Even after everyone had left, Amelia remained in her seat. Aaron didn't leave either.
“What else happened there?”
Amelia's face felt somehow unpleasant and cold. He couldn't help but ask what had happened with the Emperor.
"The Emperor always nags me. He teases me because he sees the Duke of Russell in me."
Amelia answered, then opened her palm and looked down. It was still bright red from the scratches she'd made with her fingernails, and even a faint trace of blood remained.
“Who does he resemble? Doesn’t he?”
Of course, that was only visible to Amelia. She raised her head and stared at Aaron. Aaron's gaze was examining Amelia's face, one by one.
“...”
Aaron's gaze lingered on her nose and lips. Was he trying to tell her the truth about her bloodline's secrets?
"That's right. That can't happen unless your first ancestor was in league with the Duke of Russell. It's probably an act of self-imposed pressure."
The moment of hope was fleeting. Aaron quickly tore his gaze away from Amelia's lips, as if abandoning his lingering attachment. The only answer she heard was that Amelia couldn't possibly be of the Duke Russell's bloodline.
But the answer served as a hint to Amelia. Aaron, too, knew the secret of this bloodline. There were countless instances where the Russell family's blood could have intermingled, but the only one he mentioned was Amelia's first encounter with the Duke of Russell.
“Is that all that still shakes you?”
Even knowing that, he followed that trashy family. Even knowing they were such inhuman beings. Amelia quietly twisted her lips.
"What do you mean?"
Well, Aaron was already a man who cared nothing about Amelia's physical and mental suffering. It was ridiculous to find him so pitiful now.
“I asked if it was still revenge against the Emperor that moved you.”
Aaron's blue eyes stared directly at Amelia. Ever since Amelia discovered his feelings for her, Aaron hadn't hidden his hostility and discomfort toward Ivan. As if he were his love rival. It was truly an exaggerated self-delusion.
“Is it really he who moves you?”
“...”
"You'll never mean anything to him until you die. Wouldn't it be better to just give up on these empty expectations?"
It's dirty. It's horrible. I hate you.
The words were refined, but the unfiltered emotion was conveyed through her eyes. Aaron seemed to sense it too, yet he couldn't leave. Even though it was just a sliver of burned-out emotion, the moment it fell upon him was so precious that he couldn't help but feel helpless. He thought even that pain was sweet.
“Get out of my sight, Aaron.”
As is often the case with people in love, stupidly.
Ian began to cry. Ivan tossed the papers he was reading onto the desk, stood up, and picked Ian up. It had been only about an hour since Mrs. Howard and the maids had managed to lull him to sleep, but Ian's nap was fleeting.
“Ian.”
Ivan returned to the palace, leaving Amelia alone. A few days after his arrival, Amelia and Aaron, who had come to visit, headed to the temple. Having become ill from their overly aggressive attempts to purify the land, they offered to restore their divine powers.
Amelia left Ian's side for about two weeks. While that would have been enough for him to adjust, Ian still struggled to adjust to his mother's absence. His whining only decreased after Ivan began keeping him by his side.
“Why are you so picky?”
Even Mrs. Howard said the same thing. She said that it was unusual for a child to be so attached to its mother.
“It is fortunate that he believes in His Majesty as his father and follows you.”
She even said she was truly grateful that he could use Ivan as a substitute for Amelia. Ian, insisting on being cared for only by his parents, found comfort only in Amelia's or Ivan's hands. So Ivan couldn't ignore him.
“Oh. Oh.”
Anyone who heard it could tell it was a whining cry for its mother. Ivan sighed under his son's unkind hand, which slapped his broad shoulder disapprovingly.
“Your mother will be here soon.”
Amelia couldn't go far without Ian. She couldn't stay away for long. So, even if the wait was a little longer than expected, she would return, but her young child couldn't possibly understand that.
“...”
Or perhaps he had understood Rodan's reply that he had sent letters several times but had not received a response from Amelia.
“If that’s the case, then you must be a genius.”
Of course, it was just a delusion, a delusion fueled by a spoonful of anxiety in his mind. And Ivan knew how to judge that fact.
“She must come back.”
“...”
“To you.”
Ian groaned and leaned his chubby cheek against Ivan's shoulder. He felt his shoulder soaking wet with saliva, but Ivan didn't care. He'd gotten used to it in about a week.
“Ian woke up while I was away for a moment. Please give it to me, Your Majesty.”
“It’s okay, Mrs. Howard.”
Rather, the baby's scent emanating from Ian helped calm him. Ivan half-turned to Mrs. Howard, who was reaching out for Ian. He then patted Ian's back with his large hand, calming the child.
"Your Majesty, even when separated from Her Majesty the Empress as a child, was never this sensitive. Ian seems to take after his mother."
Mrs. Howard muttered in a subtly rebuking tone. Ivan, who had already moved to the window, turned his head and smiled at Mrs. Howard. He knew she wasn't saying this out of genuine displeasure or disapproval of Amelia.
“If we’re going to be precise about the comparison, it should be Mrs. Howard, not the Queen Mother.”
“Then it seems that Your Majesty felt the same way.”
Mrs. Howard smiled with a look of indifference on her face as Ivan added.
“When did the Priestess say she would come?”
And asked carefully.
“No reply yet, but she’ll be back soon.”
Ivan answered without hesitation. Mrs. Howard knew that Ian's biological mother was Amelia and that she had ultimately decided to become his mistress, so there was nothing to hide.
“Because she was a woman who gave birth to a child in that shabby place and raised him while struggling to protect him.”
Ivan rested his chin on Ian's head and opened his mouth. Mrs. Howard stared blankly, her mouth closed. It sounded like she was adding something, but it sounded like she was trying to confirm her own guess.
"Your Majesty."
It was then that Rodan could be heard calling for Ivan from beyond the door. Before Ivan could respond, Mrs. Howard moved and opened the door for her son to enter.
“What’s going on?”
The soft, baby-like scent and babbling sounds of the Emperor's office were still unfamiliar. Rodan paused for a moment, but quickly brushed off his awkwardness and stood before Ivan.
“A reply has come from the temple.”
Ivan immediately handed Ian over to Mrs. Howard took the well-sealed letter. It took only a few seconds to rip open the envelope with a knife and take out the letter.
“What do you say?”
Ivan seemed ready to say something immediately, but he simply stared blankly down at the letter, his face expressionless. Rodan, anxious that he might be told she wouldn't be able to return, asked a question first.
“She's leaving for the palace today.”
Ian clapped his hands loudly as if he understood that Amelia was coming back.
Late that night, news arrived that Amelia's carriage had passed the palace gates. Ivan, still holding his son, who was still awake, headed for the West Palace.
The carriage door opened as it had just arrived. A blue dress, like a blue butterfly, and soft, white skin revealed themselves beneath the pale moonlight. Ivan watched them quietly.
"Ma!"
“What else happened there?”
Amelia's face felt somehow unpleasant and cold. He couldn't help but ask what had happened with the Emperor.
"The Emperor always nags me. He teases me because he sees the Duke of Russell in me."
Amelia answered, then opened her palm and looked down. It was still bright red from the scratches she'd made with her fingernails, and even a faint trace of blood remained.
“Who does he resemble? Doesn’t he?”
Of course, that was only visible to Amelia. She raised her head and stared at Aaron. Aaron's gaze was examining Amelia's face, one by one.
“...”
Aaron's gaze lingered on her nose and lips. Was he trying to tell her the truth about her bloodline's secrets?
"That's right. That can't happen unless your first ancestor was in league with the Duke of Russell. It's probably an act of self-imposed pressure."
The moment of hope was fleeting. Aaron quickly tore his gaze away from Amelia's lips, as if abandoning his lingering attachment. The only answer she heard was that Amelia couldn't possibly be of the Duke Russell's bloodline.
But the answer served as a hint to Amelia. Aaron, too, knew the secret of this bloodline. There were countless instances where the Russell family's blood could have intermingled, but the only one he mentioned was Amelia's first encounter with the Duke of Russell.
“Is that all that still shakes you?”
Even knowing that, he followed that trashy family. Even knowing they were such inhuman beings. Amelia quietly twisted her lips.
"What do you mean?"
Well, Aaron was already a man who cared nothing about Amelia's physical and mental suffering. It was ridiculous to find him so pitiful now.
“I asked if it was still revenge against the Emperor that moved you.”
Aaron's blue eyes stared directly at Amelia. Ever since Amelia discovered his feelings for her, Aaron hadn't hidden his hostility and discomfort toward Ivan. As if he were his love rival. It was truly an exaggerated self-delusion.
“Is it really he who moves you?”
“...”
"You'll never mean anything to him until you die. Wouldn't it be better to just give up on these empty expectations?"
It's dirty. It's horrible. I hate you.
The words were refined, but the unfiltered emotion was conveyed through her eyes. Aaron seemed to sense it too, yet he couldn't leave. Even though it was just a sliver of burned-out emotion, the moment it fell upon him was so precious that he couldn't help but feel helpless. He thought even that pain was sweet.
“Get out of my sight, Aaron.”
As is often the case with people in love, stupidly.
***
Ian began to cry. Ivan tossed the papers he was reading onto the desk, stood up, and picked Ian up. It had been only about an hour since Mrs. Howard and the maids had managed to lull him to sleep, but Ian's nap was fleeting.
“Ian.”
Ivan returned to the palace, leaving Amelia alone. A few days after his arrival, Amelia and Aaron, who had come to visit, headed to the temple. Having become ill from their overly aggressive attempts to purify the land, they offered to restore their divine powers.
Amelia left Ian's side for about two weeks. While that would have been enough for him to adjust, Ian still struggled to adjust to his mother's absence. His whining only decreased after Ivan began keeping him by his side.
“Why are you so picky?”
Even Mrs. Howard said the same thing. She said that it was unusual for a child to be so attached to its mother.
“It is fortunate that he believes in His Majesty as his father and follows you.”
She even said she was truly grateful that he could use Ivan as a substitute for Amelia. Ian, insisting on being cared for only by his parents, found comfort only in Amelia's or Ivan's hands. So Ivan couldn't ignore him.
“Oh. Oh.”
Anyone who heard it could tell it was a whining cry for its mother. Ivan sighed under his son's unkind hand, which slapped his broad shoulder disapprovingly.
“Your mother will be here soon.”
Amelia couldn't go far without Ian. She couldn't stay away for long. So, even if the wait was a little longer than expected, she would return, but her young child couldn't possibly understand that.
“...”
Or perhaps he had understood Rodan's reply that he had sent letters several times but had not received a response from Amelia.
“If that’s the case, then you must be a genius.”
Of course, it was just a delusion, a delusion fueled by a spoonful of anxiety in his mind. And Ivan knew how to judge that fact.
“She must come back.”
“...”
“To you.”
Ian groaned and leaned his chubby cheek against Ivan's shoulder. He felt his shoulder soaking wet with saliva, but Ivan didn't care. He'd gotten used to it in about a week.
“Ian woke up while I was away for a moment. Please give it to me, Your Majesty.”
“It’s okay, Mrs. Howard.”
Rather, the baby's scent emanating from Ian helped calm him. Ivan half-turned to Mrs. Howard, who was reaching out for Ian. He then patted Ian's back with his large hand, calming the child.
"Your Majesty, even when separated from Her Majesty the Empress as a child, was never this sensitive. Ian seems to take after his mother."
Mrs. Howard muttered in a subtly rebuking tone. Ivan, who had already moved to the window, turned his head and smiled at Mrs. Howard. He knew she wasn't saying this out of genuine displeasure or disapproval of Amelia.
“If we’re going to be precise about the comparison, it should be Mrs. Howard, not the Queen Mother.”
“Then it seems that Your Majesty felt the same way.”
Mrs. Howard smiled with a look of indifference on her face as Ivan added.
“When did the Priestess say she would come?”
And asked carefully.
“No reply yet, but she’ll be back soon.”
Ivan answered without hesitation. Mrs. Howard knew that Ian's biological mother was Amelia and that she had ultimately decided to become his mistress, so there was nothing to hide.
“Because she was a woman who gave birth to a child in that shabby place and raised him while struggling to protect him.”
Ivan rested his chin on Ian's head and opened his mouth. Mrs. Howard stared blankly, her mouth closed. It sounded like she was adding something, but it sounded like she was trying to confirm her own guess.
"Your Majesty."
It was then that Rodan could be heard calling for Ivan from beyond the door. Before Ivan could respond, Mrs. Howard moved and opened the door for her son to enter.
“What’s going on?”
The soft, baby-like scent and babbling sounds of the Emperor's office were still unfamiliar. Rodan paused for a moment, but quickly brushed off his awkwardness and stood before Ivan.
“A reply has come from the temple.”
Ivan immediately handed Ian over to Mrs. Howard took the well-sealed letter. It took only a few seconds to rip open the envelope with a knife and take out the letter.
“What do you say?”
Ivan seemed ready to say something immediately, but he simply stared blankly down at the letter, his face expressionless. Rodan, anxious that he might be told she wouldn't be able to return, asked a question first.
“She's leaving for the palace today.”
Ian clapped his hands loudly as if he understood that Amelia was coming back.
***
Late that night, news arrived that Amelia's carriage had passed the palace gates. Ivan, still holding his son, who was still awake, headed for the West Palace.
The carriage door opened as it had just arrived. A blue dress, like a blue butterfly, and soft, white skin revealed themselves beneath the pale moonlight. Ivan watched them quietly.
"Ma!"
Ian spotted his mother and shouted excitedly. Amelia's gaze naturally shifted to Ivan and Ian.
“...I see the sun of Escliffe.”
Amelia's eyes were filled with obvious relief as she discovered her husband and child. A faint smile accompanied her gaze.
Ian also needs to adjust to life in the palace, so I tried to break away from him, but since he still wants to see me, I can't help it. I'll be leaving for the palace today. I'll meet you and tell you the truth about the cursed land.
Faithful servant of Escliffe,
Amelia Escliff
But strangely enough, that smile scratched something in Ivan's heart.
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