help?¡± She raised her gaze to face Cerdian¡¯s red eyes. When they made eye contact, he folded the corners of his eyes neatly and gave her a gentle smile. As if to tell her to say yes. Rodelia asked herself a question. ¡®Do I need him?¡¯ She thought about it for a while and the answer was ¡®yes¡¯. She desperately needed his help. But she didn¡¯t want to hold his hand voraciously in a situation where she wasn¡¯t even sure if Cerdian had any other intentions. And she was the Empress and he was the Grand Duke. ¡°No.¡± Pretending to be unconcerned, Rodelia tightened her trembling heart and replied with a deliberate smile. She had learned today that she was no match for Sola on her own. She knew that she would just end up spinning around in the same place. But she didn¡¯t want to accept the helping hand. This once was enough. It was a mere trifle and her pride was something, but it was what was necessary. Cerdian was Sola¡¯s brother, and Rodelia was an Empress who would never get along with Sola. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cerdian¡¯s reaction to her answer was nonchalant. It seemed that he had already expected it. Satisfied with the response, Rodelia spoke up again with more force. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. Grand Duke Cerdian.¡± ¡°The Empress is too wary.¡± ¡°There have been too many people who have approached me deliberately.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not such a bad person. I have taken a liking to the Empress.¡± Cerdian smiled. It was a beautiful smile of his that seemed to possess her. She had to pull her heart together tighter. ¡°So you thought I was going to ask for help from you, Princess Eisen¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Cerdian replied calmly, even with the slight excitement in his voice. ¡°You knew I would refuse. Didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because not everything is going as planned.¡± His voice was gentle, but oozing arrogance somehow, and his words shook Rodelia to her core. Because Kane¡¯s heart, which seemed to have only her for the rest of his life, also flowed in an unexpected direction. Tears began to slowly fill her eyes. It must not have been his intention, but he had been using words that would shake her. Rodelia dropped her gaze to the ground, because if she faced Cerdian, she was really going to burst into tears. She hurriedly calmed herself down and let out a deep breath, and continued speaking firmly. ¡°Why are you doing this to me? There is no reason for the Grand Duke to help me for no reason at all.¡± ¡°Reasons. ¡­¡­ Actually, I don¡¯t understand myself either. Let¡¯s just say for now that it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to see you sad.¡± She was momentarily confused by Cerdian¡¯s voice, which seemed so calm. She couldn¡¯t understand it. He said it as if he really had feelings for her¡­¡­¡­. It was really strange. ¡°I understand that you didn¡¯t believe me and that you can¡¯t hold my hand easily.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Is that what emotions are for?¡± He spoke calmly again with a seductive look. How could he make her heart so complicated while talking like he didn¡¯t know how she was feeling? Finally changing her expression, Rodelia looked up and stared at him in the eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right. I trusted His Majesty too much. No matter how many people around warned me about him, I knew he was the only one who was different.¡± ¡°Of course¡­¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I need your help.¡± Cerdian, who had a smile on his face, showed a sour expression, as if he thought Rodelia would give an affirmative answer. However, it was at that moment. He locked his eyes on Rodelia again. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hold my hand just now? You need my help.¡± ¡°¡­. Just because I wanted to escape that situation badly doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m in the same boat as you. So I hope you drop that idea.¡± Rodelia¡¯s lips quivered when he asked. ¡°What if the Emperor doesn¡¯t come back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something the Grand Duke has to worry about. It¡¯s something I have to deal with.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Again¡­like this. When Rodelia, panicked by his wistful voice, gulped in her breath, the cold winter wind that was incompatible with the scorching sunshine filled her lungs. Her mind was growing fuzzy, but she couldn¡¯t just side with Cerdian like that. She clutched her consciousness tightly and answered firmly. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I already told you. I don¡¯t want your help, and I doubt I¡¯ll ever need it.¡± She acted as if not holding Cerdian¡¯s hand was the last thing on her mind, as if it was her last remaining pride. Cerdian had expected that she would not fall easily. But in the end, he thought she would ask for help. He really thought she would fall for him. ¡°Not everything goes as you expect.¡± Wasn¡¯t that what he said to her earlier. Cerdian couldn¡¯t help but laugh in vain at Rodelia¡¯s continued words. ¡±Not even a little bit.¡± **** After Cerdian left. When she returned to the Empress¡¯ palace, Rodelia squeezed her throbbing head and thought about what she needed to deal with. ¡°I have doubts, but how should I catch them?¡± It was strange how everything happened at the same time, from the fact that Sola had thrown a tea party to the time when the winter flowers were gone. And that strange sense of otherness became more certain when she faced Sola in the garden of Stella Palace. That delightful look of them flickered in front of Rodelia¡¯s eyes. Surely someone must have informed Sola of Rodelia¡¯s tea party plans. And that person was most likely in the Empress¡¯s Palace, her closest aide. All the way back to the Empress¡¯s palace, she kept thinking about how she should deal with the traitor. It was painful to be in a situation where she had to suspect all the maids to catch the culprit, but she had to catch him. She couldn¡¯t let herself be pushed around by Sola any longer. The first thing Rodelia did was to call the head maid, Viscountess Cohen. It was her who took care of the party, so it was natural to think she was the first suspect. With a cold expression on her face, Rodelia opened her mouth. ¡°It seems that one of the maids is Princess Eisen¡¯s spy.¡± They were having tea time as usual, and Rodelia managed to hurry things along. It was partly to try to find out about the Viscountess. ¡°Are you suspecting me?¡± The Viscountess stopped and placed the teacup on the table with a clink. She had extreme cautious manners in each of her normal actions, but it was out of character. She seemed disgusted by the suspicion. She moved her trembling lips still and looked at Rodelia with a sad look in her eyes. ¡°Quite frankly, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s not just you who are suspicious. In fact, everyone is under suspicion.¡± Sighing deeply at the complexity, Rodelia¡¯s green eyes grew darker and darker. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to be in a situation to say this either. It wasn¡¯t something she felt comfortable accusing the maids who were her own people. Especially Viscountess Cohen, who she relied on the most. Looking serious for a long time, Viscountess Cohen finally opened her mouth. ¡°I understand your suspicion since a lot of bad things happened recently, but I¡¯m really not. If you ask me to show you proof, I don¡¯t have it, but you know how much I respect the Empress.¡± ¡°I hope it¡¯s not you either.¡± The only thing that flowed between them, along with the silence, were the occasional sighs. ¡°Is there anyone you suspect?¡± (Rodelia) After a few moments of silence, Rodelia opened her mouth. There was a faint tear in Viscountess¡¯ eyes for some time. At Rodelia¡¯s question, Viscountess Cohen, who had taken a handkerchief from her pocket and was wiping the corners of her eyes, hardened her expression as if she remembered something. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one thing I remembered. Actually, ¡­¡­.¡± Chapter 10 *** *** ¡°I hope it wasn¡¯t ¡­. There was a traitor among the maids.¡± Rodelia clenched her hand in disappointment as the words the Viscountess spat out more coldly than she had expected. The maids also looked more than a little surprised. She felt sorry for the other maids, but she could not be sure that this would not happen again, so she had to take this opportunity to deal with it properly. Rodelia hardened her expression again, straightened her back, and spoke. ¡°If you leave quietly now, we can pretend it never happened. I¡¯m saying I¡¯ll keep the rumors out of society.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± The person who had informed Sola about the party schedule was being shameless, though Rodelia had purposely used a harsh tone. ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no one here?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, how much time have we spent with you? We have been together for three years since you entered the Imperial Palace. How can you doubt us? I¡¯m sad.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! It¡¯s really frustrating.¡± No one stepped up to confess their crime. It was only natural. They didn¡¯t think there was any evidence. But the evidence that Rodelia had was enough. ¡°¡­¡­ Lady Sarah.¡± Rodelia had been staring at the window with a hard expression on her face, and when Sarah¡¯s name was called out with a small sigh from her mouth, most of the maids looked at her with surprised faces. ¡°Yes ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I will give you one last chance. Sarah, did you give the information to Princess Eisen?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± Sarah trailed off. The way she kept telling lies over and over again in front of the Empress, the young lady seemed to be out of the ordinary. That was probably why she betrayed Rodelia and went with Sola. Rodelia sighed once more. The air in the room was cold, and all the maids opened their eyes and looked around. ¡°Do you think I would suspect you without any proof?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Sarah kept quiet even though Rodelia kept giving her the opportunity. It was because no matter how much she thought about it, she didn¡¯t think the Empress had any proof. ¡°I understand, your point is well taken.¡± Undeterred, Rodelia nodded to Baroness Verna. With trembling hands, the Baroness took a piece of parchment from her pocket and showed it to her. Rodelia couldn¡¯t imagine that Lady Sarah had betrayed her, either. Rather, she was suspicious of Baroness Verna. The Polton, to which Sarah belonged, was a rather prestigious family, so Rodelia thought Sarah would not abandon her honor to betray the Empress, and go to Sola. That was before she learned that the Count¡¯s family was in huge debt from the Count¡¯s gambling. ¡°I heard your family, the Polton, owed the Eisen an enormous amount of money.¡± ¡°¡­..yes.¡± Rodelia smiled bitterly as she thrust the paper given to her by Baroness Verna in front of Sarah. Seeing the note, Sarah lost her composure and began to shake noticeably. ¡°I almost passed it without knowing it, but Baroness Verna¡¯s uncle is the president of the bank.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you had asked me for help, I would have gladly helped you. Was I so unreliable?¡± Rodelia believed that Sarah was her person, and she felt a tremendous sense of loss that Sola had taken away the person she trusted again. Her mouth began to feel bitter, but she couldn¡¯t show it, so she pretended to be fine and continued her words dryly. The other maids looked at the debt paper and sighed here and there in disbelief. ¡°You have used Baroness Verna. You said the Princess wants the position of Empress from now on.¡± Sarah used the outspoken Baroness Verna to draw Rodelia¡¯s suspicions away from herself, making it impossible for her to think straight. As she had planned, Baroness Verna made a big deal out of Rodelia and told her that Sarah seemed to have an ulterior motive. Cross-checking all the circumstances, the only one who seemed suspicious was Sarah. ¡°Your Majesty, you suspect me because of that?¡± Sarah was still stubborn, fiddling with her finely braided hair without confessing. Rodelia¡¯s forehead was finely distorted by her shameless attitude, even though the evidence was clear. She sighed and looked down. For a moment there was an odd look in Rodelia¡¯s eyes as she struggled to figure out what to do. Finally, keeping a firm expression, Rodelia approached Sarah and slowly reached for the hem of her skirt. ¡°Sarah, you¡¯re not being very careful. You¡¯re already showing that you¡¯re the Princess¡¯s person like this.¡± ¡°Eh, what¡­¡­?¡± Rodelia took a strand of red hair from Sarah¡¯s white dress and stared at her. ¡°Are you still trying to deny it? Or do I have to go directly to Princess Eisen?¡± **** ¡°Empress, the Princess must have already drifted away.¡± The Empress¡¯s palace was somehow alive and bustling. The reason why Baroness Verna was making such a fuss was because Kane had called Rodelia to have a meal with her after a long time. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I agree, seeing as how His Majesty has summoned the Empress separately. He must be tired of the Princess. As expected, he couldn¡¯t have given such a foxy woman his full heart.¡± ¡°Yes, our Empress is so beautiful, how could he be attracted to such a woman? Please sit down, I will decorate you most beautifully.¡± The exaggeration of the servants made Rodelia¡¯s heart skip a beat as well. She felt a sense of anticipation. However, she couldn¡¯t be as pleased as she wanted because of her status as empress. Rodelia calmed down her pounding heart and responded calmly, pretending to be fine. ¡°It¡¯s just a meal.¡± The maids, however, could not leave Rodelia alone. After changing everything from her hairstyle to the color and design of her dress several times, Rodelia finally finished her preparations and stood in front of the mirror. ¡°As expected, you look good in white clothes.¡± ¡°Where can I find a color that doesn¡¯t suit you? Unlike that woman, you are very elegant.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­¡­¡± Smiling shyly, Rodelia looked around at her reflection. It had been a long time since she had worn a fancy outfit, and the emerald necklace on the thin neck shook as she moved, making her feel awkward. And what¡¯s with the pure white dress? No matter what, a white dress seemed too much for a meal. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say she was going to change, there was a knock on the door twice. It was the appointed time, Kane¡¯s servant came. Rodelia, who had no choice but to wear her white dress, left the room and headed for the emperor¡¯s palace, with the maids seeing her off. ¡°Your Majesty, please enjoy your meal!¡± **** The spacious hall was filled with the sound of clattering dishes. Gourmet food and desserts were served under the gorgeous chandeliers, but Rodelia could do nothing but drink water. She couldn¡¯t enjoy the meal to the fullest because of the anger on Kane¡¯s face. ¡°I heard you let go of the second daughter of Count Polton.¡± In the silence, it was Kane who spoke up first. He looked at Rodelia with a dry expression on his face, having become gaunt over the past few days. In a chilled voice she slowly raised her head. ¡°It is not your concern, Your Majesty.¡± She said with no emotion whatsoever. ¡®What did I expect?¡¯ Rodelia felt silly for expecting him to come back to her again. She hated herself for feeling joy when she got his invitation to have a meal together. The raw skin in her heart, which was slowly healing, was overlaid, creating a bigger wound. Rodelia had an inkling of what was going on. She knew that Kane was no longer thinking about her. A wave of bitterness, buried in secret, washed over her. Feeling her throat dry and drinking only water, Rodelia put her fork down on her napkin, as if she could no longer swallow her food. ¡°Count Polton is not in a good mood. I don¡¯t know what the child did, but let¡¯s leave it at that and call her back.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ The child was the Empress¡¯s maid, and it¡¯s in my jurisdiction. You can¡¯t tell me what to do, Your Majesty.¡± Rodelia let out a shaky voice. ¡®Would Kane believe me now if I told him that Sola had seduced my people?¡¯ A ¡®ding¡¯ sound echoed through the wide hall as she thought . Kane¡¯s angry voice struck Rodelia¡¯s ears. ¡°Please, Rodelia!¡± Rodelia stared at Kane, opened her eyes wide in surprise. As she had never seen him in his violent form before, she was taken aback. Kane had never once raised his voice at her. But he yelled at her now. It was clear that he would never believe a word she said. Rodelia¡¯s pale face darkened. ¡°Did you just yell at me just now¡­. ¡­?¡± It was Kane who knew best what kind of things she was afraid of. But why? ¡°Please¡­¡­. Please, can you just do as I say this time? You have to understand me.¡± Kane¡¯s voice trembled as he tried to hold back his anger. For some reason, there was a hint of sadness in Kane¡¯s voice as he spoke words she didn¡¯t understand. But whatever Kane¡¯s feelings were, it had nothing to do with her. Why should she be the one to understand him¡­¡­? He should say that to Sola. Rodelia¡¯s plump lips quivered at the sight of Kane¡¯s one-sidedness. She was on the verge of tears, but she had to pretend to be okay. She continued to speak, consciously straightening her back. ¡°Your Majesty, you are no longer my lover.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t her who hurt him, it was Kane. But why did he look so hurt? ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Rodelia couldn¡¯t understand Kane¡¯s bizarre behavior. ¡°It was Your Majesty who let go of my hand first.¡± Kane¡¯s eyes shook visibly. A sad smile appeared on her lips that she could not hide. ¡°So¡­ Please ask the Princess for understanding.¡± Finally spitting out the words, Rodelia squeezed her lips together and glared at Kane. She tried my best to pretend that it was nothing, but it didn¡¯t work the way she wanted. She had vowed never to cry, but when she faced Kane, the man she had missed so much, she felt as if tears were about to fall. Kane, who had not said anything for a long time, moved his lips tightly closed. ¡°¡­¡­The Empress left with Grand Duke Eisen that day.¡± Chapter 11 *** ¡°Empress left with Grand Duke Eisen that day.¡± Rodelia¡¯s perplexed eyes turned to Kane. If she heard it correctly, he seemed to be jealous of Cerdian and her right now. What kind of shame is he saying that in front of her? She was speechless, but she tried to control her emotions, and then spoke calmly. ¡°I told you¡­¡­ that I had a separate conversation with the Grand Duke. And did I have to stay in that kind of place?¡± ¡°However that may be, you¡¯re the Empress. What will happen to my face when the Empress leaves with another man? Do you think it makes sense to not care about such things because you¡¯re the Empress?¡± His face? Rodelia burst out laughing in disgust. ¡°Did you just say ¡®your face¡¯?¡± (*face* in this situation means his appearance, his pride, his dignity as an emperor. How the people view him) How could he spit out such a shameless word like it was nothing? It was incomprehensible. Did he mean his dignity was more important than the Empress¡¯s? She didn¡¯t even want the courtesy of being his ex-lover. She only hoped that he would treat me decently as an Empress¡­ Rodelia closed her lips and gave him a cold look, and Kane hesitated for a moment, as if realizing his mistake. ¡°Can¡¯t you trust me and wait for me?¡± ¡°Why should I trust you, Your Majesty? Have you given me a decent explanation?¡± Kane, who was seriously thinking about something at her barrage of questions, opened his mouth with a furrowed brow. ¡°¡­Is it because I moved the winter flowers without your permission?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then I hope you¡¯ll do as I wish with the second daughter of Count Polton.¡± The situation was truly appalling. She hated Kane for making a judgment without even trying to listen to her. ¡°Your Majesty didn¡¯t even ask me why I kicked Sarah out or what she did to deserve it. Can¡¯t you think that there is a reason?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the woman did!¡± Kane shouted nervously. As if he couldn¡¯t control his facial expression, he frowned and sighed deeply. Shocked by his attitude, Rodelia¡¯s whole body trembled. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve changed a lot, Your Majesty. There is always a good reason for the Empress¡¯s actions. However, to change so soon after you have the mistress, were you always like this?¡± A cold voice leaked out. Rodelia left her seat without looking at him. She didn¡¯t have the courage or the heart to be in this place anymore. Kane¡¯s mouth twisted as he faced her unfamiliar appearance. Rodelia was a woman who could not speak her mind for fear of being hated. She was afraid she would lose their love. Kane knew very well that she was obsessed with her role as the perfect Empress and valued her dignity seriously. She believed that this was the only way to be loved by the emperor. He didn¡¯t think she would bravely speak for herself like this. Of course he could tell she was angry because her beliefs were touched. Perhaps she didn¡¯t really mean to react so coldly. Perhaps she will rethink and will be worried she¡¯d be hated and return to her old self. But he didn¡¯t like the subtle changes she had the past few days. Who on earth could have so skillfully shaken a well-stacked tower? (TL *Is Kane mentally challenged? Or is he just naive? Because obviously he is the one who shook that well-stacked tower. He humiliated her publicly, but to ask such questions? He expects her to be a doll without emotions? Tsk tsk.) Kane felt the need to press her again. ¡°Why did you change so much? I thought you were the right woman for the position of Empress, or did I misread you?¡± He acted as if he was handling a troublesome task. A feeling of shame washed over Rodelia. How could he be so selfish without any thought for her? ¡°Stop here.¡± (Rodelia) She felt like she was about to burst into tears at the cold words, but she deliberately straightened her posture more. She pretended to be calm and was about to leave the dining room, when she heard laughter coming from behind her and stopped dead in her tracks. ¡°Leave her be. She seems to want to rest.¡± A sharp, seductive voice echoed through the hall with the sound of heels. The moment she heard that voice, Rodelia felt as if all the blood in her body would drain out. Unable to ignore it, Rodelia slowly turned around and immediately regretted her decision. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have looked back.¡¯ Sola walked slowly towards Kane, wearing a night sky dress that she could have worn to a banquet. Her white shoulders, revealed by the deep-cut dress, glistened with light. Maybe it was the feathers in the dress, maybe it was her gestures, but she was like a seductive black swan. Sola hugged Kane¡¯s neck as if telling him to go with her. As Rodelia struggled to manage her warped expression, Sola¡¯s red lips opened softly. ¡°Right?¡± *** Rodelia left the dining room as if running away. Because this time she felt the same emotions. The uninvited guest was Sola, but she (Rodelia) seemed to have become a foreign object between them. The same was true of the servants¡¯ attitude towards her. As Rodelia left the dining room, the maids glanced at her and whispered in hushed tones. She tried to hide her expression and quickened her steps. ¡®Tomorrow, words will spread throughout the palace. ¡­.¡¯ The Empress had really lost face. Rodelia closed her eyes and her face turned pale. ¡°Oh, Empress. What¡¯s going on?¡± She couldn¡¯t remember with what spirit she came back to her room. As she walked back to her room with a stiffened face, the maids came up to her and took the shawl she was wearing and asked her with worried faces. She wanted to cry in front of them, her friends, her sisters. But she couldn¡¯t do it. That was what the position of Empress was all about. She can¡¯t show tears to anyone. Rodelia shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but later. I want to be alone right now.¡± The maids, understanding Rodelia¡¯s words, exchanged eye signals and then quietly left the room. It was then that she was finally able to express her emotions as they were. She crawled under the covers and cried like a child for a while. Everything that had happened during that time flashed through her mind like a running clock. Where did it go wrong? Since the Eisen siblings came to the imperial palace to introduce themselves or before that? Perhaps Kane had long since lost his heart. She clenched her fists tightly until her palms turned red. She couldn¡¯t remember the happy days now, because it felt like the far past that had vanished like dust. Rodelia fell asleep, exhausted from crying as she continued to think about the hurt that Kane had caused her. **** The Imperial Palace was in a flurry of preparations for the foundation banquet that would soon take place. The castle was decorated with gorgeous and best decorations all around. All the old tablecloths and curtains were replaced with new ones, and food was prepared in large quantities for the banquet. As this year was the 100th anniversary banquet, so it was an even more meaningful one, each item was carefully prepared, but the role of the Empress, Rodelia, was more important than anyone else. Fortunately, if she may say so, it allowed Rodelia, who had been busy, to forget her grief. Both Kane and Lady Sarah¡¯s betrayal were erased from her mind for a while. Rodelia, who had stayed up many nights at the end of preparation for the banquet, was spending her day buried in a huge pile of documents as usual. ¡°His Majesty has sent you this.¡± ¡°His Majesty?¡± The chief attendant, Ferna, came to see her. He handed Rodelia a document with the emperor¡¯s seal on it. She received the document with a curious look on her face, and her expression gradually hardened. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation list¡­¡­¡± A disappointed sigh escaped her lips. Normally, the invitation of all banquet attendees was handled by the empress, Rodelia. However, the reason for sending out such a list now¡­She couldn¡¯t understand it. No, she thought she could understand why. Since Kane had changed his heart, perhaps he also wanted to change her way of work to his liking. She started to choke up in frustration. She wanted to ask the chief attendant what was going on, but Ferna was only here on Kane¡¯s errand. There was no point in getting angry with him. In the end, Rodelia closed her lips without saying anything. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand, so I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Ferna, who had been staring at her as Rodelia checked her papers, turned and left the room. There was a subtle attitude of ignoring her, but that was not important. Having been absent-minded for a long time even after Ferna left, she was able to come to her senses only after Viscountess Cohen arrived for work. Rodelia went to her desk and sat down with a dignified posture. Then she methodically read the invitation list one by one, and it didn¡¯t take long for her eyes to open wide in surprise. ¡®Did I misread?¡¯ Rodelia tilted her head slightly. ¡®Have I been looking at so many documents that I can¡¯t read the words¡­¡­¡¯ She blinked a few times, then turned her gaze back to the document. ¡°What is it ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? Your Majesty, is there a problem?¡± Viscountess Cohen, who was helping her and was working on the rest of the papers, sent a strange look towards Rodelia, who was mumbling to herself. ¡°No, there is a name that should not be on the list of attendees for this banquet that His Majesty sent me.¡± ¡°What is it¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Can you take a look?¡± ¡°Yes ¡­¡­.¡± With a plump hand holding the document that Rodelia handed her, the Viscountess immediately had the same reaction as Rodelia did. She frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t he on the blacklist?¡± ¡°But everyone else is important.¡± ¡°Prince Grey Howard? There¡¯s a possibility that the list was manipulated¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Who in the world could have fabricated the emperor¡¯s seal?¡± Moreover, Ferna brought it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± Rodelia asked the other maids, but the answers were the same. They all reacted surprised as soon as they saw the invitation list. However, the majority of them agreed that they should send the invitations first. ¡°It¡¯s really strange.¡± It was understandable that everyone was surprised. Grey Howard, a longtime enemy of the Thebe Empire, was a prince of the kingdom, one that Kane particularly hated. It was strange to suddenly invite Prince Grey. [That creepy snake decided to screw me again this time. Sooner or later, I¡¯ll have to destroy that kingdom.] After all, it was always just words. Anyway, Kane gritted his teeth in astonishment whenever the Prince was mentioned. But, why did he want to invite him so suddenly? Come to think of it, the hair color of Prince Grey was red. Was it because Kane was crazy about Sola that he had come to like red hair? ¡®I guess so.¡¯ Rodelia, who was struggling alone, smirked in despair. ¡®Then it¡¯s none of my business now, is it?¡¯ Feeling it was an unnecessary concern, she decided not to care about Kane¡¯s personal history any longer. It was partly because she didn¡¯t want to expend unnecessary emotion, and partly because she had done everything Kane would let her do to be loved. She soon returned to her dull expression and wrote the invitation with a mindless touch. Having made and sent Prince Grey the last invitation, Rodelia stretched out with her hands in the air. Chapter 12 *** ¡°I¡¯ll have to explain what¡¯s going on.¡± After finishing urgent work, Rodelia was taking a moment to chat with the maids. In the middle of our friendly conversation, the door suddenly opened with a loud bang and Kane with an angry face walked in. The door didn¡¯t even close properly, so a cold wind blew into the room. ¡°¡­¡­ Your Majesty, what are you doing?¡± Perhaps because she was too perplexed, the words came out sharply. She felt discomfort and sighed. How many times has she and Kane met with unpleasantness already? This time, too, it was still painful to watch him scream so loudly. Setting her glass down, Rodelia slowly approached Kane. She could hear the nervous maids swallowing their saliva loudly at the cold atmosphere. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Kane recited with a scowl as he thrust a crumpled piece of paper in front of Rodelia with the blue vein raised on his neck. His actions were somewhat embarrassing, but she could not make the same loud noise or show intimidation in front of the maids. Rodelia maintained her composure, her eyes narrowed as she stared at the paper. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the invitation list for the banquet?¡± ¡°You know it very well.¡± ¡°Then why is it?¡± ¡°Empress, you¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know? Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already sent them out, but did I forget someone? I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so angry about this, Your Majesty.¡± Rodelia said coldly with a sigh. Is it just her or does Kane seem to have become more rude after his time with Sola? Her mind is in turmoil. ¡°Rodelia, are you protesting against me?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, control your language. You¡¯re in front of the maids.¡± In his excitement, Kane had just called out her name, the Empress, without paying attention to his surroundings. ¡°Explain yourself.¡± (Kane) ¡°What exactly do you want me to explain? Tell me so I can understand.¡± (Rodelia) ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re going to be stubborn until the end. All right, why did you send an invitation to the prince of the Silver kingdom? The Empress knows better than anyone else what kind of relationship I have with him.¡± Kane said, suppressing his anger at each and every word. He swept his hair roughly and looked annoyed. ¡°Yes ¡­¡­?¡± The faces of Rodelia and the maids twisted in question. Wasn¡¯t it his order? After all this time, she couldn¡¯t understand why Kane reacted the way he did. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what His Majesty ordered?¡± Rodelia, who had been scowling for a while, replied in a calm voice. Kane glared at her sharply. ¡°Didn¡¯t you send your chamberlain?¡± What on earth are you talking about?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Majesty send me the list of attendees?¡± Rodelia said calmly, suppressing her embarrassment. It was a measure that took into account the fact that his judgment had been impaired recently. But Kane didn¡¯t seem to be able to control his emotions. He shouted, expressing more and more emotion. When the hell did I do that? ! Empress, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re doing this because of Sola?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you to wait and trust me for a little while longer, I¡¯ll explain it to you.¡± What in the world did he want her to wait for? Rodelia lightly touched her forehead as if she was troubled. It was ridiculous, but that didn¡¯t mean she could be just as angry as him, the emperor. She didn¡¯t answer, but kept her emotions in check, and Kane sighed roughly. His next words were enough to stir up uncontrollable emotions. ¡°I had no idea you were so narrow-minded. It¡¯s disappointing.¡± What does he mean narrow-minded? Kane shamelessly said anything to Rodelia without thinking about her dignity. Her body began to tremble with shame. Hadn¡¯t she been trying her best to fit her position as Empress to please Kane? To have his love? Therefore, she had also steadily built up a reputation worthy of the position of Empress. Who was it that brought it all down in an instant? Rodelia bit her lower lip, trying to calm her trembling body. She couldn¡¯t decide if it was because it was Kane who said terrible things, or if she just didn¡¯t want to hear terrible things, or if she was sad. Rodelia squeezed her eyes shut. When she couldn¡¯t say anything, Viscountess Cohen, who couldn¡¯t stand to watch, spoke up. ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Majesty send a list of banquet invitations to the Empress? I¡¯m sure of it. It was stamped with Your Majesty¡¯s seal.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I saw it clearly. The Empress was thinking about it for a long time too before sending it out.¡± The other maids joined in to defend Rodelia, and Kane did not pursue the matter any further. It was already a situation that could not be contained. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Rodelia¡¯s face became as hard as ice. Kane really didn¡¯t seem to know about the invitation list, but then there was only one person who would forge even the emperor¡¯s seal to frame her. ¡°How do you intend to pay the price?¡± If Rodelia¡¯s prediction was correct, it was obvious that Sola had played such a trick. But Kane wouldn¡¯t believe her when she said it. ¡°What good would it have done for me to invite Prince Grey to compete with Your Majesty? It seems that someone is trying to make things worse between you and me.¡± The quiet but cold voice sounded like a person with no emotions. How much effort she put into that voice. ¡°Who in the world ¡­¡­?!¡± ¡°I think you know that better than I do, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Does the Empress suspect Sola now?¡± ¡°Your Majesty should catch the culprit.¡± She made a constant effort not to show any signs of frustration. At some point, Rodelia returned to her seat and handed Kane a cup of tea with a graceful hand. She was calm and her voice was dry. ¡°What is this?! Empress, are you trying to play a trick on me now?¡± Kane frowned at the cup she handed him. Did he get angry because she suspected his mistress? Or he wanted to make her day miserable? She thought about all kinds of things, but tried to pretend to be as calm as possible and tried her best to manage her expression. She spoke in a calm voice. ¡°How dare I? Then again, Your Majesty, no matter how little your affection has for me, I hope you don¡¯t treat me emotionally like this from now on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ¡­¡­ did the Empress really love me? How can you be so nonchalant about it?¡± Kane swept his hair with a shocked look on his face. Rodelia couldn¡¯t understand him more and more like that. Wasn¡¯t it Kane who had let her go first? Didn¡¯t he treat her casually first? It was funny, really. She still loves him, that was for sure. But that feeling and pride were two different things. Asking for affection from someone who didn¡¯t love her was like begging, was it not? And since Rodelia was the Empress, she couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°Then should I beg for your affection, Your Majesty?¡± At her stern response, everyone around her quickly turned cold. Even the maids had not expected her to come on so strong, and gasped. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re nothing to me enough to beg for affection? If you knew how hard I try, you wouldn¡¯t treat me this way.¡± Kane¡¯s words stabbed Rodelia like an arrow. She had faith that Kane would at least extend the same courtesy to the Empress. And yet, to hurt her with such one-sided words¡­ The difference between his past kindness and his present was even more stark. What efforts are you making, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to Your Majesty anymore, so I would like you to leave.¡± She didn¡¯t want him to see the tears that had formed in her eyes. Rodelia deliberately turned her back on him. ¡°¡­¡­ We¡¯ll talk again soon. I¡¯ll look into the invitation again. It can¡¯t be helped since it¡¯s already happened, but I hope you¡¯ll act prudently like an Empress next time.¡± With that, Kane¡¯s footsteps gradually faded into the distance. The maids gathered around Rodelia. Her legs trembled with fear that she had pushed him away, and that perhaps he hated her more. She could have collapsed right away with her current condition, but Rodelia quickly managed her facial expression and smiled bitterly at the maids. ¡°Shall we finish up then¡­?¡± ***** Despite the quietness of the emperor¡¯s office and the excellent soundproofing, a deadly voice leaked out to the outside. The lights leaked in from the setting sun, filling the room with a faint blush. Maybe that was why he felt so uncomfortable. Kane looked at Ferna across the table and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Ferna, how do you do your job? Is it true that you have brought the invitation list to the Empress?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Ferna only bowed his head with a look of uncertainty on his face. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as fear struck him. Kane¡¯s expression was full of anger as he asked about the invitation list. His voice was also low. He tapped the table with his long fingers in a crackling motion as he waited for Ferna¡¯s answer. ¡°You¡¯d better answer quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve only been in the Office to deal with the remaining paperwork.¡± Kane¡¯s patience seemed to have hit bottom. Ferna, who had been squirming, looked innocent. His gestures were coquettish and his voice was firm. Kane and Ferna had been close since they were children. His face would turn red when he lied, so Kane had no choice but to believe him. There was no reason for Ferna to frame the Empress. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. The chamberlain has never left the office for even a moment while I¡¯ve been reading.¡± And Sola, who was sitting on the bed with her chin propped up watching them with interest, interrupted. At her words, Ferna¡¯s innocence was assured. Kane clasped his temples in his large hands in confusion. ¡°So you¡¯re saying the Empress is lying?¡± But it was Kane who knew better than anyone that Rodelia was not such a person. ¡®What am I thinking¡­.¡¯ Quickly dispelling any doubts, Kane asked in a firm tone. ¡°Then who in the world brought the wrong invitation list to the Empress? The Empress and her attendants all said that Ferna had indeed brought it to them.¡± Rising from the bed and walking slowly over, Sola patted Kane on the cheek. Her hands were chillingly cold, and every gesture was dangerous. ¡°Hmm. ¡­¡­ Maybe she was trying to play her own game to frame me. I¡¯m sure the Empress knows well how Your Majesty and I get along.¡± Chapter 13 *** ¡°¡­¡­ Ferna, get out.¡± Kane sent Ferna out, who was at a loss. It was impossible to have a proper conversation in his presence. After Ferna left, Kane¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You did this, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why would I do that? It¡¯s not in my best interest¡­. ¡­¡­ and I¡¯m not capable of that.¡± The hand that had been lightly stroking Kane¡¯s face went to Kane¡¯s chest. Sola, who had been mumbling as she patted down his firm chest, quickly tore off Kane¡¯s shirt. The shirt, made of silk, was torn so easily that its value was lost on his face. Red fresh blood poured out of his chest, scratched by Sola¡¯s sharp nails, but such things were not noticeable. Kane¡¯s skin had turned so black that it was hard to believe it was human skin. The poison that had first stopped only on his arms now covered his entire chest and tried to climb up his neck. ¡°Oh my¡­¡­¡± Sola¡¯s startled expression slowly turned, reaching Kane¡¯s swaying eyes. Kane flinched at the sight of her eyes, darker than the night sky. ¡°Pfft. ¡­¡­.¡± Sola¡¯s expression hardened in an instant, and she laughed horrifyingly. Her seductive gaze landed on Kane¡¯s chest. Feeling her gaze on him, Kane clenched his fists. ¡°It¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ What the hell happened to Ferna?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not me. It hurts me to hear you say this over and over again.¡± Sola gave a meaningful laugh and grabbed Kane¡¯s arm. It was tantamount to a threat not to go against one¡¯s nerves anymore. Kane¡¯s jaw clenched tightly. Sola watched him and covered her mouth with one hand. ¡°You¡¯re a good boy. You know you¡¯re really, really attractive, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me such a sharp look. I might get hurt.¡± Sola wrapped her thin arms around Kane¡¯s neck and looked up at him seductively. ¡°You¡¯ll die from this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Today, you will embrace me.¡± Sola¡¯s red lips reached for Kane¡¯s ear. Her lewd voice crept into his ear. He felt ashamed that he couldn¡¯t do anything like this. What would the emperor of the empire do? He couldn¡¯t even rebel, he was just playing along like this. I clenched my fist and a muscle jutted out. ¡°What would you do if you couldn¡¯t even tell the truth to the Empress you love so much¡± Sola brushed his dark skin with a pitying expression. It felt as if his skin burned with every touch. Kane moaned in pain. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you really believe that the Empress will wait for you?¡± ¡°¡­. Of course. The Empress will understand.¡± Kane was a self-centered man. He had always been in a position of superiority, and he assumed love was the same. He believed that Rodelia would understand him even if he didn¡¯t explain anything to her. He was the only one who knew her. He knew Rodelia¡¯s hurt better than anyone, and he used it to his advantage. Kane was that kind of man. ¡°Really? I think it would be the love of the century if someone hears it. You chose power, but it¡¯s an arrogant idea.¡± Sola scoffed at Kane. She moved even closer to Kane and whispered sweetly. Then she seduced Kane to embrace her quickly. Still he made no slightest movement, and Sola, who had gently furrowed her brow, said again in a sharp tone. ¡°You must have been in a lot of pain. You¡¯ve been refusing me so much for a few days. Look at this.¡­. If the empress sees this, she will be very heartbroken. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Sola looked at Kane, who was stiff with tension, and then mumbled, ¡°It will spread all over your body soon.¡± Then she headed for the bedroom. **** ¡°Empress, I heard that Grand Duke Aisen is going to stay at the Imperial Palace for a while.¡± ¡°I see.¡± That¡¯s right. It¡¯s time to come. By the way, Baroness Verna, why did she say that? Nodding casually, Rodelia answered reflexively. ¡®I didn¡¯t think it was a big deal.¡¯ It was because she was too sleepy and was sorting through the list of noble guests who had been invited. But when she thought about it again, she felt something was wrong. With a curious look on her face, she looked up and asked back. ¡°Who did you say was going to stay?¡± ¡°Oh, Grand Duke Aisen, Your Majesty.¡± Baroness Verna¡¯s eyes fluttered as Rodelia asked again. ¡°Grand Duke¡­¡­?¡± She stared at the maidservants with wide eyes at the unexpected news. The maids left the unresponsive Rodelia to take stock of the situation, and again seemed relieved by her reaction. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m terrified. I thought something had happened to you.¡± ¡°Oh. I was wondering how I should react¡­ ¡­. I thought the Empress didn¡¯t care anymore. It seems that Princess Sola has made a request to His Majesty.¡± ¡°The Princess really does ask for a lot of things. So does Grand Duke Aisen. Why in the world would he want to enter the palace?¡± The maids were in an uproar. Rodelia was also curious about Cerdian¡¯s intentions. Why would he want to stay in the palace of all places, leaving the Grand Ducal Palace, which was said to be more magnificent than the Imperial Palace, behind? Is it because of the upcoming banquet? Or does he have something else in mind? It was clear that it was not good news. Rodelia averted her gaze and pretended to be nonchalant as she moved through the pile of papers. ¡°So when did he say he was going to stay?¡± ¡°That ¡­¡­ starts today, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Today?¡± Rodelia¡¯s hand, which had been flipping through papers, paused. She raised her head and looked at the maids. ¡°Yes, we just heard.¡± Rodelia frowned. ¡®How can you ask such an important fact through the maidservants? And now you¡¯re telling me all this today?¡¯ What was the meaning of the title of Empress? What was once such a proud position has now become nothing more than an apparent seat. It was as if everything had been taken away from her since the arrival of Sola. She had tried so hard to be a suitable wife for Kane. But to come back and be treated so poorly¡­. Rodelia smiled bitterly. ¡°And¡­His Majesty ordered you to come to dinner with Grand Duke Aisen today.¡± Viscountess Cohen spoke cautiously to the scowling Rodelia. It was something she knew would make Rodelia feel more uncomfortable, but it was an order that had to be delivered. ¡°There¡¯s not much time left.¡± ¡°Yes, you have to get ready quickly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go¡­. Can you send the message. I¡¯m not feeling well and I can¡¯t attend.¡± She didn¡¯t want to eat in such a cramped seat, and Sola would be there. It was obvious that her stomach would be upset. The Viscountess nodded her head in understanding. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll tell them¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not going to happen. Your Majesty must be at the dinner table.¡± A familiar voice coming from the door spoiled Rodelia¡¯s mood. ¡°Chamberlain Ferna¡­?¡± The maids frowned in unison as they looked at the open door. They glared at Ferna as he entered the Empress¡¯s room without knocking. Viscountess Cohen turned to look for the servants who were guarding outside, but they had all left their seats and the hallway was quiet. ¡°It is not for you to decide, Ferna. And how dare you enter the Empress¡¯s room without permission¡­¡­. ¡° In the history of the empire, there has never been a time when a chamberlain dared to enter the empress¡¯s room without permission. Besides, he even eavesdropped on their conversation. No matter how many times she had collapsed recently, the Florence family was still alive and well behind her. ¡°It is the Emperor¡¯s order that you must attend the dinner.¡± Rodelia, offended by the one-sided call, raised herself from the bed and looked at Ferna with cold eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you. I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°It is not the Empress¡¯s decision to make. Whether the Empress is not feeling well or has a funeral, she cannot freely violate His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± It was ridiculous. The look in Ferna¡¯s eyes as he said this imperiously to Rodelia was one of obvious disregard. It was appalling, but as a person who had recently been through just about everything, something like this wasn¡¯t that shocking. Rodelia approached Ferna with a casual glance. ¡°Ferna.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Ferna looked down at Rodelia with a look that said, ¡°what can you do?¡± He normally didn¡¯t like Rodelia. It was because the Marquis of Florence had beaten his family, the Marquis of Collide, and produced an empress, but as far as he was concerned, there was no reason to politely serve an empress who had already lost her power. A sneaky smile spread across Ferna¡¯s lips, which had somehow gained momentum. He didn¡¯t show any of the frightened, timid look he had when he was with the emperor. ¡°I will wait for you, please prepare¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m on equal footing with His Majesty. So you don¡¯t have the authority to take me with you.¡± As Rodelia spoke, cutting him off, Ferna¡¯s thin lips, which had been moving deliberately arrogantly, stopped. He looked down at Rodelia with his mouth hanging open. ¡°What?¡± ¡°So if you want me to come, ask His Majesty to come in person.¡± Chapter 14 *** ¡°So if you want me to come, tell His Majesty to come in person.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Now leave.¡± Rodelia¡¯s cold gaze entered Ferna¡¯s murky brown eyes. The Empress, who had been so compassionate, gave off an air of intimidation that had never been seen before. ¡®Is it because she¡¯s Marquis Florence¡¯s descendant?¡¯ Ferna retreated in fear. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear the words, ¡°Get out¡±?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes¡­¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but reply, confused by the fact that he¡¯d backed away without even knowing it himself. After Ferna left, Rodelia subconsciously fixed her expression brighter. She invoked a kind of defensive temperament that prevented her from looking sweet, but it made her feel even more unhappy. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m afraid something will happen to you if you continue like this. Why don¡¯t you go out to dinner pretending that you can¡¯t win? Ferna¡¯s expression was unusual earlier. It¡¯s the same as the last time we had the invitation list incident.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The emperor has not said anything, so it seems that he intends to let it go. After all, he is a very capable chamberlain. I guess it¡¯s a casual thing.¡± Baroness Verna hesitated and expressed her opinion. Other maids also expressed their sympathy. They felt that if Rodelia continued to disobey the Emperor¡¯s orders, she would not receive even the basic treatment of the empress. If that was the case, the position of Empress¡¯s chambermaids would no longer be beneficial. Viscountess Cohen and Baroness Verna had been serving the Empress for a long time and would not betray her, but the other servants were different. Once Rodelia¡¯s position was weakened, the servants would no longer stay with her. Baroness Verna thought. ¡®¡¯I see¡­¡­¡± Rodelia understood Baroness Verrna¡¯s thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re right. I still have people to take responsibility for.¡± Noticing the anxiety of the maidservants, Rodelia nodded her head. She knew that the role of ¡°Empress¡± would take precedence over ¡°Rodelia Florence¡± again. The Empress was a person who should not show her emotions recklessly. Rodelia looked out the window with a complicated look in her eyes. *** Cerdian¡¯s gaze slowly shifted along Rodelia¡¯s hand. He traced along the hand that was holding the fork and stayed on her red lips. Rodelia dutifully ate her meal with not a minute¡¯s disturbance in her manners. Surely she could feel the gaze on her. She wondered if the Grand Duke was fine or pretending to be fine after she told him to stay away from her. Probably the latter. However Cerdian was thinking about something else. He was strangely annoyed. ¡®Has she been eating properly?¡¯ Her skinny wrists, visible under her sleeves, also scratched his nerves. Perhaps that was why he spoke impulsively. ¡°Is there anything bad going on?¡± Cerdian¡¯s arrogant voice echoed through the quiet hall. The solitary gaze, which had never once turned towards him, finally followed. ¡°You look very pale, Empress.¡± Rodelia¡¯s forest-like eyes were quiet. ¡°¡­¡­ I¡¯m sure the Grand Duke knows that better than I do.¡± The dry voice came back, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The fact that even an emotionless gaze was directed at him was in itself very comforting. Cerdian laughed at the increasingly insistent gaze. With a graceful hand gesture, Rodelia set down her fork and met his gaze as if she was trying to read his thoughts. A strange atmosphere flowed. ¡°It does not seem to be the time for the Grand Duke to inquire about the Empress¡¯s well-being. Besides, the Empress does not seem to be comfortable with you.¡± Kane, who was watching Cerdian with an unpleasant look, cut off the flow between the two in a hard tone. Cerdian¡¯s gaze, which had been fixed on Rodelia, shifted to the troublesome interrupter. The edge of Kane¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Cerdian knew that look well. It was the look of someone with obsession. His parents had that look. But they didn¡¯t know what it was exactly that they desired. ¡®You (Kane) chose power, but you can¡¯t give up Rodelia Florence?¡¯ Cerdian lowered his gaze at the plate in front of him, as if he couldn¡¯t stand the fact that Kane was the only one who could say anything about it. He looked at the steak that had so much blood on it and thought. ¡®He¡¯s more greedy than I thought¡­¡¯ ¡°So I guess you¡¯re more of a problem here, Grand Duke.¡± (Kane) ¡®You¡¯ve gone too far.¡¯ (Cerdian) A fine wavelength arose on Cerdian¡¯s face, as still as the dawn air. ¡®It¡¯s not a good look to try to have something you don¡¯t deserve.¡¯ ¡°Are you mocking me now?¡± (Cerdian) Cerdian, recognizing Kane¡¯s voice with anger in it, asked, still placing his gaze on the plate. ¡°Of course not.¡± (Kane) ¡®I¡¯m feeling pretty bad right now.¡¯ (Cerdian) Laughter started to flow out, an emotion Cerdian hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. A different emotion from earlier was in his red eyes. The strangely weary voice, the way he looked past Kane to Rodelia, a longing was reflected in his casual gaze¡­ A streak of blood popped and swelled on Kane¡¯s neck as he understood the gaze. ¡°¡­.. Anyway, since it¡¯s between the emperor and the empress, it¡¯s not something for the Grand Duke to care about. I appreciate your concern, but let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Kane¡¯s voice was stuck in Cerdian¡¯s ear as Kane tried to appear nonchalant. ¡°I just thought the Empress¡¯s expression was suspicious and as a good friend I was a little concerned, but your reaction was terrible.¡± Cerdian smiled crookedly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have created an uncomfortable position with the mistress, even for the sake of saving face. You didn¡¯t think much.¡± Cerdian tilted his head. His low voice that dared to cut the emperor¡¯s words even contained a condescending taunt. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, since the Empress is not the kind of person who cares about such low-grade feelings, and therefore low-quality jealousy.¡± Kane averted his gaze and lifted his fork again. It was also a silent warning, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Cerdian was curious. How far would such an emperor show his true feelings? So he thought he¡¯d provoke his pride a little more. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The low voice rang out again, and Kane frowned, setting his fork down. He cleared his throat a couple of times to tell Cerdian to stop. The sight was very funny. The taunting Cerdian slowly opened his mouth. ¡°You have a tendency to make decisions on your own, don¡¯t you? Well, that¡¯s a good thing for an emperor. Because that is how an emperor is supposed to be.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not how people feel.¡± When he saw Kane¡¯s face turning red with anger, Cerdian added. ¡°Even the emperor can¡¯t control a single moment of emotion and raise his voice like this.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if you¡¯re jealous.¡± Kane¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. Cerdian¡¯s words seemed to get to him. His face stiffened further at Cerdian¡¯s subsequent words. ¡°But the emperor is of noble blood and would not be jealous of such frivolity and vulgarity.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°There are many eyes here.¡± Cerdian¡¯s cold gaze turned to the attendants around him. They bowed their heads, their whole bodies trembled as if the leaves on the trees were shaking. Perhaps when the feast was over, the attendants would have their tongues cut out or lose their lives. This was to prevent words about the emperor who was beaten by the Grand Duke from leaking out. This was the method of Kane Bayard, the most powerful emperor in the Thebe Empire¡¯s history. Would Rodelia Florence know this cowardly emperor? ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡± Cerdian¡¯s gaze remained distant the entire time, directed at Rodelia. Kane, who was even angrier at the sight, eventually raised his voice. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll cut you some slack because you¡¯re Sola¡¯s brother!¡± Rodelia shook her head at Cerdian, not wanting him to offend Kane any further, but it didn¡¯t matter to Cerdian whatsoever. Cerdian continued to speak slowly, a sneer on his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve never asked for Your Majesty¡¯s consideration.¡± It was an obvious disregard for the emperor. ¡°You¡­¡­!¡± Kane, no longer able to hold back his anger, kicked his seat and stood up. The only sound in the quiet, still hall was the clatter of chairs hammering on the marble floor. Kane walked with large strides to the corner of the hall. The sound of metal meshing against metal as his body shook echoed. In one fluid motion, Kane drew the sword from the statue of the knight standing in the hall. Up until that moment, Cerdian was still relaxed. He even gave Kane a pity look as if he was looking at a child. It was only a moment later that Kane, further exasperated by his attitude, approached him and pointed the sword at his neck. ¡°Grand Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± There was no fear, no respect, much less courtesy in his voice. Kane gritted his teeth. ¡°Do you think I will cut your throat with this sword? Tell me.¡± The angry voice rang out quietly. ¡°May I speak frankly?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kane could have plunged his sword into Cerdian, who remained unperturbed to the end. ¡°Please stop.¡± A calm voice added to the frighteningly calm atmosphere. The two men¡¯s gazes turned towards the end of the table. ¡°Empress? How can you ¡­¡­?¡± Kane stared at Rodelia in disbelief. In any case, it was Kane who was holding the sword, so he must have felt Rodelia was on Cerdian¡¯s side. Rodelia did not avoid Kane¡¯s gaze. Cerdian, who was staring at her, chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s not fun.¡± (Cerdian) A low voice, devoid of any emotion, leaked out. Cerdian pushed the tip of the blade away from his neck with his long forefinger, and his eyes cold. Red blood trickled down, but he didn¡¯t seem to care. Eventually standing up, Cerdian looked down at Kane with emotionless eyes. ¡°Thank you for the welcome meal. But I can¡¯t swallow the food at a place like this. Next time, I¡¯ll avoid such meals. It¡¯s uncomfortable for all of us.¡± ¡°Grand Duke¡­!¡± ¡°This time, I will ask the question. So how long do you think you¡¯ll be able to keep the Empress?¡± Gently bowing down, Cerdian asked quietly so that only Kane could hear. Leaving Kane behind him, who turned deadly pale in an instant, he took his cold steps. Chapter 15 *** *** The Bartle Mountains leading from the north gate of the Imperial Palace were steep. Crossing the mountain range, it would lead to the Grand Duchy of Eisen, but no one dared to approach it easily. Aside from the terrain, the thick fog and vicious beasts were rampant all year round, so getting somewhat lost or losing your life was a common occurrence. Kane had generously offered Cerdian the guest palace at the north gate. No one thought it was a complete favor. The palace was now almost abandoned. [I¡¯m sure you miss your homeland, but let¡¯s take comfort in the mist.] It was only because it was close to his estate. Cerdian loosened the tight cravat and handed it over to the attendant next to him. As his steps took him to the north gate, he recalled what happened earlier. ¡®After being betrayed like that, do you (Rodelia) still have feelings for him?¡¯ He didn¡¯t like the way Rodelia defended the emperor in front of him, as if she was afraid he would get hurt. The stupid emperor didn¡¯t seem to know that. The sight of her kept bothering him. Maybe it was his impatience, maybe it was the faint fear that he would never have her after all. The fear that he would struggle and die in this horrible pain for the rest of his life. He thought he would never feel the feeling of fear in his life. Cerdian chuckled to himself. Then he heard the sound of thin, rasping steps. ¡°Grand Duke.¡± Hiding his example, he looked back at the clear, calm voice he was now used to hearing. **** After Cerdian left, even Sola hurried out of her seat, leaving only a heavy silence in the hall. ¡±Empress ¡­¡­How can you humiliate me like that?¡± Kane shouted to Rodelia, his expression fixed and motionless. Then, he swept his hair roughly as if he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡®I was just worried about you.¡¯ She didn¡¯t say anything behind his back. No, she couldn¡¯t. Maybe it was her pride, but she couldn¡¯t get it out of her throat. Kane snickered at Rodelia¡¯s inability to say anything. ¡°I see you are already close to the Grand Duke. The Grand Duke called you his best friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡­¡± ¡°Do you have an excuse?¡± Looking at the sarcastic Kane, Rodelia kept her mouth shut. Does it matter if she comes up with an excuse? He wasn¡¯t going to listen to it anyway. Rodelia replied calmly with a fake smile on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll go now.¡± She noticed that Kane¡¯s expression was more hardened, but she didn¡¯t care. She wanted him to feel what it¡¯s like to be left alone. * * Rodelia was on her way back to the Empress¡¯ palace when she spotted Cerdian, who had left earlier. Untying the cravat and handing it over to the servant, he was perfect as usual. ¡®I¡¯m in such danger.¡¯ Was he not feeling well? Rodelia impulsively approached Cerdian. ¡°Grand Duke.¡± Cerdian turned around slowly. His silver hair was dancing in the wind, and his casual expression was very beautiful. So she was even more frustrated. She didn¡¯t like the way he cold heartedly dug into her quiet mind. If he didn¡¯t say anything, Kane would have continued to hide it, and she would continue to live without knowing anything. Rodelia grabbed her dress and looked at Cerdian. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of emotions and him. ¡°What is it¡­¡± Cerdian gestured to the attendant next to him to leave and opened his mouth. Contrary to the expectation that it would be nothing, Cerdian¡¯s voice was edgy. The panicked Rodelia clenched her lips and asked in the same sharp voice. ¡°Are you planning to take revenge on me for refusing your favor?¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± Cerdian laughed for a moment, as if he had heard a funny story. ¡°Revenge¡­How dare I take revenge on the empress? That¡¯s a very interesting imagination.¡± He stepped closer to Rodelia. There was already a hint of amusement in Cerdian¡¯s cold face as she looked closer. ¡°So, why on earth¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Are you trying to tell me why I¡¯ve offended the Emperor?¡± A low voice drifted into her ears. Rodelia¡¯s gaze followed him closely. It was so close that she could hear his breath. Really, really only Cerdian was in her field of vision. She had to avoid his eyes, but somehow she didn¡¯t want to. She was always the one who avoided his eyes first. But she didn¡¯t want to do it today. When Rodelia faced him silently, without avoiding his eyes, there was a hint of interest in his eyes. The expression on his face, as he met her gaze with his red eyes that seemed to contain the sun, was subtly distorted for a moment. It was Cerdian who averted his gaze first. ¡®Why on earth?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll reply later.¡± After leaving the incomprehensible words behind, Cerdian hid his confusion and hardened his expression and moved away. Her gaze didn¡¯t move for a long time after he left. **** Confusion gave way to action. Returning to the room, Cerdian took off his jacket and left it at random. It was an action he would never have taken under normal circumstances. Sitting down on the couch, Cerdian tilted the bottle of whiskey on the table. ¡®Why did you offend the emperor?¡¯ At first he thought Rodelia¡¯s question was strange. He already knew the answer. Of course, it was for fun. But he couldn¡¯t answer anything as he looked into Rodelia¡¯s deep green eyes, wanting to admire her broken expression. He realized that he hadn¡¯t just done something impulsive for fun. He was perplexed. So he walked away as if to escape. He didn¡¯t want her to see him in a state of disarray. Cerdian emptied the bottle of whiskey and admitted while looking at the bright silvery moon shining through the window. He didn¡¯t know exactly what this unpleasant sensation, emotion, meant. Rodelia Florence, because it bothered him that she would give her heart to such a fool. **** After a tiring meal, Rodelia returned to her room, exhausted, and lay on her back on the bed. A cool but fluffy blanket wrapped around her body. Gradually, the tension began to dissipate and the events of the day entered her mind all at once. ¡°Cerdian Eisen¡­¡­.¡± Rodelia murmured his name in a small voice, one that had been familiar to her for some time. As Empress, she had to deal with all types of people in a resolute manner. Some of them were obsessively handsome, and some scratched her nerves. But they came and went without any problems. But there was something distinctly different about Cerdian. He had always bothered her. Why? Even though the Grand Duchy of Eisen had a great influence on the Empire, it was still a grand duchy at best. You might think that imperial blood might have that level of influence, but it wasn¡¯t because of imperial blood that the Eisens were able to receive the Grand Dukedom. It was just because it was a family that had done an enormous contribution at the founding of the country. But somehow, at the time of the founding of the country, the Grand Duke of Eisen could reign almost like an emperor. ¡®Seeing as Kane is willing to go that far, I think it¡¯s the same now¡­¡­¡­. It¡¯s definitely something.¡¯ Rodelia frowned as she placed the back of her hand on her forehead. One of the things she had learned about the history of the Empire was that even among historians, the former Grand Duke of Eisen had a distinctly different reputation. Some said that he just didn¡¯t care about power and abandoned his position as emperor, while others thought that he left all the troublesome matters to the emperor and wielded absolute power behind his back. Importantly, none of these opinions ever disparaged the former Grand Duke of Eisen. Of course, their own chilly atmosphere, befitting their reputation, played a role. However, their prestige gradually waned over time, and the children of the Grand Duke began to live on their estates until they reached adulthood. As a result, rumors began to circulate that a strange curse might have been placed on the Grand Duke for the crime of repeated killings. Taking advantage of this, the checks and balances of the other nobles were like a poke in the sky. However, as if to show off that the Eisen House was in good shape, every time they were threatened, they destroyed the nobles who underestimated their position. No matter how much so, the emperor cannot be taken against recklessly. However, the current Grand Duke, Cerdian, was different. As soon as he came of age, he made his presence known. ¡®Cerdian may have a desire for power.¡¯ He acted like a man who had no qualms about it. Kane was no different. He couldn¡¯t stand up to Cerdian because of what he feared. The most powerful emperor of all time, Kane Bayard. ¡®Surely there¡¯s something I don¡¯t know.¡¯ It was the same for Sola. Why should she be so afraid of her own siblings? In the end, nothing was good. Rodelia stopped thinking and covered her eyes with her cold hands. She shouldn¡¯t be sleeping like this, but her body was getting heavier and heavier, and her consciousness was fading. ¡°¡­¡­ Really, it¡¯s strange.¡± **** ¡°Ah!¡± When Rodelia woke up at dawn, her forehead was covered with cold sweat, as if she had had a bad dream. She staggered up with a pale face and sat down at the table. Puzzled, she quickly reached for the kettle with trembling hands and poured the tea. It was only when the cup was overfilled and the tea wetted her hand that she finally came to her senses. Her mouth was dry. She sipped the tea, remembering the dream. It was a strange dream. It was too vivid to be a dream, too unreal to be reality. She was in a small, dimly lit room with a feeling of something staring at her all the time, and an unrecognizable fear tightened around her. She couldn¡¯t see ahead, so she couldn¡¯t run away or know the reality of it. ¡°Nightmare¡­?¡± She hadn¡¯t had any nightmares lately, and her body felt weak. A cold sweat broke out again down her dry spine as she thought of the dream. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but she felt as if someone was staring at her, and she turned her head and looked towards the window. For a moment, her green eyes met those bright red eyes. Chapter 16 *** *** ¡°Your Majesty, you look very pale, did you have a bad dream last night?¡± Viscountess Cohen asked with a worried expression when she saw Rodelia¡¯s pale face. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­ no, I had a nightmare.¡± She clearly remembered falling down from the table, but when she opened her eyes, she was in bed. Was that even a dream? Her body trembled at a strange feeling. Seeing her pale complexion over the course of the day, the maids were very worried. Or perhaps it was because of something bad that had happened at the dinner. ¡°Your Majesty, could it be because of what happened at the dinner yesterday?¡± ¡°I heard that the Emperor pointed his sword at Grand Duke Eisen?¡± ¡°Oh, ¡­¡­ yes, he did.¡± Contrary to the worries of the maids, she had forgotten all about what had happened at the dinner. It was because she was only preoccupied with the strange dream she had last night. ¡°Is it true, Your Majesty? Oh, now there¡¯s a rumor going around that the Grand Duke won¡¯t look down on you¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Rodelia opened her eyes wide at the unexpected news. ¡°Rumors are already spreading throughout the palace. It¡¯s as good as pushing Grand Duke Eisen¡­¡­ Anyway, His Majesty is amazing, too. He treats Princess¡¯s brother like that.¡± ¡°Did the ¡­¡­ rumors turn out that way?¡± It seemed that Kane had taken care of it. Otherwise, there was no way he would have started such a false rumor. It seemed that his intention was to suppress the rumor before the fact spread. It was a kind of show to make the emperor look good. Rodelia bit her lips. She hated Kane for always putting his own interests first. ¡®You ignore my dignity like that¡­¡¯ Her fists tightened. ¡°I heard that the Princess stopped His Majesty and he let the Grand Duke live. ¡­¡­¡­Anyway, it¡¯s good to see the Empress wasn¡¯t involved.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± However, Rodelia was the one who stopped the Emperor from killing the Grand Duke. Was it Kane¡¯s consideration that there is no rumor? Or¡­ A strange feeling of discomfort crept into Rodelia¡¯s senses. ¡°In any case, if you are deeply troubled by yesterday¡¯s events, do not worry. There are no bad rumors about the Empress.¡± Baroness Verna waved her hand and giggled as she poured the tea. ¡°Is that so¡­¡­ Are there any other rumors?¡± ¡°Rumors about the Princess, but not bad news for Your Majesty. It is said that Princess Eisen has been humiliated by the Grand Duke, and that the brother and sister do not seem to get along well. I don¡¯t know anything about that house. ¡­.¡± The Baroness murmured as she handed Rodelia a hot cup of tea. ¡°A disgrace? What kind of¡­¡­¡± The sweet scent of tea wafted to her nose. Wrinkling her brow, Rodelia gently set the teacup down. Unless something happened to her memory, Sola had no stake in yesterday¡¯s incident. ¡®What do you mean disgrace?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll¡­.¡± The Baroness slurred her words. Rodelia¡¯s brows contracted. The problem was that there were no rumors about her. Rumors that spread as if she had no power to use in the situation. It was as if the intention was to deliberately suppress the empress¡¯s power. ¡®Kane is so far ¡­¡­.¡¯ She felt like he had completely abandoned her. Her throat began to dry up. After gulping down a suitably cooled cup of tea, she walked over to the window. Then she opened the window to relieve her frustration. A cool breeze leaked in and filled her lungs. It was then that the thoughts that had been clogging her finally were removed, piece by piece. The scenery piled up as it was in Rodelia¡¯s empty eyes as she lifted her long eyelashes and looked out the window. Before she knew it, outside the window was as desolate as her own mind. The branches of the dead trees were all in a state of thinness. Wasn¡¯t it like her own situation? ¡®When will this heart be better¡­¡­?¡¯ She could not define her heart either. It was a jumble of all kinds of dirty emotions. Of course, the majority of the feelings were for Kane, but now she even had mixed feelings of doubt for Cerdian. Rodelia let out a small sigh. Puzzled by her pitiful back, the maids approached Rodelia with a blanket neatly folded on the bed. The blanket was gently draped over her frail body.Viscountess Cohen gave her a bitter look. Rodelia smiled faintly at the worried faces of the maids. ¡°Your Majesty, you are going to catch a cold. Should I tell them to light the fireplace?¡± Speaking of which, she felt a creeping shiver run through her. Probably because her body was chilled from the cold sweat she shed last night. ¡°Will you do that for me?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll get it ready.¡± Rodelia nodded in the affirmative, and the maids left the room at once. They did not want to disturb her personal time. Only the sound of the chilly wind filled the quiet room. Rodelia, who was still in the wind, smiled bitterly. The fierce wind seemed to be chiding her. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t have gone like that.¡¯ **** ¡°Your Majesty, this is enough.¡± ¡°Yes, please wait a moment.¡± Rodelia replied formally, not taking her eyes off the papers. The Imperial Palace was in the final stage of preparing for the banquet. She had been even more methodical in her work lately, due to the compulsion she had developed to do her best, and the preparations for the banquet were going crazy, and the maids had to stop her. However, she was not fazed by the maids¡¯ concern. She checked meticulously even the parts she didn¡¯t pay attention to yet, and even looked at the order of the banquet several times. ¡®I can¡¯t let him take away the Empress¡¯s position.¡¯ Being an Empress was like her last rope. Unlike the previous emperors¡¯ concubines who were ordinary commoners or lower class nobles, Sola was the only official lady in the empire. This meant that she could take the Empress¡¯s place at any time. Since all the high-ranking nobles, except the Marquis of Florence, were on the Eisen¡¯s side, it was only natural that Rodelia¡¯s anxiety would gradually grow. [Be an empress whose name will remain in history for a long time, and raise the dignity of the Florence family.] The Marquis of Florence¡¯ terrible voice was stuck in her head. Rodelia closed her eyes softly. Her long, finely eyelashes shook. She didn¡¯t show it to the maids in case they were worried, but she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that anxiety was eating away at her heart. ¡°There is no need for you all to stay with me.¡± ¡°How is that possible¡­¡­.. How can we play while Your Majesty is at work?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t thinking about you guys at all.¡± It was then that Rodelia saw the damaged faces of the maids. She couldn¡¯t believe she overworked her own people. That was really messed up as an empress. ¡°Um¡­..Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you pick another maid?¡± Baroness Verna spoke up cautiously. It was just what Rodelia had been considering. After all, with one of the maids gone, they had their hands full with everything. She was glad that she had told her first. The only problem was that¡­¡­. ¡°It¡¯s a little tough. I¡¯m not sure who the right person is. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve chosen a maid¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. I know the right person for the job. Just as long as you don¡¯t mind the low status family.¡± Viscountess Cohen, who had been silent, spoke up cautiously. Interested in what she had to say, Rodelia looked at her. She knew she could trust anyone the Viscountess would recommend. What does the family¡¯s status have to do with this? ¡°Of course, the family¡¯s status is irrelevant.¡± ¡°Will the Romanov frontier Count¡¯s daughter be alright?¡± ¡°The frontier Count of Romanov?¡± Rodelia¡¯s expression became tinged with seriousness. Now she knew why the Viscountess hesitated. Wasn¡¯t the Frontier Count of Romanov the one who incurred Kane¡¯s wrath and was driven to the border region close to the Silver Kingdom? When she hesitated for a moment, Viscountess Cohen looked frustrated. ¡°I guess not¡­¡­.¡± But it was the one that Viscountess Cohen had recommended. She didn¡¯t know what on earth the Count did wrong that Kane kicked him out, but it was not her business anymore. Rodelia replied with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°What?¡± She smiled and spoke to theViscountess, who said she would find other suitable candidates. ¡°Let¡¯s meet her first.¡± * * Aden, the newly arrived female servant was the daughter of Count Romanov was a good maid, as the Viscountess said. She was sensible for her age, and most of all, she loved Empress Rodelia. ¡°Empress, I am very happy that you have chosen me as your maid.¡± In this way, she poured tea and was charming in a flustered manner. It was fortunate that Rodelia had no time to be melancholy thanks to her. Even though she was a year younger than Rodelia, she could be a bit of a worldly wise woman sometimes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married, Your Majesty. I just want to live a free life without being tied down by men. Live your life, Your Majesty. As a matter of fact, I feel more sorry for you than for me.¡± As Rodelia spent time with her, the thoughts that she had been obsessively thinking about, either of her own volition or through other intentions, began to fall away one by one. Aden said that her dream was to live alone. However, her father didn¡¯t like her idea. However, seeing that she hasn¡¯t married until now, it seemed the Count didn¡¯t force his daughter. It was probably all thanks to him that Aden grew up so free and uninhibited. Rodelia was jealous of Aden. At one time, she wanted to shine like that. From a young age, she lived through a lot of pain to become an empress, and she thought she would shine once she became one. But from the moment she entered the palace, her heart became increasingly dry. She had to hide her true self. She had to be the best empress she could be. All her efforts to obey the many disciplines and rules that had strangled her, to find even a single crack, to endure the many glances of the nobles who had looked at her countless times, had all been to protect Kane¡¯s side. But what was the reward for her efforts? Kane¡¯s betrayal. She couldn¡¯t even remember when she was happy. Did she have such happy memories? A bitter smile spread across Rodelia¡¯s lips. She leaned against the chair for a long time and looked serious, so Viscountess Cohen hesitated again as she delivered the news. It was the beginning of a nightmare. ¡°Your Majesty, the emperor is here to see you.¡± Chapter 17 *** *** Rodelia¡¯s face, which had brightened slightly at Kane¡¯s news, instantly stiffened. She was now more afraid than happy. What else did he come to complain about? ¡°Tell him to come in.¡± She said dryly, touching her temple. The sound of the door opening scratched her ear, and Kane was gradually caught in sight. As expected, it was not a good thing, and his gaze was not satisfactory. As if he was angry, he approached and stood in front of Rodelia. ¡°What brought you here, Your Majesty?¡± Rodelia¡¯s almost resigned voice rang low. As if he didn¡¯t like her question, Kane crossed his arms and spoke in an annoyed voice. ¡°I told you to let Count Polton¡¯s daughter back in. Did you decide not to listen to me?¡± Kane gave Lady Aden a disdainful look. Lady Aden had a striking resemblance to her father, Count Romanov. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Rodelia called Kane as if telling him to stop. ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. But ¡­¡­¡± But even as she held him back, Kane didn¡¯t seem to want to stop. Rodelia lowered her head, touching her tingling head. She was very worried, not knowing what words would come out of Kane¡¯s mouth. All kinds of bad thoughts raced through her head. ¡°Is the Empress out of her mind that she brought in Count Romanov¡¯s daughter?¡± She tried to restrain herself in front of the maids. But the patience that had pushed her to the end was unbearable, and it broke in an instant. It didn¡¯t matter if he was emperor, how could he recklessly spit out words like that in front of the people involved? Deliberately suppressing her anger, Rodelia looked at the maids. Aden¡¯s face had turned white. It was because she had never experienced this kind of insult before due to the fact that she grew up being loved. Rodelia, who was watching her with mixed feelings, let out a small sigh. ¡°I think it would be better if you all stayed out.¡± The maids helped the stunned Aden to her feet and hurried out the room. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re sane now?¡± It was only after confirming that the footsteps of the maids were moving away that a question came out with an absurd voice. ¡°What?¡± Kane gasped and counter-questioned. She was too nervous to get a good look at him earlier, but Rodelia noticed that Kane¡¯s complexion looked a little better than before. Even his sunken cheeks seemed to have fattened up a bit. And so in her heart she felt fortunate that he had regained his complexion. She couldn¡¯t believe she was still worried about him in this situation. She felt very silly. So she deliberately said in a drier voice. ¡°I¡¯ve said this before. I¡¯ll take care of my maids. I don¡¯t know what happened between Your Majesty and Count Romanov, but it¡¯s not about his daughter. So I want you to stop caring.¡± Kane looked flustered at Rodelia¡¯s uncaring way of talking. He didn¡¯t say anything for a while, and his dark eyebrows furrowed to the fullest. ¡°¡­.. Rodelia, were you supposed to talk like this? If so, I¡¯ve known you wrong all this time.¡± It was an unhappy voice. Rodelia¡¯s hands began to shake at his judging attitude, but she didn¡¯t avoid his gaze. ¡°Kane, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any position to say that to me right now.¡± ¡°What¡­..?¡± Kane, who opened his mouth at Rodelia¡¯s adamant attitude, swept his hair wildly. Then, after stepping to the window, he wandered around for a while, as if thinking about something. Sighing, he finally seemed to have made up his mind about something and headed towards the table. Slumped in the chair, Kane looked at Rodelia with a complicated gaze. ¡°Sit down.¡± (Kane) How entwined their gazes were with each other. The tension was tense and Kane opened his mouth first. ¡°It was my mistake. I¡¯m sorry. I have something to tell you.¡± (Kane) Rodelia¡¯s eyes widened. Kane never apologized unless he had to. Perhaps that was why she felt a little better. Slowly, as if she had no choice, Rodelia took a seat. ¡°What is it you want to talk about?¡± However, their relationship had already been twisted. What excuse is he trying to make? ¡°If you¡¯re not going to say anything, then please leave. I have a lot of things to take care of.¡± Despite the fact that Rodelia showed signs of displeasure, Kane didn¡¯t say anything. He just stared at her with deep eyes. ¡®What the hell does he think he¡¯s doing?¡¯ Kane didn¡¯t leave the room or say anything. Tired of waiting, Rodelia swept her hair and said. ¡°Okay, If Your Majesty don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll tell you first.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m slowly forgetting you.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be hurt any more than she already had. Her voice shook as she hid her weakening heart behind. It was the one word that she had kept in her heart for a long time, but had never had the courage to let out. ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± Kane¡¯s face turned a deadly shade of red. He seemed to want her to correct her words immediately, but Rodelia still only stared at him with an indifferent expression. She had actually been thinking about this for the past few days. She just couldn¡¯t find the courage to say it out loud. But when she faced Kane, the courage that had been sinking in came back. Was it because she had been hurt so much, or was it because of Lady Aden¡¯s words. For some reason, she felt more confident that she could not be bound by him. In fact, she thought of some situations. She thought it might be in front of Sola to deliver these words, or it might be at the opening banquet. It was completely unexpected that she would speak in such a normal situation. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s why the words came out so easily.¡¯ She held her hands tightly under the table and said with a little force. ¡°I was going to wait. Because I thought it was just a passing wind. But I decided that I couldn¡¯t just wait for Your Majesty who had changed.¡± She was about to start crying, but she held her ground and stared at Kane. ¡®Why do I feel so weak when I stand in front of Kane¡­? Even though I¡¯ve already made up my mind.¡¯ ¡°Of course, it¡¯ll be hard, but this is for the best.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know¡­¡­¡± Kane searched Rodelia¡¯s lively green eyes with trembling eyes. But there was nothing he was looking for so much. Just a pair of eyes that were empty and cold for some time. ¡°Why ¡­¡­? I believed that you were the only one who understood me.¡± (Kane) Kane¡¯s hands trembled faintly. Rodelia managed to control her trembling body and opened her mouth quietly at his shrewdness. ¡°What are you talking about? Your mistress? Or what your heart has left?¡± (Rodelia) Every word that came out of Kane¡¯s mouth was as if he was teasing her. She was tired of facing him, repeating the same thing over and over again. ¡°I still love you.¡± (Kane) ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯ The completely unexpected words came from between his lips, which she used to kiss. Her eyes began to tremble with bewilderment. He had tried to get rid of her, but now saying love? [It wasn¡¯t a lie. It¡¯s just that my heart was too small.] (Kane) Obviously, not long ago, he said he loved Sola. She had never imagined that she would hear those ticklish words from Kane¡¯s mouth again. It was certainly obvious that he was teasing her. Maybe he had a bad habit that she didn¡¯t know about. Rodelia stared at him with unwavering eyes. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I want you to believe me. I admit that I¡¯ve been cold to you all this time. But there was a good reason.¡± (Kane) Rodelia¡¯s eyes wavered shallowly at the sound of Kane¡¯s nervous voice. She didn¡¯t want to show that they were shaking, so she shifted her gaze to the innocent vase. The anemone in the old-fashioned vase boasted a chillingly beautiful appearance. Perhaps it looked even more beautiful in the bright sunlight. Perhaps that was why it swayed even more. Rodelia raised her head and faced Kane¡¯s deep eyes. ¡°¡­¡­ What is it that you say?¡± (Rodelia) ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell you everything right now. If this ends properly, I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡­¡­ So can you wait for me a little longer?¡± (Kane) Feeling nervous and anxious, Kane lowered his head with his hands on his forehead. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me anything and expect me to just trust you?¡± (Rodelia) ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± (Kane) The heart, which seemed to be collapsing endlessly, lost its strength again. ¡®Can I trust him?¡¯ She made a decision, but the emotions that she had pressed rose again. It was probably because her heart still had Kane. Like her obsession with the Empress¡¯s position. And she also couldn¡¯t understand Kane¡¯s unrequited attitude, as if he was holding back a former lover. If, indeed, if¡­.. ¡®What if he really didn¡¯t open his heart to me after that?¡¯ Rodelia¡¯s eyes, which became disturbed and deepened, fell somewhere. The area of Kane¡¯s arm covered by the shirt came into her view. ¡°Your arm is fine now.¡± It was the arm that had turned black not long ago. But the arm under the shirt was smooth now. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Kane glanced at his arm, his demeanor different and insignificant than it had been before. Not only did his facial complexion return noticeably in a few days, but also his words, which were disturbing in a corner of her mind. Perhaps Kane needed Sola to detoxify the poison that had spread? ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Rodelia, who had let out an empty laugh, shook her head, it was a ridiculous imagination. ¡°Now that¡¯s an impossible imagination. Didn¡¯t she believe in him and was betrayed? [Do not trust the Emperor¡­] Didn¡¯t she experience painful regret after ignoring Cerdian¡¯s warning before? No matter how clouded her mind was, she was still terribly delusional. There must be a reason why Kane came like this. Suddenly, he asked for help from the Marquis of Florence. Kane was a calculating man, so she couldn¡¯t rule out that possibility. However, it would be absurd to push Kane away. Lastly, she had to protect the empress¡¯ seat without being swept away by emotions. The position of Empress was not one that could be easily explained in terms of power to Rodelia. It was literally the purpose of her life. This place, which had been brainwashed by the Marquis of Florence, was now everything to Rodelia. So she had to carry herself well. Being an empress was not the position that could be maintained by favor. After finishing her thoughts, Rodelia pulled herself together and opened her mouth. ¡°Now then, may I ask you one question?¡± Kane looked relieved to hear her say it a little more gently than before. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Princess Aisen.¡± Kane¡¯s expression instantly hardened at the mention of Sola from Rodelia¡¯s mouth. ¡°How long do I have to wait?¡± No answer came back. But that was enough of an answer. If he didn¡¯t show any signs of swaying, she would have trusted him one last time. But the way Kane hesitated convinced her. He would betray her again. Rodelia¡¯s hands on her knees tightened. While only meaningless gaze was exchanged between the two, Kane avoided the gaze first. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure. But it won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡®He¡¯s lying.¡¯ It felt like her emotions were about to flood outward at any moment, mixed with his transparent lies. However, as an empress, she could no longer be shaken. She had to brace herself because she didn¡¯t know when he would betray her again. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ve heard enough answers.¡± Her heart still hurts, but such feelings, such as longing and love, will one day disappear. All she had to do was change the minds of the nobles. Leaving Kane¡¯s shaky gaze behind, Rodelia replied with a faint smile on her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°¡­¡­ Are you sure?¡± Kane¡¯s face turned a ray of brightness. His trembling voice made her heart flutter as if he were sincere. Her feelings changed to a deeper love and hatred, and her heart for him had not yet disappeared. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve decided to trust you.¡± It was not love, it was the title of empress. She trusted that he wouldn¡¯t just take the empress¡¯s title away from her. She was going to trust his reason, not his feelings, one last time. Rodelia gave Kane a smile as he spoke. ¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯ll try to come back soon.¡± ¡°You must come back soon. My patience is running out.¡± Rodelia tried to relieve the mood with a playful voice. ¡°Of course not. I won¡¯t keep you waiting.¡± Kane finally replied with a smile of relief. He felt like everything was going to turn around and they¡¯d be right back where they started. For a while afterwards, Rodelia¡¯s words made him feel heavy again. ¡°Are you going to enter the opening ceremony banquet with me?¡± This was a serious matter, not only the Empress¡¯s dignity but also the country¡¯s status at stake, and she couldn¡¯t give it up to Sola. Rodelia believed that Kane had also had this issue in mind. But no answer came back to her. As if he hadn¡¯t thought about it at all. After a few moments of hesitation, Kane finally spoke up, gently flipping through Rodelia¡¯s hair with a cautious hand. ¡°¡­¡­ Of course, you¡¯re the Empress.¡± He acted nonchalantly, and Rodelia was the only one in his eyes. She was convinced by his appearance. She didn¡¯t think she would be deprived of the title of Empress. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d push her away after all the hard times they had together. At least in the political sense, he was not an empty talker. No matter how much Sola shook her, in the end it would be Rodelia who would remain in the position of Empress. She firmly believed. *** What? His Majesty is going to enter the banquet with the Empress?¡± A chirping voice leaked out from Sola¡¯s palace. Sola¡¯s room, painted bright red, was decorated more gorgeous than the Empress¡¯s Rodelia¡¯s room. Sola, who had been sipping a glass of wine and looking out the window, reached out and roughly tore off the woven gold tassels under the curtains when she heard the news the maid had given her. ¡°Yes, apparently it was decided that way because it¡¯s an important event.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the Empress did to seduce him, but I can¡¯t let her do that.¡± ¡°Yes ¡­¡­? But since it¡¯s an official event, people will talk. It¡¯s a banquet to celebrate the opening of the country, so there will be a lot of royalty from other countries attending.¡± Sola, who was wearing a silk dress that showed the curves of her body, paced irritably. She went to the large bed and sat down with her legs crossed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there will be some very happy guests at this banquet.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Silver Kingdom. Don¡¯t you know anything about that?¡± Sola, who looked at the maid with annoyance as the maid asked curiously. ¡°Do you have any acquaintances in the Silver Kingdom?¡± How in the world could Sola, who hadn¡¯t stepped out of the Grand Duchy until she was of age, do that? It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I just think it¡¯ll be fun.¡± An eerie look appeared in Sola¡¯s eyes as she smiled meaningfully. ¡°That¡¯s why I have to go see His Majesty.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going like this.¡± Sola bit her lip so hard that bright red fresh blood started to flow between her teeth. But Sola wiped away the blood roughly with her fingers, not caring. Then she stood up from the bed with a frown on her face. She lifted the wine glass lightly with her long fingers and walked over to the maid. The sound of footsteps sounded quite heavy. The maid gasped and turned her head, a dark shadow hanging over her head. Soon the wine glass spilled and the maid¡¯s white uniform was stained bright red. ¡°And the way you talk. It¡¯s very annoying, so be careful from now on.¡± Sola said coldly as she brushed her fingers down the bewildered and stiffened maidservant¡¯s face. * * The curtain of the opening banquet had risen. The atmosphere in the imperial palace was filled with excitement. All the palace servants thought of the atmosphere of the banquet and worked with brighter expressions than usual. It was the same in the capital. The loud cheers of the people echoed all the way to the Empress Palace. For the first time in a long time, Rodelia sat by the window and looked down at the lively atmosphere in the capital. Even though it was winter, the city was filled with colors. The one that stood out the most was the blue flag, the symbol of the Thebes Empire, which had been placed all over the passage of the delegation. She seemed satisfied with how well it was decorated, as it was the thing she had taken the most care of. She pulled herself up again and began to prepare for the banquet. Generally, on the first day of the banquet, the emperor and empress would wear matching attire, and so did Rodelia and Kane. This time, since it was the banquet of the founding of the country, they had prepared a blue dress symbolizing the empire and a tiara studded with sapphires, which went very well with her elegant atmosphere. ¡°You look very beautiful, Empress.¡± You must be the most beautiful at today¡¯s banquet. No, even if the goddess of beauty were to descend, wouldn¡¯t she be as beautiful as the Empress?¡± The maids, who helped Rodelia with the preparations with more care than usual, flattered her beauty. Actually, it wasn¡¯t that they were exaggerating. It was because she really was beautiful. Her golden hair was silky smooth, and her green eyes were deep as if they contained a forest. Her skin was naturally radiant, and her face harmonious and elegant. Now it was time to enter with Kane. ¡°By the way, His Majesty is late.¡± ¡°Yes, he is. He is a man who is always on time¡­¡­¡± Perhaps it was the murmuring of the maidservants, but a feeling of uneasiness had somehow crept into Rodelia¡¯s chest. Her hands and feet began to go numb, but she believed it was from the nervousness. There was a lot to prepare for and he might be a little late, she thought. As she waited impatiently for Kane, a maid finally broke the news that Kane had arrived. ¡°The emperor is here¡­.¡± For some reason, the maid¡¯s expression became very stiff. But Rodelia didn¡¯t notice, and she gestured for the maid to open the door. She got up, adjusted her outfit, and finished preparing to greet Kane in a neat posture. But as the door slowly opened, she saw¡­ ¡°Hello, Empress.¡± It was Sola, smiling seductively. ¡°Oh, Princess Aisen¡­? Why you ¡­¡­?¡± The ominous premonition was not without reason. Sola stood proudly with Kane¡¯s arm around her as if she was the empress. And that wasn¡¯t all. She was dressed more glamorous than usual, wearing a black dress of the same design as Rodelia¡¯s, which made her look even more gorgeous than the Empress Rodelia. The expressions of the attendants darkened noticeably when they saw Sola¡¯s outfit. They were taken aback by her shrewdness and did not even try to hide their anger. A voice of reproach echoed loudly in the open door. ¡°It¡¯s shameless. Why did you come all the way here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not polite for a mistress to show up like this. Don¡¯t you know the etiquette ¡­.¡± Aden, who was tough as nails, sneered at Sola, blatantly scowling at her. But Sola paid no attention to their criticism and looked only at Rodelia. It was as if it was Rodelia¡¯s distorted expression that she wanted to see. ¡°What brings you all the way here?¡± A cold and dignified voice escaped from between Rodelia¡¯s tightly clenched lips. It took a lot of courage to say these words. The moment she saw Sola next to Kane, her heart pounded and her head turned white, as if time had stopped again. But now she vowed not to suffer the same as before. She now had something to protect. That was why she was able to get her mind together quickly. Rodelia tried not to look at Kane, who was standing stiff next to Sola. She felt as if facing him would weaken her heart. ¡°I asked you why you came, Princess.¡± Sola kept smiling meaningfully, despite Rodelia¡¯s question. This time, Rodelia had no idea what she meant again. Although their appearances were completely different, it was at times like this that she realized that Cerdian and Sola really were brother and sister. ¡°I see that you have not yet heard from His Majesty.¡± Solar, who was still looking at Rodelia, slowly opened her mouth. ¡°¡­¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°The banquet¡¯s entrance.¡± Rodelia¡¯s forehead, which was frustrated by Sola¡¯s twirling words and actions, slowly began to crumple. ¡°Speak so that I can understand, Princess.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Sola tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with a seductive hand gesture and glanced at Kane for a moment before continuing. ¡°His Majesty will be entering with me rather than the Empress at today¡¯s banquet.¡± Rodelia¡¯s brows furrowed deeper. ¡°Why does he enter with you when the Empress is right here?¡± Rodelia thought she must have heard it wrong. So she gave Sola time to correct her words. But Sola only raised her eyebrows, seemingly unwilling to correct the words she had spoken. Even the whispering of the maids stopped, and the area became completely silent. Baroness Verna stepped to Rodelia¡¯s side, as I¡¯d she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. The Baroness, who was a bit taller than Sola, glared at her with cold eyes. She yelled at Sola in a clear voice. ¡°You¡¯re already out of line, Princess Aisen.¡± ¡°Pfft, me? Who are you?¡± Sola gave a thick, arrogant smile and looked at the Baroness. Her long, lush eyelashes went up in a twitch. The pitch black eyes positioned beneath them seemed to swallow even the darkness. The angry Baroness Verna bit her back teeth and clenched her fists tightly. Even the Baroness, who was in the social world for almost two decades, was defeated by Sola¡¯s momentum. ¡°There are many eyes.¡± Perhaps it was because it was time for the banquet to start, but the quiet corridors began to fill with the hurried steps of the maids again. They glanced sideways at the confrontation between Rodelia and Sola. Noticing their gaze, Rodelia adjusted her expression and stepped forward. ¡°No matter how much the Baroness is in a lower position than you, I hope you don¡¯t forget that she is an elder. So I don¡¯t want you to show such manners in front of me in the future.¡± She said with great force, keeping her noble smile without wavering. It was a behavior that did not lose the dignity of an empress and did not forget the subtle rebuke toward Sola. ¡°I will¡­¡± For some reason, Sola felt defeated and lifted her chin high with effort as she forced her rigid body to move. Her lips, which had been raised without difficulty, quivered. It was pitiful, too, the way she pretended it was nothing and grabbed Kane¡¯s arm more tightly. It was as if she was trying to show off her closeness to him. For a moment, Rodelia¡¯s neatly groomed eyebrows crinkled. ¡°By the way, Princess Aisen, what do you mean you will be entering the banquet with His Majesty?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. His Majesty will enter with me.¡± Sola raised her head, feeling superior again. Then she smiled with flamboyant eyes. It was an arrogant action. Stifling a vain laugh, Rodelia looked down at Sola. ¡°Is it His Majesty¡¯s will? Did you threaten him?¡± Chapter 19 *** The elegant voice of the empress, which was like a low-pitched recitation, had an authority that could not be imitated. ¡°Princess Eisen. This is not a regular banquet but it¡¯s an important one to celebrate the founding of the country.¡± ¡°So what?¡° ¡°Didn¡¯t you think delegations from other kingdoms would find it strange? Don¡¯t you know that this could make Thebes a good prey for other kingdoms?¡± It certainly would be like that. If Kane and Sola were to enter together, theories of dispute between the emperor and his wife would quickly circulate, and those who would take advantage of this opportunity to sway the public mind might have a hand in it. The aristocrats might even get away with it and have their business operations paralyzed. ¡°So?¡± The impression of Sola was unpleasant and ruined. She was a mistress. The mistress didn¡¯t have to get their hands on political matters. The Empress Rodelia would take care of all the trouble anyway, so it was none of her business. ¡°That is not my job. It¡¯s the empress¡¯s.¡± Sola wanted to see the Empress¡¯ distorted face as soon as possible. She said in a more brisk voice. There should not be even a minute¡¯s concession. Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened. It was because she had not expected Sola to be so thick-skinned. If she cared about Kane, shouldn¡¯t she not put him in trouble? Rodelia¡¯s eyes shook finely, unable to hide her frustration. Sola did not miss the opportunity. Her eyes flashed up and down as if to refute the sneer she had shed. ¡°Yes, it is what I, the empress, should do.¡± But Sola¡¯s complexion darkened at Rodelia¡¯s response, who once again returned the words calmly. ¡°I am in a position to defend the prestige of this country, and I intend to fulfill it fully. Therefore, I cannot give up my position to the Princess.¡± Before this, Rodelia was a weak woman who could be crushed with a tap. But she no longer appeared that way. Rodelia¡¯s green eyes had somehow deepened and hardened as she spoke. Sola had to admit. Rodelia could no longer be swayed by trivial emotional games. ¡°¡­.. Shall we do that?¡± But Sola didn¡¯t show that big of a reaction. She spoke as if she was a believer. She laughed out loud. It was a loud laugh, as if it were a voracious night air. It sounded like fun, but it was creepy. ¡°Your Majesty, please tell us. Can¡¯t I really enter with you?¡± Sola, who had returned with a cold expression on her face, looked up at Kane and asked. ¡°Uh¡­..¡± Kane looked at Rodelia with a troubled expression. Rodelia held Kane¡¯s hand firmly. Her thin arms trembled pitifully. It was like a silent request, ¡°Don¡¯t hold Sola¡¯s hand.¡± It was something she had expected to some extent, seeing Sola projected so majestically. She had prepared herself beforehand. But isn¡¯t there a small hope? Rodelia decided to leaned on that hope. ¡°I¡¯ll enter with Sola.¡± Kane finally opened his mouth to answer Sola¡¯s question. However, Kane¡¯s mouth did not give her the answer Rodelia wanted. The attendants looked at Kane, as if telling him to make an excuse, but even that was silenced and he turned his face away. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to stop the rumors.¡± (Rodelia) ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it, so the Empress doesn¡¯t have to care about it. It¡¯s my fault if the rumors spread.¡± (Kane) Kane¡¯s reply, as if giving up, and Rodelia lost the strength that she held Kane¡¯s hand. Kane¡¯s large hand fell helplessly from Rodelia¡¯s. She held her teeth tightly together once more in a sense of loss. ¡°Look at that. We¡¯ve wasted too much time.¡± Sola, with a benevolent smile, locked eyes with Rodelia. Then, as if to urge Kane, she shifted her gaze to the old-fashioned wall clock on the wall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t have time for this. We have to go in. See you later in the banquet hall.¡± Once again, Sola crossed Kane¡¯s arm and turned away to make her way to the banquet hall. Hesitating, looking only at Kane, Rodelia grabbed his cuff again. ¡°Kane.¡± With a pained expression on his face, Kane turned to Rodelia. He felt bitter to have to hurt her again. He had been avoiding her on purpose because he thought it would shake his mind if he looked straight at her. However, all of the efforts came to nothing. The low-sinking eyes deepened with sadness. He was afraid that her lips would say that she would not wait for him. ¡°The promise you made to me before¡­it¡¯s still in effect, right?¡± Rodelia¡¯s hot breath and anxiety clearly conveyed. A sigh of relief escaped from between Kane¡¯s lips. ¡°You still believe in me.¡± The moment he faced her clear green eyes, he felt the urge to hold her immediately, but it wasn¡¯t possible. Kane suppressed his emotions and held Rodelia¡¯s hand. ¡°Of course.¡± Her expression became even a little relaxed when she received Kane¡¯s assurance. Now, she must be content with this level. ¡®This humiliation..¡­. once more, that¡¯s it.¡¯ Rodelia, who held herself together, slowly let go of Kane¡¯s hand. ¡°Hurry up and go, Your Majesty.¡± Solar, who was frowning, urged Kane. The steps that did not fall left heavy. **** Only a sigh escaped Rodelia¡¯s lips as she sat by the window. ¡®However much, isn¡¯t this position still a concession?¡¯ A trivial thought floated through her mind. It was an important banquet. If the emperor entered with his mistress, there was bound to be an uproar around the world. All interests and positions should be firmly pursued, and no concessions should have been made to the last¡­ But it was too late now. The beginning of the banquet was approaching, and Rodelia became even more impatient. There was no such shame if the Empress entered alone. ¡°Your Majesty, you must go.¡± Viscountess Cohen said impatiently. Her gaze remained on the clock on the wall. ¡°¡­..Yes. I have to go now.¡± It was also ludicrous not to show up at the banquet. Rodelia pulled down her shawl and put on her shoes again, which she had neatly removed. As she headed for the door, the maids opened it as if they were waiting. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a relief that there were maids. It was the same to enter alone, but at least she didn¡¯t have to stay in the banquet hall in a daze. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Rodelia closed and opened her eyes to calm her beating heart. But her heart was not quite at ease. Even her feet in the high shoes felt especially heavy today. One step, one more step. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± As she took a few more steps, a low, deep voice crept into her ear. Some kind of relief enveloped her whole body. She looked up and saw Cerdian dressed neatly in a black suit. He was looking at Rodelia with a smile.The atmosphere was more mature than before which was overwhelming. ¡°You¡¯re late, Empress.¡± The voice leaking from between the softly opened lips struck her strangely. His large hand entered her field of vision. ¡®Do you want me to grab it?¡¯ Rodelia, who was struggling for some time, took Cerdian¡¯s hand without hesitation. Now was the time to put aside any kind of pride. She had to do what was best for her, since Kane had said he would put away the rumors.There was no way she was going to be shamed for entering alone in front of foreign guests. Her deepened eyes lifted and she quietly opened her mouth. ¡°I was busy getting ready.¡± ***** Heading to the grand banquet hall was more bearable than she had expected. It was a much better choice than a lone entrance, although some of the servants who occasionally found Rodelia holding Cerdian¡¯s hand whispered secretly. Rodelia decided to think of it that way. How long had she walked that far down the hallway? The rustling sound became closer and closer as the banquet hall approached. ¡°How did you know?¡± Rodelia, who hadn¡¯t been talking, asked in a small voice. There were many things she was curious about, like how Cerdian knew she was here, or did he know what Sola was planning? ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Did you know I would be alone?¡± Do you avoid them knowingly?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The way he said it in a distant tone was frustrating, but Cerdian stared at the front with a face that seemed he really didn¡¯t know. ¡°Did your sister tell you?¡± ¡°The Empress still does not know, but I am not that close to my sister.¡± Cerdian smiled serenely. Rodelia glared at him for not responding properly, but Cerdian only pretended not to care and told her to hold his arm. ¡°We are almost at the banquet hall.¡± Swallowing hard, Rodelia wrapped her hand around Cerdian¡¯s arm. She could feel his hard muscles beneath his jacket. Embarrassed, she tightened her grip. ¡®Have he been doing nothing but exercising while he¡¯s been cooped up in the mansion?¡¯ She was curious. No matter how magnificent the Grand Duke¡¯s mansion was, would it be as free as the outside? She thought it could be that way, since there would be nothing to do when he cooped up at home. ¡®Come to think of it, he seemed strong.¡¯ She was alone with my reasoning, and the lively hall became quiet. ¡°The emperor entered first, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ yes? Oh, yes.¡± Cerdian said with a chuckle, as if noticing her thoughts as she stared down at his arm. This brought her to her senses, and Rodelia¡¯s face flared hot. ¡®What on earth was I thinking in front of people?¡¯ She was too embarrassed to look up. She thought she had to say something, so she said anything. ¡°¡­ His Majesty does not love your sister with all his heart.¡± Chapter 20 *** ¡®Oh my god, did the reason fly away?!¡¯ Rodelia frowned at what she said. ¡°I see.¡± She regretted it as soon as she said it, but Cerdian showed little reaction. He just looked at her and answered indifferently. After seeing his reaction, she felt like she had to make excuses. So, when she thought about it, this was all his fault for dismaying her. ¡®I guess sometimes words come out wrong when you are embarrassed.¡¯ For Rodelia, this was the situation. ¡°If there is anything the Grand Duke knows, let me know. You said you were on my side.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Is the Princess aiming for the position of Empress?¡± She sounded almost certain. ¡°Do you know?¡± It was something of an affirmation. Seeing such a simple admission, perhaps Cerdian really has nothing to do with Sola. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details.¡± ¡°Of course¡­.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else I can tell you.¡± He cut Rodelia off in a different, more decisive voice. He did not want her to ask any more questions. Embarrassed, she turned and looked ahead, and then the low voice sounded again. ¡°But you can use me as much as you want.¡± How dare anyone use Grand Duke Eisen? Not even the emperor could take advantage of him. Rodelia blinked with a furrowed brow, and Cerdian looked at her indifferently. ¡°As always, I don¡¯t lie to the Empress.¡± Rodelia knew that, too. He just doesn¡¯t cheat or reply clearly, but he doesn¡¯t lie. But¡­ ¡®I still don¡¯t fully believe it.¡¯ As Rodelia remained silent without responding, one of the young attendants approached her at a trot. ¡°You must make your entrance now, Your Majesty.¡± Kane and Sola¡¯s entrance seemed to be over to some extent. She was too preoccupied with Cerdian to notice, but come to think of it, the noisy place seemed to have quieted down noticeably. Perhaps everyone was waiting for the Empress to appear. With whom will the Empress enter? The questions of the ladies on such a subject were certain. Perhaps they even made secret bets. When she thought of their gazes, her heart pounded like crazy. Cold sweat broke out on her palms. Rodelia couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness, holding and stretching her innocent hands. ¡®¡¯I will be humiliated.¡± There was a deep melancholy in the small voice. She did not speak hoping for a reply. She was talking to herself and trying to calm her mind. But a warm voice came back. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, trust me.¡± ¡°Yes ¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident that I¡¯m not an embarrassing partner.¡± Cerdian jokingly relieved her of her tension. ¡°After today, public opinion will return to the empress. Oh, of course, rumors will become more prevalent. Please refer to that.¡± His tone was confident, but he did not look arrogant. And the odds were pretty good that he would be right. After all, she was going to enter with Grand Duke Eisen. Perhaps tomorrow, the noble ladies would send letters to Rodelia. They would be curious as to what her relationship was with Cerdian. But really, the more she thought about it, the stranger it was. He was a man who had as much power and prestige as the emperor, just had never shown it. A seat where he could have it all if he wanted. But with what intention to help her so much? Rodelia looked at him with an expression of incomprehension. ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say it is a manifestation of a pure heart that wants to be as useful as possible, since the empress is so pure.¡± Cerdian was certainly helpful to her. But that could not be the only reason to believe him. Because his intention was unclear and he always said unknown words. And he certainly had no contact with her before he became an adult. In any case, as a noble lady, she was educated as such. Even though it was a political marriage, there was clearly a reason for her to take the Empress¡¯s place, even if it was suppressed. ¡®If he doesn¡¯t have a purpose like Sola¡¯s, then perhaps just for fun?¡¯ He might have developed a bad hobby after being locked up in the mansion for so long. ¡®Then I¡¯ll take advantage of him just a little bit.¡¯ Finished with her thoughts, Rodelia opened her mouth decisively, her expression relaxed. ¡°I intend to take advantage of you, just as the Grand Duke said.¡± ¡°As you pleased.¡± ¡°However, that¡¯s it. Don¡¯t cross the line anymore. This will be over soon.¡± He wrinkled his brow, as if he was contemplating something. ¡°Did the emperor beg you to wait a little longer?¡± ¡°Did you eavesdrop on our conversation?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be. I don¡¯t have such a bad habit.¡± Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened, but Cerdian continued, unconcerned. ¡°But isn¡¯t it strange? It¡¯s as if he wants the Empress to be humiliated, and he doesn¡¯t even want to be your partner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± That was something Rodelia disappointed too. But she didn¡¯t think it had occurred to her. Kane was not such a caring person. Or maybe Sola made it that way. Therefore, she believed Kane would understand if she entered with others. It was better for an empress to enter with a partner than to be humiliated by entering alone. She was just a little concerned about the fact that it was Cerdian. But Kane would understand. He had to. (*how naive Rodelia is. He wanted to see her to be humiliated, that¡¯s why he went in with his concubine on the most important day of the country, so he won¡¯t understand because he¡¯s selfish. He basically tells her I can do anything and you can do nothing. How many times has that happened already but she is still so naive?) Rodelia consciously straightened her back so as not to appear nervous. ¡°Will the emperor understand the empress if you make your entrance with me?¡± As if he had read her mind, he said the same thing she was thinking about. ¡°Of course. His Majesty is not such a narrow-minded person¡­..¡± ¡°He is a selfish man¡­ And¡­¡­¡± These were calm words that held down expectations. He saw the nervous look in Rodelia¡¯s eyes and smiled faintly. ¡°You keep doubting me, and I¡¯m very upset.¡± ¡°You know how suspicious that sounds?¡± How could she not doubt him? Rodelia looked quite firm not to show any gaps. ¡°It can¡¯t be. I am very transparent.¡± Cerdian¡¯s calm way of speaking made her frown. She always thought Cerdian was arrogant. There were several reasons for this, the first and most significant was his perfect appearance. The second was a sort of prejudice due to his lineage. It was the cruel nature of the house of Eisen. One of the rumors surrounding the Eisen was that they hunted humans, which was almost an established fact. It was all just a mixture of exaggerations coined to exclude the Grand House from the imperial family, but Rodelia was not supposed to know that. And it was the same today. Was it because he was kind, and she couldn¡¯t tell what he really thinks? ¡°If you keep looking at me like that, I¡¯m sad.¡± Rodelia¡¯s impression was deepened by his shameless attitude. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°We really must enter. Everyone is waiting for you.¡± Rodelia¡¯s words were halted as Cerdian took slow steps. His calm attitude forced her to walk along his side blankly. **** ¡®You must walk with grace and elegance. Do not show your heartbreak. You must be calm by all means. You must not lose your composure. You are the Empress.¡¯ Rodelia composed herself many times. At this moment, it was not Kane or Sola that constricted her, but people¡¯s gazes. The look of unknown eyes staring only at her was not something she could ever get used to, no matter how much she experienced it. This time, it was even more bewildering because the majority of the gazes were a mixture of blatant curiosity and hostility. Rodelia clenched her fists tightly, unbeknownst to herself. Cerdian, who saw it, bowed his head and whispered softly into her ear. ¡°I have never seen such a beautiful person before.¡± Rodelia burst out laughing at the unexpected words. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You.¡± She glanced sideways at him awkwardly, and Cerdian shrugged his shoulders. But it completely relaxed her nerves. The appearance seemed quite friendly, so it was enough to cause everyone¡¯s misunderstanding. The ladies all began to speak in whispers. ¡°I see that the Empress has also welcomed concubines.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s Grand Duke Eisen. The Emperor and the Empress¡¯s preference of concubines are ¡­.¡± Their last words were soon buried in the sound of loud drumming. As Rodelia descended all the stairs, two Kingsguard knights in ceremonial uniforms played the drums even louder, and the music that had been playing peacefully stopped. All eyes were focused on her. Only the scuffling of dress hems, the sound of shoes, and the sound of swallowing saliva echoed silently in the central hall. Another knight drummed, and the nobles greeted her with courtesy. Rodelia smiled faintly and walked into the grand banquet hall with Cerdian¡¯s impeccable escort. She raised her lowered eyelashes and looked around carefully. Then, as her gaze turned toward the center of the hall, her eyes met with Kane¡¯s. Chapter 21 *** Kane¡¯s expression hardened. When his eyes met Rodelia¡¯s, he turned his head away. ¡®It seems we made eye contact¡­¡­.¡¯ His gaze turned to Sola, who was standing by Kane¡¯s side. Sola, who had been holding Kane¡¯s arms, seemed to become aware of her surroundings, smiled kindly at Rodelia and nodded in greeting. The attention was focused on her surroundings, but Rodelia was not so generous as to accept the greeting. Rodelia¡¯s gaze turned coldly. Rumors had already spread that the Empress was not on good terms with the mistress. So it was no problem to ignore Sola¡¯s greeting. ¡°Have you decided not to be aware of the stares around you anymore?¡± Cerdian¡¯s laughter tickled her ear gently. He seemed very pleased that his sister was humiliated by Rodelia. ¡°Of course. From the moment I entered holding the Grand Duke¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to do about those ladies?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Cerdian winked at the ladies. Rodelia, who had only then discovered the ladies who wished to speak to her, frowned in annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you need my help.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ it seems so.¡± She sighed as she touched her forehead. The problem was that the foreign delegation had not yet entered and there was still time to exchange greetings. One of the noble ladies, who had been looking at Rodelia for a long time, approached with a smile. ¡°Countess Cullen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Your Majesty.¡± It was Countess Cullen, who usually played coy with Rodelia. She was also the one who had recently turned down Rodelia¡¯s invitation to attend a tea party at Sola¡¯s. She had originally wanted to work as Rodelia¡¯s maid of honor. However, being a person with a light mouth and having grown up like a princess, she was not suited to serve as someone¡¯s maid. Her reputation as a famous socialite and a bit of a poseur, so it was unknown what would happen if she actually became the Empress¡¯s maid. For this reason, Rodelia was able to refuse her in the past. But even after that, she was a woman who somehow managed to do everything in her power to be associated with Rodelia. Since Rodelia distanced herself with efforts, the bad feelings must be quite strong for the Countess. ¡°But, Your Majesty, why did you come separately with His Majesty?¡± After all, she seemed intent on embarrassing Rodelia. Rodelia hated that the Countess knew better and dared to ask. She scratched Rodelia gently without crossing the line. But perhaps she could not hide her uneasiness, she rubbed her fan against her plump wrist, which was exposed through her sleeves. ¡°I begged her.¡± It was Cerdian who stepped forward and answered while Rodelia was thinking what to say. ¡°Your Highness did?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why the Grand Duke¡­?¡± Cerdian replied without appearing arrogant or, for that matter, condescending. A charming smile spread across his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve been chasing the Empress recently.¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± Countess Cullen opened her eyes in surprise, not befitting her appearance, and asked a counter-question. Rodelia, too, heard the unexpected answer and made up her mind firmly. She immediately pulled Cerdian¡¯s sleeve lightly. Her brow wrinkled slightly. It was a silent pressure to signal Cerdian to stop. But Cerdian didn¡¯t seem to want to stop. He spoke in a more amused tone. ¡°Her Majesty didn¡¯t comply at all, so I pleaded with her. She only meets me after 3 times.¡± ¡°Oh, is the Grand Duke claiming to be the Empress¡¯s concubine?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Seeing Cerdian¡¯s crooked smile, Rodelia gave up trying to stop him. She had already expected this to some extent the moment she took his hand, and it was quite funny to see Countess Cullen¡¯s bewilderment. She knew Cerdian was different from the existing aristocrats. No high-ranking aristocrat anywhere made a fuss about becoming a concubine in the presence of a spouse. And that was even more so if the other party was the emperor. ¡°Is that so?¡± The Countess could not hide her bewilderment. She glanced at the ladies in the back helplessly. She wanted their support, but they weren¡¯t brave enough to spoil Cerdian¡¯s good mood either. Cerdian¡¯s cold glare pierced the Countess. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead. Her plump face turned red as if it would split open at a quick touch. It was not surprising if she immediately began to cry. Fortunately, the musicians changed the music. It was a signal that the foreign delegation had finished preparing to enter the hall. Rodelia slowly made her way to the center door. ¡°Countess Cullen, I have to leave you now. I must receive the delegation.¡± Rodelia felt the need to soften her mood a little and said with a benevolent smile on her lips. ¡°Of course, please go ahead!¡± Quickly answering, the Countess spoke in an excited voice. ¡°Well then, I hope you have a pleasant time.¡± Rodelia looked at the Countess in greeting, and before she knew it, her eyes were sparkling. ¡®After all, I suppose rumors spread with exaggeration.¡¯ Cerdian seemed to have acted with that in mind¡­. Rodelia left the place with graceful steps. Then, after a short distance from them, she pulled Cerdian by the arm and walked behind the curtain in the corner. Rodelia, aware of her surroundings, pulled at the front of his jacket and lowered her body. ¡°The Grand Duke will wait here without causing any trouble.¡± Cerdian wondered if Rodelia was a little more comfortable now. Rodelia, who had pulled Cerdian close enough to feel the scent of his body, quietly ordered. ¡°If you wish.¡± ¡°Promise you won¡¯t do anything. When I don¡¯t want you to, you won¡¯t step forward.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Cerdian said with a laugh. He seemed to find the situation quite amusing. ¡°By the way, Prince Gray.¡± Rodelia stopped in her tracks as she turned to head for where Kane was. It was because she had not expected to hear Prince Gray come out of Cerdian¡¯s mouth. ¡°Prince Gray?¡± Cerdian stopped her and told her a few things about Prince Gray. Rodelia narrowed her eyes. ¡°I understand¡­¡± There was no way now, though she didn¡¯t entirely believe him when he said, ¡°I won¡¯t cause trouble.¡± Rodelia, who had urged him to finish, took a steady step. **** After Rodelia finished preparing to greet the noble guests, Rodelia sat down on a chair on the platform with Kane. She looked impatiently toward where Cerdian was and saw that he was still keeping his word to stay still. Was he the type of person who listened well more than she thought? Fortunately for her, he was. Noble ladies were hovering around him, but could not approach him because of his cold atmosphere, and he did not even look at them in the slightest. Fortunately, it seemed like he wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble. Relieved, Rodelia returned her gaze to its original position. Kane¡¯s expression darkened as he noticed that Rodelia had turned to look at Cerdian. ¡°You seem to be on good terms with the Grand Duke now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Rodelia replied bluntly without looking at him. Even if there were unavoidable circumstances, Kane didn¡¯t even care to assign a partner to Rodelia beforehand even though he knew it was an important banquet and there was bound to be talks. ¡®You smiled so brightly at Cerdian.¡¯ Her indifferent response only made Kane even angrier inside. ¡°You¡¯d better stay away from him¡­¡± Kane flicked his finger on the armrest. Rodelia could see he was unhappy, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°Why?¡± Her tone was very innocent, with a bit of anticipation. ¡°It might damage your reputation.¡± Kane¡¯s reply was muffled. She had expected him to be jealous, but he was at best concerned about trivial appearances. ¡®What did I expect?¡¯ Kane was by nature such a person. He would strive to protect his high position. Although she fell in love with him, she couldn¡¯t get used to the fact that Kane viewed appearance more important than her. Of course, she did her best to please him and she thought he was satisfied. But looking back on it now, after recent events, it just made her feel foolish for her past. Rodelia couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re worried about my reputation? I think Your Majesty should worry more about your reputation instead.¡± ¡°What¡­..¡± Was it fortunate? There were no more tears. ¡°My reputation has long since bottomed out. I¡¯m sure Your Majesty knows well why.¡± ¡°¡­..I know you¡¯re upset with me, but he¡¯s not a good person. Keep my words in mind. There will be nothing good about getting involved with him. These are words I say out of love for you.¡± It was funny. Because he had never listened to her. For three years, she couldn¡¯t see his face properly because of his whispering of love in that way. But now she could see it clearly. Kane was anxious. He was terrified that his fame would run out. ¡°You know what I mean, don¡¯t you? You are the Empress, so you know well. I believe you¡¯ll behave properly.¡± *** *I don¡¯t really understand what Kane wants from Rodelia. He said he loved her, but he deliberately humiliated her again and again, but asked her to wait for him? Wait for what? Why was he even afraid he¡¯ll lose her when he treated her like trash? He wanted to have someone for him to bully? He obviously barely or didn¡¯t even sleep with her in the last 3 years. Well he didn¡¯t go see her in those 3 years, left alone to sleep with her. So what does he really want from her? He¡¯s so shameless and narcissistic. (Kaaaaaa, I¡¯m angry lol.) Chapter 22 *** ¡°You know what I mean, don¡¯t you? You are the Empress, so you know well. I believe that you will behave properly.¡± Rodelia didn¡¯t talk anymore. ¡°I understood.¡± Rodelia responded indifferently, and Kane clasped her hand tightly. His warmth was transmitted through the skin. However, her cold heart did not warm up easily. It was just stuffy. Lately, whenever she talked to Kane, she felt as if there was a thick wall between them. Why was this? Was it because she no longer had any expectations of him? Otherwise, unbeknownst to her, her feelings for Kane might have waned a bit. After a few moments of silence, Ferna informed them of the guests¡¯ position. Rodelia made up a benevolent face again. As Kane had said, the role of Empress had to be done well. The sound of fanfares rang across the wide hall. Then the trumpets sounded a few times, and the drums also sounded a few times. With a clang, the large central door began to open. The first delegation to appear were the people of the Silver Kingdom. At the head of the group was Prince Gray Howard, with his bright red hair like Sola¡¯s, walking with a lithe gait. His copper colored skin, characteristic of the Silver Kingdom royalty, contrasted well with his white uniform. His strange appearance was also enough to catch people¡¯s gaze. ¡°Gray Howard¡­¡­¡± Kane groaned. His expression became even more intense. ¡°You¡¯ve got to make this work. It¡¯s your fault that things turned out this way.¡± Kane blamed Rodelia. They had talked about this incident, but he still scolded her. Kane disliked Prince Gray more than anything, to the point of grinding his teeth. Kane deliberately crossed his legs when the kingdom¡¯s delegation approached. It was clearly an act of disregard for the kingdom. A long red carpet laid under the podium. Prince Gray, who stopped walking, paid his respects. Was it because of Kane¡¯s preconceived notions? Rodelia thought the Prince¡¯s appearance was somehow vulgar. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. I see the beautiful Empress has become more beautiful.¡± Prince Gray did not seem to care much about Kane¡¯s attitude. Rather, it only provoked him. Rodelia¡¯s brows twitched slightly. No matter how much they hated each other, Kane was still an emperor. Wasn¡¯t it common to please each other on the outside? Prince Gray, however, seemed to have no intention of doing so at all. Frowning, Rodelia stared at him, and Prince Gray met her eyes. It was a sickening gaze, but she couldn¡¯t make it obvious. A smile softly creased his mouth, and he said sarcastically, ¡°I wondered why I was invited, and I was really surprised. Of course, the Empress was considerate enough to send me the invitation.¡± His sharp eyes were quite frightening. Rodelia somehow could see why Kane disliked him so much. The rising tension hardly seemed to go away. ¡°If you knew, you should have refused the invitation.¡± ¡°There is no kingdom that would dare to refuse Thebes¡¯ invitation. Isn¡¯t that so, Empress?¡± ¡°¡­¡­ then I hope you have a good time.¡± Why did he always call her? Rodelia did not want to continue talking to him. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of the way he looked like Sola, but she felt uncomfortable. Prince Gray smiled, as if amused by Rodelia¡¯s reaction, and began to say something meaningful. ¡°The Empress is just like her father.¡± Even though the tone was not very high, the voice was still somewhat hair-raising. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did I say something misleading? I meant the Empress has a good personality.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Do you always suppress your emotions that way? I guess that¡¯s why you became Empress.¡± Prince Gray rubbed the ruby ring on his ring finger slowly and gave a lax smile. There was a certain sneer in his voice. ¡°Prince Gray, what a rude thing to say to the Empress.¡± It was rude to interrupt a conversation between an Empress and a noble guest, no matter how much of an emperor Kane was. However, the Prince was such a low-grade person so Kane had no choice but to step up. But it was an official sitting and he couldn¡¯t get angry outright, so he just had to warn him in a low voice. ¡°From my point of view, I can see that you are shivering with fear that you will lose the Empress¡¯s position¡­¡­¡± (Gray) Rodelia gripped the hem of her dress tightly. It was a shame that the enemy prince she just met knew about that fact. Everyone knew that Kane had a mistress. So it was not surprising that the foreign envoys heard about it. But hearing it from someone¡¯s mouth was embarrassing. Rodelia¡¯s face gradually turned white. ¡°I think you should close your mouth.¡± ¡°Oh, I misspoke, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m sorry. The Empress looks pale, so let¡¯s stop here.¡± He drove Rodelia to the corner. Her expression turned cold at his rude words. Rodelia exhaled a deep breath to calm herself down. If she continued to speak, it was bound to get ugly for all those present at the banquet. ¡°By the way, Prince Gray.¡± (Cerdian) She did not want to take advantage of anyone¡¯s weakness in this manner, but it seemed like it was time to take advantage of the story Cerdian had told her. At the time, she didn¡¯t understand why Cerdian suddenly mentioned Prince Gray, but now she understood. ¡®Perhaps he knew Prince Gray would behave like this.¡¯ Rodelia returned with a rather resolute expression, a smile on her lips. ¡°Ask for forgiveness, I will accept it. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, but you¡¯re not polite.¡± ¡°The Emperor must have said bad things about me, I see.¡± Prince Gray¡¯s eyes twitched. He didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. But his eyebrows didn¡¯t stop raising finely. Rodelia did not miss that point. She straightened her posture and continued to scratch his nerves. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to worry about me, Prince Gray, because you¡¯re the one who seems to be in danger.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I think you know better. I¡¯m sure the lack of courtesy is your true nature that you can¡¯t hide from¡­¡­.¡± When Cerdian first told her about the Prince, she thought he was only joking. Part of her was suspicious, wondering how he could have known something that Kane didn¡¯t even know. ¡°What did you say now?¡± However, from his reaction, it seemed that the information Cerdian gave her was not so wrong. For a moment, Prince Gray¡¯s gaze deepened. His facial muscles stiffened. The corners of his mouth, which he had forced up, cramped, and his tightly clenched fists trembled. She didn¡¯t know how Cerdian knew so much about Prince Gray, but according to his words, Prince Gray was the illegitimate son of the Silver Kingdom. ¡°No, I misspoke. You should go now. I can¡¯t spend all my time welcoming only the Silver Kingdom.¡± And she did not want anyone to know that fact. Even though the Prince tried to humiliate Rodelia, it was him who was defeated. **** Once the welcoming of the delegation was over, the cheerful music ended, and once again the musicians busily flipped through the music sheet. It was soon time to dance, as they rechecked their instruments and tried to match the melody. Taking a breath, Rodelia stepped off the podium, escorted by Kane. ¡°Will you dance to the first song with me?¡± Rodelia looked a little surprised. It was an unexpected proposal. Of course she didn¡¯t even expect it from the beginning, because Sola will come and interrupt them. ¡°Okay.¡± She replied in an indifferent voice. But for some reason, when the music started, Sola didn¡¯t come. Rodelia looked around, but not a single strand of her red hair or the hem of her black dress was visible. Checking behind the curtain, Cerdian had also disappeared. ¡®Where did the siblings go?¡¯ Rodelia frowned as she thought, and Kane held out his hand. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± ¡°Where did the Princess go?¡± ¡°Now, I want you to focus only on me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°In the meantime, your dancing skills didn¡¯t decrease, did they?¡± Kane made a silly joke, but Rodelia did not hear it. Kane took her hand and walked to the center of the hall. The first tune was a waltz. Rodelia placed her one hand on Kane¡¯s shoulder and held his hand with her other hand. As she moved her body to the sound of the music playing, familiar faces caught her eyes. The fluttering of her dress came into view. Everyone from the attendants to Sola¡¯s people seemed to be enjoying the banquet. It filled her heart to see them enjoying the banquet, shelving her personal feelings. In any case, it was only natural, since she hosted all the banquet. ¡°Now you know why I hate that man.¡± While Rodelia was dancing without saying anything, Kane quietly spoke to her. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°By the way, he suddenly turned pale.¡­ Was it because of what you said?¡± Chapter 23 *** ¡°It can¡¯t be. I¡¯m just saying.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know but that was good. Very well done.¡± There was no way Rodelia could know something he didn¡¯t know. Kane nodded at the thought. She was upset about Kane¡¯s subtle disregard, but she couldn¡¯t say, ¡°Actually, Grand Duke Eisen told me.¡± Fortunately, Kane did not question her further about her answer. He was offended by Rodelia¡¯s unenthusiastic response, and the song came to an end. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to go. Do you understand?¡± When the song ended, Sola approached with a seductive smile on her face. Upon discovering her, Kane let go of Rodelia¡¯s hand without hesitation. With a nervous look on his face, she doubted that he was actually the person who had told her to wait. She was offended, but deliberately nodded, seemingly unconcerned. ¡°Don¡¯t get involved with the Grand Duke anymore. You must take what I say to heart.¡± Even up until that moment when he and Rodelia were far away from each other, Kane had not forgotten what he wanted to say. **** Sola returned, but Cerdian was still not in sight. The mood of the banquet gradually became ripe. Amidst the lighthearted music, Rodelia felt as if she was alone in another world. Even more so since her partner, Cerdian, was out of the room and the maids were also enjoying the banquet. Rodelia put on her shawl and went out onto the terrace to avoid an embarrassing situation. A hint of sadness crossed her face as she gazed at the capital of the empire, brightly lit with colorful lights. ¡®I enjoyed it very much¡­..¡¯ Rodelia remembered going to festivals as a child in the cold wind. It was the only deviation from her confinement to the house. As she smiled faintly and reflected on the past, a thought suddenly came to her mind. ¡®Was there ever a time when I was happy in the palace?¡¯ Of course, that was not to say that her memories of Kane were not happy. She just didn¡¯t know if it was her happiness or his happiness because she had to adjust everything to him. The feeling of unpleasantness, which she had never noticed before, came over her with a vengeance. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Cerdian, I wouldn¡¯t even be aware of these facts¡­¡­.¡¯ So did she live the rest of her life feeling like this? ¡°Should I thank him?¡± Muttering, Rodelia wrapped her shawl tighter in the night breeze. ¡°Empress.¡± Between the sounds of the brisk wind, a hair-raising voice could be heard. Startled, Rodelia turned around. ¡°Oh, Prince Gray.¡± Prince Gray approached slowly with a twisted smile. His gaze gave her goosebumps. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful view.¡± She didn¡¯t want to exchange nonsense with him. Rodelia did not answer. But he didn¡¯t seem to want to hear her answer from the beginning, so Prince Gray didn¡¯t show any signs of it and kept on talking. ¡°Are all the women of the Thebes Empire like the Empress?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, I am just curious. Is the prestige of the empress so important?¡± Finally realizing what he was saying, Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened. He was now teasing her, the Empress. ¡°You can¡¯t even keep a lover.¡± Her tightly knit lips began to tremble. ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, you can¡¯t even say anything to Princess Eisen.¡± Rodelia¡¯s body stiffened. She regretted having provoked him for no reason. ¡°It¡¯s all right. For it is also charming in its own way.¡± Prince Gray said reluctantly, grabbing a piece of confetti that had flown in from the capital¡¯s festival. Cold sweat broke out on Rodelia¡¯s hands. The Prince let the confetti fly, and he leaned back and stared at her. Rodelia¡¯s eyes met his, and she shivered. It might have been the cold night wind, but it was the chills that gave her. There was no emotion in his dark eyes. ¡°By the way, what did you know when you said that?¡± He called out again, leaning against the railing and playing with his long fingers. ¡°¡­¡­ about what? Is this about your birth?¡± Rodelia pretended not to be nervous, but then tightened her heart and said, with more force in her voice. ¡®Well, you mustn¡¯t speak so glibly about such things. I can¡¯t even say with confidence what price I would pay.¡± Gray looked at her with sharp eyes. He could have twisted Rodelia¡¯s head immediately. ¡°What can I possibly do to the Empress?¡± But Rodelia was the empress of the empire. It meant that no matter how angry he was, he could not do anything against her recklessly. In the worst situation, it could become a problem between nations and even lead to war. Rodelia knew that very well. She was scared, but she told herself to be confident. She looked at Prince Gray without a moment¡¯s hesitation, and Gray calmed down and continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know who on earth informed you of this, but I don¡¯t think he told you to watch out for me.¡± Approaching Rodelia, Gray lowered his head slightly. ¡°No matter what your status is, you don¡¯t think I can handle a weak woman quietly?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just war. Do you think I¡¯ll be afraid?¡± He wasn¡¯t joking. He was serious. A flustered Rodelia quickly retreated. ¡°Is birth so important in the Thebes kingdom?¡± She could not easily understand Prince Gray¡¯s reaction, for the Thebes Empire was thoroughly ability-oriented. Moreover, to her, who had grown up preciously and had not been exposed to this kind of threat, his words were quite frightening. ¡±Prince, be careful how you act.¡± Perhaps amused by Rodelia¡¯s reaction, Gray let out an amused laugh for a while. ¡°Just kidding. Why are you so nervous? That¡¯s funny.¡± But at least she knew that he was not joking. ¡°I trust that the Empress, in her wisdom, fully understood what I was saying.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t touch me, I don¡¯t intend to touch you either. So please be careful what you say and do, Prince.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Not wanting to talk to him anymore, Rodelia concluded the conversation, but Prince Gray did not return to the banquet hall. He just continued to look at her greedily. When she became uncomfortable and was about to leave first, he opened his mouth again as if to stall her. ¡°Now I, too, would like to choose a wife from among the nobles of the Thebes Empire.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then I suppose we can pass through without any problems when we come to the concubines later. The women of the Silver Kingdom are a bit on the tough side.¡± The conversation was not over. Rodelia realized that Prince Gray had no intention of having a normal conversation from the beginning. An empty laugh escaped her lips. It was a common topic among the nobility now, but she didn¡¯t want to talk to the prince from another country she had just seen for the first time. She wasn¡¯t going to put up with this ridiculousness anymore. Her cold eyes looked at Prince Gray. But that didn¡¯t seem to bother him. He said insulting words in a slanted manner. ¡°There was a rumor going around that the image of a woman of the empire was exactly the empress herself¡­.not only in appearance, but in everything.¡± A greedy, lush gaze reached her chest. Ignoring his gaze, Rodelia raised her cold hands and tied her shawl tightly. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Needless to say, when someone is as beautiful as the Empress. No, in the first place, if a woman of such beauty was my wife, I wouldn¡¯t seek a concubine.¡± ¡°I appreciate the compliment, but¡­. Prince ¡­¡­women don¡¯t like lowly men like you. I hope you will take that as a reference.¡± Prince Gray gave an amused smile at Rodelia¡¯s answer. With his eyes bent, he took a step closer to her. ¡°The emperor of the Thebes Empire is truly a blind man.¡± He lifted Rodelia¡¯s chin without hesitation. She could feel the rough touch of his hand. The Silver Kingdom, where many people were skilled in swordsmanship, Prince Gray was a recognized swordsman, and his efforts were shown in his hand. ¡°If I were him, I would lock you up all your life and only look at you.¡± ¡°No more rudeness, Prince Grey. You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡± She pretended not to be upset and calmly moved Prince Gray¡¯s hand away. He stared casually at the hand she had thrown out. ¡°How could the emperor refuse to look at a woman like this, and have a concubine?¡± ¡°¡­. what?¡± Prince Gray¡¯s rudeness knew no end. He reached for Rodelia¡¯s frail shoulders. As his large hand touched the shoulder where the shawl had slipped off, a feeling of disgust enveloped her whole body. It had never occurred to him that she was disgusted. Cold-eyed with disdain, Rodelia glared at Prince Gray. ¡°Perhaps he doesn¡¯t like the feeling of having such a body in his arms.¡± With a sneer he raised Rodelia¡¯s shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. A blatant stare swept Rodelia¡¯s body. ¡°If you find a good lady, please introduce her to me. Of course, she should look as good as the Empress.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ enough, prince.¡± Despite Rodelia¡¯s warnings, Prince Gray¡¯s mischief knew no boundaries. He added with a creepy smile. ¡°The Empress didn¡¯t like the Emperor at night?¡± Chapter 24 *** Prince Gray¡¯s cold breath drew near. It seemed to reach me, and the cold breath of Prince Gray came closer. ¡°Or are you going to have me as your concubine? I can satisfy you well enough.¡± ¡°No, you are not my type.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure? You will never know until you experience it.¡± ¡°I insist. I can¡¯t help it if you are going to be this rude all the time. I have no choice but to reveal your secret that you have been so eager to hide.¡± Rodelia reached out and pushed him away. How could an empress who spent her whole life pleasing others have any power, but fortunately for her, he was easily pushed away. ¡°If you can kill me, kill me now.¡± Prince Gray laughed out loud at Rodelia¡¯s nonchalant words. He swept his hair as if amazed and stared at her. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡­. You are an interesting person. You don¡¯t like foreigners? Surprisingly, though, we seem to match really well. In many ways.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Prince Gray, what are you doing to the Empress?¡± Breaking a moment¡¯s silence, an angry voice was heard from the banquet hall. A few moments later, Kane emerged behind the curtain. His expression had hardened and his breathing had become labored. How much of the conversation did he hear? But the probability was high that he probably heard only the last line of the conversation, since Kane was an impatient person. He walked in a broad stride and stood in front of Prince Gray, glaring at him as if he wanted to kill him. Kane and Prince Gray were similar in height, so he didn¡¯t look as petite as he did with Cerdian. Kane showed signs of discomfort. His forehead was wrinkled. His gaze was fierce and deadly. He was extremely averse to showing his distraught appearance to others. It was surprising to Rodelia that he would show so much emotion. ¡°Are you naive about the Thebes empire?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be. I merely suggested that the Empress should make me her concubine, since she seems so lonely.¡± Kane¡¯s face turned red and blue as Prince Gray picked at Rodelia again. Rodelia was suddenly curious. Was it because of the mention of concubine that Kane was so angry? But the thought quickly disappeared into a corner of her mind. For during the three years of marriage, he had never expressed his feelings. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t.¡± Everyone knew that not only Kane, but also the royal families of the Thebes Empire, value appearance the most. Again, he must have been so angry not because of Rodelia herself in trouble, but at the humiliation of the empress, the emperor¡¯s wife. ¡°If you say one more word, I will cut off your head right here and now.¡± ¡°I must have been joking too much, seeing the emperor is so angry. Isn¡¯t he like a puppy who has had his treat taken away from him?¡± ¡°What did you just say..!¡± Prince Gray did not seem afraid of Kane. This was possible because the Silver kingdom was as powerful as the Thebes empire. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see relations between nations deteriorate, so I will stop now.¡± ¡°Put down the babbling and go away now.¡± Prince Gray made a suitably polite gesture in response to Kane¡¯s words, then turned his gaze toward Rodelia, who had a hard expression on her face. ¡°I will see you tomorrow at lunch, Empress. It¡¯s a pity the emperor doesn¡¯t know much about jokes.¡± Rodelia did not answer him. It was only natural. She was not so open-minded as to greet the man who had just made fun of her. ¡°How does it feel to be the property of the emperor?¡± Prince Gray whispered softly as he passed her. Rodelia frowned as if trying to understand what he was saying, and before she knew it he had disappeared into the banquet hall. ¡°Rodelia, are you all right? Kane¡¯s face relaxed and he held Rodelia¡¯s shoulders with his hands. Then he examined every inch of her body for any injuries. ¡°¡­¡­I have to go.¡± Rodelia was shaken for a moment by his worried face. But she knew it wasn¡¯t a concern for her, so she quickly shook Kane¡¯s hands away. She was tired. In her current state, she had no energy to worry about Kane. All she wanted to do was to quickly go into her room and rest. ¡°Where the hell all the maids had been that things got into this state. We must punish them immediately.¡± ¡°No, they are not at fault.¡± Her expression hardened at Kane¡¯s words. If he had cared even a little bit in the first place, none of this would have happened. Somehow his placing all the blame on the maids made him seem hateful and cowardly. Rodelia spoke in a decisive voice as if informing him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to say anything to my maids. I ask Your Majesty to do the same.¡± *** The road to her room was very far. Of course the physical distance was far, but the psychological distance seemed several times farther. Her steps were heavy. She hid her facial expression, but she could not hide her mood. Some nobles who had spotted Rodelia began to whisper. Among them were foreign delegations. ¡°It seems that His Majesty and the empress are not getting along with each other, as was the case when they entered earlier. I don¡¯t see them together very often.¡± ¡°Yes. The emperor is with another woman. I think she¡¯s his concubine.¡± ¡°I hope the Empress is not too upset.¡± ¡°No way. Didn¡¯t she have another man with her earlier?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? I can¡¯t help but worry.¡± There was laughter. They thought Rodelia didn¡¯t understand their language, and made a big fuss without lowering their voices. But contrary to their thoughts, Rodelia could understand the language very well. It was the language of the small eastern kingdom of Clavia, but they had no idea she was fluent in foreign languages. ¡®I rather wish I didn¡¯t know.¡¯ It was not something that could be questioned, however. There were many eyes around. Her eyes went white and she became dazed. She was so careful not to show any expression that she felt her facial muscles were going to cramp. Her steps quickened. She did not know in what spirit she had walked to the stairs. With shaking hands, Rodelia grabbed a post next to the stairs and tried to go up, but someone caught her wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while.¡± A low, steady voice came clearly over the noise of the banquet hall. For a moment it felt as if everything came to a halt. Rodelia turned around slowly, her expression distorted. Cerdian¡¯s exhaled a few disturbed breaths. But still looking at her in perfect form. ¡°I told you to stay where you were.¡± She knew it was not his fault. Certainly he was her partner for the banquet, but that might have been a whimsical favor of his. It could be withdrawn at any time, and he was under no obligation to listen to her. Still, her resentment that he disappeared without a trace did not go away. ¡°You promised me. Where did you go?¡± A chastising voice escaped. She couldn¡¯t define this feeling in any way, perhaps because she just faced a difficult time. Cerdian¡¯s expression stiffened when he saw Rodelia¡¯s pale, sunken face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rodelia regained consciousness at the sound of his cold voice. ¡®I¡¯m insane to complain to him.¡¯ Her green eyes visibly shook. Cerdian¡¯s large hand reached out to Rodelia¡¯s cheek. Just as his hand was about to touch her pale cheek, Rodelia, who had been staring at him, turned her head away. At the blatant refusal, Cerdian, who had stopped for a moment, withdrew his hand. ¡°¡­. nothing. I¡¯m just a little tired so I made a mistake.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Rodelia, who quickly recovered from her outburst and forced herself to smile again, as if it were okay, fumbled the situation as if it were nothing. Still, her expression was hard to unravel. ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to be concerned. I have to go now. Have a pleasant banquet.¡± Her whole body was exhausted. She wanted to go up to her room and take a rest as soon as possible. Lifting her lips slightly to smile at Seldian, Rodelia walked up the stairs. Cerdian¡¯s cold eyes continued to follow her precarious back. **** As I returned to her room to change and rest, the maids returned. They looked worried and breathed a sigh of relief when they found Rodelia. ¡°We were horrified by your sudden disappearance, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± It seemed that what had happened on the terrace had not yet spread. The maids were only concerned about the whereabouts of Rodelia, who had suddenly disappeared. Baroness Verna came trotting over, holding Rodelia¡¯s hand and looking her over. The hand she took was as cold as ice. Rodelia smiled faintly, consciously so as not to worry them. ¡°I was just a little tired. I should have told you. I¡¯m sorry that I cut off your fun time for no reason.¡± ¡°Oh, my God, what do you mean! We¡¯re glad you¡¯re alright.¡± Baroness Verna waved her hand and smiled sadly. It seemed that Rodelia had succeeded in fooling them. ¡°We¡¯ll go again soon. I think it¡¯s about time for the fireworks to start.¡± Rodelia said quietly, looking at the clock on the wall. At her words, the maids turned to the clock and said awkwardly. ¡°Then, Your Majesty, let¡¯s go and have a look!¡± ¡°Me too. My husband is waiting for me.¡± Aden¡¯s upturned voice was followed by a succession of answers from Baroness Verna. Then, the maids left the room one by one, except Viscountess Cohen. Chapter 25 *** It was not strange for the maids to be so excited. It was no exaggeration to say that fireworks were the flowers of the Thebes Empire¡¯s national banquet. The scale of the event was so great that even foreign delegations visited the empire to see the fireworks. It was a bit strange that Viscountess Cohen did not leave. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to go and see the fireworks, Viscountess Cohen? The Viscount must be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this is the best place to be. Isn¡¯t it greedy of you to take a good place by yourself. My husband will understand.¡± Viscountess Cohen smiled mischievously and said so. She was so deep-hearted that Rodelia knew she was worried about her. Smiling softly, Rodelia went to the terrace. The fireworks had just started, and the small fireworks flew up into the pitch black sky and exploded with a boom. Viscountess Cohen, watched the fireworks with a sorry look in her eyes, said honestly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The emperor is a man who is easily bored, so I am sure he will come back soon.¡± Viscountess Cohen hesitated, perhaps thinking that Rodelia was heartbroken because of Kane. She tapped Rodelia¡¯s shoulder with a careful hand. Kane gets bored easily¡­¡­. Come to think of it, Kane¡¯s interest never lingered. So perhaps he also got tired of Rodelia. ¡°I believe that the Empress Palace was also built directly by the Emperor.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± Originally, there was no empress palace in the Thebes Empire. Kane built it separately for Rodelia, who loved to admire the beautiful scenery, but everything in the palace was filled with Kane¡¯s tastes, not hers. A funny thing to say, but one of them also included Rodelia. She let out a self-mockery as she recalled that fact once more. ¡®Was it such a pleasure to have a place of his taste?¡¯ In the course of a few days, she realized too much. Seeing the brilliant fireworks coloring the sky with the scent of faint gunpowder, Rodelia, her expression hardening, remembered what had happened earlier. If what she remembered was correct, it was only herself, Prince Gray, and Kane, who had come in later. Kane must have used his authority, since the attendants did not know either. It was only natural that if Prince Gray¡¯s mouth was properly policed, there would be no rumors. ¡®I don¡¯t think he prevented it for me. ¡­¡­.¡¯ In any case, it was good for her. ¡°Your Majesty, actually¡­..¡± ¡°Speak, madam.¡± Viscountess Cohen, who had been watching the immersed Rodelia with worried eyes, cautiously opened her mouth. ¡°I saw Prince Gray following you out onto the terrace in the banquet hall earlier.¡± ¡°Yes. ¡­.¡± ¡°Perhaps something has happened. You didn¡¯t look good at the welcoming ceremony for the delegation¡­¡­.¡± Rodelia wondered how much she should tell the Viscountess. Gently, she glanced at her. After a moment, she opened her mouth with a short sigh. ¡°Actually¡­¡­.¡± **** The country¡¯s founder day¡¯s banquet was hard, but this one was especially demanding. Rodelia awoke to sunlight pouring in through the window. Blinking her eyelids repeatedly, she got up, quite heavy, and headed for the dressing table. The fluffy carpet made her feel quite comfortable. Looking at her tired face, Viscountess Cohen opened her mouth. ¡°What would you like to wear for lunch today?¡± Her question troubled Rodelia for a moment, and slowly closing her eyes, Rodelia spoke. ¡°Since it¡¯s a place to serve the foreign delegation, formal attire would be good.¡± As Viscountess Cohen turned to Baroness Verna, the Baroness pulled out a dark green dress. The mermaid-lined dress, which revealed the silhouette of the body, instead of a rich skirt, it had creases around the chest, giving off an elegant feeling. It was a dress that would look very good on Rodelia. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose Princess Eisen will be attending today, will she?¡± ¡°Since she¡¯s not of low status, why wouldn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Well, maybe so, since she¡¯s so impudent.¡± ¡°We will find out when the lunch roster arrives shortly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decorate Her Majesty the most elegant that no one can imitate. To press the Princess¡¯s nose flat.¡± Rodelia, who was idly changing her clothes while listening to the chatter of the attendants, shivered at the feel of the cold dress. ¡°Oh, wait a minute, Your Majesty.¡± Lady Aden added a pale pink corsage near Rodelia¡¯s shoulder to complete the look. Her curvy figure looked more prominent. A careful hand touched her hair. After curling up her hair gracefully, the grooming was finished. Thanks to the hustle and bustle of the attendants, she was able to finish her preparations without delay. Finally, the not-so-high shoes were lined up and the lunch list arrived. ¡°Here is the list of those attending today.¡± After receiving the list in front of the door, Viscountess Cohen handed the paper to Rodelia. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, Princess Charlotte of the Kingdom of Clavia asked Your Majesty to give positive consideration to the port opening.¡± ¡°Me?¡± It was unknown how the Princess found out, but apparently the Marquis of Florence has a firm grip on the port. No matter how many affirmative answers Kane gave, it would be in vain if the Marquis refused. Nodding her head, Rodelia¡¯s eyes stopped at one place as she casually read the list. There was no Sola, whom she had expected to find on the list. But she found a name she did not expect. Her face hardened in worry. ¡®Cerdian¡­?¡¯ **** Rodelia left the room after a final inspection of her appearance in front of the mirror. She thought about going with Kane, but she wondered if perhaps Sola might interfere again. She did not want to be an unnecessary laughingstock. ¡®She said something happened and left the palace, but you never know.¡¯ Rodelia hesitated for a moment, wondering if she was going to Kane¡¯s palace, and then her steps turned the other way. ¡®He told me to wait, so I might as well wait. Don¡¯t get hurt anymore.¡¯ It was common for outdoor lunches to be held at the Empress Palace. The reason why it was decided to have it at the Stella Palace instead of the Empress Palace was solely because of the winter flowers. ¡°The weather is nice.¡± A sigh of mixed emotions escaped her lips. Fortunately, it was clear and cloudless outside, and instead of a cold winter breeze, a warm easterly wind blew and tickled her cheeks. The stream was quiet and the water flowed silently as the ice melted in the clear overnight weather. ¡®I can¡¯t make a mistake.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know what would happen, but just the fact that Sola was not here made her feel a little lighter. However, she could not relax because rumors must have already spread and there were many people not easy to deal with. Her clenched hands became stronger. Well-groomed nails dug into her palms. Her body was tense, but she tried not to let it show. When she reached the garden of Stella Palace, she felt a little out of breath. Then, she heard some unexpected news. ¡°I heard they¡¯re not going to participate?¡± ¡°Yes, both of them sent letters.¡± Rodelia¡¯s eyes grew wide with suspicion as she arrived at the lunch hall a little early. Cerdian never showed up at such a setting in the first place, but it was surprising that Prince Gray wouldn¡¯t come. ¡®He went yesterday with so much enthusiasm¡­¡­¡¯ She was firmly prepared. She had thought more than once not to be humiliated again. The Prince was a man with an unknown depth, so Rodelia had prepared a few things to avoid being a laughing stock. But it was fortunate that he wouldn¡¯t show up today. Rodelia¡¯s lips, which had been stiff with tension, relaxed a little. Rodelia looked around the place. She closed her eyes, remembering the time she was humiliated by Sola. The winter flowers were still blooming and the luncheon was well prepared as she had instructed, but that day remained traumatic in some way. Rodelia, her lower lip pulled tight, carried her steps slowly. Her expression was quite grave as she went to her seat and sat down. As she sat down and checked the information about the noble guest once more, the seats at the table began to fill up. Finally, lunch began as Kane was seated next to Rodelia. She was slumped and dazed when a small irritating voice came to her ears. ¡°Why did you come first? Do you know how long I¡¯ve waited?¡± (Kane) Rodelia turned and looked at Kane, he looked so gaunt. What¡¯s happened? His complexion seemed darker than yesterday. She didn¡¯t know if he was sick or tired. Or was he angry? But that didn¡¯t mean she should be concerned about it. ¡±I¡¯m sorry. I thought you would come with Princess Eisen.¡± Rodelia turned her head forward again and gave her customary reply. She was sitting at a table where she had to manage her facial expressions, and she didn¡¯t want to cloud her mood by creating an argument with him. Was it because she had not had a proper conversation with him since that day? Or was it that he was offended by the way she spoke? She thought she had resolved all the accumulated feelings she had for him, but the lumps were still stuck in her heart. The green eyes filled with emptiness. Kane was about to say something, too, but he kept quiet and collected his expression. When he nodded with a dry expression, the servants began to bring in the food. Cream soup and brandy lay on a long circular table, and Edam cheese, potato salad and chicken dishes were deliciously arranged. Finally, a goose dish with fruit cheese, a traditional dish of the Thebes Empire, adorned the middle. The air was filled with a savory and fragrant aroma. The expressions on the faces of the foreign delegation, which had been stiff with tension, relaxed peacefully, as this was the first sitting with Thebes empire. ¡°Please enjoy.¡± After Kane¡¯s words, everyone held brandy glasses to cheer. The friendly atmosphere continued, and the laughter was endless. Rodelia also faked a gracious smile. However, the complexion of Princess Charlotte, who attended as a representative of the Clavia Kingdom delegation, looked somewhat uncomfortable. ¡°Princess Charlotte, is there something uncomfortable?¡± Chapter 26 *** Rodelia, who was looking around the delegation, discovered that Princess Charlotte¡¯s expression was not good and asked. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s ¡­¡­ .¡± Charlotte squirmed. The foreign delegations could basically use the official Imperial language, but the delegation from the relatively distant and small Kingdom of Clavia could not use the Imperial language well. An interpreter was needed, but after some time the interpreter did not arrive. Therefore, Charlotte was nervous. ¡®I need to talk more often about the port opening¡­¡­.¡¯ Charlotte¡¯s lips were tightly closed. If only she could have successfully resolved this matter, she would be able to solidify the Kingdom of Clavia¡¯s position in the empire. That was why she asked the king to include her in the delegation. ¡®If I have to leave without producing any results after such a big talk¡­¡¯ Princess Charlotte¡¯s fingers began to tremble greatly. She quickly came to her senses and expressed her intentions in imperial language. ¡°Because the interpreter is not coming.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The Empress and I know the Clavian language very well.¡± Kane said in a calm voice. Startled, Princess Charlotte replied in a high voice. ¡°Yes ¡­¡­? But didn¡¯t you have an interpreter with you at the welcome ceremony?¡± ¡°It was only a formality. You can¡¯t even use another kingdom¡¯s language in an official setting.¡± Princess Charlotte¡¯s face whitened in contemplation as Kane looked a little displeased. It was due to the thought of the bad language she had spoken so brazenly in front of Rodelia last night. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­¡± Charlotte looked at Rodelia¡¯s wits, wondering what to do. Her eyes met with Rodelia, and her face turned red. ¡°¡­¡­ Princess Charlotte, you have something to say, say it. You want to talk about the opening of the port, right?¡± Rodelia, who had been silently watching Princess Charlotte, cut in casually. ¡°The port ¡­¡­? Yes!¡± Charlotte¡¯s head raised at the mention of the port. ¡°The port?¡± Kane frowned. It was because of a totally unexpected subject. It was a natural reaction, since he didn¡¯t think the relationship with the Kingdom of Clavia was very important. Rodelia, who was watching him silently, cautiously spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you increase your exchanges with the Kingdom of Clavia? It would not be a bad thing for our empire if we open the port.¡± ¡°The port¡­¡± Of course, it was disrespectful of Princess Charlotte to speak ill of the empress right in front of her, but Rodelia could not put her personal feelings into it. It was Rodelia¡¯s principle that even if she had no good feelings about her, personal feelings had to be excluded when discussing diplomatic matters. She lived to be Empress, and she spent her life doing so even after she became Empress. In order not to disappoint Kane, she lived as she watched Kane¡¯s mood. She had to endure numerous disciplines and countless times when she had to overcome injustice in silence. Dozens of times she had to live through it, rationalizing that this place was originally like that. But today, for some reason, strange feelings kept rising up. Rodelia had to keep standing and leaning on extra brandy to the subtle sense of divergence between reason and emotion. Because the reaction was so contrived that she frowned when she said it herself. In the meantime, the glass was empty. Even at that moment, her appearance was resolute. Her posture was straight without a trace of disorder, and her facial expression maintained its benevolence. ¡°I believe that this is a great stepping stone for the development of commerce as well as food.¡± To Kane, who was troubled with a frown, she gave a small statement . Compared to the Thebes Empire, a relatively cold country, the Kingdom of Clavia, a warmer country, had many different kinds of fruits. Transportation problems were key, but it was also going to be of great help in commercial development. ¡°Yes¡­¡­! I¡¯ve even prepared a proposal right here!¡± When Kane appeared to be hesitant, Princess Charlotte quickly pulled a document from her pocket. A shaking hand turned to Kane. She looked so cute. Kane, with a smile on his mouth, accepted the papers. It was only because of what Rodelia had suggested that he was interested. ¡°Let¡¯s consider it positively.¡± Even though his slightly thin face was smiling, the sensitive appearance was felt. Princess Charlotte¡¯s cheeks turned bright red as she watched Kane. Indeed, he was very handsome, so she couldn¡¯t help but be shaken. Rodelia, who was watching Kane closely, turned away. She knew very well that that was one of Kane¡¯s plans. Kane has been taking advantage of his handsome appearance and using it for diplomacy, be it male or female. It had clearly worked to the advantage of the Thebes empire, and Rodelia had no ill feelings about it. However, why did she feel so bad today? Perhaps it was because the person he smiled at was the princess who had insulted her the night before. In any case, though, Princess Charlotte will not be able to take everything she wanted. Rodelia tipped her brandy glass filled by the attendant while with a small sigh that no one noticed. **** ¡°By the way, will the emperor be attending tomorrow¡¯s hunting competition?¡± Princess Charlotte asked with reddish cheeks as they were discussing with the foreign delegation. Originally, it was the Thebes Empire¡¯s rule that the emperor did not participate in hunting competitions, but it was different only during the Founding Festival. The emperor and even high-ranking nobles would attend for the purpose of deepening friendship with the foreign delegation, and Kane was scheduled to attend as long as there were no unusual circumstances. And he was sure to win. No one dared to beat the emperor of the empire. ¡°I am very much looking forward to it.¡± Princess Charlotte clasped her hands together and stared at Kane. Perhaps it was because she was still young. Rodelia could see her intention. She was being sweet to Kane to negotiate successfully. Compared to Sola, Princess Charlotte was a baby bird. It became obvious that she had a soft spot for Kane. Rodelia gave a small sigh. Since the Kingdom of Clavia had no concept of concubines, Princess Charlotte considered Rodelia an incompetent woman who had foolishly lost her husband. She (the Princess) had no doubt that her reputation as a wise and capable empress was just a false rumor. At least that was the case with the Rodelia she experienced. For she was an empress who had nothing to say when she was insulted. The Princess was young, so she judged on her own. If Sola had been here, she (the Princess ) would not have been able to say anything because of her momentum, but in any case, she (the Princess) thought that the matter of the port opening could be successfully completed. ¡°Yes.¡± When Princess Charlotte finished thinking, she looked at Kane with her lips curled up as tight as she could, and he replied with a subtle smile. Kane believed Rodelia¡¯s eyes. Her foresight always shone through and led to good results every time. So he was going to put his energy into her work this time, too. In fact, Rodelia¡¯s entrance to the banquet with Cerdian was still in the back of his mind. He was also concerned about the rumor that Cerdian had spoken publicly about how much he cared for Rodelia. So he treated her meanly for that, but he decided not to worry about that anymore. Because the only person Rodelia relied on was himself, and showed her inner fear and weakness. She was so evasive about cracks in the empress¡¯s role to please him, so he didn¡¯t think she would turn to Cerdian. But, everything would be back to normal soon. Kane¡¯s brow furrowed. ***** ¡°Rodelia.¡± It was after lunch. Rodelia tried to go back to the Empress Palace, but Kane grabbed her wrist and turned her around. Rodelia, with a startled look on her face, shook off the hand that had caught her. ¡°You had a stiff expression just a while ago. Are you mad at me?¡± So much had happened recently that there was a lump of emotion in a corner of her heart that wouldn¡¯t go away. There was no way she could have a good reaction. However, she answered calmly because she couldn¡¯t make it any more obvious. ¡±Yes, Your Majesty. Please say it.¡± ¡°The hunting competition tomorrow¡­¡­.¡± Sola made another troubling request? She could see the way he was slurring his words. Sighing, Rodelia asked with a resigned expression. ¡°Did Princess Aisen ask you to give her the seat at the hunting competition?¡± ¡°No¡­.she didn¡¯t.¡± Kane, who couldn¡¯t look her in the eye properly, looked uneasy for some reason. He nervously swept his hair up and squeezed his lips. Most of all, his eyes shook terribly. What on earth is he trying to say that makes him so nervous? At the moment, the only thing Rodelia really wanted was to get out of here as soon as possible. ¡°But it won¡¯t be long now. Your Majesty told me to wait, so I will wait for you, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, I¡¯ll leave now.¡± It was the moment Rodelia coldly took over and was about to get to her feet. ¡°I want you to give me a handkerchief.¡± Rodelia¡¯s hands trembled at the courageous voice. What in the world is he trying to do? She wondered if she had misheard him, but it couldn¡¯t be. She thought about whether there was an ulterior motive, but there was also no reason for Kane to do so. ¡°If I don¡¯t give Your Majesty the handkerchief, who would I give it to?¡± She tried to respond seriously, but she could not hide the sarcasm that leaked out. It was obvious that Sola would interfere again anyway. Moreover, didn¡¯t Kane throw away the handkerchief she gave him a while ago? ¡®How can he ask for a handkerchief so casually?¡¯ Her mouth was getting bitter. But calmed down once more, Rodelia continued her words quietly. ¡°Do not worry, Your Majesty. I will not forget the Empress¡¯s duty.¡± Chapter 27 *** ¡°Your Majesty is truly an interesting person.¡± Prince Gray approached Rodelia on her way back to the Empress Palace. She was with one of the delegation. Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened. For some reason, Gray did not look well and his face was a mess, covered with bruises. Sighing deeply, Rodelia stopped walking. Her eyes, which had been unperturbed, turned to Gray. ¡°What do you mean, Prince Gray?¡± It was a monotonous question. Not satisfied with the response, Gray raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh my¡­I¡¯m very disappointed. Didn¡¯t you miss me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I would want to see you, Prince. If you are going to pick a fight, you¡¯d better stop here. I don¡¯t have time to talk nonsense with the prince.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me.¡± Gray tilted his chin and looked down at Rodelia. His reaction was a strange mixture of interest and annoyance. Rodelia wanted to quickly conclude the uncomfortable conversation, but if she looked lenient here, Gray would continue to argue with her. ¡°I can see why you didn¡¯t attend the lunch. I suppose it¡¯s because you don¡¯t dare to act like this in front of His Majesty.¡± Rodelia cut him off in a cold voice, and Gray¡¯s expression flickered. ¡°¡­ You really are an interesting man, aren¡¯t you? But I¡¯m not interested.¡± Gray looked at her for a while as if exploring, and then returned with a nonchalant look on his face. ¡°Not at all, I think I may have appeared to the Empress in a too casual manner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I already knew that you are a person of no character.¡± Rodelia replied coldly . There seemed to be no need to be polite to him. ¡°By the way. Was it Cerdian who told the empress my secret?¡± Prince Gray¡¯s insistent gaze leaned in close. Cerdian and Prince Gray seemed to know each other well. She wasn¡¯t sure what exactly their connection was, but it didn¡¯t look like it was a good one. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What would I do if the Empress lied?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°My condition is all Your Majesty¡¯s fault, so you must not lie to me.¡± Prince Grey¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. What on earth did his messed up appearance have to do with her? Gray¡¯s words were beyond unpleasant. Rodelia¡¯s voice quickened a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I think you¡¯re just venting your anger on me.¡± ¡°Anger?¡­¡­ I don¡¯t feel good about the situation, because even if I wanted to be angry, I can¡¯t. I must return to my kingdom now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ yes, have a safe trip back home.¡± Gray wrinkled his brow. ¡°You don¡¯t ask me why I¡¯m going?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not curious.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s just good. We¡¯ll meet again soon, so you can look forward to it.¡± Rodelia backed away as Prince Gray extended his hand to shake hers. It was because she remembered being harassed last night and her defensive temperament was triggered. Eventually, she realized that it was a good-bye, but she did not shake his hand. ¡°I hope I never see you again. I won¡¯t look forward to it.¡± ¡°You seem very nervous. Did I say that I could eat you up? In any case, we will find out later.¡± Gray held up his hands. Then he showed a deft attitude, holding his palms out as if he had no intention of attacking. Rodelia did not answer his response. She ended the conversation. ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m busy with my work. I hope we never see each other again.¡± She passed by Gray, who maintained an expression of indifference. Gray¡¯s expression turned cold as he stared at where Rodelia had left. ¡®What on earth is that woman?¡¯ At first he foolishly wanted to see the face of the empress who had sent him the invitation. He was just curious. Next he became interested when he heard that Cerdian was interested in her. After meeting Rodelia in person, he wanted to tease her. But no matter how much they talked, there was nothing special about her. She was just a woman who fit well into the role of a typical empress. ¡®Is there something about her that I don¡¯t know?¡¯ He wrinkled his brow and immersed in thoughts. ¡®She¡¯s definitely beautiful. However, I¡¯m not usually the type who is shaken by pretty women.¡¯ Gray, who was mumbling, slowly commanded the attendant who was silently guarding his side. ¡°Jose, find out more about that woman.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Oh, Cerdian, what an uncharacteristic excitement. I tried to see the face of the foolish Empress who sent me an invitation, and I found a pretty good prey.¡± Prince Gray, who thought of Cerdian, loosened his cravat. A bruise that looked like it had been formed only moments before was now reddening on his neck. His expression hardened coldly and he touched the injured neck. ¡®I¡¯ve never beaten that boy. By the way, if I do it right this time, I¡¯ll have an excuse to win.¡¯ His face, with a smile around his mouth, was horrifying. Gray, who hummed as if he felt better, moved on. **** Earlier. Gray Howard sat leaning back in his easy chair, contemplating how to embarrass Rodelia and Kane at the luncheon. It was only a moment before his relaxed body was pinned against the wall. With a thud, his body collapsed. Before he could even stand up, someone¡¯s large hand tightened its grip around Gray¡¯s neck. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­ what is this¡­!¡± He let out a squeak. His mind was so confused that he couldn¡¯t see properly in front of him and he didn¡¯t even know whose hand it was that caught him. ¡°I thought long and hard about how I was going to tear you to pieces and kill you.¡± A cold and low voice pierced Gray¡¯s ears. ¡°Cerdian¡­¡­? What the hell is this!¡± Prince Gray was able to recognize who was holding his neck after hearing the voice. Cerdian¡¯s voice was calm, but the killing intent in it was heavy. ¡°I hate it when someone touches mine. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware of that.¡± ¡°No, of course. Are you talking about the empress?¡± ¡°I see that you are knowingly pretending not to know, and you¡¯re still a rat.¡± Cerdian tightened his grip on Prince Gray¡¯s neck. ¡°Ugh¡­¡­!¡± Gray slapped Cerdian¡¯s hand a few times as if to ask him to let go. But Cerdian only put more pressure on his hand. ¡°Next time it will be your neck. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Okay¡­.Ugh!¡± Gray¡¯s face was pale as Cerdian let go of his neck. Cerdian tore off the neatly tied cravat with an annoyed hand gesture. ¡°I understand you will not be attending today¡¯s luncheon.¡± He then ordered Gray who was sitting down on the floor and let out a choking breath. ¡°I can tell with my eyes that you did it on purpose, so don¡¯t bother me anymore. I am barely tolerating this much even now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that stupid, so I¡¯m sure you understand me well.¡± Cerdian, who had returned with a peaceful expression on his face, said with downcast eyes. ¡°And this should not be known to the Empress.¡± Cerdian¡¯s voice was terrifying. Gray knew very well what was the meaning of his words. It was something he had experienced countless times in the past. Once again, the realization of Cerdian¡¯s brutal and unrelenting personality sent a shiver of fear down Gray¡¯s spine. ¡®But I¡¯m not who I used to be.¡¯ Prince Gray looked up at him, patting his reddened neck. Then, he raised the corners of his lips in affirmation. ¡°Of course.¡± **** *Cerdian¡¯s pov on the day Rodelia was bullied by Prince Gray and when he found her almost crying after.* The cold gaze that had been watching the banquet hall was fixed on Rodelia¡¯s pitiful back. For some reason, it didn¡¯t feel good to look at her trembling back. Cerdian, who strode his long legs, grabbed Rodelia as she tried to climb the stairs. ¡°I searched for you for a while.¡± (Cerdian) The friendly way of speaking, which was so difficult, has now been adjusted to some extent. The realization of the fact struck him with astonishment. How pathetic he was to worry about a woman. The moment he looked into Rodelia¡¯s watery eyes, which looked as if they were about to crumble, strange feelings soared. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have left my seat.¡¯ (Cerdian) The woman who always looked precarious, but today, when she blamed him in a voice laced with resentment, the extent of it looked even more extreme. She was like clear, thin glass that seemed to break at any moment when he touched it. He found it very strange that she always tried to maintain her calmness and elegance, even though her body was shaking, saying she didn¡¯t want help. He once imagined how ecstatic it would be if he crushed the nobility right away. However, such a woman was now resenting him, with eyes that looked as if they were about to burst into tears. He felt a burning sensation in his throat at the sight of the strange Rodelia. It was he who had broken her down to this point. But that was only to be expected. It was frustrating in itself that a situation that he did not know about had occurred when he was out of his seat. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± He was careful not to raise his voice, but his intensified emotions were difficult to regulate. He could feel Rodelia slowly coming to her senses. Her pitiful eyes flickered finely and were quickly fixed. He hoped she would tell him what was wrong, but she walked away without saying a word. Cerdian¡¯s fine eyebrows twisted. He wanted to find out who it was that made Rodelia crumble like this, and twist the person¡¯s neck right away. He couldn¡¯t understand these intense emotions himself, but he thought it was due to his tendency, which was extremely averse to other people messing with his things. [Promise me you won¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t answer when I don¡¯t want you to.] Cerdian recalled her words as he looked at Rodelia in the distance. He really didn¡¯t like her words, but he tried to watch her carefully, since it was the first request she had asked him. He just couldn¡¯t seem to keep it. He could have done it anyway, if only Rodelia had not known. Cerdian ordered in a cold voice to a person, who had somehow snuck up to him in the midst of the lively party. ¡°Go and find out exactly what happened. Investigate everyone who was in contact with the Empress.¡± Chapter 28 **** Spring was approaching, but the air leaking through the window was much colder. ¡°Your Majesty, have you prepared a handkerchief?¡± Baroness Verna, who was drinking tea with Rodelia in front of the fireplace, asked with a shiver. ¡°Of course.¡± Rodelia smiled formally and put the book she was reading face down on the desk. She took a sip of tea, and before anyone knew it, her expression twisted. Although she answered confidently, she was worried. Of course Kane wanted her handkerchief, and there was a handkerchief she had made before this¡­.. ¡®I can¡¯t help being embarrassed.¡¯ It was obvious Sola would prepare one too. Sola¡¯s embroidery skills were recognized in social circles. But Rodelia¡¯s hands were clumsy, and it was only natural that her own messy self should not be compared to Sola¡¯s. Sighing secretly, Rodelia put down her teacup. ¡°Oh, I heard that the Silver Kingdom delegation returned this morning. Because of some urgent matter ¡­.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Rodelia wasn¡¯t too surprised since she already knew about it. She just didn¡¯t expect them to leave so soon. As Rodelia answered, Baroness Verna, who had thought Rodelia was interested, continued to fuss about the Silver Kingdom. ¡°By the way, how urgent was it for them to turn down all the formal send-offs? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Yesterday, I saw the Prince for a moment, and he was as handsome as His Majesty¡­¡­ It¡¯s a pity he can¡¯t stay long. Single handsome men are rare here.¡± Lady Aden, who had been eating tea cakes next to Rodelia, replied jokingly while clicking her tongue in disappointment. A small chuckle sounded. ¡°There¡¯s Grand Duke Eisen, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Oh, Grand Duke Eisen is certainly the most handsome. But, isn¡¯t he very scary? He¡¯s so cold.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. It seems as if not a drop of blood would come out even if you stabbed him. The rumor seems to be true.¡± ¡°Oh, that rumor?¡± The chambermaids made all kinds of gossip about how Cerdian were really going to hunt humans, or how the curse that had fallen on the Grand Duchy of Eisen could only be cured by drinking human blood. ¡°I see¡­.¡± Rodelia nodded her head as she listened to the insinuations of the chambermaids directed at Cerdian. She made a small, unsure mumble, and Lady Aden asked with a twinkle in her eye. ¡°You know Grand Duke Eisen very well, don¡¯t you, Empress? You even entered the hall with him yesterday!¡± ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know much about him either. But I thought the rumor went too far. It¡¯s the sound of catching the floating clouds. I don¡¯t think Grand Duke Eisen is going to hunt people¡­¡­.¡± And he seems kind of gentle ¡­¡­ Rodelia swallowed her back words, which she just couldn¡¯t get out. However, she couldn¡¯t hide the signs that she was defending Cerdian. In fact, she would be lying if she didn¡¯t believe the rumors before. But the Cerdian she had seen for several days was not so brutally cold and indifferent. Rather, he cared about the details. ¡°And so it was at the banquet.¡± As Rodelia nodded her head, thinking about Cerdian, the attendants bombarded her with exaggerated questions. ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s interested in Her Majesty?¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure. If he¡¯s as handsome as His Majesty, you should meet Grand Duke Eisen. Oh, of course, the Emperor is handsome, but¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to make him a concubine. The emperor already has one. What do you think?¡± Lady Arden and Baroness Verna were a breath of fresh air. Perhaps it was because they both had cheerful personalities. Their eyes lit up, and the girls began to discuss enthusiastically. But Rodelia did not know how to react, so she went over the subject without it. ¡°By the way, where did Viscountess Cohen go?¡± ¡°Viscountess Cohen? Oh, she is a little late today. She said not to worry because she will be here before the hunting competition starts.¡± The ladies also thought Rodelia seemed uncomfortable, so they did not bring up any more stories about Cerdian. However, they only brought up another difficult topic. ¡®¡¯Your Majesty, by the way¡­¡­¡± ¡°Yes, please say it.¡± Lady Aden seemed hesitant. Was she trying to say something too difficult to convey? For some reason, Rodelia felt anxious because the situation overlapped with the time when Viscountess Cohen delivered the news about Sola in the past. Rodelia straightened her tense body. Her jaw tightened and stiffened. ¡°It may be out of the blue, but the handkerchief you embroidered.¡± ¡°My Handkerchief?¡± It was a little out of the ordinary, but fortunately it was nothing to worry about. ¡®Was I too sensitive¡­..¡¯ Rodelia stared at Lady Aden with a more relaxed expression. ¡°My handkerchief?¡± ¡°Yes, a handkerchief for His Majesty. I¡¯m not good at embroidery, so I want to see you embroider!¡± Aden gave Rodelia an expectant look. It was because the Empress usually showed perfect performance, so expectations were high. It was a mistake on Aden¡¯s part, who still didn¡¯t know much about Rodelia. ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± Rodelia, with a troubled look on her face, turned to the chambermaids for help. The other maids tried to quickly remedy the situation, but they were powerless. ¡°What did you embroider?¡± It was something we would find out someday anyway. Giving up, Rodelia pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and showed it to them. Receiving the handkerchief with expectant eyes, Aden carefully unfolded it. For a moment there was silence. Her pupils contracted and relaxed minutely . ¡°Eh ¡­¡­ very nice! I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before, is it a chicken?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an eagle, Lady Aden¡­..¡± Rodelia blushed and mumbled small. ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± The blue eagle was the symbol of the empire, so it was the embroidery that best suited the emperor of the empire. So Rodelia embroidered the eagle, but it looked like a chicken to them? She was good at everything, but no matter how much she embroidered, she showed no signs of improvement. Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened with embarrassment. ¡°Does it look like a chicken¡­¡­?¡± ¡°No! I looked again and it looks like an eagle. Your Majesty.¡± Smiling shyly, Rodelia took the handkerchief from Aden¡¯s hand and put it in her pocket again. In the awkward air, Aden swallowed the tea as the attendants looked at her. Fortunately, she was relieved thanks to the arrival of Viscountess Cohen shortly after. ¡°Your Majesty, I am a little late. Are you ready?¡± The Viscountess, who came with the cold air outside, exhaled cheerfully and asked. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m already done with preparations.¡± Rodelia¡¯s expression, which had been sitting somberly, became more comfortable. She got up from her seat and showed the costume to Viscountess Cohen. The costume was lighter than usual, just for the hunting competition. Her hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, and she wore shoes with low heels, giving a relaxed appearance. ¡°You are so beautiful, Your Majesty. There¡¯s no place for me to fix it.¡± The Viscountess smiled gently. She took off her purple coat, hung it on a hanger, and smoothed Rodelia¡¯s dress. Every breath she breathed felt cold. ¡°I¡¯m glad. Come to think of it, I heard that Viscount Cohen is also going to a hunting contest today¡­¡­. Did the Viscountess prepare a handkerchief too?¡± ¡°Yes, I did. I specially prepared a different pattern for him.¡± It was an attitude that was different from the Viscountess¡¯ usual self. She seemed happy to show off. ¡°Viscountess¡¯s embroidery skills were well known in social circles. I heard that the Viscount fell in love with your embroidery skills and proposed to you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± The Viscountess took a handkerchief out of her small handbag and handed it to Rodelia. Holding her handkerchief, Rodelia tilted her head. This was because the embroidery engraved on it looked a little different from the one usually engraved by the Viscountess. Rodelia looked at her with a puzzled expression, but the Viscountess just smiled nonchalantly. Her gaze dropped to the handkerchief again. ¡®It¡¯s definitely a snake.¡¯ The two white snakes were intertwined, their mouths gaping open at each other, as if they were alive. A shiver ran down her spine as she watched them for a long time. There was something about the embroidery that attracted her. She was not sure if this strange attraction was due to the Viscountess¡¯ outstanding embroidery skills, or if it was intrinsic to her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I was wondering if this might be¡­ ¡­ Is this a snake?¡± Rodelia, who had been idly looking at the embroidery, slowly opened her mouth. ¡°Snake?¡± ¡°White snakes.¡± Baroness Verna shuddered, lowered her teacup and shouted. Then Viscountess Cohen corrected her with a graceful smile. Lady Aden swallowed the pastry she had been munching on and blinked in shock. After a moment of silence, the chambermaids, who had been looking only at each other, came to see the embroidery. After handing them the handkerchief, Rodelia sat down again. Aden received the handkerchief and murmured with Baroness Verna. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she engrave the rose pattern that she engraved every time¡­.¡± ¡°Why the abominable snakes¡­.. Oh, and of course the embroidery is really lovely, ma¡¯am.¡± Lady Aden waved her hand without saying anything . Then she added a quick afterthought as if she didn¡¯t want to cause trouble. In Thebes Empire, snakes were known as the monstrosity of bringing death. Therefore, they were reluctant to show objects that symbolized snakes. Especially on special occasions. However, how could the Viscountess embroidered snakes on the day of the hunting competition, of all days? It was not difficult to see why the maids reacted so shocked. But they could not show it. They faked a smile and handed the handkerchief back to the Viscountess again. How dared she embroider snakes that symbolize death? But ironically, the snake was not monstrous, but mysterious. Rodelia sat in her seat in a daze, picturing the snakes floating in her head. ¡®Is she offering this to her husband?¡¯ ¡°No matter how good you are at embroidery¡­¡­ isn¡¯t this a snake? Perhaps you had a fight with the Viscount?¡± Baroness Verna and Lady Aden asked anxiously. They were worried that there might be bad rumors. ¡°It¡¯s not just a snake.¡± ¡°What? Well, can it be a spirit thing?¡± Without answering, the Viscountess, her eyes averted, covered her mouth with a plump hand. Apparently, she had no intention of telling them properly. Baroness Verna continued to show her concern, but the Viscountess still did not reply. ¡°Is it the quintessence¡­. ¡° Rodelia, who had been clear, murmured quietly with her chin resting on her hand. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What? What did I say?¡± (Rodelia) The ladies¡¯ eyes turned to Rodelia in unison, and she looked up in surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say something, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°No ¡­¡­?¡± Rodelia didn¡¯t really seem to know. She blinked in surprise. ¡°Oh, I thought something was going on because you didn¡¯t look so happy. As long as it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Baroness Verna got through the situation lightly. As the routine conversation was about to continue again, Viscountess Cohen, who had been quiet, moved her lips. ¡°Your Majesty, in fact, I did not bring this handkerchief to give to my husband.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I want to give it to Your Majesty.¡± ¡°For me?¡± Why would she give the Empress something embroidered with sinister snakes? Rodelia looked puzzled, but the Viscountess¡¯s expression was calm. ¡®Can I take it?¡¯ The Viscountess was always very cautious. So Rodelia knew immediately that the Viscountess was not joking. Snakes. It was something Rodelia wouldn¡¯t think about, but she was sure the Viscountess would give her something that would harm her. Rodelia decided to accept the handkerchief first. ¡°There would surely come a time when the Empress would need it.¡± Chapter 29 *** It was a good day for the hunting competition. The white snow had somehow seeped into the grass. It was a pleasant afternoon when the warm sunshine made people forget the cold. Rodelia looked carefully around the palace garden filled with people. She saw many familiar faces. Most of the aristocrats were there for the purpose of deepening their friendship with the foreign delegations. Among them she saw the Marquis of Florence, who was beautifully dressed as if to boast his dignity. He was shaking hands with the delegations. ¡®I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll pass it up.¡¯ Rodelia¡¯s expectations were right. She and Kane had just exchanged greetings with the nobles. When Kane stepped away for a moment, the Marquis of Florence approached as if he had been waiting for her. ¡±Empress, it has been a long time.¡± Upon discovering him, Rodelia stiffened. The traces of the years were engraved on his face while she had not seen him, but he still did not seem to have lost his stern appearance. The moment she heard his voice, the fear that had been hovering deep in her heart reappeared. Her tightly closed lips trembled helplessly. ¡°Father¡­¡­¡± ¡°I am sorry to bother you, but you don¡¯t come to see this father very often, so I just come to you directly.¡± The Marquis of Florence¡¯s eyes, which looked just like Rodelia¡¯s, glared horrifyingly. ¡°You look good.¡± The trembling of her lips spread to her hands. It was because she knew the hidden meaning of the Marquis of Florence¡¯s words. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so carefree. That¡¯s probably why the emperor was taken away from you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Look at that. After all, the Empress can¡¯t do anything without this father.¡± Rodelia¡¯s gaze turned to the ground, unable to face the Marquis. His voice of reproach was as sharp as a thorn. He couldn¡¯t scold her openly because it was an official meeting, but she could feel that he was very angry. He expressed a little of his suppressed emotion as he patted the back of Rodelia¡¯s hand. ¡°Perhaps you have neglected the wife¡¯s duty? To be loved by your husband, you must not always relax. If necessary, I can assign someone to teach you what to do. What do you think?¡± Rodelia¡¯s face turned red. How could she say such shameful things to his daughter with such impunity? The Marquis spat out thorny words with a kindly face. The nobles in the vicinity, unaware of this fact, engaged in a satisfying dialogue about how the Marquis cared so much for his daughter. ¡°Her father is as kind as ever, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes. I am somewhat envious. There is nothing the Empress does not have.¡± ¡°Not anymore. She lost the emperor.¡± Hearing the sound of their conversation, the Marquis¡¯ expression hardened horribly, but he raised his lips as much as he could. Then he looked at Rodelia with cold eyes. He seemed to be urging her to reply. ¡°¡­.. no.¡± Rodelia finally opened the tightly shut lips. The words ¡®I am not an object to satisfy him¡¯ came up to her throat, but she had no choice but to spit out the reply her father wanted. She squeezed her eyes shut. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have gained weight. ¡­.¡± With a small murmur, the Marquis of Florence scanned Rodelia¡¯s body slowly. He gave a satisfied smile and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Remember. A fine empress is one who is wise and just a person who obeys the emperor and listens quietly.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You should not forget that you need to produce an heir quickly in order for your family to succeed.¡± How could she forget? The Marquis had placed her in this Imperial Palace for just that reason. Rodelia was well aware of the Marquis¡¯ greed. So was Kane. Kane was not happy with the Marquis of Florence. Even so, she believed that the reason he made her empress was because he loved her enough to overcome his hatred. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this father will take care of it himself. Empress just brace yourself and step on the things that try to crawl up to you. Don¡¯t look down on it.¡± He warned her, as Empress, she should not show an inch of weakness. Rodelia squeezed her trembling hands. She thought she was all better now, but it was only an illusion. Childhood trauma did not easily disappear. It was like a time bomb that could reveal itself at any time. She could not escape from the Marquis of Florence. A cold sweat ran down Rodelia¡¯s spine as she realized the truth. ¡°I trust you understand what I mean, my daughter. I will see you often from now on.¡± After confirming Kane¡¯s return, the Marquis quickly left his seat with a few meaningful words. ¡°Rodelia, you look pale, is something wrong?¡± As she tightened her expression, Kane approached and whispered in a small voice. His voice was truly innocent. It was as if he knew nothing. But Rodelia knew very well. Kane just didn¡¯t want to get involved and pretend not to know. He knew very well how much Rodelia feared her father. She recognized again what she had denied in the past. Rodelia¡¯s green eyes darkened as she learned one by one who Kane really was. The heart that had finally melted hardened like ice again. She smiled bitterly and slowly opened her mouth. Did he know that there was only bitterness at the end of this smile? ¡°No. I just don¡¯t feel well.¡± **** At the start of the hunting competition, the ladies would usually sit in their reserved seats and enjoy tea time, as would the Empress Rodelia. As she sipped her tea while listening to the conversation between the foreign delegations and the ladies, Countess Cullen whispered. A blatant curiosity arose in her eyes. ¡°Now, has the Empress decided who to give your handkerchief to?¡± The Countess, who looked as if expecting to see Rodelia¡¯s panic, smiled. She seemed to retort Rodelia¡¯s entrance to the banquet with Cerdian. Rodelia had a vague idea that some of the noble ladies would react this way, but she didn¡¯t expect to hear it so soon. Deciding to ignore the Countess¡¯s obvious intentions, Rodelia replied with a dry expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°No, I just thought the Empress has more than one person to give her handkerchief to.¡± But Countess Cullen was more brazen than Rodelia expected. She seemed to be over confident with Sola at her back, spewing such words without hesitation in the presence of the delegations. In the past, she would be mesmerized by the charming figure of Rodelia. ¡°Countess Cullen, in the presence of the delegations, how rude of you to say that to the Empress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Please watch your language.¡± Before Rodelia could say anything, her attendants stood up and expressed their displeasure. Of course, all the ladies who were on Sola¡¯s side, just silently drank their tea. However, they did not particularly take Countess Cullen¡¯s side. So she secretly stepped down. ¡°Is that so? I thought you had someone else to give it to besides His Majesty, My apologies, Your Majesty.¡± Countess Cullen, whose little lips had been twitching for a while, apologized in a voice that sounded like it was about to crawl in. No matter how much power she had lost, Rodelia was still the Empress. No matter what her excuses were, the Countess was in a situation where she could be punished for blasphemy against the royal family. Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened after receiving her formal apology. How much power had she lost? This was too much. It was a seat with the delegations. If things went badly, rumors might spread to other countries that the prestige of the Imperial House of Thebes had been damaged. It was going to be a big blow in many ways. Rodelia, who had tightened her grip, moved her straight-closed lips. ¡°Countess, I¡¯m sorry, but there are no seats at this table, could you please move to another table?¡± The voice was stern. Rodelia, her face expressionless, looked at the Countess. The Countess¡¯ murky blue eyes began to visibly shake. ¡°Yes? But ¡­¡­..¡± Rodelia only smiled softly in place of a reply. The Countess looked at the ladies as if asking for help, but none of them would make eye contact. ¡°I understand¡­.¡± The Countess¡¯s face flushed red with shame. She stood up, holding her trembling hands. Her huge frame blocked the sunlight and a shadow hung over the table. She walked away, barely taking her feet that would not fall off. She left, but Rodelia didn¡¯t particularly try to lighten the mood, just casually drank her tea. A somber stillness drifted over the table. ¡°I envy you, by the way.¡± A few moments later, a cheerful voice broke the silence. However, it was accompanied by a sarcasm that did not match the innocent voice. It was Princess Charlotte of the Kingdom of Clavia. She seemed to be in a hurry to evoke the tense atmosphere, but perhaps she was probably intending to take control of this table. ¡°What?¡± Putting down her teacup, Rodelia looked at her with a dry expression. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear uncomfortable clothes in Thebes. We still have a lot of unnecessary decorations in our kingdom. We have to wear these long clothes, and tight corsets.¡± Indeed, women in the Thebes Empire dressed relatively comfortably. There was no lack of fancy clothes, but they were not forced to wear tight or inconvenient clothes. Was it a needless fear? Rodelia¡¯s expression hardened as Charlotte continued. ¡°But the concept of concubine is also strange.¡± Princess Charlotte began to act like someone who had decided to provoke Rodelia. The sarcasm was right. Although women here were more free than in other countries, the concept of concubine was still there. But did the Princess really need to dare to say it out loud here? She continued her words happily, despite the stiffened atmosphere around her. ¡°But you¡¯re able to receive a lot of love from men thanks to it, right? It¡¯s annoying, but what can I do? I have to hold it in.¡± Rodelia¡¯s eyes narrowed. The more she listened, the stranger her feelings became. It was somehow unpleasant for her to ignore her like that. ¡®Did I look like that, too?¡¯ It might be so. Because she did her best to look good to Kane in the past. Without knowing what Rodelia was thinking in her mind, Charlotte seemed very pleased with Rodelia¡¯s reaction. It was not that she had any ill feelings toward her, but she felt a strange sense of pleasure in embarrassing the Empress of the empire. Charlotte believed that if what had happened at Thebes came to the ears of the King of Clavia, she would certainly be able to get one step closer to the throne. Rodelia¡¯s reaction to Countess Cullen was surprising, but she (Charlotte) knew that Rodelia would not do that to her, the foreign delegation. But the timing was not good. Unexpected words leaked out of Rodelia¡¯s lips. ¡°Princess Charlotte has been so careless since last time.¡±