The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

“What?” [C]

 

An odd tone of voice pierced through the air.

 

“Yes……?” [R]

 

“That’s not what I was going to say.” [C]

 

When Cerdian responded as if he was talking about something else, numerous emotions that had been floating in Rodelia’s mind swirled violently.

 

Feeling embarrassed, she clenched her lips and lowered her gaze.

 

She wriggled her hands in the air, hoping that this time would pass quickly.

 

“Just kidding.” [C]

 

He smiled charmingly.
Cerdian’s playful smile was mesmerizingly beautiful.

 

“What…” [R]

 

“I have to go now.
I wish you peace until the day we meet again.” [C]

 

While Rodelia panicked, Cerdian asked her for a short handshake.
She clasped his hands in surprise.
A warmth that was different from before flowed through her hands.

 

“Grand Duke.”

 

Cerdian, who slid his hand away as she spoke, left.

 

It was a sunny day like the day she kissed him.

 

However, their feelings for each other were clearly different.
An unknown feeling of emptiness rose up.
It then suddenly dawned on Rodelia as she looked at the Cerdian’s fading back.

 

She had relied on Cerdian more than she thought.
Perhaps she had treated him with more emotions than necessary.

 

* * *

 

After seeing Cerdian off, Rodelia immediately returned to the Empress’ Palace office.

 

As soon as she opened the door, what came into view was a small box decorated with red ribbons on a neatly arranged desk.

 

“It’s from the Marquis of Florence.”

 

Baroness Verna spoke in a high-pitched voice as she received her coat.
She didn’t forget to add, “As expected, the Marquis is sweet.”

 

It was revolting.
Rodelia’s expression hardened in an instant.

 

The feeling that had risen when she met Cerdian plummeted again.
Of course, she was a little upset that he was leaving, but she could say for sure that she wasn’t depressed.

 

But not anymore.

 

She slowly approached the desk and picked up the box.
Baroness Verna and Lady Aden next to her made a fuss to open it quickly, but she couldn’t hear anything now.

 

Rodelia, who was staring at the box, put it back on the desk again.
She couldn’t dare to open it.

 

“Aren’t you going to open it?”

 

The baroness asked with a puzzled expression.

 

“Later.
I want to rest a little now.”

 

Rodelia spoke in a rather weak voice so the maids hurriedly arranged the bedding.
This is because they still thought that her body was not fully healed.

 

No matter how much she tried to dissuade them by saying she was not sick, just a little tired, the maids supported her to her bed.

 

It’s really nice.

 

But she must have been tired.
As the soft texture of the bedding wrapped around her body, her eyelids became heavier and slowly closed.

 

Rodelia fell asleep, feeling as if she was falling down a distant cliff.

 

***

 

The sun was setting and dry wind was blowing.
The red sunset glow leaked halfway through the window.

 

With a sense of freshness spreading throughout her body, Rodelia slowly opened her eyes.

 

The days when she had no schedule were also the days her maids left work early, hence her room was quiet.

 

Between the sound of the crackling and burning in the fireplace, only the small vibrations from the maids’ footsteps outside could be heard.

 

Rodelia rose after drinking the water on her bedside table.
On her way to the window with her slippers on, she found a box lying alone on her desk.

 

“Ah…”

 

I guess I’ll have to open it.

 

Sighing, she reached out a thin hand and untied the ribbon.
The ribbon fell weakly to the floor.
There was a small card and perfume in the box.

 

<My dearest daughter, Your Majesty the Empress.
Don’t you owe this father something? You’ll have to pay off that debt soon.
The accompanying perfume is your father’s heart, so please accept it with pleasure.>

 

His handwriting seems to have changed strangely…….

 

Putting the card down, Rodelia picked up the perfume.
A few days ago, Lady Aden had mentioned that there was something strange these days, it seemed to be related to that.

 

Pheromone perfumes with ingredients imported from Guerney.
These days, it was popular with the ladies who were trying to get their cheating husbands back.

 

Rodelia smirked.
She didn’t expect the Marquis of Florence to believe such a strange thing.

 

Without hesitation, she threw the card into the fireplace.
The perfume was thrown into the trash can.

 

There was one thing she decided after overcoming the crisis of death.

 

She won’t be swayed by the Marquis of Florence anymore.
In fact, she wouldn’t have thought of this if she hadn’t remembered her mother’s will after suffering from an unknown fever.….

 

Of course, she was still scared and frightened.
But Rodelia decided to move forward slowly, even if it was little by little.

 

***

 

Cerdian has left.

 

Rodelia’s daily life has not changed.
Doing business as usual, having meals with Kane.

 

However, Sola’s blatant hostility had increased since Cerdian left.
She never left Kane’s side.
During meetings, meals, and even baths, she stayed by his side.

 

“Princess Aizen attended the meeting again.”

 

There was a lot of news like this, but Rodelia didn’t show any discomfort.
The Empress was treated right, so there was no need to be dissatisfied.

 

Therefore, she carried out her schedule well with Kane without expressing a single complaint.
Even if there was a rumor that the relationship between the emperor and his wife had fallen apart, it should not be perpetuated.

 

Even if there is a concubine, she just had to do well like the previous empresses.

 

“Rodelia.”

 

Today, she finished her schedule with Kane safely.
Kane grabbed her and stopped her as she was about to return to the Empress Palace.
Rodelia’s green eyes stared at him calmly.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

“……I don’t think we’ve spent time lately.
I wonder if we can eat together today.”

 

“Well, I think we’ve always spent time together.”

 

Kane frowned at Rodelia’s reply.

 

“Weren’t those public affairs? I don’t think we’ve properly had a meal together after you got sick.”

 

Rodelia, who sighed, replied coldly, looking at Kane’s arm.

 

“I thought I just needed to do public affairs properly…….
Besides, I don’t want to dine privately with Your Majesty.
I’ll take care of my health, so please take care of Your Majesty’s health.”

 

“My health?”

 

Instead of answering, Rodelia chose to turn around.
Kane gazed down at his arm with an empty laugh.

 

***

 

“Ha…”

 

He thought all the troublesome things were gone since Cerdian left for the Duchy.

 

Kane glared at the poison that had spread all over his body.
On the skin without even a space for a single thread, black scale-shaped poison nestled disgustingly.

 

He frowned and dipped himself in a tub filled with herbs.
Pain spread thickly wherever the water touched.
Kane, who groaned, uttered an irritated remark.

 

“Sola, why is it getting worse? Now it’s spreading like disgusting scales.”

 

Kane, who was enduring the pain and was frowning, stared at Sola, who was looking at his body.

 

“Hmm, well, why is that? Is it getting less and less effective….?”

 

“What?”

 

“That can’t be it.”

 

Sola tapped her chin with an expression like she really didn’t know.
After agonizing for a long time, she frowned and muttered as if something had occurred to her.

 

“Don’t tell me…”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Kane, who came out of the bathtub before she knew it, put on his robe and looked at Sola with a serious face.

 

“Your Majesty, have you found the one who used poison?”

 

“No… I couldn’t figure it out.”

 

He should’ve caught a tail, but it was really strange.
The one who poisoned him hid themself deeper and deeper as he dug further.

 

The moment he felt close, they rolled their tails and ran away.
Like they were trying to annoy him.

 

“The one who used the poison is probably a close confidant to Your Majesty.”

 

“I suppose so.”

 

Telling Kane something that was so obvious, he sent a sharp stare.
Sola gave a deflated laugh, as if his reaction was nothing.

 

“Hmm… Are you sure it’s not Her Majesty the Empress?”

 

“What the hell are you talking about? It is definitely not the Empress.”

 

Kane dismissed her remarks with a look that said it was absurd.
He looked absolutely convinced that Rodelia had nothing to do with it.

 

Sola, who was dumbfounded by the appearance, scowled lightly.

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Of course.
It’s definitely not the Empress, so I hope you won’t show any suspicion of Rodelia in front of me in the future.”

 

Kane continued coldly toward Sola, who was silent.

 

“It means that even though you’re the one treating my poison, I don’t want you to cross the line.”

 

“Is that so? I really can’t understand a man like you.”

 

“…….”

 

“When I see you like this, you seem to love the Empress like crazy, but…….”

 

She walked up behind Kane and gently rubbed his back.
Painfully, Kane’s jaw hardened.

 

“You never really do anything for her.”

 

“…….”

 

“It’s funny.”

 

Sola, grabbing Kane by the chin, laughed.