The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 59

It was the early summer. 

While the garden provided shade from the sun, you could still feel the summer heat from occasional breezes. 

Since they’ve been drinking hot tea from the start, I thought I quench their thirst with cool drinks at least once. 

“Maid, you may be young but you’re very smart!”

My hunch was correct. 

The guests were ecstatic and didn’t hesitate to grab their glasses of juice. 

“I had wanted something cool to drink but didn’t want to be rude, thank god you noticed in advance and decided to make juice, young lady,” responded a noble. 

“You’re very thoughtful!” remarked another noble. 

While I did accept their compliments, what I thought about the most was….

‘Can the Empress dowager drink the juice comfortably?’

When I glanced up, the Empress dowager was looking at me with an indescribable look. 

I gave a big smile to the Empress dowager. 

By the way-

“……..with whose permission, did you juice this precious fruit?”

A voice rang out among the guests.

Sure enough, it was the Emperor. 

“You are the maid of the Empress, the mother of the empire.”

The Emperor shot at me with a sharp voice. 

“It is your responsibility as a maid to not be wasteful and behave properly.”

The friendly atmosphere had melted away in a short period like ice cubes. 

The nobles who were about to happily drink away stiffened their shoulders and directed their attention to the Emperor. 

“But instead of that, you decide to waste these precious fruits by having us consume them like this…..”

The Emperor pointed to a glass of juice with a sullen hand gesture. 

“You a mere maid, have acted presumptuously, overstepping your boundaries. Have you no shame?” the Emperor added as he raised his voice. 

Oh, dear. 

I narrowed my shoulders and bowed my head.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

“‘I’m sorry?’ The nerve- Do you think saying sorry can offset your arrogance?!” roared the Emperor. 

The Emperor was furious, suddenly standing up from his seat and towering over me. 

I fell to my knees, fairly frightened. 

“I’m very sorry, please forgive me just this once!”

Of course, I expected the Emperor’s ‘lashing out’ to be unpleasant to some extent….

‘I didn’t expect him to be this angry.’

Avoiding the Emperor’s gaze, I gulped my saliva. 

To be honest, it wasn’t against etiquette to have fruits that were given as a gift juiced and then serve them. 

Whether it was served regularly or juiced, everyone would still enjoy it. So what’s the problem?

This just means that the Emperor is trying to cause a stir or nitpicking at this point, getting angry over one minor thing. 

‘……It’s an issue I or really anyone can have no say in.’

On the other hand, the Empress was now staring at the Emperor with a piercing glare.

I was nervous about that on the inside. 

Don’t fight! The Empress can’t fight the Emperor because of me?!

I was still shaking when I heard a voice. 

“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”

The Empress dowager opened her mouth. 

Her voice was like cold water dousing the flames. 

“Please let go of your anger.”

“I don’t know what you mean. Was this maid not displaying her arrogance? In front of all these distinguished guests no less?” the Emperor retorted. 

The Emperor had jerked his head to address the Empress dowager. 

However, the Empress dowager didn’t bat an eye and continued. 

“Miss Charlize made this juice out of consideration for me.”

Your Majesty, Empress dowager! Please don’t…

I bit my lips. 

The Emperor’s eyebrows furrowed greatly. 

“…..She did this because she was concerned for you?”

“That’s right.”

Her Majesty nodded with a composed demeanor. 

“It’s true that I really like lecitan but that was 5 years ago, time flies so fast.”

“What are you…”

“My teeth are weak now, I can’t enjoy lecitan like I use to.” 

The Empress dowager had spoken up about her condition but everyone else didn’t quite catch what she said, they perhaps thought she meant something different. 

‘After leaving my mother unattended for 5 years, I had no idea that she had weak teeth.’

And just like that, it ended. 

The Emperor returned to his seat. 

A stern expression remained on the Emperor’s face though. 

The Duke, who was silent until now, spoke up in a gentle tone. 

“Well, I’m very glad she made the juice.” 

“……Duke of Rochester,” acknowledged the Emperor. 

“Otherwise, Her Majesty, the Empress dowager wouldn’t be able to once again taste the fruit she enjoys.”

Having said that, the Duke smiled brightly. 

The Emperor bit his lip and looked around, watching everyone’s expression. 

He did not utter a word. 

The nobles only looked at each other, not daring to speak. 

The atmosphere of the venue wasn’t favorable for what the Emperor had in mind. 

I guess it’s hard to win over people when he treats his mother so harshly. 

And I……

‘I feel a little weird.’

I clenched my fists tightly. 

……I wanted to protect the pride of the Empress dowager as much as possible but instead- 

Her Majesty laid down her pride to save me from the trouble I got myself into. 

In the end, I was of no help to Her Majesty. 

After a brief moment, the Emperor sighed and turned to face me. 

“Very well, if the Duke of Rochester says so.”

As the Emperor glanced down at me, he gave me an order. 

“Get up.”

I quickly stood up and looked at the Emperor with his gray eyes. 

The Emperor cast a cold look at me. 

“Since it was an act done for my mother, I’ll let it slide this time.”

“Yes, I’m sorry, Your Majesty.” 

“But remember this won’t happen again in the future.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

I bowed before the Emperor as low as possible. 

The Emperor gestured with his chin, pointing toward the entrance to the garden. 

“I don’t want to see you, begone from my sight.”

***

After Charlize had left. 

The pervading tone of the venue was all but cold and bleak. 

“Because of that young maid, the atmosphere’s transformed into this…”

Just then, Count Bart, a noble, inserted himself into the conversation. 

“Harsher on her, only then will she do what’s she told.”

What is that nobleman going on about?

The Empress dowager hardened her face. 

Unfortunately for the nobleman, he didn’t notice the Empress dowager’s fierce gaze and continued speaking carelessly. 

‘Besides, that child is already mature for her age, I see no reason to get so attached to someone.”

“Well, I don’t see any reason why that’s your concern, Count Bart. Don’t get so attached.”

The Empress dowager said in a scornful voice. 

“Charlize is a maid of the Empress’s palace.”

“Why of course she is, I don’t doubt that. However, I don’t think having a maid like her will do you any favors.”

As if that wasn’t enough, the nobleman added insult to injury, whispering to the Empress dowager.

“By the way, Your Majesty. Why don’t you think of searching for a new maid? Someone better if you will?”

“Stop, are you suggesting that I replace my maid?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll even help you. Finding maids with the right talents is so hard these days…luckily, I have someone. My youngest daughter.” 

Count Bart said so with a grin. 

“I cherish my daughter even spoiled her a bit but for her Majesty’s sake, I am willing to give her to you.”

“Count Bart.” 

Gasp.

That sharp reaction from the Empress dowager took Count Bart by surprise, he shuddered as his shoulders hardened. 

Her Majesty with an intimidating gaze was looking at the Count straight in the eyes. 

“Is the Count giving instructions on what’s best for the Empress dowager?” 

“Oh…that’s, it’s not like….”

“I choose my people. Don’t you dare interfere and presume you know what’s best for me.” 

The Empress dowager told him bluntly. 

Her expression could send shivers down any man’s spine, in that moment she was like a wolf ready to devour Count Bart, a misguided lamb.

Then, the Emperor got up abruptly. 

“Then I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“Are you returning to the Imperial palace, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. I remember I have some urgent matters to attend to.”

When asked by the Empress dowager, his Majesty merely nodded in agreement to move things along. 

Of course, ‘I have urgent matters’ was just an excuse, in reality, he couldn’t accept that things didn’t go as he anticipated. His irritation was getting the better of him hence his departure. 

“Well, then I’ll do it!” 

At that moment, Count Bart got up from his seat with a relieved expression as if he had survived an attempt on his life. 

The Emperor looked at Count Bart with pitiful eyes before licking his lips and lying. 

“Well then mother, I’ll see you next time.”

Obviously, no one believed that.

The Empress dowager’s expression was calm, she simply smiled brightly and responded gracefully. 

“Yes, I’ll happily await your next visit.”

* * *

And so, the lengthy tea time was concluded. 

The Empress and the Duke walked side by side, having a conversation as sister and brother. 

“……I wanted Charlize to come back with me.”

The Empress pouted and grumbled a little. 

At first, the Empress was going to have Charlize return with her but the Empress dowager made a sincere request. 

When the guests left one by one, said their farewells and thanked the Empress dowager for the venue. She approached the Empress.

‘Can I send Charlize back a little later?’

‘Oh? Well, may I know why?’

‘It’s because I haven’t even properly thanked her.’ 

‘Ah…..alright…..’

Since the Empress dowager had gone out of her to tell the Empress, it was hard to say no. 

The Empress dowager smiled slightly, giving a curtsy but the Empress as she turned to leave, couldn’t help but get a little teary-eyed knowing she would go back without her precious Charlize. 

‘Oh, and.’

‘Yes?’

‘I will never forget the help you’ve given me today, Empress.’

It was a thank you for tea leaves, teacups, and tea utensils.

The Empress dowager knew about it.

The Empress in response gave a smile to her Majesty. 

Meanwhile, the Duke who had been quietly listening to his sister’s grumblings finally spoke.

“That little child.”

“Little? Oh, you mean Charlize?”

The Duke who narrowed his eyebrows for a bit voiced his thoughts. 

“She’s more than I expected….. she’s clever.”

“What?”

The sudden compliment by her brother had the Empress totally stunned. It wasn’t like him.

“That’s all I wanted to say.”

The Duke once again closed his mouth, lost in thought. 

I use to think she was just a lucky child that somehow obtained my sister’s favor. I saw her as undeserving of it. 

She was as my sister said, cute but that was about it. Nothing more than a little kid. 

‘I considered every time she helped Rose in one way or another during the dinner, a coincidence.’

Now I find myself pondering, there’s something more to her. 

More than meets the eye, it’s because of her, this dinner went smoothly….well better than I imagined. It’s like she has some special power…