How the Abandoned Queen Made That Man Kneel - Chapter 21

The soft morning sunlight and the feeling of dry sheets pleasantly enveloped her whole body.

Kasalin, who lifted her eyes wide open like someone who had fainted and woken up, could not understand why she was in bed, even covered with a blanket.

She must have slept crouched in front of the fireplace.

Thinking it was strange, she turned her eyes to the clock without much thought and froze like a stone statue when she saw the hand pointing to the number ’11’.

11 a.m.

It was a time that Kasalin had never woken up to in her entire life.

“No way. Why didn’t anyone wake me up?”

As soon as she said that, a few maids came in, hearing the movement.

“Did you cough?”

“Yes. I have a lot to do, so it would have been nice if you had woken me up early.”

“Actually, it was the Emperor’s order. He warned us not to disturb you until you wake up, saying you might have a cold.”

The maids spoke to each other in a somewhat meaningful tone, exchanging satisfied glances.

Kasalin looked in the mirror hanging over the fireplace, examining her haggard face, and tilted her head.

“His Majesty?”

“Yes. And he said that since the soldiers have been searching for the ring all night, don’t rush around chasing it and rest quietly in your room.”

“Oh my… I’ve caused trouble for His Majesty.”

What on earth happened while she was sleeping?

She couldn’t understand why Challen and Rose, who would usually make a fuss even if she was a minute late, were quiet and not looking for her today.

“Causing trouble? Not at all.”

“That’s right. His Majesty is always lenient only towards Lady Kasalin.”

Above all, was it just a feeling that the maids seemed unusually kind today?

She couldn’t understand why they kept flattering her as if she were a precious guest in the Lenel imperial family.

“It’s not just that he’s lenient with me, His Majesty is originally a person with a caring heart.”

When Kasalin said that, the maids couldn’t hide their absurd looks in unison.

“His Majesty is caring?”

“Of course, on the outside, it seems like he won’t shed a drop of blood, but if you look closely, it’s not like that. In fact, you will all feel that he is a person with deeper emotions than anyone else.”

The maids exchanged puzzled glances with each other, as if Kasalin’s words sounded like a strange foreign language that they could not understand at all.

They tilted their heads, thinking deeply about something, and were about to say something.

“Lady Kasalin Robberfon. His Majesty the Emperor has arrived.”

As soon as the servant informed them from outside, not only the maids but also Kasalin was startled and got up.

She hurriedly combed her messy hair with her fingers and said to come in quickly.

Parnes entered with his usual indifferent face, and when he saw Kasalin still in her chemise dress, he turned his gaze away with a slightly perplexed expression.

“You really… Are you a lady with any sense?”

“Pardon? What do you mean?”

“If you were in the middle of changing, you should have said so.”

Parnes, who had completely turned his head, strongly expressed his will to never look in Kasalin’s direction no matter what.

Only then did Kasalin realize that she had greeted him in too light attire, not anyone else. She belatedly stepped back and apologized.

Not only was she startled to hear the servant say that the Emperor had arrived, but she also thought that she couldn’t keep him waiting, so she had no time to observe anything else.

“It’s done, so hurry up and cover yourself with something.”

“Yes. Please excuse me for a moment.”

As Kasalin went into the inner space hidden by a tall partition with the maids, she glanced at where Parnes was.

His neck seemed to be flushed red, but she thought it was because of the increasingly sultry weather.

Kasalin dressed neatly and appeared in front of him.

“I heard the story. You searched for the ring all night.”

“To be precise, my soldiers found it.”

“I’m sorry for making you worry for no reason. I should have found it. This won’t happen next time.”

Parnes’ eyes, which had still been looking at the distant mountains, slowly moved to Kasalin’s face.

He stared intently at her face, which had a faint trace of drowsiness as she had just woken up, as if it were something very interesting.

Kasalin continued.

“In that sense, I’d like to do something in return.”

“You have a rough sleeping habit.”

“Pardon?”

Parnes crossed his arms obliquely and grinned crookedly.

“It seems you’re keeping a bird in your head.”

“…Ah, no, I’m not.”

Kasalin, who understood his meaning, bowed her head with a flushed face and hurriedly fixed her messy hair.

How dare he tease me when I’m talking seriously.

But who could she blame?

She should rebuke her own lax spirit for showing an unkempt appearance in front of the Emperor of a neighboring country.

“If you want to repay me that much, follow me.”

“Follow you, where?”

“Insolent fellow. Did you already forget your promise with the Emperor?”

We’re going to have a meal.

He was blunt as always, but somehow he seemed embarrassed. Unable to say the words to eat together as they were, he turned them around bluntly and left the room.

Kasalin followed him carefully, holding a somewhat warm and ticklish swelling heart.

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The afternoon garden, swept by a shower, was still wet and full of clear and fresh energy.

After walking for a while, Parnes led Kasalin to a forest with a large lake.

It was hard to believe that it was inside the imperial palace, as it was lush with all kinds of trees and flowers, and a feast was set up there.

“What… is all this?”

Contrary to her expectation of simply having a simple meal, it was quite formally prepared, so Kasalin could not help but be embarrassed.

She thought that there might be other guests coming besides herself, but there were only two chairs placed across the table.

“What else? Sit down.”

Parnes walked past the edge of the table and pulled out a chair with one hand.

Kasalin, who was about to politely reply that she was grateful but would do it herself, had no choice but to sit down when he waited stubbornly.

It was a moment when she vividly realized that even though he was the Emperor, he was still a gentleman.

Seated, Kasalin couldn’t hide her excited expression at the savory smell of food that was already stimulating her appetite as she scanned the table.

From fish dishes with saffron sauce and pumpkin to mussels, veal, crab meat, and seasonal vegetables.

It seemed faster to find a dish that wasn’t on the table.

“I told them to prepare as much variety as possible since I don’t know what you like, but eat everything without leaving anything.”

“I’m really grateful, but if I eat all this, I might not be able to walk back.”

“It would be much better to have some fat on you than to be left with just skin and bones like now. Only then can you grow taller with that height.”

“Pardon?”

Just when I thought he was speaking kindly, he treats people like such a child.

Kasalin carefully filleted the white fish and ate a bite with vegetables.

Even Kasalin, who had lived as a rich young lady all her life without lacking anything, let out a surprised moan at how incredibly delicious it was.

“…Wow.”

As Kasalin exclaimed with sparkling eyes, a smirk escaped from between Parnes’ teeth, who was sitting across from her.

He was just looking at her eating, with his chin resting obliquely, even with the feast in front of him.

“Is it delicious?”

“I feel like giving a round of applause to the royal chefs. But why aren’t you eating, Your Majesty?”

“I’m fine.”

He closed his eyes tightly and took a sip of white wine.

Kasalin, who was looking at him blankly, said she would be a little rude for a moment, then picked up his fork and knife, cut a piece of meat nicely to eat, and handed it to him.

Parnes slightly frowned at the strong smell of thick sauce wafting from it.

“What is it?”

“I know it’s rude, but it’s so delicious. Please try just one bite.”

“…I said I’m fine.”

“You really won’t eat it? It’s delicious.”

Don’t meddle and focus on filling your own stomach.

The blunt words that had become a habit were about to come out of his throat regardless of his will, but this time, he was able to maintain silence with difficulty.

Was it because of her small fist holding the fork firmly?

Was it because of her desire to somehow share something delicious?

Or it might be because of ‘that man’ who had been staring fiercely from far away in the garden.

Parnes glanced at ‘him’ who was only visible from his side, then lightly grabbed Kasalin’s wrist and obediently ate the food she offered.

Kasalin was momentarily taken aback when he provocatively ate from the fork that she had handed over with the intention of him taking it.

But before long, her pink lips bloomed beautifully like a full-blown summer rose.

“How is it? It’s really delicious, right?”

“Yeah.”

A woman who knows how to be happy like a child even at such trivial things.

Parnes, who swallowed the meat, lightly rinsed his mouth with the remaining wine in the glass and stood up from his seat.

Kasalin’s eyes naturally followed.

“I’ll be right back. Keep eating.”

“Yes. See you soon.”

Thinking that he naturally meant he was going to the restroom, Kasalin focused on drinking the sweet beverage.

Leaving her behind for a moment, Parnes moved his steps somewhere and stopped in front of a man.

It was Challen.

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“Your business.”

Challen was dumbfounded when Parnes naturally spoke to him informally, despite putting on all sorts of pretenses as if he were a benevolent ruler in front of Kasalin.

Does Kasalin know?

Parnes’ true nature, which unfailingly turns into an arrogant and cold-blooded person in private situations where there are no listening ears.

“Your words are a bit short, even if it’s a private situation.”

“There’s no need to put on airs even in a private situation where no one would know if one of us died.”

Parnes said coldly.

“Kasalin would be surprised and faint if she knew. The Emperor, whom she believes to be a good person without suspicion, twisted and snapped off the neck of the palace gatekeeper where he was staying.”

“Well. Isn’t it only natural for a stupid gatekeeper who opened the palace gate wide open to a suspicious intruder in the middle of the night to die?”

A few words that others could not understand were quietly exchanged between the two.

For a moment, a murderous silence hung between them.

“As a member of the royal family who values etiquette, I will politely ask you. Please don’t pay more attention to her than necessary.”

If you keep doing that, won’t I be too sorry?

When Challen spoke, Parnes showed a faint sneer.

“There’s no need to be sorry at all. I was just looking after the health of the head maid so that the beloved King and Queen of Khan could comfortably enjoy the festival during the grand holiday period.”

“Kasalin doesn’t need anyone’s care.”

“You, who broke into her room, stole her ring, and manipulated the situation as if the ring disappeared due to her mistake, deliberately making her suffer, don’t seem to be in a position to say that with confidence.”

The muscles under Challen’s eyes twitched slightly.

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course you wouldn’t know. The King of Khan wouldn’t do such a thing. If he would push that frail and delicate woman into the cold rain and make her search for something she didn’t even lose, it means he has a rather low way of thinking, but our gentlemanly King of Khan wouldn’t be like that, of course.”

Challen was dumbfounded that Parnes was not even excited, but leisurely going back and forth between ridicule and criticism.

Moreover, calling Kasalin a frail and delicate woman.

Parnes didn’t know that she, who had been pampered since childhood and lived in her own conceit, always trying to win over men, needed a stern education.

“What I want to say is that Kasalin is ultimately my person. It’s only a part of maid training, so please refrain from interfering any further.”

“What if she suddenly says one day that she doesn’t want to be your person anymore?”

Challen’s feet, which were about to turn away, stopped abruptly as if tied by a snare.

He replied with a relaxed smile.

“I assure you, there’s no way Kasalin will ever leave me, even if she dies. From now on, for a lifetime.”