Reneb grabbed the empress’s hand with a determined expression. Her hand was warm.
‘If this person had been Lucius’s mother…’
Reneb, who briefly had such a thought, soon shook her head.
This time, their fortunetelling had merely coincided. She must not forget that fact.
Of course, she felt a slight sympathy for the empress, who was bearing the heavy burden alone, but that was only part of it.
(This is a time separator.)
The corridor leading to the Great Hall.
The empress dowager, with narrowed eyes, was staring this way.
“I did not imagine you would be with Her Majesty the Empress when you said you would step away for a moment, Countess Siren.”
The empress dowager sneered as if to demand an explanation.
Both the empress dowager and empress maintained a seemingly problemfree relationship on the surface.
But those who knew, knew how much they wanted to kill each other.
Even though she had never claimed to be on Reneb’s side, the empress dowager, who had considered Reneb as her ally, saw the current situation as a complete betrayal.
“I seem to have lost my way to the powder room. She was so pitiful with tears welling up…”
The empress looked at Reneb with a compassionate gaze, and Reneb also took part in this petty play.
“Thank you once again for reaching out in a difficult situation, Your Majesty the Empress.”
The empress dowager, who seemed momentarily at a loss for words, abruptly grabbed Reneb’s hand.
“After all, being stuck in the western border, even with an escort, you must not have been able to properly guide within the imperial palace.”
Sparks flew at Reneb’s back towards Sir Zen.
Sir Zen, who was unfairly criticized, looked a bit pitiful, and Reneb gave him a slight nod.
His face reddening at the empress dowager’s remark that seemed to insult the House of Siren, Zen quickly apologized.
“I apologize, Your Highness the Empress Dowager.”
Releasing Reneb’s hand she was holding, the empress smiled faintly.
“Then have a good time, Countess.”
Reneb also bowed her knee slightly in response.
“May you also have a pleasant time, Your Majesty.”
Then the empress dowager, who had been watching them with discontent, pulled Reneb’s hand.
Reneb, led by the empress dowager’s hand like a leashed dog, reviewed the conversation just now.
‘I will send a signal when the time comes, Your Majesty the Empress.’
‘Alright. I don’t know what method it will be, but I will be looking forward to it with joy.’
“Did you go far?”
As they entered the Great Hall, the empress dowager’s close maids approached.
“That’s right. She said she would be away for a moment, but she was gone for so long that we almost turned the imperial palace upside down looking for her.”
The maids’ criticism poured out, seeming to placate the empress dowager.
With a faint smile, Reneb replied on behalf of the empress dowager. She had many old grievances with them, so she didn’t even want to exchange words.
“She said she got lost on her way to the powder room. Our Countess Siren.”
“Should we set up a sign indicating the way from the Great Hall to the powder room?”
One of the maids picked up on the empress dowager’s words.
Soon, a congenial atmosphere enveloped them, and Reneb just endured, anticipating the thrilling revenge to come.
“Ah, could you gather the ladies? I have news to share that I couldn’t earlier.”
The maids scattered around the Great Hall at the empress dowager’s command. Meanwhile, the empress dowager, leading Reneb, glanced around as they headed to the center of the Great Hall.
“Speaking of which, Prince Lucius is nowhere to be seen. I wonder where the protagonist has disappeared to.”
“That’s true. He couldn’t have gotten lost in the imperial palace…”
The empress dowager looked back at Reneb at the casually uttered words.
Her expression seemed to ask if it was conceivable for Lucius to get lost in the imperial palace, no matter how vast.
“When he was young, His Highness the Prince used to get lost sometimes, too.”
Reneb returned the glare she had just received and laughed slyly.
“I should hold my tongue.”
The empress shook her head as if the conversation was not getting through, then directed a nearby maid.
“Bring Prince.”
“By Prince, Your Majesty, do you mean the 3rd Prince?”
At the maid’s question, the empress’s mouth twisted up. This was a reaction she often showed just before losing her temper.
3rd Prince.
It was the title referring to Lucius that the empress hated the most. It seemed to be seen as a measure of the distance from the throne.
“Your Majesty, the ladies are coming.”
Reneb pointed out the group of ladies walking towards them.
“Find Prince Lucius. Quickly!”
The empress, who had scolded the maid, loosened her stiff expression and greeted the ladies.
“Your Majesty has something to tell us? I am really curious about the good news.”
The eyes of a few ladies went down to the hands of the empress and Reneb.
They too seemed to have an idea of what the empress would say, but they were going to wait quietly until she started speaking.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
