91. You Are My Empress

Larael silently observed Edward as he sat on the sofa, not leaving the bedroom. Though she enjoyed being with him, she didn’t want to show him emotions that fluctuated from time to time, trapped in the pain of the past.

“Your Majesty, I would like to rest now.”

“Let’s just stay together.”

Larael sighed softly at Edward’s words, showing no sign of getting up, and sat down across from him.

“Your Majesty, I heard there was a discussion about appointing an empress.”

Since Edward had settled in, she brought up what she had been wanting to ask him. Edward sank deeper into the sofa at this unexpected question. Of course Larael would know about it. Edward felt a tightness in his chest, unsure of what to say to her. He couldn’t make hasty promises before everything was certain. If things went wrong, his relationship of trust with Larael would collapse.

“It’s true that such discussions have taken place, but nothing has been decided. And regardless of that, there is no other woman for me but you.”

“Please promise to listen to what I have to say without getting angry.”

Larael spoke calmly, anticipating Edward’s reaction to her words. Just by asking about the empress, Edward’s expression had rapidly frozen.

“Larael, I will resolve the empress issue.”

“Your Majesty, please promise not to get angry and listen to me. Please?”

Larael asked again as Edward continued speaking without responding to her words.

“Fine. Go ahead.”

Edward reluctantly answered at Larael’s pleading gaze, but his expression had hardened even more than before. Larael looked at Edward’s face and then turned away. She felt she couldn’t speak while looking at his face.

“If Your Majesty does not appoint an empress, the animosity toward me will only worsen. If you truly care about me, you should hasten the appointment of an empress. Your authority could be shaken as well because of this.”

“…”

Edward recalled his promise to Larael and clenched his teeth, keeping his mouth shut. How inadequate an emperor was he to make his woman say such things?

“Please don’t just reject it outright or dismiss it negatively—it’s time to think about it seriously. I’m really fine with it. If someone kind and good-hearted becomes empress, I will serve her well by her side.”

“…Larael, you are my empress. You should manage your expression before speaking.”

“Your Majesty!!!”

Larael felt something welling up from her chest to her throat. It wasn’t emotion from Edward’s words. It was closer to frustration with Edward, who had no intention of listening, even though embracing her like this would gain him nothing.

“I understand your intention, but I don’t like it,” Edward said firmly in a low voice.

“Edward…”

Though it was always what Edward wanted to hear, his expression remained unchanged. Edward crossed his arms and continued to look at Larael with a cold expression.

Larael raised her head and met Edward’s eyes, filled with anger. Even though his anger wasn’t directed at her, Larael felt pain as if her heart had been stabbed with a knife. If Edward knew about her past life before her regression, he would look at her with eyes flashing with hatred directed entirely at her. Just thinking about it made Larael feel despair, as if the sky were falling.

“Count Winters suggested a competition for the empress appointment. The method used in the past only remains in documents, and currently, it’s merely selecting a pre-determined candidate. I’ve been reviewing this recently. I’ve accepted Count Winters’ suggestion and will implement the empress selection test as it was done in the past. And I will make sure, by whatever means necessary, that you pass that test. I will definitely make you my empress.”

“…”

Larael stared blankly at Edward, finding his words absurd.

“Preparation time is needed, so the empress selection test will be held after the Founding Festival. Therefore, please don’t bring up the matter of the empress anymore.”

“But…”

“Larael.”

Edward cut off what Larael was about to say. He rubbed his face several times and stood up from the sofa. This time, he wanted Larael to trust him completely and wait. He wanted to be someone she could trust and rely on. He approached Larael, bent down, and kissed her forehead.

“You seem upset, and I wanted to stay with you, but I think you’ll keep talking about this all day? In that case, I’ll return to the main palace.”

Edward said this to Larael, who was still looking up at him with an expression and eyes that suggested she had much more to say, then forced a smile.

“Your Majesty…”

But Larael didn’t try to stop Edward from leaving. She stood up from the sofa and watched as Edward strode out. When Edward left the bedroom, her maid entered.

As they came in through the door Edward had exited, Larael slumped back onto the sofa.

“We’ll help you change your dress.”

Sasha and Joanna came to her side and spoke. Larael’s maids also felt downcast seeing her in low spirits. Larael nodded and rose from the sofa. As Sasha stood beside her, Larael tilted her head and whispered softly in her ear.

“Send a message to Dean to meet me at the secret salon tomorrow at 2 p.m.”

***

Dean arrived at the salon first and was waiting for Larael.

He knew well that she had requested this meeting because of what he had said. But Dean truly meant it for Larael’s sake. So he felt no hesitation or unease about meeting her today; he was confident. He didn’t need to try to hide his feelings.

And he was convinced. While he couldn’t say with 100 percent certainty, he thought she possessed the Third Eye. If not that ability, he had never heard of anyone with the power to know the future.

Thinking of Larael becoming empress made him feel as though she was truly moving to an unreachable place. Of course, even with her in the position of imperial consort, she was clearly beyond his reach as long as she didn’t look elsewhere. But somehow, Larael in the position of imperial consort seemed to coexist with a certain insecurity, making him feel as though he could somehow squeeze through that gap.

A bitter smile crossed Dean’s lips at such thoughts. He couldn’t understand why he was even thinking this way.

Though it was frustrating, Larael’s expression when she was with Edward was distinctly different from when she was with Dean. Her excited expression and genuine smile—Dean chose to watch over that.

Finally, Larael entered the room where Dean was waiting.

“Don’t get up. Just stay seated.”

As Dean, who had been sitting with his legs crossed and chin resting on the armrest, hurriedly stood up, Larael walked quickly to the chair and sat down while speaking. Not even her usual formal smile was visible on her face. She looked at Dean with an expressionless face.

“Dean, why did you bring up the empress selection test?”

As soon as she sat down, Larael asked what she most wanted to know. Her red eyes quietly watched Dean’s lips.

“I believe Your Highness should become the Empress, and that’s why I said it.”

“You’re saying exactly the same thing as Edward. Do you think that makes sense? If such a test is held and someone is predetermined, and if it’s discovered that the test contents were leaked in advance, have you thought about what would happen?”

Dean was momentarily stunned by Larael’s words. He genuinely didn’t understand what she was saying.

“Your Highness, what are you talking about?”

“Edward said that after the Founding Festival, he would hold a test to appoint an empress. And he said he would intentionally make me the final successful candidate. Is this news to you, Dean?”

“Your Highness.”

Dean hadn’t suggested the test with that intention. What Dean had intended was that if a test like in the old days was held, Larael, who was believed to possess the Third Eye, would naturally become empress.