The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 91

‘After all, when Damian and Sienna become lovers down the line, I can be less of a bother.’

….As the thought formed in her head, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

To dispel that feeling, Charlize changed the topic. 

“By the way, Damian.”

“Yes?”

“Shouldn’t you be preparing yourself to see the Emperor?”

Charlize was honestly a little worried. 

Since Damian had won a tremendous victory, it would surely entitle an audience with the Emperor. 

There was no guarantee that the Emperor would somehow not find the smallest fault and rebuke him on the spot. 

But Damian was so laid-back. 

“Don’t worry too much, I’ve already thought of a way to lower the Emperor’s vigilance.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a secret for now,” answered Damian. 

It must be a politically sensitive issue so it’s understandable he’d be unforthcoming about it. 

Charlize meekly nodded her head. 

Damian looked down at her slightly disappointed. 

“Umm, aren’t you curious what the plan is?”

“Of course…I’m curious.”

“So why aren’t you asking?”

“Well, there must have been a reason you didn’t tell me, right?”

Charlize stared at Damian incessantly, waiting for a reply. 

Damian then muttered in a rather sullen voice. 

“I’d still wish you’d ask me though.”

….what do you want me to do?

Charlize squinted her eyes as she asked Damian. 

“Will you tell me if I ask?”

“But that raises a question I can’t give the answer to yet…”

“Well then, why are you asking me to do this in the first place?!” rebuked Charlize, unable to hold back her frustration. 

Damian’s expression became sullen, reflecting his previous tone. 

“But I did want you to guess and ask me more questions.”

This isn’t getting anywhere, it’s just childlike banter…

Charlize walked past Damian with an icy face instead of discussing the issue any further. 

Damian rushed after Charlize. 

“Lize, aren’t you being cold-hearted with me?”

“Before you start complaining, try reflecting on your actions.”

In response to that stern answer, Damian looked downcast. 

However, she walked in a hurry, too occupied to notice. 

Charlize out of habit ran her fingers through her hair, which Damian had tidied up earlier.

Once she realized it, she quickly pulled her hand away out of embarrassment. 

‘….ugh, I’m an idiot too.’

Even though she disliked Damian’s childlike demeanor, she would end up giggling at his trivial actions. 

That day, Charlize regretted deeply for not paying more attention to what Damian said. 

‘I should have questioned him more clearly at the time! Maybe I could have gotten him to spill the beans…’ she thought. 

***

The next day. 

The Emperor had arranged for Damian and Viscountess Antes to receive a reward. 

This meeting with the Emperor would be attended by the dignitaries of the empire, including the Empress, Her Majesty, the Empress dowager, and the Duke of Rochester.  

I also attended, following the Empress as her attendant. 

‘Oh, it’s him.’

The first person that caught my eye among the gaudy-dressed crowd was none other than Damian. 

And next to him…

‘Sienna Antes.’

….ha, seriously.

I hate myself for thinking so much about Sienna. 

I quietly bowed my head and concealed my expressions as I stood behind the Empress while she sat. 

After a while, the Emperor with a loud voice made an announcement. 

“I congratulate the Northerners for their long and arduous work against the beasts, in return I recompense your efforts. Two hundred chests of silver ingots shall be sent and territories in the South shall be granted as your reward.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Sienna bowed, leaning her body inwardly. 

This time the Emperor paid little attention to her. 

I widened my eyes. 

The Southern lands could scarcely be called ‘farmlands’, but they did have granaries and managed to produce crops. 

Thus, in other words, it was a reasonably valuable reward for the North which was stricken with food shortages. 

As far as I know, this scale of compensation no doubt entailed discussion upon discussion before being passed at the national assembly…

‘It must have been incredibly hard for the national assembly to have everyone agree on a worthwhile reward…’ 

I looked at the Duke of Rochester with a sympathetic look.

The Duke, who noticed me, shook his head with an exhausted mien. 

Whoa, it must have been more difficult than I imagined. 

While I gazed at the Duke, the Emperor spoke in a tone that was unfitting for the situation.  

“Let us also not forget the Crown prince and his contribution in quelling the beasts’ numbers. I and everyone else commend you.”

Oh, you’re rewarding Damian now?

The Emperor asked a question to Damian with a begrudging look. 

“Is there anything you want?”

All eyes at the assembly turned to Damian. 

‘So that’s how it is, huh?.’

My mood has turned a tad sour. 

Not too long ago, Antes was given silver ingots and new lands. 

The absurdity the Emperor had to try and wash his hands of Damian’s reward by asking ‘Is there anything you want?’ 

Damian opened his mouth without hesitation. 

“I’m now twenty-one years old, I’ve already become of age three years prior.”

“Well, get to the point.”

“So even if it’s not marriage, I’m thinking of getting engaged sooner rather than later.”

“….engagement?”

In an instant, the Emperor’s gaze became vigilant. 

It was only natural for the Emperor to react to threats. 

If Damian were to associate himself with a woman from a powerful family, he could be placed in a very disadvantageous situation. 

Most importantly, did not he himself only succeed to the throne due to the aid of a powerful family, the Rochesters or to be more precise the previous Duke of Rochester?

“You wish to be engaged, but to whom? Perhaps…”

The Emperor’s shape gaze turned to Sienna. 

“…is it perhaps Viscountess Antes?”

In many ways, Sienna was the most probable choice.  

Damian had been in the North for eight years. 

During that time, Sienna represented the North and had formed a close bond with Damian. 

To boot, they were inseparable lovers who couldn’t bear to live without each other in the original novel. 

I knew that. 

And despite knowing that…

‘Sienna.’

As soon as that name is mentioned, my heart pounds with great ferocity. 

‘….I didn’t expect my heart to beat so rapidly.’ 

Without realizing it, I bit my lips till they bled. 

Statuses…it could be equated to a towering and unbending wall. 

It’s true that Damian and I had been friends since childhood, but that’s a thing of the past. 

There’s a vast distance between the crown prince, the future ruler of the empire, and a maid. 

So, you have to come to terms with reality. 

Besides, it’s impossible to go against the flow of the original. 

Through this engagement, Sienna may be able to save Damian this time. 

‘Even though I knew this was for the better, somehow I felt a part of my heart become cold as if it had been cut open with a knife. 

But then. 

“No.”

Damian’s firm answer rang out.

Huh? It’s not Sienna? 

At his unexpected reply, I raised my head. 

My heart skipped a beat when I did. 

It was because Damian was looking directly at me. 

“The person I want to be engaged with-”

I held my breath. 

Time seemed to stand still, each word spoken by Damian seemed like an eternity.

“Is Lady Charlize, maid of the Empress’s palace.”

A few seconds pass. 

Damian nodded as if to affirm what he said. 

As his words reached the ears of all those attending, the room erupted in noise akin to a disturbed beehive. 

The nobles exchanged baffled looks as the room was thrown into confusion.  

“What, Lady Charlize?”

“Just who is that maid?”

“It’s not just anyone else?! A maid?! The crown prince will be engaged to a maidservant out of all people!”

“This is ludicrous!”

Each attendee added their own take to the hotchpotch of bewilderment that once was an orderly atmosphere. 

In the midst of it, the Duke of Rochester looked my way with a startled face. 

The Empress and Her Majesty, the Empress dowager also could not hide their shock. 

It was the only natural reaction to something like this. 

I, myself was extremely confused!

Damian quickly made his way to me, eventually standing before me. 

Standing in front of me, Damian enchantingly closed his eyes and said. 

“I meant it.”

Damian’s smile became wider. 

“I want you to be my fiancee.”

I was thrown into greater confusion, more than enough for a lifetime. 

Marriage was a great opportunity to solidify Damian’s position. 

But to blow a chance like this, that’s something else…

‘What about Sienna?’

I reflexively looked back at her. 

However Sienna maintained a tranquil visage unlike everyone else. 

….it was like she had foreseen this outcome in advance. 

Just as I was trying to pull myself together, the Emperor spoke up, interrupting the commotion in the room. 

“Splendid. Just splendid.”

Huh? What’s splendid? 

Unbelievable!

I looked at the Emperor, just stunned at what I was seeing. 

The Emperor wore a pleased expression as he nodded his head, his countenance resembling a full-blown carnivore. 

“If the crown prince wants that maid so much, I have no choice but to allow it.”

“B-But, Your Majesty!”

“You can’t be serious, engagement with a maid!”

The horrified nobles did their best to dissuade the Emperor from his decision. 

To their dismay, the Emperor didn’t budge a single bit. 

“Why are you all so fussy?”

The Emperor looked from left to right at all those present, speaking with a satisfied smile. 

“You said it yourself, it’s not anyone else.”

….that sly man!

I clenched my fists. 

The Emperor was able to execute a cunning plan of action despite not having prior knowledge about this. 

To prevent Damian from becoming more politically powerful, he allowed me to be engaged with Damian!

“T-This can’t be…”

“The next emperor will be married to a maid, has he lost it…”

“Enough. The crown prince must have thought it through. Don’t make baseless assumptions.”