The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 107

….oh, that’s right. 

As I snapped out of it, I glanced back to see Damian standing next to me.  

Damian smiled broadly as soon as our eyes met. 

“What’s wrong, Lize?”

“Hey, can I say something?”

“Sure, go ahead.” 

Huff. 

Exhaling a short sigh, I opened my mouth with resolve. 

“I have to confess, I’m a bit afraid.” 

“What?”

“At such an important event…I’m afraid of making a mistake.” 

I lowered my head and looked down at my feet. 

Actually, I’ve been…

‘I feel like I’m going to vomit from all the tension.’

I closed my eyes tight. 

“Won’t my mistakes directly affect your reputation?” 

“….Lize.” 

“It wouldn’t matter if it was just me at risk, but I’m your fiancee now…” 

….I wanted to pretend I wasn’t worried at all. 

I smiled bitterly. 

My voice shouldn’t be trembling so much, right? 

But right then. 

“Your Highness?” 

I opened my eyes. 

Damian had reached out and grabbed my hand, holding onto it. 

“It’ll turn out all right.” 

“What?”

“What if I make a mistake? No one is good at something they’ve never done before.” 

“But if there’s so much as the slightest stain on your reputation…” 

“No, you’re much more important than my reputation.” 

I stared expressionless at Damian. 

Then, Damian smiled softly. 

“Above everything else, weren’t you by my side when I was clumsy?”

“I, your Highness.”  

“Ever since I was young.” 

Damian’s voice grew stronger. 

“Don’t forget. I’m right beside you. And…” 

Damian paused for a second, making up his mind before speaking. 

“Her Majesty, the Empress will be here too.” 

….I see. 

I smiled broadly. 

As soon as I heard Damian’s words, I somehow felt more at ease. 

Damian glanced at me. 

“Feeling better now?”

“Yes, thank you.” 

“Okay then.” 

Damian strengthened the hand holding mine. 

His expression became downcast before I knew it. 

“Your face lights up whenever Her Majesty, the Empress is mentioned.” 

“What?”

What on earth is he talking about? 

I gazed at Damian with squinted eyes. 

After some time. 

The Emperor, the Empress, and the Empress dowager all arrived at the memorial hall. 

I looked at the Emperor for a brief moment. 

‘How will he react?’

The Emperor took in the view of the memorial hall. 

I held my breath. 

The Emperor stared at the green ground, frowning slightly. 

That’s right, what the Emperor wanted to see was…

‘The hideous appearance of the exposed earth frozen over.’

So, does that mean I succeeded in organizing the memorial service? 

I held in my laughter. 

But to my dismay, the Emperor’s countenance soon relaxed. 

‘…what?’

I observed the Emperor with a wary demeanor. 

It was better for him not to become impatient and lose his temper. 

But at the very least, that means that things aren’t going the way the Emperor envisioned them to. 

However, that calm expression of his…

‘It feels ominous.’

I bit my lip.

An unexpected reaction from an enemy is sure to cause alarm. 

What’s more. 

“The ground’s all covered in green, Lady Charlize did a splendid job.” 

He’s even complimenting me?! 

I politely bowed, bending my knees as I tried to hide the uneasiness I felt. 

“It’s all thanks to the grace of his Majesty.”

“What did I do? I just allocated a budget, that’s all.” 

The Emperor answering that way laughed to his heart’s content. 

‘Oh, that ridiculously small budget?’

My eyes twitched slightly. 

Really, that budget that couldn’t even cover the price for grass?! 

…I couldn’t say that, so I just smiled. 

“Everyone’s waiting for the ceremony to begin.” 

“Yes, your Majesty.” 

I bowed to the Emperor. 

Following that, the Emperor looked around and declared. 

“Then, let’s have the memorial service commence now.” 

All the distinguished guests stood before the memorial monument.  

After taking a deep breath, I spoke in a loud and clear voice. 

“In honor of the soldiers who gave their lives for the empire, let there be a moment of silence.” 

Solemn music began to play. 

Closing their eyes, the people bowed their heads. 

After the moment of silence. 

I gulped my saliva. 

‘Oh no, is it already time for me to give a speech?!’ 

Haa, wouldn’t it have been better for me to leave it to Damian? 

A hundred pairs of eyes were looking at me. 

And they weren’t exactly the friendliest of looks. 

If I could say one thing…

‘…You’d be better off viewing them as nothing but hostile.’ 

The mourners that had attended the memorial service were nobles and said to be quite haughty. 

People like me would not have been treated humanely under normal circumstances. 

I raised my chin as confidently as I could. 

But deep down inside…

‘I’m nervous.’

My palms were all sweaty. 

But right then. 

“Lize.” 

Damian grabbed my hand for a brief moment before letting go. 

In an instant, I came to my senses. 

‘This isn’t the time to be discouraged.’

Not everyone here is hostile to me. 

People who cared for me are definitely here as well. 

Her Majesty, the Empress dowager was looking at me from afar with an anxious mien. 

The Empress had clenched her fists to strengthen herself. 

The Duke of Rochester also fixed his gaze on me. 

And…Damian’s standing beside me. 

‘I…I don’t want to disappoint the people who value me.’ 

But foremost, if I don’t do well here…

It would be nothing short of me being defeated by the people’s prejudice, to the Emperor. 

I didn’t like the circumstances either. 

I raised my head and spoke clearly. 

“We owe the future of the empire to the veterans.” 

A wave of relief washed over the faces of the Empress, the Empress dowager, and the Duke when I spoke. 

….they cared so much for me. 

I continued my speech calmly. 

“The reason why we the people of the empire can live comfortably is all thanks to them, those who sacrificed their lives to protect the empire.”

I raised my gaze, looking at the veteran’s bereaved families. 

Tears had welled up in their eyes. 

I smiled faintly at them. 

“The achievements of the veterans’ will be recorded as the most glorious in the history of Winsor.” 

Taking my eyes off the bereaved families, I set my gaze on the mourners with a composed expression. 

“As a citizen of the empire.”

Then I bowed deeply. 

“I express the utmost gratitude to the eternal heroes of the empire.”  

There was silence. 

The atmosphere changed as people became wide-eyed. 

‘Is the speech already over?’

It was one out of many questions. 

I could understand how bewildered they must have felt. 

It was customary for nobles or those of the royal family to give speeches lasting for more than ten minutes. 

Because…

‘The longer and more verbose the speech was, the longer people would listen…’

That was how a speaker would build their authority. 

Moments like these were considered ideal. 

But I chose a short speech. 

I knew it was somewhat unconventional. 

‘However, building authority is not for me.’ 

I’ve lived as a commoner maid until now. 

‘Giving a long speech with graceful rhetoric is something I’ve never done before.’ 

If I suddenly start worrying about my own authority, I’ll look as silly as a crow trying to imitate a stork. 

Also, I don’t want to build authority in this place. 

It’s because the people who should be memorialized in this ceremony should be none other than the veterans and their sacrifice for the empire. 

I didn’t come and stand here to look good in front of the nobles in the first place either. 

So I’ll do what I’m best at…

‘To those who sacrificed to protect this land and their families….I express my sincerest thanks.’ 

But right then. 

Clap, clap…

Applause began to ring out. 

The first round of applause came from where the bereaved families had gathered. 

My eyes widened a bit. 

‘Ah.’

One by one the members of each bereaved family stood up from their seats. 

I let out a low relieved sigh. 

“T-Thank you, my brother would have been pleased.”

A little girl whispered in a sobbing voice. 

“I see, my son didn’t die in vain.” 

A middle-aged man cried as he clapped his hands. 

“My grandson has been comforted in his passing.” 

An elderly woman wiped her tears as she said so. 

After a while. 

Like wildfire spreading through a dry field, the roaring sound of applause grew instantaneously. 

The Empress dowager, the Empress, and the Duke looked at me with pleased gazes. 

Huh? 

My expression turned vacant. 

‘….um, the speech was nothing extraordinary, right?’

I glanced back at Damian. 

Damian was looking at me with a proud expression. 

“Well done, Lize,” he whispered. 

I was slightly stunned. 

I never imagined he’d react so passionately. 

 

TL : A crow following a stork: Someone who tries to do what is beyond their capabilities.