CH 17

Ellie, who had already left the imperial palace and was about to get into the duke’s carriage, stopped. After all, she saw a person walking in her direction.

That woman also froze when she saw me.

It was Lisa. Our views crossed. She took the first step.

Lisa came up to me, leading her son Edmund by the hand.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

Seeing her accentuated politeness, I slowly opened my lips.

“Rise you head.”

I turned my gaze to the child who was standing next to her.

Black hair, like Raymond’s, his black eyes… Ah, the child felt my gaze and turned to look.

His naive eyes turned to me, far from the difficult circumstances of adults.

I smiled tenderly.

In whatever situation we find ourselves, the child had nothing to do with it.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

The child bowed his head and greeted me shyly. I turned to Lisa again.

Lisa stood like a pillar and didn’t take her eyes off me.

At first, I felt uncomfortable when I saw her.

When she showed up in the garden of the sun palace, I was outraged at how perfectly she matched with Raymond. But now I didn’t give a damn.

I had already dropped everything and left.

Now that I recognized this fact, my heart felt better.

And if you think that way, even though our situation is difficult, we didn’t have any animosity with her.

I smiled at her and spoke:

“Are you heading to His Majesty?”

“…Yes, and you…”

Lisa’s eyes ran over my clothes and reached Helen and the duke’s carriage.

Whoever saw it would have understood that I was moving.

Lisa calmly looked at me, but didn’t dare to ask about the main thing.

“I’m leaving the palace. Have you already heard that we are getting divorced?”

Lisa opened her green eyes a little wider, as if she was surprised that I spoke so openly. But right after that she told me:

“I heard about it. But as for the reason… It never occurred to me that the Emperor would exchange you for me.”

No one could believe that I was leaving the emperor, whom I loved so dearly.

I looked into her eyes, asking me, ‘are you really leaving?’

“As they say, nothing in the world lasts forever.”

“Yes?”

I smiled brightly at her.

“I just knew that my happiness was coming to an end. Lisa, I hope you will be happy with His Majesty.”

I looked into Lisa’s trembling eyes, and then turned around and got into the carriage.

After the departure of my crew, Lisa, who was still standing there, muttered coldly to herself:

“Happiness…”

And why is the word ‘happiness’ so oppressive to her heart?

Lisa’s face was distorted by a grin, but then a child’s voice sounded:

“Mom…”

Lisa glanced at Edmund. She smiled and gently stroked Edmund’s head.

“Eddie, let’s go to Father.”

Ellie’s bright smile, thrown into her face at parting, and for a while frozen in front of her eyes, was now forcibly driven out of her head. And Lisa hurried to the palace.

* * *

The familiar estate came into view.

“Empress, please.”

After arriving at Duke Croft, Helen opened the carriage door for me.

As I walked out, holding Helen’s hand, I saw my father and his servants lined up in front of the mansion.

I hurriedly walked towards my father.

“Father. How many years I haven’t come here.”

“You’ve already spent a lot of time in the capital. I just couldn’t wait for you to come. And here you are. Everything will be okay, Ellie.”

When I heard my father’s words, I realized that I had really returned to my home. I took my father’s hand and stepped inside.

“I ordered to clean up your room, but if you want another, just tell me.”

“No, I like the room in which I once lived. And I want Helen to be allocated a room in the mansion.”

My father’s gaze turned to Helen, who stood quietly behind me the entire time.

Before leaving the imperial palace, I had already sent a letter to my father informing me that I would be arriving with Helen.

In response, father said that he would find out more about her family.

He summed up.

“I’ve already prepared everything. Ellie, go to your room and rest. I’ll see you soon.”

“See you then. Helen, you may go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

First of all, I went up to the second floor, where my room was located. The maid in front of me stopped and opened the door for me.

As I entered the room, bathed in bright sunlight, I smiled at ease.

“Everything is as it was before.”

Nothing was different from the day I left for the imperial palace. Appearance, even objects, their location – nothing.

“The Duke told me not to touch it,” said the maid who came in after me.

I was so happy to be married to Raymond, so I didn’t care what was going to be on our estate.

Looking around the pristine room, it seemed to me that it was so in the style of my father.

I felt grateful for his deep affection, but also guilt for the way I treated him.

“Your Majesty, would you like to change into more comfortable clothes?”

“Yes, let’s do. But Sherry…”

I handed the hat to the maid and called it by name.

“Yes Milady?”

“From now on, do not call me ‘Her Majesty the Empress’ anymore. Just call me lady like you used to.”

“Um… As you command.”

Sherry hesitated. Although I left the Empress’s Palace, technically, I am still Her Majesty.

I had to finish everything in the temple, issue an official announcement, and then I would be Lady Croft again.

But… This was my home. And Sherry served my mother and was the nanny who raised me.

So, I wanted to drop the formalities.

“Yes, it’s okay. The answer from the temple, at best, will be only tomorrow. So call me lady. I‘m now at home and no longer wish to be called Her Majesty the Empress.”

“…Okay. Lady Ellie. Wait, I’ll bring something comfortable.”

Sherry entered the dressing room connected to my room and walked out with an ivory dress.

When I changed into my casual clothes, there was a knock on the door.

“Ellie, can I come in?”

“Come in, father.”

When the father entered, the maid naturally left. I sat down at the table with my father and was the first to open my mouth.

“Thank you, and I’m sorry. I should have come to see you more often… I could not think of anyone besides my husband.”

“Good. Now everything will be the same.”

I smiled as my father gently took my hand.

“Yeah. Now everything will be like this… I will soon forget the past. So, have you checked out Helen’s family?”

“Yes, and be that as it may, now we need to be more careful with whoever you trust.”

“Exactly…”

Because of the divorce from the emperor, a lot will still be said about me, so it would be good to avoid squabbles as much as possible.

And I also had a big secret in my belly.

“I investigated and found Helen’s house is not very well off. They say that Baron Foyd was crazy about gambling and squandered all the money, and the Baron’s wife died a long time ago.”

This was news that I didn’t know.

Helen never told me about family matters.

“So Helen disowned the family?”

“Looks like Helen has nowhere to go. I don’t think she’ll lie to you.”

And while I was overwhelmed with pity for her, my father quietly called me:

“Ellie.”

“Yes?”

“I thought a lot and decided. May she continue to remain near you. She has nowhere to go. And if Duke Croft himself declares that he will take responsibility for her life, won’t Helen be faithful to us until the grave?”

faithful to the grave… I mean, true until she finds out that I have the emperor’s child?

“Should I tell her I’m pregnant and check her?”

“So be it. After all, I can’t leave you alone while I myself go to distant lands. I would like her to keep an eye on you for the time being. But, how can I not want to leave…”

“Everything is okay. If father leaves, neither the emperor nor the empire will go anywhere.”

Even though Raymond had personal problems with me, my father remained the Emperor’s closest friend.

He had a strong sense of responsibility for protecting the imperial power, because it was he who contributed the most to the coup. Therefore, even if I divorce Raymond, my father will remain loyal to the emperor.