Chapter 7 – Part 8

“It’s been a long time, Your Majesty.”

Arlen greeted Katrina with a polite bow.

The Empress’s response to her offer to meet came quickly. Much faster than she had expected, even before Petiz had gotten any additional information.

Katrina invited Arlen to meet her in a greenhouse near the Empress’s palace.

A table had been set up in the center of the greenhouse for tea whenever they wished, and the fragrance of the colorful flowers surrounding it filled the air.

“Have a seat.”

Katrina said, gesturing across the table. Arlen complied and sat down across from her, glancing over at Katrina as she sipped her tea.

The Empress’s demeanor, treating her as if she were her subordinate, was quite natural. She had changed so much over the years as Empress that she could hardly remember her days as Lady Tules. Even the simple act of drinking tea was graceful.

“Today will be the last time I have tea with you.”

Katrina set her teacup down and looked at Arlen.

“Have I committed an offense against Your Majesty?”

Arlen asked innocently.

“I’m just saying you don’t have to look out for me in the future.”

“I only meant that I wanted to get along with the Empress…….”

Katrina cut off Arlen, who looked genuinely hurt by her words.

“It’s the story of your love affair with the Emperor, which is no secret in the Luben Empire. You’re the one who has the Emperor’s affections, and he’ll listen to you, so you don’t need to impress me.”

Katrina tried to speak factually without showing any emotions. Of course, Arlen couldn’t see the dress she was holding under the table.

“You know, the Emperor and I don’t have the kind of relationship that you do, and if it’s because you’re worried about me, you don’t have to be anymore.”

“…….”

“As long as I’m the Empress, I’ll do my job as Empress, and you’ll do yours as Emperor’s Consort, and be as affectionate with the Emperor as you’ve always been.”

“…….”

“I called you here to tell you that. I don’t want to get involved in your romance, so I don’t want you to use me to get between you two, and if you do, I won’t be able to stand idly by, so if you want to see what I’m capable of, you can try.”

Watching Katrina gracefully deliver her message with a hint of threat, Arlen couldn’t utter a word.

Was this how she used to be when she was still the Lady Tules? she wondered, trying to recall.

“I see you have tea left, so you can enjoy it at your leisure.”

As soon as she finished, Katrina stood up and left the greenhouse.

Katrina’s teacup was empty. She really just drank the tea and left, as Arlen was asked to drink her tea. It seemed like her determination to not want even the slightest flaw to be caught was evident.

Katrina’s answer was at odds with the Emperor’s behavior, who had seemed to take an interest in her when Arlen had observed their conversation from afar.

Was her indifference genuine or not?

Arlen wondered.

When people around her asked Arlen what her relationship was with the emperor or the nobles, she would say that she had no relationship with him and they should not worry about it. It was the same thing she’d always done.

It was always Shannua, or the noble lords, who were the ones who got upset when she said that.

Today’s meeting was only a moment to realize that the roles had been reversed, leaving her in a situation where she could only finish her words and realize her powerless position against Katrina, who left without any regrets.

The misunderstanding that Arlen had planned had not even sprouted, but instead had grown out of her own uneasiness.

* * *

“You’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”

Ruby stepped out of the temple and greeted Emily and Leton, who were waiting in front of the temple.

“No, I’ve never been to the temple before, so I was just looking around.”

“Good, then.”

Leton returned the greeting with a light bow.

“Where’s my brother?”

“He’s inside.”

“Really?”

Emily scratched her head, finding it odd that someone who would normally stick close to Ruby was staying separately.

“This way,” Ruby said, leading the way. She led them into the depths of the room, where regular guests weren’t allowed.

“Don’t be too…… surprised.”

Before opening the door, Ruby cautioned Emily and Leton. Emily nodded without knowing why Ruby said that.

As Ruby opened the door and entered, Gardner, who had been standing guard, bowed to Emily and Leton.

Puzzled by this, Emily stepped into the room. There, lying on the only bed in the room, was her brother.

“He’s still not up?”

Emily was surprised that he was still asleep, especially since he was usually an early riser, and she knew he reacted to the slightest movement.

Ruby turned her head away, unable to answer.

As strange as it was for her brother to not wake up at this hour, it was equally strange for her sister to not answer her question.

“It’s not that he won’t get up, it’s that he can’t.”

The answer came from Leton, though it was more of a guess.

He’d been closer to Eli than anyone else. It was extremely unusual for him to be unresponsive now, when he would normally wake up the moment the door opened.

Which meant there was a reason he couldn’t be.

Ruby nodded weakly.

“We were attacked on our way to the temple.”

Gardner explained instead of Ruby.

Emily was the only one who didn’t understand; her brow furrowed as she listened to Gardner’s explanation.

“He took care of the men who attacked the carriage, but he didn’t dodge the arrows.”

“…….”

“The priest is taking care of him every day, but this is the best they can do for now.”

Emily tried to organize what she had just heard.

“……So you’re saying…… that my brother is in a state where he can’t get up right now?”

Emily’s head turned toward Leton, not Gardner, as if she hoped she had misunderstood.

“It seems like it.”

Even Leton mumbled in response, unable to take his eyes off Eli, though he was equally baffled by the fact that this had never happened to him before.

“……It doesn’t make sense.”

After muttering that, Emily walked over to Eli and shook him.

“Wake up, brother. You’re kidding, right?”

“My Lady.”

Leton stepped closer and calmed Emily down.

“Leton, that doesn’t make sense. How did brother… How did he get hurt? He is fine…….”

“It’s because of me.”

Ruby’s voice broke through the silence between them.

“If I hadn’t left Shuban, none of this…… would have happened.”

It was something she had thought about all the time while looking at the letter.

If she hadn’t left Shuban, if she hadn’t gone to Zenfield, if she hadn’t sent him back to the capital in the first place.

Then Eli wouldn’t be lying like this now, so she endlessly blamed herself.

“It’s all my fault; I’m sorry…….”

Ruby couldn’t hold back the tears.

“It’s not your fault.”

Leton comforted her, handing her a handkerchief.

“Right. It’s not my sister’s fault.”

Emily, who breathed deeply to control her emotions, looked at Ruby. Although her eyes were moist, she seemed to be holding back more than just tears.

“The one who should be blamed is the one who committed such a heinous act.”

Emily turned her head to look at Ruby.

“Even if you hadn’t left for Zenfield, even if you’d been in the capital, they would have found you, so it’s not your fault.”

Emily said it soothingly.

“The one who should feel remorse is the one who did this, so we need to find them.”

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up to the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories