The Evil Empress Adores Me - Side Story 15

“So, Your Majesty….”

 

“I was only trying to discourage this because I am far from worthy of being your brother’s partner.”

 

The Empress spoke softly.

 

“But if you’re happy because of it, I won’t be against it.”

 

“And besides, I’ve already married for the family’s sake.”

 

The Empress winked mischievously.

 

“That, truly, is unfortunate.”

 

Tears welled up in the corners of Wember’s eyes at the sound of that sweet voice.

 

“You see, I have lived my life, hesitating and missing out on everything I desired.”

 

“…Your, Your Majesty.”

 

“So, I wish the ones dear to me would think about their happiness.”

 

With that, the Empress soothed Wember.

 

Charlize looked at the Empress with a smile on her face.

 

Even though she had been through so much over the years, the Empress was still…….

 

‘Sister Rose.’

 

She was still her ‘Sister Rose.’

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Charlize and the Empress then embarked on a grand scheme to bring Matthias and Lisa together.

 

It was called the “Make Lisa the Duchess of Rochester House Operation.”

 

Their plan was simple.

 

Since the Duke frequently visits the palace to handle state affairs, they’d use tea time to get them together and break the ice.

 

Their goal was to create moments where they would be alone.

 

To that end, they had also sought Damian’s cooperation.

 

……By the way.

 

‘Why am I baking tarts with the Empress?’

 

Charlize mixed the tart dough with a bewildered feeling. 

 

The reason she ended up in the kitchen without it being part of the plan was roughly like that.

 

“Charlize, do you want them to be happy?”

 

“Well, of course.”

 

“Then, wouldn’t it be better to put some more effort and sincerity into it?”

 

“Huh? Sincerity…”

 

“Let’s bake these tarts together for them to snack on during tea time.”

 

…I don’t think there’s a need to go that far.

 

Just as Charlize was about to vocalize her thoughts, she suddenly swallowed the words that had risen to her throat.

 

It was because the Empress was looking at her with a poignant gaze.

 

“We agreed before to bake a cake together, remember?”

 

“W-We did?”

 

“Yes. It was for the Emperor’s ninth birthday.”

 

Hey, that was already over ten years ago?!

 

Charlize hurriedly tried to recall her memories.

 

And finally, she remembered one conversation.

 

“By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever baked tarts with Charlize.”

 

Whoa, whoa, wait.

 

She still remembers her offer to bake a cake together?!

 

The Empress stared at Charlize sadly.

 

‘We promised to bake a cake together, but we never got around to it, did we?

 

“Ah, you’re right.”.

 

“So, how about we get to it now? What do you say?

 

And Charlize couldn’t beat the Empress’s prolonged gaze.

 

However…

 

Charlize glanced at the Empress out of the corner of her eye.

 

The Empress, who had been cutting apples with incredible concentration, called her with a sense of urgency.

 

“Charlize, come and see this!”

 

The unevenly chopped apple was objectively not in an aesthetically pleasing shape.

 

But what does it matter?

 

“As long as Her Majesty, the Empress is happy.”

 

The Empress, who had suddenly started looking at her like a puppy seeking praise, was showered with generous compliments.

 

“Truly, there is nothing that Her Majesty, the Empress, cannot do!”

 

“Is that so?”

 

The Empress blushed and lowered her bashful gaze, her cheeks tinged with red.

 

“I’m glad I can spend time like this with you, Charlize.”

 

“Me too.”

 

Charlize smiled back at the Empress.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

After the state council meeting, in the Emperor’s study.

 

Damian hummed a tune as he shuffled through the documents.

 

The Duke looked at Damian with a suspicious glance.

 

“Your Majesty, you seem to be in a good mood.”

 

“Oh? Me?”

 

Damian raised an eyebrow.

 

Of course, he couldn’t help but be in a good mood.

 

After all, today…

 

“It’s the day when Charlize is supposed to visit!”

 

Knock, knock.

 

Just then, a cheerful knocking sound echoed.

 

Damian, who was engrossed in rummaging through the documents, perked up.

 

“Come in!”

 

Thump, the door opened.

 

Charlize entered with her head poking in.

 

“Where is the Duke?”

 

“The Duke is over there.”

 

Damian grumbled a little.

 

Of course, he understood that she was seeking out the Duke for a specific purpose.

However, he found it somewhat disconcerting that Charlize called someone else before him.

 

And then…

 

“Greetings, Your Majesty, the Empress.”

 

“Hello, Duke!”

 

Charlize turned to the Duke with a bright smile.

 

“You both work diligently for the affairs of the nation. Truly, your efforts are commendable! Speaking of which…”

 

She clenched her fists tightly.

 

“Would you be interested in having a cup of tea and taking a break?”

 

“Tea… you say?”

 

The Duke narrowed his eyes, feeling a sudden sense of oddity.

 

However, Charlize fervently nodded in agreement.

 

“Yes, allowing oneself some rest enhances work efficiency…!”

 

“I also agree with Charlize’s words,” Damian subtly interjected into the conversation.

 

“How can a person live solely by working?”

 

“Your Majesty, I…”

 

“Wouldn’t it be better for you to take a short break, even if it’s for my sake?”

 

……These two seem to be up to something.

 

The Duke scrutinized the couple, observing them with subtle changes in their expression.

 

Charlize and Damian wore the most nonchalant expressions they could muster.

 

It was almost as if they were claiming, ‘We genuinely recommend rest for the Duke’s sake!’

 

In the end, the Duke let out a long sigh and nodded his head.

 

“Very well. Rest for an hour, then.”

 

Success!

 

The couple exchanged secret glances filled with meaning.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

Some time passed since the three of them had tea time.

 

Charlize, while sipping her tea, suddenly raised her voice.

 

“Oops!”

 

The Duke furrowed his brow as he looked at Charlize.

 

Charlize hesitantly stood up from her seat.

 

“I, I suddenly remembered an urgent matter that needs my attention!”

 

“…Why now of all times?”

 

“Sorry! Oh dear, why did I completely forget about it?”

 

Then she urgently gestured to Damian.

 

Observing discreetly, Damian followed suit and quietly rose from his seat.

 

“I, I also need to leave for a moment.”

 

“Where are you going, Your Majesty?”

 

“Ah, well, that is… the restroom! I need to use the restroom.”

 

“During a time when the Empress is absent, you coincidentally need to visit the restroom?”

 

The Duke no longer bothered to conceal his suspicious gaze.

 

Charlize awkwardly attempted a smile.

 

“I apologize. May I ask if it’s alright for me to insist on Lady Wember, the chief maid, as your companion in my absence?”

 

“That won’t be necessary. There’s no need for a companion.”

 

“No, how could I possibly leave the Duke alone?”

 

Charlize exclaimed with a serious expression.

 

“Then, I will send Chief Maid Wember. Please wait a moment!”

 

After saying that, both Charlize and Damian abruptly left their seats.

 

The Duke couldn’t conceal his bewilderment.

 

And then…

 

“Ah, greetings. I am Lisa Wember, here by the order of Her Majesty, the Empress.”

 

Chief Maid Wember opened her mouth with a composed expression.

 

While silently looking up at her, the Duke sighed deeply and urged her to sit.

 

“Please have a seat.”

 

“Oh, no. How could I, as a mere maid, sit face-to-face with the Duke?”

 

The Duke replied curtly, addressing the blushing chief maid.

 

“Didn’t you purposefully come all this way here for my sake?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I don’t have a hobby of engaging in conversations with people of that sort.”

 

Upon hearing his response, the chief maid reluctantly took her seat.

 

The Duke personally poured tea into her cup.

 

‘What should I do? My heart is pounding so much that I can’t compose myself…’

 

It reached the point where she didn’t know if the tea and tart were going into her nose or her mouth.

 

Meanwhile, as the Duke cut a corner of the tart and put it in his mouth, he subtly narrowed his gaze.

 

“…Please don’t eat this.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“This tart doesn’t seem to be food meant for human consumption.”

 

And at that moment…

 

The Empress, who had been hiding in a side room adjacent to the parlor, exploded in anger.

 

“No, it can’t be that bad?!”

 

“Your Majesty, please lower your voice.”

 

“What if the Duke notices?”

 

Charlize and Damian stood side by side, pressing their index fingers to their lips.

 

The Empress scowled and stared at the parlor.

 

The Duke and Wember, without realizing it, were engrossed in a quiet conversation.

 

Observing their interaction, Charlize blinked.

 

“…It doesn’t seem like such a bad atmosphere, does it?”

 

“I see it that way too.”

 

The Empress whispered in a hushed voice.

 

The three of them, without saying who would speak first, returned to the door together.

 

But right at that moment…

 

Creak… Thump!

 

“Ah!”

 

“Aah!”

 

“Eek!”

 

The three of them let out respective screams as they tumbled to the floor with a loud crash.

 

The door couldn’t bear the weight of the three people and swung wide open.

 

Silence filled the room.

 

Wember widened her eyes and froze in place.

 

The Duke, who had risen from his seat, approached the three of them.

 

He couldn’t hide his pitiful expression as he looked down at them.

 

“What on earth is happening here?”

 

Ah, how embarrassing this is…

 

They each covered their faces, wishing they could disappear into a mouse hole.

 

 

 

***

 

 

 

After the situation was sorted out, the Duke, who had been looking at the three of them with a contemptuous gaze, finally turned to Wember.

 

“Regrettably, things have turned out this way, Lady Wember.”

 

Huh?

 

Wember blinked her eyes.

 

The Duke had addressed her not by her official title of “Chief Maid Wember” but as “Lady Wember.”

 

Naturally, the latter was a much more familiar form of address.

 

He gave her a mischievous wink.

 

“Next time, I’d like to meet you alone. What do you think?”

 

“Um… Pardon?”

 

Taken aback by the unexpected proposition, Wember momentarily fell silent.

 

After a short while, she replied, “Yes!”

 

Wember smiled brightly like sunshine.

 

It seemed that a heartwarming atmosphere was being created, but…

 

“Where are you going, Your Majesty?”

 

Damian, who had been trying to slip away unnoticed, turned around, stiffening his shoulders.

 

“Well, um…”

 

“Now that the break is over, we should get back to work, shouldn’t we?”

 

The Duke concealed a wicked smile.

 

In the end, Damian was dragged back to the office.