A Second Divorce is Difficult - Side Story 3 - The Emperor and the Empress (13)

Side Story 3 – The Emperor and the Empress (13)

As Shannua had predicted, this tea party was being held to choose a royal concubine

Katrina wondered who she should invite, then remembered the families she had met at the Count and Countess Rox wedding reception. Ganessa was the one she had her eye on, but naturally, the others came to mind as well.

Moreover, thinking about her assertiveness at the banquet made her feel even more compelled to invite her.

Sensing his intentions, Shannua’s expression subtly hardened.

Katrina flashed him a smile of genuine support.

She really did.

It hadn’t been that long ago that Katrina had wanted to escape from the position of Empress, even at the cost of the throne.

Even before that, during the scandal, she had been determined to hold onto the position of Empress, driven by pride.

At the time, being Empress was Katrina’s pride.

Unspoken pride that no matter how much Arlen was loved by the Emperor, she would never be able to surpass this empty position.

Katrina knew that just by being the Empress, the love between Arlen and the Emperor couldn’t be purely beautiful, as her presence was a constant reminder of their shortcomings.

The ambivalence between her desire to flee and her pride had been battling inside her for years.

But not today.

Today, regardless of her feelings, Katrina genuinely hoped he would find a good match, and she realized that the resentment and pride that had been gnawing at her for so long had thinned a bit.

Katrina’s casual smile made Shannua uneasy.

So he took Katrina’s hand.

The young ladies, who had been attentively watching them, exclaimed in surprise.

Katrina was the most surprised.

“You said you prepared it carefully, and the cake tastes good.”

With one hand still holding Katrina’s hand, Shannua casually tasted the cake with the other.

“Let the other young ladies have a bite.”

He took a sip of tea as he said this.

As Shannua continued to gaze in their direction, as if expecting them to, everyone quickly turned their attention to tasting the cake and drinking the tea.

“It’s delicious.”

“The tea is fragrant.”

“Thank you; it’s the tea we harvested and dried this time.”

Katrina soon wiped the embarrassment from her face and spoke leisurely.

After all, she had requested Shannua to attend the party partly to show his kindness to the young ladies.

She thought his kindness was a bit excessive compared to her intentions, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

* * *

“Was that the reason you asked me to come to the tea party?”

Expecting to stay for a while, Shannua stayed until the tea party was over.

Then, when all the young ladies had left and the two of them were alone, he asked Katrina.

“Did you intentionally invite me to the tea party for me to see the potential candidates for the Royal Concubine?”

“Yes.”

Her answer was too compliant. Moreover, Katrina seemed oblivious to why he was angry.

“……Why?”

“I told you. It’s already too late to consider succession through me, Your Majesty.”

“…….”

“Do you remember what I said to you in Bonneuil last time? I felt relieved knowing Your Majesty respected me.”

“I did.”

It was a day when Shannua discovered new emotions, and it was a day when Katrina felt relieved.

“It was sincere.”

“…….”

“And believe it or not, I was determined to do what I had to do as Empress, regardless of my personal feelings.”

Upon hearing this, Shannua clenched his fist discreetly.

“Then we should make a successor instead of talking about taking consort.”

“Your Majesty, both you and I have done what we could. We’ve been working together all this time.”

Yet, there has been no progress so far. It meant that they couldn’t postpone securing the empire’s future any longer.

“We can try …… more. There is no deadline with this matter.”

“Your Majesty.”

“I told you I would see an heir only through you.”

“Your……”

“Enough!”

Shannua shouted, interrupting Katrina.

“Why are you so mean to me? You don’t like me, do you? If it’s not you, I don’t want it.”

Katrina was startled twice, once by his rant and again by the hurt she had never seen on his face before.

When Shannua caught sight of her, he ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He took a step back from her.

“I know what you think of me, and I’m not going to give you any of that nonsense about liking me after what I’ve done; just don’t push me away.”

“…….”

“I’ll take full responsibility for the succession, so… just don’t do anything.”

She looked up at him with shaky eyes, trying to comprehend what she was hearing.

Then, when she fully comprehended the meaning of his words, she reflexively took a step backward.

It was Shannua who saw the action and made the first move.

“I’ll leave now.”

As he turned to leave the parlor, Shannua glanced back at her before reaching for the doorknob.

“Again, I’m not considering the idea of getting a consort. Don’t pay attention to what they say around here. I’ll handle it myself.”

With that, Shannua left the parlor.

Katrina was left sitting there, dumbfounded.

* * *

Even after Shannua left, Katrina sat in the parlor in a daze. Until darkness fell.

“Your Majesty, it would be best for you to go to your room and rest. I’ll bring the meal to your room.”

It was the handmaiden who had already advised her several times.

Katrina shook her head.

“I won’t have my meal today.”

Then she looked out the darkened window and rose to her feet.

The maid followed her with a lantern.

Leaving the parlor, Katrina turned to go to her room but stopped.

“Your Majesty?”

Katrina, still frozen in the hallway, turned around, not answering the handmaiden’s call. Her gaze fell on the hallway leading out of the palace.

“Your Majesty, it’s very windy outside.”

The handmaiden’s voice was worried.

Katrina took one step after the other toward the outside, as if she couldn’t hear the maid’s concern.

The dim light she had seen a moment ago had vanished in an instant.

“Empress.”

Katrina’s pace quickened, unperturbed by the handmaiden’s panicked voice.

But once outside, she stopped dead in her tracks.

“When did you arrive?”

“Just now.”

Shannua, who was at the entrance to the Empress’s palace, replied, taking off his coat and helping her into it.

Katrina didn’t forget to thank the handmaiden for allowing her to leave.

“You’ll catch a cold if you come out like this.”

Katrina took Shannua’s hand as he carefully adjusted the coat.

“Your hand is cold.”

“That’s because it’s cold today.”

After a pause, Shannua replied casually.

“How long have you been here?”

“…….”

“Why didn’t you come in?”

“…… I didn’t know if I should come in. I thought you wouldn’t like it.”

Shannua mumbled in response to Katrina’s question.

“If you knew that, why did you come?”

“I was worried I might have upset you.”

He was waiting for her, worried that she would beat her chest in frustration again.

The attendants, sensing the strange atmosphere between the two, quickly left.

There was nothing more frustrating than confessing your feelings to someone only to have that person become angry with you.

But he had no one to blame but himself for creating this situation, so he would just have to live with it.

The corners of Shannua’s mouth twitched in mockery for himself.

“Are you going to give me a bottle and some medicine?”

“……I apologize for that.”

“You have no shame, Your Majesty.”

“……That too.”

“If you know that, why are you here again……!”

Katrina turned sharply away from him.

The action caused Shannua to reflexively pull her into a hug.

“Let go.”

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were okay before leaving.”

Shannua apologized, not letting go in the face of Katrina’s protests.

His calm voice had turned nervous.

“You’re the kind of person who says you’re okay even when you’re not. That’s why.”

He had intended to confirm if she was okay and then leave.

But when he got there, he realized that Katrina had been in the parlor since the tea party ended and had skipped dinner.

Katrina tried to control her emotions as Shannua hugged her, closing her eyes.

She didn’t want his help, at least not today.

“I will not accept your help today.”

Katrina pulled her hand away from his, her voice calmer.

Then she turned away without saying another word.

Even after Katrina entered the palace, Shannua’s footsteps didn’t ease up easily.

He was afraid that Katrina would be angry with him and that she would go back to her room and hurt herself again.

“Keep an eye on the Empress. If anything happens, send someone to me immediately. I’ll come right away.”

“Yes.”

That was all Shannua could do for now.

* * *

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