Marked as the Tyrant's Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 35

***

Parmes Aslet in the novel was the very embodiment of a tyrant.

He was a fearsome being who treated human lives as insignificant as flies, manipulating them at will, and killing people in a frenzy of madness.

And Amelia, the female protagonist of the depressing romance fantasy novel <I will no longer be the Tyrant’s lover>.

When Amelia caught the eye of Parmes, who had seized the throne through rebellion, it marked the beginning of a great ordeal for her.

Parmes treated Amelia like an emotionless doll.

And he became obsessively fixated on her, ruthlessly taking out his anger on her maids when Amelia tried to escape from the palace.

Eventually, Amelia, having given up everything, decided to stay by his side, and there was a time when their relationship improved, with her experiencing something akin to Stockholm syndrome…

However, due to a certain incident, their relationship suddenly worsened.

‘I really thought Parmes was a madman in that paragraph.’

It was when Amelia appeared dressed in Heisen’s attire.

After Dad died, the now-abolished Elementalist Ministry’s elementalists wore long white dresses trimmed with gold thread, with sashes in red, blue, green, and yellow representing the four elements tied around their waists.

Heisen, who was the Grand Elementalist and led the Elementalist Ministry, wore a golden sash, they say.

Amelia’s appearance in Heisen’s attire was no coincidence, but a scheme by the villainous Duchess Dant, and this incident caused Parmes to lose his mind and go berserk.

They say his red eyes were filled with madness, and he drew his sword, slashing at everything in sight, creating chaos.

He even tried to kill Amelia, the female protagonist.

‘It’s understandable that I mistook Dad for Parmes’ ex-girlfriend.’

Heisen’s existence was a trigger button for Parmes.

Anyway, Amelia fled in fear, and countless readers dropped the novel due to this frustrating development… but I endured the frustration quite well and didn’t drop it.

In any case, even after Amelia returned, Heisen’s name and anything reminiscent of Heisen became taboo in the palace due to that incident.

‘But you want me to wear Dad’s clothes?’

Although Uncle Zimmer is showing a completely different side from the tyrant in the novel, I still don’t want to throw myself into danger!

“I think His Majesty will find Arinel even more adorable if she wears this. I had it specially made.”

“No, that can’t be. This… I’ll definitely wear it later, Madam.”

Refusing Mrs. Alens’ suggestion, I put on a sky-blue dress and went to the Crown Prince’s quarters.

Mrs. Alens seemed to think that Parmes would find me adorable no matter what I did, but I didn’t want to bet my life on the Madam’s baseless belief.

“Welcome, my Lady.”

The palace attendants greeted me as I arrived at the Crown Prince’s palace.

“Run away, My Lady.”

I vividly remembered Briton pushing me back when danger approached.

Unlike his image of a sheltered young noble, his eyes were really firm as he tried to protect me.

To think that such a Briton had caught a severe cold…

“Cough-“

As I stood in front of the door after turning the corridor, I heard a cough from inside the room.

After hesitating a little, I entered the room and saw Briton sitting on the bed, looking at me.

His face was quite red, probably due to the severe cold, and his usually sharp eyes were softly relaxed, with the ends of his eyebrows drooping.

“Are you alright, Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

I asked, approaching him with careful steps.

‘He looks just like a white puppy.’

The boy in white clothes, similar in color to his silver hair, looked up at me with feverish eyes.

Then he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed again.

“Cough, my lady. You came all the way here……”

His blue eyes wavered pitifully.

“Shh! Don’t strain yourself.”

I put down the basket I had brought on the side table with a thud and began to explain.

“This is Chupi fruit oil. It’s good for throat pain if you take two spoonfuls a day. And this is a piece of Bambi wood, which will make you feel a bit refreshed the next day if you put it by your pillow when you sleep.”

“My lady……”

Then I showed him the other things I had prepared.

“These are Turan leaves. They’re good as a spice, but they also have the effect of clearing your nose. I’ve used them when I had a cold, and they were quite good.”

There are doctors in the imperial palace, but even here, there’s not much treatment for a cold except waiting until one’s condition improves.

So I think these herbal home remedies will be helpful.

Briton’s eyes were wavering with emotion, realizing that I had brought all these herbs packed up.

“My lady……”

“The gratitude……”

I interrupted him, bringing my face close to his.

His blue eyes trembled slightly.

“Repay me by getting well.”

Grin. I smiled at Briton.

Then, very slowly, a smile also formed on his pale lips.

“Well then, I’ll be going now. I just came to deliver these.”

As I turned around, I heard Briton’s voice.

“Cough, I… I was worried that you found me uncomfortable.”

His cheeks were red as he lowered his head slightly.

Whether it was because of the fever or if it just seemed more so for some other reason, I couldn’t tell.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

I was reflected in his blue eyes.

“I thought that no matter how hard I tried to become someone you like… I thought you were pushing me away.”

“That’s not possible.”

At my light denial, Briton’s eyes wavered again.

“It’s just that I……”

I had never thought of Briton that way.

“……am just shy. With people I haven’t known for long.”

I was now convinced that Briton was quite a good child.

Briton was always kind to me, and always treated me sincerely.

And he tried to protect me.

“And you don’t need to try to become someone I like. Your Highness the Crown Prince is already wonderful just as you are.”

Briton was looking at me with gently wavering eyes.

“Now I’m really going. Rest well, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

***

Inside the imperial garden.

“Two boxes of gold bars and twenty-eight boxes of silver bars, thirty baskets of magic stones….. Is this all the bribe you’re offering me?”

At Parmes’ words, Duke Matzert flinched.

The emperor of the noble Aslet imperial family was looking down at Duke Matzert with his chin slightly raised.

“Br… bribe, Your Majesty? How could I dare to offer such a thing to Your Majesty the Emperor? It’s just a very small token of apology for yesterday’s rudeness.”

“You didn’t come to ask me to lift the measures against your daughter?”

At Parmes’ directness, Matzert could only sweat profusely.

The emperor was a man who didn’t know how to speak indirectly.

Even if he wasn’t confident that this would completely appease the emperor, he didn’t expect such inflexibility.

The incident that day had more repercussions than just Lariel’s ban from entering the imperial palace.

Just having a family member who has incurred the emperor’s displeasure greatly affects Matzert’s reputation.

“Since you say it’s a gesture of goodwill without expecting anything in return, I’ll accept it.”

The emperor Parmes ignored Matzert’s true intentions but didn’t forget to take what was offered.

Ugh, an unvoiced groan circled inside Duke Matzert’s mouth.

“Your Majesty, Miss Mylar has arrived.”

“Perfect timing. Tell her to come in.”

At the sudden mention of the Mylar name, Matzert immediately frowned.

He had finally managed to get a private audience, and now that thorn in his side, the Mylar girl, had come.

The girl who was the cause of the Lariel incident.

A moment later, Arinel, with her small frame, appeared and greeted the emperor.

“Hello, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

“Yes, Arinel. Welcome.”

As a maid quickly pulled out a chair, Arinel sat down.

With her feet slightly lifted as her bottom touched the high chair, Arinel smiled brightly even while looking at Duke Matzert.

“Hello to you too, Your Grace the Duke!”

‘Damn it……’

It seems impossible to mention more about Lariel’s ban from the imperial palace in front of this girl.

If it becomes known that he, Duke Matzert, is struggling with this matter, the already crumbled pride of Matzert will be further ruined.

“By the way, Your Majesty, it seems you were discussing state affairs with Duke Matzert. Is it alright for me to join in?”

‘Of course not! You tactless little brat!’

“Of course. There’s no place in this imperial palace where Arinel can’t join.”

A response completely opposite to Duke Matzert’s inner voice.

How could he have such a different attitude towards this Mylar girl?

The piercing gaze is nowhere to be seen, bright and warm only for this little one. Frighteningly so.

And what about the tone of voice? Is this really the voice of that cruel Parmes?

‘Perhaps the rumors that this little one might have been with him in Galnem… might be true.’

From the moment Arinel arrived, it was like sitting on pins and needles for Duke Matzert.

“I shall take my leave now.”

As he was about to stand up after paying his respects to the emperor.

“Come to think of it.”

Parmes’ words caught Matzert’s ankle.

“I should give Arinel a reward. In a situation where Craemul was completely burned down by the fire and there was no dessert to finish the party, Arinel’s quick thinking shone through.”

“Oh, it was nothing really. Well.”

Arinel shrugged and smiled.

And at that moment, the emperor made a proposal to the girl.

“Make a wish. I’ll grant whatever Arinel wants.”

“It’s really okay.”

“I insist you ask.”

At the mention of a wish, Duke Matzert’s hand twitched.

At that moment, Arinel looked at Matzert with knowing eyes.

“……!”

Flinch. Matzert was startled, feeling as if the gaze of this small girl was piercing through his intentions.

A moment later, Arinel grinned.

“Then, Your Majesty. Could you grant this?”