“Episode 18”
“Isn’t Your Majesty hoping to obtain the blue rose? Just wait for this time. Her Majesty the Empress will personally present you with the blue rose.”
“The Countess will also wait with great anticipation.”
Despite the emperor’s annoying response, Yuliana simply nodded inwardly, then quietly left the tent.
Having used teleportation magic several times to transport horses up and down mountains, her arms and legs felt exhausted, and she felt drained as if all the energy had left her body.
Seeing the horse happily munching on the food brought relief to Yuliana.
‘…Yes, yes. Eat well. I hope you stay well-fed and don’t become a villain, getting involved with an arrogant emperor.’
The baby empress was truly adorable, far more charming than the emperor, who lacked humility.
Waving to her friend and filled with joy, Eraina’s face shone brighter than the sun, her happiness radiating beyond restraint.
At that moment, the Count, Evan, stood with an expressionless face, staring at his shoulder wounded by the sharp lattice, furrowing his brow.
The Emperor’s malicious antics had caused a wound greater than the one he had promised. Perhaps he didn’t realize how serious it would be.
He had never suffered such a severe injury during a departure, and it was particularly vexing that he received it during a duel with that cunning Emperor.
As he imagined the Emperor’s mocking demeanor at the next imperial ball, Evan’s teeth clenched.
But his anger subsided momentarily as Evan roughly bandaged his wound and sat down on a makeshift chair, propping his leg up comfortably on the other side.
Taking a long sigh, Evan awaited the announcer for the second part of the competition.
However, something strange was afoot.
Despite the unpredictable imperial weather, with the possibility of snow pouring down from the murky sky, the announcers hadn’t arrived, and considerable time had passed.
Finally, unable to wait any longer, Evan was about to call out to those outside the tent when he was startled by the appearance of someone entering.
“…Yuliana.”
“Sit down quickly. I’ll perform healing magic.”
As someone with talent in destructive magic but none in healing or restorative magic, Evan was pleased to hear that she would perform healing magic. However, the healer’s complexion didn’t seem good.
Seeing his wife’s troubled expression, Evan couldn’t help but comment.
“It’s not such a serious injury.”
“Don’t be foolish. Don’t you want to be the first person I heal with my magic? Of course, you would want that.”
As Yuliana offered her wounded arm to Evan, who blushed at the sight, she muttered.
“Stop being silly. Let me do this for you.”
Evan, half-undressed, didn’t seem embarrassed at all, but Evan himself blushed at the sight.
It was somewhat unfair.
Of all places, Empress Ereyna’s hometown was in the far northern reaches of the empire, near the border. Transporting a living horse intact through teleportation magic was no easy feat and would take at least four days.
In the past, Yuliana Oben would never have agreed to it. She wasn’t the type of woman to exert her magical power on tasks that could be done without it.
But now, the situation was different.
Why had it changed?
“…Because I’m feeling conflicted.”
Yuliana admitted with a sullen expression.
Before the true heroine appeared and the framework of a romance novel with Lord Evan Hillchen was established, she didn’t want to get more involved with this impressive man.
Certainly, that’s how she felt two months ago.
On the day she woke up with a clear mind after sleeping and regained memories of her past life.
But as time went on, her resolve weakened. The more she tried to gather herself, the more she felt like standing on the edge of a cliff. She had no intention of jumping off that cliff, but Evan Hillchen was threatening to push her off in the most intimidating way possible: through his affection.
“Stay still.”
Yuliana scolded gently. Before he could object, she placed her hand over the blood-stained bandage and began to chant a spell.
Despite her hand trembling slightly, the healing magic was performed flawlessly. The spot where blood had been seeping out gradually healed, leaving no trace.
Then Evan lightly touched the barely visible scar with his hand. Yuliana, pretending to wipe away sweat, finally sat down on the makeshift chair opposite him.
Not a single sound from the surroundings reached them, not even the footsteps of the announcers. Suddenly, Evan felt an uncomfortable premonition.
Yuliana had always been delicate since birth and meticulously cared for her health. It wasn’t unusual for her to appear somewhat weakened.
Evan asked, “Did something happen to endanger your health?”
“I thought I’d be following you around, but it seems not.”
Yuliana said cheerfully.
Even as she spoke, her trembling white cheeks were pitiful. Despite that, Evan felt a sense of pride mixed with affection in her bronze-colored eyes, and he couldn’t help but smile inwardly.
Even though she didn’t usually follow him around, she never hid her actions.
She was the kind of woman who wouldn’t hesitate to play and have fun regardless of her reputation, even when she was with others and seemingly neglecting her husband. Lately, her fluctuating attitude towards Evan had been nothing but sincere.
So, Evan always knew things about Yuliana without her having to tell him.
Evan smiled thinly, squinting his eyes, and tapped the armrest with his finger.
“Will you forgive me if I do that?”
“W-What?”
“The reason I didn’t do that is because, even without doing so, you’re someone who’s easy to read. I hate people who hide things, but… you’re the only person who doesn’t do that in front of me.”
Evan said as he watched Yuliana lean back against the opposite chair and blink.
He felt like he might know what was going through her mind, or at least he thought he might. When Yuliana was caught off guard, he gently whispered.
“I know you’ve been paying a lot of attention to me lately.”
“M-Me?”
She snorted as she spoke.
But she couldn’t hide the nervous tapping of her foot, like a rabbit ready to sprint at any moment. Evan restrained the impulse to grab her cheek and kiss her.
It wasn’t time yet.
Feeling a somewhat apathetic emotion, he inwardly cursed. Suppressing what he wanted to do was difficult. It had always been that way with Yuliana Oben.
Whether she knew it or not, Yuliana began to make excuses quickly.
“I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but perhaps this is just a matter of human decency. So, it means not expecting too much.”
“Are you saying I expect too much from you?”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but yes, you do. You’re doing it right now.”
“How could I not know!” With an astonished look on her face as if she were shocked, Evan couldn’t help but suppress a laugh. He covered half of his face with his hand.
Leaning comfortably on the armrest, Evan continued, “Are you begging for my love?”
“Y-You don’t have to put it that way. W-Well, it’s, it’s not a big deal, but it’s true that I’ve been paying attention to your recent behavior. Yes, it’s true.”
Yuliana, stuttering and flustered, was unlike the confident woman society perceived her to be.
She seemed somewhat disheveled, and her cheeks were flushed like a country girl. The difference deeply touched Evan’s heart.
Just as Yuliana Oben was the one person who could see Evan’s true self, he hoped she could also be the one person with whom he could reveal his true self.
So far, as far as he knew, Yuliana Oben had shown her more defiant side to her husband than her finer and more beautiful aspects. That was the enigmatic nature of their relationship.
Evan Helchen couldn’t let go of it, no matter what. Perhaps, not even his wife could.
Without responding to her excuses and excuses, Evan gazed at her fixedly. Yuliana lowered her head.
‘Please. Speak up, you darned protagonist.’
Since recalling memories of her past life, Yuliana had lived according to her standards as “Ysiane.”
That thought was partly true.
However, Yuliana Oben’s persistent “memories” sometimes prevented her from making wise choices.
This was a world of fiction, and since she clearly knew the future regarding Yuliana Oben, it was best to withdraw before the storyline involving the “protagonists” began.
Then, she could manipulate what she needed and ignore what she didn’t. But it just wasn’t happening.
“Why is it like this? Why…?”
Yuliana lifted her pale face. Evan continued to gaze at her with eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul. It had been two months.
Since realizing her past life and becoming someone else.
Even as a completely different person, Evan’s persistent affection shook Yuliana, making her feel both distressed and, at the same time, somewhat happy.
Yuliana admitted it.
It hurt her when he was hurt.
“If you were hurt, it would hurt me too.”
Feeling his touch lingering in her hand, Yuliana clenched her fist tightly and smiled.
“So, please don’t get hurt for my sake. If that’s what you learned love is, then don’t do it anymore.”
She was too afraid to make promises to others. Being born as a coward in both her past and present lives was her flaw.
Brushing away her complex thoughts, Yuliana raised her pale cheek.
“I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt this time―. So, you don’t have to give me things like blue roses. Even without such gestures, Evan, I know you’re a good person.”
She rose to her feet and placed her hand on Evan’s forehead.
“Evan…!”
Before Evan could realize what Yuliana’s actions meant, her magic was faster.
In the blink of an eye, her magic put Evan to sleep. Before he could protest, she embraced him.
Resting her face against his chest for the first time, Yuliana closed her eyes tightly.
Her heart was racing.
Ereina was clumsily walking in the attire worn by the native people of the North, something she hadn’t done in a year. Her pants, worn for the first time in a year, stood out conspicuously among the elegantly dressed nobles.
Unlike the ornate clothes worn by the nobles with billowy sleeves and decorations, Ereina’s outfit looked plain, simply accentuating her bulky frame. With a feeling that everyone would laugh at her, she walked towards the arena, her head throbbing with a sense of victimhood.
As she dragged herself forward with a downcast face, the spectators in the stands watched her intently. Murmurs filled the air like the buzzing of bees, hitting her like a barrage of arrows. Ereina couldn’t understand any of those words, yet she painfully absorbed every word like piercing arrows.
It had always been like this since she came to the capital. Lonely and frail, she swayed like a reed in the wind, unable to break but constantly swaying in the storm. It was just that kind of place, the seat of the empress.
Ereina barely lifted her head, and the dusty arena came into view. In the North, people rode horses before they could walk, unlike in other regions where the bond with horses was long forgotten. It was the language of those who once conquered all lands where horse hooves touched.
Before Ereina became a stutterer, she learned horsemanship from her mother. After her mother passed away, her tongue stiffened, and she was teased by her stepbrother and father as a mute girl.
Every time that happened, unable to control the swelling emotion that felt like it would burst, she ran alongside Kendel, the horse next to her, through the northern mountains.
