Chapter 65

“What the…”

Evelina was confused by the strange memory that came to mind. But she couldn’t even tell if it was a clear memory because it was strange that it even came to mind this way. It’s as if you forgot the information you know for a while, then you’re reminded of it again.

But what she felt now was more like watching a video than a memory. A strange hostile feeling was there.

She felt strange because it was not in her memory.

“Your Majesty?”

“Ah… no. I’m done speaking.”

She smiled at David, her chief aide, as she held her head in a throbbing manner. Then he looked at her with a worried expression and said.

“I think that’s why she has hostility. It’s rare for a baron to be promoted to a baron. But if Baroness Elias hadn’t made such a rumor in the first place, I don’t think Marquis Logias would have done that either.”

Evelina looked at David as if he had said so because he was in front of her, but it didn’t seem to be. At that time, the social world’s position was even more pitiful than Evelina’s.

But how could she forget about this?

Evelina, apart from her memories of her childhood and of Kaiden, was suspicious that it reminded her so strangely of the painful social life she had been through.

Anyhow.

It was obvious that something was happening to her.

Heart attack.

“Chief aide David.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Can diseases overlap?”

“Yes, of course. You get various diseases at once when you become an old man.”

At the words of the chief aide, Evelina nodded, strangely convinced.

Her cause of death in the original story was a heart attack. If so, other diseases besides heart attack can come. Whether it was early dementia or Alzheimer’s. Maybe it was like that?

It felt even more strange because she was in such a strange state that she remembered her previous memories so well for dementia.

She wondered if it was possible to not have some memories as if they were cut out.

“I see. Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Evelina was so evasive and agonizing over her strange condition.

~~~~

「 The ring of Princess Elsius went to the Dowager Empress. The ring is a keepsake of Empress Rayson. 」

Evelina read the note from Armen Lubbs who was planted with the Dowager Empress and burned it immediately.

She didn’t know if the keepsake was real or fake, but the fact that the keepsake came and went meant that the alliance became clear.

She laughed as she thought she would be able to get rid of both the Dowager Empress and the Princess at this point.

She burned the paper in the office and went out for a walk.

“The lady, Baroness Elias, is suspicious.”

Evelina, who was taking a walk with Ianathas, smiled when he said so. She looked back. Then, 50 meters behind Ianathas, she saw the approaching servants.

“I thought so so I was going to ask you.”

“What kind of request is that? Just tell me, and I’ll do everything.”

Evelina laughed because it was fun for Ianathas to say that to her like he did when he was young.

“What do you think of Princess Elsius?”

“Why are you suddenly talking about Her Highness?”

He frowned at Evelina as if he was offended. She felt sorry for this strange question, recalling that she had once confessed to him. But it was a strange question to ask.

“Are you not going to answer me?”

He spoke with a sullen expression at her urging.

“I don’t like her.”

“Why?”

“Why not? She’s cruel… I know what she did to you, but I don’t like it.”

Evelina remembered that he had seen all the schemes devised by Princess Elsius next to her. The original Princess Elsius loved him, but she didn’t show it on the outside.

“What would you do if Princess Elsius loved you?”

“What’s the difference if she loves me? A princess can’t choose a marriage partner. I’m sure she’ll be sold to the king of a kingdom somewhere.”

“What if Princess Elsius comes to power and asks for you?”

“That’s creepy.”

When Ianathas trembled as if he meant it, Evelina smiled.

“The princess likes you. So I’m trying to use you.”

“…How?”

Ianathas looked reluctant and said, looking at Evelina.

“Do you remember that I liked you for a long time?”

“…Uh.”

The question was strange. How could one forget that? How can she forget what he did on her wedding day and how he came to the bedroom for the first night?

“Then why don’t you ask me something like that? I still like you.”

She thought maybe if she had two weeks left in her life, she would have taken his words a little seriously.

“I won’t live long.”

“I’ll make you live a long life. The Peran family doctors are competent.”

“Never mind. I like Kaiden. I think I love him.”

Evelina said firmly, hoping that his mind would be sorted out. He said, looking at the way she chewed her lips.

“I know you’re lying. But you’re going to lie like that?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. I will have Kaiden’s child, and my child will be a prince. And one day, I’ll become an empress.”

She spoke, pretending to ignore his feelings. Otherwise, she felt like she would keep feeling guilty.

Evelina hoped that even if she died, it would not affect her adoptive parents and Ianathas. What the emperor wants is to win her heart, take her, and then abandon her.

Once she was taken, she was sure that he would go after her parents too.

Before that.

When the envoys left, she must send her parents.

Even if Ianathas had a defect in his mother’s lineage, he would not die because he was borderline a member of the imperial family. Even so, she didn’t want to have a bad effect on him.

Evelina was doing her best. At the same time, she was sorry that she couldn’t achieve anything without his help.

“Yeah. What can I do for you?”

She clenched her lips so as not to chew on them. But even with her behavior, the childhood friend smiled bitterly as if he knew through it all.

“To make it look like I can control you to Princess Elsius.”

“Like I’m getting married on your advice?”

“Yes.”

“That’s very cruel. I’ve dreamed of marrying you since I was young.”

Evelina’s heart ached again at his words.

“I’ve never thought that before. Because you were a family to me.”

“I wanted to be a family, too. But as a husband, not as brother and sister.”

“I wish you’d stop.”

“I’ll stop. I’m sorry.”

Evelina seemed to be depressed by the words of Ianathas. Perhaps reading her expression, he said with a bashful smile.

“Lina. Maybe you want to have an affair.”

“No. No way. Because I want to remain as Kaiden’s person forever.”

She clenched her fist, saying something she didn’t mean. Then he lowered his gaze and nodded.

“Okay, I’ll do as you say.”

“Thank you.”

He grinned at her words.

“Can I change shifts quickly today?”

“Yes, that’s your authority.”

Ianathas spoke to Evelina as if asking for her understanding and laughed. She couldn’t help but notice his forced smile. Because it’s been a long time since she’s seen it.

Somehow, she felt disillusioned and sorry for this situation where she had to hurt him. But that wasn’t the point. He had to survive to dream of a happy future.

Evelina felt frustrated when she saw Ianathas turning back. At the same time, she didn’t catch him. Nothing changed even if she caught him. Rather, it will only be a bad situation.

Besides, if she had two weeks left in her life, she would do something worse to him.

She turned back like that too.

And Usher Fronen came to her escort.

~~~~

“Oh, my sister-in-law. I’m so glad you called me like this.”

The day after Evelina told Ianathas, she called Princess Elsius for tea.

“Welcome.”

“But it’s unexpected to call me at the Imperial Palace, not the Empress’ Palace.”

Evelina looked around the Imperial Palace patronage and laughed at Princess Elsius sitting down, pretending not to.

“Do you have any complaints?”

“Oh, my brother is ah-. No way.”

Princess Elsius answered Kaiden’s words with a start. At the same time, he was pretending to be relaxed.

“I’m so grateful to both of you for giving me this chance to make up for it.”

Evelina thought she was very diligent, even though she knew how Kaiden came with her, where only she and Princess Elsius were supposed to meet. Some of her servants were his eyes.

“Pour the tea.” 

“Yes, brother.”

Evelina felt new, perhaps because it was the first time she saw Kaiden giving her a heartless command. In the original novel, she was his favorite younger sister, so he used to overlook all the evils she did.

Maybe it’s because the goal he wanted was firm. If he took her the first night and abandoned her, they’d be back in the same relationship.

Evelina stared at him blankly. Then he looked at the black tea that was poured into her teacup and then at Evelina.

“I’ll make your milk tea, Lina.”

“Yes, that’s great.”

Then he poured the milk in a small cup into her teacup. Then he began to stir with a teaspoon.

It was like watching a child play house because the teaspoon he was holding was so small.

“I like Kaiden’s hands. Every time I hold your hand, I feel a sense of stability.”

He clenched his fist when she said so.

“Oh, my God.”

Evelina made a fool of him when she saw him crumple a teaspoon-like paper. She wondered how bad he felt when she complimented him.

She went straight to the point when he seemed to say something.

“Don’t you think Princess Elsius should get married soon?”