Chapter 42 - CHAPTER 40. YOU SEEM TO HAVE CHANGED A LOT

A few maids who recognized Patrizia greeted her. She simply nodded and asked the maids.

“Is someone inside?”

“His Majesty and the Chief Imperial Physician are inside, Your Majesty.”

Patrizia gave a small nod and then ordered.

“Announce it.”

“Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Regent, has entered.”

“Let her in.”

“Please go in.”

Soon the door was opened, and Patrizia took in a short breath without her knowledge. What was making her this nervous? For this. Patrizia stepped inside with a calm face. Soon she spotted the Chief Imperial Physician with her eyes and then… She could see him. Patrizia walked inside with an expressionless face. When the Chief Imperial Physician saw her, she was greeted promptly with a display of manners.

“Greetings to Your Majesty. Glory to the Marvinus Empire.”

“No need for the greetings. How is His Majesty?”

“I have just finished the checkup. If he rests on the bed for about a week, he will have no problem returning to his routine thereafter.”

“You went through a lot of trouble. You may leave now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now.”

When the Chief Imperial Physician retreated from the room where Lucio was staying, only the two of them were left. Patrizia turned her gaze and stared at Lucio sitting on the bed with his back leaning.

Perhaps it was because he had woken up, but he looked less emaciated than when he was lying down.

She bit her lips strongly in the moment at the surge of emotions that rose up. It was her usual behavior to endure any emotions. She soon settled down and sat next to him.

“…”

Ah, what should she say? Patrizia couldn’t figure it out. What should she begin to say towards his empty eyes?

The imperial affairs were operating smoothly. Should she tell him not to worry about that part too much? If not that, she hadn’t caught the criminal who has committed this heinous crime yet, so should she report it to him? If not that…

“Your face has gone bad.”

“…”

At that moment, Patrizia felt all of her self-control cease, while all the thoughts she had been thinking about flew out of her mind. She lost her temper without her knowledge and returned the favor.

“Right now that… is that supposed to make sense.”

“The story that you are the Regent has already been briefed to me by the maids. It should not be easy work, and suffer…”

“Stop.”

Patrizia cut his words with a hard voice. It was hard to bear this feeling that something was going wrong. Was she originally an emotional person like this? To the point that she couldn’t overcome such emotions and dared to stop the words of the Emperor who had just woken up.

But she couldn’t help it. At that moment, even the changed Patrizia couldn’t seem to bear it. Something that barely supported her head seemed to snap and break.

It was a kind of chaotic feeling that people often felt when their expectations were wrong.

Of course, she didn’t know that this would happen, but it was happening. Definitely… She didn’t think she would start a conversation with these words…

“Please stop it.”

“…Your complexion doesn’t look good. And… You seem to have changed a lot.”

With those words, Patrizia laughed sadly. Changed a lot? Yes, she had changed a lot. Because, she, who had been so foolish, had finally realized. The fact that the Empress’s position, who was not loved by the Emperor, was very narrow and insignificant.

So she had to change herself. If not, where else was the guarantee that she would not suffer like this again? Patrizia replied in a dry voice.

“I have learned. How much the Empress’s authority can fall without having received the Emperor’s favor.”

“…”

When Lucio couldn’t say anything to her words, Patrizia quickly added.

“… I am not saying this for you to worry about this. I haven’t changed so much to bother the patient who has just woken up.”

“… Sure.”

“Your body… Is it alright?”

These were the first words she had barely brought out. At the end of her words, Lucio drew an empty smile. Patrizia was confused by the subtle expression, and Lucio continued to speak.

“I am alright, which is why I am sitting here. The physician also said that.”

“… You were reckless.”

It was time for disapproval after the worry was over. Lucio looked at Patrizia, who was scolding him.

“The Emperor of a nation sending off his body so easily. Did you not think about what would happen after that?”

The angry tone was impressive. Had this woman ever shown him this kind of emotion? No, not even “this kind of emotion,” had she ever revealed emotions in the first place? It was always expressionless, calm, and seemingly nothing on her face, but for the first time … It seemed to be the first.

“How foolish were you?”

Why was she getting angry? To be honest, he didn’t understand her. No matter what happened, she was alive thanks to him. Then should she not be happy? Instead of being angry. Lucio asked her with an expression that showed incomprehensibility.

“Why are you angry?”

At the end of his words, Patrizia became flustered at the moment. But soon she became angry again.

“Are those words supposed to be real? Then you must have thought that I should be complimenting you.”

“Even if it was not a praise, I did not think you would be angry. With common sense, it would not do to be angry with the benefactor.”

“I am not speaking as an Empress, but with the authority as the Regent. So then, can you understand?”

“So you’re resentful for taking on the Regent role, and that is why you are mad at me now?”

“…”

Patrizia thought that the conversation was heading in a strange direction. Why was this interpreted in this way, and why is she getting angry?

To a sick person. Wasn’t it just a few days, or a day ago, where she begged him to wake up, that she was not going to get mad, and to please just wake up? Patrizia’s heart was shaking with confusion, but she tried to speak calm words out of her mouth.

“… That is not it.”

“Then why are you angry?”

“That..!”

Patrizia was momentarily at a loss for words. Yeah. Why was she angry? There was no reason to be angry when considered with common sense.

There was a reason to worry. But she didn’t possess special feelings to give him such a thing as anger.

She didn’t know the answer, but she had to answer. She continued to respond step-by-step.

“I was worried, Your Majesty.”

“Was that a reason for the anger?”

“Is that not enough?”

“Insufficient. Unless you really do not have any feelings for me. You would have been worried if you had really seen me as just the “Emperor,” but you wouldn’t have been angry.”

“…”

Patrizia did not say anything.

Was it possible to only get angry towards the other person when one had special feelings? She already knew the answer but did not admit it quickly. Wasn’t that too dichotomous? Instead, she calmed down and organized her thoughts. The reason for her emotion was not so simple that it could be explained so easily.

“I hate being a burden to others.”

“Burden.”

“I hate being indebted even more. I am indebted to Your Majesty for this.”

“…”

“So think that is why I was angry. Of course, I was also worried.”

“Since the story of debt came up, I surely remember what I had said.”

“…”

“Is that not so?”

He had brought up the events from the meeting with the wives of the envoys, and that he was repaying his debts. Ah, she couldn’t believe he said that at that time.

If she thought about it now, she could understand it to some extent, but that was not enough to replace the life of the Emperor. There was no reason why he really had to worry about that.

Patrizia had a troubled look for a while and soon expressed her thoughts honestly.

“I am confused, this situation.”

“I, as well. I did not expect you to be so angry.”

“Haa…”

Patrizia sighed. She didn’t intend to get angry from the beginning, but she had acted so emotionally.

She was confident that she would not act like this since that day, but why did she suddenly become like this? Patrizia was then angry at herself and turned the topic with a tired expression.

“As you already know, I have been acting with the authority of Regent since Your Majesty’s loss of consciousness. I have dealt with all urgent and trivial matters and delayed important matters that could not be decided on easily. It is not a lot, so it will not be overwhelming when you return to work later.”

“… Good job.”

“That is why I am here, to do that work in such a situation. Strictly speaking, it is also my fault…”

“That was not your fault. Mine, maybe so.”

“… The culprit has not been caught.”

She explained in a slightly lower voice.

“Although I am interrogating all those in doubt, it is not easy. As you know, it is hard to find any remaining evidence.”

“… Lady Phelps, is also included?”

“Yes.”

When Rosemond was mentioned, Patrizia’s facial expression disappeared completely. The subject of her was unwelcoming to share with anyone. Just because the Emperor did not change things. Patrizia spoke in a heartless voice.

“I will find the evidence no matter what. She will not be able to avoid punishment.”

“…”

Lucio had a painful expression, and Patrizia was honestly able to understand his heart. But understanding didn’t mean she wouldn’t continue with her actions. Patrizia planned to punish Rosemond. And the punishment clearly meant the taking of life. Patrizia asked him, “Will Your Majesty stop it?”

“What do you mean?”

“If I punish Lady Phelps. That woman… Do you not love her?”

“I thought like this when I was young. If I became the Emperor, I could do anything I wanted. So I waited for my turn to become the Emperor.”

“That is the truth.”

“No. There is no absolute power in the world. If you cross the line, consequences must follow. In that case, the absolute power would eventually break down.”

Lucio had a bitter voice, and Patrizia felt the anger in his words, although she didn’t know the reason. However, she remained expressionless and questioned him.

“Then, even if I present the guillotine to her, Your Majesty must remain still.”

“Empress.”

Lucio called out to her with a sigh, and Patrizia nodded, curious about what his next words would be.