I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 42
After a moment, two maids rushed out of the Empress’s Palace. One of them headed towards the residence of Knight Lionel Baldr to carry out the Empress’s orders, while the other made her way to the Emperor’s Palace. She was tasked with delivering the Emperor’s command, as he had instructed, as soon as the Empress awoke.
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After Michael Rosen left, Lionel found it difficult to concentrate on his work. His thoughts were like tangled threads with no clear beginning or end, and he couldn’t grasp how to unravel them. Instead, scenes he had seen and scenes he hadn’t kept passing by in a disorderly manner. The scent of the illicit liquor he had consumed lingered at the tip of his nose, and a whispered name felt like a breeze brushing against his earlobe. Why would she suddenly fall ill? They had ruled out poisoning, but that was merely a conjecture. Why was the Emperor suddenly guarding her side? His nerves were heightened. His throat felt tight, so he unbuttoned one button. Still restless, Lionel eventually stood up from his chair and paced around near the desk. Just then, an urgent knock echoed.
Lionel took a deep breath and quickly responded, “Come in.”
Contrary to his expectation that it might be a subordinate, the one who opened the door and appeared was a maid from the Empress’s Palace. Her visibly labored breath indicated she had hurried here.
“What’s the matter?” Lionel asked, slightly rising from his seat. The maid struggled to catch her breath and spoke.
“Her Majesty, the Empress… ugh, requests your presence.”
His heart surged at her words. For a fleeting moment, Lionel blinked in bewilderment, then abruptly stood up as if struck by lightning. Without asking any further questions, he stormed out of the room, leaving the maid behind, her eyes following his hurried departure. She quickly trailed after him.
The Empress had forbidden anyone else from entering. Lady Giggs, the maids, and even the hands of the court officials trying to check on her condition were turned away. Only one person had been granted entry. As Lionel, who had rushed without pause, arrived at the Empress’s Palace, a maid who had been waiting at the entrance quickly led him to the Empress’s chamber. In front of the chamber, a group of maids led by Lady Giggs and a few court officials were lingering. Their collective gaze was fixed on Lionel. Lady Giggs cautiously knocked on the door and went inside. Without waiting for her to emerge, Lionel, without hesitation, pushed open the door and entered the room. A little later, Lady Giggs emerged and guided him inside.
“You wish to see the antidote.”
Tensely and unexpectedly, Lionel stepped into the room. As he entered, Lady Giggs quietly closed the door. As the door shut, the room felt like an entirely different world. The warm temperature and slightly elevated humidity unique to a room with a patient, along with the familiar scent of medicine, made Lionel halt his breath. The Empress lay on the bed. While he had seen her receive him with an air of arrogance while reclining half on the sofa, this was the first time he saw her lying down like this. Clenching his molars, Lionel approached her. His slow steps quickened, appearing almost anxious.
“Your Majesty.”
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Instead of sitting in the provided chair, Lionel knelt by the edge of the bed, revealing the Empress’s face directly in front of him. She still had her eyes closed. Behind her labored breath, there seemed to be a lingering warmth. Her skin appeared almost sickly pale, and her lips were dry and parched.
“Your Majesty, I am Lionel Baldr.”
His voice, barely audible, was heavy with emotion. The lids of her tightly shut eyes moved slightly, once or twice, as if stirring. Lionel kept his gaze on her without even taking a breath. Eventually, when her golden irises fully emerged, Lionel exhaled the breath he had been holding.
“…Lionel.”
Her fragile voice made him quickly nod.
“Yes.”
As she opened her eyes, Lionel was there. Adele extended her trembling hand toward him with all the strength she could muster. Lionel, looking somewhat taken aback by her extended hand, glanced at it. However, Adele had no room to spare for assessing his feelings right now. With the resolve to catch a flying wisp, her outstretched hand finally reached him.
“I can call only you by name here. I can ask only you, who I feel can carry out this request.”
“In Gottrov, send someone—anyone will do, even just one person—to me. Bring them to me.”
For a moment, his hand, warm against her cheek, seemed to freeze. Seeing the tears in the Empress’s eyes, Lionel’s mind snapped into focus.
“You want someone sent to Gottrov, someone you’re asking for?”
“I’ll search for them; I’ll call for them; I’ll spread the word.”
“Who do you want?”
“Cain Nox, Gavriel Luhann, Theodore Siniak… anyone is fine. Anyone, it doesn’t matter. Just one person, anyone, if I call for them, they will come.”
The conviction in her crimson and golden irises—a solid trust—sent a shiver down Lionel’s spine. Tears, infused with deep yearning, forged paths down her cheeks. Lionel stared at the Empress with deep-set eyes and slowly inquired.
“Why do you want to summon them?”
“…”
“Why do you suddenly want to summon them?”
“Because I feel like I’m going to die.”
“…”
“I feel like I’m going to die. That’s why.”
She cried endlessly while uttering those words, as if unaware that she was crying. Lionel was at a loss for words, so he remained kneeling, holding his breath. The warm hand that had touched his cheek slowly lost strength and fell. Lionel gently held that hand, placing it back onto the bed. The words he had heard before came to mind: that this place was like hell, and perhaps to this person, Ahmont was both hell and a prison. That’s why she called for those she left behind, feeling lonely and tormented. Lionel clenched his teeth tightly. That’s when it happened.
“No… No.”
Suddenly, the Empress spoke.
“Don’t bring them. Pretend you didn’t hear it, Lionel.”
“…”
Then, slowly turning her body, she laid down properly and whispered.
“For my sake, for the country, and for my family, I can’t abandon them.”
With those words, the Empress closed her eyes. Startled, Lionel hurriedly checked her breathing. The Empress was breathing faintly but steadily. As he took a deep breath of relief, an indescribable emotion overcame Lionel.
Cain Nox, Gavriel Luhann, Theodore Siniak… Those names he had never heard clung to his ears like glue, refusing to let go. The weight of the trust he received from this person—how strong was it? What kind of faith had passed between them and this unknown group?
I… I… Bang!
The door abruptly swung open, and Lionel jolted to his feet.
“Who dared to enter the Empress’s sleeping quarters?”
Lionel turned with a defensive posture, but upon seeing the person who had entered, he froze. As a furious beast trespassed into his territory, Emperor Karl Ulrich appeared slowly.
“Lionel Baldr.”
“Your Majesty.”
Karl’s face displayed anger as he appeared before them.
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Upon hearing the news that the Empress had awakened from the royal physician, Karl hurried to her side. As he arrived at the corridor leading to the Empress’s chambers, he keenly noticed the subtle change in expression of the attendants guarding the door. A gut feeling pierced his mind. Without any hesitation, like a storm flinging open the doors of his own room, Karl burst in. However, Lady Giggs sighed and quickly spoke.
“The Empress has requested his presence.”
Her words only fueled the fire. Flames shot up in his indigo eyes. As he suspected, his intuition had been right. He felt his chest boil like water forced down against his will.
“Lionel Baldr.”
“…Your Majesty.”
Lionel, who stood by the side of the bed where the Empress lay, bowed his head in a noble and respectful gesture. Karl’s gaze gradually shifted, as if reaching out to the Empress, who lay still as death in front of him. This guy had undoubtedly been watching the Empress while she slept. The Emperor’s voice rumbled as he inquired.
“The Empress called?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lady Giggs quickly answered, trying to hide her unease, and Karl took a deep breath. He stared at Lionel as if ready to pierce him with his gaze and took it step by step. Lionel, rather audaciously, didn’t avert his gaze and faced him squarely. Karl, in his mind, wanted nothing more than to throw this man out of here. He wanted to know what this insignificant person was doing here. Karl turned his attention to the sleeping Adele. She closed her eyes as if she had never awakened before.
“Is it true that the Empress woke up? It doesn’t seem like it.”
“It seems like she woke briefly and fell asleep again.”
The royal physician quickly responded, fearing a spark might land on him. Karl glared at Lionel. He stopped at the head of the sleeping Adele. Her pale skin contrasted with her damp hair and tear-stained delicate face. An overwhelming possessiveness stimulated the Emperor’s senses to a frightening degree. What was the author thinking when he observed this defenseless sight? An urge, fierce and ferocious, surged within him, wanting to rip Lionel’s eyes out this instant. Then Lady Giggs, who had been alternating her gaze between Karl and Lionel, whispered to Lionel in a hushed voice.
“Perhaps it’s time for you to leave.”
The Emperor’s discomfort was palpable, and the unconscious Empress was unable to soothe his anger. There was no point in seeing Lionel here. Lionel exhaled, releasing the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, and tensed his jaw. An inexplicable sense of discomfort crawled over him like bugs. Simultaneously, a sense of helplessness and despair, as if crushed beneath the ruins of a collapsed fortress, weighed him down. When Lionel did not move his resolute face, Lady Giggs cautiously touched his arm.
“Minister.”
Her call was like a whisper, underlaid with a somber tone.
“No. Stay there for now.”
Lionel turned slowly, as if drawn by some unseen force, as the Emperor’s sharp gaze bore into his imposing figure and issued a command. Karl examined Lionel’s expression with a persistent gaze. In return, Lionel Baldr also met the Emperor’s stern gaze with a resolute face. However, Karl keenly sensed a fleeting moment when Lionel’s gaze briefly flickered towards the Empress.
“The author is scrutinizing my Empress.”
Karl’s primal instinct reached a swift conclusion. As a sense of impending danger rapidly spread through his spine, his entire body tensed.
“Show me clearly whose possession this woman is.”
Karl deliberately put on a composed expression, leisurely gazing at the Empress. He watched as she lay halfway on the bed.
