Episode 139. You Look Like Your Brother
The Emperor left the ball to the Empress and dragged Diana to his study.
He placed Diana in the center of the study and sat down diagonally on a chair. The Emperor, resting his head on his throbbing hair, had prominent veins on his forehead.
A heavy silence hung between the Emperor and Diana.
Diana's expression was remarkably impassive, as if she was used to his attitude.
The Emperor, who had been closing his eyes, lifted them slightly and glared at Diana with a fierce gaze.
"...Inviting foreign dignitaries. What kind of reckless behavior is this?"
A sharp voice cut through coldly.
Diana, without averting her eyes from the Emperor, answered in a steady voice.
"I was simply proposed to."
“Huh? A proposal? Do you think I don’t know that and am asking this!!”
A thunderous roar filled the office
The beastly roar flew straight at Diana. Although it was a windless space, it felt as if a strong wind was blowing.
“What’s so great about an unmarried Princess getting pregnant? Why are you bragging so much about it?! How did I raise you!”
Diana, who had been staring at the Emperor with a blank expression, furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure at the Emperor’s last words.
“Wasn’t I just a mere object?”
“What?”
“My father raised me for one reason only: to sell me off for a reasonable price. Oh, no. Didn’t you try to sell me off for a pittance, not a reasonable price?”
“Diana!”
The Emperor, dumbfounded by Diana’s words, roared.
“Why? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”
“You’re lashing out at your own father just because your head has grown so big. I don’t know who you take after.”
“Resemble who? Anyone can tell I look exactly like my father.”
“...”
The Emperor’s eyes sank coldly at the sight of Diana, who kept lashing out without a word.
Looking into Diana’s calm, rippling blue eyes, he was reminded of his dead brother.
“You take after me?”
The Emperor’s eyes trembled as he looked at Diana. A deep, mysterious anger filled his expression.
“No, you don’t resemble me.”
Not a single thing. She didn’t resemble him at all.
Diana didn’t resemble him. Her arrogantly raised eyes, her sharp nose, and even her tightly shut lips.
Everything about her resembled her dead brother’s.
The Emperor suspected that Diana might not be his daughter.
After all, Diana’s biological mother had adored his brother.
And crucially... Diana was born prematurely, so the Emperor's suspicions were bound to deepen.
However, he didn't conduct a DNA test.
If it were discovered that Diana wasn't his biological daughter, he wouldn't be able to exploit her for personal gain.
There was no such thing as secrets within the palace.
Even with a smiling face, this was a place where anyone could betray him at any moment.
The Emperor believed that even if he conducted a DNA test in secret, the secret would eventually leak out.
"If you were like me, you wouldn't have done something like that in public."
Revealing something that could be considered a weakness was beyond his common sense.
However, the Emperor overlooked something: Diana's desire to avoid a political marriage.
"No. It's because I take after my father."
Diana's large eyes narrowed slightly. Then, slowly, she raised them and smiled a cold, soulless smile.
The Emperor, seeing Diana's expression, immediately saw through her true intentions.
“Tch, how foolish. Is this all you want to avoid a political marriage?”
The Emperor looked at Diana with pity, then spoke accusingly.
“A political marriage... Can you even call that a political marriage in the first place? I was just sold.”
“He was an emperor with immense wealth! I was careful not to cause you trouble, so how can you be so ignorant of your father’s heart!”
“For my sake...”
The Emperor’s words were absurd. So much so that she couldn’t even laugh.
How could marrying off a daughter to an Emperor who was already old be considered for her own good?
It wasn’t something someone who did it for their daughter’s sake would do.
“What on earth do I mean to you, father?”
Diana asked softly, her voice low and composed.
Was it an illusion that her normally confident voice was trembling? With her head bowed, Diana's expression was hidden.
"Do you... even think of me as your daughter?"
It was difficult to guess what expression or feeling she was expressing.
"Have you ever... ever embraced me with love?"
Diana's fingertips trembled.
"Father...! Not once...! Not once did you give me your heart!"
Diana's voice, filled with resentment, rang out.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she looked at the Emperor pleadingly. Sadly, the Emperor was unmoved by Diana's tears. His face, tilted crookedly, remained utterly indifferent.
And then, as if to vindicate her, he continued with words that pierced Diana's heart.
"I will call a doctor, so you can have the baby aborted."
He didn't even hesitate to demand an apology from Emperor Henry, a foreign Emperor, further tormenting Diana.
Diana, who had held onto hope until the very end, finally let go of the faint glimmer of hope she held.
There was nothing left to say to the Emperor.
With her head bowed, Diana looked utterly desolate, like someone who had lost everything in the world.
She stood there for a long time, her body slumped, before finally fleeing the Emperor's office.
"Tsk, how rude."
The Emperor left the ball to the Empress and dragged Diana to his study.
He placed Diana in the center of the study and sat down diagonally on a chair. The Emperor, resting his head on his throbbing hair, had prominent veins on his forehead.
A heavy silence hung between the Emperor and Diana.
Diana's expression was remarkably impassive, as if she was used to his attitude.
The Emperor, who had been closing his eyes, lifted them slightly and glared at Diana with a fierce gaze.
"...Inviting foreign dignitaries. What kind of reckless behavior is this?"
A sharp voice cut through coldly.
Diana, without averting her eyes from the Emperor, answered in a steady voice.
"I was simply proposed to."
“Huh? A proposal? Do you think I don’t know that and am asking this!!”
A thunderous roar filled the office
The beastly roar flew straight at Diana. Although it was a windless space, it felt as if a strong wind was blowing.
“What’s so great about an unmarried Princess getting pregnant? Why are you bragging so much about it?! How did I raise you!”
Diana, who had been staring at the Emperor with a blank expression, furrowed her eyebrows in displeasure at the Emperor’s last words.
“Wasn’t I just a mere object?”
“What?”
“My father raised me for one reason only: to sell me off for a reasonable price. Oh, no. Didn’t you try to sell me off for a pittance, not a reasonable price?”
“Diana!”
The Emperor, dumbfounded by Diana’s words, roared.
“Why? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”
“You’re lashing out at your own father just because your head has grown so big. I don’t know who you take after.”
“Resemble who? Anyone can tell I look exactly like my father.”
“...”
The Emperor’s eyes sank coldly at the sight of Diana, who kept lashing out without a word.
Looking into Diana’s calm, rippling blue eyes, he was reminded of his dead brother.
“You take after me?”
The Emperor’s eyes trembled as he looked at Diana. A deep, mysterious anger filled his expression.
“No, you don’t resemble me.”
Not a single thing. She didn’t resemble him at all.
Diana didn’t resemble him. Her arrogantly raised eyes, her sharp nose, and even her tightly shut lips.
Everything about her resembled her dead brother’s.
The Emperor suspected that Diana might not be his daughter.
After all, Diana’s biological mother had adored his brother.
And crucially... Diana was born prematurely, so the Emperor's suspicions were bound to deepen.
However, he didn't conduct a DNA test.
If it were discovered that Diana wasn't his biological daughter, he wouldn't be able to exploit her for personal gain.
There was no such thing as secrets within the palace.
Even with a smiling face, this was a place where anyone could betray him at any moment.
The Emperor believed that even if he conducted a DNA test in secret, the secret would eventually leak out.
"If you were like me, you wouldn't have done something like that in public."
Revealing something that could be considered a weakness was beyond his common sense.
However, the Emperor overlooked something: Diana's desire to avoid a political marriage.
"No. It's because I take after my father."
Diana's large eyes narrowed slightly. Then, slowly, she raised them and smiled a cold, soulless smile.
The Emperor, seeing Diana's expression, immediately saw through her true intentions.
“Tch, how foolish. Is this all you want to avoid a political marriage?”
The Emperor looked at Diana with pity, then spoke accusingly.
“A political marriage... Can you even call that a political marriage in the first place? I was just sold.”
“He was an emperor with immense wealth! I was careful not to cause you trouble, so how can you be so ignorant of your father’s heart!”
“For my sake...”
The Emperor’s words were absurd. So much so that she couldn’t even laugh.
How could marrying off a daughter to an Emperor who was already old be considered for her own good?
It wasn’t something someone who did it for their daughter’s sake would do.
“What on earth do I mean to you, father?”
Diana asked softly, her voice low and composed.
Was it an illusion that her normally confident voice was trembling? With her head bowed, Diana's expression was hidden.
"Do you... even think of me as your daughter?"
It was difficult to guess what expression or feeling she was expressing.
"Have you ever... ever embraced me with love?"
Diana's fingertips trembled.
"Father...! Not once...! Not once did you give me your heart!"
Diana's voice, filled with resentment, rang out.
With tears welling up in her eyes, she looked at the Emperor pleadingly. Sadly, the Emperor was unmoved by Diana's tears. His face, tilted crookedly, remained utterly indifferent.
And then, as if to vindicate her, he continued with words that pierced Diana's heart.
"I will call a doctor, so you can have the baby aborted."
He didn't even hesitate to demand an apology from Emperor Henry, a foreign Emperor, further tormenting Diana.
Diana, who had held onto hope until the very end, finally let go of the faint glimmer of hope she held.
There was nothing left to say to the Emperor.
With her head bowed, Diana looked utterly desolate, like someone who had lost everything in the world.
She stood there for a long time, her body slumped, before finally fleeing the Emperor's office.
"Tsk, how rude."
How dare she storm out without even saying goodbye in the middle of a conversation?
He only rebuked Diana, seemingly feeling no guilt for his actions.
Diana lowered her head and ran aimlessly, without a clue where she was going, just running endlessly wherever her feet took her.
Clear tears flowed ceaselessly from her once confident eyes.
No matter how harsh the Emperor was, she held onto the hope that his love for her stemmed from his love for her. After all, he was her father.
He was her only father.
Her only father... Because it was her blood.
Tears poured out. A corner of her heart twisted in pain.
After running for a while, Diana finally stepped on the hem of her skirt.
There was a “whoosh” sound as the hem ripped. And her body also leaned forward.
Seeing the floor getting closer, she expected to fall, and as if giving up, she closed her eyes.
Diana’s head hit the ground with a thud. However, it wasn’t the cold floor where she hit.
It was Julius’s arms.
“Diana.”
Julius held Diana in his arms and carefully comforted her.
He didn’t ask why she was crying or what was wrong.
He simply comforted her with a gentle touch, without saying a word.
Diana’s lips trembled as she closed her eyes.
Was Julius’s touch quite warm? The tears she had been holding back welled up again.
Diana's shoulders shook violently as she sobbed.
"Sigh... sob..."
She couldn't say anything, but tears welled up in her eyes, and she soon burst into tears like a child.
The sight of Diana croaking and sobbing loudly must have been unfamiliar, but Julius stayed by her side as if nothing had happened.
As her sobs grew louder, Julius's expression also distorted with pain.
Diana's sorrowful appearance broke Julius' heart.
"It's okay. It's okay, Diana."
"I apologize on Diana's behalf."
Meanwhile, the Emperor immediately went to find Henry, the Emperor of a foreign country, after Diana left. It seemed like he was trying to cover up Diana's actions.
"I've never experienced such an absurd thing in my life. How on earth did this happen?! Didn't you promise to marry me!"
Henry looked extremely angry as Diana was taken from him right before his eyes.
“Haha. Calm down. Isn’t Diana still young? And, they say that the whole pregnancy thing was a lie. It seems she staged a small incident because she didn’t want to leave her father’s embrace yet.”
“So, does that mean that the pregnancy isn’t true?”
“Yes.”
In reality, it wasn’t true that Diana was pregnant, but the Emperor didn’t know this.
Everything the Emperor told Henry was a lie to cover up the situation.
“So there will be no problem with our deal.”
Henry raised his eyebrows at the Emperor’s words and laughed inexplicably.
“Hahahaha.”
It wasn't a joyful laugh.
After laughing for a while, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked at the Emperor fiercely.
"No, our deal is over."
"!"
The Emperor couldn't hide his bewilderment at his firm words. Henry retorted coldly with a cold expression.
"The woman who will be my woman... will be branded as having been pregnant by another man for the rest of her life. How can I take her as my wife?"
Henry's words made the Emperor's temper twist uncomfortably.
"You are taking the young Diana as your third Empress, so shouldn't you accept that?"
"Haha. Stop talking nonsense."
He cut the Emperor off like a knife.
"How can you treat men and women equally? Whether I take the third empress or the tenth empress, it doesn't matter. But the Princess is different from me."
He proudly raised his teacup with an arrogant expression, his bald head now clearly visible.
“Whether today’s events are true or not, the Princess has an indelible mark. There’s no need for me to take a woman who will surely be talked about.”
“For such a dying old man...”
The Emperor was utterly disgusted by Henry’s utterly arrogant behavior. The Emperor’s expression twisted terribly as he sensed that the grand ball he had hosted would end without any results.
Unfortunately, the commotion at the ball did not end there.
“Your Majesty.”
A voice called out urgently from outside the door.
“Oh! Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me until I’m finished speaking!!”
The Emperor’s anger, unable to contain itself, unexpectedly turned to the subject outside the door. He flinched and trembled as if he had been unnecessarily provoked.
“That... I think you really must come out.”
He pushed the Emperor back again with a trembling voice.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
The Emperor briefly apologized and stepped out the door.
“What on earth are you doing!”
The Emperor, having stepped outside, shouted again.
“I, I’m sorry.”
The servant repeatedly bowed and finally spoke.
“Count Wence... suddenly came to the ballroom with his private army.”
“What?! He came with his private army? Could this filthy brat be plotting a mutiny?”
The servant awkwardly shook his head at the Emperor’s words.
“No.”
“No?”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed at the servant’s words.
“He said he came to find the culprit who murdered Cedric, and asked to be let in.”
“What?”
The Emperor’s eyes lit up mysteriously at the unexpected words.
He only rebuked Diana, seemingly feeling no guilt for his actions.
Diana lowered her head and ran aimlessly, without a clue where she was going, just running endlessly wherever her feet took her.
Clear tears flowed ceaselessly from her once confident eyes.
No matter how harsh the Emperor was, she held onto the hope that his love for her stemmed from his love for her. After all, he was her father.
He was her only father.
Her only father... Because it was her blood.
Tears poured out. A corner of her heart twisted in pain.
After running for a while, Diana finally stepped on the hem of her skirt.
There was a “whoosh” sound as the hem ripped. And her body also leaned forward.
Seeing the floor getting closer, she expected to fall, and as if giving up, she closed her eyes.
Diana’s head hit the ground with a thud. However, it wasn’t the cold floor where she hit.
It was Julius’s arms.
“Diana.”
Julius held Diana in his arms and carefully comforted her.
He didn’t ask why she was crying or what was wrong.
He simply comforted her with a gentle touch, without saying a word.
Diana’s lips trembled as she closed her eyes.
Was Julius’s touch quite warm? The tears she had been holding back welled up again.
Diana's shoulders shook violently as she sobbed.
"Sigh... sob..."
She couldn't say anything, but tears welled up in her eyes, and she soon burst into tears like a child.
The sight of Diana croaking and sobbing loudly must have been unfamiliar, but Julius stayed by her side as if nothing had happened.
As her sobs grew louder, Julius's expression also distorted with pain.
Diana's sorrowful appearance broke Julius' heart.
"It's okay. It's okay, Diana."
***
"I apologize on Diana's behalf."
Meanwhile, the Emperor immediately went to find Henry, the Emperor of a foreign country, after Diana left. It seemed like he was trying to cover up Diana's actions.
"I've never experienced such an absurd thing in my life. How on earth did this happen?! Didn't you promise to marry me!"
Henry looked extremely angry as Diana was taken from him right before his eyes.
“Haha. Calm down. Isn’t Diana still young? And, they say that the whole pregnancy thing was a lie. It seems she staged a small incident because she didn’t want to leave her father’s embrace yet.”
“So, does that mean that the pregnancy isn’t true?”
“Yes.”
In reality, it wasn’t true that Diana was pregnant, but the Emperor didn’t know this.
Everything the Emperor told Henry was a lie to cover up the situation.
“So there will be no problem with our deal.”
Henry raised his eyebrows at the Emperor’s words and laughed inexplicably.
“Hahahaha.”
It wasn't a joyful laugh.
After laughing for a while, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked at the Emperor fiercely.
"No, our deal is over."
"!"
The Emperor couldn't hide his bewilderment at his firm words. Henry retorted coldly with a cold expression.
"The woman who will be my woman... will be branded as having been pregnant by another man for the rest of her life. How can I take her as my wife?"
Henry's words made the Emperor's temper twist uncomfortably.
"You are taking the young Diana as your third Empress, so shouldn't you accept that?"
"Haha. Stop talking nonsense."
He cut the Emperor off like a knife.
"How can you treat men and women equally? Whether I take the third empress or the tenth empress, it doesn't matter. But the Princess is different from me."
He proudly raised his teacup with an arrogant expression, his bald head now clearly visible.
“Whether today’s events are true or not, the Princess has an indelible mark. There’s no need for me to take a woman who will surely be talked about.”
“For such a dying old man...”
The Emperor was utterly disgusted by Henry’s utterly arrogant behavior. The Emperor’s expression twisted terribly as he sensed that the grand ball he had hosted would end without any results.
Unfortunately, the commotion at the ball did not end there.
“Your Majesty.”
A voice called out urgently from outside the door.
“Oh! Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me until I’m finished speaking!!”
The Emperor’s anger, unable to contain itself, unexpectedly turned to the subject outside the door. He flinched and trembled as if he had been unnecessarily provoked.
“That... I think you really must come out.”
He pushed the Emperor back again with a trembling voice.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
The Emperor briefly apologized and stepped out the door.
“What on earth are you doing!”
The Emperor, having stepped outside, shouted again.
“I, I’m sorry.”
The servant repeatedly bowed and finally spoke.
“Count Wence... suddenly came to the ballroom with his private army.”
“What?! He came with his private army? Could this filthy brat be plotting a mutiny?”
The servant awkwardly shook his head at the Emperor’s words.
“No.”
“No?”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed at the servant’s words.
“He said he came to find the culprit who murdered Cedric, and asked to be let in.”
“What?”
The Emperor’s eyes lit up mysteriously at the unexpected words.
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