Long Live the Emperor, Minus Me (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 160

“Yes, I understand now.”

Sharkel smiled lightly. It would be a lie to say he held no lingering feelings at all, but his face looked reasonably at peace, and even in this moment, I felt relieved.

After all, he was a good person—and I didn’t want him to hate me.

I knew how petty that thought was, yet I truly didn’t wish for it to happen.

“He genuinely believed that. And precisely because of that, he wanted to say those words himself.”

I recalled what His Majesty had asked me before.

Whether I would have accepted if he himself had proposed.

Back then, before our marriage, during the time when His Majesty and I communicated only through letters, I had answered that if he had spoken those words to me then, I would have gladly waited for him.

At that time, I’d felt as though spilled water could never be gathered again, so what did it matter? But now I understand.

His Majesty had been determined never to repeat the same mistake.

Unlike me, who had been betrayed in love yet still dared to love again, he truly was His Majesty.

“So I’ve given deep thought to his words as well. If I’d been in the exact same situation, could I have said the same? Could I have boldly proposed to Your Highness without even revealing who I was, not knowing whether I’d be accepted or rejected?”

I felt I already knew his answer without him needing to speak it.

After all, instead of publicly proposing to me, he had first sought my feelings in private.

“…I couldn’t do it. Right before taking that final step, I lose my courage. The thought that I might act presumptuously and cause Your Highness to grow weary of me stops me from behaving as he did—even though, in truth, a proposal like that wouldn’t have been such a grave offense.”

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