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Chapter 29
A few months later, my 13th birthday was approaching.
I asked my father to hold a grand and extravagant birthday party. I also asked him to invite not only children, but most of the high-ranking nobles of the empire. My father looked slightly puzzled.
“I will of course hold the biggest banquet in the empire. But you don’t usually like large events…”
Because Rowen wanted to go in alone, the maid only peeked through the slightly opened door to look at Juhee.
Her black hair and black eyes were unusual.
She wanted to take a closer look, but the door closed quickly, and she had no choice but to wait outside.
Rowen, who had entered the room, asked Juhee,
“Juhee, how is it? Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Juhee looked around.
The room was very large.
It was not an exaggeration—it felt about three times the size of the house she had lived in the forest.
“I had it arranged on my own, but if you don’t like the colors, you can change it however you want.”
“No, it’s fine.”
The room, decorated in cream tones, was neat and suited Juhee’s taste.
Rowen looked at Juhee’s clothes and gave an apologetic expression.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t prepare proper clothes yet. I’ll call a seamstress tomorrow, so please bear with it for a few days.”
“Thank you.”
Juhee bowed slightly.
Rowen found her extremely cute.
She was trying not to show it, but her eyes already revealed how fascinated she was.
He couldn’t even bring himself to leave for the reception room.
At that moment, the door suddenly burst open.
Both Rowen and Juhee turned toward it.
A woman stood at the entrance with a stiff expression.
“…Mother.”
At Rowen’s quiet voice, Juhee looked briefly flustered.
Since she was much older, Juhee quickly bowed in greeting.
“Hello?”
At that greeting, Laviolé frowned.
It was an unfamiliar form of greeting she had never seen or heard before.
But Juhee had no other choice.
She had never learned noble etiquette, so she didn’t know how to greet properly.
Laviolé looked her over.
Her appearance was quite decent, but judging by her clothes and manners, she seemed like an uncultured rural noble lady.
For now, she decided to hold back and walked forward.
But then she noticed Rue and shouted,
“What is this!”
“Oh, he doesn’t hurt people. So there’s no need to be afraid.”
Juhee quickly stepped in front of Rue.
Laviolé clenched her fist, breathing heavily.
A wild beast in the sacred imperial palace?
“Do you have any sense at all? Bringing an animal into the room!”
Laviolé shouted, but Juhee did not back down.
“Rue is not a wild beast.”
“What?”
“Anyway, Rue won’t hurt anyone, so you don’t need to worry about him.”
Laviolé raised her eyebrows sharply.
Although she disliked it, the important issue was not the beast—it was the girl in front of her.
After clearing her throat a few times, she spoke.
“Let’s talk about that later. First, what is your name?”
“…I’m Juhee.”
“Juhee?”
Laviolé frowned again.
It was a very foreign-sounding name.
And she had no family name.
Even if she were from another country, a noble should have a surname.
Before Laviolé could think the worst, she asked,
“Which family are you from? If you are from a remote region and feel embarrassed, we can look it up, so speak quickly.”
Before Juhee could answer, Rowen cut in.
“Mother, didn’t you have something to talk to me about? Let’s go out first.”
“Rowen, to be precise, I came here to see that young lady.”
“I just arrived and she is still confused. Please come back later.”
“……”
Laviolé narrowed her eyes.
Her son, who had no interest in women, suddenly brought one in and blocked questions.
It smelled suspicious.
But she decided to step back for now.
“…Fine, I was a bit hasty. Young lady, I will formally request an introduction later.”
“Alright, I understand.”
As soon as Juhee finished speaking, Rowen led Laviolé out of the room.
After being led to the reception room, Laviolé frowned.
“Tell me. Who is that girl? I’ve never seen a noble with that kind of appearance.”
“…Even if I say she’s from the countryside, you wouldn’t know.”
“Just tell me. I can check the noble family records.”
“…Sigh.”
Rowen said nothing and ran a hand through his hair, letting out a deep sigh.
Laviolé’s eyes widened slightly at his reaction.
“Don’t tell me… she’s not a noble?!”
“……”
Rowen did not deny it and kept his mouth shut.
Laviolé closed her eyes and held her head.
The head maid standing behind her was startled.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?”
“…I’m fine.”
Laviolé opened her eyes again, her gaze sharp.
“You bring someone with no background into the imperial palace? Have you lost your mind? There is no need for long talk. Send her out immediately.”
“That is impossible.”
“…What?”
Laviolé could not believe her ears.
When she looked at Rowen, his face was firm and cold.
“You… what did you just say?”
“I said it as it is. I will never send her away, even if the empire collapses.”
“Hah!”
Laviolé let out a hollow laugh.
She thought becoming emperor would make him reasonable, but she was wrong.
He was blinded by a woman.
She decided to persuade him.
“Rowen, I don’t know what made you attached to that girl, but in time you will regret not listening to your mother. And you already have Lady Robredo, don’t you?”
At that, Rowen frowned.
He strongly disliked Lady Robredo.
Her eyes were full of greed.
Her father was the same.
The Duke of Robredo was a man driven by greed and constantly tried to push his daughter toward Rowen.
He sighed and said,
“Mother, please let me handle it.”
“Rowen.”
“Please leave now. I’m a bit tired.”
Laviolé hesitated to say more, then stood up.
Before leaving the reception room, Rowen added quietly,
“Do not touch her. This is not a warning—it is an order.”
“……”
Laviolé let out a short scoff and left.
“Ha…”
Rowen sighed deeply and stood up.
After Laviolé and Rowen left, Juhee stood still and let out a long sigh.
A maid who had been watching carefully spoke cautiously.
“Um… would you like help with your bath?”
“No, I’ll do it myself.”
“Then I will prepare the water.”
The maid bowed slightly and hurried to the bathroom.
After a while, she returned.
“If you need anything, please pull the bell rope.”
“Yes.”
The maid kept glancing at Juhee, then quickly left when Rue yawned.
Juhee took out a change of clothes from her bag and went to the bathroom.
“…It’s really huge.”
The bathroom was extremely spacious.
The shining marble bathtub was almost like a swimming pool.
When she stepped into the tub, the water temperature was perfect.
“So warm…”
She stayed in the bath for a long time, enjoying it, until the water cooled down.
The towels prepared were thick and soft.
After changing, Juhee went to the bed.
Rue was lying under the bed.
“Rue.”
At her voice, Rue immediately stood up and turned around.
“Are you uncomfortable? Are you okay?”
Rue licked Juhee’s cheek.
It didn’t seem to be a negative response.
Juhee hugged his neck and said,
“Don’t mind what that person said earlier. She just didn’t know you well.”
Rue’s ears twitched at her gentle words.
Juhee was worried he might feel uncomfortable.
Since they couldn’t stay inside forever, she thought she should ask Rowen later if there was a large garden near the palace.
She then thought about the woman she had seen earlier.
The one Rowen called “mother.”
Since he was the emperor, she must be the empress dowager.
“Who was she again…”
She tried to remember the name, but since she hadn’t properly read the book, she couldn’t recall it.
It wasn’t important anyway, so she quickly stopped thinking about it.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
When she opened it, he stood there awkwardly smiling.
“Sorry about earlier, Juhee.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
Rowen studied her carefully, unsure if she was being sincere, but her expression hardly changed.
Still, she was honest—if she had been upset, she would have said so.
Rowen sighed in relief and smiled.
“Juhee, you haven’t been eating properly, right? Let’s go have dinner together.”
“Ah…”
Juhee glanced at Rue.
Rowen added,
“I’ll have a servant bring raw meat for Rue separately.”
“Thank you.”
Only then did Juhee leave the room.
As she walked toward the dining hall, she looked around.
Rowen watched her lovingly from behind.
The maids following them felt uneasy at his behavior.
He had been expressionless until meeting her, but now he was smiling—it was unsettling.
The maid at the front glanced at Juhee, met Rowen’s cold gaze, and quickly lowered her head in fear.
It felt like her head might be cut off at any moment.
But Rowen said nothing.
“Is it this way?”
“Yes. The dining hall is just ahead.”
Rowen smiled and followed Juhee.
The maid sighed in relief.
When the doors opened, Juhee gasped.
“Wow…”
A dazzling chandelier lit the room.
The dining table was enormous and made of marble.
Golden candle holders were placed on it, and the table was already fully set.
Rowen pulled out a chair for her, and although she felt awkward, she sat down.
He then sat as well, and dinner began.
