Chapter 25

Aurelia stepped out of the Duke’s residence and walked slowly. The walls and columns adorned with red tulips seemed to anticipate the birth of the new Empress, but her mind was in turmoil.

Meeting Kaiden Delcliff at the Hanover residence was inevitable.

Though subtle, his expression changes, which only Aurelia could notice after knowing him for so long, grated on her nerves.

But more than Kaiden, it was Rohana who unsettled her.

Rohana had the audacity to calmly inquire about her and the Emperor’s well-being.

‘What is it?’

As Aurelia bit her lip and quickened her pace, her luxurious blonde hair swayed rhythmically.

‘That woman doesn’t know fear.’

Her pretentious, serene demeanor irritated Aurelia even more.

‘What is the Duke thinking…’

Arriving at her destination, her face flushed with anger, she found a familiar face waiting.

It was Marquis Jordic of Shatonwell, his straw-colored hair slicked back with oil, smiling as always. Aurelia’s expression darkened.

“My lady, or should I say, soon-to-be Her Majesty the Empress.”

His voice was oily and sticky.

“I brought you a gift.”

Listening to his bragging about his rare treasures, Aurelia did not hide her displeasure as she entered the room.

Once the door to the reception room closed and she dismissed the more than ten maids, they were left alone.

Though the room glittered beautifully with apricot and rose gold chandeliers, Aurelia found even those things she once loved annoying.

“Did you come here to threaten me?”

At Aurelia’s straightforward question, Jordic burst into laughter.

“Why would I? What could I possibly threaten you with?”

“You could reveal that I’m of Kark descent.”

“Oh….”

Jordic shook his head.

“Would something like that really disrupt this much?”

“I believe I’ve made my position very clear. For you to come all the way here…”

Aurelia spoke cleverly, and a light of realization shone in her eyes.

“Oh my, are you trying to win me over?”

Jordic shook his head with a sticky voice.

“I thought you’d be a bit happy to see me…”

“Why would I?”

Aurelia bit her molars lightly.

“‘That place wouldn’t leave a traitor alone.”

“A traitor?”

Her golden eyes widened and then quickly contorted. Smiling brightly, Aurelia laughed.

“Well, you could think of it that way, audaciously.”

Jordic glared at her with narrowed eyes.

“And you speak as if you have nothing to do with ‘that place.’ Few people don’t know you’re behind ‘that place.’”

“Oh no, I have nothing to do with ‘that place.’”

“Then should we say Shatonwell is involved?”

“Oh no, such dangerous words.”

“Enough.”

Aurelia interrupted irritably, leaning forward.

“Whether it’s ‘that place,’ you, or Shatonwell, do what you want.”

Aurelia’s thin voice was laden with confidence.

“I am the Empress now. I hold the power.”

“Oh, I’m scared.”

“Ah, while you’re here, tell ‘that place’ that I’m thinking of a deal. It’s a very generous offer for them. Stop these ridiculous threats about traitors and get a grip.”

Her luxurious blonde hair flowed over her shoulders. Twirling a strand with her finger, Aurelia looked at Jordic.

Gazing down at the man with a twisted expression, Aurelia continued, reveling in her small victory.

“And be careful. If you show up like this again, there will be no deal.”

***

Sweat beaded on Rohana’s forehead as she returned from horseback riding. The cold late autumn wind seemed to ignore her, and her face was flushed.

It felt liberating to ride after such a long time. The only regret was that she had to come back quickly due to the short daylight.

If nothing else, her stamina was excellent. Though everyone seemed worried each time as if seeing her for the first time, her body wasn’t tired at all, to her embarrassment.

As she wiped her sweat with a white cotton cloth, a glass of cold beet juice was served.

Rohana squinted at the flowers on the table before reaching for the glass. The cold, sweet beet juice slid down her throat.

Knock, knock.

Then there was a knock at the door.

“Lady Rohana.”

The head maid’s face was unusually bright as she opened the door.

“Yes?”

“Would you come to your room?”

Perplexed, Rohana stood up. The maids’ atmosphere seemed strangely excited.

“What’s going on?”

The sight that greeted her as she entered her room left Rohana momentarily speechless. An all-too-familiar voice reached her as she stood there, dumbfounded.

“Lady Rohana.”

A woman with jet-black hair tied to one side stood in front of the reception room sofa, her hands neatly clasped. Though the suede apron she wore was an unfamiliar sight, Rohana’s mouth fell open the moment she saw the woman’s face.

“Jody.”

Rohana’s voice slipped out in a delighted exclamation.

“My Lady!”

Jody ran over and hugged her tightly. Rohana, with trembling hands, returned the embrace.

“How…?”

“I received a letter from where I was working.”

Jody took out a carefully folded letter from her pocket and showed it to Rohana.

“Duke Delcliff hired me. As soon as he did, I stopped by Nopthal and was reassigned to you.”

Rohana quickly skimmed the letter before looking back at Jody. The arms she held felt much healthier, not as frail as before.

“How… It’s dangerous here…”

“Dangerous? Not at all, not where you are.”

Jody replied cheerfully.

“But, My Lady! Riding a horse in this chilly weather? Even if it’s daylight, that’s really not okay.”

Jody started scolding the other maids with a stern look.

“And marrying Duke Delcliff? I can’t believe it!”

Though Jody’s constant fussing made Rohana’s ears ring, she couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long time since she’d laughed so freely.

“How far along is the wedding preparation?”

Jody, knowing Rohana’s disinterest in such matters, gave her a reproachful look before embracing her again and listing the things that needed to be done, her eyes sparkling.

“There hasn’t been much discussion yet…”

Rohana answered casually, knowing that Kaiden Delcliff likely wouldn’t care at all.

Given that it was an arranged marriage, and considering the Duke’s sole focus on public affairs, especially national defense, it was unlikely he’d pay attention to wedding preparations.

Hanover would handle all the preparations, but Rohana was equally uninterested, so she spoke nonchalantly. Jody’s eyes widened.

“I figured you’d say that.”

Jody’s previously playful eyes grew serious as she cautiously asked a question.

“But, my Lady.”

“Yes?”

Rohana looked up from the employment confirmation letter signed by Duke Delcliff.

“How did you and Duke Delcliff come to be involved?”

Feeling a sense of oddness, Rohana tilted her head. The situation was indeed strange, even to her.

No matter how much she pondered, she couldn’t understand Kaiden’s actions, neither in the original story nor in reality. His behavior had no clues or precedents.

Yet, her current feeling of oddness wasn’t just because of that.

“Oh, I apologize if I overstepped!”

Jody quickly clasped her hands together nervously, thinking her old mistress might be annoyed by her presumptuous question.

Rohana hurriedly softened her expression. She didn’t think Jody had crossed a line.

“No, it’s not that.”

Rohana glanced at the letter again before looking up with a bright smile.

“Well, I never thought we had any special relationship. Isn’t it just a common arranged marriage?”

Jody nodded slowly as Rohana calmly smiled and answered.

“I thought there might be something special, considering he personally rehired me and sent me to Hanover.”

“Did he?”

Rohana raised and lowered her eyebrows.

“Can’t you see from how he hired me and sent me here? What a surprise!”

Jody’s chattering was filled with excitement, probably thinking that Duke Kaiden Delcliff was treating Rohana well out of affection.

After giving Rohana one more tight hug, Jody happily went to greet the others.

Rohana moved and sat at the dressing table adorned with a large, gold-framed mirror. Slowly, she opened the jewelry box to reveal the diamond pin she had placed there earlier.

“Because I was worried.”

The night Aurelia had been kidnapped seemed like a distant memory now.

As she picked up the pin, the diamond sparkled brilliantly in the candlelight. She put the pin down and opened a drawer to take out paper and a pen.

After hesitating and rewriting multiple times, wasting precious paper, Rohana finally finished the letter with a furrowed brow and cleared her throat.

Though uncharacteristic of her, who usually completed letters and documents with ease, she finally completed the letter and stepped out of her room to call the nearest maid.

“To Duke Delcliff.”

The young maid blushed and nodded eagerly before walking away with excitement.