The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 38

“Won’t you turn around when I call you like this?”

 

 “I mean your hair is all sparse.”

 

What? My hair?

 

At that, Charlize flinched her shoulders in surprise.

 

Charlize, who discreetly glanced at the mirror next to the table, got up from her seat with disgust.

 

She ran to the mirror and cried.

 

“Oh my God, my hair is sparse!”

 

Charlize’s appearance, reflected by the mirror, was truly horrific.

 

Her normally soft braided hair was now tangled, unruly, and all over the place, even strands of her hair were sticking out.

 

To make things even worse, even the headband she wore was out of place.

 

“Keep walking around like this and everyone; including her Majesty, the empress and doctors will see!”

 

Her face was soaked with tears, her eyes were red and puffy like a rabbit from all her crying!

 

Charlize, who imagined herself walking around in this disheveled state, made a face that looked like she could faint at any moment.

 

Damian barely contained himself from laughing out loud.

 

It was because if he laughed right then and there, she was going to get really sulky.

 

He beckoned.

 

“Come on, I’ll tie your hair.”

 

“… … No, I can tie it myself.”

 

“I want to tie it up for you.”

 

 Damian answered with an air of confidence.

 

Charlize looked at him with suspicion for a moment but sat quietly in front of Damian.

 

I sat down thinking he would tie it up well because he was so confident.

 

Damian reached out and gently swept down her long silver hair with his hand.

 

Her hair was soft to the touch, satisfying to feel.

 

“So, this is what a girl’s hair feels like,” said Damian before resuming to ask Charlize a question.

 

“You know what, Lize?”

 

“Yes? What is it?”

 

Charlize glanced back.

 

Damian narrowed his scarlet-colored eyes.

 

Damian continued in a calm tone.

 

“The divine beast, Aurelia.”

 

“Are you Aurelia?”

 

Divine Beast Aurelia.

 

A renowned god beast who, together with Carpel, the founding emperor of the Winsor Empire, helped vanquish the demonic beasts and established the empire.

 

Why talk about the divine beast all of a sudden?

 

Damian gathered Charlize’s silver hair together.

 

“According to the legend of the founding of the country, the divine beast has shiny silver fur just like you.”

 

“… … Silver hair?”

 

“Yes. It’s said that the divine beast has the shape of a giant silver tiger with large wings on its back.”

 

Then, Charlize stared at Damian with a strangely dissatisfied face.

 

He asked curiously in response.

 

“Why, why are you staring at me like that?”

 

Charlize let out a deep breath, shrugging her shoulders.

 

She then widened her eyes, grumbling at Damian.

 

“Why do you always compare me to animals? There’s plenty of other analogies you could use, you know!”

 

“… … Whoa, there’s an analogy you want? What is it?”

 

“My Empress, the prettiest queen in the world! You’ll have to do that much!” retorted Charlize.

 

Another empress?

 

Damian abruptly paused, gazing at Charlize with an emotionless stare.

 

Every time I feel that Charlize likes the Empress more than I do, I get upset.

 

He wrinkled his brow.

 

 ‘I am such a childish person.’

 

That said, a moment of deep realization forcefully dawned on him for a while.

 

Damian ran into even more difficulties.

 

 “…… Crown prince.”

 

 “Honestly, have you ever braided your hair?” asked Damian.

 

 Charlize responded to the question with a piercing gaze.

 

“I’d rather it stays like this…… I think it’s better to have your hair loose.”

 

This was an insult to pigtails everywhere.

 

Charlize sighed deeply, fed up with Damian.

 

 “Just let me do it.”

 

 “No, I want to do it for you… …”

 

“If I left it to the crown prince, you wouldn’t be able to tie it up even if you spent tying it for the rest of my life.”

 

In response to such a stern reply, Damian lost even the will to voice any protest.

 

I was just doing it in a timely and orderly manner but I never imagined it would make my arms ache this much.

 

Without batting an eye towards Damian’s shock, Charlize took the comb from him.

 

She then began to braid her hair skillfully.

 

I thought my hands moved quickly, but Charlize had finely braided her hair in a matter of moments.

 

“… … You’re good at tying your hair.”

 

“Of course. I’m in my fifth year as a maid!”

 

In spite of Damian’s clearly dispirited voice, Charlize answered with her chin up and a smirk.

 

Damian took a deep breath, slightly disappointed but mustered his courage to do what came next.

 

I was going to give you a gift after tying your hair, but that opportunity’s gone.

 

He promptly held out his hand, revealing-

 

“Okay. Then, tie your hair with this.”

 

“••••••A ribbon?”

 

Charlize’s eyes were wide open.

 

Although it was a bit old, it was a ribbon made from a luxurious material.

 

“This is my mother’s keepsake.”

 

“It’s, it’s a keepsake!?”

 

Charlize was stunned, unsure of how to respond.

 

No, why are you giving me your mother’s belongings!?

 

Without any doubt, Damian smiled faintly before speaking.

 

 “You’ve been very nice to me so far but I don’t think I’ve done anything to return the favor.”

 

 “No, I can’t possibly accept this. I did what I did because I wanted to, I didn’t mean to ask for anything in return.”

 

“No, I want to give it to you.”

 

Damian answered firmly.

 

After all, Charlize was a very special person to him.

 

Lize, the person who led him into the light, after living like a ghost in the darkest corners of the crown palace for five years.

 

 “This is too much, I can’t- “

 

 “It’s nothing compared to what you’ve done.”

 

“However… …”

 

 “I’ve been a burden so many times, but you always helped me. I fall down over and over again…”

 

“And? People can get sick, why is that a problem?”

 

However, all of a sudden, Charlize made a pouty face, intent on asking questions to find out.

 

Charlize squinted her eyes, understanding what Damian was hinting at.

 

“I don’t want to blame myself like that.”

 

“……What?” replied Damian.

 

 “People can’t be healthy all the time.”

 

Charlize’s gaze at Damian was very straightforward, conveying how upfront she was going to be, it didn’t matter what title Damian held. Right now, she was going to set him straight.

 

But, is it really okay to think that way? muttered Damian in a low tone.

 

Damian’s fine scarlet eyes trembled at Charlize’s tenacity.

 

After hesitating for a while, Damian regained his composure and continued speaking calmly.

 

“But you had a hard time because of me.”

 

“Well, it’s okay to take care of the crown prince. It’s not that hard. Rather.”

 

Charlize sighed heavily.

 

With a sigh reminiscent of an adult’s, Damian became a little embarrassed, his head hanging low and an awkward smile on his face.

 

“It makes me sad when I see you blame yourself.”

 

“Still, you must have been very bothered… …” 

 

“Oh, brother.”

 

Distraught at Damian unable to stop blaming himself, Charlize pounded her chest in frustration.

 

 “Change your perspective and think about it.”

 

 “Change my perspective?”

 

 “Yes. Your Majesty, the crown prince, would you find it annoying if I was sick, lying in bed?”

 

 “No, of course not!”

 

Damian raised his voice without realizing.

 

Who the hell is bothering whom?!

 

Charlize looked at him with pitiful eyes as if she were looking at the world’s greatest idiot.

 

Then she shrugged her shoulders.

 

 “The same goes for me.”

 

“…….What?”

 

 “You feel the same way I do.”

 

There was a moment of silence between the two but Damian couldn’t help but look at Charlize’s eyes.

 

The way Charlize and how her wide open eyes kept looking at me……

 

 It just made me feel ticklish.

 

Damian felt his heart pounding for some reason.

 

Biting his lips, he suddenly jerked his head away.

 

Charlize barely swallowed the laughter that was about to burst out when she saw Damian’s face flushed bright red.

 

“…. … Anyways, I will cherish this ribbon. So, about what we talked about…”

 

Charlize widened her eyes at Damian.

 

He flinched.

 

 Charlize reassured herself and pressed on with the conversation.

 

“Don’t think like that in the future, okay?”

 

“Okay, I got it.”

 

Satisfied at that moment, Charlize tried to tuck the ribbon in her pocket.

 

 Suddenly, a disappointed voice interrupted.

 

“The ribbon I gave you, can you wear it from now on?”

 

“What?”

 

“Can’t you put it on now?”

 

Well, there’s nothing difficult about putting it on.

 

Charlize tied the ends of her hair with the ribbon.

 

Turning her body slightly, she asked him.

 

“What do you think?”

 

 “Pretty.”

 

That compliment came out in an instant.

 

At such a quick response to her question, Charlize rolled her eyes at Damian though she didn’t dislike his response.

 

 “…… How can you answer without even looking for just a moment?”

 

 “No, really.”

 

 Then, their eyes met, his fine scarlet eyes locked with her lilac-colored eyes.

 

Damian’s expression gave off such a serious expression that Charlize was slightly surprised by his frankness.

 

Damian reached out, gently caressing the top of her head, openly expressing his fondness.

 

He whispered in a sweet voice.

 

“You’re so pretty.”

 

“Well, I think the Crown Prince is prettier than me.”

 

Charlize, who was staring at Damian’s face, answered firmly.

 

He couldn’t stop laughing at her silly answer.

 

The two spent a long time talking with each other until-

 

A knock on the door could be heard.

 

“Lize, it’s me!

 

“Your Majesty!

 

As soon as she heard the Empress’s voice, Charlize leaped out of her chair, giddy with the brightest expression on her face, that just radiated joy.

 

Damian’s face instantly turned sullen.

 

“Noo, why does Charlize’s face just light up whenever she sees the Empress?” thought Damian to himself.

 

“My Lize, I missed you!”

 

“Me too!”

 

The empress spread her arms wide open, regardless of Damian watching.

 

Charlize quickly jumped into the empress’s arms.

 

Damian’s forehead became even more wrinkled at the sight of their heartfelt reunion.

 

Meanwhile, the empress’s eyes widened upon noticing a ribbon tied to Charlize’s hair. 

 

“Oh my, Lize. Where did you find that pretty ribbon?”

 

“The Crown Prince gave it to me!”

 

Charlize replied with a vibrant smile.

 

As soon as she heard that answer, the empress’s eyes quickly widened again in astonishment.

 

“What? ……regardless the crown prince is just a boy, he doesn’t have an eye for things.”

 

“No, I just said you were pretty, right?!” retorted Damian.

 

Damian was very upset but controlled his emotions.

 

The empress looked down on the ribbon fluttering from the back of Charlize’s head with a look of rejection.

 

Then she continued talking.

 

“For Charlize, a more noble and elegant, splendid and beautiful ribbon suits her.”

 

While utilizing all kinds of adjectives and putting them together, the Empress delivered each word with a straight face.

 

Then, Charlize shook her head in disagreement, knowing clearly the true value this ribbon held for her and for Damian.