Chapter 48
Chapter 48. Look Closely
Could there really be someone who resembled the Empress this much? Eurene doubted her eyes as she faced the unknown man.
His build and voice were clearly male, but his ocean-blue eyes and platinum blonde hair that seemed to melt sunlight were exactly the same as the Empress’s.
His small face, distinct eyes, clean straight eyebrows, and tightly closed lips – everything reminded her of the Empress. Eurene looked up at the man with trembling lips.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t look at me with such a frightened face. I really am not a molester.”
“What’s your name?”
“Hmm…”
After pondering for a moment, Vante seemed to recall something and replied with an “Ah.”
“It’s Mac, Mac. Mac Hamilton.”
Was she supposed to believe a name uttered with an expression that anyone could tell wasn’t his real name?
Soft, white skin that looked like it had never experienced hardship like her, the heavy sound of gold coins jingling whenever he moved.
‘Could it be…?’
Eurene’s eyes widened at the sudden thought. She had heard that the Empress had a younger brother. The crown prince who would become the emperor of Veshnu.
It didn’t make sense for the sole crown prince of Veshnu to be here when the resentment between the two empires hadn’t fully dissipated, but if he had come with the delegation attending this Empire Foundation Day, it was a different story.
If this man before her eyes was really the Empress’s brother, and if he didn’t know about her existence, couldn’t she possibly use this connection someday?
After brief consideration, Eurene raised her head. Her face, smiling brightly at him, showed no hint of shadow.
“Thank you for helping me. You don’t seem to be from around here, is this your first time in the capital?”
“Umm, yes. Well…”
“I see. Ah, the road is clearing up a bit now.”
As Eurene turned her body, she bumped into someone else’s shoulder due to the crowd. Vante hurriedly caught her as she stumbled greatly and checked if she was alright.
“I should have been careful until the end, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay- Ah!”
Eurene clutched her ankle and furrowed her delicate brow. Vante looked down at her white ankle exposed beneath her dress with an “Oh no.”
“Are you hurt?”
“A, a little. I think I’ve sprained my ankle…”
Eurene looked up at him with large, sparkling eyes.
“I’m really sorry. Could you help me for just a moment? I’ll compensate you generously.”
“Ah…”
After considering for a moment, Vante eventually shook his head and helped her up.
“No need for compensation. If it’s just for a moment.”
“Thank you so much. I was going to look at dresses, so I just need to stop by one place. It’s that shop.”
“Do you mean the one with the blue sign?”
Eurene nodded and smiled brightly. It was a smile that naturally drew people’s attention. Passersby glanced at her, and Vante was no exception.
“…It might be better if you hold onto my arm to avoid falling again.”
As she placed her hand on his arm, Eurene became even more certain.
His smooth movements, expertly escorting a noble lady. Not showing any surprise or worry about his inadequate attire despite visiting a high-end women’s clothing store.
Vante, who followed Eurene into the women’s clothing store, stayed by her side the whole time she was choosing clothes, supporting her. Her excitement was palpable as she stood in front of the mirror with a flushed face, holding dresses against her body.
“It seems you’re also attending the Empire Foundation Day banquet.”
“Yes. I managed to go with great difficulty. Since it’s tomorrow, I won’t be able to get a beautiful dress like other ladies, but…”
“Don’t worry. Whatever you wear, it will suit you perfectly.”
“Thank you for saying that, Mac. Oh, my name is Eurene. Eurene.”
“Hmm, you don’t look like a commoner.”
Eurene smiled broadly and tilted her head. Vante blushed and turned his head away at her smile blooming with loveliness.
“That’s right, but I’ll tell you my family name next time we meet. If we happen to meet twice, then we can call it fate.”
Vante nodded, avoiding Eurene’s gaze.
Eurene turned back to look at herself in the mirror. And the reddened face of the man behind her as well.
‘Yes. Have confidence, Eurene. I have many things that the Empress doesn’t.’
She had the courage to so easily steal someone’s heart and to rise above adversity.
Towards the blue eyes in the mirror looking at herself, Eurene curved her eyes roundly and swallowed her hatred for someone.
* * *
The third day of the Empire Foundation Day dawned. It was the day of the biggest event and also the day when the royal family had to fulfill their duties by going out to the streets of the capital.
In the morning, the Emperor and Empress briefly show themselves on the streets of the capital riding in a carriage. The nobles of the empire also join this procession, following behind in open-top carriages.
Due to the folklore that the founding Emperor Abraltan of Tessibania received help from a fairy during the founding, usually unmarried noble women were in charge of following behind the Emperor and Empress.
They would wear wreaths made of yellow wildflowers on their heads, hold armfuls of bouquets, and display their well-maintained beauty to the fullest.
After finishing the procession and redressing, there was a grand banquet hosted by the royal family. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was the largest banquet of the year, with many attendees including nobles from the provinces. This time, with the addition of the Tessibania delegation, its scale would be even grander.
Vinea could only rise from her seat after placing a red velvet crown on her head, the kind that would be used for a coronation.
To match the crown, her white dress was adorned with red flowers, with a large yellow jewel set in the center.
When she draped a heavy red cloak decorated with gold buttons and strings over her shoulders, it became a weight that she couldn’t properly walk with without the help of attendants.
In fact, during the forty-second regression, unable to contain her irritation, she had thrown the crown to the ground during the procession.
Due to the expensive jewels scattering in all directions, the watching commoners rushed in, causing a major incident, and taking advantage of the confusion, she stole the horse leading the carriage and escaped the procession.
She went to the nearest cliff to get some air and then jumped off to end the regression, and now that irritation was creeping up again.
The attendants carefully held up the sides and back of her dress to prevent it from wrinkling.
Finally stepping outside, Tatar, who had been waiting in front of the carriage, led Vinea.
“I heard you went to see the Emperor Emeritus. I told them to leave the door open so you could behead him anytime you wanted, but it seems you didn’t.”
“Shall I go and do so even now?”
Vinea looked at Tatar with indifferent eyes.
Her insides twisted at the thought of having to match his obvious attempts to probe her. What a pathetic human.
Tatar turned his head with a relaxed smile.
The magically protected carriage boasted a size twice that of the ones the other nobles rode in. It was literally a carriage prepared for show during the procession.
Thanks to the magical protection, it was open and airy without a roof, meaning they would have to show their faces to people as spectacles for the 20 minutes or so of the procession.
Glancing down to check the inside of the carriage, fortunately, the magic circle was well drawn.
In some regression, eggs or rotten food had been thrown, so it was an event that put her on edge even if she didn’t want it to.
The carriage smoothly moved forward.
On both sides of the long road from the imperial palace to the entrance of the capital’s central street stood trumpeters, bands, and knights standing with swords in disciplined postures.
Countless gazes poured in from the knights moving to the music and trumpet sounds, and the people who had come to watch the procession from a slight distance.
Usually, jeers could be heard even amidst the cheers. Cries for the devil of Veshnu to leave this land, or that your motherland killed my family.
But this life was different. The people’s eyes were full of welcome and respect.
“Long live Empress!”
“Waaah!”
“Radiance of Blessing!”
A name called out even louder than that of Emperor Tatar. Vinea was enveloped in subtle emotions.
Tatar asked Vinea, who was calmly waving her hand towards them with a composed face.
“You might feel regretful about these cheers and joy directed at you. Because when the regression ends, all of this will disappear without leaving even a speck of dust.”
“So, has Your Majesty’s heart changed?”
Tatar answered with a pleased expression, closing his eyes without even a moment’s hesitation.
“No. To my eyes, it only looks like formless black things screaming that they’ll kill me. I can only guess from the sound.”
It seems he no longer intends to hide his condition. He used to say that hallucinations didn’t appear when they were together, but now it seems even that is useless.
Vinea’s hand, which had been waving to the people, clenched into a fist.
Tatar, wearing a painted-on smile, gripped Vinea’s clenched hand tightly, as if nothing else mattered but this.
“It’s regrettable that the world the Empress and I see is so different. Well, it’s just a matter of time as we repeat the regressions.”
“That I’ll go mad like you?”
“The moment when we can only recognize each other’s faces in this world.”
Vinea pulled her hand away from Tatar’s grasp.
She didn’t know where to start fixing his rotten mind, but she knew where to touch for it to be effective.
Vinea put on a picture-perfect smile at the corners of her lips, just like Tatar.
“My, how exciting. I wonder how Your Majesty’s endless desire will be fulfilled.”
It wouldn’t take long to find out. Even before the Empire Foundation Day ended, he would realize how naive his choice had been.
Meanwhile, amidst the complex crowd, a particularly white bonnet caught Vinea’s attention.
It was easy to spot nobles mixed among the commoners due to the clearly different quality and color of their fabrics, but there were few in this empire’s capital with such clear sky-blue hair under a bonnet.
The problem was Vante, who had been staring at one person from a distance for a while now.
Sky-blue hair, green eyes, eyes that looked like tears could fall at any moment, quietly holding their breath while facing the ground.
Tatar turned his head, following Vinea’s narrowed gaze. Upon discovering the two people, he let out a chuckle.
“Eurene Castallo and the Empress’s brother. What an innovative combination. It’s funny how we don’t know how things will turn out even after so many regressions.”
Vinea looked up at the cloudless sky, similar to Eurene’s hair color.
“Even if God exists, it’s definitely not for our sake. How could they interfere so much.”
Vinea looked at Tatar again.
“Your Majesty, I told you. Please pretend to be a sane emperor until this Empire Foundation Day is over.”
“If it’s what the Empress wants, I could even roll like a dog in front of the crowd. So, what do you want?”
“Show them. How much the Emperor bound by contract loves the Empress. So that the peace achieved by our marriage seems as if it will last forever.”
