Chapter 28

The case where Kaiden was disgraced. It was something that Evelina knew about. No, it was a story that no aristocrat wouldn’t know. Because it was her father who was originally blamed for it.

As soon as she remembered the story, she felt suffocated.

The reason why Kaiden became the crown prince was because his mother was the predecessor’s Empress. His mother died and the new Empress lost her child as soon as she gave birth, and she also died of childbirth induced fever.

Thus, Kaiden was able to remain the Emperor’s only enemy. When two Empresses died, the nobles were reluctant to put their daughter as Empress.

No matter how much aristocrats use their children as tools, they knew that marriage was not a very useful tool because there were already five Empresses. In addition, the previous Emperor was a person who did not hesitate to kill for fun even if they were a woman who he had known overnight.

A woman who became an Empress was strangled in bed on the day she became an Empress because she could not satisfy the Emperor’s bed.

Evelina thought Kaiden’s psychopathic aspect resembled his father. Ashes Abelard, the second prince, was the only normal person.

The problem was that her father, who was pushing for the 2nd prince, had more than expected to do to make the 2nd prince, Ashes, the 2nd prince. That’s what she did with her father.

‘When the Crown Prince was going to offer his rites, the ceremonial paper was completely burned.’

‘How ominous.’

‘After all, he is the child who was left by his mother… ‘

‘Shh, keep it a secret that the Empress committed suicide…’

‘Who the hell keeps that secret?’

“The Emperor has already made Prince Ashes the next Emperor…”

Evelina, as she had heard before, came to mind while talking to Princess Elsius. The burning of ritual paper was a very ominous sign. In the Foundation Festival, a paper wishing good luck had to float in the river to praise the blood and sweat shed when establishing this Abelard empire. However, it couldn’t seem good no matter what anyone said that the paper burned down before it was even floated in the river.

It looked like he was cursed by his ancestors.

“You still remember what happened back then, right?”

Evelina came to her senses at the words of Princess Elsius.

“I-I must go.”

“Yes, try hard. I will be awake until 11 pm tonight.”

Princess Elsius spoke to her as if she had given a final warning. The Foundation Festival was tomorrow, and the preparations were almost complete except for important items.

Evelina tried to get out of the room in a hurry, erasing her pale expression. But the moment the door opened.

“Lina.”

“Ah, Kaiden…”

“I’m here because I heard you were here.”

As soon as she was about to leave the room of Princess Elsius, she saw Kaiden standing in front of the door.

“Here.”

“Oh… yes, thank you.”

Evelina couldn’t look into Kaiden’s eyes, handing her a bunch of peony flowers. First of all, he forgot that it was because of her father that he was disgraced at the Foundation Festival in the past. It was no wonder she felt uncomfortable as if she had been involved in it.

“Will you go first, Lina?”

“What? You’re not going with me?”

Evelina thought he was waiting for her, but she was surprised that it wasn’t the case, and soon tried to lower her head as if she had made a mistake.

“Unfortunately, I think I need to see Elsius. Can I have dinner with you later, Lina?”

“Yes, of course.”

“See you in the evening, then, Lina.”

He said that and waved at Evelina as she looked back uncomfortably. And when she completely disappeared from his sight, he changed her expression coldly.

“Oh, my brother!”

Princess Elsius rose from her seat and walked near her.

Then Kaiden looked at her coldly. Princess Elsius hesitated for a moment in the coolness, and soon followed slowly as she saw him go to the seat where Evelina was sitting. He looked at the tea that Evelina had put down after taking a sip.

– Bang

He kicked the chair in front of him with his long legs and knocked it over. Seeing the chair fall while trying to sit in front of it, Princess Elsius kneeled on the floor and gathered her hands modestly.

“Why, why do you feel so uncomfortable, brother?”

“Why?”

“Ah… it’s a slip of the tongue.”

Elsius bowed her head, realizing that she was not in a position to ask first.

Kaiden touched the tea cup with Evelina’s lips on it. Then he drank the tea, which had cooled down and become bland. The taste was terrible, but he drank it and put down his teacup.

“Give me the tea, Elsius.”

“Yes.”

Princess Elsius headed outside, looking at Kaiden, who seemed to be in a very bad mood. She thought he might have heard her and Empress Evelina talk.

When she came out and closed the door, pale servants stood.

“How long has it been since he came?”

“It’s about a minute, Your Highness.”

“I see. Then give me the tea.”

“Yes.”

Princess Elsius could not bear to enter first, but she remembered the conversation between her and Queen Evelina. There was nothing particular about the conversation. She said she gave Evelina the right thing. There was no room for misunderstanding.

After standing for about 10 minutes, the maid brought a tray of tea. After ordering ‘Give it to me,’ Princess Elsius picked up the tea and went back into the room.

“Pour.”

“Yes.”

As he commanded, Elsius poured hot black tea into his teacup. The steam of black tea was rising with steam.

“Explain.”

At his words, she left the tray she was holding sensibly on the table and sat on the floor. She was kneeling down and looking up into his eyes, acting like a very obedient servant.

“I… So I handed over all of them to my sister, but she suddenly came and complained. What is it?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I gave everything I was preparing for the national Foundation Festival to my sister. But she said I didn’t… Oh my god!”

He poured the tea in the teacup into her skirt.

Women’s skirts, of course, were very thick. There was a petticoat under the skirt. However, Elsius shouted in surprise, not because of a burn on her thigh. Even Kaiden didn’t know that.

“Again.”

“Ah… Ah… Yes….”

She stood up with trembling legs and poured hot black tea back into his teacup, looking at him tapping the cup with his fingers as if to tell her to refill his teacup. The black tea, which got into her skirt with the heat cooled, was giving her an unpleasant touch when she stood up.

“I gave her all the tools…”

He glared at Elsius, who filled the teacup. She knelt obediently again and sat near his legs.

“Because my sister didn’t receive it. There was a bit of a disagreement, and she thought it was my fault!”

As he lifted the teacup again, Elsius uttered a scream without realizing it. Then Kaiden looked down at her as if it was funny and said,

“Bring all the records. If you omit anything, I’ll punish you for the omission.”

“Oh, yes! I’ll bring it right away!”

She brought a document containing the items she had handed over for the ritual in her room and handed it to Kaiden. Then she sat down at his feet again, looking around.

He crossed his legs, leaned against the back of the chair and began to check the documents one by one. He threw the reviewed documents on the floor, and Princess Elsius picked them up sensibly and looked at his expression.

It took less than half an hour to finish reviewing the documents. Elsius already prepared the document perfectly, so she thought they would pass his inspection.

“Do you know why I’ve cared about you for a long time?”

“What?”

“It’s because you’re good at understanding the situation, Elsius.”

“Oh, go, thank you… Oh my god!

He picked up the pot of tea on the tray and poured it over her skirt. The dripping scarlet tea was splashing back into her white clothes. It cooled down a lot, but this time, unlike before, the warmth was felt on her legs.

“How dare you try to fool me with this kind of manipulation?”

“Oh, no! The papers are real! But I haven’t given it yet!”

Elsius said hastily, as she thought she would have to get out of her seat because of the slowly heating skirt. She broke out in a cold sweat because she thought it would really be an excuse to be kicked out of the palace if she burned her thighs like this.

“Tomorrow is the event. When were you going to give it to me?”

“Oh, 11 o’clock tonight! I was going to sneak it all out tonight!”

“Why would you do such a thing? Didn’t you hear that I’m entirely delegating this to the Empress?”

“Argh!”

– Boom! Chaeng-grang!

Kaiden threw the kettle behind her. The kettle smashed into a window far away. Broken glass and pieces of the broken kettle splashed, becoming a complete mess.

“Explain.”

“Oh, well, I mean…”

She knew that Kaiden was the one who could hit her head if he got angrier here, so she eventually told the truth.

“It was because I thought my sister would go to the Dowager Empress!”

He sighed when he heard Elsius’ answer, recalling their complicated relationship. He frowned as he saw Elsius smiling again without crying at all in this situation.

“Didn’t I tell you to take care of the conflict? I would have warned you not to drag the Empress in.”

“Well, I was going to do that! But the Dowager Empress is bothering sister! Sister keeps going to the Dowager Empress!”

Kaiden stood up as if there was nothing more to listen to because he didn’t trust Elsius so much.

“Stop talking nonsense and take care of it properly. If the Queen gets in trouble, your neck won’t be safe either. Elsius.”

As he turned around after warning, Elsius shook her fist, dotted with anger, grinding her teeth against Evelina.