“Your Majesty, is it really alright to send them back like this?”
Duke Ludwig’s voice echoed softly against the walls.
He was engaged in some incomprehensible conversation with Parnes. Kasallin, almost unconsciously, pricked up her ears.
“That was the plan from the beginning.”
“I understand completely. But perhaps reconsidering once more…”
The two were deliberately lowering their voices, as if trying not to wake someone, making it impossible to clearly discern what they were talking about.
It felt as though thin, fragmented threads of sound were drifting through the air.
Even if she couldn’t grasp the details, the atmosphere suggested it was far from a pleasant topic.
Just as Duke Ludwig was about to say something in a serious tone from within,
“…Wait, who’s there?”
Kasallin thought she had concealed her presence well, but it seemed Parnes’s keen senses couldn’t be fooled.
He strode forward, having caught the faint sound, and irritably flung the door open.
Startled, Kasallin looked up with wide eyes, and Parnes, whose gaze had been sharply furrowed, immediately softened.
“My lady? Why are you awake at this hour…?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I just heard voices.”
Kasallin’s face flushed slightly, like a child caught doing something naughty.
Parnes quickly draped his coat over her shoulders, which were clad only in a thin dress and shawl.
Then, placing the back of his hand against her cheek, he checked if the morning air had chilled her skin.
“Goodness. Did we wake you? I’m sorry.”
“No, I woke up on my own. But what are you doing up at this late hour?”
“I was having an important discussion with Duke Ludwig.”
“At this hour? Has something happened in the imperial court?”
Kasallin’s eyes, now fully awake, slowly narrowed.
Parnes gazed at her for a moment with an unreadable expression before gently touching her face, as if to reassure her.
“It’s nothing for you to worry about, my lady. Come, shall we return to the bedroom? I’ll help you back to sleep.”
“Your Majesty.”
Kasallin’s small hand firmly grasped Parnes’s sleeve as he tried to casually divert her attention and head back to the room.
In the darkness, their eyes met with a spark.
“I am the empress of this country. I have the right to know everything Your Majesty knows.”
“…”
“Please, tell me. What’s going on?”
Parnes hesitated, lowering his gaze briefly, before finally speaking obediently.
“The other day, there was a minor disturbance near the border with the Khan Kingdom.”
“A disturbance?”
“Remnants of their rebels crossed the border, and it seems the royal side hasn’t been able to control them. But it’s not something you need to worry about. It will be resolved soon.”
“Even if it’s not a major issue, it’s still a matter concerning the country. Why didn’t you tell me anything?”
Kasallin said, her tone tinged with slight surprise.
A strange silence lingered for a moment.
Kasallin glanced at Duke Ludwig’s face behind Parnes. As usual, his expression was unreadable, his lips sealed.
Parnes responded after a long pause.
“You are with child. It’s best to avoid complicated matters as much as possible. The court physician has repeatedly advised you to avoid stress.”
“But I am still…”
“I’ll take care of everything.”
It was rare for Parnes to cut Kasallin off mid-sentence. It was equally uncommon for him to dismiss her wishes so unilaterally.
Kasallin parted her lips silently.
Parnes, still gazing at her with soft, glowing eyes, carefully wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“My lady, you need only spend joyful and happy days here at the Hiss villa, free from worry. That’s enough.”
[This is the timeline separator]Kasallin stayed awake through the night, only dozing off briefly at dawn.
Parnes seemed truly busy, as he didn’t return to the room all night, and when she awoke, the spot beside her was cold and empty.
She reached over the console and rang the bell. Loren Logia entered with cautious steps.
“Are you awake, Your Majesty?”
“Where is His Majesty?”
Kasallin asked as she took a glass of water from her.
“He left early. According to Sir Nigel, there’s important business at the border, so he may return late.”
“Did he leave any message for me?”
“Only to eat well and not overexert yourself.”
Loren Logia replied, gauging Kasallin’s reaction.
As Kasallin rubbed her forehead with a worried expression, Loren Logia quietly approached.
“Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”
Clearly, something was happening outside, but Parnes wouldn’t share anything worth her attention.
He only wished for her to spend serene days at the Hiss villa, surrounded by vibrant flowers, delicious food, and kind servants.
Strictly speaking, military matters were his domain. But Kasallin believed that an emperor and empress should always share the same thoughts and concerns.
Even considering her pregnancy, she was inwardly upset that he wouldn’t share even the lightest burden with her.
Was she, to him, an empress unworthy of such trust? Unlike her usual self, negative thoughts filled her morning.
[This is the timeline separator]“The negotiations for resuming diplomatic ties have collapsed?”
Princess Rillen asked, doubting her ears. Aster nodded, scratching his head.
“I don’t understand. Wasn’t the atmosphere such that ties would be restored any moment? Allowing the delegation’s entry in the first place was a sign of intent to mend relations, wasn’t it?”
“At the critical moment, Emperor Parnes suddenly changed his stance and sent the delegation back. They’re currently returning to the palace.”
“Is he upset because of the rebels causing trouble at the border? He said he’d deal with them quickly.”
“That’s not the reason. The emperor isn’t someone who’d be bothered by such trivial matters.”
“Then why?”
Princess Rillen stood and aimlessly paced the polished office.
Then, stopping abruptly, she clutched her forehead with a heavy sigh.
“Yes. Perhaps he planned this from the start.”
“What do you mean?”
“The emperor never intended to accept our apologies. Allowing the delegation and acting like he’d make peace was just a ploy to deepen the rift between me and Shallen.”
Internal division and factional strife would inevitably destabilize the royal core.
Parnes had merely used Princess Rillen as a convenient pawn.
“So, our first plan to weaken His Majesty’s faction by gaining Emperor Parnes’s support has fallen through.”
Aster shook his head resignedly and continued.
“Once the emperor turns his back, he shows no mercy. With the Khan Kingdom’s strength, he has little to lose by not resuming ties.”
“Shallen’s harm to their empress was certainly a grave mistake, worthy of condemnation. But is it so unforgivable that it justifies ignoring centuries of friendly relations?”
“You can say that because you’ve been studying in the Ram Kingdom. In truth, the emperor is already being lenient with us.”
“Lenient?”
Aster turned his gaze to the window. The ridges, beginning to change into vibrant hues, stretched out like a painting.
“Emperor Parnes… how should I put it? He’s unusually protective of his wife. Whether it’s simple care or an obsession to control her, it’s not normal. When His Majesty touched such a wife, diplomacy and peace were the last things on his mind.”
“So, Emperor Parnes’s resentment and grudge against Shallen run deeper than usual?”
“You don’t know, Princess, but there’s been all sorts of history between the three of them. It’s a miracle they’re both heads of state; if they were commoners, His Majesty would already be lying in a cold coffin.”
Princess Rillen’s fingers, tapping the desk, stopped.
She looked at Aster with a cold yet conflicted expression.
“Then… there’s only one option left.”
“What option?”
Aster, listening intently with bated breath, tilted his head.
Rillen rose from her chair with icy, sunken eyes. Her hand slowly reached Aster’s refined jaw.
Aster raised one eyebrow crookedly, giving an enigmatic smile.
“What’s this?”
“That proposal you made to me before—I’ll accept it. If I become the monarch of the new era, I’ll take you as my partner.”
Lowering her hand, Rillen grabbed Aster’s collar and pulled him close.
Aster’s calm gaze, showing neither surprise nor joy, studied her face.
“Now, tell me. What’s this interesting information about Queen Rose?”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
