HSDOE 31

Chapter 31. What the Phoenix Means
 He had said he slept on the floor last night because he couldn’t ask for permission in advance.

Rescal emphasized twice that he was the one who moved Lasilia to the bed after she fell asleep.
It was obvious he was asking to be allowed to sleep next to her if she felt sorry.
Pipi, on her behalf, grumbled that he was a shameless man.

Still, the fact that he obediently slept on the floor proved he wasn’t someone who’d break the promise to wait until her memories returned before sharing a bed.

Even so, she somehow felt a little nervous.

‘Still, tonight is the last time.’

She just hoped that starting tomorrow, the emperor would return to his usual self.

“Shall I stop brushing now, Your Majesty the Empress?”

Yvette, who had just finished brushing her hair after Lasilia had changed into her nightgown, asked gently.

Her long hair was already smooth and silky.

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Oh dear, what are you saying? It’s the least I can do.”

Yvette had been busy all day.

Aside from minor duties, she had to reorganize the absent maids’ work and talk with the palace servants.

The palace staff were still bewildered by everything that had happened recently. It made sense—they were used to being ordered around by the maids, and now all those maids were gone.

Yvette had cleverly reshuffled the tasks and zones the palace servants were in charge of.
By making them do unfamiliar work, she gave them a day of floundering.
In that time, they’d feel firsthand that things had changed in the empress’s quarters—and they’d start adapting to the new system without the maids.

So far, the plan seemed to be working well.

Thankfully, none of the palace staff had been close to the arrogant maids who used to strut around like they were extensions of the empress.

Of course, there would be some backlash toward Yvette for her sudden rise in status—but it wouldn’t be as bad as with the maids.

Lasilia placed her hand over Yvette’s.

“If anything else becomes difficult, tell me. I didn’t make you my maid so you’d suffer.”

“Of course not, Your Majesty! I would never think that. And really, everything’s been fine so far. Even today, not a single maid was here, but there were no issues, right?”

“Yes. I know you’re doing well. But still—don’t hesitate to speak up if you need anything.”

“You even allowed my younger sisters into the palace to live with me, and gave me such fine clothes. What more could I possibly need? I’m only thankful, truly honored, Your Majesty.”

It was clear from her expression that Yvette meant every word.

“Pii~.”

Pipi flew in sleepily from somewhere.

She had whined during the day that flying tired her out, but by nightfall she was gliding around the room with ease.

At this rate, she might suddenly mature into her adult form any day now.

“Lord Ren seems eager to go to bed… But didn’t His Majesty find out? Will that be a problem?”

Yvette asked, and Lasilia frowned slightly.

“Maybe.”

“Oh dear. Then, is there anything I can do to help?”

There was—plenty, actually. But Lasilia didn’t want to keep dragging Yvette into her secrets.

The less she knew, the safer she’d be.

“For now, pretend you don’t know that Pipi can talk.”

“Huh…? But why… Uh, no, never mind. I’ll obey, Your Majesty.”

Yvette probably didn’t understand why such a thing needed to be hidden—especially when everyone knew the empress was a bonded mate.

But she didn’t question it further. Her silence meant she was willing to accept anything Lasilia asked of her.

“Thank you.”

“Eh? Oh no, not at all. It’s an honor, Your Majesty.”

With the brushing done, her bedtime preparations were complete.

Now, all that remained was to wait for the emperor.

“It’s… strangely quiet.”

Riyan remarked softly behind Rescal as they walked toward the Empress’s quarters.

The audience chamber had been bustling like a marketplace earlier that day, all because of the fallout from the events in the empress’s palace.

It had started with Marquis Pashard, whose wife—the First Maid of the Empress’s Palace—had been suddenly expelled from the palace.

Normally, Rescal wouldn’t have listened to such complaints, but this time, he let the marquis finish his absurd outburst. Not because he cared about the petty affairs of the court—but because it involved the empress.

Soon after, the fathers and husbands of the other expelled maids also came to the audience chamber one after another.

If the Minister of State and the Chief Chamberlain hadn’t begged him to attend to more urgent national affairs, the audience chamber doors might have been ripped off their hinges.

“The emperor’s palace is in chaos over it.”

“If the empress got to rest peacefully because of it, that’s good enough.”

Riyan chuckled softly.

If this was courtship, then Rescal was doing an excellent job.

His words and actions left no doubt—he was sincere about the empress.
She really was his destined partner. His change of heart proved it.

The problem was… What was the empress hiding behind the excuse of amnesia?

“Aren’t you at all concerned about what Marquis Pashard said?”

Just before he was dragged out by the guards, Pashard had left a cryptic remark.

He claimed the empress had expelled his wife because she had accidentally discovered a secret Lasilia was hiding—and she was silenced before she could spread it.

He said it was something dangerous and disgraceful—something only his wife knew—and insisted he didn’t know the details himself.

“It could be true. If she really had a secret that big, it would explain why she suddenly claimed to have amnesia.”

“Perhaps.”

Rescal replied indifferently.

“And you’re not going to do anything about it?”

“The empress is my mate. She’s by my side. What more is there to worry about?”

“Um… But you don’t really know anything about her, Your Majesty. Even the fact that she’s avoided sharing a bed with you all these years… We can’t be certain there weren’t other motives.”

“Motive, huh… You think she avoided me because she wanted to see what happens when I fully turn into a demon?”

That would make no sense.

If the emperor fell, the empress would fall too. If Rescal became a demon, the future of Carthagena would be bleak.

“Yes, of course, it doesn’t make sense. But Her Majesty has always been unpredictable. If she had sided with a rebel like Saint Malik…”

“That’s not possible.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because the phoenix was born.”

“The… phoenix? Excuse me?”

Riyan blinked.

“The phoenix. The piece of my heart I gave to my mate—it was born. That means we’re bonded as one. As you know, a phoenix hasn’t been reborn since the first one died with its bonded mate. The empire’s only phoenix existed back then.”

“Yes. According to the records, that’s true… But you saw it yourself?”

“The empress is keeping it.”

“What? And Sir Serven didn’t notice?”

“It’s still underdeveloped. No bigger than a thumb. She must’ve kept it hidden.”

“Oh… Even so, how could he not have noticed? Tsk.”

That red shard must’ve been the eggshell. No wonder the birds had reacted so violently when it was stolen.

Riyan felt guilty. He had thought it was just a stone and had carelessly stuffed it in his pocket.
If he hadn’t returned it, the phoenix might never have been born.

“If the phoenix was born, then there’s no more room for doubt. But then… what was Marquis Pashard talking about?”

“If he wasn’t lying to my face, then the empress must’ve been hiding something.”

“But you’re saying it doesn’t matter—because she’s your mate.”

Rescal nodded.

“I have no intention of letting the empress out of my sight. No matter her intentions, she won’t be able to leave me.”

“Ah… I see.”

Riyan scratched his neck, feeling slightly uneasy.

The emperor’s instincts came from the blood of demons, so it was natural he wouldn’t think like a normal person—but still, it might be hard for ordinary humans to accept.

“I know the empress might dislike me right now.”

Rescal suddenly muttered a few steps later.

Riyan flushed, feeling as if his thoughts had been read.

“Uh, I don’t think she hates you. I mean, I gave you reasons why…”

“But it’s clear she doesn’t feel the same way I do. …Still, eventually, she’ll fall for me too.”

Riyan glanced at his face. There was the faintest trace of a smile—so subtle it could be mistaken for a blank expression.

“Because of the phoenix?”

“Exactly.”

Riyan smiled as well, mimicking him.

“Then we must thank it. What does the phoenix like, Your Majesty? Should we offer it treats?”

“No.”

Rescal’s smile vanished instantly. He even furrowed his brow in displeasure.

“There’s no need for you to treat it well. It’s arrogant enough as it is.”

“Uh… Wait. That almost sounds like… You don’t like it?”

“I don’t.”

He said firmly.

“Oh dear. But the phoenix is what connects you two.”

“No. It’s my part. It exists to protect my mate when I’m not around.”

“And yet, you dislike it?”

“I’m just tolerating it. Not because I want to.”

“Ah…”

Riyan finally understood why Rescal didn’t like the phoenix.

It’s self-loathing.

That immature little phoenix must’ve been acting exactly like Rescal.

And since it looked like a tiny, cute bird, Lasilia probably doted on it. Unlike how she acted toward Rescal.

He must feel like it’s stealing his place.

Riyan chuckled inwardly.

That emotion he called “dislike”… was jealousy.

And tonight—on the very night he finally got to sleep in the same bed as the empress—that jealousy peaked.

“Piiiii!”

Lasilia opened the bedroom door in her nightgown.
Rescal finally understood what it meant to feel every hair on your body standing on end.

He held his breath as he took off his outer robe and accepted the nightgown offered by Person. He couldn’t even remember how he made it to the bed.

“I’ll turn off the light now.”

Person respectfully bowed, though the gesture was utterly useless at this moment, and left the room.

Blue moonlight filled the now silent room.

His whole body felt heavy like stone—or like he was floating in water. It was hard to breathe. His chest actually hurt.

“Somehow, it feels like this will be a very long night.”

The empress whispered softly.

Rescal clutched his pounding chest, about to ask if he could hold her hand.

But that’s when it happened.

“Piiiii!”

The smug, half-grown bird flew in and, as if showing off, nestled right into the empress’s palm.