My eyes flicked back and forth between the booklet and Rosetin’s face. She spoke calmly, as if she had already thought of something to say.
“His Majesty the Emperor takes the honor of the imperial family seriously.”
I had a hunch that her visit was not just to raise greetings. Rosetin’s piercing gaze, which was directed at me, seemed almost aggressive.
Unperturbed by my bewildered expression, she remained impassive.
“So?”
“Furthermore, His Majesty holds the Marquis of Claplin in high regard.”
“That means…”
“I believe it would not be beneficial for anyone if you got too close to the Marquis of Claflin.”
Rosetin’s reason for coming to see me today was to tell me to stay away from Theo, and while on the surface she seemed to be giving me her opinion politely, it felt like she was ordering me around, and my mood sank instantly.
The implications of her words were clear. She wanted to prevent anything that would bring a blemish to Claflin, a family that would be a source of strength to Ian.
Rosetin’s high gaze seemed to look down on me.
The cold tone, contrary to his harmless appearance, seemed to rebuke me, further stimulating my nerves, which had become sharp to the fullest. She continued to advise me.
“Embarrassing rumors about the Empress and Marquis Claflin have reached Kaelin Palace, and now that I am a member of the Imperial family, I cannot stand idle.”
Rosetin’s words sounded to me like I’d been acting like a nuisance all this time, but she’d put up with it. After a moment of silence, she continued.
“All eyes are on the Empress,” she said, “and by nature, being an Empress means that every little thing you do will have a ridiculous meaning attached to it, and you’ll always be the target of criticism.”
“You speak as if you were the empress.”
“I am merely offering my heartfelt advice for the future of the imperial family, and for His Majesty the Emperor.”
Rosetin remained steadfast in her demeanor.
“Is that why you brought this to me?”
I held up the papers she handed me. She spoke in a somewhat provocative tone, as if she were negotiating something.
“If you wish to assuage your loneliness, I have no shortage of men to serve as your mistress. It doesn’t have to be the Marquis of Claflin. If you are unhappy with my gift, I will find you another suitable one.”
Her arrogant attitude and unfamiliar appearance made me feel not just surprised but angry as well. My heart was beating fast, and I felt heat rising in my body, just as it had with Ian.
But now Rosetin was officially the Emperor’s mistress, and this was the Imperial Palace, where all eyes and ears were present. I must not raise my voice or show my displeasure with her.
I forced a calm smile and quietly called her name.
“Rosetin.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“This seems a bit intrusive for advice from a mistress to give to the Empress.”
For a moment, Rosetin’s brow narrowed slightly at the sharp words, but she quickly drew the corners of her mouth up a bit more as if to hide them.
“Please forgive me if anything I have said has offended Her Majesty.”
Rosetin’s clear, fine voice cut like a smooth knife. I stared at the eyes of the heroine who shined more beautifully than a precious jewel.
It seems Rosetin’s animosity towards me has grown considerably since she became mistress, and the influence of Count Bedos is no small part of that.
I wonder if it’s impossible for a person from the Bledel family and the Bedos family to live a normal life.
If Rosetin hadn’t appeared a year earlier, I could have saved her life and built a friendly relationship with her.
Although it was an irreversible situation, the unfolding circumstances worried me, and my mouth became dry. The unnecessary confrontation with Rosetin gave me a headache.
“Well, I’m not interested in that.”
“But at least as the Empress of Asha…….”
“Then you should be an empress.”
For a moment, I could see Rosetin’s face stiffen a little, but then her features quickly melted into a smile that went beyond easygoing to almost arrogant.
Perhaps it was a habit from observing Ian with a wary heart. Although it was a subtle change in her expression, I could easily notice it.
“Seriously, if you think so much of the country and the empire, you should be the empress.”
There was a moment’s silence, a tension building. Rosetin must be mulling over my words in her head.
Right now, she looked like a fine statue, finely chiseled and polished, just like Ianhard the male lead. Suddenly, I remembered the strange atmosphere between the protagonists when I stumbled upon them while searching for Casey.
Ironically, the protagonists who were supposed to fall in love and bloom like flowers of laughter were nowhere to be found. Could it be that Rosetin was acting like this to gain Ian’s favor?
“I never wanted that position. I just want to stay with His Majesty.”
“Maybe your will doesn’t matter. I think you already know it.”
“…….”
“In any case, let me be clear: I have no desire to compete with you for the throne, and I am willing to give it to you when the time comes.”
The hostility in Rosetin’s eyes was not easily dismissed, as if she could not believe my words. Undaunted, I continued, a little persuasively.
“The Bedos and Bledel families may be at odds, but I bear you no ill will. If you make a good Empress, that will be Asha’s blessing.”
“That is very kind of you to say.”
“But what concerns the Marquis of Claflin is a matter of agreement between his Majesty, myself, and the man himself. So, please refrain from interfering with my affairs.”
“So you’re saying you can’t give up the Marquis of Claflin, even if it means giving up the Empress’ seat.”
For a long moment, Rosetin said nothing. A grotesque silence ensued as if time had stopped.
For quite some time, Rozetin remained silent. The eerie silence felt like her strong resistance to accepting my intentions. Her cold demeanor seemed immovable, as if there was no room for compromise.
The more I thought about it, the less it made sense. Is it simply for the beloved emperor? Even though I indicated that I would hand over the empress’s seat, she confirmed my intention to the marquis until the end.
I had a strange feeling that she was trying to protect Theo from the Empress, whose political position was unstable.
But there shouldn’t be much contact between the two of them…… Just then, there was a knock on the door of the Empress’s office. It was Colin, coming to deliver the contents of the first article.
“Since you have a guest, I’ll go now.”
Just as he did when Rosetin entered, he greeted the Empress with the utmost respect and slowly made his way to the entrance.
The door swung open and Rosetin and Colin came face to face. Rosetin spoke to him first, with a crisp smile.
“This is our second meeting, isn’t it?”
“Oh, yes…”
Colin looked at me, trying to gauge my reaction. He also witnessed the empress being humiliated by the emperor at Vanessa Palace the other day.
Word had spread in Asha that the Emperor, already fed up with the Empress, had gained a beautiful mistress, so he was well aware of Rosetin’s position.
Rosetin spoke in a more articulate voice.
“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Rosetin Bedos, the Emperor’s lover.”
The Emperor’s lover. Sometimes it was an infinitely romantic word, but it could also be a sharp weapon to stab someone’s heart.
The words felt like a snipe at me, and my heart sank. Colin quickly glanced at me, seemingly understanding the subtle atmosphere between the Empress and the mistress.
Rosetin still straightened her back and waited for Colin’s answer. When I nodded my head slightly, he turned to Rosetin and slowly opened his mouth.
“Colin Berid, editor-in-chief of the Locale newspaper.”
“You’re a writer, I see. My father, the Count of Bedos, is very interested in the newspaper business, and is a generous supporter of like-minded journalists.”
“Your father has a keen eye.”
“He once said that the time would come when the pen would be mightier than the sword.”
Rosetin seemed to have no intention of leaving the Empress’ palace. Her steady gaze met Colin’s eyes as if she wanted to continue the conversation
He was my guest at the palace. It was quite rude of her to drag out a conversation like that when I was waiting for him.
Rosetin is deliberately holding Colin and embarrassing me. It was a little childish, but it was a method used by aristocrats to secretly look down on the other person they hated.
“Would you mind stopping by the county sometime? My father would be delighted to have Lord Berrid in his company.”
“Thank you for your concern, but it is beyond me.”
“Please don’t put any pressure on yourself. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to have a competent journalist to represent the interests of the imperial family and nobility.”
“……I see.”
“See you later, then.”
Rosetin bowed lightly to Colin and left the room. Her aggressive demeanor reminded me of the original Rosetin.
She was a helpless, pitiful woman who was bullied by Lethenia because she was a mistress. The inexplicable feeling of strangeness I felt from her since our first encounter continued to trouble me.
Seeing her today, she indeed appeared to be quite different from the protagonist I had imagined.
