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Chapter 33
Rowen, who had been hesitating, spoke carefully.
“The truth is… something similar happened when I was little…”
“Ah…”
Joohee couldn’t help feeling sorry for him, thinking he must still be carrying the trauma.
She lifted the arm that had been trying to push him away, wrapped it around his back, and gently patted him.
It was her first time comforting someone like this, so it felt awkward, but she did her best to soothe him.
Soon, Rowen’s trembling stopped. He let out a deep sigh before slowly pulling away.
“Let’s go now.”
“I won’t lose you this time.”
“Before that, I won’t let go of you.”
Rowen smiled softly.
Before leaving, Joohee tried to glance toward where the men had been standing earlier, but Rowen subtly blocked her view. In the end, she left without seeing anything.
The only things left behind where they had stood were blood soaking the stone pavement and the corpses with their hands severed.
Even after they boarded the carriage to return to the Imperial Palace, Rowen refused to let go of Joohee’s hand.
She fidgeted with her fingers, but she didn’t tell him to release her.
She felt guilty for having touched what she believed was his trauma.
So she simply let him hold her hand and turned her gaze out the window.
Rowen stole a glance at her and smiled faintly.
Honestly…
What am I supposed to do with someone whose heart is this soft?
She was obviously uncomfortable, yet she endured it without saying a word.
It was unbearably adorable.
As sorry as he felt toward Joohee, the story about his trauma was a complete lie.
When he was young, Arsen had indeed been kidnapped once.
However, the kidnappers had been nothing more than a poorly organized rebel group, so the incident had been resolved quickly.
Rowen had never even been bothered by it.
There was no way it could have left him traumatized.
“Would you like to go out again during the New Year’s Festival?”
“The New Year’s Festival?”
“Yes.”
Joohee finally turned her gaze away from the window and looked at Rowen.
“As soon as winter ends, the New Year’s Festival begins. Along with Foundation Day, it’s one of the biggest celebrations of the year, so there’ll be plenty to see in the shopping district.”
“I’d love to.”
When her eyes sparkled with excitement, Rowen smiled to himself.
The carriage arrived at the Imperial Palace.
As soon as they stepped down, the first thing they saw was a head of shimmering silver hair.
“Your Majesty!”
Evelyn approached them quickly with a bright smile.
Rowen, however, didn’t even look in her direction. Instead, he extended his hand toward Joohee.
“Be careful so you don’t trip.”
Seeing herself completely ignored, Evelyn bit her lip hard and crumpled the hem of her dress.
Even so, she didn’t leave.
Only after Joohee stepped down from the carriage did Rowen casually shift his gaze toward Evelyn.
“I told you not to come and go around the Emperor’s Palace as you pleased. Do my words mean so little to you?”
“What? No, Your Majesty. I didn’t go inside. I’ve just been waiting here.”
Evelyn shook her head with a sweet smile.
While carefully gauging Rowen’s expression, she shot a sideways glance at Joohee.
It irritated her beyond belief that such an insignificant woman was standing by his side.
She wanted nothing more than to slap her across the face and tell her to move aside.
But she couldn’t.
Suppressing her anger, she smiled gracefully.
“We meet again, my lady.”
“…Yes.”
“Are you… always so short with your words?”
The reproachful question made Joohee tilt her head.
“I don’t think that’s any concern of yours, my lady.”
Evelyn’s smile twitched.
“I’m only warning you because if you speak like that in front of others, people will gossip.”
“Okay.”
Evelyn became convinced Joohee was doing it on purpose.
Otherwise, there was no way someone could act so shamelessly toward the daughter of a duke like herself.
But that girl wasn’t what mattered right now.
Turning back to Rowen, Evelyn smiled brightly.
“Your Majesty, you remember that the New Year’s Festival Ball is held as soon as winter ends, don’t you?”
“So?”
“You’ll be attending with me again this year, won’t you?”
She looked at him with the most pitiful expression she could manage.
Every year, she had been his partner for the New Year’s Festival Ball.
Naturally, this year should be no different.
There was no reason for her to feel anxious.
Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t shake her unease and had come personally to settle the matter.
Instead of answering, Rowen merely frowned and sighed.
“Your Majesty…? Don’t tell me… your partner this year is that young lady?”
Even though Rowen hadn’t given her a proper answer, Evelyn had already jumped to her own conclusion.
Flames seemed ready to burst from her eyes.
“You can’t possibly choose a young lady who doesn’t even know basic etiquette as your partner! Your Majesty’s reputation will surely hit rock bottom. Wouldn’t it be better to replace her with me while there’s still time?”
Her openly dismissive tone toward Joohee made Joohee’s eyebrow twitch.
Rowen was just about to warn Evelyn not to cross the line when Joohee spoke first.
“Excuse me.”
“…Were you just talking to me?”
“Yes. Is there anyone else here?”
“Hah…!”
Evelyn’s gaze sharpened.
“Can I ask you something? Do you know me?”
“What did you say?”
“I’ve never met you before, yet you speak as though you know everything about me. I just find that interesting.”
Joohee’s expression turned cold as she stepped closer to Evelyn.
Startled by the pressure she gave off, Evelyn almost took a step back.
But she stubbornly held her ground.
The thought of losing to such a country bumpkin wounded her pride so badly that she bit her lip.
“Instead of wasting your time judging other people, why don’t you spend a little more time reflecting on yourself?”
“Are you lecturing me right now?”
“I was only saying it because I was worried people might gossip about you too.”
Joohee shrugged casually.
“Let’s go, Rowen.”
Hearing her call him so familiarly, Evelyn’s eyes widened.
She had been certain Rowen would reprimand her.
Instead, he silently walked into the palace with Joohee.
Evelyn let out a disbelieving laugh.
“Only Her Majesty the Dowager Empress is allowed to call him by that name… so why is that girl…?”
She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but restrained herself.
She was the one and only daughter of the great House of Roberdo.
She couldn’t afford to lose her composure in public.
“Alice… am I really that much inferior to her?”
“What? Of course not, my lady! You’re so much more charming!”
“Then why would His Majesty…”
“My lady, perhaps His Majesty simply wants something new.”
“Something new?”
“Yes! He’s always been surrounded by the same people, so perhaps he’s grown bored. I’m sure this is only a passing whim. Eventually, His Majesty will return to you.”
“You really think so?”
“Absolutely!”
Alice nodded enthusiastically.
“You’re right… She’s just an unusual young lady. This is probably nothing more than a momentary curiosity. His interest will fade soon enough.”
Evelyn decided she would endure it with generosity until then.
At most, it would last a month.
She was destined to become the future Empress of the Empire.
If she couldn’t even tolerate this much, Rowen might end up disappointed in her.
“Perhaps His Majesty simply wants to see you get jealous.”
“Jealous?”
“Yes. I’ve heard that men sometimes deliberately act like this because they enjoy seeing the woman they love become jealous.”
“My goodness, really? How adorable…”
Completely misunderstanding the situation in a way that would make Rowen collapse in disbelief if he ever found out, Evelyn headed toward the Dowager Empress’s Palace, her original destination.
“Have you been well, Your Majesty the Dowager Empress?”
“It’s been a long time, Lady Artel.”
Laviolet smiled warmly and gestured for her to sit.
Marchioness Artel, Lyria, who had just entered the drawing room, quickly took her seat.
“I heard you’ve decided to appoint me as an etiquette instructor. Is it true?”
“Of course. Lady Artel, you’re the finest etiquette instructor in the entire Empire.”
“You’re too kind.”
Lyria smiled shyly and waved her hand modestly.
However, Laviolet’s praise was no exaggeration.
There wasn’t a single person in the Empire who could match Lyria’s mastery of etiquette.
That was why countless noble families with young children competed to hire her as their instructor.
But convincing her had never been easy.
Yet, the moment Laviolet requested her services, she put everything else aside and came straight to the Imperial Palace.
When she had suddenly been asked to become an etiquette instructor, she had wondered whether there was a child living in the palace.
But since the Emperor wasn’t even married yet, there was no way he could have children.
One particular person came to mind, but she simply smiled and pretended not to know.
“So… whom will I be teaching?”
“Let’s head to the Emperor’s Palace first.”
“Pardon? The Emperor’s Palace?”
With an expression that clearly showed her displeasure, Laviolet stood up.
Lyria rose as well and followed after her.
When they arrived at the Emperor’s Palace, the head steward blocked their path as expected.
“Your Majesty the Dowager Empress is not permitted to enter the Emperor’s Palace.”
“I’ve brought the etiquette instructor. Go inform him.”
Laviolet gave a slight nod.
After hesitating for a moment, the head steward hurried inside.
Ordinarily, when introducing an instructor, the person who had hired them would accompany them as a matter of etiquette.
A short while later, the steward returned and bowed.
“You may enter.”
Laviolet strode inside confidently.
Lyria swallowed nervously.
The head steward guided them to Joohee’s room.
“This is the place.”
“You may leave.”
At Laviolet’s curt dismissal, the steward bowed respectfully and departed.
Without even knocking, Laviolet threw the door open.
Lyria’s eyes widened at the complete lack of courtesy.
If the Dowager Empress was behaving like this, then the person inside must truly be someone she disliked.
It had to be the mysterious young lady everyone in high society had been gossiping about lately.
Lyria cautiously followed Laviolet into the room.
Then she raised her head and looked at the young lady whose name had spread through nothing but rumors.
“Oh my…”
The words escaped Lyria before she realized it.
Her black hair looked smooth and lustrous despite showing no signs of special care.
Even her eyes were jet black.
Black hair itself was rare, but black eyes were even rarer.
Her slightly upturned, cat-like eyes left a particularly striking impression.
“How long are you planning to keep that wild beast inside this room?!”
Laviolet’s sharp voice snapped Lyria back to reality.
Turning her head, she found herself staring into the glowing yellow eyes of a wolf far larger than any ordinary wolf.
