Chapter 17
“Of course, it’s tight to make it there and back within the ten days His Majesty mentioned, but if we hurry, we might be able to spend a few days together in the fiefdom.”
The tone was even, devoid of any fluctuations.
Leaning against the doorway, Luke gazed at the woman conversing with the senator. Due to the precautionary measures taken in case of any unforeseen circumstances, there was no soundproofing between the two rooms. In other words, he could hear every conversation from beginning to end ever since she arrived here.
He obtained clues about the new sedative and even information that she would soon be heading to the fiefdom.
While he should have been focused on the former, strangely, the latter bothered him. Despite it being a perfectly normal occurrence.
After all, he had thrown such words to Gideon, who cherished his wife excessively. It was only natural to try to hide it from him by any means necessary.
Yes. It was natural, but why…?
“In truth, I know it sounds selfish, but at least my husband, that man…”
The midday sunlight streaming through the window slid over her pale skin. From where he stood, he could barely see one of her eyes, but Luke could confirm the faint golden hue that glistened transparently.
Lighter and more sparkling than yellow.
So, not even a single feature reminiscent of Chloe.
Was it from some distant branch of the Langsher lineage? Hence, the resemblance in facial features, but apart from that, there was nothing alike. Even the way she spoke now.
“…When I die, I hope he’ll be by my side.”
Chloe, however, said the opposite.
“I hope you don’t see me die. Just seeing pretty and good things about me is enough, why look at such things?”
Chloe, dressed in a blue summer dress, said with a smile. Her cheeks flushed from the summer heat, and she wrinkled her nose slightly.
Despite barely meeting for a few days after complaining that she didn’t want to move in the summer heat and would die if they didn’t return quickly, he was the one who held onto Chloe.
You cling to me saying you love me, but why do you always want to see me?
“It’s okay. Chloe. Even your corpse would be pretty.”
“Seriously. I don’t think so.”
Chloe, who lowered her eyes gracefully, was startled by the melting sweat on her chin, retreated in horror, then ran into the shade, and a few steps later, she breathed out and mumbled to him, who had easily caught up with her.
“I’ll be leaving now, so forget what you saw today. We never met today.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“Just remember the good things. Forget all the bad ones!”
Her mumbling, hidden behind a wide-brimmed hat, made him laugh unknowingly. Did she hear his laughter? Chloe, still unable to remove the hat from her face, shouted in a pouting voice.
“Just remember the good things. It’ll be okay to look back on them later. Forget all the bad things!”
At that moment, Luke, stupidly, was captured by the foolish impulse to call out her real name, to her.
Even if you know who I am, will you still love me?
Ironically, the imagination filled his mind to the brim, almost bursting out of his throat. He bit it back forcefully.
In the end, the Luke of the past held back. He held back until the end.
Don’t believe in the love Langsher talks about. He believed in the lesson his parents left him.
He doesn’t regret enduring. He had to. That was the best option at the time. He just considered her words as if they were a curse.
Remember only the good things in life.
Can he say that the only good thing he has ever had in his life was her herself?
The Emperor slowly closed and opened his eyes.
The hot summer days that unfolded in his mind scattered. His throat burned vividly at the vivid image of Chloe’s smiling face. A few days of just chewing on that would make life less boring.
“…Your Majesty?”
At the surprised call of the senator, he quickly returned to reality.
“Oh, if you’re here, please speak…”
Walking along the road, the senator was startled as if he had encountered a bear, while the calm woman, with only a few blinks of her eyes betraying any surprise, turned to look at him. Following a flawless greeting, she politely lowered her gaze and took a few steps back in a direction that seemed to avoid his line of sight. Perhaps because she was the only white figure in the room filled with dark colors, my gaze unknowingly followed her.
However, just as she was about to walk towards the door as if she knew nothing, he stepped in her path.
“Marie Edant.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Do you dislike winter?”
He felt strangely anxious as he asked the question, without knowing why. Was it because he expected a certain answer? Or for some other reason?
“I am merely sensitive to the cold due to my weakened body, Your Majesty. I do not particularly dislike any specific season.”
“I see.”
He silently looked down at her, wondering what he had expected.
Chloe never spoke like this. Instead…
“Summer is the worst. Isn’t it too hot for everyone? Why do they tell us to wear so much?”
Suddenly, he remembered her irritated voice complaining about the heat and warning him not to come too close.
Memories of a day spent with Chloe, who neither blamed him nor died, came to mind.
Strange. Why…?
“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will take my leave now.”
Instead of grabbing the politely retreating woman, he was engulfed in a single question.
She looked nothing like her. Strange. Why…?
Yet, the more she looked unfamiliar, the more Chloe came to mind.
—
Sylvia was deeply troubled by the Emperor’s attitude, which seemed to indicate that he had completely lost interest in her.
What was the problem?
Was her makeup too light? Was the color of her dress unsuitable? Did she accidentally let her original voice slip?
Unable to leave the Edant Mansion just on a whim, not because he had rejected her proposal for curiosity’s sake, but because his indifferent gaze seemed so chilling…
“That won’t do.”
In her anxiety, Sylvia hurriedly had her maid touch up her appearance to perfection and sought out the Emperor. Even if Chloe Langsher were to come back to life, she would be perfect enough to be evaluated as identical to her childhood.
…However, this time, the Emperor, after briefly turning his head to look at Sylvia, closed his eyes altogether.
What saved her from his chilling silence was the arrival of Gideon Edant.
Of course, he had done nothing and had simply come to see the Emperor upon his summons, but at least it was better than the dreadful silence filled with all sorts of ominous thoughts. Sylvia tried her best to stay still like a decoration.
Gideon Edant, with silent eyes fixed on the Emperor, seemed surprisingly reproachful. But the Emperor did not reprimand Gideon for his rudeness.
Rather, in a way, it seemed as if he was making excuses for himself…
“My wife is not here. Your Majesty.”
“I promise not to touch her. It’s not like my interest will last long anyway. Wouldn’t it be better to just show her face a few times?”
“Because her body has become too weak to endure the winter in the capital, I had planned to send her to the fiefdom within this month. Your Majesty, you cannot let my wife die just because of your interest, can you?”
“How long do you think my interest will last?”
“That’s why. Your Majesty, do you know how unpredictable your whims can be?”
Gideon’s response seemed to irk the Emperor, and his voice fell silent. Sylvia held her breath with anxious feelings.
So, from the circumstances, did the Emperor take an interest in Gideon Edant’s wife? But who is Gideon Edant’s wife? Why have I never heard of her before?
“Sylvia.”
At the Emperor’s call, Sylvia, who had been bowing her head, suddenly raised it. She quickly folded her enlarged eyes and smiled, approaching the Emperor and grabbing his sleeve.
“Yes, Your Majesty. You called for me?”
“I think we need to hire another maid.”
Before Sylvia could respond, the Emperor continued, stroking her head.
“But before that, move to the palace. Where was the warmest place in the palace again…?”
“The greenhouse in the Second Palace is the warmest place, Your Majesty.”
“Right. Then move there.”
“Shall we assign the newly arriving maid to the warmest room? The one belonging to the wife of Lord Edant?”
Before Sylvia could finish her sentence, the Emperor chuckled at Sylvia’s quick wit. Then, turning to Gideon, he asked.
“If you are truly concerned about your wife’s health, it might be better to send her down to the fiefdom in the spring, after the winter has passed, don’t you think?”
How arrogant those words were. Based on the premise that his interest would inevitably wane before spring arrived. Gideon inwardly grumbled at the assumption that the Emperor made, even though he used force. But regret came too late, even if it was quick.
Instead of the silent Gideon, Sylvia, who was perplexed by the Emperor’s words, chimed in.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Especially the palace I will be moving to has a palace built inside a greenhouse, so it is warm like spring all year round, and flowers bloom all year round.”
The Emperor, who was looking down at the jabbering Sylvia, suddenly seemed to remember something and opened his mouth.
“Come to think of it, even if you don’t know, that woman will remember you.”
“Excuse me?”
“She was once the Empress’s maid… Gideon, what was her maiden name?”
The maid of her mother? Gideon Edant’s wife? But why didn’t I know?
Sylvia turned to Gideon with a puzzled expression.
For a moment, it seemed as if a sense of defeat passed over that man’s face…
“She was Illype. Marie Illype.”
…Like discovering a stain after finishing cleaning. Such a sense of defeat.
