Chapter 173

Ershatina, holding her hands tightly as if squeezing courage, was like a flower swaying in the wind.

She was precarious and beautiful, not knowing when she would break. Her shaky voice continued to confess.

“You have been in my heart ever since I stumbled upon Your Majesty. I’ve come all the way here because of Your Majesty.”

“….”

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

Somehow it became uncomfortable. Is it something to apologize for? However he felt pity for her as he had the same feelings for Annie not long ago.

He felt sorry for the fact that he loved her for a while. It broke his heart to know that someone as shabby as himself had the bright Annie in his mind.

Ershatina, who was watching him, continued her words as if she had made up her mind.

“Everything else was an excuse. It’s all because of Your Majesty. If I leave without saying anything, I think I will regret it for the rest of my life, so that’s why I’m telling you this.”

He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she spoke candidly, her face blushing. It was a kind of envy.

He was surprised by the princess who confidently expressed her feelings. As anyone might have heard, she was courageous even though she could be rejected.

She somehow made him feel pathetic. Even a girl like that endured fear and confessed, but what was he doing?

Ershayina, shy at Ejed’s gaze, bowed her head. Her delicate shoulders were trembling.

But Ejed was no longer impressed by it. The woman he would hug and comfort was Annie, not the princess in front of him.

His most precious person who he will worry for even before making a humble confession even now. Annie is clearly drawn as he sighs on how to treat her.

When he remembered that, his heart raced out of control. He wanted to see Annie. More than ever, he wanted to hear Annie’s story.

He also wanted to tell his own story. The story of a man who has lived a dull and foolish life for the past 7 years.

To do that, he had to solve the problems he was facing right away. Ejed said in a clear voice.

“Let’s put it aside, I have no intention of meeting the princess.”

“The oracle that is no problem! Not long ago, Lord Robbie announced that the previous oracle was the wrong one! Obviously this time….”

“It’s not because of the oracle. I have no intention of marrying you.”

It was a refusal with no room to reconsider. It’s cold, but he had to stick with it this way.

Ershatina’s cheeks and neck were burning red. For the first time in her life she had been rejected, she asked in a slightly hoarse voice.

“Is it because of Lady Dsev?”

Ejed’s eyes widened, why is Annie’s name coming out? Perhaps Ershatina knew his feelings too.

Before Ejed could even be surprised, she told a series of even more surprising stories.

“I guessed that the starting of Your Majesty’s change was the same as when you signed a contract with her……but if it was because of Lady Dsev, it’s okay. Lady Dsev has declared herself to not marry, so please marry me.”

That’s an absurd proposition. Treating Annie as a princess, and making the princess as the empress.

But Ershatina was calm as if she had made up her mind. Her eyes were red as if she was about to cry, but her voice was full of determination.

Historically, it was common for emperors to have concubines or mistresses. There were more of them than those who didn’t.

The same was true of her father, who Ershatina believed in and followed. Her father never had trouble with a virtuous wife and a beloved madam.

It was the open promise of a wise and beautiful mistress and emperor. Ershatina grew up watching it from an early age, and she respected his life.

The more rights he enjoyed, the more he had to fulfill his duties. Ershatina recalled that fact.

Annie was a decent enough woman. She was more clever than her father’s mistress, and perhaps one of the few talents in Porcaus history.

If such a person is with Ejed, there will be many more days when unpleasant things will be put to rest. Even if there is a little noise, it will subside quickly.

“I will share my power with you, so please love me even a little bit. I will give birth to an heir. If Lady Dsev doesn’t want it…”

He could no longer hear of a woman who treated herself like the thing that bore an heir. And, it was a story that no one could hear.

A cold, subdued voice cut her words like a knife.

“I will pretend I didn’t hear it.”

“Your Majesty!”

“Do not insult yourself and Lady Dsev.”

It was an insult to both women at the same time. Ejed recognized the importance of succession, but had no intention of doing it this way.

It could be the wrong decision as a monarch. However, in order to compensate for that point, Ejed worked harder than anyone to strengthen the national power.

Even in the case of his unexpected absence, there was a successor who he had given to Doher in a separate message. He was the child of a duke who he had been watching silently for a long time.

His grandfather and parents were also people who had devoted their lives to serving the country. Perhaps, he believed, if the child grew up, he would lead the country fairly.

Ejed shook his head at the princess who said that she could give birth to an heir.

Neither Annie nor Ershatina were born to have children. They had to live to be loved and to give love.

But what about tormenting two women with his own greed? Even imagining it was sinful and terrible.

The kindness that Ejed could show was so far. He left her behind, who had covered her face with both her hands and sobbed.

The closer he got to her carriage, the faster he walked.