Before going to bed.
Sovieshu managed to calm down after much sobbing, and began to lament deeply. He considered himself a fool for impulsively buying a Navier painting.
'How many people come and go to clean my bedroom… Worse, there were people who saw the painting as it was being hung on the wall.'
Getting under the covers, Sovieshu vowed to himself to remove the painting tomorrow.
However, what Sovieshu did the next morning was not to remove the painting. On the contrary, he called the palace painter.
When the palace painter arrived, he showed him the painting and ordered,
"Change the direction in which the eyes of the painting are looking."
"What eyes do you mean…?"
The painter asked carefully. There were two people in the painting, both looking in different directions. Navier was looking to one side while Sovieshu was looking at Navier. The sensations conveyed by the painting would change drastically depending on the direction in which the eyes were to look.
The painter thought Sovieshu would tell him to change the direction in which his eyes were looking.
But Sovieshu's request was quite the opposite of what the painter expected.
"Make Navier look at me."
The painter was puzzled for a moment. Is he serious?
Sovieshu had an indifferent expression. At least, he didn't seem to be joking.
'Well, no one would joke about something like that.'
When the painter nodded and stepped back, Sovieshu sat down on the bed feeling more at ease and appreciated the painting again.
Grand Duke Kapmen, Heinley, McKenna, the officials involved, and I, met to discuss what happened in Whitemond. We discussed it for several hours.
"Have there been any disputes recently? Not from our perspective, but from Whitemond's, an act that may have upset them."
"No, until now there was no problem."
"What about the Whitemond Ambassador? Does he know anything about it?"
"He is also confused and is contacting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."
"The team members say they did nothing wrong, but perhaps they did it unconsciously, Your Majesty."
Various opinions emerged, but the reason the team was arrested remained unknown.
McKenna said with concern,
"The worst case scenario would be that Whitemond acted this way because they disliked the self-proclamation of the Western Empire. If that were the case, it will be a small… no, it will be a big problem."
Heinley nodded and instructed,
"That is true. Marquis Ketron, ask those of Whitemond what this action is due to."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Grand Duke Kapmen, please tell your subordinate to stay close by, and keep an eye on the situation."
"I will do so."
After nearly three hours of meeting, Marquis Ketron hurriedly left with his followers.
Can he really be trusted? As I watched his distant back with a blank stare, Heinley said beside me,
"I don't think he's that stupid."
However, he had already acted stupid once. Hadn't he tried to heighten the scandal between Christa and Heinley?
… Well. There were a lot of people who saw the secret meeting between Christa and Heinley, so he probably calculated that it was a lie worth taking a chance on, and acted accordingly.
In any case, Heinley knew Marquis Ketron better than I did. So I nodded because I trusted Heinley, not the Marquis.
Heinley nodded too, then we stared at each other.
But it didn't last long. As soon as I remembered how we parted the last time, I blushed. When I turned my head sharply, Heinley rushed to take my hand.
At that instant. Grand Duke Kapmen looked stunned at Heinley, and left as if he was running away, saying he had urgent business to attend to. I don't know what was going through Heinley's head to make Grand Duke Kapmen leave in such a manner…
"My Queen."
When I tried to go somewhere else, Heinley called me and squeezed my hand. Looking back, he had a soulful expression.
"Are you going to leave me alone?"
Although his gaze was capable of making anyone's heart flutter, I had already discovered that Heinley was an excellent actor. I couldn't tell if his look was genuine. Besides, who made us feel awkward in the first place?
"Isn't it time to work?"
I spoke flatly and turned away. I wasn't lying, so I went straight to my office. I was in my living room before, but now that this had happened, I was going to look into some questions about it.
It was possible that the case of the team detained in Whitemond would not be resolved anytime soon, so I would have to consider bringing in another team.
But before I could get to my office, Heinley approached me from behind.
"My Queen, are you angry?"
"Not at all."
"You look angry."
"I'm not angry. I just don't respond to nonsense. "
"You are angry."
"Aren't you busy? You should go to work too, Heinley."
Even though I picked up my pace, Heinley stayed by my side. Perhaps because of his long legs.
Eventually, I stopped and looked at him with my arms crossed. Heinley stopped at the same time and with a very sorrowful expression said,
"I'm sorry. I was very emotional at the time. If I had known you would be so upset, I wouldn't have said anything."
"…"
"I thought we were getting closer, but now we're starting to drift apart… I'm really sorry."
Heinley took my hand firmly and rubbed the back of it with his thumb.
Hearing his apology made me feel guilty. I was the one trying to reduce the time I spent with him against my will.
Although I was upset that he said I only wanted his body, Heinley could be upset too. He had told me on several occasions that he loved me. Maybe out of fear of loving him I made him lonely?
My heart ached as I remembered Heinley smiling broadly with my parents. I had decided to make him happy. How did we get back to this again?
Heinley put his hands on my neck, lifted my face with his fingers and stared at me.
"My Queen. Why do you look so sad? I don't want to see you like this."
287I felt twice as guilty. The words, 'Are you acting again?' came to the tip of my tongue, but the desire to want to pull at his cute lips along with how lovely he looked kept me from speaking.
Heinley, probably thinking my 'anger' persisted, lifted my right hand with his two hands and gently rubbed his cheek against my palm.
"Don't be angry. Yes?"
How could I be angry looking at his lovely face? Finally, I made up my mind.
"I'm not angry."
"Are you serious?"
"It's just that…"
After hesitating, I confessed truthfully,
"I think what you said at the time might be true."
I had just thought about this. I was struggling not to love Heinley, but I couldn't help but find him lovely. In a sense, didn't I really just love his body? But then, because I felt this weight in my heart…
Smiling slightly, Heinley moved his lips a few times. Then, just as he was finally going to say something, a shout came out of nowhere. "Young Master, you can't go that way!"
Soon after I looked in the direction of the voice with curiosity, a little boy appeared from the bushes.
Who is he?
I stared puzzled at the little boy I'd never seen before, and Heinley said, 'Ah,' frowning.
"Do you know him?"
When I asked him quizzically, Heinley replied with a cocked head, "Yes. I've seen him before…". Although he looked familiar, he didn't remember him well.
On the contrary, the child recognized Heinley instantly and shouted,
"Dad!"
… Dad?
Looking at Heinley in bewilderment, he shook his head hastily and exclaimed as if he had remembered,
"Ah. This is McKenna's nephew!"
"Then you…"
"No, this child has nothing to do with me."
Despite his harsh words, Heinley smiled and promptly carried the child as he came running up, saying, "Dad!"
"How have you been, Sally?"
"My name is not Sally."
But it looked like he didn't even remember his name.
"So, your name is Sen?"
Just then a voice came from behind, "It's Sebastian, Your Majesty."
When I turned my head, McKenna appeared with his hands on his waist, as if he was annoyed.
The child also shouted to McKenna, "Dad!"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty the Empress. He's my nephew, he has nothing to do with the Emperor. He wanted to see the imperial palace, so I allowed him to go to certain areas. I don't know how he got here."
Calling McKenna dad, the child ran to him. McKenna carried him and tried to calm the restless child in his arms while saying that the little boy liked to stop other people from marrying. His words were not nice, but it was obvious he loved his nephew.
As I smiled thinking it was a cute scene, this time the little boy called to me, "Dad!"
Heinley whispered, "Dad," laughing as if he found it funny.
After glancing coldly at Heinley, I walked over to the child in McKenna's arms and stroked his head, then the child whimpered for McKenna to put him down, and this time he came to me. He was a very nice child.
"Baby, how old are you?"
"Twelve years old…"
"Why do you lie even with that? Your Majesty, he is three years old."
"Twelve years old!"
"You're three years old!"
As I watched McKenna argue with his nephew, a woman I had never seen before was being forcibly taken away by knights.
She repeatedly claimed, "I'm really not a suspicious person!" But when she saw McKenna, she shouted with a face that looked like she was going to cry, "Grand Master!"
"How did you get arrested again?"
"I was arrested for making a fuss in the imperial palace while going after the young master, Grand Master, please let these knights know that I am not a suspicious person!"
All members of the McKenna Family are loud.
I couldn't help but laugh as McKenna revealed the identity of the child and the woman to the knights.
After a while, McKenna apologized to us, taking the child and the woman elsewhere. As I watched them walk away, my eyes suddenly fell on Heinley.
Sovieshu was impatient to have a child. What about Heinley? From the way he carried the child whose name he couldn't even remember well, was it possible that Heinley wanted it too?
When I had been worried about whether I could have a baby, Heinley told me about the secrets of the manna bed and his words made me think that, even if I really was infertile, this time I could have a baby. However, despite making love so often, there was still no sign of being pregnant.
Without realizing it, I put my hand on my belly. It's flat… flat.
I shuddered as I remembered Sovieshu's words. Just because the mana bed restores the body could I really get pregnant? Heinley's brother and Christa could never have a baby, right?
If we can't have a child either…
A baby…
Sitting in a rocking chair, I put my hand on my belly and tried to think about what it felt like to be a mother.
I couldn't imagine it. Would it have been different if I'd had a younger sibling? I didn't spend much time with young children either.
Suddenly, I remembered how happy Heinley looked as he held the little boy, whose name I didn't even know. Although he didn't say anything, did Heinley deep down inside want a child as much as Sovieshu? With a successor, his throne would be even more solid, right?
"Your Majesty, the Emperor is here."
"Now?"
It's a good time, but… why did he come all of a sudden?
We had just had a meeting about Whitemond. It wasn't even time to have dinner together.
It was fine if he came to try to end the awkward atmosphere, but… I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. Just as Grand Duke Kapmen had suddenly come with bad news about the team sent to Whitemond, Heinley probably had something urgent to tell me, right?
My guess was correct.
"My Queen, there is something unpleasant I must tell you."
Heinley sat across from me and opened his mouth with difficulty.
"It's about that woman."
It was Rashta whom Heinley referred to as 'that woman'. And Heinley didn't usually talk about Rashta or Sovieshu in front of me unless it was important.
Straightening my posture, I stifled the growing anxiety.
"What happened?"
"That woman hired a mercenary for an assassination."
The fact that Heinley told me this…
"Is she targeting me?"
I asked, feeling confused and speechless. But Heinley shook his head.
"She goes after father and mother."
"You mean my father and mother?"
Surprised, my voice naturally rose.
It would have been absurd for Rashta to want to murder me, but it seemed even more absurd for her to want to murder my parents.
"Why?"
"That I don't know. They're not even the kind of people who would confront that woman openly."
Heinley was right. My parents are the kind of people who would stay in their mansion if they didn't want to see Rashta and Sovieshu. That's why it seemed stranger to me. Why my parents? And why now?
The days when Rashta was the concubine and I was the empress were a thing of the past. Me, I was already in the Western Empire, and she had taken the position of the Empress of the Eastern Empire. Why did she have to attack my parents now….. Ah.
"She thinks that my family will stand in the way of her child."
"I think that's the problem, too."
"Is the mercenary very skilled?"
I asked hurriedly, very concerned. But then, Heinley said with a slight smile, as if to put me at ease,
"Don't worry, My Queen. My informant exchanged the mercenary hired by that woman for a subordinate of his."
"An informant?"
"Yes. Thanks to him I was able to know that."
"Ahh."
I pressed my hand against my heart. Hearing Heinley's words calmed my racing heart a little.
"The deadline is also long enough so you can rest easy for now."
Heinley's voice reassured me, but he still had a serious look.
"But that woman may have hired more than one mercenary, so it doesn't hurt to take precautions."
"I have to tell my parents. it is necessary to reinforce their security."
I replied as calmly as possible, but a flame ignited within me.
When I was in the Eastern Empire I had overlooked Rashta's actions because the same were under Sovieshu's responsibility.
Sovieshu had much more power than Rashta, and it was he who made her his concubine, so Sovieshu had to take responsibility for Rashta's actions and words.
Besides, if I had used all my power to suppress Rashta, I would have ended up being seen as an evil empress. In the end, people sympathize with the weak.
However, Rashta was now in a position to take responsibility for her actions. But what she does as soon as she has power is try to assassinate my parents?
"I can't just stand idly by."
288Heinley looked a little surprised. Why was he surprised? Did I say something I shouldn't have?
"What's wrong?"
I don't think I said something I shouldn't have.
"What's strange about it?"
At the direct question, Heinley raised his eyebrows and replied with a smile,
"Nothing. I'm just surprised that My Queen wants to take action personally."
What's so surprising about that? No one would stand idly by if someone tried to harm their family. Even a very calm person would step forward to protect their family, but I was not such a calm person.
Heinley hastened to add,
"When I was in the Eastern Empire, My Queen didn't seem to want to properly deal with that woman. I thought you didn't even want to get involved with her."
"That's right, I didn't want to get involved with her."
Every time I got involved with Rashta Sovieshu blamed me for everything. In the end, I didn't even want to be near Rashta.
Besides, my dignity also wouldn't allow me to intimidate Rashta away from Sovieshu's gaze.
"But now things have changed."
Things have changed a lot. If before Rashta was a powerless concubine who was totally dependent on Sovieshu's grace, now she was an empress who could live perfectly well without his grace. Being the empress, she could harm my parents without hindrance.
Even when I thought she was a concubine without power, didn't she contribute greatly to my brother being kicked out and Sovieshu divorcing me? I couldn't ignore her.
Heinley asked,
"Do you have any plans in mind?"
"I'll make it so she can't pay attention to anything else. I'll keep her busy with her own affairs."
After Heinley left, I called an aide and gave him orders,
"Find a trade team that interacts with the Eastern Empire Bear Corporation and bring in the leader."
"From a small or large team?"
"From a large team would be better."
Not long after, my aide brought in the appropriate team leader.
"I understand that you interact regularly with the Bear Corporation of the Eastern Empire?"
The leader of the trade team responded cautiously because he did not know the reason he had been summoned.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I have an assignment for you."
"I'm at your service, Your Majesty."
"It's nothing difficult, so you can relax."
When I told him he could relax, the team leader became more nervous and clasped his hands tightly. He seemed to think I would make an unreasonable demand.
But he really didn't have to be nervous. I had a plan in mind so that Rashta couldn't think of anything else, and that plan didn't hurt the team leader at all.
"What do you want me to do…?"
"When you trade with the Bear Corporation, induce them to check that promissory notes are being issued and used properly. That's all."
It's easy, right?
"The promissory notes?"
"Yes, whatever excuse you use is fine. You can say that you've heard that counterfeit promissory note scams have become popular, or that a trade team has suffered significant losses because of counterfeit promissory notes, you can scare them by making something like that up."
The merchant swallowed hard.
"Is that really all you want me to do?"
"That's all."
The merchant didn't expect it to be that easy, so he replied relieved that he would do it.
The official sent to Whitemond had returned to the Western Empire and immediately went to see Heinley in his office to report the results of his visit,
"The team members are safe. They didn't cause any trouble."
"Then why were they detained?"
Heinley asked, leaning his elbows on the desk. Although he had a slight smile, he took this as an offense.
In fact, Heinley wondered if such a small kingdom would have acted this way even if it were a trade team of the Eastern Empire. The answer was 'no'.
Looking Heinley in the eye, the official said,
"Whitemond seems to regard the West as a threat because it proclaimed itself an Empire."
Heinley frowned, and smiled,
"A threat?"
It was an imposing voice.
The official nodded and carefully explained.
"Yes. They thought our soldiers would invade them while pretending to go to the port disguised as merchants."
McKenna, who listened off to the side, clicked his tongue and said,
"Now that we have become an empire, they must have thought we would seek to establish vassal states."
Heinley muttered regretfully.
"We have been allied countries for a long time, but they acted this way on the pretext that they were concerned. It's really a pity."
Heinley's eyes were on the Whitemond Minister of Foreign Affairs who had come to the Western Empire. The Whitemond Minister of Foreign Affairs was embarrassed and quickly bowed to apologize.
"I apologize, Your Majesty."
In this situation, the Whitemond Minister felt as uncomfortable as if he were sitting on spikes, so he could not help but clasp his hands together tightly.
Heinley addressed that Minister directly.
"Go back to your country right now, and make sure they know that we won't hesitate to take our swords, if Whitemond ever acts 'this way' towards the Western Empire again."
"Understood."
Once Whitemond's Minister of Foreign Affairs nodded deeply and left the office with the official, Heinley sat comfortably cross-legged and narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be thinking about something, but he had a look of happiness that didn't match the situation.
"What is it, Your Majesty?"
"It's hard to trust again an allied country that has betrayed us. Don't you think so, McKenna?"
"You mean it's hard to trust them even if they reopen the port of Whitemond for us?"
"Yes."
"But why do you keep smiling, Your Majesty? You look happy that Whitemond stabbed us in the back."
"I seriously look happy."
Heinley said, as he pressed the corners of his upturned lips with his hand.
"I just thought it would be nice to have our own port."
"You're thinking of invading Whitemond?"
"They were the ones who got scared and stabbed us in the back. Even if they change their minds now, what about next time? What would happen if they betrayed us again at a more important time?
"That's true."
"For now, I'll have to do the math."
289Heinley always cooked for me. So today I was going to cook for him to completely eliminate the awkward atmosphere between us.
I headed for the kitchen that Heinley often used.
The neat and tidy kitchen showed that it was designed with an emphasis on aesthetics rather than practical use, but was equipped with everything necessary.
After rolling up my sleeves, I thought about what dishes I could cook.
Corn chowder? Mushroom Soup? Vegetable Soup? Actually, I had virtually no experience.
… Should I make an omelet? It was a classic dish. The most important thing was that I would do it by myself for him.
Yes. I'll make something simple but delicious, instead of something I don't know how to make well.
As soon as I made up my mind, I cracked the eggs into a bowl and beat them well with a fork…. an hour later, at dinner, I served Heinley the omelet I had made myself.
Heinley happily ate a piece of the omelet.
"How does it taste?"
"It's the most delicious omelet I've ever tasted in my life."
I know they were empty words, but they made me feel good. As I watched him eat, I tried to suppress the conflict of 'love or stability' that was going around in my head for the past few days
Just then, Heinley asked me,
"Don't you want to eat My Queen?"
"Ah."
Only then did I realize that I had barely tasted the food on my plate. Heinley suggested I try the omelet I had made myself.
"You should try it too, My Queen. It's really delicious. I mean it."
I took a piece of the omelet with a fork, popped it in my mouth, chewed it a couple of times and immediately swallowed it.
But it was strange. It looked delicious as he said, but it didn't taste good.
Also, the taste of the omelet left in my mouth was somewhat unpleasant. Suddenly, I felt as if I had made a chick's mush instead of an omelet, which turned my stomach even more.
Once I hurriedly drank a glass of water, Heinley asked in a shaky voice,
"My Queen? Does it have any ingredients you can't tolerate?"
"No. I just don't have an appetite."
"Are you feeling all right?"
"Yes, it's just lack of appetite."
Heinley reached out and placed his palm on my forehead. His palm felt cool and pleasant.
As I closed my eyes, Heinley murmured, "You have a slight fever. I'll call the palace doctor, My Queen."
"I'm fine. No need to call the palace doctor for not having an appetite."
I shook my head quickly, spooned some of the salad made by the chef into my mouth and smiled forcedly.
The reason for my lack of appetite was obvious. I heard that Rashta wanted to kill my parents, wouldn't it be strange to have a good appetite?.
The palace doctor would think I was exhausted from overwork, thus interfering with my duties.
I still had a lot of work, so I didn't want him to call the palace doctor because of these symptoms.
When Viscount Roteschu, who had not been to visit Rashta for days, asked her,
"Have you by any chance seen Rivetti?"
Rashta almost let out a cry of extreme joy. 'That assassin did it!'
"No. What happened?"
Rashta asked, suppressing the delight in her voice.
Viscount Roteschu's expression darkened.
"She hasn't been back home for days."
"Really?" Rashta asked indifferently, and added firmly, "I know nothing. Rashta isn't close or related to her, right? I'm not interested in anything to do with her."
Viscount Roteschu frowned, but did not reply. He was so worried about Rivetti that he didn't even seem to want to argue.
"She's not a child, she can go have fun without your consent. Worry about what I asked you to do."
Finally, Viscount Roteschu left. The next night, the assassin hired by Rashta came to see her.
The assassin entered Rashta's room with surprising ease.
Rashta almost screamed in terror when she saw the assassin standing by the window.
However, she soon recognized the assassin's peculiar figure and asked hurriedly,
"What happened to Rivetti?"
Rashta asked excitedly, to which the assassin replied indifferently.
"I kidnapped her and handed her over to an illegal slave trader. The money from the sale—"
"Give it to me. I'll buy delicious food with it. I'll give you the respective payment separately."
When the assassin gave her the money he had brought, Rashta immediately pocketed it before giving him the agreed payment.
She was worried because the assassin had discovered her identity and had come all this way, but those who belonged to the assassin's guild were renowned for their silence.
This was because an assassin who revealed a client's identity was useless, and whatever happened, the client's identity had to be kept secret.
After checking the money and jewelry, the assassin nodded and turned to leave through the window.
"Wait a minute."
Rashta stopped the assassin and asked,
"When that girl is sold by the slave trader, report to me where he sold her. Of course, I will pay you for this."
When Rivetti was plunged into despair, Rashta planned to go see her and say, 'How does it feel to be a common slave?'
The assassin nodded again and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Rashta sat on the bed and rejoiced.
'Rivetti will either cry with a completely defeated expression, or spit curses of despair.'
Rashta clutched her belly, she found it pleasant to imagine that she could take revenge on an enemy in the same way.
Soon after, when the maid Rashta had sent to Evely came to see her after managing to steal Evely's necklace, Rashta's spirits rose even higher.
"Good job. You're really competent."
Rashta handed her a large jeweled necklace and ordered,
"Keep watching the girl and let me know immediately if you notice anything strange. If His Majesty is seeking her out, send her gifts, or anything like that."
"Of course. Trust me, Your Majesty."
Left alone in her bedroom, Rashta snorted as she examined Evely's necklace closely.
This caused her good mood to wane. Rashta threw the necklace on the ground and stomped on it several times.
Meanwhile, Rivetti found herself in a situation where she didn't know what was going on.
On her way home from hanging out with her friends, she saw a terrifying scene. A scene of a crowd of people following her while pretending to be passersby.
She tried to run away scared, but lost consciousness after being attacked by someone.
When she woke up, she was locked in a cage where wild animals used to be kept. Suddenly, she saw a really evil-looking man laughing and giving money to another man covered with a cloak.
"Our customers enjoy destroying the dignity of haughty nobles. They are very popular. Still, they become filthy slaves after a few years. Look for me again the next time you need to sell another noble."
Rivetti shuddered in fear. Filthy slaves? Where did this kidnapper take me?
When the kidnapper left, the evil man looked at Rivetti as if she were a big piece of gold and said with a smile.
"It seems someone has a deep grudge against you."
"Please, please help me, I'll give you as much money as you want!"
"Wouldn't I get more money selling you than you could give me?"
"No, that's not true!"
"Besides, how do I know you'll keep your word if I release you?"
The evil man smirked and left.
Rivetti, locked in a dark cage, called out to her father and brother in tears. But there was no way they could hear her from their comfortable home.
Rivetti spent four whole days in terror. During this time, twelve cloaked people came one after another to see her, discussed the price with the evil man and then left.
It was extremely painful to watch before her eyes as they calmly negotiated her price. Rivetti realized how cruel and heartless humans were. No one tried to rescue her even though it was obvious that she had been kidnapped.
And the last customer to come in on the fourth day bought Rivetti. He asked how much the others had offered, and without hesitation offered double the highest amount.
Rivetti was forced to follow this last customer, with both hands tied tightly behind her back and gagged.
She couldn't remember how much she cried the ride in the carriage. Finally, the carriage stopped in front of a simple and beautiful mansion. Rivetti used to dream of such a mansion, but even this place was beyond her imagination.
However, when this last customer took off the cloak covering his body, Rivetti stopped crying and her eyes widened. Underneath the cloak he wore the uniform of the Knights of the Imperial Guard.
He set the cloak aside and politely apologized to Rivetti.
"I'm sorry I scared you, Lady Rivetti."
He untied the ropes that bound Rivetti's hands and removed the gag before stepping back again.
Staring at the knight, Rivetti asked between sobs,
"Who are you?"
"My name is Oreleo, a member of the Knights of the Imperial Guard. His Majesty ordered me to rescue Lady Rivetti."
"His Majesty?"
Surprised, Rivetti's eyes widened even more. Why does he now mention Emperor Sovieshu? No, how did Emperor Sovieshu know that I had been kidnapped?
If it were the child of a Grand Duke, the Emperor could directly order his knights to rescue it, but Rivetti knew that her family had no such status. Therefore, she could not believe that Sovieshu's name came out of nowhere.
While Rivetti was puzzled, the knight said,
"Lady Rivetti, Rashta is the culprit for your kidnapping."
290Rivetti was startled to hear Rashta's name.
'Rashta was the culprit for my kidnapping?'
Although they had a bad relationship, she felt chills to hear that Rashta had been the culprit of her kidnapping.
Rivetti still despised and considered Rashta a filthy slave, but she did not belittle her power.
It was truly terrifying that the Empress of the Eastern Empire was behind this.
Rivetti shivered wrapping her arms around her own body. Although she was safe now, she was afraid of what Rashta might do in the future.
Was Rashta trying to erase the traces of the past? Did she intend to eliminate the Rimwell Family to erase her past as a slave?
"My family…"
"Is safe."
At the knight's calm reply, Rivetti managed to shake off the greatest of her fears. She still had a tough road ahead, but fortunately she had confirmed that her family was safe.
"By the way… how did His Majesty know that I had been kidnapped and sent Sir Oreleo?"
"A maid attacked Rashta and left a scar on her forehead. After what happened, the Emperor assigned someone to escort Rashta secretly, concerned for her safety."
Secretly? Why did he secretly assign someone to her?
When Rivetti blinked in confusion, the knight quickly added.
"Rashta doesn't usually like to go out with her guards."
"Ah…"
"Ultimately, that's how we were able to learn that Rashta had hired an assassin to get rid of Lady Rivetti. I'm glad it was possible to rescue you safely."
Rivetti nodded. In fact, that was the most important thing.
Then the knight explained to Rivetti,
"You must stay here for a while, Lady Rivetti."
"What? Here?"
Rivetti looked around in surprise. Finally, she entered and was able to appreciate the interior of the simple but impeccable mansion.
The mansion was well organized and cozy, but the furniture and couches looked new. It looked like an uninhabited place.
"This place…?"
"It is a mansion owned by the Emperor. I'm sorry, Lady Rivetti. If you return to the capital now, you might be attacked again."
Recalling the attacker she had seen, Rivetti hurriedly said.
"The attacker had a very peculiar figure! I'll give my statement about it, maybe we can capture that assassin!"
"Even if we catch that assassin, another one will soon appear."
"Ah."
At the knight's firm words, Rivetti sighed and sat down on a couch.
"I'll be back for you when the time is right. In the meantime, make yourself at home. Forget about the terrifying things that happened."
Rivetti recalled the crowd of people who had followed her and those who negotiated her price while she was locked in a cage.
Compared to Rashta, those people were not far behind, they were also terrifying.
Rivetti nodded. If she were to return to the capital with the current situation, no doubt her family and friends could be hurt.
"Yes, I will stay here. Thank you for saving me. Please convey my thanks to the Emperor as well."
"Lady Rivetti. Remember this day."
"Why do you say that?"
"It will definitely be useful in the future."
The knight who left Rivetti in a safe mansion, immediately returned to the capital in the carriage and went to Sovieshu.
Arriving at his office, the knight handed him a brief report that he had hastily prepared. After reading it, Sovieshu nodded and praised him.
"Good job. It must have been very hard."
Once the knight left, Sovieshu put the report in a drawer of his desk. Before closing it, Sovieshu glanced inside the well-organized drawer.
All of Rashta's crimes were contained here. At least all the crimes he knew about.
A few hours later, feeling disturbed, Sovieshu ordered his secretary to take Rashta to his room.
However, Rashta pointed out that she couldn't walk very far because her belly hurt, so she asked Sovieshu to come over.
She made the excuse that her belly hurt, probably because she didn't want to see the blue bird in his room. Sovieshu didn't expect Rashta to come to his room either, he just pressed her on purpose. In the end, he went to Rashta.
Rashta stood in front of the West Palace, nervous that she had feigned momentary discomfort to evade his request, but when she saw Sovieshu, she hurried over and spoke affectionately.
"Your Majesty, Rashta did not have the strength to go to the East Palace. I feel better now, but I felt a lot of pain in my belly a while ago."
"It seems that your belly hurts very often, have you called the palace doctor?
"I don't think it's appropriate to constantly call such a busy person…"
"That's his job. Even if you feel a little bad, make sure you call him."
"Alright."
Once they entered the Empress's room, Rashta looked expectantly at Sovieshu.
The atmosphere was mellow after a long time. She thought about taking this opportunity to improve the relationship between the two, which had become a little awkward.
"Hmm, Your Majesty. You haven't sung to Rashta lately… the baby in Rashta's belly wants to hear Your Majesty sing."
Sovieshu's weakness was the baby, and Rashta knew that perfectly well.
Although Sovieshu was silent for a moment, he soon sat down beside Rashta and sang a beautiful song softly.
Rashta closed her eyes as Sovieshu sang. She felt as if that beautiful song tickled her ears.
As soon as the song ended, Rashta had fallen into a drowsy state and was lying on Sovieshu's shoulder with her eyes closed.
She liked Duke Elgy, who was always at her side, but she also liked Sovieshu. When he was in a good mood, he was sweeter than any man she had ever met in her life.
"Do you have something to tell me?"
Even his sudden voice was low and soft. Rashta shook her head still with her eyes closed.
"No."
"Think it over, do you really have nothing to say to me?"
Sovieshu asked once more. His voice wasn't even cold, but Rashta was startled to hear the same question again.
What is wrong? Why does he ask that question? Did he find out about something?
Rashta raised her head and opened her eyes.
In fact, she had recently carried out many things behind Sovieshu's back. A series of events came to Rashta's mind at the same time. However, she could not reveal any of it.
"No."
Rashta lied flatly and stood up suddenly.
'Come to think of it, I also have something to question Sovieshu about.'
She had intended to keep it to herself a bit longer before bringing it up, but… in this situation, she felt it best to use it now.
"Your Majesty has something to explain to Rashta, right?"
Rashta asked coldly, and put her hands on her waist.
Sovieshu narrowed his eyes, leaning back on the back of the couch.
"Well. There seems to be something you want to discuss. What is it?"
Rashta walked over to her dresser and opened a drawer. She reached into it, pulled out a necklace and held it up to Sovieshu's face.
"What does this mean?"
Sovieshu took the necklace. The necklace might look very expensive, but it did not fit Sovieshu's standards. It was too shiny and unrefined.
"What is this trinket?"
At Sovieshu's direct question, Rashta gaped with a puzzled expression. Then, Sovieshu asked once more.
"I asked what it is, Rashta."
Rashta stammered with a 'isn't it?' expression.
"Isn't it a gift Your Majesty gave Evely when you brought her as a concubine?"
Sovieshu laughed as if he found it absurd.
"You underestimate my good taste."
Rashta, who had been angered by how expensive the necklace looked, felt embarrassed. Emperor Sovieshu's words seemed to imply that she had bad taste.
"In any case. I assume, from what you just asked, that this necklace belongs to Evely, right?"
"Hmm…"
"You shouldn't take a necklace that doesn't belong to you."
"It made me very jealous that Your Majesty cared for another woman. I picked up the necklace at the Southern Palace, but I purposely did not return it. I'm sorry."
Sovieshu put the necklace in his coat pocket.
"I'll have someone return it for you."