Chapter 008
One of the knights was covering his mouth, repeatedly slapping the shoulder of the knight next to him in excitement.
‘There were people here? And so many of them…?’
Having been focused solely on the man in front of me, I hadn’t noticed my surroundings until now. I finally turned my head to take in the scene.
Dozens of knights gathered in the training grounds, servants passing nearby, and even the butler who had followed me—all of them were looking in our direction with the same astonished expression.
Realizing this was a situation similar to what had happened at the banquet, I glanced nervously at the man in front of me.
‘What do I do? He seems angry.’
The muscles in the Duke’s jaw were visibly tense, his face flushed red, and his lips pressed into a thin, tight line.
His expression was so terrifying that it seemed as though he was struggling to contain his anger.
“Lady Feldro.”
Finally, the Duke called me in a low voice.
“Yes…?”
I replied, my face tense at the Duke’s even lower tone.
“This isn’t the place to discuss this. Follow me.”
I quickly followed him as he left the training grounds.
After walking for a while, we arrived at the front gate of the Duke’s residence.
“I don’t know what kind of prank this is, but please stop it here.”
“This isn’t a prank…”
I was about to respond to his words, but I saw the bitter expression on his face and couldn’t finish my sentence.
“Then, please take care on your way home.”
Bang.
Being pushed out of the Duke’s residence, I could only watch his retreating figure with a blank expression.
And after that day, I visited the Duke’s residence a few more times, but each time I returned without seeing him, only having drunk enough tea to fill my stomach.
***
A few days later.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, I brought the mail.”
“Thank you.”
Getting up from my seat, I glanced over the invitations that May had left behind and mumbled.
“There’s a flood of invitations.”
The number of invitations I had received in the past few days was more than double what I had received in the last few years.
Thanks to this, I didn’t have to worry about firewood for the winter fireplace.**
(TL/N: She humorously remarks that the increase in invitations is so significant that they could use them as firewood to stay warm during the winter.)
It’s been a week since Delos’ birthday banquet, and during that time, the social circles have shown an overwhelming interest in me.
Of course, the Duke of Ballestain was also at the center of the rumors.
“Sigh.”
As I suddenly remembered the Duke’s face, I let out a faint sigh.
The reason was that I had recently learned some new information about the Duke from Cesar.
“Apparently, noble ladies are betting on who can seduce the Duke first.”
“A bet?”
“It seems Lady Brienne of the Count’s family started it. She must really not want to marry him. But the other ladies didn’t mind, since the Duke is quite handsome and has a high title.”
Only then did I realize exactly what the Duke had meant by that prank he mentioned a few days ago.
With so many noble ladies, whom he barely knew, pursuing him relentlessly—and then I came along too…
“I guess I couldn’t blame him for misunderstanding me.”
I couldn’t help but sigh again, remembering how the Duke’s residence nearly turned me away and practically threw me out a few days ago.
Moreover, my father and Cesar had been asking me for days whether I had really fallen for the Duke at first sight, leaving me completely overwhelmed.
‘It would be nice if we could meet and talk properly.’
But no matter how many times I tried to visit him, the Duke was nowhere to be found, and I couldn’t help but sigh.
It was clear that I had been marked as a completely strange woman in the Duke’s eyes.
As I was pondering how to untangle this messy situation, I heard a knock.
Knock, knock.
“Miss!”
May hurriedly entered the room, handing me an invitation.
“An invitation from the Imperial Palace has arrived!”
“What? From the Imperial Palace?”
I was taken aback by the unexpected news and examined the invitation card carefully.
Then I noticed the emblem of a double-headed eagle and a sword.
“This is…”
The sender was none other than the Emperor himself.
***
The next day.
Inside the carriage heading to the palace, I couldn’t hide my complicated feelings.
This was because the Emperor was fated to suffer from an unknown illness six months from now and ultimately die a year later.
At that time, every doctor in the country tried to save him, but they ultimately failed.
“This feels strange.”
I felt strangely uneasy knowing that the person I was about to meet would die in a year.
“But why did he summon me specifically?”
I murmured as I recalled the Emperor’s face from memory.
After marrying Delos, the Emperor showed no particular interest in us.
Delos was always getting into trouble, and even on the rare occasions when we had meals together, the Emperor would look at us with a disapproving expression, which was the only memory of him that I had.
Lost in thought, I realized the carriage had already passed the gates of the Imperial Palace.
“Miss, we have arrived!”
I heard the coachman’s voice from outside.
As I stepped out of the carriage, the central palace where the Emperor was staying came into view.
“Greetings, Lady Feldro.”
A servant waiting at the palace’s entrance spotted me and greeted me.
“Please come this way.”
Following the servant’s guidance, we arrived at a massive greenhouse garden.
As we went further in, a spacious room with a white wooden table came into view. A middle-aged man with bright golden hair was sitting there.
“Oh, you’ve arrived.”
I quickly bowed and greeted him.
“I pay my respects to the Sun of the Empire.”
“Good. Come here and sit down.”
The Emperor gestured for me to come closer, saying that my greeting was sufficient.
As I approached the Emperor, I noticed another person hiding behind a large leaf who hadn’t been visible until now.
“Ha, what are you doing? Why aren’t you sitting down? Is it because of my presence that you are so formal? No need for that, as I’ve already heard the news.”
I looked at the Duke sitting in front of me with surprise. He also seemed taken aback, as if he hadn’t known I was coming.
‘I didn’t expect to see him like this again.’
As I stared at the Duke’s face, I noticed him subtly avoiding my gaze.
The memories of being rejected every time I visited the Duke came flooding back, and my lips involuntarily pouted.
As I sat down, the Emperor, who had been watching me with interest, spoke up.
“Well, Lady Feldro.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor slowly stroked his chin and continued.
“I thought you would go as far as marrying Delos.”
After finishing his sentence, the Emperor tilted his head slightly toward me, waiting for a response.
I clasped my hands tightly under the table and replied with a calm expression.
“It has been a long time since the Prince and I mutually agreed to part ways.”
My expression hardened involuntarily, unsure of the Emperor’s intentions in bringing up Delos.
‘No matter how foolish Delos may be, he was still the Emperor’s son.’
What if the Emperor suggested—or even ordered—that I reconsider reconciling with his child? Just the thought was terrifying.
“Hmm, I see. Indeed, no one can truly comprehend the issues that arise between men and women. I didn’t summon you today to discuss anything unpleasant, so don’t be too nervous.”
As I pondered how to respond if he were to ask about the reasons for our separation, I was surprised to find that the Emperor didn’t seem particularly interested in my breakup with Delos.
The Emperor leaned back comfortably in his chair, then turned his head toward the Duke.
“Rather, there was quite an amusing incident at the prince’s birthday banquet, wasn’t there?”
The face with a light smile looked very kind and gentle, but it was the country’s emperor sitting there.
I shouldn’t believe what I see at face value.
midori
thanks! her pouting when delos looked away and remembering him avoiding her is quite cute!