Chapter 77

It’s not as natural as the hazy water vapor.

Annie watched the bubbles floating in the water in the bathtub. She stared blankly at the bubble.

“…”

Annie hugged her knee tightly and buried her face through the bubble. As the soft foam brushed against her cheeks, she felt a surge of heat.

‘Uh… So, His Majesty saved me.’

The more she thought about it, the weirder it got. Annie frowned in her thoughts as the soapy water flowed around her.

‘Ah… Why do I keep thinking His Majesty likes me?’

She couldn’t believe Ejed adores herself.

She didn’t understand why she was making this mistake.

Why did I have such an absurd imagination?

But she kept trying to turn her senses in that direction. That smile he showed a moment ago was full of sincerity.

Besides, the busy emperor came back for just her bag.

Annie, who had been struggling by applying strength to her eyebrows, burst into laughter.

“Hah. Nonsense. No. It’s just that she and I have a lot in common, so I’ve become empathetic. That’s it.”

Perhaps it was a very natural phenomenon. Even a theater actress would say that she was engrossed in her role, and it was difficult to get out for a while.

Just as Ejed thought she was Ejed’s unrequited love and tried to infer the situation, she must be so.

As she shook her head, the water drops running down her jawline dripped onto her collarbone.

‘Let’s not drink in vain. It’s just that I’m here to help, so be polite.’

Annie got up, wiping the foam off her cheek with the back of her hand.

*

“Who was he yesterday?”

The time has come. Annie swallowed a sigh inside.

Looking straight ahead, she saw Carla and herself in the mirror. Carla’s eyes were full of mischief as she combed her brown bob with a wooden comb.

Yesterday, the uproar had already spread throughout the mansion.

‘Carla can’t stay still. She has to take it all the way.’

Annie asked with tears in her eyes, pretending to be sad.

“Aren’t you worried about me?”

“Hey. You’re fine. Didn’t that knight do it nicely?”

Carla groaned as the guards told her the rough story. She asked, without knowing where, when, and with whom she was meeting.

The more she did, the more Annie was relieved.

‘Fortunately, it was late at night, so everyone didn’t seem to recognize His Majesty.’

It wasn’t a crowd. Moreover, there was no way that one mansion guard could recognize the emperor at a glance.

Who would have imagined that the man who stayed with their lady until late at night was a tyrant?

Of course, Carla was too quick to read.

“My Lady, those clothes. It was the same size as the coat you brought from the ball before.”

“…”

Annie sincerely thanked God. It was fortunate that Carla wasn’t there yesterday.

“Hmm. I see. That was it.”

In the silence of her master, Carla hummed.

As Annie changed her dress, she continued to deny it.

“It’s not the relationship you think it is. It’s just. I’m just a little familiar with him.”

“Hmm. Now, you’re going to get to know each other deeper.”

“I’m not.”

“Otherwise, why would he take the Lady home so late and make Lord Girkan like that?

“That’s…”

“Does he take off his clothes every time?”

The more she replied, the more she felt like it wouldn’t stop, so Annie chose silence in the end.

Carla put her hand on Annie’s little shoulder and whispered.

“First of all, have you made a good friend?”

‘…’

It was also vague. After all, it’s a business relationship, but it’s hard to say for sure if she saw his behavior yesterday.

When Annie couldn’t answer, Carla was deeply impressed inside. It was the first time the master had such a reaction because of someone other than John.

Carla laughed slyly.

‘Oh-ho. That’s the guy at the ball. He’s been looking great. That guy, you have eyes.’

“Anyway, the Imperial Elite Knights are dispatched immediately! So, it was solved. He seems to be a man of great abilities.”

‘…Of course. He’s the emperor.’

No one wanted to be late for even a second, let alone protest against the tyrant’s order.

Carla, unaware of that fact, not even in her dreams, continued to ask questions.

“How old was he?”

“He is younger than me.”

This was not good news, but Carla was deeply disappointed. It was because Annie was not attracted to the younger ones.

‘No, what age is he? He just needs to go through your heart!’

Carla continued to ask her questions as if she never gave up.

“How is his personality?”

“Good.”

It was hard to believe the nickname tyrant.

Annie, who answered unknowingly, opened her lips.

‘…Why did I say that?’

The man the whole world called a tyrant. But, how could she be so sure?

He wasn’t like himself. But Annie didn’t bother to correct it. To her, Ejed was already a pure and good person, like a child.

She had seen violence in front of her nose yesterday, but her thoughts did not waver.

Because he was acting to protect her.

Annie was also surprisingly firm in her heart.

‘…Do I care too much about my student?’

Even while she was struggling, Carla’s questions didn’t seem to end.

“Is he handsome?”

“Hmm.”

His sincerity was deeply buried in Annie’s confirmation.

‘He was the most handsome man in the world.’

Even when she was telling Ejed something, his gaze automatically moved to her face. His bright eyes like jewels, his sharp nose, enviable skin, etc.

Even his clothes are so good that it seems that all his clothes were made for him. Even decent aides felt normal when they were with Ejed.

Carla clapped her hands and was very happy with her work.

“Oh, oh my. My Lady, you’re so lucky.”

“Why am I the lucky one? If you look at it, he’s the one who got it.”

“Hoho. That’s right.”

Carla liked her confident owner. Carla, who tied the thin dress cord tightly, said deftly.

“The clothes were washed well and dried, so please let me know when you need them.”

“Okay.”

“What kind of gift should I prepare in return?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Annie answered firmly and bit her mouth tightly. She had to speak as little as possible in front of Carla.

Carla whispered from behind her as she headed to the door, pretending not to know anything.

“Well, Miss. The whole family is in for lunch today. The elderly too.”

‘The elderly who are all on their ears.’

These are the people who urged her every day to get married even after the declaration of non-marriage.

As she sighed, Carla clenched her fists as if to give her strength.

“Cheer  up!”

Annie nodded her head with a look of helplessness.

Then, something came to mind.

“By the way, Carla. Your second, you said, was sick? I’ve got some medicine, so take it.”

“Ah, Miss. What medicine? It’s a mild cold.”

“It’s bad to catch a cold these days; take it with you.”

“Thank you, Miss. I will definitely take it and feed it today.”

Carla expressed her gratitude again and again as if moved by her master’s kindness.

Annie, who was staring at the closed door, raised her heavy body.

“Well… let’s go then.”

*