Chapter 29
(29) I Will Protect Your Majesty (21)
Eleanor fell silent for a moment. A thought seemed to cross her mind, and a faint tension appeared between her brows.
It was strange. He had expected a quick, clear answer as always.
“It’s the ones who pretend to be friends or lovers, who hide their true intentions and become someone precious to me, just to claim a piece of my heart. And even when everything falls apart, they stay silent and merely watch.”
Eleanor slowly raised her gaze and met Heraith’s eyes.
“I’m afraid of people like that.”
Only then did Heraith remember that Eleanor had enemies of her own, something he had forgotten because she had always behaved so calmly. He had forgotten that she, too, carried a deep, lingering grudge in her heart.
She had lost her family to betrayal from those she thought were friends and lovers. She had been unable to be by her father’s side when he died, all because she had to prove her harmlessness within the imperial palace.
‘Was it my fault she couldn’t be there when her father passed?’
He hadn’t trusted her. Instead of letting her return, he had kept her at the palace when she came asking for help. It had been necessary. Even if he went back in time, he would’ve made the same choice.
So why did he now feel guilty? Was it because he’d begun to trust her, even a little? Already?
How long had it even been?
Even his own blood relatives had tried to kill him. The Empress Dowager, who had been by his side since birth, didn’t even count anymore.
People he had known longer and treated him with more kindness had all stabbed him in the back.
So why was he trying to trust again?
“Don’t you want to return to Snow? I could let you go now, if you wanted.”
Why is my mouth saying such things?
“Even if you give up the Empress title and go back, I will continue to support Snow until it recovers.”
Why make such a useless promise?
Eleanor looked at him in surprise, her hands pausing. Then a soft smile formed on her lips.
Eleanor often smiled, but most of the time, those smiles were masks to hide her emotions.
This smile, however, rising like sunlight on her face—Heraith could tell this was real. And he realized that he’d made that promise just to see that smile.
“Your Majesty, you’re truly kind.”
As always, Eleanor gave a compliment Heraith had never heard from somebody else before.
“But I will become the Empress, Your Majesty.”
“Why? You must want to go back.”
“Yes, I did. I really wanted to go back.”
Her hand, resting atop the bandage over his wound, slowly moved. The small hand moved like a gentle wave and came to rest softly over the back of Heraith’s hand.
“I realized something, your enemies treat human life as if it’s worthless. And I also saw that you carry everything alone, without talking to anyone.”
The small hand resting on his grew firm.
“I realized there are forces that twist and slander your sacrifices for the people and make you look like a madman. Knowing that—how could I go back north just to protect my own family, while adding one more burden to your shoulders?”
Each word that slipped from her lips pierced Heraith’s chest deeply.
The unfamiliar pain irritated him, and he responded more harshly than he intended.
“Do I look so weak that I can’t survive without help?”
“Of course, Your Majesty will endure, as you always have. But… my heart won’t allow me to leave.”
She had done nothing but place her hand on his.
And yet that small hand felt like a thick, strong vine winding around him, threatening to engulf him completely.
“My second brother will protect Snow well.
And I…”
Her small hand grasped his tightly.
“…will protect Your Majesty here.”
I don’t need your help. I don’t trust you.
Do you know how many people who whispered sweet nothings into my ear poisoned my cup?
My friend. The woman I thought was my mother. They all tried to kill me. You’ll be no different.
He had so much to say. But not a single word came out.
It was as if he were under a spell that bound his body. Heraith couldn’t even blink as he stared at Eleanor.
Only when Eleanor’s hand slipped off his did he breathe again.
Only after she packed the bandages and ointment and returned to the sofa opposite.
Only then did Heraith realize he had been holding his breath.
Eleanor, unaware she had just suffocated the Emperor himself, spoke calmly.
“I’ll leave the ointment here. If you’re wounded by monsters again, please use it. You must be tired, so I’ll be going now.”
He nearly told her not to go. Nearly asked her to stay the night.
And when he realized what he had almost said, he was horrified.
‘What is wrong with me?’
Click.
The sound of the door closing brought him back to himself. He sat still, staring at the spot Eleanor had just vacated.
Then there was a soft tap on the window from the terrace. He finally remembered that he had left Eyo waiting.
“Come in.”
At his voice, Eyo opened the window and entered.
“What happened with Lady Snow…?”
“She treated my wounds.”
Eyo checked the bandages on Heraith’s neck and waist.
“Then, shall I call a physician for a proper inspection?”
“Leave it as it is. You may go.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Even after Eyo left, Heraith remained seated.
Arms crossed, tapping his forearm with a finger, he kept staring at where Eleanor had been.
***
The Empress Dowager’s palace was shrouded in silence.
Empress Dowager Stephanie sat in a chair, clutching both armrests tightly, motionless.
The messenger who had delivered the news had to stand with his head bowed for tens of minutes in the silence.
He glanced nervously at her aide, Hensa, but Hensa was also just staring anxiously at Stephanie.
“…Haa.”
Finally, a sound escaped Stephanie’s lips.
“Haha… Ha. Hahaha…”
It was impossible to tell if she was laughing or sobbing. The messenger lowered his head further.
Stephanie murmured between the eerie sounds,
“His Majesty the Emperor blocked the rift splendidly.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Empress Dowager. His Majesty truly handled it brilliantly…”
“EEEEK!!!”
Suddenly, Stephanie leapt to her feet and snatched the sword from the belt of the guard standing beside her.
The messenger didn’t even see it coming—his head still bowed. Stephanie swung the sword at him.
She lacked the strength to sever his neck in one blow.
Blood spurted from the half-severed neck, staining Stephanie’s face and clothes, but she didn’t care, she kept swinging.
Swish, swish!
She struck again and again until the messenger’s head finally separated from his body.
Even then, she didn’t stop. She continued slashing until the body was a mangled mess.
“Y-Your Highness! Please calm down!”
Unable to watch any longer, Hensa carefully approached, avoiding the blood, and gently touched Stephanie’s arm. She glared at her, her eyes red as if bleeding.
“Hensa. Do I look calm to you? Huh? Do I look like I can stay calm right now?! We opened the rift and didn’t even kill a hundred people!”
Stephanie wiped the blood from her face with her hand.
At Hensa’s signal, the silent servants hurried to clean up the shredded corpse.
Hensa gently tugged at Stephanie’s arm.
[TL: As I said before, I am not entirely sure about Hensa’s gender. However, if I got a clue, I will inform you, dear readers]
“Please sit, Your Highness. You’ll collapse if you continue like this.”
“That’s not the problem!”
Stephanie violently shook off her hand.
“Father will be disappointed. Unless I show him something more, he won’t care about me anymore.”
Hensa couldn’t bring herself to say otherwise.
In truth, Duke Calix, Stephanie’s father, had always been displeased with this plan.
– ‘To kill that Delgado worm, we must suffer this much loss? If we fail, I’ll be very disappointed.’
He had said coldly when agreeing to provide the sacrifices needed to open the rift.
Stephanie and Hensa both knew Duke Calix wouldn’t be merciful just because someone was of his blood.
And so would Heraith.
