The Saintess Returned to the Emperor's Arms

Identity of the medicine 

 

Herhan’s hand, which had been stroking Riella’s back, suddenly stopped.

 

Perhaps it was because the hand that had been comforting her had stopped, or perhaps because she was overcome with emotion, Riella spoke incoherently while sobbing.

 

“Don’t die. your majesty. You can’t just leave me alone. Don’t do that.”

 

“Riella…”

 

Riella, who was trembling and kneeling in front of Herhan, hugging his body tightly, was desperate.

 

Her arms around him were strong as if she could never let Herhan go anywhere.

 

Herhan was confused; she had never hugged him with such force before.

 

“Your Majesty. What should I do for you? what should I do…”

 

“Riella. calm down. I’m okay.”

 

Even though he explained that it was because the cravat around his neck was too tight, Riella could not calm down easily.

 

Herhan had no choice but to pat Riella on the back again.

 

Riella’s trembling gradually stopped as she heard a long, gentle voice as if comforting a child, saying, “Sshh, yes, that’s right.”

 

After a while, Riella finally released her arms from Herhan and looked up.

 

Her face, which had been smiling brightly like a flower in water all day, suddenly became sad.

 

Only then did Herhan realize clearly. What Riella had been holding back all this time, smiling as happily as she could, and what was she doing alone.

 

“Are you so afraid that I will die?”

 

Riella bit her lip hard, probably feeling sad again at the words that were too friendly to be scolded.

 

Herhan’s eyes landed on Riella’s pure white back, which was clearly exposed thanks to the hem of her dress.

 

He was so surprised that a very shy woman came running out like that.

 

Herhan took off his jacket and wrapped it around Riella. Then Riella remembered her own embarrassing outfit and blushed.

 

“Looks like Jess scared you. Is that why you’ve been secretly tormenting yourself all this time, thinking I’d disappear in front of you one day?”

 

“Your majesty….”

 

“Answer me. I want to hear it again.”

 

Riella looked at Herhan with resentment.

 

‘I couldn’t understand the emperor’s intentions as to why he was trying to make me cry again after trying to soothe me.’

 

Still, Riella stared at him with a face that still had tears left in it. 

 

And then, with nothing but herself in it, she confessed to the burning blue eyes.

 

“Yes. I’m scared.’

 

‘In fact, the whole time. Even in all the moments when I acted brightly in front of him.’

 

“I was so scared. I don’t want to lose your majesty. I hope Your Majesty will continue to look at me and call me by my name. I don’t even want to think about Your Majesty disappearing. I wish Your Majesty would still be by my side. I…”

 

‘I like your Majesty.’

 

Riella, who was pouring out all her emotions as if they were bursting, suddenly came to her senses and closed her mouth at the last word.

 

‘Jess’ warning to never break down in front of His Majesty must have been given out of concern for this very situation.’

 

“Sorry. what should I say now…”

 

“No. Rather, I feel sorry.”

 

However, Herhan actually apologized to Riella, who bowed her head.

 

“Sorry. I made you so sad, but I just think you’re pretty.”

 

When Liella, surprised by those words, raised her head, Herhan cupped Riella’s cheek and bent down.

 

Riella gently closed her wide-open eyes as Herhan’s face slowly approached her.

 

Then the tears that had been hanging in her eyes began to flow down her round cheeks. By the time the tears had soaked into the corners of her mouth, Herhan’s lips were placed on Riella’s lips.

 

The two lips lusted after each other, moist with tears.

 

While the affectionate kiss continued, Riella hugged Herhan tightly around his neck. 

 

If she does that, she feels like Herhan will never be able to leave her.

 

* * * 

 

“Huh, hmm. Are you finished?”

 

Asion, who was waiting in front of the door of the private room, clearly saw the two people coming out with slightly disheveled clothes, but pretended not to notice and cleared his throat.

 

“It seems that the news that His Majesty has come to inspect the Imperial City has spread. The employees here blocked everything, but citizens are gathering outside the store.”

 

As Asion said, the street outside the store visible from the window was crowded.

 

The eyes of the citizens were shining as they craned their necks to see the young new emperor and to see the mysterious woman that the emperor himself had brought out.

 

“Let’s go back now. Your Majesty.”

 

“I’m sorry Riella.”

 

There was nothing to be sorry for. It didn’t change the fact that she would be with Herhan, whether in the imperial city or the palace.

 

However, instead of revealing her true feelings, Riella chooses to act foolishly.

 

“Maybe next time.”

 

“Okay. next time. Anytime you want.”

 

Herhan held Riella’s hand tightly.

 

Asion guided the two people to the carriage waiting at the back gate.

 

The carriage in which Herhan and Riella rode crossed the imperial palace walls and went straight to the lake palace.

 

Several maids, including Lou, were out in front of the lake palace. They received a message that Riella would arrive soon, and when they saw the emperor getting out of the same carriage as Riella, they turned around and covered their mouths.

 

“We have to go now.”

 

Herhan said, straightening his clothes as he stepped down from the carriage.

 

Asion had already explained that he and Jess would discuss things as soon as they returned to the palace, so Riella nodded resolutely.

 

It was Herhan who actually hesitated.

 

“I have to go, but my feet didn’t want to leave. I’m afraid you’ll cry because I’ll disappear again.”

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

Riella shouted at Herhan, forgetting that she was being watched. Herhan’s face relaxed and he let out a low chuckle.

 

Riella sighed and closed her eyes tightly.

 

She was already being teased in so many ways, and now he has added another thing to tease her.

 

“It’s because of your Majesty. Why are you wearing your tie so tight?…I did it because I was really worried, but if you teased me like that—”

 

“Okay. okay. I get it. It’s all my fault.”

 

“No, I’m not saying that.….”

 

Herhan laughed as if Riella’s protest was tickling, and then smoothed Riella’s hair with his hand that had been touching his collar.

 

“I’ll be back quickly so you don’t have to worry anymore, so wait for me.”

 

Herhan kissed the red hair wrapped around his fingertips.

 

Riella’s cheeks, slightly changed, turned a pretty rosy color.

 

* * * 

 

“Miss Riella, There’s something you need to check out.”

 

It was a few hours later when an official wearing a blue uniform came to the Lake Palace.

 

Riella took what he offered. 

 

Inside the blue silk pouch was a letter made of stiff paper.

 

When Riella saw the red wax seal sealing the letter, she was confused as to what she was supposed to do.

 

“You can just open it and check it yourself.”

 

“Me?”

 

“Yes. Checking diplomatic correspondence was basically the job of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but now that Ambassador Liotta has taken office, diplomatic affairs with the Kingdom of Liotta will be transferred from now on to Ambassador Riella.”

 

‘Ah. yes. I am Ambassador Liotta.’

 

It was only after carefully listening to the explanation that Riella realized the identity of the letter.

 

‘Now that I think about it, the shape of the red wax seal looked familiar.’

 

“So you’re saying this is a letter sent from the Kingdom of Liotta.”

 

“Yes. After checking the contents, please summarize the reply and delivery and report it.”

 

For a long time after the official had left, Riella stared at the letter bearing King Liotta’s seal.

 

What a tiresome relationship.

 

Once a fugitive hunted by them, now an ambassador, now the first to break their wax seals.

 

Taking a determined breath, Riella sat down at her desk and opened the kingdom’s letter. It was her first task as Ambassador of the Kingdom of Liotta.

 

The envelope contained several documents.

 

An official appointment letter for the Kingdom’s ambassador with the name ‘Riella Blinite’ written on it.

 

In addition, the King’s flattering letter states that he will follow His Majesty Emperor Herhan’s suggestions in the future and requests active diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

‘As expected, it was His Majesty’s will to appoint me as ambassador.’ 

 

Riella’s eyes widened as she smiled and took out the last letter from the envelope.

 

The last letter was from Greta, announcing her upcoming marriage to her fiance. And that she and her fiance would be visiting the Empire soon.

 

‘Her fiance is Fabian.’ 

 

Riella quietly scanned the text with her fingertips.

 

‘So you’re really getting married now. I suppose now that the old case is over, Fabian doesn’t have to stay in hiding any longer.’

 

‘It was strange. I expected my teeth to grind or my heart to ache, but it didn’t hurt.’

 

Her fingertips skimmed over the words ‘fiance’ without any hesitation.

 

‘The princess is still the same. Every time she hates me, the weapon she holds and waves is always him.’

 

Greta’s handwriting was straight, but the paper was dented as if she had been writing with a lot of pressure.

 

Riella glanced at the letter, then picked up a pen and paper and wrote a reply.

 

Riella’s handwriting was light and cheerful, without any regrets, unlike Greta’s, where each letter was filled with anger and furrowed lines.

 

[This is Ambassador Riella Blinite. I have received the Royal Appointment Letter and the Princess’s letter. Please convey the will of the Royal Family to the Imperial palace] 

 

Riella’s hand, which had been writing elegantly, paused there for a moment.

 

But without even taking a deep breath, Riella continued her sentence without hesitation, clutching the blue fountain pen tightly.

 

[We will prepare for you and your fiance’s visit without a hitch.] 

 

* * * 

 

At that time, Herhan was in Jess’s laboratory with Asion.

 

When he first sat down in front of Jess, Herhan had planned to scold him harshly. 

 

‘Why did he instigate her to worry about useless things? Does he know how much trouble she suffered because of him?’

 

However, he missed the timing because Jess made a bold statement.

 

Jess said he had something very important to tell him as soon as he returned to the palace, and the news he delivered was definitely quite shocking.

 

“It’s plain water.”

 

“What?”

 

“The fake medicine. It was just plain water with no effect, just the color and consistency made to look like the real thing.”

 

After a moment of silence, Asion held his stomach and laughed as if it were absurd.

 

“I don’t know who the enemy is, but aren’t they really stupid? To brainwash Carnell at best was to feed His Majesty plain water? Well, that’s a relief. His Majesty didn’t take any strange poison.”

 

Asion straightened his shoulders, satisfied with his words. Jess’s gaze towards Asion was filled with nothing but patheticness.

 

“A guy who has only held a sword his whole life shouldn’t be this stupid.”

 

“What? Are you done talking now?”

 

“If you have a brain, try thinking. Asion.”

 

“What am I—!”

 

“Your Majesty only drank ‘plain water’ for almost a month between going to the Kingdom of Liotta and coming back to the Empire.”

 

Asion’s face, which was growling as if he would stand up and grab Jess by the collar, slowly turned into a look of astonishment.

 

Among them, Herhan was silent with his arms crossed.

 

Asion was so stupid that he didn’t notice it quickly.

 

The fact that Herhan, who relied on a daily dose of medicine to get him through the day, hadn’t taken his medication in nearly a month.

 

“His Majesty should have been a corpse as he was in the kingdom.”

 

Jess said as if declaring death.

 

Herhan, who must have come to the same conclusion, nodded but said nothing.

 

“What, what…! That’s strange, Jess. His Majesty is in such good health now!”

 

“Yeah. That’s what I wanted to say.”

 

Asion, whose complexion had turned pale, urged Jess, but instead of answering Asion, Jess asked Herhan.

 

“Your majesty. Why are you still alive?”

 

“…..”

 

“How on earth are you still alive?”

 

* * *