If you want to take responsibility for her
After a leisurely breakfast, Riella decided to take a walk in the garden with Lou.
“Are you going out?”
“Then, are you going to lock me up?”
Riella asked, copying Herhan’s glare.
Herhan burst out laughing at the sight of her imitating him exactly like a mirror.
‘Ah, if I laugh, I lose.’
But when he regrets it, Riella has already sensed her victory and is taking out her dress to go out.
“They say the one who loves more is the weaker one. Riella.”
Herhan leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
“You are stronger than me now.”
Then, Riella, who was busy preparing to go out, raised her head towards Herhan.
Even if it was just empty words, she could tell Herhan that she loves him too, but Riella only responded with a mischievous smile. As if she was taking revenge for being manipulated by Herhan all night.
“See that garden? The part with the blue fence. That’s as far as I can see from this window, so don’t go over that fence. You’re taking Lou with you, and you got an escort—”
“I’ll be back!”
Herhan’s worries, which continued without end, were dismissed by Riella with just one word.
Herhan sighed as he watched Riella leave the bedroom without any regrets.
‘It’s clear that I can’t beat you now. I’m the one who’s more nervous, the one who’s more anxious, the one who’s missing one more touch from you…oh, Asion was right again.’
‘At this rate, just as Asion had said, the day when I would call myself ‘Riela’s servant’ was not far off. No, maybe it has already happened.’
Herhan pulled up a chair to the window and sat down, resting his chin on it.
After waiting for a while, he saw Riella and Lou outside.
Lou, who recognized the emperor first, pointed towards the window, and Riella raised her head towards it and looked up at the emperor, smiling brightly for a long time.
It was a truly refreshing smile, soaking up the summer sunshine.
Herhan unconsciously followed Riella and smiled. But as Riella began to walk away, he felt more pain than he had ever felt before.
‘hah…what am I supposed to do with a woman who looks so pretty from afar and so small?’
Herhan, who had been resting its chin, sighs deeper.
‘What if everyone in the world is obsessed with you, Riella?’
If someone heard it, they might wonder why he was so anxious, but to Herhan, it was a serious and profound concern that took his breath away.
Yesterday, the princess left the palace with Fabian.
It was Asion who had rushed to tell him.
“The princess’s behavior is suspicious. She told the maids of the west palace that she was traveling to the southern Lates Mountains, but according to the watchtower, the direction she went is northeast.”
“If it’s the northeast,….”
“We’ll have to check to know, but if the expected path is correct, it’s the central temple.”
Herhan was so shocked that he didn’t even have time to frown.
The princess who had been secretly in contact with the shadow merchant is now approaching the central temple.
‘What on earth is her plan? Has she really figured out Riella’s true identity? Is she going to report Riella to the temple?’
‘If I had known this would happen, I would have read the princess’ mind in advance, but I was distracted by her fiance…’
“I will follow them right now.”
“Are you sure about that? It might take a few days.”
“Oh my god. Your Majesty, will you be okay without me?”
Herhan laughed lazily and added a final order to Asion as he turned away.
“Asion. Do you remember what I said before? Anyone who tries to do something stupid to Riella can be killed on the spot.”
“Even if they are a royal or a priest?”
Herhan confirmed it by closing his eyes briefly.
To incur the wrath of the gods. To turn the whole world against him. It was something he’d resolved to do the moment he’d taken Riella into his arms
“I will obey your command.”
Several hours had passed since Asion had set out to track down the princess’ carriage.
If the destination was indeed the central temple, the results would be known by tomorrow at the latest.
‘If the princess wants to accuse Riella,…At that time, there was really no choice but to kill her….’
Herhan felt like his head was going to burst.
Herhan had fought countless battles to regain his position. Killing enemies was nothing new to him, but the problem was Riella.
Will Riella understand that Herhan has to become a monster to protect her?
“Your Majesty, the staff of the Embassy have a request for an audience with you.”
“What? who?”
With his head already aching, the unexpected visitor further upset Herhan.
“What’s going on? Riella isn’t here.”
Herhan deliberately went out to the door himself to greet El.
“I know. I heard she went out for a walk.”
“Then?”
“I have come to see Your Majesty.”
At those words, the guard the emperor had assigned to El suddenly looked anxious. Herhan raised his hand to tell him to rest and brought El into the inner room.
In response to Herhan’s words to keep things brief, El asked a question that was so direct that it was almost rude.
“What are you going to do with the Ambassador?”
Herhan was dumbfounded for the first few seconds after being asked that question. He had no idea what the question meant or what the intention behind it was.
“It seemed like the ambassador still didn’t know anything.”
“I don’t plan on revealing anything until I’m sure.”
“Your Majesty, you already know.”
Beneath the shadow of his hair, El’s eyes shone sharply and pierced Herhan’s mind.
EL was right.
Even without the priest’s judgment, Herhan was certain of Riella’s existence.
As a descendant of Enril and as the one finally being purified by the other half of his interlocked soul, it was inevitable that he would instinctively know that.
“But what does that have to do with you?”
“I wonder why you are neglecting the Ambassador, even though you know.”
“I’m neglecting Riella?”
“Keeping her close to your Majesty. Holding her in your arms in front of everyone. If that isn’t neglect, then what is it?”
That was an off-topic remark.
‘I had kept him alive out of necessity and I had tolerated him because of what he had seen of Riella, but now it was hard to endure.’
‘How do I cut this guy off? He knows too much truth, so I guess I’ll just have to cut him off.’
While Herhan’s eyes searched for the sword, El continued talking.
“The Ambassador has already been noticed and targeted by too many people. I know that you held an emergency meeting a few days ago to clarify the rumors surrounding the Ambassador. What are your plans now? If you are not going to take full responsibility for the Ambassador,…”
“There is no reason for me to explain my plans to you.”
“What?”
But then, just at that moment, Riella came back.
Herhan and El, who had been staring at each other, quickly tried to avert their gazes.
“Your Majesty.”
Riella immediately sensed the ominous atmosphere and jumped in front of Herhan.
Then, without realizing it, she caressed Herhan’s face, which was distorted into a fierce grimace. As if she were calming down an angry child.
“You’re not fighting again because you can’t stand It anymore, are you?”
“Riella! I was so calm, but he started the fight—”
Herhan couldn’t bring himself to finish the words that were rising to his throat. Now that he thought about it, it sounded like something a child would say.
It was El who broke the awkward silence.
“I have brought some documents for the ambassador to see.”
“Oh. You didn’t have to go all the way to… Thank you, sir El.”
“No. The princess has gone out without saying anything, so some documents need to be taken care of.”
“I know. But I think it’s a bit difficult for me to handle this alone…”
Riella rolled her eyes at Herhan as if asking for help.
But Herhan ignored Riella. He didn’t like the fact that Riella only scolded him and only talked affectionately about work with El.
“Your Majesty, may I go to the chambers with Sir El for a moment?”
“No.”
“Then what about here? Can I work with Sir El here for a little while?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what should I do? I can’t do this alone.”
“Just leave it to El.”
“Then what about me? Just sign the completed documents?”
“Yes. Do that. Riella, you won’t be sitting across from El anymore. It would have been better if I had done it for you.”
“……”
The rapid exchange of words suddenly stopped.
Herhan, who had been turning his back on Riella and only spitting out firm words, felt as if he was being attacked.
It was just yesterday that he heard a confession that Riella had been working harder and harder because she wanted to be acknowledged by him. But today, he is jealous of another man and tells Riella to quit her job.
“Riella. I mean, I’m not ignoring you….”
“Your Majesty is right. We will do that.”
However, when Herhan turned around to make a belated excuse, he was met with Riella, who surprisingly had a happy expression on her face.
“Your Majesty and Sir El, work together. I will stay away from you two!”
* * *
“How about it, do you think it’s going well?”
“I don’t know, Miss Riella. The atmosphere seems tense.”
‘But at least they’re talking, right?’
Riella and Lou, trapped in the Emperor’s bedroom, poked their heads through the crack in the door.
The Emperor sat in the living room facing El, looking over the documents that Riella had to handle.
“I was already planning to ask His Majesty to lift the restraining order against Sir El, so this is a good thing. I hope this will be a chance for the two of them to become closer.”
“Well, Miss Riella. I don’t think the two of them can become closer…”
Although Lou scratched her head, Riella did not give up hope.
“After what happened yesterday, I’m sure His Majesty has changed a bit, and if he really believes in me, there’s no reason for him to be hostile to El, right?”
* * *
Of course, it was an unrealistic expectation.
“Don’t think that just because I’m sitting across from you that I’ve let my guard down.”
“That’s not exactly what I’m hoping for.”
The two sat face to face for a few moments, unable to resist Riella’s request.
At first glance from afar, it looked like they were exchanging documents amicably, but in reality, what was being exchanged between them was cold, venomous language.
“Just because you know something of her identity doesn’t make you her protector.”
“Neither does Your Majesty. Just because the ambassador is a descendant of Ann, it does not mean she should be yours.”
“What if I want to make Riella the empress?”
“Yes?”
The nonstop conversation was interrupted only by Herhan’s words.
Herhan finally raised the corners of his mouth as he watched the hesitant El.
“What you said earlier. You wanted to tell me to let go of Riella if I am not going to take full responsibility for her. What about now, If I am going to take full responsibility for Riella?”
El couldn’t answer. His gaze remained steadfastly fixed on Herhan the entire time.
“Riella was smart. She put us both here facing each other. If she hadn’t done that, I would have killed you right then and there. But thanks to Riella, I’ve calmed down. Thanks to her, my thoughts about you have changed.”
“Are you going to spare my life out of kindness?”
“No. I intend to use you completely and then kill you.”
Herhan responded calmly to El’s gaze.
“The more I look at you, the more I feel certain that you will be a very useful card in protecting Riella until the end.”
El’s eyes widened at that, and then the corners of his mouth twitched up in interest.
Herhan also smiled leisurely.
A silent conversation took place through their piercing gazes.
Yeah, if you want to try, go ahead and try. Just give it a try, as much as you want.
“You two, would you like some snacks…?”
At that moment, Riella, who was curious about the situation, could not overcome her curiosity and cautiously appeared.
Riella was holding a plate of cookies that had already been placed somewhere in the living room.
In fact, she was thinking of leaving that between them and then stepping back.
‘Huh? The atmosphere Is better than I thought. They’re even smiling at each other?’
At that time, El spoke to Riella.
“Yes, Ambassador. His Majesty was telling me an interesting story. He told me a great plan regarding the Ambassador’s future plans….Oh, was that something I shouldn’t have told her, Your Majesty?”
Herhan, who had been smiling provocatively at El, froze in place.
The corners of his lips, which had been raised all the way up, trembled without being able to smile or lower back down.
“Huh? Some plan for my future? What is it, Your Majesty?”
Naturally, Riella innocently took the bait.
“Oh, no…it’s nothing, Riella.”
“Why am I the only one who doesn’t know? What is it?”
“It’s nothing….”
‘He even threatened to kill me, so I’ll take revenge for that.’
El smiled brightly at Herhan’s confusion.
* * *
