Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The Bride-To-Be of the Star Palace (3)

As soon as he strode out of the way, Roelin tried to take a step again. However, the voice which she could hear had immediately caught her feet.

“…This is rather different from the promise.”

“Your Majesty?”

Roelin, who had confirmed the owner of the voice, instantly opened her eyes wide. She was surprised and began to look at him with her eyes fully open for a moment before she belatedly came back to her senses as she expressed her greetings.

“My humble greetings to Your Majesty.”

As soon as Roelin prepared herself for courtesy, Silloa, who had been standing behind her, also bowed down to show respect towards the Emperor.

She didn’t notice since when he had been there, but the Emperor was standing a little far from the hallway where they were at.

Kergel looked at Roelin quietly before he turned to look at Count McGree. When the Count had made eye contact with him, he hastily bowed his head in surprise. Kergel’s mouth, while he was watching it all, contorted a little.

However, he approached Roelin with an indifferent look on his face as he reached out his hand. She was embarrassed by his sudden behavior, but she still held his hand calmly in response.

Then, Kergel grabbed Roelin’s fingertips slightly before placing his lips on the back of her hand. He soon took them off and started opening his mouth.

“I went to the Separate Palace to have a walk together, and they said you already went to the library instead. If I had been a little late, I would have gone the wrong way.”

“…Oh, I’m terribly sorry. If I had known Your Majesty would be coming, I would have been in the Separate Palace, but it seems like I made you walk in vain.”

“No. It’s my fault that I didn’t contact you in advance and just went there. In that sense, will you allow us to take a walk together then?”

Kergel’s tone was polite and friendly. Just like before marriage. However, Roelin knew that his gaze towards her was utterly dry.

It was just, as if it was all for ‘show’.

Perhaps the subject had been Count McGree himself. Roelin raised the corners of her mouth and opened her mouth in an even softer tone.

“How could I refuse Your Majesty who would devote his precious time to me? I will accept it with gratitude.”

“That’s a relief.”

Kergel instantly clasped onto Roelin’s hand and tried to turn around, but he suddenly spoke out to Count McGree as if he had forgotten something.

“By the way, what happened for a man of the Rakain Delegation to be here?”

“Oh, that’s…”

“There is also a library in the Outer Palace where all the members of the delegation are staying. Do you really have to get out of the Outer Palace and come all the way here?”

“Of course, I’m not trying to deprive anyone of their freedom to go wherever they want, but I’m still quite curious.”

Kergel’s eyes appeared ferocious. Beads of sweat began to form on the forehead of the Count, who was struggling to find something to respond with.

“I heard that when the Royal Daughter had already refused to meet, you came all the way to the library in return.”

“Oh, that’s just a misunderstanding!”

Count McGree’s face turned into that of contemplating. He stuttered and began trying to make excuses.

“It’s not about that, but I’m truly sorry that I couldn’t attend the wedding. So, to apologize…”

“Well, but I couldn’t hear the word ‘apologize’ at all.”

Kergel stopped talking to the Count and looked back at Roelin instead. Then, he opened his mouth towards her.

“Did you hear it?”

“…No.”

“That’s a relief. I began to wonder if there was a problem with my own ears.”

He smiled and nodded. Count McGree’s face turned red the moment he saw it. Since he couldn’t have not known that Kergel was actually laughing at him.

However, Count McGree clenched his teeth and merely bowed his head without even responding to Kergel.

‘Even so, you don’t even know that it’s just a fake and the fact that you are being tricked into getting married to her.’

The corner of the Count’s mouth—even with his head hung down—became crooked.

It was such a funny thing to look at. Since the Emperor of the Empire didn’t even know that the woman who would soon become his bride was a sham.

‘No. Shouldn’t we say that it’s going to become a pair that looks good together? Since a monster has finally met with a fraud?’

The Count could barely hide his shifty smile as he raised his head once again. However, his expression soon became chaotic.

It was because of Kergel’s gaze that was gazing straight at himself.

The golden eyes that resembled much like a beast’s were staring at the Count as if they could actually see through everything. Count McGree stepped back at that moment, realizing that it was utterly impossible. Then, as soon as he tried to open his mouth while feeling humiliated by his impression, Kergel was the first to look away and began reaching out to Roelin instead.

“Then, let us go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Roelin wasn’t even paying attention to Count McGree. Still, right after she had answered Kergel’s words, she began to put her hand slightly on top of his.

Her fingertips were trembling faintly. Perhaps because they had been in front of Count McGree, who knew who she really was, and the guilt that was filling her heart had weighed her down even heavier than usual.

The Emperor, who had been deceived by herself and also the Rakain Kingdom, was just pitiful.

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