The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 105

Charlize and Damian personally saw off Mr. William at the main entrance of the Crown Prince’s palace. 

Mr. William wasn’t sure what to do with the uneasy feeling he felt. 

“Hey, you don’t have to accompany me all this way…”

“Of course, we should.” 

Charlize closed her eyes gently. 

“Thank you for accepting my offer.”

“Not at all, it’s just I’m not sure what the others will think when they hear how considerate you are of us.” 

As Mr. William looked at Charlize, a train of thought unknowingly appeared in his head. 

She’s such a kind person, yet the media keeps speaking ill of her…

Charlize quickly noticed the look on his face and opened her mouth with a gentle voice. 

“Please feel free to say whatever’s on your mind.”

“Oh? Ah, it’s nothing.”

“Hmm, it didn’t seem like nothing, did it?”

Charlize said jokingly. 

If Charlize says something like that…

Mr. William swallowed his saliva, speaking with a determined tone. 

“Though, it may sound presumptuous, but…” 

“I don’t think it’s presumptuous at all. Please tell me.”

“I’m worried about you, Charlize.” 

Mr. William had gathered all his courage to say so. 

Charlize widened her eyes. 

“Hm? Why is that?”

“Well, I read some newspapers before coming to the Crown Prince’s palace, as you can tell…” 

Anxiety started to creep over Mr. William’s face. 

In an instant, Charlize had a slightly surprised expression. 

‘Oh, he must have been reading those newspaper articles.’

I see why he’s worried about me. 

Somehow, my mind wasn’t fazed. 

Charlize shook her head as she smiled. 

“Thank you for your concern. But I’m fine.”

“Ha, but. The article couldn’t have been farther from the truth, could they?”

Mr. William replied, licking his chapped lips. 

“The newspapers said that Charlize wasn’t concerned with the memorial service at all…” 

“No, really, it’s all right.”

I can handle those things. 

With that in mind, Charlize shrugged her shoulders. 

It’s because I’ve been bullied too much since I was a kid to be hurt by things like that. 

Apart from that, I don’t think today’s interview was satisfactory. I wonder if there was any inconvenience on my end… ” 

“No, there’s no such thing.”

Mr. William quickly shook his head. 

Then he put a broad smile on his face. 

“In fact, I’d never thought a fool like me would be able to enter the Crown Prince’s palace.”

“…I see.”

Charlize felt somewhat choked up. 

No matter how much Charlize endured growing up in the Empress’s palace, she had it far better off than them. 

‘I met the Empress, Damian, and the Empress dowager. I was protected by good people while…’

They had given up family members for the empire, yet they didn’t receive any protection. 

In that sense, their lives were much, much harder than hers. 

Charlize became a bit solemn. 

Meanwhile, Mr. William spoke in a lively voice. 

“That alone is something for me to be thrilled about, I was invited to this place and was able to represent the bereaved families.” 

Before she knew it, there was a bright smile on his face. 

She’s sure everyone will be happy about it. 

“…I’m happy you said that.”

“The suggestion you offered…I know you did so because you were considerate of us. Thank you so much for that.” 

Before getting into his carriage, Mr. William bowed his head one last time. 

“Don’t mention it. Get back safely.” 

“Then I’ll see you again at the memorial service.” 

Damian followed Charlize’s example and politely bid him farewell. 

***

As the carriage went on its way. 

Mr. William was suddenly reminded of Charlize’s and Damian’s intimacy. 

The two of them apparently had a fine relationship. 

Above all, His Highness, the Crown Prince… 

‘He was courteous when he touched his fiancee.’ 

Holding hands, sometimes caressing the back of her hand…

He didn’t want to be separated from his fiancee for one second. 

It was like that when he got onto the carriage earlier. 

‘His Highness, the Crown Prince, was affectionately holding his fiancee’s hand.’ 

Since they were the highest-ranking people in the empire, I presumed that they were going to be authoritative. 

Surprisingly, they were easy-going and gave off a warm-hearted feeling just by looking at them. 

Unlike the aristocrats who would pressure those with their authority, it genuinely felt like they cared for the people. 

‘Besides.’ 

Unbeknownst to him, he wore a mischievous smile on his lips. 

I don’t have a choice but to acknowledge it as a man.  

The Crown Prince was truly in love with his fiancee. 

I’d be ignorant if I didn’t notice how he was staring at Charlize with that honey-dripping gaze of his. 

‘…I don’t know why I feel this way, but I feel happy about that fact.’

As he thought to himself. 

Mr. William’s eyes dilated slightly.  

If…

If the two of them really do rule Winsor…

If that happens, wouldn’t it be a much better empire to live in? 

Though it was a distant future, Mr. William leaned back in his comfy seat as he thought so. 

The carriage quickly passed the boulevard. 

***

The memorial service’s a week away. 

I need to hurry if I want to get this done. 

Of course, the Empress and Damian helped me a lot, but, naturally, organizers take care of this and that, right? 

Just as I was locked up in my office. 

Damian called me. 

“Lize, are you busy?”

“Umm, no. I can listen to you while I do this.” 

I held my pen for the longest time as I raised my head and rubbed my stiff hands. 

Damian strode towards me. 

“What’s that?”

“It’s an invitation for the veteran’s bereaved families.”

“Aha, right. It’s about time you’ve sent invitations.”

Damian picked up one of the invitations. 

His expression darkened a bit. 

“You know Lize, this is…” 

Damian couldn’t bear to say it, blurring his speech towards the end.  

Then he looked at me with a pitying expression. 

I squinted my eyes and glared at him. 

“Hey, could you stop looking at me like that?”

“No, I’m not looking at you like this because I want to…” 

“I know, I know I can’t write well!!” 

As I shot back, I was crying tears on the inside. 

Honestly, I’m not good at writing. 

I tried to write as much as possible, but improving my innately bad handwriting takes a lot of time and effort. 

No, a maid of the Empress’s palace is always busy. 

When is there free time to practice your handwriting?!

After sighing inwardly, I finally let out a long sigh outwardly. 

‘…I shouldn’t have been so selfish.’

The truth is, the invitations themselves could have been printed out at the palace. 

I could have sent them as they were, but I voluntarily decided to sign each invitation and leave short messages. 

Just having them printed out and sent would look insincere. 

With how it looks now…

“I thought it would look insincere if I just sent them like this…” 

I ended up dropping my shoulders. 

But even to my eyes, my handwriting resembled a wriggling earthworm. 

Damian held back his laughter as he told me. 

“You’re right, you’re really bad at writing.”

“Your Highness, no, Damian. I’m seriously trying right now.” 

I clenched my teeth and stared at Damian. 

“Hahaha!” 

As if my words were a catalyst, Damian took it as his cue to burst into laughter. 

He’s pushing it. 

“Hey, my Lize. You were being serious?”

…he did not just say that. 

This man’s going to die!

Just when I was about to explode. 

“Then why don’t you try doing something like this?”

With that short question, Damian in an instant closed the distance between us. 

Reaching from behind my back, he gently placed his hands on mine. 

Hey, isn’t this too close?! 

My shoulders became taut as I raised them. 

Damian moved my hand as he moved his. 

“Like this, it’s like this.” 

I stopped breathing. 

Because right next to me, was Damian’s glowing face. 

Beneath the shadow of his long eyelashes, his scarlet eyes radiated his jewels. 

After a while. 

Damian, who had completed a sentence with my hands, turned to me and smiled brilliantly. 

“How is it?”

I glanced down at the paper. 

On the paper before me, was something too embarrassing to call letters, with how twisted they were. 

As I was looking at the scribblings, the excitement I felt, little by little, became volatilized and then vanished.  

I said in a cold voice. 

“Don’t try to cover it up with a smile.” 

“Ugh, didn’t you hear me before?”

“You teased me earlier for not being good at writing, but this looks even worse?!” 

“I know.”

Hey, how can you proudly shrug your shoulders? 

I couldn’t hide my baffled expression. 

Meanwhile, Damian was staring at his hand as he was facing me. 

As if it wasn’t enough, he kept opening and closing his palms. 

He seemed satisfied with himself, the content smile on his face didn’t disappear. 

As I watched and watched, I got more confused. 

What, why is he so happy all of a sudden? 

TL : Honey dripping is a Korean expression used to describe someone when they’re looking at another lovingly.