Chapter 7: Chapter 6

****

“You will allow it, won’t you?”

Cahir made sure that Azela had no choice but to allow it. The sun of the empire has risen. To the Empress, with whom it was rumoured he was not on good terms. Not only was he not going to fire his secretary for disrespect, but he was even going to punish her for her mistakes. Azela’s answer was obvious. Cahir raised the corners of his mouth. It was a plain sneer.

“So be it….”

Azela turned around after she had barely finished speaking. She staggered a few steps away. Her servants rushed to help her, but Azela violently shook off their hands.

****

“The arrogant Rosaline.”

Cahir and Derek were followed by Rosaline and Hui. They quickly got out of the turbulent Third Star Palace. Surely the ‘lion’s roar of Azela’ would not cease for three days in a row. As they turned onto the road leading to the Imperial Palace and the Third Star Palace, Cahir stopped dead in his tracks.

“Why did you become my secretary?”

Derek’s eyes widened. Cahir rarely took an interest in other people. If he did, he never expressed it directly. If there was something he wanted to know, he would let Derick go and find out. It was quicker and more accurate that way. Basically, Cahir was a man who wouldn’t trust people’s words easily.

“What? Your Majesty?”

Rosaline had other things on her mind. She wondered when Azela would die. It was a given that Azela would stare at her, and her bullying would follow her like a thread on a needle. There was a possibility of how long it would last. But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t remember the scene where Azela died.

‘I’ll go home and read my book again. I’ve come home today, so in a week…. I’m thinking of taking a holiday… ‘

She tried to listen, but she couldn’t possibly hear him properly. Rosaline’s dumb reaction was justified. Hui poked her in the side of her ribs. He told her about Cahir’s question again.

“Oh, Your Majesty! I want to be your secretary because I want to enjoy the glory of worshipping the sun of the empire. I also want to serve and learn from His Majesty, whom I call the greatest genius of all time… “

“Don’t lie to me,” said Cahir, annoyed by the constant falling of the crown. He quickly took off the crown and threw it to Rosaline. She quickly took the crown and staggered. The crown was very heavy. It was full of jewels that ordinary people would never be able to see it. The jewels shone brilliantly in the sunlight in five colours.

“If you lie, I’ll kill you. I’ll ask you again. Why did you become my secretary?”

She felt Cahir’s gaze on her neck. If it was a knife, her head would fall off by now. She held the crown tightly, as if it was her lifeline.

“So that’s ………”

Derek also stepped closer to hear Rosaline’s story better. He was also curious. It was Roy he had told Viscount Berit about, but before he had time to see Roy, Rosaline had turned up and suddenly said she would be his secretary.

“I’m here on behalf of my brother.”

“On behalf of your brother?” Cahir uttered a ridiculous sigh. Derek also sighed.

“Did you hear that, Derek? Hahahahaha, she’s her brother’s replacement.”

Once Cahir had burst into laughter, it was difficult to detect. Rosaline’s mood became worse by the minute. What was so funny? What was so funny about telling the truth when he’s going to kill her for lying?

‘Why it was totally unexpected. Don’t ask me another question,‘ the words rose to her throat, but Rosaline swallowed it down.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Ask me anything you like. I am your servant, am I not?” She smiled.

“Not in the morning. I’m wondering why you came in your brother’s place.”

“My brother’s body is a bit… No, it’s quite weak.”

Cahir’s laugh faded. He narrowed their distance in an instant. Suddenly, a shadow appeared above Rosaline’s head.

‘Wow, I thought it was big, but when I saw it..,’ the top of her head was placed under Cahir’s chin. Then she turned naturally.

“I told you not to lie. You almost died just now. Rosaline, do you have ten lives?”

‘How the hell do you know I’m lying?‘ Rosaline shuddered. Cahir was right. She had lied when she said that Roy had come to replace her because he was too weak. Unlike Roy’s feeble nature, his health was the only thing he was short of.

Most of the people in the house caught cold during the cold spell of history, but Roy was not affected. Perhaps that was the only reason why he drank rotten milk on a summer’s day, only to be glad that he had done his business in the cool of the day. Unlike Rosaline, who had had an ugly time with vomiting and going to the bathroom for days, “But isn’t it a bit silly to say that my brother is an idiot and I’ve come instead, bringing shame on the family…” Rosaline lowered her eyes. Her dark eyelashes cast deep shadows. Cahir felt that there was something about it. If it was difficult to say, he felt that he needed to be considerate, but it was an eye-opener. He wanted to know more.

“Derek, Hui. Take ten steps back.”

“Yes? Is Rosaline in trouble?”

Derek and Hui were disappointed. By the way, is His Majesty being considerate to Rosaline? Derek felt a kind of betrayal. The consideration that His Majesty, whom only he knew, had never given him the slightest thought because he had once stood up to Azela. To think that he was doing it to his new secretary! He was sorry to leave him, but Derek was a man who valued life. He knew what it meant to disobey Cahir’s orders, he stepped back without saying a word. Neither Derek nor Hui had any desire to put their lives on the line for the personal history of a trivial new secretary, whose life had no other relevance to the rise and fall of the Empire.

“I think I’ve given you enough consideration, why don’t you tell me now?”

It seemed that there was no such thing as a question that did not trouble others in his category of consideration.

She had to say something, but she didn’t feel like swearing in the palace. Rosaline looked around. Derek and Hui were exactly ten steps away, as Cahir said. She knew it would be hard for them to hear when she whispered but they could easily read her lip’s movements. Rosaline had a hard time opening her mouth, but as Cahir urged her to answer. She made up her mind.

“Your Majesty, may I have a moment of profanity?”

“What kind…?”

“Will you hold the crown for a moment?” said Rosaline, and Cahir held out one hand wordlessly.

Rosaline carefully returned the crown. Then, she grabbed Cahir by the shoulders and lifted her heels. Their personal space narrowed to a point where they could barely breathe. Cahir’s eyes grew wide with astonishment. Never since he had been able to reason had someone touched his body in this way, and without permission. It was disrespectful. Even if her head had been cut off immediately, the Berit family would not have been able to utter a word. He must push her out, he must shout that she had put her hands on the emperor’s body. But his body did not move as he thought. The moment Rosaline’s lips touched his ear, he froze, as if he had taken a drug that paralysed his body at once.

“My brother is a bit of an airhead. I’ve come to take his place,” said Rosalyn, with an earful, and stepped back. It all happened so quickly. Cahir didn’t know whether to be angry or to laugh. It was certainly a punishable offense, but her answer made him laugh. And to be angry, he should have done it long ago. It was all about timing. He missed the right moment to be angry. His strength slipped away.

“It’s funny,” Cahir’s eyes lit up. He was like a rabbit hiding in the grass with his ears close to the ground. He said everything he wanted to say, and when Azela raised her hand, he listened for a moment like a rabbit before a wild beast. If you’re a coward, don’t do it. If you’ve done it, be proud of it to the end.

She was confused whether he was angry or not. Cahir’s handsome face turned mysterious. He was not smiling, nor was he frowned. She looked at his face. His lips quivered as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say. Cahir became increasingly interested in Rosaline, who defied his expectations whenever she opened her mouth.

“Do you have anything to say?”

“Your Majesty…..? Aren’t you going to be angry?”

“Angry? Why?”

“Because I dare to touch your body?”

“So you know it’s something that makes me angry?”

“Of course! I know you have a dirty temperament.”

“Hahahaha, what did you say Rosaline Be….?”

Cahir laughed, madly. He clutched his belly with his hand and bent over. His dazzling blond hair fluttered like willow leaves. The sunlight hit brilliantly on him. After a while the laughter became lovely. He raised his head. Rosaline’s breath caught in her throat as she saw Cahir smiled.

It was bitter to admit, but he looked lamentably nice to be a tyrant. She didn’t even dare to say “handsome” in words like that.

“…..It’s Rosaline Berit.”

She breathed in, tied her swayed heart tightly in place, and answered. It’s going to be common in the future. ‘Ah, Rosaline. Get a hold of yourself. To be swayed by a nice face, a plausible appearance when you’ve done a lot of kid stuff all over the possessed world.’

“Yes, you’re the daughter of Baron Berit. Rosaline Berit, you’re my secretary from today”.

“What? I didn’t get fired?”

Rosaline grabbed him by the neck with her hands. Cahir’s eyes narrowed. He was amazed by her. He has an eye for the true nature of people. It was purely because he achieved quite a brilliant achievement at an early age for such an ability. But he didn’t have any idea about Rosaline. It was completely impossible to predict what she would do next, or what she would say. So he decided to keep her next to him. Because he was curious. Because she was interesting. Because she was strange.

“Yes. Well done, Miss Secretary,” said Cahir, holding out his hand. Rosaline stared at his big hand. If she grabs it, it will begin. The brutal palace life with him as a tyrant. However, the hesitation was not long. Because it was all part of the plan. Rosaline took Cahir’s hand in hers. The prickles penetrated her whole body.

“By the way, Your Majesty. How did you know that I was lying?”

Cahir pulled her hands together towards him. Her waist was bent backwards. He placed the crown on the ground and held Rosaline by the waist. Her hand, raised reflexively, placed on Cahir’s chest. She opened her eyes wide and swallowed her breath. Cahir’s face came closer. Her head felt like it was going to burst. Her heart, which had been gripped tightly, crashed endlessly to the ground again, as if it was mocking her.

“You didn’t know, did you, Rosaline? You didn’t know that the tongue hurts the lips before it lies,” he said in a husky low voice. It was definitely a rough voice, but as soon as he put it in his mouth, it turned soft as a sweet chiffon cake that melted. She felt as if she would want to eat it. Her body trembled like she was being cut open.