The Evil Empress Adores Me - Chapter 93

Feeling a mix of emotions I couldn’t quite describe, I simply stared at Damian instead of answering. 

Then, Damian’s expression turned ardent as he spoke vehemently. 

“Oh, of course! If you’re in love with someone else, I’m really sorry and…”

“It’s not like that.”

….just what is he rambling on about now? 

I think I’m going to lose it with the rollercoaster of emotions I’ve experienced today!

As soon as he heard my straightforward answer, a relieved Damian smiled. 

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“But I’m not relieved, especially by what you did back there.”

I added in a low voice. 

Damian’s smile became crooked. 

“Huh?”

“You could have explained it to me from the beginning, couldn’t you?”

I scrunched my brows and approached Damian as I reprimanded him. 

“Since it’s an engagement out of necessity, I have no qualms with it but the least you can do is show some understanding.”

Damian at the moment looked crushed. 

‘Hey, why are you making that face?’

I decided to plant my feet and continue this boldly. 

Right? I’m the one who’s suffering the most from this arrangement!

All of a sudden I found myself to be engaged, so naturally I misunderstood Damian’s intentions!

‘Well, maybe, Damian might be romantically attracted to me and so offered the engagement…’

There’s a small chance, but that’s what I thought!

To hide my embarrassment, I raised my voice. 

“If you had explained beforehand, would I have been so surprised?”

“No, Lize. Wait a minute…”

Damian, who seemed on the verge of protest with a dismayed look, sighed heavily as he touched his forehead. 

“…..okay. Let’s go ahead with the engagement.”

“What do you mean go ahead?”

I couldn’t hide my dissatisfaction. 

And then. 

Damian lifted his head and looked at me with a fierce expression. 

“First and foremost, let’s stop with the ‘Your Highness.’”

“P-Pardon?”

“From this moment on, you’re my fiancee,” growled Damian like a beast. 

“….it means you’ll be the only person who can call me by my name.”  

Why is saying his name so important to him?

I tilted my head and called out to Damian. 

“I will, Damian.”

His expression softened in a blink of an eye. 

W-What?

I was a bit surprised at that reaction.  

Was I seeing things?

Just a second ago, he gave the impression of a snarling tiger with its teeth laid bare, now he resembles a vulnerable kitten! 

“Haaaa.”

After a long sigh, Damian sat beside me. 

He then rested his head on my shoulder. 

“I, um, Damian?”

“….just for a while,” Damian muttered as he rubbed his cheek against my shoulder. 

Wow, he’s really… he’s acting like a kitten?

“I’ll be like this for a while longer…” 

‘No matter what you’re going through, as crown prince you should have some dignity, right?’

I wanted to tell him that.  

The urge to tell him rose to my throat but-

“….okay.”

I changed my mind about it. 

I’m sure today must have been nerve-wracking for him. 

Yes, I’ll just let this one pass. 

I raised my hand and placed it on his shoulder. 

Damian smiled bashfully. 

For a time, there seemed to be a peaceful atmosphere but…

‘…..wait, hold on.’

I immediately narrowed my brow. 

“Damian.”

“Yes?”

“Before, when we were talking about Viscountess Antes.”

Damian, who was purring like a kitten, flinched his shoulders. 

I widened my eyes and glared at him. 

“Are you mad at me, Lize?”

“Hmm? Oh, no…it just so happens…”

“How are you still mad?”

I raised my voice again to the top of my lungs. 

“I’M A VICTIM, I never got the chance to turn down this engagement!!”

“I’m sorry!”

Damian hastily cried out an apology. 

Well, if you have a conscience you should be sorry!

I commanded in a savage tone. 

“Get away from me right now.”

“Lize, can you cut me some slack today?”

“Do you want to see me angrier?”

Damian backed away, looking at me like an abandoned puppy. 

If I’m going to forgive him at this point, I can’t have him leave. 

I folded my arms, my eyes narrowed at him. 

“If you’re truly sorry.”

“If you’re truly sorry?” Damian responded with a hint of concern in his tone. 

“Kneel down in front of me with your hands up.”

Erm, I’m a little worried about treating the crown prince like this, but…

It’s just the two of us, right?

No matter how naive he is, he’s not actually going to do what I say, is he?

I put on a brazen expression, sticking to what I previously said. 

And.

“….are you going to do it?” I questioned. 

As soon as those words left my mouth, Damian meekly knelt in front of me with his arms raised high. 

“Obviously, I did something wrong today.”

Damian looked up at me with a pitiful expression. 

“Just more than anything, I don’t want to see your angry face.”

“Lize, are you not going to calm down?”

“It’s my fault for what happened today,” acknowledged Damian as he continued speaking in a feeble voice. 

As I was watching him……

I was laughing on the inside at the silly position he was in. 

So, to be honest I wasn’t focusing so much on the punishment anymore but rather on Damian. 

I can assuredly say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

‘And Damian, you’re so cute!’

Who knew a cold-hearted man, who could make the world come to a halt with his beauty alone, would look so gloomy while being punished!

“Lize, are you okay now?” asked Damian. 

Nodding my head, I motioned for Damian to lower his hands. 

Damian quickly drew closer. 

As I watched Damian cling to me like an obedient puppy, I thought to myself. 

As expected, the world revolves around good looks. 

 

***

 

After lots of twists and turns today, Damian escorted me to the Empress’s palace. 

“By the way, we should be using the same palace sooner or later.”

“What? Why propose that?”

“Think about it. Now that you’re going to be my fiancee, isn’t it odd to still be a maid at the Empress’s palace?”

Oh, is that so? 

With that new perspective, I blinked my eyes. 

I see. 

I really am going to be Damian’s fiancee. 

“Goodbye, I…..no.”

I struggled to suppress the tingly feeling in my heart. 

“Damian.”

The moment he heard my parting, Damian smiled broadly like a flower in full bloom.

“See you tomorrow, Lize.”

Looking back at Damian drawing further away, I bit my lips before asking. 

I couldn’t find the will to ask him in the end. 

‘What will happen to Viscountess Antes?’

…..can’t say it. 

My conscience felt a throbbing sensation of pain as if being stabbed by thousands of needles. 

With the way this is going, I would end up taking away the role of the heroine who was supposed to be with Damian. 

But what made me feel more disillusioned with myself was-

‘I couldn’t turn down Damian’s offer in the first place.’

“Haaa”. 

A sigh escaped my mouth. 

I decided to be honest with myself at this point. 

I….I’m attracted to Damian. 

It’s not just because we were childhood friends, or because Damian’s the ‘protagonist of this world.’

I mean rationally- 

‘No, l shouldn’t feel so miserable.’

I quickly shook my head.  

Everything’s fine, I’m engaged out of necessity. 

For now, let’s do our best to make Damian the beloved crown prince. 

And…

‘Once Damian has a stable path of succession to the throne, I’ll return this position to Sienna.’

I made up my mind. 

There was a slight twinge in my chest, but I pressed on, ignoring it. 

 

***

 

As a general rule, as soon as an engagement is confirmed, I should have moved to the crown prince’s palace immediately, but-

“Is he going to take Charlize already?! That’s not happening!”

….the Empress was dead set against it, so I decided to remain at the Empress’s palace for a while. 

The main reason being, that there were no rooms available as of yet for me at the crown prince’s palace. 

I planned to go there after the victory banquet where the engagement would be announced. 

‘Well, it’s only three days away.’

Meanwhile, I was in a situation where my feet were on fire. 

It was to be expected, after all, I had never been to a party before. 

Let alone the clothes, I didn’t have any fine shoes or accessories like jewelry…

“Haaa, life isn’t always a bowl of cherries.”

I sighed deeply. 

Fortunately, I saved up the salaries I received since working as a maid. 

The salary of almost thirteen years was considerable, I’m proud of myself. 

No doubt, to buy a dress and the other accessories all at once, I’ll have to spend a hefty sum…

‘Okay, I’ll buy a dress with this! But will I be able to find a dress I like before then?’

I clenched my fists. 

But then. 

“Charlize, would you come with me for a moment?”

Senior maid Weber poked her head out the door, calling for me. 

“The Empress is looking for you.”

The Empress? All of a sudden?

Never mind, I need to get her permission too before heading out. 

I trailed behind Weber. 

For some reason, the Empress greeted me not in her office but in the living room. 

‘Hey, isn’t the Empress supposed to be in full swing at work during this hour?’

I tilted my head. 

The Empress welcomed me with a smile. 

“Oh my, Charlize. Here already?.” 

“Yes, I heard you wanted to see me.”

“Yes. It’s about…”

The Empress stopped mid-sentence as she gestured for me to come in.