107. John William (1)

At Edward’s question, Larael’s face instantly turned red as she quickly pushed the doll under the blanket. She thought it fortunate that Edward couldn’t see her blushing face because it was dark.

“It’s nothing.”

Larael’s voice became small. She had thought she was past the age of liking dolls, but was she still fond of them? Edward suddenly let out a chuckle. He stroked Larael’s hair as if finding her adorable.

“I came unnecessarily and woke you up. Lie down and go back to sleep quickly. You won’t be able to sleep if I stay, so I’ll be going now.”

“Your Majesty, are you leaving already?”

When Edward rose from the bed, Larael hurriedly got up as well. In the process, the doll she had hidden under the blanket fell to the floor with a thud.

Edward’s gaze fixed on the fallen doll. He bent down and picked it up from the floor.

“Your Maj—”

Larael tried to take the doll back to hide it again quickly, but Edward was already staring down at it, relying on the moonlight coming through the window.

“Sasha… today…”

“Larael, is this possibly me?”

Edward asked with a blank expression. Larael nodded, giving up on hiding the doll.

“This is driving me crazy.”

Edward said, placing his hand on his forehead.

“Well… um… Sasha…”

Edward suddenly tilted his head back and started laughing loudly. At Edward’s laughter, Larael’s face turned as red as the flames in a fireplace. Larael thought it was truly fortunate that it was nighttime.

“Larael, how about holding me directly instead of this doll? I don’t want to lose you to a mere doll.”

Edward looked at Larael with drooping eyes, bathed in the faint moonlight coming through the window. He looked so pitiful that Larael couldn’t help but nod.

***

Kali, who had come to Abella Palace, sat before Larael with her head bowed low.

“Rather, Grand Duke Vellaus finding out led to things being resolved unexpectedly well.”

Kali bit her lips repeatedly. She knew well that Larael’s words were not praise. But they weren’t sarcastic either. In reality, the matter had been resolved before the Krauf disease could spread throughout the empire. Of course, Larael’s involvement had been revealed in the process, but Edward had covered for her well.

Additionally, Hobbs was recognized for his contribution in developing the cure for the Krauf disease, receiving a medal and being specially appointed as an imperial physician. Hobbs had requested Edward to make him the Empress Consort’s physician, but since there was no original position for an Empress Consort’s physician, his request was not accepted. Instead, it was decided that Hobbs would respond whenever there was a request for a physician from Larael’s Abella Palace.

“Do you still plan to work as my aide, Kali?”

Kali stopped fidgeting with her hands and raised her head to look at Larael. Her expression suggested that the inevitable had finally come.

“I said I would give you a chance, but if Kali doesn’t want it, you’re free to leave. Considering what has happened, if you leave, I’ll ensure you receive sufficient retirement pay.”

Larael said this and waited for her to make a decision.

After a long while, Kali took a deep breath as if she had made up her mind and spoke.

“Your Highness, as you mentioned before… I want to establish my own merchant guild. Of course, I don’t intend to quit being Your Highness’s aide. I want to set up my guild and become someone who can be of help to Your Highness.”

Larael nodded with a faint smile. However, she showed no expectation or trust in Kali. Kali felt conflicted seeing Larael’s smile that seemed empty inside. She had no one to blame since she was the one who had made their relationship like this. Instead of regretting and blaming herself, she wanted to become someone helpful to Larael. She hoped Larael would eventually be glad that she hadn’t dismissed her.

“Before that, I would like to take a short leave. I want to broaden my horizons and return.”

Kali had lived only in the capital of the Kazel Empire all her life. Except for her time at the academy, she had never left the baronial estate. Since beginning work as Larael’s aide and traveling to various places, Kali realized how narrow her perspective still was. Like a frog in a well, she had been struggling in her own well, mistakenly thinking she had room to breathe.

“That’s a good idea. Do you have any particular places in mind?”

“Yes. I’m thinking of starting with Astria and traveling around neighboring countries.”

Astria was where the academy Corneli attended was located.

“You might be able to meet Corneli? If you happen to meet her, please send my regards.”

“Yes. I won’t be gone for long.”

“By the way, how about taking Joy with you? I think Joy won’t have much to do if Kali isn’t around…”

Kali thought of Joy. If told to leave the capital to follow Kali, Joy would surely throw a fit. Kali could almost picture Joy’s expression in her mind.

“Yes. I’ll ask him. Your Highness, and…”

Kali’s voice gradually became smaller. Just from that, Larael could guess what Kali was about to say.

“Kali, I’d prefer not to talk about the past incidents.”

“Your Highness, but…”

Kali felt unbearably distressed by the disharmony between Larael’s empty gaze and the smile on her lips. Kali swallowed her words, suppressing the emotions welling up inside her.

In the end, Kali left without being able to say anything about the wrongs she had committed. After she left, Larael sat at her desk, recalling the events from before her regression.

She had belatedly realized that after the Krauf disease, which had swept through her first winter at the imperial palace, had subsided, a new life had arrived. Her winter was a season where the sorrow of losing her parents coexisted with the expectation of a new life.

Larael still felt as if the child was in her womb and caressed her stomach. But now there was nothing. The emotion that suddenly welled up made her nose tingle.

‘It was quiet until Ian was born.’

She would be able to live with peace of mind for a while. She would spend the Empire’s Founding Festival, which she had never properly attended before, with Edward. Edward was by her side when it seemed like nothing remained. Thinking of him, Larael felt her heart warming.

“I should visit the Argen Marquis’s residence after a long time.”

“Your Highness, shall I send a message in advance?”

Larael nodded at Sasha’s words.

While hurrying to prepare for an outing to the Argen Marquis’s residence in the afternoon, Larael frowned when she heard that the Empress Dowager had come to visit. Larael couldn’t imagine why the Empress Dowager, who had been quiet lately, would come all the way to Abella Palace.

“Is Lady Nox also with the Empress Dowager?”

“No. The Empress Dowager came alone.”

A long sigh escaped Larael’s lips as she nodded.

She finished her preparations for going out and headed to the reception room where the Empress Dowager was waiting. As she entered the reception room, the Empress Dowager gave her a blatantly hostile look.

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager did not respond to Larael’s greeting. Larael also sat down across from the Empress Dowager without saying anything further. The Empress Dowager did not take her eyes off Larael even while drinking the tea placed in front of her.

“The more I think about it, the most suspicious person is you, isn’t it?”

Larael’s eyes trembled slightly at the Empress Dowager’s words. Larael tried hard to appear calm.

“Your Majesty, what are you saying, coming so suddenly?”

“How long were you planning to pretend not to know anything, to act innocent? Hasn’t my naive son also been deceived by someone like you?”

Larael suddenly felt dizzy and her head spun.

“Yes. I shouldn’t have let you into the imperial family from the beginning. It was a big mistake to trust Herwen just because he’s my son.”

“Your Majesty, actually, I have a prior appointment. I’ll come see Your Majesty in the afternoon.”

Larael had no intention of listening further to the Empress Dowager’s baseless, one-sided outbursts. The fatigue enveloped her entire body as if she had already experienced what the Empress Dowager might say to her today if she kept her there.

As Larael rose from the sofa and spoke as respectfully as possible, the Empress Dowager’s face turned red, and she exhaled a rapid breath.

“Sit down!!”