13. Just Live as if I Don’t Exist (2)

Edward’s long eyelashes slowly lifted as he gazed at Larael’s hand and his own. His eyes, filled with many emotions, looked at Larael’s face.  

The moment Edward met her gaze, he felt something tickling rise from his chest and clog his throat as if it were stuck there. He reached out further, completely grasping her wrist and pulling her toward him with strength. Startled by his unexpected action, Larael’s eyes widened. If she didn’t resist, it seemed she might fall straight into Edward’s arms from the carriage. Larael braced herself against being pulled and stepped down from the carriage.  

Standing beside Edward, Larael surveyed the familiar Abella Palace, where she would now reside. In front of the palace stood the maids and attendants who would serve her, as well as the servants and housekeepers who would take care of the chores, all bowing their heads.  

“Did Her Majesty the Empress Dowager not come?”  

“She said she couldn’t come because she suddenly felt unwell this morning. Since it might be contagious, let’s visit her together later.”  

“I understand.”  

“Then, let’s go inside.”  

Edward entered the palace with Larael.  

As they stepped indoors, the faint scent of Larael became stronger, tickling Edward’s nose. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. When he saw her turn her head away from him in the opposite direction, Edward turned his head to look down at her.  

Her lustrous silver hair caught his eye. With every step she took, it softly swayed and rippled, occasionally revealing glimpses of her face. Noticing his gaze, Larael turned her head to look at Edward, who quickly turned away in surprise.  

“Your Majesty, what are you doing? The Empress Consort may not see it, but we can all see everything.”  

Marquis Argen, who had witnessed the scene from behind, quickly approached and whispered, mindful of his lord’s dignity.  

When Edward turned around, Duke Nox, along with the attendants and aides, averted their eyes from his gaze. No one had ever imagined that the Emperor would behave in such a way in his lifetime.  

They had once imagined the Emperor and Empress standing together. A political marriage, with the Empress standing like a statue beside the Emperor.  

Marquis Argen, in particular, had confidently declared that even if the Emperor were stabbed, not a single drop of blood would spill.  

Duke Nox, on the other hand, thought that this was precisely what made him Emperor-like and that it was even better. He had believed it would be ideal to welcome his daughter as Empress, forming a political alliance. If only that wretched woman had not become the consort, things would have been perfect. In any case, Duke Nox did not like her.  

“When shall we hold the banquet?”  

Edward asked Larael as he entered a reception room near the hall.  

“If it’s a banquet that’s not necessary, I’d prefer to skip it.”  

Larael recalled the banquet where she had made her debut. It had been a horrifying event where she became the spectacle of everyone’s attention.  

Larael, a noblewoman from the outskirts rather than the central aristocracy, had become the fiancée of a grand duke, drawing both envy and jealousy. But now, she had taken the seat beside the Emperor in an empire without an Empress—a position so coveted that no one would dare aspire to it. Some people even wanted to believe the rumor that she had seduced the Emperor.  

The most common thing Larael heard was that, once she was crowned Empress Consort, the Emperor would not even glance at her. They would flatter her to her face, only to loudly gossip about her the moment they left her side, as if they wanted her to hear.  

It wasn’t as though Larael had wanted to become consort. She, too, was a victim, so she couldn’t understand why people hated her. 

All their resentment was directed at Edward, and Larael had once flaunted her position by treating Edward poorly in front of the nobles who despised her.  

‘I won’t do that anymore, but I still hate banquets.’  

Thinking of the banquet made Larael dizzy. Looking back, it was embarrassing enough to make her want to crawl into a hole. Why had Edward tolerated her back then? She had been so rude that even beheading her on the spot wouldn’t have been enough.  

“Larael, let’s reconsider that. For now, have the head maid guide you through the palace. I must return to my duties.”  

“Yes, I understand.”  

After answering, Larael shifted her gaze to Edward’s aides standing beside him.  

“Duke Nox and Marquis Argen.”  

Both Edward and the two men looked at Larael with puzzled expressions, unsure if she was truly addressing them.  

“Your Highness, did you call for me?”  

At Duke Nox’s question, Larael nodded.  

“Since His Majesty must leave soon, I’ll keep this brief. I’ve heard that there is a young lady of my age in the Nox family. Would it be possible to ask her to be my companion, if it’s not too much trouble?”  

“……”  

“Is it not possible?”  

“…I will ask my daughter.”  

“Thank you.”  

Duke Nox, with a displeased look, tapped his cane on the floor. The young lady of the Nox family, known to be cherished by the Duke, rarely participated in social activities and was not well-known to outsiders.  

“Similarly, I would like to have a tea party with the Marchioness of Argen. May I send an invitation?”  

“Ah…”  

Marquis Argen’s expression turned visibly troubled, unable to hide his discomfort. From his face, it was clear how the Marchioness felt about Larael. Larael sighed, having anticipated this reaction.  

“I’m informing you in advance because I thought the Marchioness might be startled if she received an unexpected invitation. As you know, I have no acquaintances among the capital’s nobles. Since you two are closest to His Majesty, I’m asking for your help. I have no other intentions.”  

The mention of “no other intentions” caused Duke Nox’s eyes to flicker slightly. He had just been speculating about why she wanted to meet his daughter.  

“I will speak to Duke Nox and Marquis Argen again.”  

Edward, casting a cold glance at the troubled Marquis Argen and Duke Nox, spoke to Larael.  

After hearing Larael’s brief reply, Edward nodded and left her palace with his aides.  

Following behind him, Marquis Argen quietly whispered to Duke Nox.  

“For someone who entered the palace so suddenly, hasn’t she done her research on us?”  

Duke Nox, instead of replying, narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold.  

His daughter was meant to become Empress.  

“And she dares to ask for her as a companion? Who does she think she is?”  

Suppressing a laugh of disbelief, Duke Nox followed Edward.  

Meanwhile, Larael toured her palace with Anais, the head maid, who explained its layout. Though she already knew the palace well, Larael explored it again with Anais.  

When she arrived at her bedroom, Larael sat on the sofa in the center of the room.  

“I’d like my maids to be assigned as soon as possible. At least they won’t irritate me…”  

At Larael’s words, Anais shot a sharp look at Lillian and Kara. The two maids, unable to meet her gaze, hung their heads low.  

Anais had earned her position as head maid for a reason. Just from Larael’s words, she immediately understood that Lillian and Kara had somehow displeased her.  

“I’ll look into it and arrange it as quickly as possible. Shortly, the royal physician and the high priest will visit to check if Your Majesty is in good health. May I take these two girls out for a moment?”  

Anais gestured toward Lillian and Kara. Larael nodded. At Anais’s signal, the two maids bowed their heads deeply and followed her out of the bedroom.  

Once they left, Larael relaxed, leaning back further into the sofa. She lay there, staring at the ceiling of her bedroom.  

“Have I ever felt this comfortable in this bedroom before?”  

She turned her head, inspecting the furniture and objects in the room one by one.