Dead-End Villainess Who Makes Medicine

Rohiriel Roa Sertizan.

Before marrying Crown Prince Julion, she was Rohiriel Cassian.

In Sertizan, except for newborns, not a single person was unaware of this fact.

It was also widely known that the Cassian family had rebelled against the royal family and spread a plague.

Rohiriel, on the other hand, remained the Crown Princess and even received the title “Light of the Empire.”

There were those who opposed this, but they were a tiny minority. Even they had faded away, unable to voice their dissent loudly.

This was because the antidote Rohiriel created saved the entire empire.

She even saved nobles who were poisoned by poisonous beetles, allowing them to live new lives.

Some had their loved ones saved, while others had their own lives saved.

 

“No matter how remote Razia may be, how dare they belittle the Crown Princess…”

“What insolence. It’s unbearably unpleasant.”

“They are clearly disrespecting Sertizan. Isn’t this a matter that requires a formal protest?”

 

Starting with one person’s statement, the voices of the outraged nobles burst out from various corners.

While this banquet was intended for diplomatic envoys, many Sertizan nobles welcomed them.

The Sertizan nobles were the first to speak.

 

“Razia must be slow on the uptake.”

“That’s right. How dare you disparage Sertizan’s light?”

“Maybe she’s really sick.”

 

Second, mockery flowed among the foreign diplomats gathered here.

Caught off guard by unexpected reactions, Chersoniet couldn’t hide her confusion.

She’d heard rumors about Rohiriel.

And she was surprised. How could the daughter of a traitorous family maintain the title of Crown Princess and even become an empress?

No matter how great her merits were, there must have been considerable opposition, she thought.

Rumors often get exaggerated, and since Razia is quite distant from Sertizan, she thought the stories must have been greatly distorted. That’s what she had thought.

But apparently not.

The nobles of Sertizan truly loved Rohiriel.

 

“This is truly unbelievable; how could the daughter of a traitorous family…?”

 

Chersoniet accidentally blurted out her thoughts.

It was a muttered remark, but since the hall was quiet, most people heard it.

The expressions on people’s faces grew more ominous, and a low voice penetrated the frightened Chersoniet’s ears.

 

“The crime of insulting the light of the Empire is never light.”

 

The voice held not a hint of emotion, and the face of its owner was as rigid and cold as metal.

Chersoniet reached for Julion’s arm with a trembling hand.

 

“Your Highness Prince Julion, it’s not like that. I didn’t mean to…”

 

But Julion swatted away Chersoniet’s hand roughly, as if he would not give her even the hem of his robe.

 

“The crime of attempting to drug me, the crime of lying, and yet not repenting and insulting my wife.”

“I, Your Highness…!”

“You may be a princess of Razia, but this is the Imperial Palace of Sertizan. It is right to handle everything according to Sertizan law.”

“No, no, Your Highness! Please listen to what I have to say.”

 

Chersoniet collapsed to the floor, her face pale.

The fierce anger she had displayed moments ago had vanished, and she had reverted to being a pitiful princess.

However, there was no one left here who showed any sympathy for Chersoniet.

Julion delivered his final words to the weeping Chersoniet.

 

“As the next Emperor of Sertizan, I will make a formal complaint to the King of Razia.”

“Oh… Your Highness, please…”

“What are the imperial knights doing, not dragging the criminal out immediately?”

 

Before Julion finished speaking, the knights who had been guarding the banquet hall approached and restrained Chersoniet’s arms.

 

“No! Stop! How dare you lay hands on me! I am the Princess of Razia! Your Highness, you cannot do this! Your Highness!”

 

Chersoniet struggled; tears streamed down her face, but no one pitied her.

 

“Your Highness, what about Prince Shutkatan?”

 

A knight, who was tidying up the surroundings, subtly moved over and inquired about Prince Shutkatan, who was standing nearby.

Prince Shutkatan, with a pale face, protested his innocence, but this only seemed to annoy Julion more.

Julion looked down at Shutkatan, who was forced to kneel, with irritation.

 

“Of course, he should be punished too.”

 

At that moment, Rohiriel, who had been quietly observing the situation beside him, was slightly surprised and widened her eyes.

Julion had always been polite, mannered, and cultured.

It was the first time she had seen him angry and speaking roughly.

 

‘He must be quite agitated,’

 

Rohiriel subtly moved closer to Julion, brushing his hand as if by chance.

Julion’s fingers twitched, but soon, he grasped her hand firmly.

 

“Julion, you did well.”

 

Rohiriel whispered in Julion’s ear, barely audible.

At that moment, Julion’s stiff expression relaxed completely, like an ice sculpture melting under the sunlight, instantly.

 

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

 

With Princess Chersoniet being dragged away, the party is as good as over.

I left a message that I would invite everyone again and return to the palace.

Of course, Julion was with me.

He naturally seated me on the couch and draped a blanket around me.

 

“I’m not cold, Julion.”

“You may not feel cold, but your hands are freezing.”

“It’s just. I guess I’m just a little nervous.”

 

Julion firmly held both of my hands, furrowing his eyebrows.

Though he was frowning, his puppy-like atmosphere made me chuckle softly.

 

“Everything went well, so why the long face? Is something bothering you?”

 

Everything went according to plan.

The fact that Chersoniet lost her temper and snapped at me at the end made it even easier.

Now, no one would object to Sertizan pressuring Razia.

The wrongdoing had been so blatantly exposed for all to see.

But Julion sighed with a gloomy expression, indicating dissatisfaction.

 

“You still don’t take care of yourself at all.”

 

I looked quietly at Julion, not quite understanding what he was dissatisfied about.

He didn’t smile, as if he were deeply troubled.

I searched my mind, but I couldn’t recall any instance where I hadn’t taken care of myself.

 

“Well, could you explain a bit more?”

“When the name Cassian was mentioned.”

 

Cassian was mentioned again by Julion.

Unconsciously, I held my breath.

Julion, who didn’t miss this, tightened his grip on my hand and continued speaking.

 

“Look at that. Your hands are getting cold again.”

“…This…”

“You were worried. Worried that those gathered there might turn their backs on you.”

“Julion.”

“That the looks sent to that princess would eventually be directed at you.”

 

I should have said it wasn’t like that, that it was all absurd speculation.

But my lips barely moved, and I couldn’t voice those words.

Could I continue to stay by Julion’s side?

Can I truly become the Imperial Crown Princess, and even the Empress, going forward?

Deeply buried in a corner of my heart, though not visibly expressed, was the suffocating guilt over Casian’s crime.

Yet, I never intended to show it outwardly.

This was a burden I had to carry for the rest of my life.

And so, despite its existence, I had tried to forget the very fact of its existence.

The more I remembered, the more painful it was for me.

 

“I imagined cutting off the fingers that dared to point at you.”

 

However, this man in front of me was pointing out the exact burden I’d been ignoring.

With a voice more enraged than mine and a face more wounded.

 

“I felt the urge to tear apart the mouth that insulted you.”

 

Julion vented his anger in my place.

Though cruel, those words oddly comforted me.

The words I could never bring myself to say. The emotions I could never reveal. The things I could never…

 

“Rohiriel. As I said before, you have been bearing too much.”

 

Julion’s gaze, meeting mine, was intense.

I wondered when those golden eyes, always shining with curiosity, began to contain only me.

 

“If someone insults you again next time, slap them and step on them right then and there.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Make sure they never dare to open their mouths so carelessly again.”

“Oh, no, wait a minute. Won’t rumors spread that I’m a barbaric empress?”

“Even so, the whole empire stands with you. Why don’t you realize that yet?”

 

The whole empire stands with me.

Those words gently pierced my heart.

Warmth spread throughout my body, filling my eyes with moisture.

The tears that sprang up in an instant fell onto the back of Julion’s hand.

Startled, Julion wiped my tears, but the warmth of his touch only made more tears flow like a waterfall.

 

“Rohiriel, why… I’m sorry. I must have said something wrong. Please stop crying.”

“Julion, you, you’re so…ugh.”

“Yes, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry. So, please… Ah, really. This is driving me crazy.”

 

Julion gently wiped my face with his hand to comfort me.

I wanted to stop, too, but I couldn’t control myself.

Suddenly, amidst the blurred vision in front of me, my sight was suddenly obscured.

 

“……What, what are you doing?”

 

I found myself wrapped in Julion’s arms, tucked snugly against his chest and shoulders.

I somehow ended up enveloped in Julion’s embrace.

Julion gently stroked my back and whispered softly.

 

“You look so beautiful even when you cry.”

 

Thump.

Thump.

A heartbeat I didn’t recognize was pounding rapidly.

With heightened sensitivity, I felt Julion’s breath against my ear.

 

“I might be falling for you again.”

 

Perhaps startled, the tears had stopped without my noticing.

I had hugged Julion several times before, but never so consciously, not like this.

I swallowed hard and grasped the fabric of Julion’s clothes.

I could feel Julion’s arm around me trembling slightly.

 

“…just a little more.”

 

Julion’s voice was slightly husky.

The body embracing mine was burning hot, and his arms held me tighter.

 

“Just stay like this a little longer, Rohiriel.”