CH 70

Who is the Fake Bride? (12)

“It’s all done.”

After treating Erita’s palm, the doctor carefully wrapped it with a bandage before he bowed his head. Then, Erita began to chew her lips thoroughly and asked in an anxious manner.

“It’s not going to actually scar, is it?”

“……Yes? Ah, of course. This light scratch will absolutely heal without a trace……”

When he was asked about the ‘scar’ in question, he answered back without realizing it. Only after that did he get confronted by her nervous face and hurriedly bowed his own head.

But even before listening to his answer, Erita had started to retort apprehensively once again.

“What, light scratch! How can the Palace talk so carelessly about the wounds on the Empress’s body?”

“So-I’m sorry, Empress. What I’m saying is—you know……”

The doctor bowed his head repeatedly at Erita’s harsh words. He even had become embarrassed by her unkind yet gentle appearance.

In addition, it was the first time that he saw her being so sensitive to such light scratches, so the embarrassment that was currently felt by the doctor had grown even greater as well.

Even though her whole body was already in that state of weakness due to the bone disease, how could she not show it on her face……

‘Is it because she’s not feeling so well today?’

Maybe that was the reason she became even more sensitive. The doctor tried to convince himself of the Empress’s rather unfamiliar appearance in that manner.

‘But… It’s a little bit strange. Is it even possible for her body to get better to this much extent?’

The doctor looked terribly puzzled. A little while ago, he had briefly treated the Empress’s wound and a rather unexpected result came out.

Unlike the last time he treated her, he had checked on her physical condition as well.

“All right, get out of here. And you—”

What was the name again? Erita frowned slightly while calling out to the maid who was still silent. She remembered hearing it by ear before, but she quickly forgot about it.

Whether it was a maid or even a Head Maid, what would she do if she got to know the names of those lowly things anyway?

In fact, she couldn’t remember the names of all those maids back in Rakain either.

“Yes, Empress.”

Lucy bowed politely at Erita’s call. Then, as if she felt a little better, Erita continued as she loosened her expression.

“Bring in Count McGree.”

“…the Count McGree?”

“Yes, Count McGree, the one who represented our delegation.”

Not only Lucy, but even Silloa as well as the entire Palace staff, who heard of Erita’s words soon hardened their expressions.

The use of the word ‘our’ to talk about Rakain had touched on their nerves deeply.

However, Erita didn’t realize that she had already committed a mistake. No, even if she did know, she wouldn’t mind it at all with that personality of hers.

“……Yes, Empress.”

“Then everyone, leave. Since I want to be alone. My head hurts because I hurt my hand just now.”

What did a little scratch on her palm have anything to do with a headache?

Silloa swallowed the question that was just about to pop out without realizing it before she soon followed Lucy and the doctor out. At the same time, she tilted her head puzzlingly as she eventually shot a final glance back at Erita.

However, Erita appeared to be annoyed while being unaware of the questionable gaze towards her as she immediately grumbled when the door had been closed and she was finally left alone.

“What’s so polite about all of this? I didn’t see any shred of manners at all. Who is it that’s not the Emperor of a barbaric and uncivilized country? I just can’t believe it……”

Erita recalled the man who had been so indifferent to her—no, it was even cold beyond indifference. Then, her irritable face began to turn slightly red instead.

“……Well, he is handsome, though. Who the hell spread the rumor that he was a monster? I wouldn’t have sent that girl in the first place if I had already known.”

Her blue eyes instantly filled with greed. The Empress of the Seroif Empire. She was annoyed that she had first given up her position to another girl for a little while.

“Yeah. Although he’s rude and cold, it’s still easy to handle a guy in my way.”

Soon, he would completely move at her own disposal.

Erita smiled as the corners of her mouth raised before she looked around the room once again and frowned.

“By the way, why is this Empress’s room so shabby? Well, I don’t even know what that lowly girl got to see. And so, she didn’t know how to decorate her room. They’re just uncivilized vertical lines. There’s nothing to see at all. No, I’ll tell the Head Maid to call for all the great merchants in the continent.”

Erita looked around the room once more and began planning to change it according to her own taste.

Her eyes were already filled with such joy of anticipation about what she would eventually enjoy in the near future.

* * *

“Did you call, Empress?”

Count McGree was courteous as soon as he entered under Lucy’s own guidance. Erita nodded at him and opened her mouth directly to Lucy.

“You can go out now.”

“……would you be needing some tea?”

“That’s all right. You can leave.”

At Erita’s repeated words, Lucy involuntarily narrowed her eyebrows at once. It was because of the fact that she felt as if she had been an uninvited guest instead.