94. Won’t Your Highness and I Become Family?

Larael was speechless at those words, staring blankly at Ariella. She wanted to rush at Ariella, strangle her, and tear apart the mouth that spewed such nonsense. Larael was barely restraining herself. In her burning anger, a slight tremor passed across her face. Though Larael’s expression remained seemingly impassive, Ariella caught that tremor and looked at her with excitement.

‘I wonder who might have tipped off the press about the love affair at the opera house?’

The words rose to the tip of Larael’s tongue. But she couldn’t speak rashly out of emotion. Larael barely held onto her reason and swallowed those words. She needed to remain the Larael they could mock, dismiss, and manipulate at will.

With that thought, a formal smile appeared on Larael’s face. Seeing the smile that contrasted with her still anxiously trembling eyes, Ariella felt satisfaction gradually filling her chest.

“Ariella, if thinking that way satisfies you, then go ahead. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.”

Larael spoke in a calm voice.

Ariella felt strangely displeased by this response. She would have been happy if Larael had been filled with rage and even tried to strike her. But she hated how Larael pretended to be calm and fine, speaking so composedly. The satisfaction that had been building in her heart instantly cooled.

“Didn’t Your Highness say it before? Won’t Your Highness and I become family? I’ll visit you often, not as a friend but as family.”

Ariella bid farewell to Larael.

Larael nodded, turned around, and boarded her carriage. Ariella glared until the carriage disappeared from view, then turned and got into her own carriage.

Kali and Joy, who had come out to see Larael off and witnessed the scene, went back inside the building after Ariella left. Joy sat at the desk and took a deep breath. He was affected by Larael’s swirling emotions. Though he didn’t completely share her emotions, he could roughly sense her emotional state. Joy recalled how Ariella had glared at Larael’s carriage.

She was a truly unpleasant woman. He felt like following her immediately and eliminating her. But Joy, who now shared Larael’s fate, couldn’t act freely as he had before. Especially if it went against Larael’s wishes, he couldn’t move at all.

“This is quite uncomfortable.”

At Joy’s muttering, Kali, who had also been lost in thought, startled and looked at him. Joy merely shrugged his shoulders at Kali’s gaze.

***

“What did you just say??”

Edward’s voice was icy. He pressed his fingers to his temple. Just as he was about to check on Larael to see if her mood had improved, he received this urgent report, and now his head was throbbing. He truly wanted to drop everything and go see Larael.

A silence fell over the office at Edward’s cold question. Everyone knew he hadn’t asked again because he hadn’t heard.

“The peasants of Count Briznay’s domain, one of the territories in the Hallaren region, have executed Count Briznay, unlawfully occupied his castle, and imprisoned his family members.”

At the repeated statement, Edward ruthlessly tousled his neatly combed-back hair with both hands. Marquis Argen, despite his calm tone, swallowed dryly with a tense face.

There must be a reason why the peasants had taken such action. The Hallaren region had lost this year’s harvest due to drought. Since such a drought was unprecedented, everyone in the Hallaren region had been bewildered. Malicious rumors were also spreading that this had happened because the Emperor had coveted his brother’s fiancée.

But thanks to following Count Winters’ advice, they had imported enough grain in advance and distributed it to the residents of the Hallaren region. Though not abundant, he thought it would provide satisfaction during these difficult times for everyone, but he couldn’t even begin to guess why they would go this far. If the drought and poor harvest weren’t the cause, was it a rebellion against the Emperor?

But that wasn’t it either. Those who occupied Count Briznay’s domain had sent this news directly to the Emperor. And there had been no reports of damage to other territories due to these people.

“The reason?”

“We are forming an investigation team to determine the reason.”

“Dispatch the investigation team immediately to find out the reason and their demands.”

“Yes, understood.”

If it wasn’t a rebellion, they surely had something they wanted. As soon as Edward gave the order, Marquis Argen hurriedly left the office.

“How are things progressing with the Empress Appointment Examination?”

Edward suddenly asked as the aides were bowing their heads and trying to focus on their work again. Edward had ordered an investigation into the Empress Appointment Examination that had been conducted in the past in the Kazel Empire. The aides had thoroughly examined the records remaining in the imperial palace and library materials, and had requested relevant materials stored in the temple.

“We are waiting for the materials to be sent from the Grand Temple.”

Edward’s eyes sharpened.

“You’re just waiting for materials from the temple??”

“Our materials are quite insufficient. Since the examination itself was originally overseen by the Grand Temple…”

One aide spoke in a faltering voice. Edward heaved a deep sigh.

Nothing was going well. He felt like he could only breathe freely if he saw Larael right away. But he couldn’t easily rise from his chair because of the problems at hand. Edward roughly pushed back his hair and picked up another document from the pile to examine.

After concentrating solely on work for quite some time, Edward finally put the document back on the pile and stood up from his chair. He felt he absolutely had to see Larael.

Edward rushed to Abella Palace in one breath. Some of the attendants following him couldn’t keep up with his pace and fell behind. Abella Palace was also thrown into a commotion by the Emperor’s sudden visit.

Larael, who had been quietly reading a book in her bedroom, closed the book and rose from the sofa when she heard that Edward had come to Abella Palace. Before Larael could even fix her hair, Edward burst into the bedroom.

Larael greeted Edward and signaled with her eyes for the maids to leave. Before Larael’s maids could even exit the bedroom, Edward embraced her tightly. He held her firmly as if he had missed her desperately after not seeing her for months. Larael’s eyes widened at this behavior, so different from the usual Edward who always embraced her gently and carefully.

“Your Majesty, I can hardly breathe when you hold me so tightly.”

Larael said with a smile, as if complaining playfully. Edward was relieved by her complaint, which was no different from before.

“I’m sorry.”

But Edward did not loosen his tightly wrapped arms. Larael also embraced Edward’s waist just as firmly.

Edward cupped Larael’s face with both hands. Then he pressed his lips to hers. As if that alone was not satisfying enough, Edward’s soft tongue parted Larael’s slightly open mouth and entered. His tongue began to persistently explore her mouth.

Edward couldn’t control the overwhelming emotions he felt the moment he faced Larael. Today, he simply couldn’t hold back.

“Larael, I love you so very much.”

Edward’s voice trembled. At Edward’s sudden confession following the intense kiss, Larael’s eyes grew wider and she froze, unable even to blink. Edward gazed at her with an overwhelming heart. After finally speaking the words that had been knotted in his chest for so long, Edward felt moved by his own action.

“Your Majesty.”

Larael called to Edward, coming to her senses. Although it was what she had wanted to hear, the moment she heard those words, she felt as if her heart had dropped, falling endlessly into the deep, deep ground with a thud.

‘What on earth should I do?’

Edward looked at her small mouth. He wondered what words would come from her lips. And he waited for her to say that she loved him too.

“Your Majesty.”

Larael called Edward once more. When Edward raised his eyebrows as if to say “go on,” Larael opened her heavy lips.

“Your Majesty, do you remember that morning?”