Chapter 5

Every night, Medea, like a ritual, led the knights to search Lyle’s bedroom.

She even ordered that off all of the men’s tops come off to check if they were men. (or….. ABS!)

Thanks to this, no assassin came to Lyle’s bedroom, but Lyle had to lose sleep as he watched the search that took two or three hours every night.

‘…… She’s really not coming.’

Lyle frowned while lying in bed, and it seems to be the time he had such a peaceful night since marrying Medea.

When they shared a bed, she was always crying or enraged, and even when she inspected each room, she chastised Lyle for having a woman.

What was the problem?

During her engagement, she was mild and well-mannered. There was no sign of her instability.

It was right after she went to the duchy after her marriage that she became strange.

It was from then on, Medea started obsessing over Lyle.

At the time, he couldn’t pay attention to her for long because he was too busy fighting against his uncle.

I’m a little sorry about that, but……

‘If she lost her memory…… Is she…… Is the girl who looked nervously down at the back of my hand and who hiccuped—is she back?’

It occurred to me that ‘It doesn’t make any difference.’

Even if she doesn’t remember, everything she did doesn’t disappear. Being hurt doesn’t allow you to hurt others.

She will continue to be the Empress, but Lyle decided he would have nothing to do with her heart.

***

The next day, the following day, and the successive day, Medea did not come to Lyle’s room.

Although her maids tried to halt gossip from circulating, rumors of the Empress’s amnesia spread among the courtiers of the Imperial City.

And some of the most noticeable things were the things that the Empress didn’t do.

For instance, there was no sign of the Empress harassing the Emperor, of a maid or attendant being kicked out of a room or slapped across the face.

“Does she really have amnesia?”

Lyle was walking down the hall, his face twisted.

There was no movement from Duke Caird’s side, showing his careless regard toward Milledia, but he wasn’t wholly unconcerned about his daughter’s safety.

The Duke was the one who politically pressured the Emperor to share a bed with his daughter; because sharing a bed with the Emperor gave one higher importance in and outside the Palace.

This made Lyle hate Medea more.

“Your Majesty!”

The voices of the maids who seemed to burst into tears came from afar.

Lyle crumpled his face as soon as he heard the sound of “Empress!”

Even if it was only three days ago, she had a major concussion. It’s a serious injury that would typically leave a noble lady lying in bed for at least a week.

“Your Majesty! Empress! Don’t run! You shouldn’t even take off your shoes!”

‘What?’ Hearing, Lyle turned to the maids’ words in disbelief.

Medea was the incarnation of perfect etiquette. Every fingertip, every strand of hair was always in place.

Lyle couldn’t believe his eyes, as she had never violated the rules of etiquette.

“Shut up, you stalkers! I want to be alone!” said the stranger that resembled the Empress.

She rolled up her skirt for easy running, and her strides were as broad and robust as a man’s. Medea ran past Lyle, Sid, and several servants without a glance, as if she hadn’t even seen them.

The men looked at the Emperor mutely, holding their breath with bright faces.

‘Are you crazy?’ That’s the only thought Lyle had in his head.

But Medea staggered and fell forward, stepping on the hem of her skirt.

Because she was the Empress and a lady in name, Lyle and all his men flinched forward as if to help.

However before she could be helped, she grabbed at a suit of decorative armor from one side of the hall.

The armor fell on top of Medea with a massive crash. With a fright, everyone screamed.

“Your Highness!”

“Ahhhh.. …”

Miledia, covered in decorative armor, looked irritated.

Lyle’s eyes went wide when he registered that not only was she barefoot, but she had no makeup on.

She was barefoot only when she went up to bed, but Lyle had never seen Mildia walk down the hall in slippers.

Plus, her bare face…!

I had never seen her face without makeup before or after our marriage. Even when we first met—even though she was 12 years old at the time!

“Medea?”

The attendants and the maids hurriedly removed the armor around her. Still sitting on the floor, Medea slowly looked around. As if she was trying to find out who called her.

Sly, she pretended as if she doesn’t know who called her and is just trying to look for a hole to escape in.

“Medea.”

Lyle sang in a low tone, wondering if she dared to ignore him, the maid quickly gave Medea a hint.

Medea turned to Lyle with clear eyes as if she were looking at something unfamiliar; she looked him up and down and then fixed her gaze on his face again.

‘What’s up?’ The gaze was quite different from his recollection. Those twinkling eyes are like…

‘It’s like a five-year-old looking at chocolate through the window of a candy shop.’

He realized it was a creepy analogy; Lyle coughed loudly to push the thought away.

“Empress, what are you doing here?”

“…….”

The expression of Medea, who was recklessly sending a longing look, changed.

Lyle was surprised again because she was clearly showing varied expressions.

Until now, Medea always had strong expressions of contempt and hatred, but vague responses to anything else.

“… It was uncomfortable.”

“What do you mean?”

When Lyle asked back in confusion, the maids exchanged anxious eyes.

Lyle looked back at them, realizing that there was not only himself but also his lieutenants, Sid, and other officials.

“Go ahead first. I have something to say to the Empress.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Sid and other officials expressed courtesy to Lyle and Milledia and withdrew.

As they were utterly estranged from each other, Lyle looked back at the maids, not Milledia. They had a lot to say.

“I can’t believe the Empress is running in the hallway of the Palace. What’s going on here?”

No one could persecute the Empress. Except for maybe the Emperor himself, Lyle.

“…The Empress, Her Highness awoke, so I tried to do her hair and face as usual. But then suddenly, the Empress insisted that it wasn’t necessary and stopped us. She said… she couldn’t stand it anymore, opened the door, and kept running…”

“What about the shoes?”

“She took off her indoor shoes… … she said they were uncomfortable to have shoes inside… running.”

The maid said slowly, bowing her head as if she was too embarrassed to speak.

Lyle could not believe her word even though there was visible evidence.

“Really, Empress?”

“… .”

Medea felt like hiding in a mouse hole.

Honestly, most of the cosmetics here are natural and have a similar color… … but the quality was much worse than modern cosmetics.

When I put on makeup, my face was itchy, and powder flew away.

There was an inflator device to shape hair, but why is it so heavy?

It seemed strange that all the noble ladies weren’t bald already.

I put up with it for two days, but I wasn’t even meeting with anyone, and so I just ran away in annoyance, but the maids chased me. They kept following me as I ran, and I took off my slippers because it was uncomfortable.

“In the presence of His Majesty… I’m ashamed of showing offense… ..and I’m here… .. asking you to please forgive me.”

I squeezed out words based on what I read in web novels.

But it was difficult to speak these words, and it was hard to get the itch out of her mouth, so Medea spoke while turning her head away.

Lyle frowned. “Where are you looking at, Empress?”

“Well, I’m too ashamed to face you.”

… The horse was a good talker, but Lyle couldn’t believe a word.

Lyle, impatient, approached Medea and turned her head. It wasn’t a rough touch, but Medea looked at Lyle with a shocked face. As if she didn’t know Lyle would touch her.

Lyle looked down at Medea with a slight sense of embarrassment.

Medea shut her mouth tightly and glared.

“I was wrong.”

I never recalled one time where she admitted that she had done something wrong.

She always blamed and accused Lyle.

It was because he didn’t give me love, because he didn’t laugh, and because he didn’t come….

It was as if someone who resembled her was pretending to be the Empress… or twins were reversed …

“Stand up.”

Lyle ordered, it was annoying to see Medea still sitting on the floor.

The attendants and the maids quickly supported Medea up. Two maids put her shoes on, and Medea got up, brushed off her dress as if it was insignificant.

The maids were also grooming her clothes, but it was strange to see.

“Empress,” Lyle impulsively called Medea.

Medea reacted late. As if the name Empress was not hers.

“Do you really not remember anything?”

A complicated look flashed through her beautiful face. An embarrassed face that was apologetic, confused and as if it couldn’t be helped, Medea affirmed.

Even though her eyes told him otherwise, Lyle felt as if he was being deceived for some reason.

“I’m sorry to bother you when you must be busy with your work. If you have nothing further to say, I’ll see you.”

I bow politely and wait. It wasn’t perfect etiquette, but it was rare for Medea to say that she would go first.

Lyle frowned and said, “Yes. Go ahead.”

When he allowed it, she quickly turned away coldly. Lyle watched Medea walk away for a while with a thoughtful face.

“His Majesty’s eyes were hot when he looked at Her Highness…”

To the maid carefully spoken words, Medea shuddered.

“I’m mistaken.”

‘Oh crap, did you hate me already?’

While her throat burned with a sense of crisis, the maids kept watching Medea face and spoke even more ridiculous words.

“Isn’t His Majesty concerned about your illness…”

“Your Majesty seems to be worried about your Majesty, the Empress.”

Medea looked back at the maids with a frown. As if they were awakened,’ Hyuk!’ they stopped smiling.

“I’m going to the library, so don’t let anyone approach it.”

“Are you going to the library again?”

“For health, one should take a walk once a day.”

“It’s a long way to the library.”

Responding in a flat tone, Medea started walking.

She looked back at the following maids and said, “Do not enter the library. Do not open the door until I call you.”

As she entered, Medea shook her head. I am grateful to the maids, but every five minutes, they asked me if there was any inconvenience.

She felt burdened and uncomfortable to be waited on by maids. It was natural for her to bring her own water and dress herself.

“Your Majesty, if you walk so…”

While she was lost in thought, he must have walked quickly without realizing it. The poor maid advised Medea.

‘If I keep acting rude, will Lyle dethrone me? Or confine me?’

But neither action was fit for the novel’s male lead.

The reason he did not become Medea’s supporting strength was simply because he did not know.

Lyle didn’t know that Medea was ill. He never knew that she was abused as a child,

If Medea had asked for help, Lyle would have protected her thoroughly.

‘Well, I think you might be a little eccentric.’ Lyle was such an emperor.

He was an emperor who had no blood or tears and could be cruel, but he worked hard to be generous to his own people.

It was also against such loyal consciousness that Medea wasn’t already deposed even though she tormented him.

‘Because she was my person. I thought I should protect her.’

‘Since Lyle is her—err my husband, I might be able to do something about that.’

Brought out of her thoughts, Medea was told that she breached some rule of etiquette while walking.