Louis was born and raised in the imperial palace, although she was very young. At that time, the only people who were her friends were her maids. Those children always wore dark blue or green dresses. They could not wear any decorations, and they always had a small yellow ribbon tied to their chests.
Carson swallowed dryly as he looked at his younger sister who had a faint look of resentment toward him. He soon looked at the maid who had brought Louis. The maid hesitated in surprise at the Emperor’s sharp gaze and barely managed to approach him.
“What are you talking about?”
“Her Highness was at the Chandera Castle just now.”
“Chandera?”
“Yes, the Princess was with the temple maid.”
At that moment, Louis intervened in the conversation between the two.
“Charlotte. She went with me to introduce my cats to the house.”
“Yes, a maid was with Her Highness when I went. It seemed like they talked for a long time.”
Carson took a deep breath and tried to calm his mind.
“What color is the... hair of the maid?”
“Dark blond.”
But it was no use. He unconsciously got up from his seat. Suddenly, he thought that he had surprised his sister and looked down at Louis for a moment.
“Have a nice day.”
However, the child responded with an indifferent expression, putting her fork back into the food in front of her. As if those words had given him permission, Carson flew out of the hall. He couldn’t even remember what had made him leave Granzaim Castle. He had only ordered the Knights’ Adjutant to surround Chandera as he left the castle.
The court ladies who had been greeting him as he ran at the speed of light stepped aside with surprised eyes.
Although Chandera, the palace of the Crown Princess, was not far from Granzaim Castle, the palace of the Crown Prince, Carson felt like he had been running for a very long time. When he finally reached the palace, he had no choice but to stop for a moment, not knowing where to go. He took a deep breath and looked around.
'Maids? Where on earth are the maids?'
Despite spending so many years in the palace, he had never thought about the existence of the maids or their whereabouts. He barely remembered seeing them. The maids were like people walking through an underground passage.
That's why Carson lived without being aware of them. Furthermore, when he stayed in the palace, he didn't even let the maids into his castle.
"Damn it! Where on earth should I go?"
"My lord?"
At that moment, he took a deep breath at the familiar title he heard from behind. Then he raised his head and looked up at the sky. He couldn't tell if he was feeling anger or relief. He didn't know what kind of expression he was making, so he didn't dare look back.
However, this woman never gave him time to prepare himself mentally.
"My lord."
Ines bit her lower lip as she looked at the familiar back of his head. No matter how far away he was, there was no way she wouldn't recognize him. For a moment, she forgot that this was the palace and started running toward him.
She had no time to look around or even to look at him calmly. She hugged his waist as if she was hanging onto his back.
The familiar scent of his body rushed into Ines. It was a moment when the tension and sadness she had felt melted away in an instant.
It was a day of anxiety when she thought she might not be able to be by his side again. The confusion and panic that had been tormenting her during those days were more intense than ever.
“I told you that I would definitely come to you, no matter where you are, right?”
But it was no use. He unconsciously got up from his seat. Suddenly, he thought that he had surprised his sister and looked down at Louis for a moment.
“Have a nice day.”
However, the child responded with an indifferent expression, putting her fork back into the food in front of her. As if those words had given him permission, Carson flew out of the hall. He couldn’t even remember what had made him leave Granzaim Castle. He had only ordered the Knights’ Adjutant to surround Chandera as he left the castle.
The court ladies who had been greeting him as he ran at the speed of light stepped aside with surprised eyes.
Although Chandera, the palace of the Crown Princess, was not far from Granzaim Castle, the palace of the Crown Prince, Carson felt like he had been running for a very long time. When he finally reached the palace, he had no choice but to stop for a moment, not knowing where to go. He took a deep breath and looked around.
'Maids? Where on earth are the maids?'
Despite spending so many years in the palace, he had never thought about the existence of the maids or their whereabouts. He barely remembered seeing them. The maids were like people walking through an underground passage.
That's why Carson lived without being aware of them. Furthermore, when he stayed in the palace, he didn't even let the maids into his castle.
"Damn it! Where on earth should I go?"
"My lord?"
At that moment, he took a deep breath at the familiar title he heard from behind. Then he raised his head and looked up at the sky. He couldn't tell if he was feeling anger or relief. He didn't know what kind of expression he was making, so he didn't dare look back.
However, this woman never gave him time to prepare himself mentally.
"My lord."
Ines bit her lower lip as she looked at the familiar back of his head. No matter how far away he was, there was no way she wouldn't recognize him. For a moment, she forgot that this was the palace and started running toward him.
She had no time to look around or even to look at him calmly. She hugged his waist as if she was hanging onto his back.
The familiar scent of his body rushed into Ines. It was a moment when the tension and sadness she had felt melted away in an instant.
It was a day of anxiety when she thought she might not be able to be by his side again. The confusion and panic that had been tormenting her during those days were more intense than ever.
“I told you that I would definitely come to you, no matter where you are, right?”
A long, deep breath that she couldn’t identify struck their bodies. But for some reason, he stood still. Then suddenly, a hot hand grabbed Ines’ hand. Then he slowly pulled her away from his body.
In an instant, Ines realized that she was in the middle of the royal palace, flinched, and took a step back from him.
However, her body that had been pulled soon settled on Carson’s chest.
“You really...”
As if he was blaming her for trying to move away, he hugged Ines tightly.
“Where on earth have you been? Why were you hiding here?”
Ines thought his words were quite funny. So she couldn’t help but laugh softly. It wasn’t Carson who couldn’t catch that subtle movement.
“Are you laughing now?”
“I wasn’t hiding. I tried and tried to get close to my lord, no, to Your Majesty.”
In an instant, Ines realized that she was in the middle of the royal palace, flinched, and took a step back from him.
However, her body that had been pulled soon settled on Carson’s chest.
“You really...”
As if he was blaming her for trying to move away, he hugged Ines tightly.
“Where on earth have you been? Why were you hiding here?”
Ines thought his words were quite funny. So she couldn’t help but laugh softly. It wasn’t Carson who couldn’t catch that subtle movement.
“Are you laughing now?”
“I wasn’t hiding. I tried and tried to get close to my lord, no, to Your Majesty.”
When there was no answer from him, Ines asked again. She seemed a bit anxious.
“You know, right?”
“...I know.”
Of course, Carson knew better than anyone else. That this woman who blindly pursued him would definitely appear in front of him. So who should be blamed for the fact that the two people who had been walking towards each other had not met until now?
The Viscount Swenden who tried to force Ines into marriage? Or the late Emperor who declared that he would make her the Crown Princess without consulting him? Or the former Empress who was the cause of all this?
No, it wasn’t.
As long as the two of them wanted to be together, there was nothing to complain about.
“I couldn’t keep the promised time, but that’s not my fault, so please understand.”
This time, Carson laughed. The time he had ordered her to come to him on her own was March. It was now more than half a year after that deadline. When
he didn’t say anything, and Ines became even more anxious. She wanted to see Carson’s face, but he wouldn’t allow her even a moment. Ines grabbed his collar tightly and spoke again.
“You suddenly ascended to the throne, so I couldn’t come.”
“Who was the one who helped you so much?”
“Please consider the situation.”
“Considering the situation?”
“Yes?”
“What do you want to do with me?”
Ines pulled away from him a little. This time, Carson also gave her permission. The two people who met eyes briefly melted their hearts with each other’s gaze.
She internally chose what to say. If he did not allow it, Ines would have to return to Landhill and get married without fail.
“Actually...”
Carson laughed loudly, holding Ines in his arms again and tilting his head back as if he was confessing again. She stared at him as if she was entranced. Even the slight trembling of his sharp chin was beautiful.
“Tell me.”
“I became the closest maid to the former Crown Princess.”
He laughed loudly.
“Aren’t you too old to be the maid?”
“Even if you laugh like that, there’s nothing you can do. That’s all I could do with my abilities. A person who was a criminal can’t become a maid right away.”
“Why didn’t you contact me right away?”
“I planned to do that as soon as I finished the work, but my father was against it. I couldn’t send a letter directly to the imperial court without the family seal.”
Carson’s face hardened at the mention of his father’s opposition. Ines bit her lip for a moment, feeling sorry.
“Please understand my father. He didn’t object to my becoming your loyal servant. He just wanted me to live a little... normal life.”
“You know, right?”
“...I know.”
Of course, Carson knew better than anyone else. That this woman who blindly pursued him would definitely appear in front of him. So who should be blamed for the fact that the two people who had been walking towards each other had not met until now?
The Viscount Swenden who tried to force Ines into marriage? Or the late Emperor who declared that he would make her the Crown Princess without consulting him? Or the former Empress who was the cause of all this?
No, it wasn’t.
As long as the two of them wanted to be together, there was nothing to complain about.
“I couldn’t keep the promised time, but that’s not my fault, so please understand.”
This time, Carson laughed. The time he had ordered her to come to him on her own was March. It was now more than half a year after that deadline. When
he didn’t say anything, and Ines became even more anxious. She wanted to see Carson’s face, but he wouldn’t allow her even a moment. Ines grabbed his collar tightly and spoke again.
“You suddenly ascended to the throne, so I couldn’t come.”
“Who was the one who helped you so much?”
“Please consider the situation.”
“Considering the situation?”
“Yes?”
“What do you want to do with me?”
Ines pulled away from him a little. This time, Carson also gave her permission. The two people who met eyes briefly melted their hearts with each other’s gaze.
She internally chose what to say. If he did not allow it, Ines would have to return to Landhill and get married without fail.
“Actually...”
Carson laughed loudly, holding Ines in his arms again and tilting his head back as if he was confessing again. She stared at him as if she was entranced. Even the slight trembling of his sharp chin was beautiful.
“Tell me.”
“I became the closest maid to the former Crown Princess.”
He laughed loudly.
“Aren’t you too old to be the maid?”
“Even if you laugh like that, there’s nothing you can do. That’s all I could do with my abilities. A person who was a criminal can’t become a maid right away.”
“Why didn’t you contact me right away?”
“I planned to do that as soon as I finished the work, but my father was against it. I couldn’t send a letter directly to the imperial court without the family seal.”
Carson’s face hardened at the mention of his father’s opposition. Ines bit her lip for a moment, feeling sorry.
“Please understand my father. He didn’t object to my becoming your loyal servant. He just wanted me to live a little... normal life.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
But even so, his face wouldn’t lighten. The idea that Ines might have married someone else would occasionally bring his mood to rock bottom.
“But tomorrow, I’m going to be kicked out of Chandera Palace along with the former Crown Princess’s closest maid.”
“Ha. I’m the one who ordered it.”
“Yes, I know.”
“So, are you asking for a grace period?”
“Yes. And the closest maid. If she leaves here, I have no choice but to leave the palace.”
He pretended to have a stern expression. Yet he didn’t loosen the grip on her arms. Neither of them even realized what they were standing there for.
“Ines.”
When he called her name softly, Ines’ heart pounded.
“Who do you think I am?”
“Yes?”
“I am now the Emperor of the Keynes Empire, and you are the one who made me Emperor, but does your becoming a maid make any sense?”
“So give me the credit and give me some time.”
“Let’s go.”
“Where?”
Carson went back the way he came without answering. As they left the Chandera Palace, the passing court ladies glanced at them. Then Ines came to her senses. It was obviously not normal for the Emperor to walk away while holding his maid’s hand.
“Your Majesty, let go of this hand...”
A look of displeasure crossed Carson’s face.
“No, not anymore.”
Instead of letting go, he held her hand tighter. The two soon arrived in front of Granzaim Castle. Realizing where he was going, Ines stopped walking at the entrance where the castle was visible.
“Why?”
As she stood there with her feet planted on the floor, Carson pulled her hand and urged her on.
“Go on.”
“I can’t enter this castle through the front gate.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a starter.”
“Stop making that starter noise. How can you be a starter?”
“Then what can I be?”
“What?”
Carson was speechless for a moment. Because of her criminal history, he had not been able to send her a proper marriage proposal. All he could do was tell Viscount Swenden to take care of her and that he would come pick her up soon.
In the Keynes Empire, there was only one way for the Emperor to select an Empress.
Anyone from the Viscount family or higher could become the Empress, but since the founding of the Keynes Empire, there had never been an Empress from the Count family or lower.
The matter of bringing in an Empress was not just the emperor's problem.
After the high-ranking ministers and nobles gathered to select a candidate, they called all of the candidates to the imperial palace and made the most suitable one the mother of the nation.
The Empress was the Emperor's political partner and a check on power. Therefore, the ministers and nobles carefully considered all their interests and selected the Empress.
However, Carson also had a plan. After the coronation, he planned to honor the Swenden family for their service in making him the Emperor and make them a meritorious family.
If he became a meritorious family, he could give Viscount Swenden the title of Count. After bestowing the title, he intended to make him the Lord of Landhill.
Who would dare oppose the elevation of the family that had enthroned the Emperor?
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