Chapter 68 - THAT OBSESSION WITH LOVE

“The Duke is not part of the Inner Palace that I run. Because of that, I cannot afford to punish the Duke like I can the Lady.”

“…”

“But is this any different than an insult to the Imperial Family? It has not been a year since I became the Empress, and my age is not too far gone. I am a lot younger than when Duke Efreni’s mistress gave birth. To then discuss whether I possess the ability to give birth to a descendant, or not is…”

Patrizia muttered in a relaxed voice.

“How should I interpret this situation now, hm? Why not you tell me instead?”

No one could open their mouths towards Patrizia’s attitude confirming that she would not let things go anymore. It had been the second time since the Empress had shown such a sensitive response after living so quietly.

“This is a very unpleasant situation, so it is hard to stay in my position. I am very sorry if I ruined the mood. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their time here.”

Patrizia talked up to this point, then walked in a hurry to leave the party hall. Subsequently, Mirya, Petronilla and Rafaella ran after her. The party hall remained quiet for a while, but soon became noisy again. Nevertheless, there were still those who remained silent. Lucio dragged Rosemond to the quiet terrace, and asked her.

“Rose, why did you do something so reckless?”

“No, Your Majesty. It wasn’t reckless.”

The lovers no longer looked at each other with warm eyes. Rosemond spoke in a cold voice.

“As a daughter of a Duke, and a servant of Both Majesties, it was a question and concern that could be raised. It is none other than the Empress who misunderstood this as an offense against the Imperial Family.”

Rosemond pleaded with a voice full of being faced with injustice.

“Do you blame me anyway? Are you blaming my father?”

“As the Empress said, she is still young. Also, if it has less than a year since we were married, what is the recklessness of bringing the problem of producing an heir to the surface? You, are you the one I knew? Rosemond, is it really you?”

“It wasn’t me who changed, but Your Majesty.”

Rosemond stared Lucio with her eyes set coldly. Yes, he had changed. She hated to admit it, but he had changed. It was a lie what he was saying, that she had changed. She had originally been like this. She was originally a person like this. He was the one who had put a mask on her, that didn’t even suit her, and only saw what he had wanted to see. Rosemond laughed.

“You no longer love me, Your Majesty. I can tell just by looking at those eyes.”

“…”

“Yes, Your Majesty. You are not even denying it anymore.”

Rosemond muttered in a defeated voice. In the end, was this it? After all that, without any change…

“The Empress, that woman must have done something. Right, Your Majesty? How did she seduce you? Did she even take off her clothes in front of Your Majesty? Or did she act like a whore in the bed?”

“Stop it. It is over the level of acceptable statements.”

“If that is not the case!”

Rosemond howled. Everything she had tried to protect felt like they were collapsing. She had tried so hard to not let this happen again. Even so…!

“Why in the world! For what reason!”

“…”

“Your Majesty has changed to this extent. Why!”

“… Yes. We may all have changed.”

Lucio murmured in a sad voice.

“You must also not love me anymore to be speaking like that. No, did you ever love me?”

“Your Majesty, do you know something?”

Rosemond gave a smile that was close to ridicule.

“Your Majesty, that obsession with love, was really tiresome.”

“…”

“You couldn’t shake off your scars from when you were young, and still acted like a child…!”

“Stop.”

“No, I must.”

Rosemond foresaw the end. She shouted as if she was making her last blow.

“I will be honest. I do not love Your Majesty. No, I loved Your Majesty’s position, power, and wealth.”

“…”

“There is no one in this world who will love Your Majesty. Wake up from your dream, Your Majesty.”

Rosemond was cruel to the end. To Lucio, to his soul.

“Who would dare love a murderer who killed their own mother?”

Finally, she made his soul fall to the very bottom.

“You… How could you say that to me…”

Lucio stumbled in shock, but Rosemond spoke on without blinking.

“If it had been a favor this easily shaken, I wouldn’t have dragged it like this for so long.”

“…”

“Yes, I was foolish.”

It was foolish, Rosemond.

“I was foolish…”

She knew. That something like intimate favor didn’t matter. That the important thing was power, nothing more, nothing less.

So she had promised herself. To climb higher than anyone else. To reach a place where no one could touch, and nobody could mess with her.

“I will become the Empress, Your Majesty.”

“…”

“I will go to take the Empress’s position, which Your Majesty promised to me.”

“Rosemond.”

No, Rosemond. Do not do that.

Don’t break down anymore. Don’t crash.

Please.

“Do not do that.”

“No, Your Majesty. I will do that.”

Rosemond smiled cruelly.

“So I will stand next to Your Majesty, and when Your Majesty dies, I will become the Dowager Empress of this Empire.”

Rosemond smiled satisfactorily, laying out her plans.

“That process, please stay tuned, Your Majesty.”

How she would take his side and how she would remain as his only girl.

Look properly. Look carefully. Don’t miss anything.

“You can look forward to it.”

This was only the beginning for her. She would not go on about while believing in his favor, but taking hold of real power, and gaining the place of the Empress. She would dedicate the first step of the grand plan to him.

To a man she had at least loved sincerely once.

The celebration eventually concluded with the argument between Patrizia and Rosemond. Patrizia was not happy because she had prepared for this event while losing sleep for a month, but she had no regrets. She had been thinking that she would have to show her up at some point.

The next morning, Patrizia showed nothing but her normal speech and behavior, but the people around her were more restless due to her behavior. Patrizia reassured them that she was okay, but nevertheless, when she noticed the servants including Mirya and Rafaella kept being careful around her, Patrizia decided to give up. In fact, she knew if she had been in their shoes, she would have acted the same way.

“Your Majesty, did you hear?”

On that day, an hour before lunch time, Mirya spoke to Patrizia in a nonchalant voice.

“I just heard about it myself, but it was not just one or two people that saw His Majesty and Lady Efreni arguing on the terrace, right after Your Majesty left for the Empress Palace.”

“…”

“It is said that they fought heavily.”

“What does it matter to me?”

Patrizia muttered in a bitter voice.

“From the beginning, I had nothing to do with the relationship between the two. You know this.”

“… Yes, Your Majesty. That is so, but…”

“Well, is it a good thing for us?”

But well. Anyway, it was a fact that she had noticed before anyone else, that the Emperor’s favor was moving away from Lady Efreni. So it was news that wasn’t even new to her, but it was still surprising. Patrizia asked Mirya a question to change the topic.

“By the way, why is Nilla so late today?”

Petronilla couldn’t shake off her uncomfortable heart from yesterday. Patrizia’s issue, of course, played a part, but rather…

‘Yesterday the man said his name was Rothesay.’

Rothesay was the bigger reason. She roamed around the room unconsciously.

‘Will he try to find me?’

She was nervous and bit her nails. It was her usual habit when she was anxious about something. Then Petronilla stopped biting her nails, wondering why she should think so deeply about a man she had only met twice.

“This is horrible, Nil. Wake up.”

Even after that, to go on and on about it still being fate, what was it? Petronilla shook her head, muttering,’I am also quite out of control.’ This was not what was important now.

‘Anyways, I should tell Lizzy what I found out.’

The relationship between Rosemond and January. Obviously these two seemed to have nothing in connection, but in fact they were closely related. After contemplating something, Petronilla decided that it would be better to go to the Imperial Palace, where Patrizia was waiting. She changed her dress to cobalt blue, and with the help of a maid was putting on a sapphire necklace with a silver chain, when someone came into the room. It was her mother, the Marchioness of Grochester. Petronila asked her.

“Mother, what is the matter?”

“Nilla, someone has come looking for you.”

“Who is it?”

Petronilla went down to the reception room with a puzzled look. And, when she discovered who her visitor was, Petronilla almost fell backwards at the shock. In a voice full of disbelief, she put the guest’s name in her mouth.

“Sir B… radington?”

“It has been a long time, my Lady.”

No, it hadn’t been long. They clearly saw each other last night. She looked at the Marchioness of Grochester with a look asking what was going on, but the Marchioness simply smiled and said.

“I heard that he was very impressed with you yesterday. That is why he came back.”

“Mother, but I…”

“If you are uncomfortable, I will leave, my Lady.”

Rothesay quickly interrupted her words. Meanwhile, the Marchioness of Grochester left, and Petronilla stared at Rothesay with a devastated expression. Petronilla asked him.

“How our house…”

Petronilla could not finish asking the question. Ah, of course. The location of the Marquis of Grochester was not a top secret of any Imperial intelligence agency. Petronilla sharpened her voice and asked.

“What is the reason for coming so far…”

“Ah.”

Rothesay smiled brightly at Petronilla. She thought the man’s smile was quite pretty. Petronila spoke to him.

“I am a little busy. I would just like you to tell me the reason.”

“Right, you are the senior maid of the Empress Palace. I forgot.”

Rothesay laughed in an unfazed way, and handed something to Petronilla. It was a bouquet of flowers. Petronilla swallowed her dry saliva.

“While I was taking a walk today, I saw these flowers that resembled my Lady…”

“…”

“So I bought one.”

“… Ah.”

Petronilla nodded her head with an awkward expression. A bouquet gift from a man. It was a gesture she had not even received it from her father. Petronilla expressed her gratitude in a shrinking voice.

“Thank you, Sir. But why this to me…”

“I told you, my Lady.”

He replied to her with a beautiful smile.

“I do my best for someone I love.”

“…”

“I did my best in my own way, but I hope you will like it.”

“…”

“Do you not like it?”

“That is not it… Thank you, Sir.”

Rothesay’s face brightened in response to her positive response. When she saw that, Petronilla laughed.

“Why did you leave first yesterday?”

Ah, yesterday. Petronilla told him frankly.

“I was out of my mind because of the disturbance that occurred yesterday. I am really sorry if I made you wait.”

“No, I understand. I would have forgotten too. You did well.”

“…”

“Then maybe…”

“Please speak.”

When Petronilla urged Rothesay, who seemed so shy he couldn’t speak further, he brought out the words as if he was waiting for that.

“Since we could not dance together yesterday…”

Since we could not… ? Petronilla’s one eyebrow rose.

“If you are alright with it, would you go on a date with me?”