For the first time, the Empress became enraged with Cameron when she learned that he had entered into a ridiculous hunting bet with the Conler siblings.
The already pallid face of the Empress turned white.
“Why do you keep trying to make the Grand Duke of Conler an enemy?”
“Don’t they challenge the emperor’s authority?”
The Empress asked Cameron in her trademark gentle voice, trying her best to contain her rage despite how pathetic her son’s actions were.
Regardless of whether Cameron was aware of her mother’s emotions or not, he trembled angrily and yelled.
“At what point did they question his authority?”
The Empress, who had quickly cooled down in comparison to Cameron, asked him in a cold tone.
The unusual tone of his mother’s voice startled Cameron. No, even if he wasn’t surprised, there was nothing he could say to the Empress’s question.
Seeing Cameron like that, the empress had a throbbing headache. The empress wrinkled her forehead and scowled.
“But you always tell me…….”
“Speak properly.”
Cameron hesitated and couldn’t complete his sentence as the empress spoke coldly to him.
The Empress couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness as she stared at her son, now a grown man, and the First Prince, but couldn’t even speak clearly.
She was left wondering what had become of her kids.
Cameron was too hostile, while Lausanne was overly cordial with the Grand Princess. There would be nothing left for her to wish for if the two could come together successfully.
“The Academy’s top position should have been mine, not Gilbert Conler’s!”
“Prince.”
“And the graduation speech, too! Why do they keep mentioning that bastard when everything should be mine!”
The empress gently shook her head and closed her eyes. It was a regrettable story for Cameron, but the empress was more objective than expected.
The empress knew.
The more he spoke like that, the more it demonstrated how much more qualified the Conler family is.
“How foolish would I look if even their youngest child disregarded me!”
“……Mary Conler?”
“How does the Conler family, a noble family of the empire, educate their children? She acts as if she’s better than me.”
Mary Conler.
He also had a hunting bet with Mary Conler before.
She was actually taken aback to learn that Estin Conler had agreed to the hunting wager.
‘Estin Conler…….’
When the empress was young and immature, she had a thought.
Perhaps the Grand Duke will rebel and set her free.
Because of that hope, she, who had always been crying since she entered Britina’s imperial family, would sneak out and look at Estin Conler whenever he visited the imperial family.
Her hope slowly dwindled the longer she observed him from behind.
It was because Estin Conler’s indifferent black eyes showed no such sign.
Curiosity grew in the spot where her hope was dashed.
She wondered, “Can those black eyes hold a loved one?”
It was pure curiosity, but it still pricked the corner of the empress’s heart.
Even when she heard he was getting married, she thought there would be no love in that marriage.
Until she met Helena.
The person who shone like the sun said she would be happy to become a sister-like friend to her.
The word, which could be presumptuous, strangely remained in the empress’s heart.
Such a wonderful individual.
It was so beautiful when Estin Conler and Helena stood side by side.
They were the ideal couple she had imagined since she was a child.
The empress used to call Helena with all kinds of excuses. Just like Lausanne, she opened a salon, and she would listen to Helena talk about her married life.
She listened with a shy expression as Helena told her about Estin. He was much more tender and loving than the empress had anticipated.
The emotions she felt while listening to the story were…
Can we say that she only felt pure envy?
“Can’t mother convince His Majesty?”
The empress, who had been lost in thought for a moment, came to her senses at Cameron’s words. She shook her head.
“Cameron, I also object. Why do you keep trying to make a hunting bet with that kid? The Grand Duchy of Conler will be helpful when the prince ascends to the throne.”
“Mother.”
The queen tried to calmly convince Cameron, but Cameron interrupted her.
The queen waited for his words, wondering what he was trying to say.
“With this bet, we can really take care of Grand Duke Conler.”
“……what?”
“Through this bet, the Grand Duchy Conler will be greatly shaken. And if mother tells this story to his Majesty, he will think of you again.”
“Cameron Arstans.”
“They say that “she” and His Majesty are going on vacation together!”
The empress inhaled deeply. Cameron spoke in a low voice while looking at her mother, who was trying to maintain her composure.
“I have someone to introduce you to today.”
Cameron turned towards the door. A man she had never seen before entered as the door opened.
“Your Majesty, it’s been a long time.”
No, actually, it wasn’t her first time meeting him.
“A lot of time has passed since Helena’s incident.”
That man was someone who should never appear in front of her again. The empress felt her stomach turn as she looked into his purple eyes.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“What?”
Theodore asked, looking disapprovingly at Demimore, who was lying on my lap and breathing evenly.
“You fell and injured your knee earlier.”
“Ah, ugh….”
Demimore moaned and opened his eyes just as I was about to reassure Theodore that everything was okay.
Theodore looked at Demimore with surprise. Demimore alternately turned to look at Theodore and me.
“How did you get here…?”
“That’s what we want to know.”
“Mary, did you slip and fall? Are you hurt?”
“No, why were you lying here? What happened?”
He appeared to have heard Theodore just before waking up. His concern for me made me smile.
Shouldn’t I be the one worried here?
“Oh, I was stung by some bee or something.”
“Are you okay? Where did you get stung?”
Demimore spoke as if it were nothing, but I, worried about him, looked here and there at Demimore’s body.
He held out his forearm. I could actually see the tiny puncture marks on his shirt.
“You smelled so sweet earlier……. That’s why you’re stung!”
“You smelled sweet?”
Theodore, who was listening to me berating Demimore in an upset voice, approached Demimore, frowning.
“Demimore, you intentionally wanted to get stung, right?”
“Is that true? Is that why you prepared an antidote?”
“What does Cameron have to do with this? Tell us.”
“You siblings are in perfect harmony that it scares me.”
Demimore laughed low as Theodore and I took turns pressing him.
“I’m a little worn out right now. Can I tell you later?”
Demimore’s eyes were only partially open, showing that he had not yet fully recovered.
Thinking that we have to help Demimore recover first, we stood up, supporting him.
When Theodore whispered something to Demimore, the latter vehemently denied it. Before I could ask what he was talking about, Theodore turned to me.
“You lent him your knee earlier, so I’ll help him this time.”
Wouldn’t it be easier to work together…
I was exhausted anyway, so I obeyed Theodore and stepped back.
I packed up and followed Theodore and Demimore as they took the lead.
Come to think of it, where’s Arsene?
When I looked around, Arsene disappeared somewhere again. I exhaled a brief sigh.
I don’t even think I properly expressed my gratitude.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“Oh, it’s alright. Demimore, what about you?”
“I’m fine, too.”
We had a pointless conversation. I knew they were lying when they said they were fine, but I was so exhausted I didn’t even have the energy to speak.
As we trudged along, I heard a familiar voice calling out to me from a distance.
When I heard that voice, I sprinted with all my strength in its direction. I squeezed my last remaining energy to run toward him.
“Mary!”
A familiar hand lifted me up. Being held by Grand Duke Estin made me want to cry a little bit.
“Well done.”
It was clear that he came to meet me and Theodore because he was worried about us.
Lucas, who had followed Grand Duke Estin, wrapped his arms around Demimore, who had been supported by Theodore.
“I heard roughly what had happened from the First Prince.”
“Oh….”
“We should return for the time being. You caught an amazing beast.”
Ah, I see. The beast!
It was only then that I remembered the beast.
