The resentful gazes of the two brothers turned simultaneously toward the Empress’s portrait. The woman who had completely ruined both her sons’ lives due to her anger toward her husband. How could they not resent her?
“Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that. I wouldn’t take such a position even if you gave it to me. I’ll bury my bones in the Grand Duchy, so handle the Empire yourself. And I won’t tolerate it anymore. From now on, I’ll summarily execute any noble who dares look down on the imperial family, on my honor as Grand Duke.”
“Rian!”
“So you should do the same. Stop being dragged around by insignificant bastards.”
Leaving his dumbfounded brother behind, Rian turned sharply and walked a few steps before stopping. Still facing forward, he spoke in a chilling voice.
“If you can’t do it, tell me. I’ll sweep away all the nobles even if it means war. I’ll do the killing, so just keep your position.”
“……”
Rian’s expression, as he faced the silent Emperor, was quite different from moments ago. The Emperor’s eyes trembled slightly at his brother’s changed atmosphere. He seemed to know who it was without having to ask.
“I’m serious. I hated Mother, but I never hated you. I just didn’t want to see the resemblance. It’s time for us to change, isn’t it? I’ll break free from the past, so you should also break free from Mother’s shadow. Build your own proper Empire. If you need it, we’ll help you.”
‘We’ll…’
The Emperor’s chest ached at his brother’s condition, which was more serious than he thought. Yet somehow, he felt reassured by his brother’s seemingly strengthened appearance.
“……Go safely. I’ll contact you soon.”
The Emperor’s eyes suddenly flashed brightly as he watched his brother’s retreating back. As if he had just awakened, his slumped shoulders rose proudly.
“My Empire…. That’s enticing. If I build it well and give it to my nephew or niece, would it be a decent gift?”
Life returned to the gaunt Emperor’s face for the first time in a long while.
* * *
“Please, have some.”
After offering tea and dessert, Belita suddenly looked out the window. Her heart felt inexplicably anxious as the raindrops grew heavier. She wished Rian would return before the thunder started, concerned because lately he had been so busy that he only returned late in the evening whenever he went out.
“I don’t know why it rains so much in this cursed land.”
“Mind your language.”
“It’s true, isn’t it? Don’t you see how it rains especially hard in the Grand Duchy? How much money has been poured into this place with no improvement? After all that, being discarded like an old shoe—it’s only natural to feel wronged.”
“……”
She had no particular rebuttal to Lovia’s sarcasm. It wasn’t wrong that Rian had driven them away.
“They say one bad hire can ruin a household—I wonder who was the wrong hire that brought the Grand Duchy to this state.”
“Are you referring to me?”
“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way, but is that how it sounded?”
“Well, that’s how it sounded to my ears.”
“Well, I can’t deny it. Before the Grand Duchess arrived, His Grace and I were quite close.”
Her rudeness knew no bounds. It was hard to gauge how much more she should tolerate. Just as she was considering whether to end this, Lovia’s rudeness finally reached its peak.
“Since we’re not close enough to keep facing each other, let me get straight to the point.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m a woman who can be a strength to His Grace. But what can you do for him, Grand Duchess?”
“……”
“If you truly care about the Grand Duchy, don’t you think you should know when to step down from a position that doesn’t suit you?”
Her lower abdomen seemed to be tightening slightly. Belita frowned and clutched her lower belly.
“Do you mean… if I step down, you will take this seat, Lady Ventum?”
“That’s between His Grace and me.”
“……Was this the opportunity you spoke of? That if I step aside, you’ll buy Rian with money?”
“Hmm, not just money…? I would ensure he doesn’t sleep alone every night. So he’s not lonely, very… passionately.”
The woman who deliberately flashed a seductive smile and explicitly expressed her desire for hot nights with Rian right in front of her seemed newly impressive. Arrogance and shamelessness appeared to be the exclusive property of the high nobility.
“……I see…. I’ve heard you well. Now please leave.”
“What…?”
Lovia’s face turned stupidly blank at Belita’s overly concise response. Did she expect her to cry or beg? Living with a madman every day, one more madwoman hardly seemed significant anymore.
“Then your answer is….”
“Answer? What answer?”
“Did you properly hear what I said?”
“Ah, yes. Of course I heard. Though it wasn’t really worth hearing.”
“What did you say?”
Belita met Lovia’s fiery glare with a calm, expressionless face. Soon, Belita’s red lips curved into an arc. One corner of Lovia’s mouth trembled at the sight of Belita, whose aura felt completely different from usual.
“Lady Ventum?”
“Yes?”
“Just a moment, your ear please….”
Waving her hand gently, Belita’s expression looked somewhat bizarre as she asked Lovia to lend her ear. Though reluctant, Lovia stiffly moved her head closer out of pride, while Belita wrapped her arms around her belly. As if trying to cover the child’s ears.
A clear yet chilling voice pierced into Lovia’s ear.
“You.”
Crazy Belita had made her appearance.
* * *
‘You, I was really amusing to you, wasn’t I? But what should I do about this…? I now have something to protect. So I don’t have the patience to tolerate you anymore. So stop messing around. I’ve dealt with a madman, do you think I’d be scared of someone like you? I have no intention of giving up this position or my husband to the likes of you, so stop wasting your time and go give your pot-bellied husband some passionate nights so he’s not lonely!’
‘!!!’
‘Ahem. Thank you for accepting my invitation today, Countess. Goodbye now.’
Lovia’s fists trembled as she rode back in her carriage, Belita’s words and expression firmly lodged in her mind. The woman who couldn’t even make a peep when openly disrespected before seemed to have gone completely mad today. The more she thought about it, the more outrageous it seemed. How dare she speak to her like that.
“Insolent b*tch.”
But something felt strange.
Could a person change so suddenly? And suddenly a child…? Did Rian really sleep with that woman? Hmph, nonsense. A man so cold he was like an iron wall, taking a woman he bought with money into his bed? Impossible.
“A man who didn’t fall for my seduction planted his seed in such an insignificant woman? Hmph, how dare she try to deceive me with such nonsense? She’s more cunning than I thought.”
A man so cold it defied description. A man she had tried so desperately to possess but couldn’t have for even a moment. When she finally realized that no one could live in that man’s heart, she actually felt relieved. No woman could be by that man’s side.
She had met Rian by chance at an imperial palace banquet. A pitiful man who, despite being a prince, couldn’t even enter the banquet hall and just lingered around the edges. She fell for him at first sight. Though gloomy like an abandoned beast, his beautiful appearance made him so attractive that she wanted to embrace even that gloominess.
Though he carried only the hollow title of prince without being treated as one, she thought she could easily have him with her looks and wealth. So she boldly extended her hand. Take my hand, she said. If you want, I’ll make you Emperor. The look in his eyes as he gazed at her then was unforgettable. An expression of disgust, as if he had tasted something filthy.
She thought his pride was hurt. She rationalized that having grown up without parental love, he couldn’t easily accept others’ consideration. She arrogantly assumed it was just an abandoned beast showing wariness. If so, she just needed to soothe him. Constantly whisper love, embrace him, comfort him. Tell him she wouldn’t hurt him. That she was on his side. That she would give him everything.
So she seduced him again. Throwing away all pride, she stripped n*ked and extended her hand just to possess him. This is my sincerity, she said. I’m ready to sacrifice everything for you. But this time, she saw not wariness but an arrogant man. A cold man with a creepy, eerie smile and contemptuous eyes.
The sense of loss at not getting what she wanted most turned into spite. She wanted to possess him. Desperately wanted to possess him. Eventually, she begged her father to send a marriage proposal. She pressured the Emperor with funds and used any means necessary to have him. But he escaped from her forever in a way she never expected. By buying a wife.
What was it about her that he hated so much? Was she so detestable that he would buy a Viscount’s daughter with money and make her his wife? Why!? She had only extended her hand, only loved him.
So she married another man out of spite. Hoping he would regret it. Hoping he would regret losing everything she had. But the man who became someone else’s husband was still handsome, still desirable. And still wouldn’t even glance at her. She was the one with regrets.
Her spite turned into madness, and madness into ambition. Love turned into love-hate, and love-hate turned back into hatred. How dare he take that woman’s side in front of her….
She no longer wished for love.
“If I can’t have you, no one can. If that woman really carries your child, I’ll eliminate it with my own hands. You made me lonely, so you should be lonely for life too. Then you might understand how I feel a little. You’re mine forever. So don’t give your heart to anyone, just like now.”
A beautiful smile appeared on Lovia’s vicious face. The carriage stopped at her gesture. Someone entered her carriage.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Nous_Defions
Oh no… I hope Rian will be more dlilligent around Belita, and for Belits to never let her guard down against everyone, except for Rian…
I want Lovia to taste the consequences of crossing both Rian and Belita… Threatening their child?! She’s asking for death, that’s what! And dear, sweet Rian will serve her head on a silver platter for just thinking she can get away with that…