The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 78

Damian replied in a firm tone.

“Duh, of course.”

“It’s hard for me, imagining myself outside the palace.”

“Lize, why are you talking like that? Is it because you don’t want to go out with me?

Damian probed me for answers.

What? Does he really think that way?

I quickly shook my head. 

“It’s not like that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am. I said it before, I like the crown prince very much.”

Seemingly hitting the nail on the head, Damian’s face brightened up. 

It seemed like he wanted to say something, but he stopped and avoided eye contact.

His white cheeks were so red, that if water were to touch them, they would just go ‘tssss.’

I barely withheld my desire to tease him again, instead, I stayed with him just grinning. 

 

***

 

That night, I had a dream.

‘Carpel.’ 

A gentle voice echoed. 

There were two people sitting side by side under the dazzling night sky that was strewn with countless stars. 

There was a woman with long bright silver hair and a man with indigo-colored hair that resembled the early hours of dawn. 

The man rested his head on the woman’s shoulders, his eyes were closed as if asleep.

The facial expressions of the two were drastically different. 

The woman’s beautiful face was pale and covered in a stream of tears, while the man’s face seemed very serene. 

‘I will keep my promise to you.’ 

Whispering into the man’s ear, she raised her head afterward.

It was as if she didn’t want him to be caught in the tears she was shedding. 

‘So you…’

She shook her head slowly in a pained motion. 

Her voice was mixed with so many emotions such as sorrow and anger. 

But the obvious one among them all was her unconditional love towards the man.

‘…keep the promise you made with me.’  

At the same moment she whispered, I suddenly woke up. 

“….ah.”

Across the midnight velvet sky, the countless stars were still shining brilliantly in place. 

The lush green fields swaying in the wind, patches of wildflowers blooming, the distinctive fresh smell of grass, and the even weight of the man’s head resting on her shoulders. 

It was a bizarre vivid dream. 

As if I was there, experiencing everything on the spot. 

“What happened…”

I’m having all sorts of strange dreams. 

Trying to brush it off, I raised my hand and wiped my eyes. 

“What, how?”

I fully opened my eyes, surprised at my fingers. 

My fingers were wet and slightly wrinkled from wiping away my tears. 

As if I had been sobbing and weeping the entire dream…

No, why was I crying?

I narrowed my eyes and looked out the window. 

Above the empty garden, there was only the darkness of early dawn. 

The blueish hue reminded me of the man I saw in the dream. 

That man…

“Hey, I shouldn’t think too much about this. I need to get some rest.”

Frowning, I pulled the covers and laid down again. 

But because of the thumping of my heart, I stayed up all night, unable to sleep. 

 

***

 

A few days later. 

I was running towards the crown prince’s palace in exhilaration 

The chef at the Empress’s palace made a special duck dish, and it just tastes heavenly!

I was ecstatic to have Damian try it. So much so, the Empress in the end though with a dissatisfied face agreed to have Damian tag along. 

‘As expected, our Empress is an angel!’

Just the thought of Damian eating this meat dish, put a big smile on my face. 

That reminds me of the time when I first fed him white bread with jam on it, Damian was really cute.  

I could clearly picture the look on his face, how wide his eyes were when he tried sweets for the first time. 

*Ahh* He’s grown so much. 

As I reached the palace, I stopped in my tracks. 

What? Why is the door to the palace wide open?

And the gate guard’s gone too?

I felt something ominous. 

As I set foot into the crown prince’s palace, there stood a man in splendid clothes in the distance. 

…is he?

My face hardened. 

The man was from the imperial palace. 

‘He’s dressed as a royal official.’

Emperor, what threats will you use to bully Damian this time?

I curled my lips. 

“Prince Damian Carpel De Winsor, show reverence to his Majesty!” 

At those words, Damian knelt with an expressionless face. 

The official raised his voice, calling for attention. 

“As prince of the imperial family and as someone who has awakened the power of the divine beast, you must bear the weight of your nobility.”

…what kind of nonsense is that? What does he mean by ‘weight of nobility’?

Flames ignited in my eyes.

Don’t make me laugh, you and your honeyed words!

You all have never treated Damian with any dignity!

“Therefore I entrust you with the duty of defending Winsor.”

“What is that duty?” Damian inquired. 

“The crown prince is to make way to the northern Kier plains to cleanse the beasts and defend our lands.”

Responding to Damian’s calm question, the official answered without any delay. 

N-Northern Kier plains?!

I was wide-eyed. 

The Kier plains were adjacent to Margrave Ante’s territory in the frontier and are inhabited by demonic beasts. 

The land which the Empire has never been able to obtain. 

 

Isn’t this just like sending someone to die?!

 

I balled up my fists. 

 

My nails dug deep into my palms, but I was so fumed that I didn’t feel any pain. 

 

And Damian…

 

“The order, I’ll accept it.”

 

….he said so with a silent bow. 

 

I felt my whole world just come crashing down. Everything seemed like a blur. 

 

Damian, what did you just say?

 

Going to such a desolate place, have you lost your marbles?!

 

When I came to, I suddenly found myself in front of Damian. 

 

“T-That can’t be!”

 

“Lize?!”

 

Damian looked at me in complete amazement. 

 

But I couldn’t afford to answer him right now. 

 

I immediately dropped to my knees, lowering my head till my forehead touched the floor. 

 

“Please reconsider, his Highness, the crown prince is just thirteen years old,” I implored the official sent. 

 

I bowed my head again and again in desperation. 

 

A stunned Damian watched in utter confusion but I didn’t raise my head. 

 

“How can the crown prince, someone so young, survive in such an unforgiving place?”

 

I gasped for breath. 

 

Oh no, I can’t do it. Not like this. 

 

I need to talk as clearly as possible. 

 

The official sent won’t take me seriously if I cry here…

 

To hold back the tears, I bit my lips till they bled. 

 

But even that couldn’t stop my tears from flowing freely. 

 

“Lize, stop it.”

 

“But!” I exclaimed with a crumpled expression. 

 

When I raised my voice, Damian shook his head in response. 

 

Damian wrapped his outstretched arm around me. 

 

“Would you kindly turn a blind eye towards the disrespect shown by this child?”

 

Damian looked up at the man with an intense gaze.

 

The hand wrapped around my shoulder strengthened its grip. 

 

“She’s still young. Aside from that, she’s the child whom Her Majesty, the Empress greatly cherishes.”

 

“Nonetheless, to show such impudence against the Emperor’s wishes…” stated the official. 

 

“You can’t punish this child over such trifles. Any attempt to do so and you would be going against her Majesty’s wishes. Are you prepared to be on bad terms with Her Majesty?”

 

The official alternated between Damian’s and Charlize’s faces with a look that was lost for words. 

 

Damian spoke calmly. 

 

“If her Majesty, the Empress finds offense, you’ll certainly have offended the Duke of Rochester too.”

 

“…erm.”

 

When the Empress’s brother was mentioned, the official seemed to back down. 

 

Damian nailed it. 

 

“Give me a deadline instead.”

 

“A deadline?”

 

“Yes. The Emperor’s wishes must be carried out,” declared Damian. 

 

Damian!

 

I glanced back at him. 

 

Don’t tell me, you’re actually going to obey that unreasonable order?

 

Are you serious!?

 

However, Damian’s expression remained unchanged. 

 

I was in absolute disbelief. 

 

“All right. But you must leave the palace within a week.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

 

After some back and forth, the official went away. 

 

I grabbed Damian by his collar. 

 

“Your Highness, what on earth are you talking about!”

 

“Lize, calm down.”

 

“A week?! You have to leave in a week?!”

 

I wiped away the tears with my sleeve. 

 

But as my tears continued to stream, my vision began to blur. 

 

I strengthened my grasp, holding onto Damian with all my might. 

 

If I don’t do that, Damian might disappear from me. 

 

“How…how could his Majesty, the Emperor do this to his Highness!”

 

“Don’t worry so much…”

 

Damian came closer, reaching out and wiping away my tears. 

 

His fingertips were wet from my constant sobbing. 

 

There’s no use in arguing like this. 

 

It wasn’t Damian’s fault. 

 

It’s the Emperor pushing him to accept…

 

“In a situation like this, how can you expect me not to worry?!” 

 

“Well, that’s true, isn’t it?”

 

Damian replied with laughter at my concern for his well-being.  

 

Why are you laughing about this!?

 

I stared at Damian with a bewildered expression.

 

Gently wiping the corners of my swollen eyes, he muttered to me. 

 

“It’s nice though, having you be worried for me.”

 

“…how many times have you made me worry, and you just go and say that?”

 

“Oh, the guilt! My conscience hurts now.”

 

Damian put on an awkward smile, something between a frown and a smile. 

 

Just as I was about to yell at him again. 

 

Damian stretched out his arms, hugging me tightly. 

 

…what’s this?

 

I opened my watery eyes.