TWYWD - Chapter 4

Although meals didn't happen that often, there was one time when Yvonne spoke first during a meal where only silence hung in the air. It was about four months after the wedding.

"Your Majesty, how about you sleep in my bedroom tonight?" 

Yvonne asked in a nonchalant tone, as if she were just asking once.

"Why must it be so, Empress?"

"I thought it would be good to do that at least once." 

It was a vague and boring reason.

"Why? Is your father pressuring you?" 

The Emperor asked with his characteristic sneer when addressing the Empress. Carloi was also well aware that the Duke's visits to the Empress's palace had increased significantly lately. The Empress answered only after a long pause while she was swinging her sword.

"...Father, he is just worried about his children."

"The Empress would know better than anyone that I do not want to relieve that worry."

"I am saying this for Your Majesty's sake as well. I don't know what you will think, but I mean it sincerely."

The Empress's words sounded to Carloi as if she were saying, "If you do not listen to me, you will be seriously hurt."

"I know best what is good for me." 

"...Your Majesty." 

"If you don't intend to ruin my appetite, you should stop there too." 

The atmosphere grew even more somber at the sarcastic tone, which made no attempt to hide his annoyance. The chilling atmosphere caused even the ladies-in-waiting and attendants standing at a distance to begin trembling.

Yvonne continued eating quietly for a moment as if in agreement, but soon spoke again.

"What must I do, and how must I do it, for you to come to my palace?"

The whispering voice was so faint that it was barely audible. It was only then that Carloi saw Yvonne's face properly for the first time.

There was a subtle emotion in the face he usually disliked for its arrogant, expressionless look, but it was difficult to read exactly what it was.

However, the eyes remained the same. Thick, unpleasant, straight green eyes that looked exactly like a Duke's. In those eyes, Carloi felt a sense of familiarity. It was an unpleasant... familiarity.

"...Well. If the Empress is no longer there, I might go."

Even the ice on the table would be less cold than Carloi's voice. Several servants gasped.

“Well, but...”

Despite the cold treatment, Yvonne did not give up and spoke up again. It was impossible to understand why she was suddenly acting like this, considering she had always worn such an indifferent face. Carloi eventually slammed his hand on the table in annoyance.

"Please stop, Empress!"

And then, without even finishing the meal, he left just like that.

During the few meals they had since then, Yvonne never again spoke to the Emperor first. Carloi, too, did not say a single word to Yvonne.

Time passed like that. Carloi always brought other women to parties, while Yvonne ignored his presence.

***

A week had passed since the state wedding celebration party was held, where the Emperor unexpectedly brought a woman he called the Royal Consort. The Emperor and the Empress were scheduled to have lunch together.

A chilling atmosphere, no different from usual, hung over the rear garden of the Empress's Palace where lunch was scheduled to take place. The only difference from the norm was that, aside from the coldness, shock was visible on everyone's faces.

"I trust you will be alright, Empress. The Royal Consort will now lighten your burden, so perhaps a meal.. It would be nice to build a close relationship while working together." 

Standing beside the Emperor, who was smiling broadly and speaking to him, was Kiana Roden, who was practically the star of the royal wedding anniversary. However, Kiana did not seem to be in as good a mood as the Emperor.

The ladies-in-waiting were so appalled by the Emperor's audacity in bringing a new woman even to a meal with the Empress that they forgot to lower their eyes. He hadn't informed them in advance, and to make matters worse, she wasn't even the Imperial Consort yet!

Lighten the burden? Did I ever even burden Yvonne in the first place?

Yvonne was unable to perform any duties as the Empress. Consequently, she was unable to oversee the procedures related to the Imperial Consort, which should rightfully have been one of the Empress's responsibilities, and these matters were being handled by ordinary ministers.

Even Yvonne, who always maintained an impenetrable expression, could not hide her disbelief at this situation, as if she were dumbfounded.

Strangely, Carloi felt a subtle sense of pleasure at the sight. With no expression or emotion, she didn't look human no matter how he looked at her, so he wondered if she was actually human. It was the first time he had managed to elicit such a reaction from Yvonne.

"There is no answer, Empress. As a superior, one would expect you to be the first to offer a kind word to the Royal Consort. It seems such generosity is not something learned in the Duke's family. Then again, considering Duke Delua, such a thing would be out of the question."

The Emperor spoke so spitefully that the ladies-in-waiting constantly watched the Empress with anxiety, fearing she might lose her temper and throw something at him.

Fortunately, true to her reputation for being composed, Yvonne had returned to her expressionless face. Yvonne, who had been staring blankly at the Emperor, opened her mouth.

"I apologize for saying this, but Lady Roden is not yet the Royal Consort, Your Majesty." 

Yvonne's voice was low but quite firm. She also didn't look apologetic at all.

"Although the procedures are being processed hastily because Your Majesty suddenly ordered the Lady to be taken as Royal Consort, not even a day has passed. Furthermore, since this involves reviving a law that had been abolished, there is no need to say more."

Carloi, who had never heard Yvonne speak at such length before, looked at her with a bewildered expression, but Yvonne lightly turned her gaze to Kiana.

"Lady Roden, please understand that I am not doing this out of personal grudge against you. It is because if gossip arises over matters that are not yet certain, it could be detrimental to His Majesty's name."

It seemed to imply that he might be recorded in history as a scoundrel who was so obsessed with women that he disregarded procedures. The attendants looked at Carloi's expression in surprise, but he did not appear angry. He was merely frowning slightly.

Yvonne looked at Kiana and continued speaking as if Carloi was of no importance to her.

"I think it would be good to consider today as dining with His Imperial Majesty and me as the daughter of a noble Marquis. What do you think?"

Kiana Roden was a quick-witted person. The tall lady Kiana, who had been caught between the couple and looking around nervously, bowed demurely as soon as Yvonne finished speaking.

"Of course, Your Majesty the Empress. My apologies for the late introduction. I am Kiana, the eldest daughter of the Marquis Roden. Please forgive my rudeness."

As soon as the situation seemed to be settled, the attendants swiftly began arranging the seat beside her with tableware and decorations befitting a noble lady rather than an Empress. Though, to begin with, tableware suitable for an Empress had long since disappeared.

Eventually, the three people in question took their respective seats.

At the unexpected tension between the couple, the attendants habitually glanced at the Emperor, but he did not appear angry. On the contrary, Carloi had already managed to maintain a picture-perfect smile.

"Oh, dear. I am sorry, Empress. I was so deeply immersed in this feeling of love, which I am experiencing for the first time, that I failed to think that far ahead."

As Carloi looked at Kiana affectionately, she lowered her head. "Oh, Your Majesty..." A murmuring sound came from Kiana.

Yvonne was merely moving her knife as usual, but at that moment, it seemed like there was a clinking sound of a plate, so the ladies-in-waiting checked the Empress's plate for no reason.

"But even the Empress won't be able to blame me. Since the Duke ignored all procedures when you became Empress, I thought the Imperial Consort could do the same."

Carloi spoke without taking his eyes off Kiana's face for even a single moment.

"Why, Empress, weren't you also treated as Empress even before going through the formal procedures? So, I have no way of knowing. Please understand, Empress."

Carloi's tone and voice were affectionate, but the content was no different from an insult thrown at the Empress's face.

In an instant, Yvonne became someone who was lenient toward herself but strict only with her subordinates. She ended up looking like she was forcing procedures on others when she herself had completely ignored them. And that too, at the behest of her husband, the Emperor.

Yvonne's hand seemed to be trembling.

"Anyway, Kiana will take charge of your work, so please do your best."

"...Did I even have a job?"

"Ah, was there none? I wasn't interested, so that's all."

As Yvonne raised her head, she met Carloi's eyes. Carloi's lips curved into a smile, but his eyes were indifferent.

The couple's conversation spiraled out of control, and only the gritty sound of tableware clinking could be heard. An incongruous bright sound cut in amidst the sharp noise.

"Oh, Your Majesty! How about leaving the investiture ceremony for the Royal Consort to Her Majesty the Empress?"

It was Kiana Roden. With her bright, beaming face, it was hard to tell whether she was perceptive or not.

Even Carloi seemed surprised, forgetting to reply as he stared at Kiana. Kiana smiled and placed her hand on Carloi's.

"Oh, Your Majesty. It is widely known that Her Majesty the Empress is intelligent; surely she will handle this faster than the ministers, won't she? It would also be convenient and pleasant for both of Your Majesties if I were formally invested sooner."

He had never heard such a rumor in his life. Perhaps the Empress was hearing it for the first time as well, as a crashing sound was heard. Yvonne had dropped the knife she was holding onto the floor.

Carloi looked at Yvonne as the servants hurriedly moved about. Yvonne was staring blankly at one spot, and when he followed her gaze, he saw his own hand clasped with Kiana's.

It was those eyes again. Sticky and inscrutable. Carloi bit his lip slightly, overwhelmed by an inexplicable sense of displeasure. It was a sickening feeling. A feeling that couldn't possibly be familiar, yet felt familiar; an absurd feeling that he was doing something terribly wrong.

So, it was a really strange thing.

Even though she was the Duke's daughter whom he detested to the utmost, Carloi never imagined he would come to hate that child to this extent. However, Yvonne... there was something about her that grated on his nerves. In a way different from the Duke.

"Your Majesty?"

Kiana tightened her grip and asked again.

"...Very well, do as you please, Empress. I thought you preferred comfort, but since you seem quite upset about having nothing to do, this should suffice."

As if snapping out of it at those words, Yvonne lifted her head. Then, as was her habit, she stared intently at Carloi without answering.

Previous                Next