It would’ve been so nice if he, who was around my age, treated me with such a human smile from the beginning.
That was the moment I felt the terrifying power of authority.
“As you know, our Dukedom of Rohain has amassed wealth through trade with many countries. I’m destined to take charge of that trade,” he said.
What is he suddenly talking about?
Isn’t he trying to encourage me to engage in some trade?
“I’m not buying.”
“Pardon?”
“Just kidding. Go on.”
“Ah, yes. Today, I felt I still have a long way to go to be the heir capable of carrying on the family business.”
Duke Martins lifted his tea cup again and spoke quite seriously, degrading himself.
“And what made you think that all of a sudden?”
As I asked with a sour expression, he picked up the conversation as if he had been waiting.
“I just realized that my ability to judge people is not up to par.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Is he saying his assessment of me was incorrect?
I couldn’t understand what Duke Martins was saying, and I didn’t want to bother asking for clarification.
“No, it’s nothing. Prince Tesla was quite worried about whether you could fulfill the role of the Empress, but there is absolutely no need. I must relay this.”
Yes, I’ll convey the news to the prince, and maybe I’ll send some mockery his way too.
I listened to the Duke’s words quietly and turned my head towards Sharon.
“Sharon, how much spare time do we have until lunch?”
“If you intend to tour the Empress’s palace before lunch, we don’t have much time.”
Sharon said to me, glancing at Duke Martins.
“Oh, then I should take my leave now. Your Majesty, the conversation today was more enjoyable than expected. I will visit frequently.”
Duke Martins politely got up from the sofa and bid farewell.
I glared at the back of the treacherous Duke Martins as he walked towards the palace door and asked.
“How long do you plan to stay in the royal palace here?”
“As long as Your Majesty is in that position, I plan to always… be by your side.”
As Duke Martins held the doorknob, he slowly turned and answered me.
As I nodded in response, he smiled and politely bowed before exiting the palace.
The last smile of Duke Martins felt extremely uncomfortable, as if I had stepped on filth.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]I toured the Empress’s Palace with Sharon before heading to the main palace.
The scale of the Empress’s Palace was larger than I thought. There wasn’t enough time to look around the whole palace before lunch.
So today, we were mainly looking around the main rooms that I would be using in the Empress’s Palace.
“It’s time to go to the main palace now, Your Majesty.”
Sharon, who had been thoroughly explaining the interior of the Empress’s Palace, turned her body to check her pocket watch when we reached the central staircase on the second floor.
“Is it already that time?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The garden walkway that connects the Empress’s Palace and the main palace is especially beautiful, so you’ll always enjoy the walk to the main palace.”
“Really? I’m looking forward to it.”
‘Isn’t it the first meal with the emperor that you’re looking forward to?’
The deity within me suddenly asked.
Ignoring the deity’s question, I walked towards the main palace following Sharon’s guidance.
Indeed, there was a bit of a nervous excitement as well.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!”
At the shout of Stian, the chief eunuch, the banquet hall door opened.
As I stepped inside, the first thing I noticed was Emperor Rinel, sitting at the end of the long table.
It was a completely different intimidating atmosphere compared to what I saw in the bedroom.
No matter how I looked at him, he didn’t feel like the man who had shared a bed with me yesterday.
The cold gaze of the Emperor staring at me, his upturned nose, and his tempting lips that, for some reason, were slowly parting as our distance shortened.
‘You were warm, I didn’t intend it this way but unknowingly I just, Wasn’t I your first, Empress? We’re a married couple now.’
Last night, his words, which had seeped into my skin, started to swirl in my ears like a repeated song without order.
While I walked to where Emperor Rinel was sitting, the sound of my heels filled the grand banquet hall.
Thanks to that, there was no risk that the sound of my rapidly beating heart would be heard by him.
“I am here to see… His Majesty the Emperor.”
As I greeted him, a group of sparkling women entered my right field of vision.
They were ones I hadn’t noticed while I was walking towards him.
The women were lined up against the wall.
I’ve eaten all my lunch.
The moment I confirmed the identities of these women, my appetite dropped.
Not just for lunch, but my dinner appetite also disappeared outside the banquet hall.
“Long live the Empress!”
Four women erased the smiles they had been sharing with each other as soon as our eyes met and bowed to me.
“I see you here again.”
They were the noble young ladies who had intruded into the empress’s bedroom this morning claiming to have become my maids.
Not knowing how to take this situation, I slightly tilted my head and looked at Emperor Rinel for an explanation.
“Come sit.”
Instead of an explanation, Emperor Rinel commanded.
With a chillingly expressionless face, he signaled me to the seat diagonally opposite to him.
Under the guidance of the master of ceremonies, I sat down with a trembling feeling.
Just as I was about to ask why those young ladies, who claimed to be my maids, had come here as a group, he took the initiative.
“Did you take a look around the empress’s palace? How was it? Did you like it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. The palace was very splendid. With a bit more work, it will be truly magnificent.”
“Do you like glamorous things? It sounds like you mean something else to my ears?”
Emperor Rinel was quite perceptive compared to his indifferent tone.
He picked up that I had made a slightly sarcastic comment.
He was right. Only glamorous things can easily get boring.
Too dazzling things, whether people or objects, eventually turn heads away.
“No, Your Majesty. If I add my affection to the empress’s palace, the overly glamorous atmosphere will change. Like adding a warm atmosphere……”
“Is that affection something only the empress can give?”
“Is that so? Will Your Majesty also come occasionally to give affection?”
“……”
Ah, I have a big mouth.
Without thinking, I responded to the emperor’s words, and my words seemed to be flattery.
His otherwise unmoving eyebrows went up sharply and then down.
Emperor Rinel swallowed the wine filled to the brim of the glass in one gulp.
Embarrassed, I instinctively touched the burn scar on the right side of my face.
Whenever something goes wrong or I feel guilty, I habitually touch my burn scar without realizing it.
“Your Majesty, let’s pretend… you didn’t hear what I just said……”
I tried to dissolve the awkward atmosphere by forcing a smile and saying.
“I’ll go often.”
Emperor Rinel replied as he put down his wine glass.
His deep and heavy voice echoed through the banquet hall like an echo.
Thanks to his serious bass, his words sounded sincere, ridiculous as it may be.
A few young ladies who were smirking at my words just a moment ago had their mouths wide open at the emperor’s response.
“Empress, why is that expression? Was it just a joke?”
“No, not at all. I’m just surprised that Your Majesty, who is busy, would say such a thing.”
Not wanting to show my surprise, I naturally drank the wine in front of me.
Uhoh. I had forgotten that I couldn’t drink and drank too much wine.
“I have to sleep no matter how busy I am. Like last night.”
“La, last night……?”
The wine that was going down my throat was startled by Emperor Rinel’s words and refluxed again.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
