“…yes?”
She was surprised. She couldn’t help but be surprised. In order to return to her Dell’arta, Lasilia risked remaining an unfaithful Empress. She intended to be dethroned no matter what indignity she suffered. She said she could go by the way. Was it something that could be solved so easily?
“You can think of it as nursing. It’s a bit far away, though.”
“Then…”
“Some people will say that I will be away from the capital for a long time, but I will handle it. Recovering your memories is more important to me.”
“…Your Majesty is saying that you will go with us.”
No wonder. It couldn’t be that simple.
“I can’t be away from you. You know. There will always be a blue moon.”
“I guess so.”
Nonetheless, her heart wavered for a moment. If they were going together, there’s no need to break up with everyone. Embarrassed by her thoughts, Lasilia shook her head. She must have lost her mind. Everything that was around her right now was for his true companion and was not given to her.
“I’ll think about it some more. I can’t ask His Majesty to accompany me on that long journey just because I want to go.”
“Please.”
The golden eye came as if it was going to entangle her gaze.
“You promised. If you have to ask me to do something, I will do it. If you want to go, please ask.”
And the Emperor would get something for her. Something small and insignificant, but increasingly impossible to ignore.
“It’s okay.”
Lasilia cut off her regrets there. For everyone’s sake, she had to get herself back on track. Only then would she find the right person for the Emperor.
“…I didn’t think you would say no.”
Lescal muttered slowly to himself.
“Didn’t you want to go to Dell’arta?”
“I’m about to go to trial right now.”
“So the trial is more important to you than going to Dell’arta?”
“…Isn’t that the order?”
“What if the order doesn’t matter? The trial can be postponed. You can go to Dell’arta first.”
But the Emperor would accompany her. Then the situation didn’t change. Just as Lasilia spit out the honey that had been forced into her mouth, she shook Lescal’s sweet words out of her head.
“Then I guess I’ll have to ask you another favor.”
“Do you really hate asking me to do this?”
It wasn’t that she didn’t like the favor, but she just didn’t like the fact that he asked for it in return. She hated the feelings that those small, insignificant requests left in her.
“…yes.”
When Lescal heard those words, he frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
“I didn’t ask for your understanding.”
“…”
Lescal, who had his lips pursed, suddenly asked a question. His gaze was still firmly fixed on Lasilia.
“You know what?”
“What do you mean?”
“Since you lost your memory, everything you say and do goes against my expectations.”
“Okay… Did I?”
“And that means,”
Lescal suddenly grabbed a handful of Lasilia’s hair. He lowered his head, brought a strand of her hair to the tip of his nose, and inhaled his breath.
“Everything you do is different from Cartagena Piellion before you lost your memories.”
The words were as meaningful as the actions. No, she didn’t know if his actions felt different now because they were meaningful words. Lescal let go of her hair with a faint smile.
“It’s different after all. I have never thought of Cartagena as having a good body odor.”
“…”
Lescal looked at Lasilia, who was silent, with an expression that was no different from usual.
However, Lasilia was now able to distinguish between similar expressions. The expression he was making right now was strangely kind.
“Don’t worry about the trial. Even if the priests cover up the sins you don’t remember, you will be safe.”
The words he spoke with a friendly expression were not friendly. The Emperor spoke as if he knew what Lasilia wanted from the trial.
“Is that possible? It is a trial before God. The outcome will also be decided in the name of God. Your Majesty cannot have any influence over the outcome.”
“If necessary, I will.”
“Don’t you hate breaking the law? So to Princess Shryden,”
“That was my job. It’s your business now.”
In Lescal’s words, it became the most natural thing in the world. Lasilia could not understand the Emperor still treating the Empress, whose mark may have been lost, as his companion, and as much as she could not understand, her heart was heavy.
‘Dethroning the throne won’t be that easy… But for now it’s the best.’
Lasilia looked at the Emperor with her pitiful eyes. At least she meant it. She prayed that he would soon meet the real one who would control his blood.
“Then I can trust Your Majesty and undergo the trial with peace of mind.”
“…What you’re saying is that you’re going to be tried no matter what. Even if the outcome is fixed.”
“Yes. As I said.”
Lescal would certainly oppose dethronement. However, the Temple and the Duke would do their best to support the dethronement. The temple did not hesitate to use the imperial tailor to bring the Empress to the trial. It seemed like she would not yield the results of the trial to the Emperor. Eventually he had to open the lid and look.
“It’s late at night. I think you should go and get some sleep now.”
Although it was polite, he told her to just leave. A lot of time had passed. Before she knew it, the color of the night sky was changing. It would be a mixture of the blue light of dawn.
“Previously.”
Lescal took Lasilia’s hand. He placed his lips on her fingers, which she had forgotten were burnt while she was talking.
“I ask for forgiveness. For hurting you.”
“…? It is a wound that has nothing to do with Your Majesty.”
“It’s a wound made by an immature bird, so it’s no different from the one I made.”
Lescal let go very slowly. Slowly enough to remember clearly how he held her hand, how he placed his lips on hers, and how he let her go again.
“I hope you get better quickly. And when you get better, may you forgive me.”
“…”
While Lasilia said nothing, Lescal slowly walked away. She said that the wound was the same no matter who made it, which kept Lasilia unable to sleep the entire time. That meant that the feelings of Pipi, who got angry and cried at her because he liked someone else, were the same as the feelings of the Emperor.
* * *
“The clothes must be very uncomfortable, Your Majesty. Maybe this is good…”
Yvette stamped her foot with a pitiful look on her face. Eliadan’s trial procedures were rigorous. Lasilia had no contact with anyone for three days before her trial. Yvette was no exception, and I did not see her face for three days. She simply left bread and water sent from the temple at the door. It wasn’t until the day of the trial that Yvette was allowed into the room to get her dressed. Rough cotton clothes without any color or decoration were to be worn by anyone on trial, regardless of status. Since the trial must be fair, the intention was not to be deceived by appearances. She understood that, but there was one problem. The problem was that she couldn’t wear even the bare minimum of underwear. It was quite embarrassing to wear long sack-like clothes with sleeves on her bare body. Yvette said, trying to somehow fix the clothes that didn’t look like clothes.
“You were in pain for three days. You can’t go out anywhere and the food is so bad… No, in the temple they call it innocent bread, but that doesn’t mean it’s a great bread. How can a person eat only bread and water?”
“Three days wasn’t that long. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“Yes… If you say so.”
Yvette answered softly in a weak voice. Over the past three days, due to poor meals and the pressure of the trial, he was worried that she might get sick, but the Empress was gentle and did not complain at all. Yvette admired that she was an empress, but she was extremely disappointed with Lasilia.
“The clothes are ready, Your Majesty. Holy shit… Oh, sorry. Anyway, Her Majesty the Empress is so beautiful even when she wears these hideous, bag-like clothes.”
After hearing that her clothes were all done, Lasilia relaxed. To hide her marked areas from Yvette, she had to constantly be mindful of the angles of her body.
“I’m glad you don’t look ugly. Can we now leave for the temple?”
“Yes. When the time comes, the Royal Guard will come to collect you. You can travel by horse-drawn carriage. Please wait a moment.”
“Okay.”
They would soon be leaving the imperial palace. She put the letter inside the dresser drawer. Someone would find it while cleaning. If possible, she wanted that person to be Yvette. Other than that, there was nothing to prepare. One thing she regretted was that she had to leave without being able to see Pipi.
“It looks like the anger hasn’t subsided yet.”
When Lasilia unconsciously let out a small sigh while looking out her window, Yvette held her hands tightly together.
“Ah… Ren…”
“If he comes back while I’m gone, tell him I’m sorry. And I said thank you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty… ah? But that statement is strange. Why do you make it sound like you’ll never see Ren again?”
Because it might be so.
“Tell me when him get back.”
Lasilia said only that and turned her gaze from her window.
Knock, knock.
“Your Majesty the Empress. I came to pick you up.”
And then it was time for her to leave.
* * *
The Great Temple of Harios was of a size she had never seen before. The magnificent temple built on the top of the highest hill north of the capital was so large that it was impossible to capture it all at a glance. In terms of scale, it didn’t seem to be much smaller than the imperial palace.
‘It’s an incredible place.’
To maintain that size, a huge number of believers and priests would be needed.
‘Is that why you were able to write a complaint against the imperial family?’
There were already a huge number of carriages gathered at the entrance to the hill leading to the temple. It was the carriage of the nobles who came to attend the trial today. Because they each brought their own knights, the temple felt like a war rather than a trial. Of course, the imperial guards who tightly surrounded the road to the temple played a major role in creating that atmosphere.
“We have arrived, Her Majesty. Get off. From here, you have to walk up.”
“I get it. Open the door.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”
Sweet.
Serven opened the carriage door.
“Please understand that I cannot lend you a hand because it is before the trial. You have to get off by yourself.”
A person wearing a judge’s uniform could not touch anyone. Lasilia stepped out of the carriage, stiff and holding her rough clothes at her sides. Lasilia was now barefoot, as her trial clothes did not allow her to wear any other shoes.
“I will guide you to the courtroom.”
Serven, seeing that Lasilia had gotten to her feet, motioned to the guards. Quick and easy. The guards who had escorted the carriage began to climb the hill at their own pace. Then, all the nobles who were ahead stopped and waited for Lasilia to pass by. After climbing the hill for nearly thirty minutes, the main gate of the temple appeared. Lasilia was led into a very narrow room right next to the court. She had to wait here and leave when the trial started.
“It won’t take that long. I’m sorry, but I will follow procedures and lock the door from the outside.”
Serben, who had brought Lasilia into the rickety waiting room on one of her chairs, said with a sorry look on her face. The place, which, without windows, reminded her of her seer’s room, was not very uncomfortable for Lasilia.
“So be it.”
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Bang, bang!
After the door closed, she heard the sound of the latch being lowered. Lasilia sat down in the chair and calmed her mind. Today was the last day. It would come to an end soon… No, maybe not.
Wooooow.
A shadow suddenly appeared on one side of the unadorned wall.
“…?”
The shadow became bigger and deeper. Then it became a hole instead of a shadow. It meant that the wall was connected somewhere.
“What…!”
Lasilia jumped up from the chair.
“Sister! It’s me.”
From a hole as large as a door, the Duke of Piellion suddenly walked out. With a very urgent and desperate expression, he said this to Lasilia.
“We don’t have time, sister. We have to run now.”
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on Februeary, 18.
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