On that day when she saw him again in time, the beautiful man sitting on the horse, Carson von Raymond, was still engulfing Ines with that light all over his body.
All the moments she had endured, considering him a God, and now, this moment when she was holding him as her only man, somehow felt unbearable, so Ines raised her arm and covered her eyes.
“Ines.”
When he called, Ines pushed her arm away and looked up at him. Carson lowered his lips and caught Ines’ tears.
“I love you.”
Those words gave strength to Ines’ body.
“I wanted to cry, but since the first time we met.”
“...”
“I hate seeing you cry. I hate feeling it.”
“I’m not crying because I hate it.”
“I know, but I hate it.”
Carson gently stroked Ines’ forehead and cheek. His hot body temperature melted into her hand. He stroked her face carefully, feeling the woman who tried not to look away at all.
Their eyes, feeling each other, seemed to mix their souls.
The Ines in his imagination could not keep up with the Ines in reality. From the beginning to the present, he had to tremble with thrill at her unfamiliar expressions and unfamiliar voices.
The two people who had traveled a long way to meet were so absorbed in each other that they forgot the time of waiting.
Carson felt sad seeing Ines, who was becoming empty as she filled up. He called her name repeatedly because he was sad.
“Ines, Ines.”
As he called her name, Carson suddenly realized.
I will love you much more for the rest of my life. I will always be a little thirsty when I see you.
That is why he had to keep confirming it while he held her in his arms. The new fact is that she wants him as much as he does.
That night, Ines had to spend the pitch-black night, having lost everything except for one necklace that resembled the color of her eyes.
Mondrae Bank was designated as the central bank, and the monetary system of the system stabilized incredibly quickly.
The Ministry of Finance made a major innovation under the Mondrae Central Bank.
The Ministry of Finance, which had been considered Manisut’s territory, was filled with completely new people.
“Are they all here?”
Carson looked at the ministers who were crowded in front of him. Ines had kept her promise and pledge to Carson and had not dragged him down even a single step. She had climbed to the highest point on her own.
Now all that was left was to drag her up the last step with her own hands.
Manisut, who knew full well that the voices of those who had lost their power were not much of a threat, did not utter a single word for a long time after the meeting began.
When the reports of each department were over, Carson raised his hand and called Noah, who was standing by.
“Go to Ines and tell her to wait a little longer.”
It seemed that today’s meeting would be unnecessarily prolonged by the stammering and stalling. Today, there was a matter that had to be resolved, so Carson was going to generously let the ministers talk.
“Understood.”
As Noah moved to carry out Carson’s order, he called Noah over again.
“Don’t sleep, tell her to wait.”
Noah nodded slightly upon receiving the order and quickly left the conference room. After that night, Carson never left Ines alone for a single day.
Before he knew it, the Emperor was practically living in Ines’s room. What Emperor in the world would stay in a maid’s room for that long?
But no one could bring it up. The problems facing the nobles who filled the conference room were too big to bring up such a small matter.
Carson thought of Ines as he looked at the ministers chattering and talking.
He thought that if he held her in his arms, his yearning heart would be relieved a little, but it was the opposite.
As he closed his tired eyes, he could hear Ines’ voice in his ears. He clenched his molars as he felt the heat gathering somewhere in his body.
“Whew...”
He sighed deeply and silence flowed through the room. Carson ran his hand through his hair and looked around the room.
“I see you’ve pretty much finished talking, but now I have something to say.”
He pursed his lips and focused his gaze solely on Manisut.
“Shouldn’t I get married? How many times has the Emperor actually said this? You guys are... negligent.”
Carson tilted his head to one side as if to say something.
“You should. Isn’t that why I formally request that an Empress be elected every day?”
“I have already declared that I will take the daughter of the Count of Swenden as my Empress. But you have not done anything yet, so, are you saying that?”
“Even if you are the Emperor, you cannot make something that is not possible happen.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think you are asking because you don’t know.”
Carson burst out laughing. Up until now, they had never directly mentioned Ines’s history of crimes.
“I don’t know.”
“She is a woman who has committed crimes. And what is an ordinary crime? Attempted murder. She is the main character of the great scandal that shook the entire system.”
Carson tapped the table for a moment, leaving a gap in their conversation. After a while, the constant noise that had been making the surroundings tense suddenly stopped, and Carson answered somewhat cheerfully.
“It’s cliche.”
“...”
“I thought you would be a little different... You are nothing special. It’s so obvious that I don’t want to answer.”
Manisut burst out in anger at the blatant provocation.
“You must follow it even if it’s cliche. Even if you are the Emperor, you cannot go against the laws of the empire.”
“No matter how much I searched, I have never seen a law that says a woman with a criminal record cannot become Empress.”
All the moments she had endured, considering him a God, and now, this moment when she was holding him as her only man, somehow felt unbearable, so Ines raised her arm and covered her eyes.
“Ines.”
When he called, Ines pushed her arm away and looked up at him. Carson lowered his lips and caught Ines’ tears.
“I love you.”
Those words gave strength to Ines’ body.
“I wanted to cry, but since the first time we met.”
“...”
“I hate seeing you cry. I hate feeling it.”
“I’m not crying because I hate it.”
“I know, but I hate it.”
Carson gently stroked Ines’ forehead and cheek. His hot body temperature melted into her hand. He stroked her face carefully, feeling the woman who tried not to look away at all.
Their eyes, feeling each other, seemed to mix their souls.
The Ines in his imagination could not keep up with the Ines in reality. From the beginning to the present, he had to tremble with thrill at her unfamiliar expressions and unfamiliar voices.
The two people who had traveled a long way to meet were so absorbed in each other that they forgot the time of waiting.
Carson felt sad seeing Ines, who was becoming empty as she filled up. He called her name repeatedly because he was sad.
“Ines, Ines.”
As he called her name, Carson suddenly realized.
I will love you much more for the rest of my life. I will always be a little thirsty when I see you.
That is why he had to keep confirming it while he held her in his arms. The new fact is that she wants him as much as he does.
That night, Ines had to spend the pitch-black night, having lost everything except for one necklace that resembled the color of her eyes.
***
Mondrae Bank was designated as the central bank, and the monetary system of the system stabilized incredibly quickly.
The Ministry of Finance made a major innovation under the Mondrae Central Bank.
The Ministry of Finance, which had been considered Manisut’s territory, was filled with completely new people.
“Are they all here?”
Carson looked at the ministers who were crowded in front of him. Ines had kept her promise and pledge to Carson and had not dragged him down even a single step. She had climbed to the highest point on her own.
Now all that was left was to drag her up the last step with her own hands.
Manisut, who knew full well that the voices of those who had lost their power were not much of a threat, did not utter a single word for a long time after the meeting began.
When the reports of each department were over, Carson raised his hand and called Noah, who was standing by.
“Go to Ines and tell her to wait a little longer.”
It seemed that today’s meeting would be unnecessarily prolonged by the stammering and stalling. Today, there was a matter that had to be resolved, so Carson was going to generously let the ministers talk.
“Understood.”
As Noah moved to carry out Carson’s order, he called Noah over again.
“Don’t sleep, tell her to wait.”
Noah nodded slightly upon receiving the order and quickly left the conference room. After that night, Carson never left Ines alone for a single day.
Before he knew it, the Emperor was practically living in Ines’s room. What Emperor in the world would stay in a maid’s room for that long?
But no one could bring it up. The problems facing the nobles who filled the conference room were too big to bring up such a small matter.
Carson thought of Ines as he looked at the ministers chattering and talking.
He thought that if he held her in his arms, his yearning heart would be relieved a little, but it was the opposite.
As he closed his tired eyes, he could hear Ines’ voice in his ears. He clenched his molars as he felt the heat gathering somewhere in his body.
“Whew...”
He sighed deeply and silence flowed through the room. Carson ran his hand through his hair and looked around the room.
“I see you’ve pretty much finished talking, but now I have something to say.”
He pursed his lips and focused his gaze solely on Manisut.
“Shouldn’t I get married? How many times has the Emperor actually said this? You guys are... negligent.”
Carson tilted his head to one side as if to say something.
“You should. Isn’t that why I formally request that an Empress be elected every day?”
“I have already declared that I will take the daughter of the Count of Swenden as my Empress. But you have not done anything yet, so, are you saying that?”
“Even if you are the Emperor, you cannot make something that is not possible happen.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think you are asking because you don’t know.”
Carson burst out laughing. Up until now, they had never directly mentioned Ines’s history of crimes.
“I don’t know.”
“She is a woman who has committed crimes. And what is an ordinary crime? Attempted murder. She is the main character of the great scandal that shook the entire system.”
Carson tapped the table for a moment, leaving a gap in their conversation. After a while, the constant noise that had been making the surroundings tense suddenly stopped, and Carson answered somewhat cheerfully.
“It’s cliche.”
“...”
“I thought you would be a little different... You are nothing special. It’s so obvious that I don’t want to answer.”
Manisut burst out in anger at the blatant provocation.
“You must follow it even if it’s cliche. Even if you are the Emperor, you cannot go against the laws of the empire.”
“No matter how much I searched, I have never seen a law that says a woman with a criminal record cannot become Empress.”
“Not to mention a criminal who cannot become a maid. It is difficult to say that there is no law because it is not written in detail in the law.”
Manisut appeared desperate at first glance. The core of his power, the treasury, had been completely taken away. If he could not obtain the position of Empress, the pendulum of power would completely tilt.
Carson avoided Manisut’s fierce gaze. Then he turned his eyes to everyone.
“Really? Do you really think so?”
Carson knew all too well what the momentary silence meant. If it had been before the treasury was taken away, they would have shouted and objected before the Emperor finished speaking.
However, the so-called great nobles could not speak up easily. They had seen with their own eyes how the ministers who had been guarding this position had fallen powerlessly.
“Yes, that is so.”
However, Manisut’s power had not yet completely disappeared. The nobles who had been watching him began to speak up one by one.
“That’s right. A woman who was a sinner becomes Empress. The dignity of the imperial family will not be established among the people of the empire.”
“That is impossible.”
At that moment, Bonifax stood up. He had been keeping his mouth shut during the recent ministerial meetings. When he spoke up, those who had been speaking fell silent for a moment.
“I disagree with Duke Manisut’s words. Lady Ines Swenden indeed committed a crime, but we must also acknowledge that she has made merits that are more than enough to cover up her crimes.”
“Is that so?”
Carson laughed heartily, his chest heaving. He couldn’t help but laugh as if he was watching a well-written farce.
It was surprising how something so trivial could change so much depending on the political situation. At this point, it seemed as if the ministers in front of him were reincarnations of bats.
“She has already saved the life of the Princess, and the Swendens are a family of meritorious subjects. You are asking again about the sins committed by the daughter of the family that enthroned the current Emperor. It is ridiculous.”
Carson cast his gaze at the people again.
“This is what Bonifax thinks, but what do you think?”
This time, the answers did not come out right away. The ministers’ faces turned pale as they were calculating fiercely in their heads.
“I, I think the same as Count Bonifax.”
Since when? Carson had to chew hard on the inside of his mouth to hold back the question.
It was none other than Count Sebinon who came out to support the prime minister. It was even more interesting that this was a change of heart from someone who would bark at Manisut if he pulled his chair too hard.
“Really?”
“Yes, that is true.”
As expected, Manisut’s face was wrinkled to the point of being hard to look at.
“Go on, keep talking. If you insist on saying something, I will not stop you.”
Despite the obvious mockery, the nobles lowered their eyes and observed the atmosphere as if they had not heard anything.
Just then, Noah, who had been sent to tell Ines, entered the hall again.
As soon as Carson tilted his head, he spoke.
“Sir Christian Orlando is now asking to join the hall.”
“Who?”
The one who was most surprised to hear this was none other than Carson. If it was Christian, then it was the one Ines had personally appointed as Mondrae’s representative.
Carson had asked Ines about Mondrae while lying next to her in bed a while ago. He had wanted to tell her that if she had to appear in public, he would find a suitable person to stand in her place.
But Ines didn’t give much of an answer, just drawing a small circle with her finger on his chest. Carson, who had an inexplicable suspicion for a moment, bit Ines’ finger and narrowed his eyes.
“Could it be that Mondrae is a real man?”
Ines was startled by that and shook her head hard. Carson felt that her appearance was cute and lovely, so he teased Ines even more.
And then he heard something really funny.
“Mondrae is actually a reversal of His Majesty’s castle, Raymond.”
The words she said as if they were confessions, and Ines’ cheeks turned red.
It was a name she had made up in the past when she had decided to live for him. That cute naming skill set Carson’s heart on fire.
Thanks to that, whenever Carson heard the name Mondrae, he thought of that night. That night was longer and stickier than other nights.
“What should I do?”
Carson was shaken out of his thoughts by Noah’s voice. He cleared his throat and answered with a more serious expression than usual.
“Tell them to come in.”
Manisut appeared desperate at first glance. The core of his power, the treasury, had been completely taken away. If he could not obtain the position of Empress, the pendulum of power would completely tilt.
Carson avoided Manisut’s fierce gaze. Then he turned his eyes to everyone.
“Really? Do you really think so?”
Carson knew all too well what the momentary silence meant. If it had been before the treasury was taken away, they would have shouted and objected before the Emperor finished speaking.
However, the so-called great nobles could not speak up easily. They had seen with their own eyes how the ministers who had been guarding this position had fallen powerlessly.
“Yes, that is so.”
However, Manisut’s power had not yet completely disappeared. The nobles who had been watching him began to speak up one by one.
“That’s right. A woman who was a sinner becomes Empress. The dignity of the imperial family will not be established among the people of the empire.”
“That is impossible.”
At that moment, Bonifax stood up. He had been keeping his mouth shut during the recent ministerial meetings. When he spoke up, those who had been speaking fell silent for a moment.
“I disagree with Duke Manisut’s words. Lady Ines Swenden indeed committed a crime, but we must also acknowledge that she has made merits that are more than enough to cover up her crimes.”
“Is that so?”
Carson laughed heartily, his chest heaving. He couldn’t help but laugh as if he was watching a well-written farce.
It was surprising how something so trivial could change so much depending on the political situation. At this point, it seemed as if the ministers in front of him were reincarnations of bats.
“She has already saved the life of the Princess, and the Swendens are a family of meritorious subjects. You are asking again about the sins committed by the daughter of the family that enthroned the current Emperor. It is ridiculous.”
Carson cast his gaze at the people again.
“This is what Bonifax thinks, but what do you think?”
This time, the answers did not come out right away. The ministers’ faces turned pale as they were calculating fiercely in their heads.
“I, I think the same as Count Bonifax.”
Since when? Carson had to chew hard on the inside of his mouth to hold back the question.
It was none other than Count Sebinon who came out to support the prime minister. It was even more interesting that this was a change of heart from someone who would bark at Manisut if he pulled his chair too hard.
“Really?”
“Yes, that is true.”
As expected, Manisut’s face was wrinkled to the point of being hard to look at.
“Go on, keep talking. If you insist on saying something, I will not stop you.”
Despite the obvious mockery, the nobles lowered their eyes and observed the atmosphere as if they had not heard anything.
Just then, Noah, who had been sent to tell Ines, entered the hall again.
As soon as Carson tilted his head, he spoke.
“Sir Christian Orlando is now asking to join the hall.”
“Who?”
The one who was most surprised to hear this was none other than Carson. If it was Christian, then it was the one Ines had personally appointed as Mondrae’s representative.
Carson had asked Ines about Mondrae while lying next to her in bed a while ago. He had wanted to tell her that if she had to appear in public, he would find a suitable person to stand in her place.
But Ines didn’t give much of an answer, just drawing a small circle with her finger on his chest. Carson, who had an inexplicable suspicion for a moment, bit Ines’ finger and narrowed his eyes.
“Could it be that Mondrae is a real man?”
Ines was startled by that and shook her head hard. Carson felt that her appearance was cute and lovely, so he teased Ines even more.
And then he heard something really funny.
“Mondrae is actually a reversal of His Majesty’s castle, Raymond.”
The words she said as if they were confessions, and Ines’ cheeks turned red.
It was a name she had made up in the past when she had decided to live for him. That cute naming skill set Carson’s heart on fire.
Thanks to that, whenever Carson heard the name Mondrae, he thought of that night. That night was longer and stickier than other nights.
“What should I do?”
Carson was shaken out of his thoughts by Noah’s voice. He cleared his throat and answered with a more serious expression than usual.
“Tell them to come in.”
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