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~Chapter 27~
Finally, Roselia and Belmore appeared.
“……”
Aisha froze in place, staring blankly at them.
First, Roselia.
The first thought Aisha had when she saw her was—
‘Could there really be another person this beautiful in the world?’
In the original novel The Emperor Can’t Live Without Prisoners, Roselia’s presence was almost like air. At this point in the story, she would soon be killed off without accomplishing anything.
So Aisha had never known.
She had never known that Roselia’s presence could be this powerful.
Her long brown hair reached her waist, shining like silk. Her red dress clung to her body, both alluring and elegant.
‘With a face like that, she could easily be the female lead.’
Was this woman really old enough to have given birth to Belmore?
Aisha couldn’t believe it. Roselia looked no older than her early thirties at most.
And her face—Aisha couldn’t even put it into words. Nobility, innocence, and sensuality all coexisted in her beauty.
For the first time since entering the novel, Aisha seriously thought—
‘This character design is way too unfair.’
And then, Belmore.
The one she loved so much, her favorite—Belmore Ellington.
He looked exactly like he did in the novel.
Wavy brown hair that fell slightly over his forehead, resembling his mother Roselia. Skin as pale as a baby’s, eyes as blue as the sea.
Belmore had the image of a kind and friendly man.
If he were an animal, he would be a puppy.
One that wagged its tail eagerly.
So cute and lovable…
“Wow…”
Aisha muttered blankly as she stared at Belmore. Killian tilted his head toward her.
Is she scared?
It was possible. After all, there weren’t many chances to see the Empress Dowager and the Emperor up close like this.
Maybe she’s more innocent than she looks.
“Too adorable.”
What?
“A man can really be that pretty.”
Killian gave her a shocked look.
“……”
Realizing his eyes were on her, Aisha quickly shut her mouth and forced herself to focus on Roselia and Belmore.
“Thank you all for coming here today to make this occasion shine brighter.”
Roselia stepped forward, her rosy lips parting gracefully.
“Especially, I wish to honor Duke Killian, who has returned with a great victory from the war.”
“……”
“I never expected the Duke would return so soon.”
Hmm?
Something about her words felt strange, and Aisha narrowed her eyes.
“In fact, there was talk within the Imperial family that we should begin preparing for defeat. But once again, you’ve returned victorious. I cannot express how happy I am.”
Roselia smiled elegantly as she continued.
“I’ve always thought that Duke Killian is truly blessed with good luck. Or perhaps I should say… the favor of the gods is always with you.”
It was no mistake. Roselia was cutting Killian down in front of everyone.
His victories in difficult wars were dismissed as mere luck, with not a single mention of his skill. It was pure mockery.
Aisha instinctively looked at Killian’s face. Surprisingly, he looked calm, neither angry nor upset.
That’s when Aisha realized—
‘He’s used to this.’
Killian had always been treated like this by Roselia.
“And… I am also delighted to see such a graceful and modest young lady at the Duke’s side.”
Roselia smiled warmly, like spring sunlight.
“The Ashton family. A noble house that has stood quietly for many years. True, there are no grand achievements to boast of, but sometimes silence itself is a virtue.”
Wow.
Every word was poisoned.
“To think the Duke has chosen such a plain lady to be at his side… Could it be that after spending so long at war, your sensibilities have become more delicate?”
A few nobles laughed at her words—especially the young ladies who had been glaring daggers at Aisha since the beginning.
‘There’s someone even crazier than Rohan. And she’s in the palace!’
It was enough to make Aisha dizzy.
Meanwhile, Belmore said nothing. He only smiled faintly and stayed beside his mother.
But then, suddenly—
His eyes met Aisha’s.
“……”
Aisha froze for a moment. But it wasn’t because she was thrilled to meet her favorite in person.
In that brief instant, in Belmore’s blue eyes, Aisha saw something.
‘Is he… sorry?’
What she read was guilt.
“Now, on this joyous day, should not the war hero and his lovely fiancée open the first dance?”
Roselia’s graceful voice cut through Aisha’s thoughts.
Dance?
In this kind of atmosphere?
Aisha instinctively tried to step back, but Killian was quicker.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“……”
“We are honored by your grace.”
Killian wrapped one arm around her waist and took her hand.
The musicians began to play, and the hall filled with a beautiful melody.
Damn it. Whatever.
Resigned, Aisha let Killian lead her.
But her bad mood didn’t improve.
“Smile.”
Killian bent close and whispered in her ear.
“This is me being very polite, you know.”
“Ha. If you try being polite twice, my neck will break right here in front of everyone.”
“Not impossible.”
What?
“Turn.”
Killian smoothly guided her into a spin.
Aisha glanced around and saw other nobles dancing too.
“Stay sharp, Aisha Ashton,” Killian warned softly.
“This is only the beginning.”
“……”
“And whether you know it or not, most of the nobles here support the Empress Dowager. Quite an amusing situation, don’t you think?”
“Are you some kind of pervert?”
“What else can I do?”
Killian tightened his grip, bending her waist sharply.
“If you can’t avoid it, then enjoy it. Otherwise, you’ll just go insane.”
“Stop… Stop bending me like that!”
“Apologies. But appearances matter here.”
He lifted her gracefully, making it look perfect.
To the watching nobles, their dance was flawless—elegant, noble, and fitting.
Of course…
“Ugh.”
“My apologies. I’m not used to dancing.”
Killian grimaced.
“My foot might be cracked, Aisha Ashton. Are you in your right mind?”
“How unfortunate. But what can you do? If you can’t avoid it, you have to enjoy it.”
And as they exchanged sharp whispers—
Roselia, sitting at the front, stared at them with eyes gleaming darkly.
Like a predator before the hunt.
~Chapter 27~
Finally, Roselia and Belmore appeared.
“……”
Aisha froze in place, staring blankly at them.
First, Roselia.
The first thought Aisha had when she saw her was—
‘Could there really be another person this beautiful in the world?’
In the original novel The Emperor Can’t Live Without Prisoners, Roselia’s presence was almost like air. At this point in the story, she would soon be killed off without accomplishing anything.
So Aisha had never known.
She had never known that Roselia’s presence could be this powerful.
Her long brown hair reached her waist, shining like silk. Her red dress clung to her body, both alluring and elegant.
‘With a face like that, she could easily be the female lead.’
Was this woman really old enough to have given birth to Belmore?
Aisha couldn’t believe it. Roselia looked no older than her early thirties at most.
And her face—Aisha couldn’t even put it into words. Nobility, innocence, and sensuality all coexisted in her beauty.
For the first time since entering the novel, Aisha seriously thought—
‘This character design is way too unfair.’
And then, Belmore.
The one she loved so much, her favorite—Belmore Ellington.
He looked exactly like he did in the novel.
Wavy brown hair that fell slightly over his forehead, resembling his mother Roselia. Skin as pale as a baby’s, eyes as blue as the sea.
Belmore had the image of a kind and friendly man.
If he were an animal, he would be a puppy.
One that wagged its tail eagerly.
So cute and lovable…
“Wow…”
Aisha muttered blankly as she stared at Belmore. Killian tilted his head toward her.
Is she scared?
It was possible. After all, there weren’t many chances to see the Empress Dowager and the Emperor up close like this.
Maybe she’s more innocent than she looks.
“Too adorable.”
What?
“A man can really be that pretty.”
Killian gave her a shocked look.
“……”
Realizing his eyes were on her, Aisha quickly shut her mouth and forced herself to focus on Roselia and Belmore.
“Thank you all for coming here today to make this occasion shine brighter.”
Roselia stepped forward, her rosy lips parting gracefully.
“Especially, I wish to honor Duke Killian, who has returned with a great victory from the war.”
“……”
“I never expected the Duke would return so soon.”
Hmm?
Something about her words felt strange, and Aisha narrowed her eyes.
“In fact, there was talk within the Imperial family that we should begin preparing for defeat. But once again, you’ve returned victorious. I cannot express how happy I am.”
Roselia smiled elegantly as she continued.
“I’ve always thought that Duke Killian is truly blessed with good luck. Or perhaps I should say… the favor of the gods is always with you.”
It was no mistake. Roselia was cutting Killian down in front of everyone.
His victories in difficult wars were dismissed as mere luck, with not a single mention of his skill. It was pure mockery.
Aisha instinctively looked at Killian’s face. Surprisingly, he looked calm, neither angry nor upset.
That’s when Aisha realized—
‘He’s used to this.’
Killian had always been treated like this by Roselia.
“And… I am also delighted to see such a graceful and modest young lady at the Duke’s side.”
Roselia smiled warmly, like spring sunlight.
“The Ashton family. A noble house that has stood quietly for many years. True, there are no grand achievements to boast of, but sometimes silence itself is a virtue.”
Wow.
Every word was poisoned.
“To think the Duke has chosen such a plain lady to be at his side… Could it be that after spending so long at war, your sensibilities have become more delicate?”
A few nobles laughed at her words—especially the young ladies who had been glaring daggers at Aisha since the beginning.
‘There’s someone even crazier than Rohan. And she’s in the palace!’
It was enough to make Aisha dizzy.
Meanwhile, Belmore said nothing. He only smiled faintly and stayed beside his mother.
But then, suddenly—
His eyes met Aisha’s.
“……”
Aisha froze for a moment. But it wasn’t because she was thrilled to meet her favorite in person.
In that brief instant, in Belmore’s blue eyes, Aisha saw something.
‘Is he… sorry?’
What she read was guilt.
“Now, on this joyous day, should not the war hero and his lovely fiancée open the first dance?”
Roselia’s graceful voice cut through Aisha’s thoughts.
Dance?
In this kind of atmosphere?
Aisha instinctively tried to step back, but Killian was quicker.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“……”
“We are honored by your grace.”
Killian wrapped one arm around her waist and took her hand.
The musicians began to play, and the hall filled with a beautiful melody.
Damn it. Whatever.
Resigned, Aisha let Killian lead her.
But her bad mood didn’t improve.
“Smile.”
Killian bent close and whispered in her ear.
“This is me being very polite, you know.”
“Ha. If you try being polite twice, my neck will break right here in front of everyone.”
“Not impossible.”
What?
“Turn.”
Killian smoothly guided her into a spin.
Aisha glanced around and saw other nobles dancing too.
“Stay sharp, Aisha Ashton,” Killian warned softly.
“This is only the beginning.”
“……”
“And whether you know it or not, most of the nobles here support the Empress Dowager. Quite an amusing situation, don’t you think?”
“Are you some kind of pervert?”
“What else can I do?”
Killian tightened his grip, bending her waist sharply.
“If you can’t avoid it, then enjoy it. Otherwise, you’ll just go insane.”
“Stop… Stop bending me like that!”
“Apologies. But appearances matter here.”
He lifted her gracefully, making it look perfect.
To the watching nobles, their dance was flawless—elegant, noble, and fitting.
Of course…
“Ugh.”
“My apologies. I’m not used to dancing.”
Killian grimaced.
“My foot might be cracked, Aisha Ashton. Are you in your right mind?”
“How unfortunate. But what can you do? If you can’t avoid it, you have to enjoy it.”
And as they exchanged sharp whispers—
Roselia, sitting at the front, stared at them with eyes gleaming darkly.
Like a predator before the hunt.
~Chapter 27~
Finally, Roselia and Belmore appeared.
“……”
Aisha froze in place, staring blankly at them.
First, Roselia.
The first thought Aisha had when she saw her was—
‘Could there really be another person this beautiful in the world?’
In the original novel The Emperor Can’t Live Without Prisoners, Roselia’s presence was almost like air. At this point in the story, she would soon be killed off without accomplishing anything.
So Aisha had never known.
She had never known that Roselia’s presence could be this powerful.
Her long brown hair reached her waist, shining like silk. Her red dress clung to her body, both alluring and elegant.
‘With a face like that, she could easily be the female lead.’
Was this woman really old enough to have given birth to Belmore?
Aisha couldn’t believe it. Roselia looked no older than her early thirties at most.
And her face—Aisha couldn’t even put it into words. Nobility, innocence, and sensuality all coexisted in her beauty.
For the first time since entering the novel, Aisha seriously thought—
‘This character design is way too unfair.’
And then, Belmore.
The one she loved so much, her favorite—Belmore Ellington.
He looked exactly like he did in the novel.
Wavy brown hair that fell slightly over his forehead, resembling his mother Roselia. Skin as pale as a baby’s, eyes as blue as the sea.
Belmore had the image of a kind and friendly man.
If he were an animal, he would be a puppy.
One that wagged its tail eagerly.
So cute and lovable…
“Wow…”
Aisha muttered blankly as she stared at Belmore. Killian tilted his head toward her.
Is she scared?
It was possible. After all, there weren’t many chances to see the Empress Dowager and the Emperor up close like this.
Maybe she’s more innocent than she looks.
“Too adorable.”
What?
“A man can really be that pretty.”
Killian gave her a shocked look.
“……”
Realizing his eyes were on her, Aisha quickly shut her mouth and forced herself to focus on Roselia and Belmore.
“Thank you all for coming here today to make this occasion shine brighter.”
Roselia stepped forward, her rosy lips parting gracefully.
“Especially, I wish to honor Duke Killian, who has returned with a great victory from the war.”
“……”
“I never expected the Duke would return so soon.”
Hmm?
Something about her words felt strange, and Aisha narrowed her eyes.
“In fact, there was talk within the Imperial family that we should begin preparing for defeat. But once again, you’ve returned victorious. I cannot express how happy I am.”
Roselia smiled elegantly as she continued.
“I’ve always thought that Duke Killian is truly blessed with good luck. Or perhaps I should say… the favor of the gods is always with you.”
It was no mistake. Roselia was cutting Killian down in front of everyone.
His victories in difficult wars were dismissed as mere luck, with not a single mention of his skill. It was pure mockery.
Aisha instinctively looked at Killian’s face. Surprisingly, he looked calm, neither angry nor upset.
That’s when Aisha realized—
‘He’s used to this.’
Killian had always been treated like this by Roselia.
“And… I am also delighted to see such a graceful and modest young lady at the Duke’s side.”
Roselia smiled warmly, like spring sunlight.
“The Ashton family. A noble house that has stood quietly for many years. True, there are no grand achievements to boast of, but sometimes silence itself is a virtue.”
Wow.
Every word was poisoned.
“To think the Duke has chosen such a plain lady to be at his side… Could it be that after spending so long at war, your sensibilities have become more delicate?”
A few nobles laughed at her words—especially the young ladies who had been glaring daggers at Aisha since the beginning.
‘There’s someone even crazier than Rohan. And she’s in the palace!’
It was enough to make Aisha dizzy.
Meanwhile, Belmore said nothing. He only smiled faintly and stayed beside his mother.
But then, suddenly—
His eyes met Aisha’s.
“……”
Aisha froze for a moment. But it wasn’t because she was thrilled to meet her favorite in person.
In that brief instant, in Belmore’s blue eyes, Aisha saw something.
‘Is he… sorry?’
What she read was guilt.
“Now, on this joyous day, should not the war hero and his lovely fiancée open the first dance?”
Roselia’s graceful voice cut through Aisha’s thoughts.
Dance?
In this kind of atmosphere?
Aisha instinctively tried to step back, but Killian was quicker.
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
“……”
“We are honored by your grace.”
Killian wrapped one arm around her waist and took her hand.
The musicians began to play, and the hall filled with a beautiful melody.
Damn it. Whatever.
Resigned, Aisha let Killian lead her.
But her bad mood didn’t improve.
“Smile.”
Killian bent close and whispered in her ear.
“This is me being very polite, you know.”
“Ha. If you try being polite twice, my neck will break right here in front of everyone.”
“Not impossible.”
What?
“Turn.”
Killian smoothly guided her into a spin.
Aisha glanced around and saw other nobles dancing too.
“Stay sharp, Aisha Ashton,” Killian warned softly.
“This is only the beginning.”
“……”
“And whether you know it or not, most of the nobles here support the Empress Dowager. Quite an amusing situation, don’t you think?”
“Are you some kind of pervert?”
“What else can I do?”
Killian tightened his grip, bending her waist sharply.
“If you can’t avoid it, then enjoy it. Otherwise, you’ll just go insane.”
“Stop… Stop bending me like that!”
“Apologies. But appearances matter here.”
He lifted her gracefully, making it look perfect.
To the watching nobles, their dance was flawless—elegant, noble, and fitting.
Of course…
“Ugh.”
“My apologies. I’m not used to dancing.”
Killian grimaced.
“My foot might be cracked, Aisha Ashton. Are you in your right mind?”
“How unfortunate. But what can you do? If you can’t avoid it, you have to enjoy it.”
And as they exchanged sharp whispers—
Roselia, sitting at the front, stared at them with eyes gleaming darkly.
Like a predator before the hunt.
