The Deposed Empress and Her New Husband (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
He even stared straight at Renev.
“……?”
Renev tilted her head in confusion at Ikar’s reaction and sat down next to Selma.
The head seat at the table was empty; Ikar sat opposite Selma, and Drhan sat opposite Renev.
“Goodness, you’re unrecognizable!”
In truth, she had been a bit—no, quite—disheveled on the journey here, and after washing up and polishing herself, she truly did look radiant.
Renev quickly scanned Selma and realized the sparkling hair accessory was clearly the focal point of today’s fashion.
“Your silver jewelry suits your fair skin wonderfully, my lady.”
Selma’s expression brightened, as if Renev had guessed correctly.
Clatter.
Just then, maids wheeled a trolley into the dining room.
Afterward, a relaxed meal unfolded with occasional conversation—mostly Selma asking questions and Ikar giving curt, seemingly annoyed replies.
Just like now.
“What do you do to pass your leisure time, Lord Drhan?”
“Leisure…? I’ve hardly had the chance.”
Ikar gave a brief reply while slicing into his rare veal steak. Selma let out a low groan, sensing yet another conversation cutoff.
“Oh… I see.”
But she quickly thought of a new topic and spoke again.
“Oh, right! I heard you have a younger sister around my age, Lord Drhan.”
“That’s right. And an exceptionally adorable one at that.”
One corner of Ikar’s mouth lifted slightly, his eyes curving just a bit.
Perhaps because his response, usually so indifferent, had improved a little?
Selma asked quickly.
“I plan to attend this year’s Founding Festival—it’s also my debutante ball. Could you introduce me to your sister then?”
“Hrk…!”
Drhan, who had been quietly eating, suddenly coughed as if choking. Selma gestured to a nearby maid to pour him water and asked worriedly,
“Lord Vain, are you alright?”
“Yes, of course. But, my lady… it’s a bit delicate for me to speak about someone else’s sister like this.”
“…….”
“I’m afraid it would be difficult to introduce Lord Drhan’s sister to you, my lady.”
At Drhan’s words, Selma turned to Ikar and asked,
“Why is that, Lord Drhan?”
“Most likely because his sister won’t be attending the Founding Festival.”
Ikar answered, keeping his gaze fixed on Drhan.
“Precisely. My—no, Lord Drhan’s sister wouldn’t quite mesh with refined young ladies like yourself.”
“……Is that so?”
Selma cupped one cheek with a disappointed look, while Renev gave Drhan a sympathetic glance.
She felt a strange kinship with him, stuck in an awkward situation because of Ikar.
She herself had lived as empress, constantly walking on thin ice as she watched Emperor Lucius’s every mood.
Drhan, too, looked even more exhausted now than when they’d first met.
“…….”
Ikar’s intense stare, previously fixed on Renev, shifted toward Drhan.
Startled by Ikar’s chilling gaze—so cold it was almost unnerving—Drhan flinched and asked,
“W-why are you staring at me like that, Lord Drhan?”
Ikar gulped down his wine without a word. Renev watched Drhan with downturned eyes,
and silently repeated to herself,
‘Hang in there, Drhan. Don’t give up.’
Unaware of Renev’s inner thoughts, Drhan tilted his head in confusion, and Selma opened her mouth again.
“Right—these days, isn’t hair dyeing all the rage in the Paradium Empire? So, my lady, is your silver hair dyed as well?”
Renev recalled the excuse Ikar had fabricated earlier.
“Yes, my hair is dyed too. It’s extremely fashionable among Paradium nobles right now.”
She uttered the implausible lie and turned toward Ikar.
Unexpectedly, Ikar asked with apparent interest,
“So, what color was it originally?”
She’d only meant to cover for Ikar’s lie—but she hadn’t expected this!
“Brown. It was brown.”
Slightly annoyed, Renev played along once more.
Selma nodded thoughtfully, as if realizing something, and said,
“Brown must have been lovely too, but this pearl-like silver truly suits you, my lady. Maybe I should try dyeing my hair as well?”
“Thank you. But seeing your lovely brown hair makes me a little regretful about dyeing mine.”
“R-really?”
Selma’s cheeks flushed at Renev’s compliment.
Meanwhile, Renev wished the meal would end soon.
Hoping Selma wouldn’t ask her any more questions, she lowered her head slightly toward her plate.
Drhan, too, buried his face in his plate as if avoiding eye contact with Selma.
Yet Selma kept asking about this and that.
And for some reason, Ikar seemed slightly irritated.
The moment the meal ended, Drhan tried to flee to his room.
But a low voice from behind abruptly halted his steps.
“Vain.”
Drhan forced a smile, turned around sharply,
“Yes, Lord Drhan. Please speak.”
Ikar stared intently at Drhan, radiating an oppressive aura.
Drhan clasped his hands together politely and swallowed hard.
He’d only gone along with this ridiculous charade at His Majesty’s request.
Yet his throat went dry just from one look from Ikar—against his will.
“……Never mind.”
Ikar clicked his tongue and started walking ahead.
Drhan let out a cautious sigh of relief and quickly scanned his surroundings.
Confirming no one was nearby, he followed Ikar and whispered,
“Your Majesty.”
“What is it.”
“Why did Your Majesty pretend to be me and introduce me as Vain to the Paradium lady?”
“It just happened.”
At Ikar’s reply, Drhan quietly closed his mouth.
“What, do you have a complaint?”
“No, not at all.”
Drhan shook his head vigorously and answered immediately. As Ikar walked toward his assigned bedroom, he suddenly added,
“Any news from Vain?”
“I actually had something to report on that very matter.”
“Come in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As soon as they entered the bedroom, Drhan reported what he’d received via messenger bird.
“The Duke of Seiren has submitted a petition to the Paradium Imperial Court.”
Leaning casually against the sofa, Ikar slowly dragged his thumb across his lower lip and asked,
“How did the court react?”
“There was apparently strong opposition from the Empress Consort’s side as well.”
“And the Empress?”
“She’s locked herself in her chambers and refuses to see anyone. The situation doesn’t seem likely to change.”
Ikar, resting his chin on the armrest and nodding, had crimson eyes that gleamed unusually sharp.
“What about the investigation into the Duke of Seiren’s daughter?”
“Vain is looking into it.”
“Hurry it up.”
“Yes! Your Majesty.”
It was nearly midnight when Drhan finally left Ikar’s room after finishing his report.
Ikar leaned back against the headboard, eyes closed.
‘I was asleep until Drhan approached the cave.’
Had he ever slept so soundly before?
Even on the battlefield, where he hadn’t properly slept in over seventy-two hours, insomnia had always plagued him.
He’d thought his long-standing sleeplessness had suddenly vanished after the night he slept beside Renev—but now, just like always, sleep wouldn’t come.
Back in the imperial palace, sleepless nights weren’t so painful, given how much needed to be done.
‘Does Your Majesty court work itself?’
Recalling words once spoken by Vain, Ikar muttered with self-deprecating agreement,
“So it really was true.”
Crackle. Crackle.
Renev sat in front of the fireplace, blankly watching the dancing flames.
Then she remembered events from around this time in the past.
The day she left for Vaschker was actually the day Lucius proposed to her. After that, marriage came in the blink of an eye.
She lived as crown princess until Lucius ascended the throne, and she became empress.
Around the time she conceived her first child, news arrived of the Duke of Seiren’s demise.
Though it was a future that would never come to pass now, unease still rose within her.
“I’ll think about the distant future later.”
With a soft sigh, Renev set her worries aside and lay down on the bed.
“Hmm…”
She must have dozed off while thinking—before she knew it, morning had come.
She didn’t really have anything to pack, but after one last look around the room, Renev stepped out of her bedroom.
She bumped into Ikar, who was just opening his door.
Renev greeted him lightly as he swept his slightly tousled bangs aside.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Certainly not a comfortable night.”
As Renev tilted her head in confusion, Ikar strode ahead briskly. Renev quickly followed.
Upon entering the dining room, Drhan, who had arrived earlier, offered a morning greeting.
“Good morning, my lady.”
“Good morning, Lord Vain.”
As Renev moved to sit, she noticed Selma’s seat was empty and asked,
“Is Lady Julverne running late?”
“The young lady isn’t feeling well today. She apologizes for having you three dine without her.”
The butler answered as he poured water into Renev’s cup.
“I see… Is she alright?”
“The young lady occasionally suffers from fevers. She’s been given soup and fever medicine, so she should appear before you depart.”
Renev said with a concerned expression,
“I hope she recovers soon.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to tell the young lady you were worried. Please call for me anytime if you need anything.”
After the Julverne family’s butler left, a quiet meal followed—unlike yesterday.
Perhaps because both men were naturally taciturn, neither Ikar nor Drhan spoke much, focusing solely on their food.
“…….”
Renev almost opened her mouth out of habit—the ingrained compulsion of an empress to steer the mood—but quickly changed her mind.
She wasn’t empress now.
Nor was she mistress of this castle. There was no need to force herself to break the awkward silence.
With that thought came a strange sense of liberation—and a touch of loss.
‘Enough with these pointless thoughts.’
Renev, lost in self-mockery, felt a gaze and looked up. Ikar’s eyes, fixed on her, felt oddly intense.
“……?”
Renev blinked and stared back at Ikar.
She thought he might have something to say—but Ikar simply stood up without a word.
“If you’ve finished eating, let’s depart.”
Drhan’s hand, having just cleared his steak plate and reaching for bread, froze midair.
There’s still someone eating here!
Renev gave him that look—but Ikar merely headed toward the door.
Perhaps accustomed to Ikar’s indifference, Drhan rose immediately without a hint of regret.
Renev cast another sympathetic glance at Drhan.
You must be exhausted serving such a heedless emperor.
Unaware of Renev’s thoughts, Drhan tilted his head like a simpleton.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (79)
I ask looking the fact that they are addressing the little things that are usually ignored
Some enlighten Ikar about his feelings before he flounders more
Did Ikar stay single because he fell in love with rebev?
Inline Comments (1)
It felt familiar yet warm—somehow.
How an already 30 chapters in without anything significant happening?!
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VKotaku28
Poor Drhan… Ikar log did not have to be such a jerk