CH 97

“What is it other than insulting me to have a woman who resembles my Empress Mother dance in front of men naked?”

The crime of being in contempt of the imperial family was a felony that could easily earn a beheading on the spot. The duke was blue in the face and knelt in front of Emperor on the spot. Slamming his head to the ground, he implored Lyle.

“I could never do that……. How could I commit such a duplicity to your Majesty?”

“Even if you claim you didn’t do this, don’t your actions say otherwise?”

Duke Lance trembled, dripping sweat. He thought he would fall in love with Camilla because he missed his mother, and didn’t expect he would get so angry.

Camilla was also tactful, so she was kneeling on the floor of the banquet hall quickly putting on her gown again according to the gestures of a servant, which she had taken off before.

“…… Because that woman is only guilty of resembling my mother, so I can’t punish her. But she won’t be able to sell her smile in front of men again*.” [t1v: *she can’t do sex work]

Camilla, who had studied Lyle’s preferences and dislikes from both the Duke of Lance and the Marquis of Vermon, wondered what was going on.

“Give that woman an appropriate amount of money and send her out of the country. It will be at the Duke’s own expense. In addition, the repair project of Graxon Castle, which you had mentioned before, will be funded entirely with the Duke’s treasury.”

Duke Lance’s eyes almost popped out when his brain calculated the amount but when his eyes met Lyle’s gaze he put his head back down.

“If I ever hear a report that she danced in front of the men again or that the repair job was done poorly…….”

Lyle smiled coldly and glared at the duke.

“You should be prepared then. Do you understand me, Duke Lance?”

“Of course, your Majesty.”

The Duke of Lance, who barely raised his head, answered with a shiver. Lyle stared at him with a look that showed he was still dissatisfied and got up from his seat.

“I will be watching you.”

When he stepped up and left the banquet hall, his escort knights and attendants quietly followed him. Even after the Emperor left, Duke Lance couldn’t readily raise his head and was still perspiring. He only raised his head when the door closed as the last servant exited.

“Ha…”

Quick-witted Camilla quickly left the banquet hall before the Duke’s anger engulfed her.

‘Did he even notice?’

The former emperor indulged in lust but Lyle, the current emperor, was too competent. He was about to put a woman who resembled his mother in his eye, getting him addicted to drugs, and stimulating him from behind…….

‘I haven’t run out of luck yet…….’

The Duke of Lance withered without being able to reveal his feelings because he was afraid of the eyes of other nobles gathered at the banquet hall. The servants approached and quickly raised him, but the dukeangrily shook off their hands and woke up on his own.

‘I… Are you going to leave like this?’

He ordered Camilla to be sent out of the country, but he did not tell him to send her out immediately. So just because it was delayed for a few days, punishment wouldn’t fall.

‘I’ve planned this for several years…….’

Duke Lance forcibly smiled, while casting off the words of other high-ranking aristocrats who comforted him in one ear and out the other.

***

‘What the hell is going on?’

The incident was taking place as if the original novel had already begun. Although it has not yet revealed its specific form, Rosemary’s appearance seemed to be one of the signs.

‘Though Seira saves Princess Emilia’s life…… But there’s no Seira next to me right now!’

The knight’s examinations were held only in spring. At the moment, there is no justification to assign Seira to her side as a knighted guard. Even more so….

‘Seira wasn’t even Emilia’s guard. She had accidentally heard a scream and saved Emilia.’

Whatever the reason, it was clear that Seira was key in blocking the incident, so Medea wanted her by her side. Her life was important, but she was also anxious about the life in her womb.

‘I can’t even discuss it with Lyle.….’

Until now, she had been ignorantly blissful like a child. She had been relieved that she had only a little morning sickness and her lower stomach didn’t hurt at all as she had heard that it hurt a lot as the uterus stretches to make room for the baby.

‘And to think I was rejoicing in the perks of being in a romance novel!’

Medea wanted to cry because she couldn’t confide the truth and her worries to anyone. She was even more scared because she had a baby in her stomach.

‘I don’t know anything else, but I know my child has to be safe.’

Without knowing that she was feeling jittery* after being pregnant, [t1v: *Studies show pregnancy changes people’s brains and makes them more paranoid and hypervigilant] Medea sat on the sofa in a depressed mood. The maids attempted to lighten the Empress’ mood.

“His Majesty is here, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty?”

Often, Lyle would stop by as soon as he had time. After Medea became pregnant, he came by even more frequently.

“Millie.”

The door opened and Lyle entered. She burst into tears. Feeling like his heart was collapsing, he rushed towards Medea.

“Your Majesty!”

Embracing Medea in his arms, Lyle’s puzzled gaze was directed at the maids, asking what happened. Noticing his question, the maids explained:

“Earlier today… Lady Laurent came saying she was the new maid-in-waiting.”

“How dare that little girl disturb the Empress’s mood?”

At the voice of an angry Lyle, Medea raised her head and grabbed onto the hem of his clothes. Listening to his voice, he seemed ready to cut off Rosemary’s head just because she made Medea cry.

“No, just seeing your Majesty…… makes me relieved. I feel safe now.”

“Millie.”

Lyle answered in a soft tone and gave the maids a hint. The maids bowed their heads silently and escaped.