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Chapter 36
At Lady Aurelian’s question, Camin straightened his back and replied in an even tone.
“I asked Liz to look into whether Faustine could be incorporated into imperial territory.”
“…What did you say?”
Lady Aurelian doubted her ears.
You’re saying you’ll take land from the kingdom?
Aurelian had once belonged to the Empire, but after her divorce she had returned, and Faustine was undeniably the kingdom’s property.
And to annex land? It’s obvious that relations with the kingdom would sour. Is there really a reason to go that far?
Faustine wasn’t even geographically important.
“So, is it possible?” Lady Aurelian asked.
Camin nodded.
“It is. Faustine belongs to Grandmother. All we need is your permission.”
“No, to say that so lightly…”
“Of course, I’m not asking for it lightly.”
Camin went on to explain in more detail.
“Liz added that, outwardly as well, presenting it in the form of a gift would make it easier for the kingdom to accept. But isn’t it difficult to ask for a gift when my sister and I have never once shown proper filial devotion to you?”
Well, that wouldn’t really matter to me, Lady Aurelian thought dismissively.
But Camin’s next words came as a series of shocks.
“So how about announcing that the gift is to my and Riena’s child? That would make them your great-grandchild.”
“Excuse me?!”
The conversation was becoming harder and harder to follow. Wondering if something had happened that she didn’t know about, Lady Aurelian asked cautiously,
“…You’re not even married yet, are you?”
That was true! Yet Lady Aurelian couldn’t be entirely certain.
Looking at my grandson now, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d gone and had some village priest officiate their wedding on their own.
And fortunately—perhaps—he wasn’t married yet. Camin snapped his fingers lightly as he answered.
“That’s exactly the point. Since we’re not married yet, the gift would take more time. You would continue to remain the lord of Faustine. Liz is already sending a notice of our engagement to the royal palace. They won’t be able to object.”
“Well, honestly…”
What was this insane momentum?
He really is my grandson.
The image of herself crossing into the Empire alone long ago overlapped in Lady Aurelian’s mind. She gazed at Camin with wrinkled eyes, then asked,
“Shouldn’t you persuade Riena and bring her to the Empire?”
At that point, Camin smiled awkwardly.
“I plan to leave that entirely up to Riena’s choice. If she wants to stay in Faustine, she’ll stay. If she wants to go up to the capital, she will.”
“Even so…”
Could the empress of a nation really live in a place like this countryside if she wished?
Lady Aurelian was about to question him again, but then she closed her mouth.
Perhaps this is the answer instead. I shouldn’t force the answers of my era onto theirs.
If one tried too hard to act like an empress and ended up becoming neither here nor there—if even love were to fade—what meaning would there be in that?
Lady Aurelian stared quietly at Camin. His straight nose, thoughtful blue eyes, and pale golden hair bore not the slightest trace of the man she had once loved.
Overlapping the past she longed for with the present, she asked in a heavy voice,
“Is there an agave garden in the imperial palace?”
Camin nodded.
“It’s a precious plant the Empire can’t do without. But we lack the techniques, so we haven’t been able to propagate it widely.”
It seemed the situation was little different from when she had left the Empire. Lady Aurelian nodded. Speaking of plants, someone naturally came to mind.
“I think Riena would grow agave well.”
At her words, Camin broke into a wide smile.
“I thought so too. Just imagining Riena growing agave so vigorously makes me feel proud already, even though it’s a future that hasn’t happened yet.”
“The greater the expectations, the greater the disappointment.”
She meant that he shouldn’t get too excited too soon, but hearing that, Camin smiled shyly and replied,
“Still, Riena and I can do it.”
That 모습 overlapped with her own younger self. Lady Aurelian closed her eyes.
Yes, I didn’t leave nothing behind.
Whether that love had meaning or not, children had been born between the two of them, and now those children were leading the Empire.
Watching a grandson she had barely even seen fighting so hard to win love, it felt absurd not just to help him, but to stand in his way. Lady Aurelian nodded.
“I’ll step back for now. But if the duke causes trouble again, I can’t promise I’ll just sit back and watch.”
It meant she would temporarily halt her conflict with Duke Fond. Understanding her meaning, Camin bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Grandmother.”
Lady Aurelian looked at him with satisfied eyes.
“You’ve changed a lot, Your Majesty. You’ve become gentler.”
Perhaps she would be able to converse with her once harsh, rigid grandson like an ordinary grandmother and grandson after all.
I failed, but may you be happy.
Lady Aurelian prayed earnestly in her heart.
Meanwhile, discord never ceased in the kingdom’s capital—between Crown Prince David and Crown Princess Kang Sena, whose relationship had recently soured.
Kang Sena, a girl from another world who had suddenly appeared one day. Revered as a holy maiden in the temple, she married the crown prince, and it seemed as though only eternal happiness would remain in the kingdom.
But reality was far from happy.
“Your Highness, the Crown Princess.”
“Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?”
The attendants exchanged glances at the sight of Kang Sena storming in.
His Highness said never to let her into the study.
But what can we do? If we stop her now, she’ll probably make a huge scene.
And when Crown Prince David eventually woke up, it would turn into another fight.
It’ll work out somehow.
He’s asleep for now, so let her in.
Not long ago, unable to endure Kang Sena’s shouting, the crown prince had burst out of his room and a fight had broken out. It had been such a commotion that even the king and queen learned of it, and the attendants who had tried to restrain Kang Sena were severely punished.
Determined not to be punished themselves, the attendants steered the situation in the safest direction.
“His Highness is sleeping in the study.”
“He’s been under great strain, so you mustn’t wake him.”
“Understood.”
Kang Sena herself had also been scolded harshly after her last fight with David. So she readily nodded and entered the room.
They said he had been so exhausted that he fell asleep in the study, but the moment she opened the door, the smell of strong liquor stung her nose.
Careful not to trip over the bottles scattered across the dark room, Kang Sena clicked her tongue.
David fell asleep drunk again. I told him it’s bad for his health.
Lately, David had often been drunk. When she pointed it out, he sometimes flew into a terrifying rage. Remembering how David had recently blamed everything on her, Kang Sena clicked her tongue again.
What’s the point of saying anything? He just gets angry and says I’m nagging.
Still, seeing him slumped over his desk, snoring, softened her heart. As she looked at him with pity, something caught her eye.
What’s this?
It seemed he had been looking at it right up until he fell asleep—a small picture lying close by. Kang Sena picked it up.
A portrait?
It looked familiar, but she couldn’t immediately recall who the woman was. She had only seen her briefly.
After struggling for a while, Kang Sena finally realized who it was.
Riena Fond.
The daughter of Duke Fond.
That woman!
Even when she had arranged the breakup between her and David years ago, Kang Sena hadn’t felt the slightest twinge of guilt. In the original novel Kang Sena had read, Riena was a villainess.
Of course, she exited earlier than in the original, so it’s true she never even had the chance to act like a proper villain.
But that wasn’t because Riena was kind—it was because Kang Sena, having read the original thoroughly, already knew the story.
What’s wrong with eliminating a villain before she commits her crimes?
Thinking that, Kang Sena shrugged. In any case, the woman was destined to be punished, so there was nothing to feel sorry about.
But then why was she appearing again here?
…Don’t tell me he’s longing for her again? Why?
He had been certain, following the temple’s prophecy, that she herself was the woman who would bring prosperity and abundance to this kingdom.
That was why he had proposed to her.
And now, after all this time?
This wasn’t something that appeared anywhere in the original story Kang Sena had read.
We’re destined to live happily ever after like this. Riena Fond isn’t supposed to reappear.
As those thoughts deepened her unease, a troubling question surfaced in Kang Sena’s mind.
What if, even though it was never described in the original, Crown Prince David had continued to long for Riena all this time?
A chill ran down her spine. Shaking her head to dispel the suspicion, Kang Sena turned her gaze away from David’s face, afraid she wouldn’t be able to bear the anxiety.
That was when she saw a letter, written in David’s own handwriting.
