The Empress’s voice, which had been uncharacteristically mumbling, grew louder again.
“Of course, I understand the Grand Duke’s feelings too, but waiting without knowing and waiting while knowing are different. The Grand Duchess is living in hell right now. I thought it would be better for her to be rescued as soon as possible. She might be anxious with the waiting, but at least her heart would be at ease. When I see things like this, men are really, fools! Not knowing what their women want, hmph!”
“I momentarily overlooked Your Majesty the Empress’s hasty temperament.”
“Eek! Why is everyone making a fuss about my personality today!”
The Empress’s face turned red and blue with anger, feeling like she had been slapped after doing a good deed.
“So what are you going to do?”
“The territorial war?”
“Yes. It seems like she’s prepared quite diligently, but isn’t it too big a task for the Grand Duchess to take on?”
“Don’t approve it yet. And call Count Thorne for me.”
“What?”
“He stabbed a dagger in my woman’s heart, so I should return the favor.”
The Emperor and Empress exchanged glances in confusion at Rian’s face, which was smiling for the first time. His smile looked quite wicked.
“What are you planning to do?”
“Haven’t you found Lovia yet?”
“……It seems she’s hiding outside the Empire.”
“What about that knight?”
“He was also quite injured after colliding with your carriage. So we’re just keeping him barely alive and guarding him thoroughly.”
“Just kill him.”
“What?”
“That guy is Lovia’s lover. He probably won’t say a word.”
“Lover?”
Rian couldn’t help but laugh at his brother’s still innocent face despite growing up under immoral parents. What’s so surprising about a noble lady having a lover? Still, he felt grateful for the imperial couple’s different nature from his parents, though he didn’t know why.
“She probably hasn’t left the Empire. She’d be curious about the results of what she started. Plus, since her lover is still alive, she’d want to kill him to feel at ease. So kill him and spread the word.”
“What?”
“Say that he regained consciousness thanks to the imperial physician’s devoted care. Say he repented and even shed tears. Then that stupid woman might come rushing to kill him herself.”
“Surely, she can’t be that thoughtless.”
If she were a thoughtful woman, she wouldn’t have committed such a reckless act in the first place.
Rian twisted the corner of his mouth upward.
“Are you certain Lovia is within the Empire? Where exactly?”
“She’s probably hiding at her father’s house. Even you wouldn’t be able to search there easily.”
“On the day of the accident, the Thorne residence did lock their doors. Was that the reason?”
“I’m not certain. Whatever the case, as long as Lovia is alive, that’s enough. What I want now is that woman’s living breath.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m going to use that woman to erase the Thorne family from the Empire’s noble registry.”
The Emperor and Empress’s gazes met again at Rian’s nonchalant statement. They thought their expressions wouldn’t differ from each other’s. Something like suspicious yet expectant?
“The nobles are turning to Count Thorne’s side now. Do you think that’s possible?”
“I need to show them what kind of demon a madman becomes when he returns alive. They dared to touch my family and me, so I’ll make them pay dearly for their sins.”
“Haah…. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you just woke up today. First, recover your body and—”
“I’m curious who the child resembles?”
“What? Hmm, since it’s a boy, he probably takes after you.”
“I don’t know about anything else, but I hope he has Belita’s eye color. I prefer pink to yellow.”
For the first time, a warm smile spread across Rian’s face as he imagined someone. The Emperor’s heart felt bitter at seeing his brother’s gentle smile for the first time.
‘So you knew how to smile like that. Are you really okay now?’
It was a smile he had never seen from childhood until now. Though his life had been one without much to smile about, seeing his brother’s unfamiliar smile made him feel sorry and sad about his life anew.
Actually, he had wanted to ask about the two personalities since earlier, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask out of concern. Instead, he carefully observed his expressions and tone, but didn’t notice anything unusual. By feeling, he seemed closer to the crazy one. But seeing his calm demeanor throughout, he also seemed like the other personality.
It was frustratingly maddening not knowing whether he was still two or had become one. Yet, he didn’t feel like asking directly either. The Empress seemed to have the same thought as their eyes met for a moment. Thinking it would be best to withdraw for now, the Emperor stood up, pretending not to notice.
“Rest for now. From tomorrow, practice walking, and we’ll discuss future matters gradually.”
“Your Majesty the Empress.”
“Yes?”
“When do you think my wife will hear news about me?”
“Hmm, since I sent it just now, she should know by tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
“I see.”
He nodded calmly, then suddenly asked in an expectant voice.
“Will she come?”
“Hmm, when did you say not to tell her? It seems like it’s the Grand Duke, not the Grand Duchess, who’s dying of anxiety?”
“Hoo…… Please go and rest now.”
The imperial couple left the room with a smirk as they saw Rian’s shoulders drooping.
Left alone, Rian gazed at the window and thought of Belita. He couldn’t hide his surprise as he heard about her from the Empress. That fearful woman had been protecting the Grand Duchy so well.
“It seems Crazy Belita has emerged. Even so, how could she fearlessly propose a territorial war? She’s really a woman who makes my heart race. ……Haah, I miss her so much it’s driving me crazy.”
Rian’s face was filled with longing as he imagined Belita holding their child in the dim sky.
* * *
As she got closer to the imperial palace, Belita couldn’t control her racing heart. It had been two weeks since she heard the news about him, and she was finally on her way to see him. She had wanted to go immediately many times, but she couldn’t thoughtlessly leave the Grand Duchy vacant.
Her heart pounded and tears flowed without cease. She had spent a full 6 months worrying about what if he never woke up. Fortunately, she had been able to endure by looking at Thunder, who resembled Rian exactly, but the anxiety had been constantly weighing painfully on her heart.
Yet, ridiculously, the past 2 weeks had been more hellish than the 6 months. How fickle the heart could be. She felt as if her insides were burning black, unable to see him immediately despite knowing she could meet him, unlike the vague waiting time before.
“Hoo….”
“Rian will be surprised. Your eyes are all swollen.”
“Do I look ugly?”
“If you ask me that, I don’t know how I should answer….”
Belita looked at her reflection in the carriage window as Font turned his gaze away as if troubled. Her appearance was unsightly, with her face red and swollen from crying so much.
“Haah…. I just hope he recognizes me….”
“His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress said he recognized them, so how could he not recognize Your Grace?”
“Do you think his personalities are still two…?”
“We’ll see when we get there. If there’s only one, which personality would Your Grace prefer to remain?”
“Ah….”
Belita’s expression stiffened at the question she had never considered. Come to think of it, she had never thought about which personality she liked or disliked more. She had only thought it would be nice if they were mixed half and half.
“Both? Or a completely different man?”
“You’re being mischievous.”
“Hmm, I apologize. I was genuinely curious.”
“Honestly, I never thought about which one I liked more. They were both Rian. But I did have this thought.”
“What thought?”
Font sat up straight and looked at Belita, genuinely curious.
“I hate both. Or maybe I’d prefer if they were half-mixed?”
“Pfft! So Rian was worrying for nothing.”
“Why?”
“Remember when Rian came to me for hypnotherapy? That was the first time I saw it too. Two personalities emerging simultaneously and fighting each other—quite a spectacle.”
“Ah….”
Font’s words reminded Belita of the first time she witnessed his strange behavior. It happened during their intimate moment, and his sudden transformation had shocked her tremendously.
“While they were fighting, they kept saying: ‘Belita is my woman! She’s my wife! Get lost! No, you get lost!'”
“……”
Belita’s face turned red at Font’s exaggerated imitation. She had no idea such an incident had occurred, and while embarrassed, she felt strangely excited at overhearing his true feelings.
“I thought then: Her Grace is going to have quite a difficult life. Wouldn’t it be better to just throw divorce papers at him and run away?”
“Are you really his friend?”
“A very long-time friend. He’s a very tiresome and concerning friend at that.”
“That’s true. He’s a man who makes people tired and worried. Self-centered and arrogant.”
Font grinned at her grumbling and tested her with his words.
“It seems you miss the crazy one more.”
“What?”
“You’re only recalling the crazy one’s traits.”
“No! That’s not it…. Hoo….”
After initially waving her hands in denial, Belita honestly shared her feelings.
“Actually, I don’t think I had many memories with His Grace. He was a husband who bought me, and we were spouses in name only. We didn’t really have a relationship or connection that could be called a marriage. Of course, he was a more polite and proper husband, but that was his persona as the Grand Duke, not the husband I wanted.”
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Nous_Defions
OMG!!! I can’t wait for their reunion, and with little Thunder, I hope… ❤️❤️❤️
On a different note, I honestly think Crazy Rian is the REAL Rian, while GD Rian is the persona he created for everyone to see…