Chapter 75 …
“What on earth are you saying…!”
Furrows appeared on her smooth forehead.
Her eyes, always beautiful, trembled with unease, and her slightly red lips quivered.
“I’m fine, Carus.”
“No, you absolutely can’t go.”
“Carus.”
She could no longer afford to waste time.
Going to the palace wouldn’t cause any serious trouble.
And Aiden would be there, too.
It would be fine.
Elena shook off the guards’ arms and embraced him.
Their chests pressed together, and his heart pounded rapidly against hers.
“Nothing will happen.”
“No… you can’t go…”
From his deep breaths, she could feel the anxiety pouring out.
His face, buried in her shoulder, curled in on itself.
DeCarus’s black hair fluttered in the wind, brushing against her cheek.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Elena smiled lightly and stepped into the carriage.
She wanted to reassure him as much as possible.
Losing someone was a painful thing.
She didn’t want him to feel that way again.
“Elena!!!”
“DeCarus, snap out of it!”
Isaac blocked DeCarus, who was lunging forward like a rabid dog.
He thrashed about as if he were a prisoner attempting to escape.
His crimson gaze lingered on her, unable to look away.
Unable to watch him any longer, Elena turned her eyes elsewhere.
In the distance, only screams echoed wildly.
“Let’s go.”
With the Empress’s command, the horses neighed loudly.
The carriage jolted forward over the cobblestone path.
Her heart raced with the carriage’s rhythmic movement.
Being in the same space as the empire’s second-most powerful person…
Elena lowered her head and pressed her lips tightly together.
“I didn’t expect Lady Kyla to choose to enter the palace so readily.”
“I simply followed the will of Her Majesty, the Empress.”
“Thanks to you, this Empress is very pleased.”
The Empress regarded her with a satisfied smile.
The tension made it feel as if her saliva had dried up.
“I would like to hear about Lady Kyla.”
“Oh, I…”
For a moment, Elena was at a loss for words.
What could an orphan like her possibly say?
But as the fiancée of the Duke, she must be of a high noble rank.
“Lady Kyla is the daughter of the Delphion Dukedom of the Canary Empire. She became betrothed to Duke Scullus this year.”
“This year…”
The Empress, fiddling with her long nails, slightly nodded.
“I’ve visited the Canary Empire a few times on diplomatic matters. It’s truly a beautiful country.”
“That’s true…”
Elena had never been to Canary.
The only thing she knew was the Cannati she drank daily.
She steadied her trembling voice and responded as if she knew.
“I’m not sure if our Estelle will suit your tastes, given the differences in diet and climate.”
“Oh, not at all. Everything is to my liking, Your Majesty.”
“That’s a relief.”
A brief silence filled the carriage.
She hated awkwardness and wanted to ease the situation.
Perhaps sensing this, the Empress spoke again.
“Duke Scullus clearly cares very much for Lady Kyla.”
“Oh, yes…”
Her face flushed bright red from embarrassment.
The Empress looked at her with a gentle smile.
The fine lines at the corners of her mouth traced a graceful curve upward.
“Parents must be anxious to send such a beautiful daughter to a faraway land.”
“……”
“I lost my daughter long ago. She was so kind and brave.”
The Empress seemed lost in thought for a moment, her words faltering.
Her gaze toward the window was heavy with melancholy.
“She was to become the future Crown Princess, favored by the Emperor.”
“……”
“But that child slipped through my hands like sand.”
“What…?”
“It happened on the day we went to the sea. In a single distracted moment, she was gone…”
A strange sense of déjà vu crept over Elena.
It felt like a scene she had seen in a dream.
A girl with pink hair shouting at the Empress’s daughter by the sea.
Why did that come to mind all of a sudden?
“Your Majesty…”
The Empress’s eyes glistened with tears as she lowered her head.
Flustered, Elena fumbled through the pocket of her dress.
She took out an embroidered handkerchief and offered it to her.
“Thank you, Lady Kyla.”
The Empress wiped her tears, appearing fragile.
It was a completely different image from before.
“Oh, I’ve shown such a side in front of Lady Kyla.”
The Empress seemed to restrain her emotions.
She placed a hand over her chest and took a deep breath.
Earlier, she had seemed like a fierce tiger, but now she was like a gentle deer.
“Please forgive this Empress’s earlier rudeness. I simply… thought of my daughter.”
Seeing her again, Elena realized she wasn’t such a bad person.
Perhaps her harsh exterior hid a gentle, almost girl-like heart.
“If Your Majesty ever needs me, call upon me. I may not be your real daughter, but I wish to help you.”
“Thank you, thank you, Lady Kyla.”
The Empress clasped her hand with her long, elegant fingers.
The warmth of her hands felt like it was melting Elena’s heart.
To think someone who loved her child so dearly had endured such a cruel trial…
Surely, there was no god in this world.
After two long hours, they arrived at the palace.
The long journey didn’t feel tedious.
Her conversation with the Empress had kept her laughing all the way.
The Empress listened attentively and empathized as if it were her own story.
It felt as familiar as talking with an old friend.
“Lady Kyla, our attendants will show you to your chambers. It’s close to the Ruby Palace, so feel free to visit anytime.”
The Empress stretched out her long arms and embraced her warmly.
The gentle pats on her back felt incredibly comforting.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Once the Empress left, the attendants guided her inside.
Though it was her first time in the palace, it felt strangely familiar.
As if she had been here before.
“It’s nothing to worry about.”
Elena entered without concern.
The palace, made of pure white marble, was even more magnificent than the Duke’s mansion.
Tall columns, grooved vertically, created a textured surface, topped with square frames carved with leaves.
On the large pediments, winged cherubs were intricately sculpted.
“This isn’t a museum…”
It felt like a palace she had seen on a European trip had been transported here.
She gaped in awe at its splendor.
“Lady Kyla, we have arrived.”
The room had ivory wallpaper with pale pink accents, all bordered in gold.
The curtains matched the color of her own hair—delicate pink.
All furniture, from the bed and canopy to the bookshelves, was pure white.
“Is no one else here? It’s so quiet.”
“This is your private chamber, Lady Kyla. No one may enter without your permission, except the royal family.”
“Ah…”
Living alone in such a grand palace made her feel like a real princess.
Somehow, she had come to expect such luxury.
Opulent and extravagant life no longer felt unfamiliar.
“I’ve changed…”
From a gypsy wandering the streets to receiving this noble treatment…
She felt a temporary sense of emptiness, as if the world no longer matched her.
As if she were wearing clothes that didn’t fit.
“There will be a dinner with the Empress later. Let’s change your outfit first.”
“Outfit?”
Had her dress gotten dirty?
It made sense, given she had been on the dirt floor earlier.
“I can handle it myself. Don’t worry.”
At the Duke’s mansion, the attendants had initially tried to dress her, which had surprised her.
She was an adult; she could manage such a thing herself.
“That outfit doesn’t suit the palace. We have extra dresses, so you’ll need to change into one of them.”
“Dress?”
Thinking back, the Empress had worn a lavish dress as well.
Suddenly, Elena felt like going home.
Should she just run away?
“I’ll wear that later. I want to rest now.”
“Very well, Lady Kyla. Please rest comfortably.”
“Thanks.”
Duke’s Mansion, Office.
Screams of a man echoed down the corridor.
They were loud enough to be heard outside the firmly locked door.
“Let go. Let me go, Isaac!!!”
DeCarus thrashed wildly, screaming like a madman.
He looked like a prisoner who had received a death sentence.
“You’re not in your right mind. I can’t let you go like this.”
“It’s an order! An order, Isaac Avern….”
His red eyes were hollow, unfocused as if he were drugged.
“You’re lucky to have a good friend. If it weren’t for me, you’d already be beaten.”
“Elena… Elena’s in danger. We need to get the carriage….”
He muttered her name like an automatic response.
Fed up, Isaac finally yelled at him.
“Enough!!!”
“……”
“Are you crazy? You could’ve died! Instead of protecting Elena, both of you almost died.”
But DeCarus seemed unconcerned, biting his lip tightly.
“I don’t care… If anyone dies, I’d rather it be me.”
“You really…!”
“The Empress will try to kill Elena again…”
Isaac exhaled deeply, frustrated, then spoke as if giving a lecture.
“By what right would she kill the Duke’s fiancée? Even if she tried, the Empress couldn’t handle the consequences. This could spark a factional war. Then it’d be a full-scale war.”
“……”
“Listen carefully. The Empress is clever. She’s not foolish enough to kill an unknown noble girl from another country recklessly. It could escalate into a national conflict.”
Seeing no reaction, Isaac shook his head.
“Elena is sharp and smart. She’ll have handled herself well. So please, snap out of it.”
“……”
“First, we’ll convene a meeting. Stay focused. We need to get Elena out of that devil’s lair.”
Bang!
Isaac slammed the door and headed out.
Left alone on the sofa, DeCarus washed his face with dry hands, clenching his fists.
“Elena…”
As Isaac said, the Empress was clever and cunning.
Even if she was deceived about names and origins, she likely already suspected something.
She had a plan for getting Elena into the palace.
That was exactly the kind of person the Empress was.
Sigh…
Had he known this would all happen so suddenly…
He could have prepared in advance.
How foolish to fail at this.
“This can’t continue like this…”
