“That’s not… what I intended to ask… but it’s a relief.”
Without realizing, I had picked up the teacup Catherine had been drinking from and, startled, I put it down again.
“What was your original intention?”
Rinel, whose teacup was raised high enough to make a clinking sound, asked as he placed it back on the coaster.
“I was worried about you all night after you left like that.”
“The Empress needn’t worry, I’ll behave myself from now on.”
Although his tone wasn’t angry, there was definitely a firmer boundary being set than before.
“I’m sorry if I bothered you. You’re busy and I came for no good reason.”
“……”
“Now that I’ve seen that your mood has improved, I will excuse myself.”
Although I said that as if I were about to stand up immediately, I continued to sit on the sofa and watch him.
I was mirroring his actions when he came to my bedroom some time ago.
I should have stood up, but my buttocks were glued to the sofa and wouldn’t budge.
“I thought you were leaving.”
Rinel, who had turned his head towards the window, glanced at me who wasn’t moving and spoke in a puzzled tone.
“I will. Can I get up now?”
I asked as if I needed Rinel’s permission to stand.
“Then when are you going to get up?”
He retorted coldly.
“Someone might think the Empress moves at my command.”
He was ridiculing me with a reference to last night’s events.
I humbly accepted his incredulous expression and got up from the sofa.
“Where… where do you plan to sleep tonight?”
Ah, I wanted to sew my mouth shut as soon as I asked that question.
“I’ll rest where I want. The Empress doesn’t need to worry.”
Rinel curtly retorted as he walked towards the window.
Strangely, I wasn’t hurt at all by his cold attitude.
On the contrary, my heart felt heavier and I felt more apologetic.
“Then, I really will go now.”
I bowed to Rinel’s retreating figure and turned around.
I looked back at him, standing by the window, one more time as I left the office.
But at the same time, he was also looking back at me.
As he was about to move towards me, the office door closed.
Without thinking, I reached out towards the office doorknob.
But at that moment,
“I meet Your Majesty here. I am Ette Calleos, the Duke.”
A grizzled voice came from behind me.
Duke Calleos?
He was the father of Catherine, the first consort.
“Nice to meet you, Duke Calleos. Catherine was just in the office with me, I don’t know if you saw her.”
“Yes, I saw her in front of the palace. She is still lacking a lot. Please be lenient with her, Your Majesty.”
“It’s more important that His Majesty is lenient with her. Please go in and talk with him.”
I felt uncomfortable meeting Duke Calleos, so I hurriedly finished the conversation and turned around, but the Duke seemed to have more to say.
“She’s lacking, but it’s hard to see her cry. I feel like I’m a helpless father.”
His voice had a strangely unpleasant feeling.
It seemed like he was saying that I was the reason for his daughter’s tears.
So, he was advising me to be careful.
Last night, I sent Rinel back to Catherine’s palace. Catherine cried? Why?
“I can feel your love for Catherine. Now, please go talk with His Majesty, Duke Calleos.”
I forced a calm smile and turned around.
I left the palace with a heavier heart than when I had arrived.
[Star Icon][Star Icon][Star Icon]Truthfully, the hostility shown by Duke Calleos towards me bothered me less than the expression Rinel had when the office door was about to close.
In the end, I wasn’t able to say anything to him.
That I wasn’t sincere last night.
That I wanted to spend the night with him too.
I wanted to tell him that…
But I had no choice but to swallow what I was about to say because he didn’t think last night was bad.
My poor lower lip was nibbled as I controlled my emotions.
I hadn’t taken many steps from the palace when I looked up at the floor where his office was.
Sharon looked at me several times, checking my mood. When our eyes met, she finally asked cautiously.
“Your Majesty, are you okay?”
“No, not at all.”
I honestly told her how I felt.
Thankfully, Sharon, Solie, and Theresa made an effort to consider my mood.
“There is a greenhouse in the palace. How about visiting there to refresh your mind?”
Upon her suggestion, Solie and Theresa who were next to her immediately agreed.
“That’s a good idea!”
“They say there are many plants there that clear your mind!”
“Is there such a place?”
When I showed curiosity, this time Teresa stepped forward.
“Yes, I heard that Your Majesty sometimes visits the greenhouse when you have a headache!”
“Teresa, hush.”
“Anyway, so tactless.”
Sharon and Sollie jabbed Teresa’s back, chastising her with healing magic.
They seemed to scold Teresa for bringing up Rinel, whom I had just met and was not in a good mood about.
“Okay, shall we go?”
I said, smiling at Teresa.
I was just having a headache, would it really help?
“Really? It’s not far from the palace!”
“Alright, it would be good to look around and go. Let’s go.”
Male lead is a Destined Young Husband (Female-dominant)
One-sentence summary: Wife-master, listen to my explanation!
Li Ruantang, a young lady from a prestigious family, stumbled and fell. When she woke up, she saw a noble and beautiful young man sitting by her bedside, wiping away tears.
The young master had slightly reddened eyes, and his every move exuded charm.
The sight made Li Ruantang’s eyes hot and her heart flutter. After all, she had made a bet with the young master Meng from the neighboring family. If she couldn’t marry a husband before the end of the year, she would have to admit defeat and give up the jade she had worked so hard to obtain.
Outside the window, the flowers were in full bloom.
Rather than losing the bet, the jade, and her face, Li Ruantang calculated that it would be better to seek marriage with the young master in front of her, killing three birds with one stone.
…
Meng Jun never thought that an accident during a spring outing would lead to them rolling down a cliff and into a river, yet still survive.
Now they were trapped in an unknown village, and Meng Jun had overheard that the family who had rescued them had their own intentions.
After all, it was Li Ruantang who had lost her mind and sought marriage first. He was only trying to protect himself!
Glancing at Li Ruantang, who was listing her own merits, the young husband’s voice softened, and he blushed as he lied, “W-wife-master, Wife-master, don’t you remember me?”
The young husband’s voice was clear and handsome, coaxing Li Ruantang’s heart to be soft and sweet, and she spared no effort to protect him.
It wasn’t until they returned to the capital that Li Ruantang suddenly remembered.
When they had fallen off the cliff, in order not to implicate Wei Yunruo, whom he secretly admired, the young husband had instead pulled her, who was slightly farther away, down the cliff with him…
Short summary by Yuushi L: Initially, the male lead (ML) liked another girl, while the female lead (FL) liked the ML. Both fell off a cliff. The FL temporarily lost her memory, and the ML, fearing others might take advantage of him, claimed FL was his wife while they were staying in a village. Later, when they returned home, the FL regained her memories and remembered that the ML liked someone else, so she kept her distance from him. However, during their time living together in the countryside, the ML’s view of the FL had completely changed. From this point, his pursuit of the FL begins.
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