I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 53
Lionel, walking alone on a quiet street with the blazing sun on his back, unexpectedly spotted the Empress approaching from a distance. Unconsciously, he came to a halt. Unlike her usual confident and graceful stride, she was walking with a slouch, appearing weary. Her face still shone with a golden-red hue under the sunlight, but she couldn’t hide the frustration that was revealed. It seemed like the Empress hadn’t noticed his presence yet.
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
He called out, but she didn’t seem to hear. His voice was barely above a whisper.
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
He called again, but she still didn’t respond. Lionel watched her silently as she slowly walked toward him, gazing at the ground. He held his breath as her extended shadow finally reached his feet. Then she slowly lifted her head. Her face, which met his, seemed to be smiling for some reason. At the same time, her slouched shoulders straightened as if she had regained her strength. Lionel felt as though someone had anchored his feet to the ground, and he couldn’t take a step. She took a step, entering his shadow. She gazed at him with her captivating golden eyes.
“Lionel.”
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
“Are you leaving the palace? Is this the way you’re heading?”
“Your Majesty, where are you going at this hour?”
“A walk.”
As her forehead reflexively creased, Adele glanced around at the dimming surroundings.
“Right. It’s time to go back.”
Turning his body, he pointed his finger in the direction of the Empress’s palace.
“This way?”
“Yes.”
“Then, let’s go together.”
Lionel bit his lip as Adel’s laughter-tinged voice, her nonchalant tone, and her expression suggested as if nothing had happened. The weary and powerless image from a moment ago had disappeared. The Empress was now desperately struggling to maintain her composure.
“What are you doing? Let’s go!”
“Cain Nox, Gavelyn Luhann, and Theodore Cynic.”
At the sudden mention of these names, Adele swallowed hard.
“If you ever wish to speak their names, just let me know.”
“… ”
“If you need them, feel free to tell me anytime.”
Lionel spoke earnestly, his black eyes shining. Even though bringing them here wouldn’t offer him any advantage, the chilly wind that had been blowing through his heart started to feel warmer. His kindness was like a warm knife, gently slicing through the strong walls and revealing the most delicate parts. His broad stature seemed even sturdier today, and Adel’s weakened heart kept urging her to lean against his shoulders. Adele playfully broke the silence.
“I’ve chosen my advisor very well, haven’t I?”
With that, she began to walk back the way they had come. Lionel quickly caught up with her, matching her strides.
“Who are they?”
“Those who used to accompany me, breaking into the tower.”
“They must be the ones in charge of the Tower Headquarters. I’ve heard of the Nox family from Gottrov.”
“Really? Well, the Nox family is a highly respected lineage. Cain Nox is their illegitimate son. He’s the only precious son, and because he followed me around as if I were his mother, the family often came to me to discuss family matters.”
“They must have asked to exclude him from the Tower Headquarters, I assume.”
“Yes, but Cain is as good at breaking into the tower as I am.”
“You must have been in a difficult situation.”
Adele suddenly burst into laughter, as if reminiscing about the past.
“I scolded him and told him to go talk to your son about that. But even after that, they still came to me for advice more than to my own son. I should have expected that.”
As they talked about their hometown, the Empress’s expression became lighter. Her face would get lost in the darkness, bathed in the setting sun, when she turned her head towards him, and it repeatedly enveloped her in a vibrant red glow. Her long eyelashes, prominent nose, and full lips created shadows and then disappeared. She looked so beautiful that Lionel pretended to ask about Gottrov to see her radiant face, and Adele answered him with a sparkle in her eyes. He hoped this moment would never end. As Lionel thought that, the two shadows, wrapped in the dreamy red light, walked side by side. In those shadows, they were not the Empress and her advisor but simply a man and a woman.
Then Adele suddenly pointed at the jacket he was wearing.
“Where did you get this jacket?”
Lionel looked down at his clothes and then tilted his head to look at Adel.
“Well, my steward usually orders them.”
“Could you ask if they make women’s coats too? They seem really warm.”
Adele suddenly remembered the pleasant scent that had come from his clothes.
“I have something I’m curious about.”
“Please, go ahead.”
Adele asked with a slightly nervous tone.
“What perfume do you use?”
“What?”
Lionel’s eyes widened as he looked at Adel, who cleared her throat with a sheepish expression.
“Just curious.”
“I don’t use perfume.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
This time, Adele widens her eyes. There was no way he did, right? As Adele leaned in and took a deep breath, Lionel reflexively took a step back. His ears were burning, and the two gazes collided in mid-air. Adele straightened herself, put on a serious expression, and continued walking.
“I see.”
Lionel followed the Empress, and for some reason, he tried to smell his own clothes. It didn’t seem like it was him who used perfume.
Meanwhile, at that time, in Vuetta, preparations were underway. Fortunately, no slums had formed here, but every house was bustling with relatives seeking refuge. While the adults might have found it inconvenient, the children were happily playing together, running around, and playing hide and seek.
“All right, I’m coming to find you!”
A child who had become the seeker in a game of hide and seek shouted loudly, then turned around dramatically. As they playfully laughed and headed in the direction of a cart where they suspected a friend might be hiding, there was a sudden crash!
“Ah!!”
“Eek!!”
Both the children hiding and the child seeking his friends, as well as the adults walking along the street, were taken by surprise and let out screams. Crash, crash, crash!
“Mommy!!!”
“Ahhh!!”
The deafening noise shook the earth, causing the children to cower in fear and burst into tears. Vuetta, the overseer of the castle gate, and her attendants, who were working at the afterlife’s office, were equally startled by the tremendous noise. Vuetta rushed out to the terrace of the office with a serious expression, gazing up at the sky. Her attendants followed, their faces filled with anxiety.
“Please…”
Someone murmured as if in prayer. But…
“No…”
Vuetta swallowed her saliva, tightly closed her eyes, and her clenched fists trembled. Cold sweat ran down her back. A black spot began to appear in the center of the crimson sky. Vuetta opened her eyes again, looking up at the impending disaster. She had always been aware that avoiding the calamity had merely been a matter of luck. She turned her body after identifying the location where the tower was falling and gave quick orders.
“Evacuate all the villages in the southern region and open the castle gate! Prepare for the arrival of the mausoleums pouring out from the castle gate!”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“You, raise the signal fires right now and activate the defense formation of the Southern District! Request reinforcements from the capital!”
“Yes, Your Grace!”
“We will pray for help to arrive from the capital… and endure as long as we can.”
As she recalled the impending destruction that had been foretold by Count Calvin, who had not received support from the magicians, Vuetta’s heart raced with unease. Nobody knew whether Vuetta would share the same fate or if she could be saved. Only the Emperor and Duke Despoine would know.
“Please…”
Vuetta’s desperate murmur was drowned out by the screams that erupted from all around. The residents of Vuetta’s domain gazed up at the reddening sky, appearing helpless in the face of the overwhelming calamity.
****
Approval for leasing the Ivory Palace was granted. While maids packed up their belongings, Diane sat alone on a couch. She could have gone to the Ivory Palace first, but Diane chose to wait. The Emperor hadn’t visited her since that day. Well, technically, it was she who had called him to her, so one could argue that he hadn’t visited at all. Would he come if she waited? But eventually, Diane reached a bitter conclusion. He wouldn’t come today, either. He hadn’t come when she was chased out of the Ivory Palace, so why would he come today? Counting the days and nights, Diane thought of them as counting grains of sand.
“What did I do wrong?”
The answer to that question was cruel. Diane hugged her belly. Her eyes welled up with tears. It felt like she could sense the faint movement of the baby. The court physician had said that the baby’s movements at this stage were unreasonable, but Diane could still feel them. Every time she felt anxious, the baby seemed to thump against her belly. A child who wouldn’t receive a father’s love.
“So, what should I do?”
Diane wiped away her tears and stood up. She couldn’t sit here crying and mourning forever. She had roughly nine months left. There were two things she had to do during that time. First, she wouldn’t make this child a bastard. Second, she would make sure she herself was acknowledged as the child’s mother. Diane Poiter’s eyes gleamed fiercely at that moment, more fiercely than ever before.
****
Karl, who was busy with his paperwork, opened the door and glanced at Diane when she appeared, but then lowered his gaze to his documents.
“What’s the matter?”
“…”
When no response came even after some time had passed, Karl furrowed his brow and raised his head. Diane was silently staring at him. Her familiar face suddenly felt unfamiliar. Karl had always seen her with a smiling face. She had cried from time to time, but even then, Diane had always smiled at him. Because of that, her face, now completely devoid of expression, felt strange.
“Diane?”
When he tilted his head and called her, Diane slowly lifted her lips into a smile.
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak.”
“I’m going back to the Ivory Palace today.”
Even with these words, the Emperor merely stared at her with a cold expression. He offered no concerns about the substantial rental fee or any light congratulations. Unable to bear the ensuing silence, Diane placed her hand on her belly and began to speak slowly.
“I feel the baby’s movements. This child must have a very cheerful personality.”
“…”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you came to visit and spoke to the baby from time to time?”
Diane scrutinized Karl’s face, her gaze sharp.
“Children need the love of their biological parents, don’t they?”
“…”
“Your Highness, I don’t have the strength to protect this child. Would you… acknowledge this child? Both me and Your Majesty’s child?”
“Enough.”
“Don’t abandon me and this child, Your Highness.”
Karl, who had been muttering, suddenly stood up and approached her with quick strides. Diane, who had always been thought of as weak, didn’t back down and faced him. Karl came close to her, bringing his face inches from hers, and growled softly.
“I always told you not to talk about that. I told you that my love was enough.”
Terrified, Diane shot back, “Have you shown me love recently?”
“…”
“Where were you when I was chased out of the Ivory Palace? Have you ever come to find me during my time here?”
Tears slowly fell from Diane’s eyes. She hadn’t come with the intention of crying and clinging to him, but as she spoke, her emotions overflowed.
“Why are you suddenly treating me like this?”
Diane grabbed Karl’s arms and buried her face in his chest. But then Karl slowly pushed her shoulders back.
“!!”
With a surprised expression, Diane looked up at Karl. He stared at her with an affectionless or even pitying gaze, then looked down at his own clothes. His jacket was stained with her tears. He confirmed this and unbuttoned his jacket.
“Oh…”
Diane’s hand trembled like a leaf. The chilly feeling that started in her chest passed through her abdomen in an instant. When she urgently turned to leave his office, it happened. Just as she left his office, a woman elegantly entered as if she were a new document maid. She smoothly passed through the office door.
“Look at me.”
When Diane called her in a trembling voice, the woman immediately straightened herself and cautiously met Diane’s gaze. With flowing golden hair and sapphire blue eyes, she resembled the freshness of spring. She was aware that spring had only just begun. But maybe she thought she was different from Diane.
“What’s going on? Why don’t you come in?”
When the chamberlain, who was assisting the Emperor in his office, called the maidservant, she nodded to Diane and then entered the office. Diane didn’t look back and simply walked out into the hallway. Her eyes, once filled with tears of sadness, slowly began to smolder with anger.
