A Second Divorce is Difficult - ✿ dusk blossoms ✿

Side Story 3 – The Emperor and the Empress (4)

Before dinner, Ganessa decided to go to the room she had been shown and do a little unpacking. Hyde was also shown to a room and went to rest for a while.

Eli and Ruby planned to take a short nap and have dinner separately. Tonight’s dinner was only for the four of them.

“What did you mean by that?”

Shannua asked as soon as he and Katrina walked into the bedroom.

“What do you mean?”

Katrina asked, feigning ignorance.

“You know why I called Lady Byton.”

“…….”

“Does this mean you don’t want to connect Lord Rayon with Lady Byton?”

‘Why?’

The words rose to his throat, but he held them back.

Katrina casually replied to him.

“Why do you think only Lord Rayon can be Lady Byton’s betrothed?”

“…….”

“She could also be His Majesty’s.”

“Empress.”

Shannua made a face and spoke in a low voice.

“I thought His Majesty already knew. I mean, I was hinting at being interested in Lady Byton as your consort

“…….”

“I even sent a letter to Byton’s estate the day after the reception, but before I could mention it, His Majesty invited her. It turned out well.”

Katrina tried to open up a little with Ganessa and slowly made her way as the Royal Concubine.

“I thought I told you I had no intention of having a consort.”

“Then perhaps you should start thinking about it.”

“Is it because of Lord Rayon?”

Katrina looked at Shannua as if to ask what he meant.

“A friend of yours comes to see you every day. Isn’t there something going on between him and you?”

It wasn’t like this even when Shannua met Arlen.

“Are you now…… doubting the relationship between me and Lord Rayon?”

“It’s obvious to anyone who looks at it.”

“Ha…….”

A laugh of disbelief escaped Katrina’s mouth.

“Is that how you see all relationships, Your Majesty?”

“…….”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“……What?”

“Well, if I set my mind to it, His Majesty won’t be able to stop me.”

“……Empress.”

Hearing Katrina’s voice suddenly mingling with her ragged breathing, Shannua paused, trying to soothe her with a calm voice.

“You have no right to stop it.”

But Katrina, already starting to lose control of her emotions, had no intention of listening to him.

“You can’t stop……!”

Katrina blurted out, then spun around.

Turning away from the Emperor, she gasped so loudly that he could see her body shaking.

“Don’t come.”

Her fist, which had been pounding lightly against her chest, grew stronger.

“Get out.”

“I made a mistake.”

Shrugging off Katrina’s protests, Shannua hugged her from behind, grabbing her arm to stop her from hitting herself. The embellishments on her dress, where her fist had landed, threatened to bruise her again.

“Leave me alone and get out!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Let go. Please let go……!”

Katrina tried to shake him off as he held her, but it was hard to overcome his strength.

Shannua just held her still, repeating his apologies.

“It’s frustrating.”

Her voice was soon tinged with sobs.

It was a pattern that emerged whenever she couldn’t release her frustration.

“Let me go, please…….”

Katrina’s grip on his arm tightened, her nails digging into his flesh and cutting him, but he remained still.

Later, all he could hear was Katrina sobbing, soaked with tears.

Only after a while did Katrina calm down. She leaned against Shannua, her eyes closed, as if drained of energy.

“You’ve got more bruises.”

Her voice was weak.

“It’ll get better if you apply some medicine.”

Shannua held her close and patted her back.

Too weak to move, Katrina accepted his touch.

“How many times have I told you to stay away from me if I get weird.”

“You’re the one who’s hurt.”

“…….”

“I’ll call the physician in a little while.”

Katrina leaned against him, closed her eyes, and said nothing.

It was ironic that the Emperor was the only person she could lean on in moments like this, to be comforted and understood when she’d come into the palace, become his companion, and gain his heart.

Katrina gave up thinking about it any further because it was similar to her own situation, where she had no choice and no one to blame.

* * *

Katrina’s illness began three years ago.

At first, she didn’t even realize it; she just thought she was a little more sensitive.

When her headaches got worse or her emotions got overwhelming at times, she dismissed it as just being angry. She thought that it would eventually be okay after the moment passed.

But the frustration she felt when she recognized a situation or emotion she couldn’t control grew more and more intense.

Katrina considered even this to be just a phase and relied on tapping her chest or taking medicine.

After a while, when neither the medication nor her doctor worked, she resorted to tapping her chest to relieve her frustration without calling the doctor, fearing it would be unnecessary.

The frustration of not being able to get relief left bruises on Katrina’s chest.

Even in the middle of summer, she couldn’t wear dresses that were too plunging or sheer enough to show the bruises. She made excuses and postponed joining Shannua, who would have to see her bare skin.

One day, Shannua showed up unannounced.

“Is there a reason you keep delaying our meeting?”

“…….”

“I don’t think you don’t know that it’s been talked about here and there, Empress, but there must be a reason for delaying it.”

Shannua said it flatly.

From what he had seen of Katrina, she might be a little hard on herself, but she wasn’t the kind of person who would do anything that would be a disgrace to the empire.

The doctor had reported that the Empress’s eating was a result of her frequent bouts of illness, so he figured it would pass with time.

But now that Katrina was no longer looking for the doctor, she was still putting off the meeting.

“Is everything okay?”

“Just give me a few days.”

That was all the Empress said, without further explanation.

So Shannua thought that she must be very tired these days and ordered her to be sent to him less often.

With orders to prepare food that was good for her strength.

And one evening, the weather was cool and pleasant.

Unable to sleep, Shannua went out for a night walk, feeling that if Katrina was awake, she could join him for a walk, and if not, for tea.

“Your Majesty, what brings you here unannounced?”

“I stopped by for a walk. Has the Empress gone to bed?”

The handmaiden’s voice trembled with anxiety as she greeted Shannua, but he shrugged it off as the result of his unexpected visit.

“…Yes. She went to bed early…”

The maid answered Shannua’s question.

“Madam. Her Majesty has……”

One of the maids, unaware of the situation outside, ran outside.

The handmaiden gave her a sharp glare, but Shannua had already heard and seen everything.

“Is something wrong with the Empress?”

“……Nothing, Your Majesty.”

It was strange that he saw the situation in front of him, yet they were trying so hard to keep it from him.

“Her Majesty the Empress is sleeping and needs a moment……”

“I will go and see her.”

“What?”

“Anyway, the Empress called me in on business. I’ll take it in while I’m here.”

“Your Majesty.”

“There.”

Shannua ignored the handmaiden’s attempt to stop him and called to the one who had rushed out earlier.

“What did the Empress say she needed?”

“That is to say…….”

But the handmaiden did not speak easily.

“I’d better hear it from her.”

Shannua didn’t feel the need to wait any longer, so he made her way to the Empress’s chambers.

It was quiet inside the Empress’s chambers. It was a far cry from the behavior of the maids, who were acting suspiciously as if something was wrong.

That made him feel even more puzzled.

‘What is all this commotion……’

Shannua’s thoughts were cut short when he entered the room.

“What is…… going on?”

He stopped dead in his tracks in front of the doorway at the sight.

Katrina’s arms were tied to the cloth that ran along the bedposts, and she was making intermittent grunting noises and flailing her arms, unable to move properly.

“Empress.”

Her feeble movements halted at Shannua’s words as he stepped closer.

“How could Your Majesty be here……”

Her eyes flickered with panic and she turned to her handmaiden.

The handmaiden closed her eyes in half resignation and shook her head as if she could hide no longer.

Shannua looked down at Katrina as she did so.

Her lips were slightly bleeding from biting down hard on her teeth, and her face was covered in a cold sweat. Worst of all, her wrists, tied to the bedposts, were red.

Almost in a daze, Shannua tried to undo the cloth binding Katrina’s arms. As he fumbled with the tight bindings and failed to get them free, he shouted in exasperation.

“Get a knife to cut the cloth. Quickly!”

One of the maids quickly brought a knife and cut the cloth.

Seeing that Katrina’s hands were now free, Shannua’s furious gaze turned to the maids.

“Who did this to her, and why?”

No one spoke, including the Empress’s handmaiden, who only bowed her head.

“Let me…… tell you.”

She looked and sounded exhausted.

“I want everyone to leave.”

Her helpless command left only Shannua and Katrina in the room.

“Did you ask who did it?”

“…….”

“I asked for it to be done.”

“……Why?”

“…….”

“Why did you have to do that?”

“…….”

“If you won’t tell me, then I’ll just have to investigate every handmaiden and servant in the Empress’s palace.”

Shannua urged her to speak up.

Still, Katrina hesitated, unable to speak easily.

“Is the injury on your arm the only one?”

“…….”

“Let me see.”

Knowing she wouldn’t tell him, Shannua decided to see for himself.

As the dim room brightened, Katrina’s bruises, visible beneath her thin nightgown, especially those on her chest not covered by the nightgown, became apparent.

“What the hell…… happened?”

The bruises on Katrina’s chest were beyond a bluish hue, turning black, and some had signs of bruising with blood. The red marks on her arms couldn’t even be called scratches; they were closer to wounds.

It meant continuous injuries were inflicted.

By then, Katrina was sitting up, half-giving up.

“I did it.”

“…….”

“……I think I’m in trouble.”

Katrina’s face looked tired and strained as she answered.

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