The Returned Empress Tames The Hunting Dog

Inside a gorgeous and old-fashioned room.

Velia stared blankly out her window, waiting for someone to attack her.

As expected, not long after, the bedroom door swung open with a harsh sound.

Along with the maids’ murmuring, a man with a cold expression entered the room without hesitation.

“Empress.”

Even when he called out to her, Velia didn’t turn around.

The man, who had been looking at her with disapproval, shrugged his shoulders. But he soon sat down in the empty seat across from her with a cold smile on his face.

“No matter how bad your physical condition may be, isn’t that too much towards the emperor of the country?”

It was a friendly and affectionate tone, as if he was complaining to his lover. But she was so shocked by his words that she almost burst out laughing.

Too much. What on earth?

Did the man who took everything from her have the right to say such things?

“Just say what you want to say.”

“…”

“There’s no need to make such a trivial play in front of me anyway.”

“Ha, okay.”

The emperor let out a frustrated sound and then shook the bell that was placed on the table.

Then the maids came in and prepared for tea time in perfect order. In the distant past, she once told him that she liked the refreshments and strong-flavored black tea.

“Let’s enjoy tea time together.”

As the Emperor said this and poured the tea, Velia burst out laughing loudly, as if she had heard a very funny joke.

“…Why are you laughing?”

“I have doubts about whether what your Majesty told me is correct.”

She became empress, and it has already been eight years since she entered the imperial palace.

During that time, she only had tea time with the emperor twice.

Velia understood and accepted his neglectful attitude. He said that he would be very busy after becoming emperor, so there was nothing he could do.

Because he loves me. So, I try my best to believe that this is a situation he doesn’t want.

‘…It was really stupid.’

Then the emperor offered her some of his tea, pouring it into her teacup.

“Drink some.”

“No, I don’t want any.”

“…You must drink this.”

As if realizing something from the emperor’s lowered voice, she struggled to part her lips.

“Is it poison?”

The emperor did not answer.

Velia was convinced that this cup of tea was prepared to kill her.

“Did everything have to be taken away from me like this? How can you be so cruel!”

“I will save your only brother and promise not to touch your kingdom any more. So, I want you to drink this yourself.”

Velia bit her lip to swallow down the emotions that were welling up in her eyes.

But she could not endure her misery and screamed desperately.

“Lies!”

She then swept the teacups and bowls off the table and let them fall to her floor.

The sound of glassware breaking echoed throughout the room.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that you hid the fact that my brother died on the battlefield?!”

Her hands, clenched into fists, were shaking.

It was difficult to control her anger.

Her father, mother, brother, and even her younger brother were all killed by the emperor. Her homeland also collapsed at the hands of this man.

Yet, he put on such a shameless face and repeated his lies.

“Ha. If you knew everything, the story would be faster.”

The emperor said coldly, stroking his hair as if he was annoyed.

As he gestured towards where the maids were standing, new tea and refreshments were prepared again.

“I just want you to die, Velia.”

He pointed to the teacup in front of her.

There wasn’t even a hint of pity, only a deadpan and bored expression, like she was no longer needed.

This must have been this person’s true appearance.

Why was everything ruined after being deceived by his outward words and actions?

Velia regretted every moment she spent with the emperor.

In the end, there is nothing left for her now.

“…”

She had no desire to lose everything and live this hellish life any longer.

But what about Ronica Kingdom when she was gone?

As Ronica’s only royal family, she couldn’t end it like this. Even though it would be shabby and miserable, she had to live.

Velia held on until the end, staring at the teacup handed to her by the emperor.

But the emperor did not want to waste any more time.

He got up from his seat despite his annoyance and walked towards Velia.

He grabbed her chin with a rough hand that contained no trace of affection, and poured the contents of the teacup into her mouth.

“Mmf!!”

“Drink.”

It was a cold and indifferent voice.

“Ugh!!”

He held her tighter to prevent her from moving her delicate face as she shook her head.

Then he stuffed every last drop into her mouth.

“Oof!”

In that brief moment the emperor placed the empty teacup down on the table.

The poison that went down her throat felt like it was burning her whole body.

Her stomach twisted and hurt as if it were being torn apart.

Velia endured the pain, clenching her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her flesh and bled.

But soon something came up from inside her.

“Cough!”

She hurriedly tried to cover her mouth with her hand, but dark red blood flowed between her white fingers.

“Velia, thank you. Because you have made the empire even richer.”

The emperor spoke to the dying Velia with cold eyes that did not contain any emotion.

“You are a vicious and cruel evil woman who sacrificed her country to lure me and became the empress, while Hergé will remain a noble and wise empress who led the golden age of the empire.”

Hergé… Hergé!

Velia was even more miserable.

Her heart was stuck in the mud until the very end.

Hergé, beloved by her emperor, will smile like a flower and live a happy life, loved by him and her people.

Velia, who gave up everything and endured it would remain as an evil villain, denied the life she had built up, and had to lose her life like this.

Why? Wasn’t it the emperor who clung to her, saying he loved her?

But why did he have to end her life so unfairly?

A single transparent and pitiful tear flowed from Velia’s eyes, whose veins were bursting and turning red due to the extreme pain.

The emperor, who was looking at the scene indifferently, slowly got up and was about to leave the room.

“…Emperor, I curse you.”

The poor woman, unable to even sit on her chair, fell to the floor, unable to control herself, and hurled her curses at the emperor.

“I curse the time I spent loving you. I curse you for destroying my country and driving my family to death!”

The emperor walked towards Velia, who was letting out a bloody scream.

“…Velia. The longer you endure, the more painful it will be.”

At first glance, it seemed like a kind voice.

But this too was mockery.

Velia stretched her arms to somehow support her body. She couldn’t die like this.

However, she couldn’t hold out against the poison spreading in her body and collapsed to the floor again.

The emperor looked down emotionlessly at Velia writhing on the floor.

“May you never… have a smooth life… … You won’t be able to survive… Even if I die, my resentment will lead you to misfortune…!”

Even while spitting out blood, Velia did not stop cursing.

“Your future… forever… suffer……”

“Ha, I’m sick of it.”

If I could go back to the past, I would never.

“…you……”

‘I won’t love you.’

Velia’s voice could no longer be heard.

The emperor said, wiping the tea off his hand as if he was displeased.

“This. Spilled tea on the carpet. The floor is dirty, so please clean it up.”

Then he slapped the dead empress, kicked her lightly with his foot, and turned his body without hesitation and left the room.

* * *

“If you sleep here, you’ll catch a cold.”

Velia opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight on her.

In her blurry vision, she saw the emperor with an extremely friendly face as he touched her forehead.

…What is this?

‘I should have died… … ?’

Moreover, why on earth would the emperor, who personally handed poison to her, act like this?

Goosebumps appeared on her forearms.

“The wind is still cold… It looks like you don’t have a fever, though.”

Velia touched her own forehead and coldly slapped his hand away.

Her force was so strong that a slapping sound could be heard.

The emperor looked a little surprised, but then smiled sheepishly and said.

“I think my efforts are still not enough.”

“…”

What kind of situation is this? Besides, what did the emperor have in mind?

There was nothing she could find out from the information given to her right now.

Why did she, who was dying, suddenly find herself sleeping in the middle of the garden?

Why was the emperor so kind and friendly?

“I will try harder.”

“…why…”

“Haha. Since I am in love with you, I have no choice but to try. Please open your heart, Princess Velia.”

At the mention of princess, Velia hurriedly looked around her. It was a familiar scene.

A cozy and warm place.

…It was the Kingdom of Ronica.

It was also the royal palace that Velia was very fond of.

“My feelings for you are sincere, so…”

Velia made no reply, calming her shaking heart.

She then jumped up from her seat and ran to her room along the familiar path.

Eight years as Empress, living in that desolate palace, never feeling the warm arms of her family again.

‘…Nonsense.’

As she hurriedly entered the castle with a loud sound, the familiar faces smiled brightly and welcomed her.

“Princess! Did you actually sleep in the garden today?!”

“Princess Velia!”

Even the maids who couldn’t escape the burned palace.

“Sister! Where have you been?! Father was looking for you earlier!”

“Klose…”

Her younger brother, who ended his own life.

“Velia, the first prince came to visit again.”

Even my brother who lost his life on the battlefield.

“You’re so mesmerized today. Was the prince rude to you?”

“No, no…”

I felt like I was about to burst into tears.

Everyone was alive.

‘How did this happen? Is it a dream…?’

Velia lifted her hand to her cheek and pinched tightly.

“Ah…”

Her cheek felt numb.

“Sister! Why are you pinching your cheek all of a sudden?!”

“It hurts…”

The moment she realized that this was all real, with the twinge of pain she felt in her cheeks, she collapsed on the spot, shedding tears that she had been holding back.

“Huh? Sister, are you crying?!”

“Huh…”

Seeing Velia crying and clutching her chest, Klose sat down next to with her with a worried expression and wiped her tears.

Herald, who was in front of her, also hurriedly ran over to check on her condition.

“Was the first prince rude to you? Huh?”

“Sister. What happened? Why are you like this? Don’t cry.”

Velia rubbed her blurred eyes.

The people in front of her was her own younger and older brother, whom she had missed so much. She had to look right.

“Sorry… It’s my fault. I did everything wrong…”

She chose him, so everything that was peaceful and loving fell apart.

“What are you talking about, sister? What’s the matter? Did you steal my pudding?”

“Velia. Did you have a nightmare?”

Nightmare. Yeah, that was definitely a nightmare.

‘I’m back to the past…’

She was not the empress of the empire, but Princess Velia of the Kingdom of Ronica.

“Her complexion is pale. I will tell Father, so you should go to your room and rest.”

Velia, who had been sobbing for a while as her brother patted her back, gradually stopped crying.

‘…It’s not a dream. I really have returned to the past.’

Back before she fell in love with the emperor.

Funny enough, she returned to the time when the emperor was clinging to her and courting her.

“Princess Velia!”

The emperor, who had followed Velia, called out to her. No, she should call him the first prince now.

She gave him a kind look, but as she looked at him, she only felt resentful and cursed.

Her love for him was long gone. So, as she had desperately hoped before her death, she would never choose him this time.

‘…This is an opportunity.’

She didn’t know why she returned to the past. But she wanted to return to the emperor everything she had experienced.

Velia thought as she coldly looked at the First Prince, who had a worried expression on his face.

‘So let it collapse horribly.’

Because the curse begins now.