âWere you not in good health? Why do you go for a useless walk, while roasting people every day? It seems like the Queenâs ceremony still leaves you with the energy to go for a walk, doesnât it? Take your maids and go back to the Empressâs palace.â
When she saw Karloi shaking his hand, as if he didnât want to look at her, Yvonne couldnât answer. It was even more abominable to see him standing there, hurting her.
What is there to be hurt about it.
Mary Ann nodded after Yvonne was standing still for a while, without replying.
As Yvonne stood up to leave, a loud noise suddenly came from something breaking from above.
Karloi was surprised by the sound and raised his head up to see. But at that moment, his vision was blocked, and he couldnât see anything.
Yvonne wrapped around Karloiâs head.
There was a sense of tension that made him forget even the sound of the rain for a moment. No one could make a sound and was surprised to see the Emperor and the Empress.
âYour MajestyâŚ?â
It was Keana Rodenâs voice, who had just arrived, that broke the silence.
As soon as the slightly high voice was heard, Yvonne moved away from Karloi, startled, as though she had just awakened from a dream. Grabbing the hem of her dress, Yvonne lowered her knees again.
âSorry, Your Majesty. I unconsciouslyâŚ.â
Karloi was looking down at Yvonne blankly, unable to answer as he was shocked.
Then, a large twig, the size of a humanâs leg, fell to the floor.
One of the branches from a large spruce tree that covered the indoor garden had fallen due to the rain. Yvonne seemed to have initially mistaken the sound of falling branches, as something collapsing.
ââŚWhy?â
Karloiâs voice came out hoarsely. As if he was holding his breath for a long time.
âItâs nothing. I just thought something was falling.â
Again, the silence enveloped them. Kiana, who just arrived, was rolling her eyes seeing the unexpected situation.
Eventually, Yvonne raised his head slightly and spoke.
ââŚI was surprised. I thought Your Majesty might get hurt.â
It seemed that Keana could hear the sighs of the maids behind Yvonne. She could have made the atmosphere worse, but Keana clicked her tongue instead of saying anything.
Soft laughter flowed from Karloi as he thought the same thing. It was a laugh that couldnât tell whether he thought it was absurd or ridiculous.
âDonât be foolish, Empress. You donât need to do that the next time. Anyway, go ahead.â
Karloi muttered, roughly brushing off something from the spot Yvonne had touched, as if it was dirty. Yvonne got up and slowly walked away.
Yvonne, who passed by Karloi, smelled like heavy rain and flowers. She must have stayed here for quite some time.
Yvonneâs gaze stayed on Keana for a while, Keana gave a bow. Even with Keana bowing down, Yvonneâs gaze did not fall from her.
âI told Keana to come.â
Karloi threw the word bluntly. He assumed that the reason she looked at Keana was because he said the indoor garden could only be accessed by those authorized by him.
Yvonne replied without looking back.
âOf course you did, Your Majesty.â
(T/N: she replied this in a sarcastic manner of speech.)
After replying to Karloi, Yvonne left. Keana, who was bowing her head, raised her head when Yvonne was out of sight.
She can see Karloi staring towards where Yvonne left.
âYour Majesty, why are your ears red?â
Keana asked innocently.
âI guess the Empress must have pressed my ears when she grabbed my head without thinking.â
Seeing Karloi answer without being embarrassed and remaining indifferent, Keana tilted her head.
âWhy did you ask me to see you? Letâs head in and talk.â
Keana walked along Karloi into the indoor garden. All attendants, including Gorten, waited outside the indoor garden. As soon as he entered, he could smell a strong floral scent. Karloi hated it and sighed for a moment.
âMy father found something strange when he was investigating.â
âFor the case?â
âIâm not certain. It was fourteen years ago when Your Majestyâs kidnapping took place.â
When an unforgettable memory was mentioned, Karloi stiffened his face for a moment.
âNot long after Your Majestyâs return to the palace, the Duke fired all other Dukes, and some of his employees.â
âWhy the employee?â
âAfter the dismissal order, it appears they all vanished. Not one was found from the two-hundred people. It was assumed that they could be dead, or that they ran off somewhere.â
âMaybe the Duke killed all of them.â
Keana nodded. The harsh conversation was contrasting the indoor garden, where all kinds of flowers are in full bloom.
âWhat is your opinion?â
âI think thereâs a connection between the Duke and those employees who were fired. Otherwise, it would not make sense for him to get rid of them, as though heâs trying to destroy the evidence.â
âI think so, too.â
Karloi nodded and stopped.
White lilies bloomed and settled beautifully. Since it was a flower that was forced to bloom by magic, it had a strong scent.
Karloi stares at the lily, it somehow reminds him of someone. Keana sneezes beside him.
â Ugh, pollen. Anyway, this is what I thought, Your Majesty.â
Keana spoke as she rubbed her red nose with her fingers.
âThe Duke changed all of the employees since the incident. Now the current employees have no clue about the incident.â
âSo it would be wise to focus on finding traces of the former employees.â
âOf course, I will try to do that, but it might take a while for the result. Though if the Duke had killed them all, it would be impossible to find the traces.â
âThen what would you do?â
Keana looked down at a bunch of white lilies.
âYou know one person. One person who hasnât been replaced in the mansion except for the Duke. The person who has been here the whole time.â
Although Karloiâs face was blatantly crumpled, Keana didnât care and spoke.
âEven if she doesnât know anything about the incident, she is the only one who has access to the Duke or Dukeâs house. The only person the Duke would not be wary of is right next to you, Your majesty.â
âLady Roden, it sounds like you are telling me to seduce the Empress and make her mine.â
âIs there anything you canât do?â
âItâs a side issue that I hate the Empress. The empress also hates me, so itâs impossible.â
âThe issue is that I hate the Empress. The Empress also hates me, so itâs impossible.â
âThatâs because Your Majesty treats her that way.â
When Karloi looked at Keana silently, she quickly lowered her head. Although realizing that she had crossed the line, she didnât stop talking. Keana spoke carefully.
âI donât think the Empress hates Your Majesty. I felt it during the meal, but⌠the way she looks at you. You can call it intuition.â
âThank you very much, but Iâm the one whoâs going to try to kill the Empressâs father. How would the Empress be blinded by love and choose me, a person who is so insensitive.â
ââŚMy father, unlike the Duke of Delois, was a kind man. He was indecisive, but compared to other people, he allowed me to freely do whatever I wanted.â
Karloi raised her eyebrows when Keana started telling her story all of a sudden.
âBut look what I did, Your Majesty.â
Keanaâs face turned bitter.
âI broke my fatherâs will to marry someone I didnât want, and I signed a contract with Your Majesty for the reason that I wanted to love whoever I want, knowing it would put my father at risk.â
âSo?â
âI could do all that, but what about Her Majesty the Empress? Unless youâre an idiot, you know that the Duke is garbage.â
Understanding what Keana wanted to say, Karloi sighs annoyingly with a tired face.
âOkay, fine, I understand, so stop talking about this. Iâll think about it.â
What a joke. This is a crazy plan. It was annoying enough to touch Yvonne. What kind of temptation and love is she talking about?
âThank you, Your Majesty. Thatâs all I have to say. May I go now? Itâs difficult to stay here because there are so many flowers.â
As Karloi nodded, Keana exhaled a big sigh of relief and bowed. She darted towards the door but was called by Karloi once again. Keana paused and looked back.
âYes, Your Majesty?â
âDo you know that the offer could be very cruel to the Empress? It could be even crueler than me.â
Keana had no answer.
âIf I do what you say, the Empress will sell her father out of love and drive him to his death. Even so, that love would be a lie. I will never love the Empress.â
Keana listened to Karloi without any response.
âThen there will be no family, love, status, anything left to the Empress. Without her father, she wouldnât even be the Empress.â
It was then that Keana smiled at Karloiâs words.
âThat canât be helped, because my love is more important to me.â
Keana politely bowed again.
âIf you are blinded by love, youâll lose sight, Your Majesty. There is nothing in sight⌠so itâs good to use that to your advantage.
After saying that, Keana left the Enturarum.
Karloi smelled the strong scent of lilies and chewed the words long. To say that he is blinded by love. He knew the meaning of it better than anyone else.
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The reason why the Dynasty was eaten by the Duke of Delois, was because of that crazy love.
Karloiâs grandfather, who was brilliant, was blinded by love, so he ignored everyoneâs opposition and fought a war forcibly to win the love of a foreign Princess.
The long-lasting war brought defeat, the kingship was weakened, and the Duke of Delois became influential.
As long as he remembered his memory instead of his grandfather, as long as he remembered whose life was sacrificed for his⌠Karloi would never be a man who could love someone.
Whether it was fortunate or not, Karloi does not know himself.