The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

“It’s true.
They are descendants of divine beasts.”

 

He almost burst out laughing.
Kane suppressed the laughter and stared at him.
He wondered what nonsense Gray would tease him with next.

 

It was just pure curiosity about how long Gray would continue to talk nonsense like this.

 

If he made good use of the fact that Gray was out of his mind, he could go and seize the Silver Kingdom.
Kane asked, assuming he had gone mad.

 

“If you are right, then it’s all the more impossible that we cannot defeat him.”

 

“Is that really so?”

 

“Speak properly.
Your answer will determine whether or not I cooperate.”

 

“Now is the right time to beat Cerdian Aizen.
It’s because his strength is weak.”

 

His strength is weak…

 

“How does the prince know that?”

 

“I can’t tell you that.
Doesn’t Your Majesty just need to bring Rodelia Florence back?”

 

When Rodelia’s name came out of Prince Gray’s mouth, Kane’s expression hardened again.
It was very unpleasant for a foul person, who only spouted nonsense, to speak her name.

 

He was talking like he knew Rodelia’s whereabouts just a little while ago, so wasn’t this just a vulgar attention-grabbing effort to spit out absurdities?

 

Kane had an expression that said he didn’t even need to listen to him anymore, he fiercely issued an order for him to leave.

 

“I’ll bring Rodelia on my own, so Prince Gray, why not go back to your homeland and get treated.
I will convey this rudeness of yours to the Silver Kingdom.”

 

 *

 

After horseback riding and shooting, she finally came out of the bath refreshed and relaxed.

 

Rodelia, remembering the events of the day as she dried her wet hair in the blowing night wind, noticed that she had forgotten to ask Cerdian about the stairs at the end of the hallway.

 

Every moment spent with him was so precious that she never thought of anything else.

 

It seemed to her that it would take her a long time to find out.
If not, she can just ask the butler, Bruce.

 

“It was warm….”

 

Rodelia lowered her gaze and stared at her hand.
She had the illusion that Cerdian’s warmth was still on the back of her hand.

 

Sleep poured down like heavy rain.

 

Rodelia closed the window and she could barely open her eyelids as she lay down on the bed.

 

She hadn’t even finished thinking that she should practice shooting tomorrow.
It was a very tiring day for her, so she fell asleep in an instant.

 

 *

 

“I don’t think Kane will be won over easily.”

 

The muttering Prince Gray leaned back in his chair with his legs crossed.
He coldly ordered Sola, who was sitting across from him and drinking her elegant tea.

 

“I guess you should step in and urge him.”

 

Sola, who was acting like an empress to the fullest, opened her eyes wide and stared at him.

 

She was getting annoyed at having to pretend to be a lofty person who didn’t fit the position but what the hell was Gray talking about now?

 

Glaring at him, Sola set the glass teacup down making a noise.

 

“Me? What are you talking about? Can’t I just hand over the information to you?”

 

“All you have to do is convince Kane that Cerdian has her.”

 

“…… Are you crazy?”

 

“No, I’m very sane.”

 

Sola’s expression showed that he was being absurd.
When she let out an empty laugh and looked at Gray as if to say something about him, he said in an annoyed voice.

 

“So, at all costs, make Kane take my hand.
It would be even better if you tell me how Cerdian seduced that prideful woman.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Do you know something? Sola became extremely wary of Gray’s attitude.
At her appearance, he calmly continued speaking.

 

“That woman, I only briefly saw her but she’s not the type to be obsessed with a man’s looks.
Unlike you, she was a woman who really suited the empress position.”

 

“….
And your point?”

 

“So why did she follow Cerdian, that’s what I mean.”

 

“Since she was kicked out of her position as empress, it must have been because she couldn’t stand it.”

 

“Sola, do you really think I don’t know?”

 

Gray, whose expression was cold, narrowed his eyes and straightened his leaning body.
Then, he approached Sola, exerting all his strength and held her by the chin.

 

“Drop that nonsensical play.”

 

“…..”

 

“The empress poisoned the emperor?”

 

Then he suddenly laughed out loud like a madman.

 

“I bet you didn’t think I would believe in such nonsense.”

 

Thinking that it would be difficult to hide it, Sola swallowed her saliva.
Gray leaned over her a little more and brought Sola closer and whispered to her ear.

 

“You used Cerdian’s blood on Kane.”

 

“……”

 

“So tell Kane the truth.”

 

“But….
Then His Highness Cerdian will never forgive me!”

 

Sola rose from her seat, slapping Gray’s hand that held her chin.
Facing Gray directly, her face showed contempt for him.

 

“Wouldn’t it be better to tell Cerdian that I told him? He’s not kind enough to chat with Kane and Kane probably doesn’t like Cerdian, who stole his wife.
I mean, there’s no reason to talk about this or that with him.”

 

“That’s….”

 

While Sola was hesitating, he tried to tempt her sweetly again.

 

“It’s all in order to have Cerdian.”

 

 *

 

“A harvest festival?”

 

Rodelia’s eyes widened in excitement.

 

The Green sisters came to her after a long time and they were talking about various things when they mentioned that the Autumn Harvest Festival was being held.

 

A festival in Luvenia.
It was actually a bit of a surprise, so she asked unexpectedly.

 

“Is Cerdian managing it…?”

 

Federica and Angela burst into laughter at the question and shook their heads.

 

“Please.
Just imagining it is terrifying.”

 

“How can someone who is indifferent to everything manage a festival… The only thing Cerdian cares about is Rodelia.
Of course, the butler would take care of such trivial festivals and events.”

 

“Or how about asking His Highness to take a look around together? The harvest festival will be over soon, so you’d better go as soon as possible.”

 

“That’s right, Luvenian festivals are very beautiful.”

 

The Green sisters were talking incessantly.  It reminded her of Baroness Verna and Lady Arden of Thebes.

 

With a gloomy expression on her face as she recalled them, Federica cautiously asked Rodelia.
Seeing her teary eyes, Angela also added.

 

“Lady Rodelia, did we talk too much…?”

 

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to go! We just wanted Lady Rodelia to see the festival because the festivals in Luvenia are so pretty….”

 

They worried about Rodelia’s mood.

 

“No, I just thought of something else for a while… I am also very curious about the festivals here.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course.
If I ask Cerdian to go with me, will he join me?”

 

When it came to festivals, she has had a lot of those since becoming empress.
However, she couldn’t fully enjoy those moments.

 

How to ensure that the festivals are always successful, what the decorations should be in the imperial palace, how to greet delegations from other kingdoms…

 

She used to care about things like that.

 

When she was young, she used to sneak out because the Marquis of Florence wouldn’t let her out, but even then she didn’t have time to enjoy it properly.
So now she was very curious about the festival in Luvenia and was looking forward to it.

 

Fortunately, the Green Sisters answered with a bright smile.

 

“Of course!”

 

*

 

“Rodelia did?”

 

 Cerdian raised his eyebrows in surprise.

 

He never expected that Rodelia would be interested in a festival.

 

When she was in Thebes, she didn’t seem to enjoy the festivals too much, she always greeted delegations with a dead expression and she didn’t often attend parties.

 

But he couldn’t believe that Rodelia had shown interest in a festival here.
And judging from the sisters’ reactions, it wasn’t a lie.

 

Still, just in case, Cerdian asked again.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

The answer came back quickly.

 

“Absolutely.
A romantic date like that is necessary to win a woman’s heart.
So, please go to the festival with Lady Rodelia tomorrow.”

 

“Wouldn’t it be nice to just go out today?”

 

“What…? You have to give her time to prepare!”

 

“Why would she need that?”

 

“Oh my God….”

 

The Green sisters shook their heads and looked at each other.

 

They had to spend a lot of time trying to get Cerdian to understand.
After that, they finished reporting on the problems occurring in the Bator Mountains, the trends in Thebes and the border areas.

 

“You can leave now.”

 

After reviewing their report, it was time for Cerdian to turn his gaze back to the papers.
Angela opened her mouth cautiously.

 

“More than that, Your Lordship, I have some news to tell you….”

 

Cerdian shifted his gaze from the papers back to her.
At his glance, which seemed to tell her to speak comfortably, Angela continued.

 

“Sir Bruce has been suspicious lately.”

 

“Bruce?”

 

Angela nodded her head.
Federica, who was next to her, also had a confused face.

 

“Actually, we don’t like his way.
The method of performing the ritual has not yet been properly identified but Sir Bruce intends to stick with the method that drives Lady Rodelia to death.”

 

“That’s right.
Lady Rodelia is a good person.
We don’t want her to get hurt.
Of course, we know that the frequency of the pain that attacks Your Highness is gradually increasing, but…”

 

“I also think the same.”

 

Cerdian answered dryly.
Their eyes widened at his answer and they asked in surprise.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I don’t want Rodelia to get hurt.”