Chapter 94

Contrary to Elaine, who was delighted, I was feeling miserable. Eventually, we came out of the tent side by side. Then, as she was guiding me, we went into a slightly secluded part of the garden.

“Come on, the road here is a little difficult, so people don’t come often.”

“Yes.”

I took the music box out of my bag and gave it to her.

“Here you go, Princess.”

Elanie, under the white butterfly mask, took the music box with a blank expression.

“…Thank you.”

Uttering so, she stroked the music box with trembling hands.

“The Emperor has burned all of mother’s belongings.”

“Ah…”

“I heard that this was something mother brought from her home, though I think Ronald stole it because it looks expensive. But again, I don’t think he wants to put his stuff on the charity event, so he just sends it out.”

I just nodded my head in silence. I didn’t even want to listen to such a personal matter.

‘I’ll just tell her to immerse herself in those feelings and part with her.’

As I was about to say goodbye to her and that we should never see each other again and about to move away, Elanie continued.

“You know…”

“Yes?”

“Everyone calls me the smartest next emperor, but it takes too long for me to ascend to the throne.”

“Though one day, you will come to the throne.”

“His Majesty is still young… If I get noticed, I might be pushed back by Ronald.”

After all, no matter how she was the eldest, she was a fool when it came to being outside the Emperor’s eyes. It was rather difficult to break the conversation in the current atmosphere, so I just rolled my eyes and listened to her.

“So I… Even in front of His Majesty, who rotted my mother’s inside all her life and eventually betrayed her by bringing an illegitimate child, I grew up without saying a single word of dislike.”

Elanie took a deep breath.

“The front is different, the back is different… No matter how much I want to live, isn’t it a little creepy?”

No, what would your life be if you got goosebumps by that much?

“No, I fully understand.”

Since I couldn’t bring myself to curse at her, I shook my head with all my might.

“If you have a bigger dream, it is natural to bow down.”

…For example, my big dream was an escape full of wealth and glory.

“As expected.”

Elanie suddenly grabbed my hand and continued.

“Thank you for understanding.”

“This is a matter of common sense rather than understanding…”

“Me too, when I’m disillusioned with myself, I rethink my big dreams.”

“Big dreams?”

Did Elanie have big dreams as well? As expected of the Crowned Emperor…

“Yes. Passing the divorce law.”

“…What?”

At her words, I was startled and almost hiccuped. Wasn’t the order a bit different…? As far as I know, it turned out that after marrying Evan, she struggled to get the divorce law passed in order to remarry Seymour.

“If mother had lived alone, she would have had a really good life… The damn empire didn’t allow divorce, so she ended up making the extreme choice.”

“Ah.”

“This is mother’s last will, asking for the divorce law to be passed.”

“Yes…”

“Unhappy couples don’t have to hold onto each other anymore. The reason why the empire is overflowing with infidelity is because there is no divorce law.”

Elanie’s passionate words continued.

“You know, because you’re also married. It’s because there is no divorce system, you have to spend the rest of your life with a man you didn’t see his face when you were 14.”

I pondered. If there was a divorce law, I wouldn’t have to run away. It was just a matter of getting a divorce at the right time and reclaiming Rostri’s surname…

‘Would it be okay?’

I wouldn’t have to live in hiding.

“Princess.”

And so, I took her hand and nodded my head.

“I will support you.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. To be honest, it is a system that should be there, but I was so busy thinking about my future I didn’t even think about it.”

“Thank you.”

Elanie answered shyly.

“I hate His Majesty… I don’t even think of him as a father. I just want to inherit the throne as soon as possible.”

“Yes, I see.”

“However, His Majesty is still very healthy…”

As Elanie said, the Emperor was still young and very healthy. It would take a very long time for her to take over the throne.

“…Somehow, I will increase my powers, negotiate well with the nobles and pass the divorce law as quickly as possible.”

“Will it take long? I hope it will be as soon as possible.”

“Really? If you say so, I’ll do my best. Still… How many years will it take?”

At Elanie’s words, her shoulders, which had been filled with expectations, drooped.

How many years…? Now, within this year, I should disappear, although how many years would this take? With that thought, my excitement suddenly disappeared.

“Laria, I actually…”

She added as if she was telling a big secret.

“The Empire, the throne, the cause, the principle, despite all of that my mother’s will is the most important thing.”

Knowing the original story, I just spoke it without sincerity and smiled a little.

“Princess, the Empire will have the divorce law because of you. I have a feeling.”

Then, as I was about to leave, Elanie grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let me go. No, no matter how open-minded I was about money, I had come this far. And, even if it was my preference to stick next to someone in power because I was a born-to-be henchman…

No matter what, I just felt reluctant to approach someone who would be my husband’s next wife.

“Won’t you stay longer?”

“Yes…?”

“We already agreed in the last meeting that our meeting was fate.”

In the last meeting, it seemed that I was blinded by money and sold my soul and fate. Nonetheless, I didn’t have to take responsibility for who I was then.

“What? Ah… I’m sorry, but I made a bet with Evan.”

“What bet?”

“Whoever finds the other first grants wishes.”

“What wish would you make if you found Evan first?”

I answered without hesitation.

“1,000 gold.”

“…Your wish is 1,000 gold?”

“Yes. To be honest, I don’t really expect much from Evan, so I’m just trying to get a decent amount of money and be done with it.”

At my words, Elanie screamed.

“Then, I’ll give it to you!”

“…What?”

“How much do you need?”

“….”

“I’ll give you more than what you need to look for Evan Icard!”

Suddenly, a memory of my childhood came to mind. When I first left for Vorotna, Duke Icard once said this, fearing that I would have no friends.

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“Then you buy friends with money.”

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At this point, there was a problem in the way of thinking not only of Duke Icard, but also of the imperial powers. There was no way you could buy and sell things like friendship with money.

“How much per minute?”

…Of course, my friend was an exception.

It was when I was starting to negotiate with Elanie. Thump, thump, thump, thump—I lifted my head in amazement at the loud sound of the drum.

“Princess?”

“Yes?”

“What is that?”

“Ah…”

Elanie said leisurely.

“I selected a few people from the Imperial Knights and made a performance. It was originally a gold uniform, but I changed it to blue for the masquerade.”

A row of knights in blue uniforms were marching in the garden, wielding swords.

‘Hold on…’

Blue uniform, wielding sword…

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“If I run into people in blue uniforms, I will sweat and hyperventilate.”

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Naturally, Ludva came to mind. It seemed like it was bothering Evan just by mentioning it, so I hadn’t asked for some time.

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“Is it still difficult to see people in blue uniforms?”

“I once asked one of the knights to try on a blue uniform, and it was fine until he picked up the sword.”

“Then?”

“The man raised his sword, and my limbs became stiff.”

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A man in a blue uniform with a sword. It was a symbol of the abuse and trauma Evan had. And, the Duchy had chosen to avoid it rather than heal it properly.

My heart was pounding.

‘…No.’

I let go of Elanie’s hand and jumped to my feet.

“Princess.”

“Yes?”

“I think I should go.”

“Why?”

I couldn’t talk about it because it was a matter that could be a weakness for Evan, the successor of Duchy Icard.

“To my family…… I think something urgent has happened. sorry.”

After greeting politely, I ran to the garden recklessly. It felt like somewhere, there was, somewhere, Evan was sitting stupefied.

‘Even aunty doesn’t know.’

I glanced around, wading through the crowds of people in masks.

‘Only me here knows that Evan is traumatized by the person in the blue uniform with the sword.’

I couldn’t leave him alone. No matter how grown-up he was, there was a child in my memory who clung to me not to abandon him. Whether or not I could find him in this mess was beyond question, and I couldn’t stay still.

My steps gradually accelerated, and I started to catch my breath.

“Laria.”

At that time, there was a person who came up to me and whispered my name in my ear.

“I found you.”

“Evan!”

Fortunately, the procession of the knights was still far away. Seeing that his limbs were moving, it must have been that he had not seen the procession yet. I grabbed his body and quickly turned him so that he could not see the procession of the knights.

“What?”

“Wait, wait a minute. Let’s go somewhere else.”

I grabbed him and dragged him to a secluded, remote place. Evan was quietly drawn to me without saying anything. I saw a lawn that would be perfect for sitting side by side among the tall bushes.

“Stay here until the procession is over.”

“Why?”

“Well… I think it would be better not to just watch it.”

I didn’t even want to mention it, so I glossed over it.

“Why? Do you think I will think of Ludva?”

I grabbed his hand and dragged him to sit on the lawn. I was so startled that I stumbled on my foot. Even the high heels I wore to fake my height made it difficult to balance.

Although I thought I was going to fall, my body was gently supported.

“Careful.”

So, in the end, I sat on Evan and ended up hugging him.

“….!”