Chapter 36: Chapter 35

What was in the box was a small jewel. The jewel was made of crystal, which was not transparent but a murky milky color.

Evelina knew this gem. This was an unusual crystal that only came from mines owned by the Marquis of Logias.

Seeing it, Evelina checked the note inside.

「 Even if you can’t see it, I’m by your side, even if you can’t feel it, I’m by your side. 」

“It’s a poem by Ponte.”

Evelina realized it was a poem by a famous poet, but it was clear that it was a message for her. Perhaps that’s why she was convinced that it would be her adoptive parents who delivered the letter to her like this.

Most of all, the last one. From bottom to top the cursive writing was her father’s habit. Evelina knew it was her father just by looking at his handwriting.

Perhaps that’s why she was already half-drunk, so she thought she would become more emotional.

“Your Majesty?”

“What does His Majesty do in the afternoon?”

Evelina deliberately changed her mind. Pretending not to be interested in the crystals and letters she received, she flung them to the floor. It was obvious that if she treated them with great care, the servant who might be the eyes of the emperor would report it.

“His Majesty has decided to come to you as soon as the morning event is over.”

“Yes, I see.”

Evelina responded roughly like that and headed to the office. When she went to the office, things were really piled up.

“It’s a lot of work.”

Evelina liked to work. It may seem weird to some people, but she rather liked it because she could empty her head and concentrate when working.

It was better to do what she could than be depressed because she thought she had three weeks left to live.

Because the upcoming death will be inevitable anyway. She didn’t know if the emperor’s drugs were the trigger or if her original life would only last until July 7.

She was rather hoping that her life would stop then. The longer her life was in this palace, with no dreams or hopes, the longer it would just be an extension of hell for her.

“Oh, this is…”

Evelina suddenly looked at the paper in front of her and looked bright.

“Oh, that one.”

Baroness Elias looked excitedly at Evelina and said,

“His Majesty told me to bring all of the birds that were at the Marquis of Logias. Originally, he was going to bring it earlier, but it took time to build a new cage in the garden.”

“His Majesty cares a lot about Your Majesty.”

Countess Elbain, who had not been able to open her mouth since the last chamomile incident, now opened her mouth in admiration. Evelina seemed to have been taken advantage of, so she tried to watch a little longer. She seemed to be really careful, but she still couldn’t believe it. However, since Princess Elsius was imprisoned, there was no way for her to harm her, even if she belonged to Princess Elsius.

When Evelina went mad at the idea, she smiled brightly and said to the Countess of Elbain.

“I’m touched. You prepared all the cages yourself.”

Evelina, who spoke like an immature noble lady, smiled again when she saw the employees smiling brightly as if they were envious.

So she pretended to be in a good mood and was able to confirm the increased work.

“Oh, by the way, Your Majesty. It’s good news.”

Countess Elbain took courage at Evelina’s laugh and said first,

“Your Majesty will now take charge of the financial management that Princess Elsius was in charge of.”

“Isn’t that the Empress’s job?”

“That’s true, but I heard His Majesty ordered it himself.”

“Oh, my God.”

Evelina thought it was unexpected that he gave away that much power, but she thought the situation was fun. The nobles who knew about this before her sent her gifts.

“Oh, and Your Majesty…”

As if to not lose to what Countess Elbain said, Baroness Elias also opened her mouth.

“You’re going to have a tea party with a select group of people.”

“His Majesty?”

“Yes. Your Majesty has already received the list of ladies.”

Evelina laughed at the fact that he was trying to pretend to empower her in earnest. The fact that the only thing he gets after so much effort is the façade of her mind and her soon-to-be-dead body.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“You can look forward to it. He ordered Devin to enter the palace this afternoon.”

Devin was a famous painter.

He was famous to the extent that the Abelard Empire was not the only one who lined up to have his paintings. He was a tricky and crafty painter, so it was difficult to receive a painting even if one gave a castle. Whatever he painted, the price would soar to the national treasure level.

“Oh, my God! That Devin?”

A servant behind Evelina shouted in admiration.

“I have confirmed it myself, and you can believe it, Your Majesty.”

“I see. I’m looking forward to it.”

Evelina pretended to be happy and began to check the documents on her desk one by one.

The documents were really vast. She spent all her morning hours and couldn’t get out of her seat until midday. Nevertheless, there was a long way to go because she had not yet seen all the details previously managed by Princess Elsius.

More than she thought, Princess Elsius seemed to have managed money thoroughly.

“Your Majesty, the Dowager Empress is looking for you.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Yes.”

Evelina smiled at the new maid of the Dowager Empress who came to her. Evelina knew that all the people in the Dowager Empress’ Palace were sent to the frontier of the West.

The emperor will probably be nice to her. Until he takes her body. Maybe that’s why.

“It’s lunch time right now.”

“The Dowager Empress is waiting.”

“I’m waiting for His Majesty.”

Evelina said, “I’m not rejecting the empress, but waiting for the emperor.”

Then the Dowager Empress’ maid looked at Evelina trembling.

“The Dowager Empress was very angry about the last incident. Please go with me.”

“Elias.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Where is His Majesty?”

At Evelina’s words, the lady of Baroness Elias, who confirmed the emperor’s whereabouts 10 minutes ago, spoke.

“He’s still in the banquet hall.”

“I see. Then I should go.”

In response to Evelina’s answer, the Dowager Empress’ maid breathed out relief.

“Elias is here, and Countess Elbain is coming with me. And Ianathas.”

“Yes.”

“You stay here, too.”

“All right.”

Ianathas stayed and Usher Fronen decided to go with her. Evelina rose from her seat.

Ianathas, who understood Evelina at once, smiled and watched them leave.

“Where are you going?”

“Don’t talk to me first. Who dared to speak first?”

Ianathas crookedly replied to Baroness Elias.

“Well, I’m just curious…!”

“The Imperial Palace is a place where you have to watch your mouth, that mouth. You have to be careful so that your neck will not be struck, young lady.”

He said so and left the palace. He didn’t feel so guilty about the action. Ianathas wasn’t a nice person to women in the first place.

So he hurried to go to the Emperor.

‘I’m sorry you dared to ruin my wedding. If you listen to me carefully.’

Ianatas remembered what the emperor had said to him.

‘Then he might be able to save her.’

He was more worried about her, perhaps because of the words. Although he didn’t want to be a good dog, now he couldn’t do anything more than that.

~~~~

“I see the moon of the empire.”

Evelina deliberately greeted her in a messier manner than last time. She was curious about how the Dowager Empress would react.

“That’s great. They say she’s getting better, but now she’s good at etiquette.”

She laughed as the Dowager Empress lied to her without spitting in her mouth. As soon as she saw her attitude, she knew her purpose.

“Come on, get the tea.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Dowager Empress.”

Just like that, Evelina had to lift her tea in the auspices of the Dowager Empress. She was very hungry and didn’t want to fill her stomach with tea, but the Dowager Empress had already finished her meal. She had to drink tea or something.

Soon, hot tea came out, and the fragrance was unique.

“What kind of tea is this?”

“It’s cinnamon tea. They say that if you drink this, your body gets warmer and pregnancy goes well.”

“I see, thank you.”

“Are those marks from Kaiden?”

As the Dowager Empress asked, Evelina suddenly looked at the index finger of her right hand, which he had done yesterday. However, she was looking at the Dowager Empress’ gaze, and she was looking somewhere other than her hands. As she moved along that line of sight, she quickly realized that the line of sight was on her neck.

She couldn’t see her neck. But the dark petal marks that ran from her ears down to her neck were only noticed by Evelina because of her hair, which she noticed when she put her hair up in a ponytail.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of, I will do my duty as a Queen.”

Evelina tried to be demure, but it wasn’t easy. She didn’t know when she got those marks, but she was somehow ashamed.

“I heard there were only the two of you last night.”

“… Yes.”

“Are you doing well in your relationship?”

To this Evelina didn’t know what to say, so she only pursed her lips. She’d rather be scolded than questioned like this.

“I hear you haven’t put your sheets on yet.”

“…”

“Did you decide to skip it, or is it still there?”

At the Dowager Empress’ question, the other servants were watching her as if they were spying on Evelina.

“Dowager Empress.”

Evelina struggled to answer this embarrassing question with a smile.

“It is between me and His Majesty.”

“If you’re going to say that, have a baby first.”

“Your Majesty the Dowager Empress.”

“If you give birth to a son, I won’t nag you anymore.”

The Dowager Empress raised her chin and looked at her with her cold eyes. Then she took one look at her body and said.

“That is strange. It’s a body her men would love, so why hasn’t Kaiden touched it yet?”

Evelina tried to reciprocate by straightening her face.

“Did you really have a relationship with another man as Princess Elsius said? Is that why you can’t hang up the sheets?”

Even though she knew it wasn’t, Evelina thought that it was a question to discourage her. She no longer had to endure it, so she laughed at the Dowager Empress and said,

“May I tell His Majesty about this?”