The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 34

It is currently eight o’clock in the evening.

With my gaze fixed on the vast bed in front of me, I couldn’t conceal my conflicted emotions.

“Come here, Lize.”

The empress called me tenderly.

Uh, what should I do?

The empress must have really meant it.

“Coming, Your Majesty.”

I took a deep breath and replied carefully.

The empress who called me had a sad expression when I replied.

“It’s not Her Majesty, it’s sister Rose.”

I just rolled my eyes.

Of course, I’ve called the empress ‘Sister Rose’ on a few occasions to tease her.

Even so, isn’t calling her ‘Sister Rose’ a bit awkward?

Even more so when she’s the empress……!

“I want to be called sister Rose today.”

“Yes, sister Rose.”

Unlike my previous inner conflict, the word “sister Rose” rolled off my tongue like second nature.

This is a problem.

Right? I mean, I’m stupid!

How can I firmly carry out my will when the empress looks at me with such innocent and pitiful eyes?!

I can’t! My resolve is as soft as the strawberry I ate last night!

The empress smiled and nodded her head, clearly pleased.

“Yes, what’s the matter?”

“I’ll be upfront. Do you want to sleep with me?”

I took a few steps back and looked at the empress’ magnificent bed.

While it is true that the blankets are as soft as clouds, I believe it is too much for a maid to lie down on a mattress that is wider than the entire garden.

I spoke carefully.

“I’ve learned that it is against etiquette for a maid to sleep with Her Majesty the Empress….”

However, I was unable to complete my sentence.

As soon as I was going to bring it up, the empress’ shoulders dropped.

Her emerald eyes bore into me with a sadness that overwhelmed me.

It should be against the law for her to take advantage of those beautiful eyes.

“But I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep without Lize.”

I heard a sullen voice. 

The empress did not hide her sadness and spoke bluntly.

“What if I break the rules?”

“Um, but…”

“We don’t sleep together every day, so today is the first time, isn’t it?”

At that remark, I held back a sigh.

I believe I am the only maid in the world who has the privilege of sleeping in the same bed as the empress….

I closed my eyes tightly.

“Is it true that His Majesty the Emperor paid a visit to the Empress’s Palace today?”

“Yes, why?”

“But he just left… shouldn’t Your Majesty and the emperor sleep together?”

“I use a separate palace anyway…… we’re uncomfortable with each other when we share the same bed.”

The empress’s expression became sullen when I referred to her as ‘Your Majesty.’ 

I was watching the empress when I suddenly remembered something mentioned in the original.

‘Because of her strong possessive desire for the emperor, the empress killed all the women who were entangled with him.’

… How big is the difference between reality and the original?

I cast a sidelong glance at the empress as she brushed my hair behind my ears.

When our eyes met, the empress smiled brightly.

“I like Charlize better than His Majesty the Emperor.”

Oh my goodness.

I can’t believe the empress said she likes me better than the emperor himself.

Should I be happy with this overflowing affection or not?

“Listen, more than that, isn’t it the duty of the maids to take good care of the empress?”

As if she had thought of something to persuade me, the empress returned my gaze with a smile as dazzling as the sun.

“You’re aware that I have trouble sleeping, aren’t you?”

“Yes, that’s right. I heard that’s why you used to drink herbal tea a lot in the past.”

It was something I heard from the maids.

The empress used to drink herbal teas to help her sleep because she suffers from insomnia.

But I’ve never seen her sipping the herbal tea since I arrived at the Empress’ Palace…

I tilted my head.

The empress spoke proudly.

“However, I don’t expect to lose any sleep if I sleep with Lize.”

“What?”

“That means Lize is very good at supplementing me as you are now. Don’t you think so?”

It was wonderful flattery, but the problem was that the empress who delivered the flattery was extremely beautiful.

As expected, the world revolves around those who are beautiful.

I had to do my best not to be captivated by the empress’ beauty.

Think about it.

The empress, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world, stared at me, her eyelashes fluttering like butterflies.

In such a circumstance, how am I supposed to reject her?

It’s impossible for me to refuse her when her face is so close to mine!

Part 2

“More than that, I don’t think Lize will be able to sleep well today.”

“Um, that’s…”

“You can’t sleep because you’re worrying about useless things.”

Immediately after dismissing my serious concerns as “useless things,” the empress rose to her feet and pulled the rope to summon a maid.

I hurriedly went to the bed after being startled by the sudden movement.

“There is no need! if there is anything you want me to do, I’ll do it for you!”

“Yes, I am calling for you.”

After I gently laid down on the bed, the empress nodded her head in satisfaction.

Calling for me?

My eyes widened.

“I heard that warm milk is wonderful for a good night’s sleep.”

“I don’t need it, you don’t have to pay much attention to me…”

“But that will make me feel at ease.”

After saying that, the empress simply wrapped her arms around me.

She threw a blanket over my shoulders and laid me down on the bed.

“Since Lize likes sweet things, I’ll add a spoonful of honey as well.”

“E- empress, no. No need, sister Rose.”

“Of course, you need to brush your teeth before going to bed.”

In response, I blushed without realizing it.

Because the empress’s smile towards me was sweeter than the milk mixed with honey.

The empress patted my body covered with the blanket.

After that, I gained a little courage.

“… … Sister Rose.”

“Huh?”

“Every time… I’m extremely grateful.”

I whispered so, full of sincerity.

It makes me uncomfortable, but I know that if the situation were different, it would be much more difficult for me to express my feelings to the empress.

Upon hearing my whisper, the empress leaned in and closed her eyes.

“I am also grateful to Lize too.”

Her loneliness in this vast imperial palace would have been unbearable if it hadn’t been for Lize’s presence.

The empress held me tightly with both arms.

I sighed and buried my face in the empress’s arms, a happy smile on my face.

‘It’s warm.’

I want to keep living like this.

The relationship between the empress and Damian has improved, and the emperor is not interested in me at all..

I thought that everything was going smoothly at that point.

However, a few days later, in the middle of summer, something happened to Damian.

***

A few days later, I was walking down the road to the Crown Prince’s Place, carrying a cloth bag full of food.

I’ve been in and out of the crown prince’s palace so much that I’ve become as familiar with it as the Empress’s Palace.

“Huh, now it seems like a place where people live.”

When I entered the crown palace, I looked around with a happy face.

Immediately following her promise to care for Damian on her own, the Crown Prince’s Palace was meticulously cleaned.

All of the weeds that had grown in the garden were trimmed, and broken facilities were repaired.

It’s nice to see that the eerie atmosphere has vanished completely.

‘However…’

I tilted my head.

It was weird because Damian was nowhere to be seen today.

Usually, he’d be waiting outside in time for my visit, but what happened?

I decided to go inside for now.

“Crown Prince?”

There was a feeling of uneasiness inside me.

What’s going on here?

I looked around to the kitchen, living room, utility room… 

I looked in all the places where Damian frequented, but he was nowhere to be found.

Finally, there is only one place left.

‘Damian’s bedroom.’

Of course, I’m aware that the bedroom is a private space.

But I can’t seem to find Damian anywhere.

Would he be upset if I went into the bedroom just once in this situation?

Well, I didn’t raise Damian like that!

Having rationalized my action as such, I passed through the living room and went inside.

In the distance, I could see Damian’s bedroom.

The door was firmly shut.

I raised my hand after taking a deep breath.

Knock, knock.

I knocked on the door a couple of times, but received no response.

“Crown Prince?”

I called him carefully.

That’s odd, because Damian has nowhere else to go but here.

After hesitating for a while, I eventually placed my hand on the doorknob.

Creak!

The door opened with an unpleasant noise.

I’m glad the door is not locked.

The room was dark with the curtains down.

I stepped into the room.

“Crown Prince.”

I could see the thick blankets as I approached the bed.

It looks like a person was curled up inside that blanket.

Could that person be Damian?

I drew my brows together and approached the bed.

“Ahh!”

At the same time, I let out a scream.

Because a hand was suddenly stretched out, and firmly grasped my neck.

The bright scarlet eyes stared at me with great intensity in the dark.

What?

Damian, what’s wrong with him?

After a while, a voice that sounded like a growling beast echoed throughout the room.

“Who are you?”