Chapter 14: Chapter 13

“Older brother…”

Kaiden was approaching with a frown. Evelina’s face was hot with a strange shame that he had just heard the conversation. Because she didn’t want to talk about her bedroom affairs.

“Empress.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why are you always here?”

Kaiden reached out. Evelina thought a little bit about whether to hold his hand for a moment, but she soon caught it. She confirmed that Ianathas, who was standing behind Kaiden, stood behind her with a sad expression, and stayed still as Kaiden held her hand tightly.

“The blasphemy against the Empress is a blasphemy against me.”

“Oh, yes. I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“Where are her apologies?”

Evelina felt strange because of Kaiden, who seemed genuinely offended. The man in front of her was really a handsome man. In her view, none of the people she’s ever seen in her life have been more perfect than Kaiden.

But there wasn’t a single reason why he would be nice to her. It was to the point where they should hate each other. There was no way he should give  unconditional favors to the daughter of the enemy family.

Evelina was convinced that he wanted something from her. Otherwise, his behavior didn’t make sense.

“I’ll choose the maid that suits Lina myself.”

“What? Oh, yes.”

When Evelina realized that that was his real intention, she tried to hide her pale tiredness and smiled.

“Older brother. The ladies were just joking.”

“Elsius, don’t you come out of your room for a week, either.”

“What? But I have to prepare for the foundation.”

“You’re out.”

“Brother?”

At Kaiden’s cold words, Elsius seemed embarrassed, but soon said with a smile made as if she had come to her senses.

“I’m sorry, brother. Please forgive me for my mistake.”

Then Kaiden sighed and said, “Maybe it’s a little long.”

“Three days.”

“Thank you!”

Kaiden, who said so, led Evelina’s hand and walked. Kaiden was so tall that it was hard to keep up with him. Her ankle hurt, so she tried to follow him without limping as much as possible, but she was out of breath.

“Ugh…”

As Evelina stumbled out of breath, Kaiden freaked out and let go of her.

“Lina!”

Ianathas, who was behind her, tried to catch her as she was about to fall to the floor.

“Ah…”

Fearing that she would fall to the floor, she reached out her hand and tightly closed her eyes. At that moment, she woke up, feeling like she was floating.

“Ha.”

Kaiden held her in a flustered embrace. He seemed to want to say something, but he sighed impatiently.

“Lina.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Evelina tried to regain her sanity, but her heart raced too much, probably because she was running. Besides, she was so startled that she had just fallen, and her heart was beating so fast. That’s why her head couldn’t cool down.

“I’ve never met a woman besides Elsius and my grandmother.”

“… Yes.”

“So if I act like I don’t know what to do, just tell me.”

Evelina stared at him suddenly because she wanted to say something. It was not easy for her to make eye contact with him, perhaps because her heart was still pounding. Perhaps it was the case for him too, she frowned when her eyes met his and avoided his gaze.

“Like when I walk as fast as I do now.”

“Ah yes.”

As he sighed, she grabbed his shoulder to keep herself from falling.

“Lina.”

“Yes.”

“If you hold it like that, you will fall.”

Evelina hugged his neck because of Kaiden, who spoke as if it was annoying. Maybe he was tired because he walked too fast, Evelina thought. Because his walking speed is very slow compared to the previous one.

So she was able to return to the Imperial Palace.

~~~~

By evening, two unknown women were present.

“This is the Countess of Elbain.”

“I see.”

“And this is Baroness Elias.”

Evelina saw the two maids who were quickly prepared and sent by Kaiden. They were all children of the family that pushed for Kaiden as the Crown Prince. That is why Evelina and them were not associated with very good memories.

“It is an honor to be able to serve the Empress from today.”

“His Majesty has commanded me to do everything in your heart so that Your Majesty may be at ease.”

“I see.”

Evelina was uncomfortable with having two guards suddenly attached to her.

“It’s impressive.”

But because she wasn’t the one to express it outwardly, she pretended to be really touched. She smiled and looked at them both and said.

“Actually, I was really worried because there was no volunteer maid. Thank you so much for coming.”

When Evelina said so and laughed softly, her two maids also smiled and greeted her. So, out of the original four maids, two were replaced by Kaiden.

~~~~

“So you mean that’s all?”

Evelina said, looking at the drawing room, which she only finished today.

“… I’m sorry, Empress.”

Normally, when the Empress entered the Imperial Palace, they received a congratulatory gift. Evelina didn’t expect herself to get a lot of presents, but for this to be the case.

“I’m really happy to have two.”

As she said that, she smiled, pretending to be really happy. One of the two gifts was from Princess Elsius and the other from the Dowager Empress.

Perhaps because of the two of them, it was obvious that Evelina did not receive any gifts. Already in the imperial family there were two more powerful than the Empress. Kaiden’s beloved Princess Elsius and his grandmother, Empress Isabella.

Other nobles also thought that Evelina would not be in her position for long. Because they hadn’t had their first night yet, even at the Empress’ expense.

Everyone thought it was a false rumor at first, until word of mouth spread that Kaiden waited in the hallway until dawn. In addition, there was a custom of hanging the bed sheet used on that day in front of the door after the first night. But it didn’t even happen.

The doubts were almost certain. Of course, the rumor was also intentionally spread by someone.

“What about your father?”

“The Marquis of Logias said he would visit today….”

It was strange that the Marquis of Logias, who had decided to visit the palace for the first time since she got married, had not yet. Originally, the Marquis of Logias was never the one to keep Evelina waiting.

It was the same in the case of the current Marquis of Logias, who promised to meet her outside. He was a father who came out and waited before his daughter every time and hated her making her wait.

But the Marquis of Logias didn’t come even though he had five minutes left for their appointment.

Evelina waited, thinking maybe her father was late because he had something to do. It was a newly built drawing room, so she wanted to be the first to enjoy tea and snacks there with her father.

The Marquis of Logias did not come even when it was so on time. Embarrassed, Evelina decided to wait a little longer.

10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes.

There was no indication until the hour was up. Evelina waited blankly for her father and said to the Countess of Elbain.

“Can you check if something happened to my father?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As the Countess of Elbain left, Evelina sipped the cold tea and looked outside blankly.

The sky was really high and clear. Perhaps that’s why Evelina was a little worried. Just in case something really happened to her father.

And after 30 minutes, Countess Elbain’s expression was strange when she returned.

“What about my father?”

“Marquis Logias has something to do, so he says he’ll have to come tomorrow.”

“I see.”

Evelina was a little discouraged, perhaps because the expectation of seeing her father for the first time since marriage had lingered.

“Okay. I’ll see him at 2 tomorrow.”

She tried to laugh, saying so.

Even though it wasn’t okay.

Evelina finished her black tea. When she drank tea, she felt nauseous and disgusted, but she still habitually drank it.

~~~~

Even that night, Kaiden said he couldn’t come to the Imperial Palace because he had an emergency.

He didn’t feel so sorry for Evelina because she was just around the corner. Rather, it was better to become a poor Empress who could not even afford to be treated pitifully by the Emperor. That way, she wouldn’t bring harm to the Marquis of Logias anymore.

Her father’s political opponents will always want to open their mouths like sharks and catch the pods. It’s better to survive even if you’re ignored.

Evelina was hopeful that if she died pitifully, at least Kaiden wouldn’t kill her father.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“You should take medicine before you go to bed.”

“Oh, yes.”

Evelina stared at the maid who brought her heart medicine and took it without paying too much attention. It may be just a feeling, but it seemed a little different from the medicine she took before.

“Did the prescription change?”

“I heard that Marquis Logias’ doctor prescribes it exactly as written.”

“I see.”

Somehow she thought it hurt more to take the newly prescribed medicine, but Evelina didn’t want to argue about it when she thought she had a month left anyway. Even if she lived one or two more days, it wouldn’t change much.

“This tastes a little weird, too.”

“But you have to drink it all. I heard that His Majesty added various ingredients especially for Your Majesty’s health.”

“I see.”

Evelina answered sourly and took the medicine. Then she fell asleep.

Around dawn, she heard someone coming up to the bed, and she thought it was a dream, perhaps because she was sleepy.

However, the strong smell of alcohol and the large pectoral muscles that seemed to crush her body if she pressed it down.

“Are you sleeping, Lina?”

Asked the one who stretched his hard arms like bars as if to imprison her.

“Your Majesty?”

It was her husband.