《A Nightmare Came To The Place I Escaped》 Chapter 0 - Prologue *** An expansive plain and a few houses were seen in the distance. The unpaved road was narrow, as if not many people passed through. ¡°Hic..¡± Rachel grabbed his collar and closed her eyes tightly at the harsh knight. ¡°Get off.¡± It was the first place she¡¯d seen in her life. ¡°Where are His Highness and Lady Avery?¡± ¡°Get off.¡± Rachel did not dismount, so the knight got off the horse and grabbed Rachel¡¯s arm and pulled her. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was painful as her leg sprained from the sudden fall, but Rachel limped back at the menacing knight. ¡°Tsk. Don¡¯t bother..¡± The knight took a cursory look at the cumbersome and frightened Rachel and pulled out a medicine bottle from his pocket. ¡°What? What are you doing? Why did you bring me here¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ha, are you asking me because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡®Where am I?¡¯ Rachel didn¡¯t understand why he brought her here, and what he was going to do with that medicine bottle? ¡°Where is His Highness?¡± But the only thing that she felt more keenly than anyone else was that the current situation was wrong. Rachel looked around, as if looking for a place to escape from the threatening knight¡¯s behavior. But there was no place to hide in the vast plain. And she wasn¡¯t sure how far she could run with her sprained foot. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about doing anything stupid, because this is the last generosity the Crown Prince gives you.¡± Rachel frowned at the words that came out of the man¡¯s mouth. ¡°His Highness has ordered me to deal with you. He does not wish to leave anyone who knows of his unfortunate past.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to be the emperor now, so you shouldn¡¯t be holding him back.¡± Rachel stood there staring at him blankly as the knight closed the distance without hesitation. ¡°Did His Highness say that ¡­¡­?¡± The knight did not answer the question. Then he silently opened the lid of the bottle. Whoosh. ¡°Hey!¡± Rachel turned around and ran away like someone who had finally come to her senses. Stomping her feet madly, but it only took a moment for the sturdy man to catch her. In the end, it was just a meaningless struggle. ¡°No!¡± Rachel shook her head violently. Crack! ¡°Ugh! You crazy b*ch!¡± The knight, who had been bitten by Rachel, clicked his tongue and slapped Rachel¡¯s face mercilessly. The strong force made her head spin, and tears quickly flowed out of her eyes. ¡°Ha, I¡¯m sorry. Please let me live. Please. I¡¯ll just live quietly as if I¡¯m dead.¡± Rachel, who was half lying on the ground, grabbed the man¡¯s shoes and begged. ¡°Please tell them. I won¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time stalling.¡± ¡°No!¡± Rachel¡¯s mouth dropped open as the man¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°You¡¯re right. You shouldn¡¯t have bothered him.¡± The knight clicked his tongue and whispered. Rachel couldn¡¯t stop the liquid the knight was pouring into her mouth and had no choice but to swallow it. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± What followed was a time of pain and suffering. ¡°Ackkk¡­.Ackkk..¡± (cough) Her throat was burning hot and her stomach was twisted. ¡°Oh, ¡­..please help me.¡± Strangely enough, Rachel asked for help from the man who put the poison in her mouth. But the cold, disinterested look in his eyes frustrated her again. ¡°Haaa¡­¡± Rachel finally realized why Ian had frowned at her every time he saw her at the Imperial Castle. He hated her enough to kill her. But she didn¡¯t mean to disturb him. How dare she, a servant girl, do such a thing? Rachel crouched and struggled to the fullest. She wanted to live and grabbed the soil in pain. But in the end, she knew this was her end. For more than half of her life, she served him right by his side, but eventually, her end was death. Everything was searing pain. Rachel chuckled in vain at the fact that this was the last generosity that Ian gave her. She had no idea why he hated her so much, or why he was being so cruel to her. She knew it was a vain hope, but if she had another chance, she would choose herself, instead of Ian. Chapter 1 His hair was raised and revealed a neat forehead, high nose, and firm red lips. It was a familiar face she would never forget. Rachel slowly stopped in her tracks at the man standing in front of her. Her face slowly stiffened. Silver hair and purple eyes. The day she left him. Everything should have ended that day. They shouldn¡¯t meet like this. Rachel bit her lips. Ian. She tried so hard to forget him¡­ The face she was seeing right now was so familiar that all her efforts were overshadowed. His indifferent eyes were as uncomprehending as ever, and so were his tightly closed lips. In the heavy silence, Rachel just trembled with fear in front of the unknowing eyes. Her hands trembled as she squeezed the shoulders of the small child standing beside her, but Ian just stared down at her without saying anything. No, from the look of his eyebrows, he seemed a little angry. Rachel took a quick look back at her day, even though she knew it was a useless thought. She got up later than usual, and burned her lunch because she looked away for a while¡­ Apart from that, it wasn¡¯t so bad, just a normal day, same old, same old. But why did this man suddenly appear out of nowhere and stood in front of her? Thud. He took a step closer. Rachel couldn¡¯t avoid his eyes staring at her, even though she knew what she was doing was wrong. That¡¯s right. Maybe it was from the day she ran away from him. Rachel bit her lip at her dark future. *** It was an autumn day, the sun was high in the sky. There was no trace of the unforgettable hot summer air, and now even the wind was as cool as the blue sky. ¡°Hmmm.¡± The autumn breeze that came in through the open window seemed to chill Rachel a little, and she squirmed under the covers. Then she raised an eyebrow at the bright sunlight and checked her watch. ¡°Oh ¡­¡­¡­. it¡¯s late.¡± She welcomed the morning a little later than usual. After hurriedly getting out of bed and organizing her bedding, Rachel looked around the cozy room and stepped out of the house with a basket from the table. Perhaps it was the cool breeze that made her feel good, but her steps through the gravel-covered garden became faster and faster. ¡°Rachel, you¡¯re late today.¡± When Rachel entered the village market, the lady who was guarding the fruit stand welcomed her. Her voice was full of love for Rachel. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m up late today.¡± ¡°Oh, I guess that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t even brushed your hair yet.¡± The woman pointed to Rachel¡¯s head with a hand gesture, and Rachel smiled awkwardly and brushed her brown hair with her hand a few times. ¡°Hmm, is there any newspaper?¡± ¡°Sure, here it is.¡± The woman gave a small smile at Rachel¡¯s flushed face and spontaneously pulled out a newspaper from underneath a shelf covered with various kinds of fruit and handed it to her. ¡°Thank you, Marilla. Apples and pomegranates¡­ hmm, and some blueberries too please. ¡° ¡°Yes, just a moment. Rachel¡¯s going to eat them, so I have to give her the good stuff. ¡° Marilla said, now with a more cautious eye, she picked out the best colorful fruits and packed them. ¡°Anything will do. Thank you.¡± Rachel said, exchanging the money for the fruit. ¡°I have a lot to be grateful for Rachel, but I have to do all I can. You don¡¯t need to pay.¡± Marilla stared burdenedly at the money Rachel had given her. ¡°But I will be uncomfortable.¡± At Rachel¡¯s words, Marilla put the money into the money box with another fond smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful for how much smarter Thomas has become lately, and for reading the words properly. ¡° ¡°Thanks to you, too, Auntie, I can always read the newspaper. ¡° ¡°Ah, but still, when you read it, the newspaper is already a week old. And it¡¯s only a newspaper compared to how grateful I am.¡± The newspaper was all Marilla could afford to buy when she went to sell fruit in the city. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Rachel that I was able to send my son off to war. And because of you, he¡¯s very popular with the ladies, too.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s not even that hard. Besides, I get paid for teaching Thomas. You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Marilla looked at Rachel for a moment, a small smile on her face, and then quickly nodded. ¡°Right. Then I hope you have a good day.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be going then.¡± Rachel smiled and waved at Marilla, then stepped away to fill her shopping basket. *** At the town square, Rachel checked the time and rushed home. It was time for Thomas to come to her house by now. She was some distance from the village. As soon as she got close enough to see her house, she saw a little boy standing on the side of the road. ¡°Thomas!¡± A small boy with reddish brown hair turned his head along with the voice calling her. ¡°Rachel!¡± Thomas¡¯ little face broke into a smile as he spotted Rachel. Thud. Thud. The child came running eagerly with small strides and hugged Rachel¡¯s legs snuggly. Rachel, who had stumbled a little to receive the running Thomas, bent her knees to meet the eye level with the child. ¡°Thomas, have you eaten?¡± ¡°Yes, how about you Rachel?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­.do you like some more food Thomas?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good.¡± Rachel could see a glimpse of his mother through the bright smile on the child¡¯s face. ¡°Rachel, I saw my brother yesterday on my way home.¡± Thomas began to ramble behind Rachel, who was preparing a meal. Thomas remained seated in his chair, his legs swinging in the air as he continued to speak. How his parents got mad at his brother Dean for teasing him about what happened on the way home yesterday. Thomas kept his mouth shut for a while, after telling Rachel what he had for dinner. About ten seconds passed. The child opened his mouth again. ¡°I memorized everything Rachel taught me.¡± ¡°Really? Good job. Wasn¡¯t it hard?¡± Rachel replied with sincerity to his words, though she couldn¡¯t look at him because she thought she might burn Thomas¡¯ fried eggs. ¡°No! It wasn¡¯t difficult at all.¡± Thomas¡¯ voice, which responded loudly, longed for praise from Rachel. ¡°Really? I know it was a lot of work, but you¡¯re amazing! Well, class will be over soon.¡± ¡°Oh¡­..? Hmmm¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­.But, there were a lot of things I didn¡¯t know.¡± Thomas¡¯ eyes flashed in panic at Rachel¡¯s words, ¡°Class will be over soon,¡± and he hastily added a few more words. ¡°There¡¯s¡­ so much I want to ask you.¡± Rachel looked at Thomas, who was slurring his words, and handed the child a loaf of browned bread with jam and eggs. ¡°Really? Do you want some milk?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± The child waited patiently, not touching the food, until Rachel sat down. Once she was seated, Thomas took a big bite of his bread. ¡°By the way,ummmm¡­¡­.outside¡­hmmm..today.¡± The boy with the food in his mouth mumbled without swallowing his food. ¡°Thomas, you must finish eating before you speak.¡± Rachel warned and the child hastily swallowed the food in his mouth. As he did so, he hurriedly drank the milk as if he was thirsty. ¡°Let¡¯s study outside today. Yes?¡± ¡°Should we?¡± ¡°Yes! The weather is nice!¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡± Rachel said as she wiped Thomas¡¯s white milk on his lips. Thomas smiled brightly again, looking happy. Seeing the child smile so much brought a smile to Rachel¡¯s face as well. *** Rachel and Thomas went out to the hill behind the village. They laid out a mat and opened a notebook. ¡°Now, let¡¯s memorize up to here first and then take the test.¡± Thomas laid down on the familiar mat. Rachel gave a small smile at the plump cheeks of the child lying on her arms. Thomas frowned and stared at the paper quietly as if he was focused. Rachel looked at Thomas for a moment and then opened the newspaper she had brought. Rachel handed Thomas what he needed before she could unfold the newspaper she had received this morning. On the front page of the newspaper was a story about the Imperial Knights and the Emperor. [A victory for the Empire, a debt of gratitude to the Emperor.] Rachel quickly read the newspaper without saying a word. [The Levskaya Empire has recently fought a major war.] Considering the wars of previous empires, it had been a short period of time, less than two years since then, but considering that the upper part of the empire had already been taken, even the territory right above the capital of the empire, it was definitely a big war. Therefore, victory in the war was almost like a miracle. And it was amazing that the duration of the war was less than two years. All the people did not doubt that victory in the war was the ability of the current emperor. It was as if he knew the enemy¡¯s strategy and took the appropriate measures each time. The people know that if it were not for the current emperor, they would not have won the war. Without him, the empire would have been destroyed by the dragons in the first place. The current emperor, Ian Dakendov, was a war hero and the first dragon slayer to appear in a thousand years. As such, all the people respected him and swore allegiance to him. Even in this small provincial town, she could hear his name and praises everywhere. His fame and achievements were easily felt. ¡°Territorial patrol.¡± The emperor had announced that in order to honor the victory of the war, he would select a few members of the Imperial Knights and patrol the territories of the empire with them. The newspaper Rachel was reading, the front page of last week¡¯s newspaper, has detailed the future steps of the Emperor and the Imperial Knights. It said that the purpose of the patrol was for the emperor to get a firsthand look at the damage caused by the war and the people who were physically and mentally exhausted from the war. The emperor was loved by his people, and yet such a great, great emperor would take care of the people¡¯s body and soul. It was expected how much the people of the empire would worship him. ¡®Ha, I have to stop doing this. On the day I go to see Marilla, I must tell her I don¡¯t need to get any more newspapers.¡¯ With a small mumble, Rachel¡¯s hands flipped through the crumpled newspaper again. Chapter 2 *** ¡°Rachel!¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Rachel! I¡¯m done!¡± Thomas pulled Rachel¡¯s skirt and shouted loudly. ¡°I memorized everything!¡± Rachel then looked at Thomas over the newspaper. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re done.¡± Although Thomas had already called several times, Rachel was so absorbed in the newspaper that she had just heard his call and hurriedly closed it. ¡°Then shall we take the test?¡± ¡°Um¡­ but Rachel.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­Do you feel bad?¡± ¡°Huh? No. Why would you think so?¡± Rachel hurriedly shook her head, as if puzzled by Thomas¡¯ question. ¡°But you look tired. Your eyes are like this.¡± Thomas said, rubbing my eyes with both hands. Thomas looked up at her with worried eyes, and Rachel shook her head once more. ¡°Really? I¡¯m not tired, but I slept late yesterday, so I¡¯m a little sleepy.¡± ¡°Rachel, you should go to bed early. It is not good to sleep late.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to bed early today.¡± Rachel smiled, embarrassed, that she had caused concern, and raised her hand to touch her eye. ¡°Now, let¡¯s take a test.¡± Rachel changed the subject by touching Thomas¡¯s head, but he still looked at her, as if he was still unsure of something. ¡°Yes¡­ ¡± Thomas pouted as if he didn¡¯t like Rachel messing up his hair, then nodded. *** When Rachel and Thomas came down from the hill after a day of study, the autumn sun was still shining brightly in the sky. After studying hard, today¡¯s class ended earlier than usual. But for some reason, Thomas didn¡¯t seem to enjoy studying at all. ¡°The sun is still shining, but I don¡¯t want to go already. I want to play at Rachel¡¯s house longer.¡± ¡°Do you want to do that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Thomas grabbed Rachel¡¯s empty hand, not holding a picnic basket, and twisted his body shyly. ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Yes! It¡¯s gonna be fun.¡± Rachel thought for a moment, then nodded her head. She couldn¡¯t refuse the child¡¯s request at the sight of Thomas¡¯s cute tone and gestures. Besides, she enjoyed spending time with the cute Thomas, so she thought for a moment if she might have a snack for the child at her house. ¡°Huh? Horse!¡± At that moment, Thomas raised his hand and pointed it somewhere. Rachel¡¯s gaze followed Thomas¡¯s finger. A black horse was really standing where the child¡¯s finger was pointing. When she confirmed the horse, Rachel could understand at once what Thomas was surprised about. Even from a distance, the well-balanced, muscular body black horse that reflected sunlight as if it had been applied with oil were not something you would see in this small town. ¡®Why is there a horse in this place?¡¯ At a glance, it was clear that it was a good seed. It was not something one would see in Ravenna. Rachel frowned at the black horse that didn¡¯t suit this place. Even the horses that pulled wagons in the capital were not as good as that horse. For some reason, an unknown sense of crisis tightened her chest. She didn¡¯t feel good. ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never seen such a great horse before.¡± Thomas let out a small sigh of admiration. ¡°But why is it in front of Rachel¡¯s house?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t answer Thomas¡¯ question because she didn¡¯t know it herself. ¡°Thomas!¡± Thomas, who was waiting for Rachel¡¯s answer, realized that the answer he wanted was not going to come from her, so he let go of her hand and ran towards the horse. ¡°Thomas! It¡¯s dangerous, don¡¯t run!¡± Rachel waved her hand and shouted loudly behind Thomas¡¯ back as he ran towards the horse. He staggered as if he was about to fall, but he ran straight without a single fall and approached the big, black horse. Rachel belatedly found that the black horse wasn¡¯t tied up and hurriedly followed after Thomas. At that moment, Thomas, who was running hastily to touch the horse, suddenly stopped in place. ¡°Thomas, come here!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Frightened that the horse might hurt the child, Rachel gasped and shouted. However, Thomas stood tall despite Rachel¡¯s call, staring intently at the horse. ¡°Thomas, be careful!¡± She grabbed Thomas¡¯ shoulders, who was less than half her size, and pulled him closer. ¡°The horse is loose. It might be dangerous, let¡¯s go inside.¡± ¡°Rachel, but¡­.¡± Thomas still wasn¡¯t looking at Rachel, so Rachel turned her head towards where her child¡¯s gaze was. Shiny black shoes and black pleated trousers. For some reason, it took a long time for her to raise her head. ¡°Who is it?¡± The moment she finally lifted her head and looked at something like Thomas, Rachel was speechless, as if she had lost her voice. A tall man in uniform stood next to the horse. A handsome man with silver hair that shone as bright as the skin of the black horse. His purple eyes, darker than violets, were looking down at Rachel with indifferent eyes. No, the slightly wrinkled brow seemed a little angry. Ian Dakendov. Rachel knew immediately who he was. He was someone she had seen in the newspapers for years. She was reading about his story just a while ago, so she couldn¡¯t help but know. Because she couldn¡¯t forget a single moment. The emperor who led the war to victory, the emperor was loved by all the people of the empire, Ian Dakendov. He was in front of her. 6 years. Ian Dakendov¡¯s indifferent gaze at Rachel was the same as that of six years ago. Whoosh. A cool autumn breeze blew Ian¡¯s hair. Was it because of the wind tickling his forehead? He frowned a little and approached Rachel. His long legs quickly closed the distance between them. ¡°Ouch¡­. Rachel?¡± ¡°Why¡­.¡± Rachel gave strength to her hands, which involuntarily grabbed Thomas¡¯ shoulder as Ian came closer. As the distance narrowed, her legs trembled. She wanted to sit down, but even that didn¡¯t go her way. As if everything was broken, she couldn¡¯t think of anything other than fear. ¡°¡­¡± Ian¡¯s eyes passed Rachel and turned to the little child as she was grabbing him. Rachel couldn¡¯t calm down even for a moment, even though she escaped Ian¡¯s cold gaze. Because the child¡¯s tremors felt through her hands made her more anxious. Rachel instinctively pulled Thomas towards her. The child stumbled on Rachel¡¯s foot as if it had broken while being pulled by a strong force. Her legs shook as if she was about to fall, but fortunately she didn¡¯t fall because Rachel was standing behind Thomas¡¯ back. ¡°Who is this child?¡± Ian paused for a moment and asked. Ian¡¯s face hardened as Rachel acted as if she was trying to protect the child from him. ¡°Haaa¡­.Haaa¡­¡± As Rachel ruminated over Ian¡¯s words several times to understand his question, she could hear her gasping breaths. ¡°Waaaaa!¡± Suddenly, Thomas could not overcome his fear and began to cry loudly. At that cry, Ian¡¯s expression grew even colder. Those purple eyes turned to the child again. Rachel finally realized that Ian was annoyed by the child¡¯s cries. ¡°Thomas, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Waaaa!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry and go home. Quickly!¡± Rachel hurriedly knelt down on her knees and asked Thomas. Her hands, wiping Thomas¡¯ tears, trembled with fear. Her voice speaking to Thomas was quite firm, even though her eyes looked like she was about to cry. Rachel bit her lip as she pushed Thomas. But the child didn¡¯t move his legs and only shook his head. Whether it was because of fear or he didn¡¯t want to leave Rachel by herself, Thomas kept shaking his head without leaving. ¡°Rachel? Thomas¡­?¡± At that moment, a man¡¯s voice was heard. Rachel looked up to confirm the owner of the voice, but couldn¡¯t see his face hidden behind Ian¡¯s body. But she could tell who it was immediately because of the familiar voice she had been hearing for years. He was Thomas¡¯s brother, Dean. His voice calmed Rachel down a little. Now Dean could take Thomas back. ¡°Come on, go to Dean, Thomas.¡± Rachel said as she cleaned Thomas¡¯s face, which had been messed up with tears. However, Thomas still shook his head. ¡°Hey, who are you¡­?¡± Dean approached Rachel and Thomas very slowly and spoke to Ian in a cautious voice. There was fear in Dean¡¯s trembling voice. Ian Dakendov. He was such a man. The emperor of the empire who gave fear to his opponents just by his presence, even if he didn¡¯t say anything. Rachel didn¡¯t want Dean to get caught up in this horrific storm. Biting her lip hard, Rachel stood up, hugging Thomas. Ian was now looking at Dean, and at first glance, Ian¡¯s face looked very angry. ¡°Dean.¡± Rachel forced her trembling legs to reach Dean, and the fact that she had to keep Thomas away from Ian moved her. ¡°Take Thomas.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Oh, I got it.¡± Dean seemed surprised or nervous. But even so, Dean obediently followed Rachel¡¯s words and accepted Thomas. It was a little difficult to get Thomas apart as he had held her tightly, but eventually Thomas was transferred from Rachel to Dean. ¡°Go quickly.¡± ¡°But¡­ Rachel, you¡­¡± Dean hesitated, looking at Ian and Rachel in turn. He couldn¡¯t understand what the situation was, but somehow he couldn¡¯t leave her here by herself. ¡°Hurry!¡± Rachel pushed Dean¡¯s arm. Dean¡¯s eyes widened as if startled by Rachel¡¯s shouting. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Then, Dean, who had alternately looked at Rachel and the stranger, left. The sad Thomas¡¯ cries were getting smaller and smaller. Rachel just stood there until Dean and Thomas disappeared around the corner. She had kept Thomas away from Ian, but now she no longer knew how to act. She couldn¡¯t do anything because she didn¡¯t know how Ian came here or why he came here. Chapter 3 *** Rachel couldn¡¯t quite understand his thoughts on how and why Ian had come to visit the runaway maid. ¡®How in the world did he know that I was here?¡¯ Rachel¡¯s knuckles were white from how tightly she had clenched her fists. ¡°How long are you going to stand there? Let¡¯s go in now.¡± Ian said as he walked past Rachel, who was standing still, and into her yard. The steps he took through the garden were natural, as if it were his own home. Without any hesitation he crossed Rachel¡¯s yard and grabbed the front door knob. Rachel had closed the door tightly, but the doorknob broke in Ian¡¯s hand. He looked at the broken doorknob helplessly, not liking it, and soon kicked the door. The front door of Rachel¡¯s house whisked open, and Ian looked at Rachel again. With a look that said, ¡°What are you doing not coming in?¡± Rachel hurried to her feet. She wanted to run away at once, but there was no way she could get away from him, since he had come this far. Even if he came to kill her, she had no choice but to walk after him. There was no point in turning around and running now, because running would not save her life. Rachel followed his orders as usual and got to her feet. Ian confirmed Rachel¡¯s movements and then moved into the house. He glanced around the house silently. After opening the doors from room to room and looking around the house, he sat at the kitchen table. All that sequence of actions were natural. It was as if it were his own house. On the contrary, Rachel was listening to a small sound, crouching her shoulders like a thief who came in to steal things from someone else¡¯s house. ¡°Do you have anything to drink?¡± Ian asked softly to Rachel, who looked at him as if she was afraid of him. ¡°Would you like some ¡­¡­ milk?¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes flashed in panic at the unexpected request. ¡°Can I have some of that?¡± Ian said, pointing to the candied lemons on Rachel¡¯s kitchen shelf. The candied lemons were shining yellow in the bright sun. ¡°Did you make it?¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­ Do you want it?¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t understand Ian¡¯s behavior. Whoever made the candied lemon, why did he care? But Rachel didn¡¯t need to dare to understand his behavior. She had to obey his orders. In the midst of this silent nodding, Rachel hurriedly approached the shelf with the lemon candies. ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± She tried tirelessly to open the lid of the glass jar containing the lemon candies, but her hands were soaked with sweat from her nervousness that even opening the lid was not easy. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± As Rachel wiped the sweat from her palms on her skirt, a voice came from above her head. Rachel, who had been nervous, was suddenly startled by the voice and screamed. Crash. A moment later, with a clatter, the glass bottle fell to the floor and broke luridly. Rachel¡¯s shoulders bent a little more, and a silence fell between them. ¡°¡­¡± Rachel looked down at Ian¡¯s feet and saw that she had stepped on his foot and spoke carefully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel saw the look on Ian¡¯s face and the foot she had crushed and immediately slurred her words, while Ian stared at the panicked Rachel and opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll have a glass of milk.¡± Rachel hurriedly moved away from Ian and poured a glass of milk. He emptied the glass of milk in one gulp, placed the empty glass on the table, and looked around the house once more. His indifferent gaze caught sight of Rachel¡¯s little house. ¡°Come on out. Let¡¯s go.¡± He left without the slightest hesitation, just as he had when he had first entered Rachel¡¯s house. Rachel walked after Ian, unable to ask why on earth he was here or what he wanted. ¡°Get on.¡± Ian, who escaped Rachel¡¯s gravel yard, walked to the place where his black horse was waiting, turned around and told Rachel. He pointed at the black horse with his chin. ¡°What? You want me to ride it?¡± Rachel asked Ian back, but hurried to get on the horse before she could hear his answer. For she remembered that he didn¡¯t like to repeat. Rachel stepped up the ramp to climb up, but her long skirt made it difficult for her to get her legs down on the other side of the horse. Rachel, who was struggling, forcibly crossed one leg to the other side of the horse to organize her posture. Once Rachel had straddled the horse and adjusted her posture, Ian followed suit and mounted the horse. He mounted the horse easily without dithering as Rachel did. ¡®What the hell is happening?¡¯ Rachel slowly moved up to the front of the horse, feeling Ian¡¯s body behind her. But as he reached for the reins, she couldn¡¯t go any further. Ian drove the horse without the slightest explanation of where he was going. Rachel held the horse¡¯s saddle tightly in both hands, trying not to touch Ian. At the same time, she looked around to find out where he was taking her. Ian crossed the village and escaped Ravenna. The people in the village stared at Ian and Rachel and the wonderful black horse, but before they could comprehend the situation, the horse had already moved away. In no time at all, the emperor¡¯s black horse crossed the small village, and when it came to the entrance of the village, it slowly came to a stop. At the entrance of the village stood a large carriage that attracted the eyes of the innocent countrymen as much as the black horse. When they reached the entrance, Ian dismounted first and held out his hand to Rachel. ¡°¡­¡± Rachel wondered for a moment what the hand meant as it was placed in front of her. ¡°Hold it.¡± However, at Ian¡¯s ensuing words, Rachel held his hands with both hands. ¡°No, it¡¯s dangerous, so grab it and come down.¡± Ian laughed once in a funny way and then explained once more. ¡°I can go down by myself¡­¡­¡­¡± But this time, before Rachel could say all the words of rejection, she closed her mouth in a gasp and hurriedly dismounted from the horse, holding onto his hands, just as he had said. Ian left his black horse in the hands of the man standing beside the carriage, and climbed into the carriage. Rachel was still standing there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do. ¡°What are you doing? Get in.¡± Ian told Rachel every step of the way, as if he was trying to educate a child who didn¡¯t know anything. But that didn¡¯t mean that his language was warm and loving or that his words were soft. He just sounded authoritative and arrogant. Maybe he seemed annoyed, or even angry. His manner of speaking was tremendously stiff. ¡®What do you mean, you want me to take the carriage?¡¯ Rachel couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth. ¡°Um, excuse me. Where are we going now?¡± Actually, this wasn¡¯t the only question she wanted to ask. How in the world did he end up here in her place? Why in the world did he come to visit her? What is he going to do with her? But Rachel had only uttered one of her many questions. ¡°The capital.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The question, ¡°Why?¡± came up to her chin, but she just couldn¡¯t ask. As an Emperor, he didn¡¯t have to explain the reason to her. Rachel¡¯s face became anguished but never showed tears as she looked back at Ravenna, feeling that she could never come back here again somehow. She slowly got into the carriage, despite her fears that she might not be able to return to Ravenna ever again. Neighhh. Soon, the carriage began to move slowly, starting with the whinnying of the horses pulling the carriage. *** The carriage moved without a break, and the clear sky was gradually turning orange. Rachel silently looked down at only her lap, feeling the Emperor¡¯s gaze on her as he sat in front of her. When she thought about it, she wondered if she had been brave. She left him and run away? Is that why he came to get her? To get revenge? She felt dizzy because he suddenly appeared after six years. She still felt like what had happened to her was a lie, but she couldn¡¯t deny the situation because Ian was sitting in front of her. Much of the encounter was omitted. No greeting, no purpose. But then again, he didn¡¯t have to bother explaining his plans to her. He had authority and he could do whatever he wanted. She wasn¡¯t in a position to ask, but she still wanted to know why he had come to her. ¡°¡­¡± The hidden memories of him suddenly flooded her mind at Ian¡¯s sudden visit. She tried hard not to think about it, but it could never go away. She struggled constantly not to remember the man, but the many hours she had spent with him was constantly rushing in. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel was a servant girl ever since she was young. Maybe from the age of seven? Her mother, who was quite young in my memory, had sold her off as a young servant girl in the imperial palace. A few gold coins soon became more important to her mother than her young daughter. Still, she raised Rachel until she was seven years old, so she couldn¡¯t deny that her mother did her best for her. Her mother was a bar woman, and that was how she ended up having a child whose father was unknown. The woman who had the child left the bar and started working in a diner. She left the bar for the sake of her child, but no matter how good her intentions were, the world was not so kind, and she realized it. She realized that she could not live like this any longer. So when she heard that they were looking for young maids in the Imperial City, she sold her only daughter off in a heartbeat. At least she thought if her daughter worked at the castle, she wouldn¡¯t starve. And so, seven-year-old Rachel was deprived of her freedom for the rest of her life for a few gold coins. Chapter 4 *** As long as she became a servant in the Imperial palace, she had to live there as a maid for the rest of her life. If she wanted to stop being a maidservant, she had to pay a contract fee, but since it was a large sum of money that could only be obtained by working as a maidservant for ten years, it was practically impossible for her to quit. The maidservants of the palace were not slaves who did not get paid, but Rachel was not very happy with the pay. Most of the maids sent their hard-earned wages to their families. Then, when they got married, they would pay again for the rest of their lives for their new families. Even so, not everyone could work as a servant in the imperial palace, so the servants lived contentedly with their lives. However, it was questionable whether Rachel, who was only seven years old, was satisfied with the life she was about to live, a child who desperately needed the warmth of her parents. Rachel may have been young, but she was as witty as anyone. Like small animals that usually look around, the young and powerless Rachel always looked around. She knew that her mother was having a hard time, that she was sighing all the time every day, and that her language towards little Rachel was becoming increasingly rough. She never forgot her mother¡¯s harsh words and expression. ¡°We don¡¯t have enough money¡­¡­¡­. ¡° ¡°Tsk, your clothes are already getting smaller.¡± ¡°Are you still hungry?¡± I could tell everything about her and how she looked when she talked like that. Even though she was very young, Rachel did the best she could. When her mother went to work, she cleaned the little house by herself, and when she was a little older, she even ate dinner while waiting for her mother. She never begged her mother to buy her anything, and she always stayed quiet because she didn¡¯t want to bother her mother. Like her mother told her. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I didn¡¯t have to suffer like this!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my life¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯re useless!¡± But even so, her mom got angry easily.The more she did, the smaller Rachel became, and she always watched out for her mood. Then one day, her mother grabbed the young Rachel on the shoulders and delivered the cruel news. Rachel wanted to cry that day. For the first time in her life, she wanted to whine. ¡°You¡¯re going to live in the palace now. There will be more food, more clean clothes, more friends for you. Isn¡¯t that nice?¡± Rachel knew that her mother would not be there, but she did not dare to say it. She bit her lip and held back the tears, as her mother did. She wanted to tell her mother that she didn¡¯t need clean clothes and she would eat only a little, but little Rachel stayed quiet. Maybe she was afraid that her mother would abandon her I¡¯d she said too much, or maybe she just couldn¡¯t hold back her tears to speak, and the child just watched her mother leave like that. As Rachel stared at her mother¡¯s back as she left, she knew she would never see her again, but she just bit her lip harder. And so, at the age of seven, Rachel became the maid of the imperial palace. She spent her days doing small chores, sleeping and eating with friends her age. After a few months of learning the manners of a maidservant at the palace, Rachel was sent to be a maid to a young prince. She was the maid of the third Prince of her age, but that didn¡¯t mean that Rachel spent much time with him. She only served as an errand girl for the third Prince¡¯s personal attendants, and for the servants who were larger than Rachel, and that was it. The young servants of the Imperial Palace never met the Princes. So after three months of spending her days as an errand girl, Rachel was ordered by the head maid to enter the Prince¡¯s room. The head maid thought that the third Prince might be bored, so she put in some playthings for him. However, Rachel had never exchanged a single word with the Prince for the whole three months. The third Prince was never bored and preferred to read alone rather than talk to Rachel. So all Rachel had to do was to stand quietly beside him while he read. Standing still was as hard as being punished, and she had to endure an eternity by moving her feet little by little so that the Prince would not find out. Then one day long ago, the first time Rachel spoke to the third Pince, the first time he looked straight at Rachel, was one day in a terribly cold winter. The third Prince had finished his sword fighting class as usual and returned to his room and read his book. At that moment, the 1st and 2nd Princes came into his room and started beating the 3rd Prince. Rachel wasn¡¯t sure if it was something that happened during the sword fighting class or if the 1st and 2nd Princes were just in a bad mood that day, but the 3rd Prince just let himself be punched by his brothers¡¯ fists without any resistance as if he was used to it. Rather, only Rachel, who was standing in that room, turned pale and with her eyes and mouth wide open. ¡°My Prince! Please stop!¡± Rachel was startled and hurriedly jumped at the two Princes. All she could think of was that she had to stop them for the sake of the third little Prince. However, there was no way that Rachel, the youngest girl among them, could properly stop them. Rather, she was just beaten badly by the two Princes who were furious that something so lowly had gotten her hands on their bodies. ¡°This vile thing!¡± ¡°Is she your friend? It suits you very well.¡± The first Prince, who was too fat to see clearly, and the second Prince, whose teeth were missing with bad pronunciation, giggled and moved their hands. ¡°Your mother was also a servant. It suits you well.¡± (They talked to the third Prince) ¡°I¡¯m ashamed that you have this silver hair, the symbol of royalty!¡± The second Prince pulled the third Prince¡¯s silver hair, his mouth agape with nastiness. However, the third Prince didn¡¯t complain that it was hurt, nor did he raise his voice to ask for forgiveness. He just squeezed his lips shut and held back. ¡°Please don¡¯t! Please don¡¯t hit him!¡± Rather, Rachel wailed and prayed, grabbing the second Prince¡¯s pants, and that made him even angrier and he kicked little Rachel. Perhaps the 2nd and 1st Princes found it more amusing to tease the young servant who was begging and wailing than the 3rd prince who had no response, or if they were just unhappy that the vulgar one touched their bodies, but they changed target. The third Prince stared at his brothers and the foolish servant with an expressionless face. The intruders who had unleashed their anger with all their might like that left, leaving only the young Rachel and the 3rd Prince in the room again. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Ian, the third young Prince, asked, looking at Rachel in a daze, who was lying still and bleeding from her nose, unable to wake up. ¡°Did you really think they wouldn¡¯t hit me if you asked them not to?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel cried aloud, probably because she was sad or hurt. The young Ian looked at Rachel, opened the door, went outside, and brought the big maid in. ¡°Take her and give her treatment.¡± The big maid was very unhappy with the fact that she had to hold Rache, but the Prince had told her to do it, so she had no choice but to walk out of the room with the bloodied Rachel in her arms. However, as soon as the door to the room was closed, the big maid handed Rachel to another servant and dusted her clothes as if they were dirty. ¡°Take her and treat her. Then educate her again. Don¡¯t make me even more tired.¡± Rachel was called in by the head maid. Not only did she not receive any treatment, she was punished harshly by being confined in a small room for two days without food. The reason why young Rachel was scolded and punished was because she interfered in the work of the royal family without permission. So she was punished for two days, and when she returned to the third Prince, Ian asked. ¡°Did you get treatment?¡± ¡°Yes¡­.¡± Of course, that was all of the conversation. Ian poked his head into his book again and concentrated quietly. Rachel went silent again, standing still, leaning close to the wall so as not to defy Ian¡¯s nerves. And so she was back to her normal routine again. The wounds had healed and nothing had changed, except that some of the third prince¡¯s attendants were replaced. *** Something bubbled up in her chest at the memory she didn¡¯t want to remember. ¡°¡­¡± Rachel closed her eyes, not wanting to recall any more memories of Ian who was in front of her. After slumping for a while, Rachel finally turned her head to look out the window. Now, the sky seen from the window of the carriage was tinged with a red orange color. A moment passed and the red sky turned black. At that moment, Ian suddenly started pounding on the carriage wall. Rachel looked at him in surprise. The carriage slowed down and came to a stop. Rachel hurried to look out the window. Outside the window, she could see a dense forest of trees. Feeling anxious that this would somehow be the last place of her life, Rachel bit her lips slightly and looked at Ian. ¡°You said you were going to the capital, didn¡¯t you?¡± Indeed, Ian had said that they were going to the capital. However, the carriage stopped in front of a forest. Could it be? Rachel wondered if Ian had lied to her in order to drag her here. Was this the final destination of the carriage, to dump her body somewhere in this dense forest? She was afraid, but defiance would make things more violent. ¡®Obviously he said the capital¡­¡¯ ¡°Stay here and wait.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± However, Rachel¡¯s worries didn¡¯t last very long. Because Ian left, leaving Rachel alone. After a short wait, he returned. And soon the carriage was moving again. Darkness had already descended outside the window, but the carriage did not stop and moved forward through the jet-black darkness, relying solely on the lamp that emitted orange light. Chapter 5 *** Ian turned on the light in the carriage. Rachel glanced at Ian, who was not looking at her, and bowed her head again. He was still very beautiful, even though she hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time. His small face was more beautiful than most women¡¯s, but with his tall height and broad shoulders, he didn¡¯t look feminine. Ian was a head taller than a man¡¯s, and he had strong shoulders and muscles. There was nothing that wasn¡¯t beautiful about him, from the corners of his eyes and the curve to the bridge of his nose. His plump red lips and his purple eyes, more beautiful than the night sky. Having lost his baby fat, he looked even more handsome and Rachel couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. But even so, his face was not happy. It was just that the current situation made it difficult to see him again. Rachel sighed and bowed her head even more deeply. So the carriage that ran tirelessly for several days was finally at the destination that Ian mentioned. They had arrived at the capital. *** ¡°What is this¡­.?¡± Rachel was sitting on a white bed in a luxurious room. Now she was inside a mansion in the capital. How big this mansion was, it even had a garden. A mansion with a garden in Palmarburg, the capital of the Levskaya Empire¡­ Rachel couldn¡¯t even guess how much money would be needed to buy such a mansion. The inside of the room was just as gorgeous as the outside of the mansion. The bed Rachel was sitting on and the fluffy indoor shoes she was wearing. The soft carpet on the floor, the gilded dressing table and even the expensive precious metals hanging in rows on it. The room was glamorous and luxurious. ¡°What in the world is going on here?¡± If there was only one thing that didn¡¯t fit in this perfect room, it was Rachel, sitting carefully and shuffling her feet. ¡®What is he thinking?¡¯ Rachel couldn¡¯t comprehend her situation at all. About six years ago, Rachel ran away from Ian Dakendov. She didn¡¯t want to be hurt any more, and she didn¡¯t want to get her hopes up. She left the young man in a hut in Avery territory as she fled. So the emotions the emperor feels towards her must be anger and betrayal. So if Ian came to see her, his purpose would be revenge. It was necessary to punish her for daring to abandon him, the prince at the time, and running away. ¡®But why? Why am I here?¡¯ Rather, she thought, if the place where she now sat were a dark and dank dungeon, she would not say anything. It was at that moment, anyway, when she saw Ian¡¯s face again, she had already given up any hope of life. ¡°You wanted to see me, Miss?¡± At that moment, the maid, reacting to the clamor in the room, knocked on the door and entered the room to ask politely. ¡°Yes? Oh, no! It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Then I¡¯ll leave.¡± Rachel, flustered by the maid calling her ¡®Miss¡¯, hurriedly got up and waved her hand. The maid said she was sorry and then left the room again. ¡®No, what is this all about?¡¯ Rachel sat down on the carpet like a tired person and lamented what had happened to her. But she didn¡¯t want to do things to attract the servants again, so she sat there deep in thought. ¡°I have some business to attend to, so I¡¯ll come back in the evening.¡± Ian dropped Rachel off at the house and left, leaving her with these words. ¡°What should I do?¡± She was now left with only two options. The first was to confess her sins and ask for forgiveness before he questioned her. The second was to quietly do as he asked. Actually, there was another way, and that was escaping. However, Rachel could instinctively tell that this method would bring the worst possible result. That didn¡¯t mean that she expected the other two options to have a good outcome. ¡°But I guess he¡¯s not that angry¡­¡± At least Ian wasn¡¯t angry during the ride up to the capital in the carriage. Even though she tried to console herself with such anxiety and uneasiness, Rachel couldn¡¯t do so because it reminded her of the grim look on Ian¡¯s face in Ravenna village. She had seen him for more than ten years, but never before had Ian looked so grim. No matter how angry he was, no matter what kind of harassment he was subjected to by the other Princes, he just wore his characteristic indifferent and expressionless face. It was just that he didn¡¯t care about all of this. Ian was indifferent to everything, even with the worst situation. Since he showed his mood to that extent, it was clear that he was very angry. ¡°D*mn it.¡± The bad words finally came out of Rachel¡¯s mouth at the current frustrating situation where she had no idea what was going on. **** Ian did as he said and returned to the mansion where he had dropped Rachel off in the evening. Rachel was in the dining room, which was as glamorous as her bedroom, and Ian and Rachel sat across from each other. No. Ian said, ¡°Eat,¡± and sat Rachel down, but Rachel just sat still and kept her seat. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Rachel finally picked up her fork hastily when Ian stopped eating and looked at her. She held her fork tightly and stared at the food in front of her. She seriously wondered if this food was really poisoned, but it was something that she had to eat. Rachel forcibly shoved the mashed potatoes and meat into her mouth. Fortunately, the food didn¡¯t seem to be poisoned, and as good as it looked, it must taste wonderful. ¡°Does it taste okay?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Although she couldn¡¯t savor the taste because of her unstable heart, it must have tasted great. The servants made great dishes with well-seasoned meat. She ate under the lighting of a gorgeous chandelier, but Rachel was not happy in the least. In fact, she was much happier in those peaceful days when she ate eggs and rye bread. Rachel hurriedly shoved the food into her mouth and chewed frantically. If she didn¡¯t keep her mouth full of food, the question that had been stuck in her throat was going to pop out. ¡®Why are you eating with me?¡¯ She wanted to ask in a situation where she knew she shouldn¡¯t and couldn¡¯t understand. But a mouth full of food prevented her words. Rachel finished her unpleasant and painful meal, and Ian left the mansion again. Ian left and Rachel was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep tonight, but after two days of sleeplessness and tension, her body fell into a deep sleep despite her anxiety. *** (Dreaming of the past) It was a winter day, with hills covered in white snow, and even the sky was grayish. On a hill in the middle of a dense forest was a small, old cabin, and Rachel walked through the ankle-deep snow to get to it. Her dark brown hair fluttered in the wind and scratched Rachel¡¯s face. She wanted to bundle her hair into one bun and grab it so it wouldn¡¯t hit her in the face, but with both hands full of potato baskets, that wasn¡¯t easy either. Hey, it¡¯s freezing cold! Hurry up and walk!¡± A girl with blonde hair coming up behind Rachel shouted, her cheeks turning red in the cold wind. Her voice was as sharp as the cold winter wind, but the girl¡¯s face was lovely. Unlike Rachel, the girl was clad in a fur hat, a scarf, and mittens. Still, the way she couldn¡¯t stand the slightest bit of cold was truly the daughter of a noble family. At the urging of the girl, Rachel picked up her frozen feet and hurriedly opened the door of the hut. The girl walked behind Rachel and when she reached the hut, she quickly pushed Rachel aside and entered the hut. The hut was a lot older, as in antique, but the inside with the stove burning was warm with the warmed air. Wobbly, Rachel picked up the fallen potatoes and closed the door tightly as she walked into the cabin. ¡°Ian!¡± The blonde girl who had come inside with Rachel called out in a very different and beautiful voice to Ian Dukendov, who was sitting in a chair reading a book. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± Ian raised his head at the voice calling him and smiled at the happy blond girl. ¡°It¡¯s so cold. Look at this. Your face is red now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian put his hands on the girl¡¯s reddened face. Then the girl¡¯s face became even redder than when she was outside in the cold. Rachel turned her back on them quickly. She bit her lips, thinking she was more at ease in the cold. Rachel deliberately tried not to look at Ian and the blonde girl, but it seemed impossible in this small house. Ian was looking at the blonde girl with warm eyes, as if he was looking at his loved one. Rachel thought that this look didn¡¯t match the cold, sharp winter in the least. It didn¡¯t fit winter at all, and it hurt her heart. Rachel hid her red, frozen fingers in the hem of her skirt to keep them warm in a corner. With her back to them, she was quietly going about her business, like someone who couldn¡¯t hear a thing, but she could still hear the girl¡¯s buzzing voice. ¡°What¡¯s that? I¡¯ve never seen that before.¡± Rachel¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she heard the girl¡¯s voice. Chapter 6 *** Moving quickly, Rachel hurriedly grabbed the doll on the floor and held it in her arms. Like an idiot. She was careless and didn¡¯t put it away. ¡°This is mine.¡± There was a lot of greed in Rachel¡¯s voice as she said it was hers. She looked nervous as she hid the doll in her arms, worried that maybe the blonde girl would take something that was hers. Then the blonde girl looked at Ian, her mouth agape as if her pride had been hurt. ¡°Would you like to see it?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to see it.¡± Ian¡¯s purple eyes reached Rachel and the doll she held to her chest. Rachel knew exactly what the gaze meant, but never wanted to give the doll away, so she stood there pretending she didn¡¯t understand. Ian¡¯s eyes became colder and colder. The thin smile that had formed when he looked at the blonde girl disappeared and his face turned cold. He held out his hand towards Rachel without saying a word, and Rachel couldn¡¯t say anything else, handing him the doll she had hidden inside her arms. Rachel¡¯s cherished doll moved to Ian, then to the blonde girl. Everything about the doll didn¡¯t fit with this old house at all. The dress that the doll was wearing was silk that could be seen at a glance, and the doll¡¯s hair was soft like the real thing. At a glance, the doll looked expensive. The blonde girl seemed to like the doll. Perhaps it was because the doll was beautiful, or maybe it was just a momentary greed. The girl looked at the doll carefully with serious eyes. ¡°I want it.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s mine.¡± Rachel, who had been looking at the girl and the doll anxiously, hastily opened her mouth. ¡°If you want it, take it.¡± However, Ian interrupted Rachel¡¯s words. There was no one in this empty house to listen to the young Rachel. Ian nodded and handed Rachel¡¯s doll over to the blonde girl with a single word. ¡°Really? Thank you so much!¡± The blonde girl¡¯s cheeks plumped up as she smiled brightly, happy that she could now have what she wanted. Neatly folded eyes and nicely raised lips make that girl even prettier. ¡°But it¡¯s mine.¡¯¡± Rachel murmured, frustrated by her current unfair situation. ¡°The young master gave it to me.¡± Rachel murmured as she stared at her doll in the blonde girl¡¯s arms. Rachel wished that Ian would give the doll back to her even now. ¡°Hey, Ian said it¡¯s mine now.¡± But no matter how long Rachel waited, Ian did not change his words and did not return the doll to Rachel again. ¡°But¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± Rachel realized that she would never be able to hold that doll again. It was unfair but she couldn¡¯t forcefully take the doll back. Rachel just walked out of the cabin with tears streaming down her face. She fled deep into the forest with the cold wind blowing in her face. It was the first gift she had received and she had something to call it ¡®hers¡¯ for the first time in her life. She was greedy for the first time in her life, but it was taken from her too easily. Obviously, the blonde girl could get a better doll if she wanted, but she had to have the one Rachel had. Maybe she already had many dolls. But the fact that not a single one was on her side hurt Rachel more than the fact that everything had been taken from her. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± Rachel wiped her flowing tears. She didn¡¯t know if she was sad because the doll was taken from her, or if her heart ached because Ian looked at her coldly. No matter how much she wiped, the tears flowed down incessantly. It was a cold winter, and a strong wind passed, scratching her face, but Rachel had nowhere to go to escape the wind. Rachel groaned and suffered for the night as if she was having a nightmare. It was winter that year. It was like a fever in the cold winter air without a handful of warmth. *** Rachel was living her second life. Her first life had ended in the summer of her eighteenth year. She thought it was all over, but then she woke up again, and by an unknown miracle, she came back one day when she was fourteen. It was before she and Ian escaped from the assassins who were after him. Rachel was given another chance and she made a different choice from her previous life. This time, in this life, she chose herself instead of Ian. The third prince, Ian Dakendov, was the child of the emperor and a maid. He was not fully a Prince like the first and the second Prince. He was born from a mother of the most lowly of servants, Ian was alone from the moment he was born. Even his mother died after giving birth to him. Ian Dakendov was called a prince, but no one would recognize him as such. Ian¡¯s father, the emperor of the Levskaya Empire, only gave the child born of his mistake a few maidservants and a teacher. The emperor thought that was all he had to do. He gave him no more attention or love. The Imperial Palace was unkind to a child who could have nothing, and the First Prince and the Second Prince were merciless to their brother who had nothing. Even though they were young, they were very shrewd. They instinctively sensed people who were lower than them and showed great talent in trampling them down. The Third Prince, the toy of those little demons, never had a day when the bruises disappeared from his body. Their behavior was too much to be called mischief. But in spite of the situation, no one protected him. They knew very well that nothing good would come out if they stepped up. Thus, the third Prince had to endure the violence alone, amidst the neglect and indifference of his attendants. Fifteen years later, he got used to their violence and their indifference towards him. His otherwise painful life became increasingly cruel when he turned fifteen. The year Ian turned fifteen, a prophecy came. [A lowly man will rule the empire. He will be the master of the empire, since time means nothing and high difficulty loses its power in front of him.] The prophecy appeared and all the people thought of the third Prince who was considered lowly as the hero of the prophecy. Everyone was convinced that the prophecy was about him. The abandoned Prince would become the master of the empire¡­. But who knew if he was actually pleased to hear this prophecy. No one knew if the future success of the prince was more important to him than the present danger. Perhaps it was more important for him to maintain his daily life today than any sunny days in the future. Up until now, all he had received was beating from his older brothers and the cold indifference of the adults. But after the prophecy came out, he had to run away to escape the schemes of the nobles who supported the empress and the first and second Prince. At the age of fifteen, when he was still young as such, Ian fled from the Imperial Palace to save his life. All he had at the moment he was running away from the castle was his share of the money he had saved so far and a servant girl younger than him. The place where Ian and the maid, who had to flee in order to sustain their lives with a definite future they had never wanted so much, hid themselves was Avery territory, south of the capital. One day while they were living a perilous life there, they met Diana, the daughter of the Lord of Avery. The moment Diana Avery saw the tall and handsome Ian Dakendov, she fell head over heels in love with him. She kept it a secret so that Ian could live hidden in her territory. After living in hiding for about three years, in the year when Ian turned eighteen, the empire suffered a catastrophe. A dragon attacked the Levskaya Empire. The second Prince who wanted to take over the throne stole the dragon¡¯s child. He thought that if he killed the dragon and gained the title of Dragonslayer, the Emperor would give him the throne. He thought that if he became the first dragon slayer to appear in a thousand years, he, not his brother, would become emperor. Knights of the second Prince stole the baby dragon secretly from his mother and brought it to the Palace, but unfortunately, he was quickly caught by the mother dragon. The fire-breathing dragon quickly made a mess of the castle and the capital. No matter how hard the Knights of the Castle tried, it seemed impossible to catch the dragon. That was when Ian Dakendov, a member of the royal family who was hiding in a small, old hut on a hill in Avery territory, made his way to the capital, and the Imperial Castle was a sea of fire. It was not known why he risked his life to jump in the fire. Was he that greedy for the throne? Ian didn¡¯t hesitate to head to the capital, and in a week he had done what even the Knights of the empire could not do. For the first time in a thousand years, there was a new Dragonslayer. The situation was under control and the second Prince committed suicide. However, according to some rumors, the emperor, not wanting to harm the reputation of the royal family, killed him without bringing him to justice. After capturing the dragon in that way, Ian became the crown prince that the second prince wanted and came down to Avery again to pick up Lady Diana Avery and Rachel. Rachel, who followed Ian and returned to the Imperial Castle, died in the summer of her eighteenth year, on the day the first prince revolted. But somehow, life gained again. Once again, Rachel returned at the young age of fourteen, and she did not stay by Ian anymore. In her second life, she abandoned him first and ran away before he could abandon her. In her first life, when she ran away from the imperial castle with Ian, all she brought with her was the doll he gave her. That was it. But when she got her second life, she got a bag full of money from her savings. Chapter 7 Translated and edited by Baset *** *A big thank you to Io for the Kofi donation* *** In her first life, she stayed by his side her whole life, but when Rachel gained her second life, she ran away without leaving a trace after taking him to Avery¡¯s cottage. Thus, she ran away from Ian¡¯s life. That day, Rachel¡¯s life changed forever. However, that was the only thing that changed from Rachel¡¯s first life after that she¡¯d left Ian behind. The winter, three years after Rachel and Ian fled the imperial capital, the empire was attacked by a dragon. Ian Dakendov defeated the dragon, and became the crown prince once again. The summer when Rachel was supposed to die passed, and she lived the time she didn¡¯t have before. In the winter of that year, when the empire was in turmoil due to the destruction of the capital by the dragon attack and the rebellion of the first prince, the Sienna Empire attacked. They seemed to think that the best time for them to win against the Levskaya Empire was when it was confused, and weakened. A war broke out that Rachel had never experienced in her previous life. Ian won that war in two year, and became the emperor just like the prophecy foretold. The prophecy had come true and Ian became emperor, but it had nothing to do with her. Rachel was living the quiet life she wanted in Ravenna, where she¡¯d fled to. As long as there were no big changes, she could quietly live the rest of her life. However, for some reason the prince, now emperor, had re-entered Rachel¡¯s second life. ¡°Ha, ha.¡± When the morning sun was turning the dark sky red, Rachel woke up. A small sob escaped her lips. Her green eyes looked blurry because of the tears that filled them. As if she¡¯d returned to the young girl in her dream, Rachel was shedding tears again. She let out several sharp gasps and shook her head, as she tried to shake off the nightmare that still haunted her. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Rachel clutched her chest, and tried to comfort herself. ¡®That won¡¯t happen anymore.¡¯ This time around Rachel hadn¡¯t experienced certain things. In this lifetime, she hadn¡¯t met the beautiful blonde girl with golden eyes, Diana Avery¡­ She didn¡¯t live in the cabin with Ian. That day her precious doll was given to Lady Diana. So there was no reason to be hurt now, and there was no reason to be heartbroken. She threw away the doll first, and she ran away from Ian. There was no reason to be sad about what she didn¡¯t even go through. Even when she tried to soothe herself like that, that memory still made Rachel sad for a long time. Rachel looked down at the soft slip of silk that didn¡¯t suit her at all. This room, which didn¡¯t match her, reminded her of the emperor, who¡¯d taken her away. Rachel stood up, put her slippers on, and opened the door. ¡°Do you need anything, my lady?¡± The maid that was waiting outside the door rushed to address Rachel. ¡°Oh¡­ A cup of water¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you immediately.¡± The maid quickly disappeared to get her some water. Deprived of what she was going to do, Rachel returned to her room and absentmindedly put on her dressing gown. Her head screamed loudly, ¡®I need to know why Ian is acting like this¡¯, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t figure it out. Rachel knew that no matter how hard she tried, Ian¡¯s thoughts would remain unfathomable to her. She gave up thinking about it, drank the water the maid brought, and went outside like her heart desired. ¡°My lady, where are you going?¡± On her way down the stairs, she met a butler who approached Rachel. ¡°I¡¯m going outside for a bit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, my lady.¡± Rachel glanced outside, as she felt awkward at the butler calling her a lady. Rachel suspected that the butler¡¯s gentle concern was actually him monitoring her. ¡°It¡¯s just to the garden.¡± Rachel added a few words as the butler was about to say more, but he seemed to understand, and he hurried out of the way. She wanted to get away from this residence that didn¡¯t suit her, and get away from everything that reminded her of Ian. But Rachel couldn¡¯t do that. All she could do was get out of the fancy room, and look at the flowers in the garden. The cold dawn air made her body shiver a little bit, but Rachel thought it would be better if it was colder. She¡¯d hoped that it was so cold that she couldn¡¯t think of anything, but the cold. Or she wanted to catch a cold from the chill breeze. Rachel wanted to get sick with a generic illness for a while. If she did that, this frustration and sadness she felt right now might disappear. ¡°Rachel.¡± A man¡¯s voice came from behind Rachel, who was standing still and looking at the yellow chrysanthemums. Rachel¡¯s shoulders quivered at the sound of the man¡¯s voice calling her name, and she slowly looked behind her. Her trembling green eyes looked at the person who called out to her. There stood the emperor. Ian was standing under the dawn sky. He took one glance at her, strode over to her, took off his jacket and placed it on Rachel¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Your clothes are too thin.¡± At that short remark, Rachel frowned and looked at him quietly. Was he worried? His eyes looked at her indifferently, so he couldn¡¯t have been worried. Still, Rachel found it odd that he seemed so worried about her. She was sure it was a misunderstanding. However, she was forced to misunderstand Ian¡¯s behavior when he took off his jacket. The emperor seemed to be worried about her. Rachel¡¯s heart began to beat anxiously even before he put his jacket on her shoulder. It started when her name came out of the emperor¡¯s mouth. It was the name that she¡¯d heard countless times in her life. Rachel, a common name that was nothing special. It was just a name. Her name coming from his mouth was strange, but not awkward. For some reason, her heart pounded anxiously, and her emotions wavered deep within her heart. It was the first time he¡¯d called her name. She¡¯d stayed by the emperor¡¯s side for a long time, but not once did her name come out of his mouth. That¡¯s about all Rachel was to him. No matter how long we¡¯ve been together, they¡¯d never called each other¡¯s names. A time deep in the past, a day when Ian Dakendov was still young came to mind. He didn¡¯t usually notice her, but that day he called out to her with a ¡°Hey.¡± During that time, she¡¯d wandered around happily and reflected on his voice for a while. The emotions at that time came back to her and she teared up. ¡°Why did you give this to me?¡± (Rachel) Rachel¡¯s voice came out a little colder than she intended. ¡°Hmm¡­you must be cold. But why me?¡± (Rachel) Rachel hurriedly added, hoping that it would sound more polite this time. ¡°Just because.¡± (Ian) Ian had a unique expressionless face and eyes without a slight change in expression, and his voice didn¡¯t contain any emotions. Rachel stared at him, her gaze trembling. ¡°¡­.¡± Her frustration didn¡¯t go away with his answer. What does he mean that he did it for no reason? ¡°Why are people calling me a lady?¡± Again, Rachel¡¯s voice sounded a little fierce. ¡°Why did you bring me to the capital?¡± Rachel¡¯s words came out a little faster. She¡¯d asked the questions, but she didn¡¯t give Ian time to answer since she had no intention of hearing the answers. ¡°Why did you come find me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel tried to keep quiet until Ian was finished acting like he didn¡¯t know what was going on. But she¡¯d realized that she would have to ask. ¡°What do you¡­ What do you want from me?¡± Once she¡¯d started asking questions, it was difficult to stop. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± And it wasn¡¯t long before she was boldly asking him questions. Rachel¡¯s amber eyes stared at Ian¡¯s purple ones, and shook anxiously. She was starting to regret asking. Ian only looked down at Rachel with an expressionless face despite the harsh anger she¡¯d unleashed on him with abandon. After a while, he opened his mouth. ¡°Because I missed you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rachel frowned at the incomprehensible words coming from Ian¡¯s mouth. What was he saying? She had no idea what he was thinking. ¡°What do I want from you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He blinked slowly as if he was contemplating for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I want from you.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Stay with me. Don¡¯t run away.¡± Rachel frowned, unable to compose her expression. However, it didn¡¯t seem to matter to Ian, and he didn¡¯t criticize Rachel for it. It seemed that the anger of a small woman, who didn¡¯t even reach his shoulder, didn¡¯t concern him. ¡°You told me before. You¡¯ll be with me for the rest of your life.¡± He recited directly back to her what Rachel had said to him sometime ago, in a tone that was both emotionless and hushed. ¡°¡­Me?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I said I¡¯d be with you for the rest of my life?¡± Rachel, after hearing Ian¡¯s words, opened her mouth in dismay at the promise she couldn¡¯t even remember. ¡°Can¡¯t you remember?¡± Ian tilted his head slightly, as if he didn¡¯t like Rachel¡¯s response. ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s¡­¡± Rachel quickly wracked her brain, trying to avoid going against him. However, she couldn¡¯t stand the creeping, ominous feeling and opened her mouth again. ¡°Of course¡­ But do I really have to stay with you for the rest of master¡¯s, or your Majesty¡¯s, life?¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes looked desperate, hoping that she¡¯d misunderstood. Ian just nodded silently. At that moment, Rachel¡¯s face paled, as if she¡¯d been sentenced to death. Her amber eyes, slightly open red lips, as she looked at Ian with a frown. Her expression clearly revealed her heart that she couldn¡¯t hide. Chapter 8 *** Ian also seemed to have read Rachel¡¯s thoughts from her face. ¡°Stay with me until my interest wanes.¡± Then, his eyebrows twitched slightly as if he didn¡¯t like her. Rachel realized only then that she was being rude, and quickly schooled her expression. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ian walked towards the front door of the mansion as if he was finished with the conversation. ¡°Interest¡­¡± Stay with him until he loses interest. Does that mean he¡¯s interested in me? What kind of interest does he have in me? Rachel tried to grasp Ian¡¯s meaning by reflecting on it, but stopped thinking about Ian¡¯s gaze and hurried to follow him. *** After they finished their meal, Ian gave Rachel some books to read when she was bored. Then he got in his carriage, and returned to the Imperial palace. Rachel, who was left alone in the mansion again, sighed as she looked down at the books Ian had given her for a while. ¡°Ha¡­¡± The Ian from Rachel¡¯s memories sometimes did things that she didn¡¯t understand. But it was never to this extent. Honestly, Ian now seemed to be out of his mind. She felt like he was crazy. If he was in his right mind, he wouldn¡¯t have left the Imperial palace¡¯s dining room and the Imperial chef to eat here. Also, there was no way that he would allow the maid who abandoned him to live in such a luxurious mansion. And¡­ Ian, who she hadn¡¯t seen in six years, had changed a lot from what Rachel remembered. His unique lack of interest and bored expression was the same as before, but something had changed quite a bit. Rachel buried herself deeply in a rocking chair, and quietly became lost in thought. ¡®Interest.¡¯ Yeah, she didn¡¯t know what the reason was, but Ian seemed to be interested in her. What happened to him six years ago? Interest¡­ Does he mean the curiosity between a man and a woman? Or was it interest in the maid who dared to abandon him and run away? ¡°Is he interested in how to bully me, and take his revenge?¡± She was frustrated because she didn¡¯t understand why the heck he was interested in her. ¡°Huh, something doesn¡¯t seem to make sense¡­¡± On the day his interest waned, would she be able to go back? Or will she have to pay for her actions that day? For a while, Rachel¡¯s forehead was deeply wrinkled. ¡°Ha¡­¡± However, no matter how much she thought about it, she wasn¡¯t able to figure out what Ian was thinking. Rachel sighed and began reading the book that Ian handed her before leaving. All Rachel could do in this spacious mansion was read Ian¡¯s books. *** The Emperor¡¯s Office. Harmond, an aide to Ian Dakendov. A man with fiery red hair and brown eyes, he was currently reviewing something silently. Harmond Bourke, the second son of Count Bourke, was famous for his brilliance since childhood. He¡¯d graduated from college with excellent grades at a young age, and quickly became the assistant to the emperor. ¡°Hmm.¡± Harmond, who was bent over his desk and working on something, suddenly put his pen down and raised his head. His eyes under his bright red hair were a dark brown, but some people mistook his eyes for red because of the intense color of his hair. His brown eyes blinked slowly. ¡°¡­.¡± Harmond sat with his back to the window, he gazed silently at the hard-working emperor. He was so perfect in appearance that even a man could see his beauty. He was a young emperor with excellent swordsmanship and intelligence. ¡®Who the heck is it?¡¯ Harmond had recently heard that Ian was leaving the Imperial palace, and the reason seemed to be a woman. He couldn¡¯t guess who the heck it was. He was an emperor who had no connection to any noblewomen. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Harmond knew quite a bit about Ian Dakendov as a child. That was because he¡¯d become an Imperial celebrity after the prophecy about the next emperor came out. He¡¯d been interested in Ian before the prophecy came out, mainly because he was a powerless third prince. As a child, Harmond used to enter the Imperial city with his father, Count Bourke. Count Bourke, who excelled at learning, entered the Imperial city once a week as a teacher to the princes. He would teach them lessons on the empire¡¯s history and world history. During that time, Harmond would read books at the Imperial library and wait for his father, but Count Bourke¡¯s face was never happy after the class. In addition, he would always sigh and say he was worried about the Levskaya empire having a future. According to the Count, the princes were all hopeless. The first Prince was bad-tempered, greedy, and cruel. The Count said, ¡°He was greedy for the one piece that someone else had, even if he already had ten, and he¡¯d callously take it away. Also, if he judged that you were weaker than he was, he¡¯d behave brutally without the slightest mercy.¡± His servants always lived with small bruises, so there was nothing more to see in his opinion. The second Prince on the other hand was somewhat shady. However, he was very short on patience and wisdom. He never understood the classes and every time he took a test, he wouldn¡¯t answer a single question, but one thing he was outstanding at was understanding his brother¡¯s moods. The second Prince acted like a ghost around most people, but in front of his brother, he tried to win his heart by making concessions. It seemed that his mind had developed only in that direction. In addition, he used to often elude situations where he was in the wrong, but the real issue was that he would blame all of his mistakes on those who were weaker than him. Therefore, if the first or second prince became the emperor, the empire wouldn¡¯t be very peaceful. The remaining third Prince was quiet about most everything. However, that didn¡¯t mean that he seemed to be distracted or uncomfortable with the people. Count Bourke could not easily describe the child. He was just indifferent even when taking his class, or after class. Even when he was asked if he understood the lessons well, the third Prince never gave an answer. However, his eyes always glimmered with intelligence. He was expressionless, but his eyes were cold, like he wasn¡¯t afraid. So, the Count called on him, hoping to get an intelligent answer, but he never responded. An abnormal child, who grew up without receiving love or attention, and seemed to be missing something. There didn¡¯t seem to be many who would allow the third Prince of low birth to sit on the throne. He was likely to live ignobly for the rest of his life, or become a puppet emperor. There wasn¡¯t a day when Count Bourke wouldn¡¯t sigh deeply because all of the princes of the empire were in this hopeless shape. It was a problem if the first or second prince, who had the predisposition to become tyrants, became the emperor. He was also worried if the third Prince, who was indifferent to everything around him, became emperor and was easily swayed by the nobles around him. However, after one particular day, Count Bourke¡¯s thoughts on the matter completely changed. It was the day Count Bourke entered class with refreshments he¡¯d received as a gift. He brought them in hopes of getting the attention of the distracted princes, who wouldn¡¯t concentrate on class. When Count Bourke handed out the tea cakes to the children one by one, the first Prince ignored the snacks in front of him, and was busy thinking about how to get the rest of the Count¡¯s sweets. The second Prince quickly stuffed the tea cakes in his mouth and ate them before the first Prince could notice them. Of course, the third Prince just sat still as if he wasn¡¯t interested in the treats. When Count Bourke said that he would distribute more tea cakes if they actively participated in class; the first Prince raised his hand faithfully and pretended to participate in class; the second Prince squirmed, looked at the first Prince, then he¡¯d quickly steal the tea cakes off of his desk and cram them into his own mouth. He then wiped his mouth, and shouted loudly. ¡°Hey! He stole the food and ate it!¡± The first Prince, who¡¯d walked up front to the blackboard to look good in front of Count Bourke, hurriedly looked back at his desk at his younger brother¡¯s words, but his tea cakes had already disappeared. The many tea cakes he¡¯d received from the Count had been stolen from the first Prince. The first Prince¡¯s face turned red as if it was about to split open from the anger of having something that was taken from him. Then, without even thinking about holding back his anger, he rushed to the third Prince. With his larger size, he swung his fist powerfully, and knocked down his smaller brother. The Count could not help but break out in a cold sweat at the first Prince¡¯s violence, but the reason he remembered that day was not because of the first Prince¡¯s brutality, or the second Prince¡¯s odiousness. ¡°Oh my God!¡± It was because of the tears of the third Prince, who never seemed to desire anything. Count Burke had seen the third prince being beaten by his brothers many times. Even while he was getting beaten, the boy acted like he had other things on his mind. It was the first time that such a child had shown tears. The Count was a little surprised that the third prince had expressed his feelings, but thought that perhaps the child¡¯s tears were to be expected. If he were to be beaten mercilessly, he would¡¯ve cried helplessly. That week¡¯s class ended in violence, and when the princes left the room, the third prince, who¡¯d bowed his head and who¡¯s shoulders shook from crying, suddenly straightened up and wiped away his tears. As if it was all fake. The third prince had returned to his characteristic expressionless and apathetic face, as if he didn¡¯t feel the need to continue his performance even for the Count, took his belongings and left the room. Chapter 9 *A big thank you to Io for the Kofi* *** The appearance of the third Prince was not like that of a child. His purple eyes were still a little damp, but he didn¡¯t look upset. He wore a nonchalant expression as he wiped away the blood off of his forehead. He seemed to be matching the rhythm of the first prince. His eyes were still as emotionless as ever, but it didn¡¯t make him seem any less worthy. He still had no idea what the third Prince was thinking, but the Count had no choice but to give him a second look. He was unsure what kind of change of heart occurred to the third Prince so suddenly, but his tears ended the violence of the first Prince earlier than other days. Upon hearing the story from the Count, Harmond became interested in Ian Dakendov. It occurred to him that maybe he was trying to live quietly, and stay out of sight. Therefore, when the prophecy about Ian came out, he thought that he could become emperor to some extent, even though he didn¡¯t have the backing of any of the nobles. His abilities would be recognized, he might even catch the attention of the nobles and receive their support. When Ian ran away to save his life, Harmond assumed the prophet was wrong this time. However, Ian Dakendov broke his assumption when he returned after three years. When the capital became a sea of fire due to the dragon attacks. Harmond couldn¡¯t understand Ian. If he ran away to live, he should¡¯ve lived in hiding for the rest of his life. Why would he come back if he was going to die anyway. However, he defended the capital against the dragon and won the war against the Sienna Empire, and now he was the emperor that the people respected. As such, Ian, who was skilled in swordplay, became the emperor. Harmond still thought that Ian was greatly inadequate to be the emperor. He was incapable of studying at a time when he needed to be most diligent in his studies. But Harmond¡¯s idea was completely off the mark again. He solved his work so outstandingly that the six years he had not been able to devote to his studies were overshadowed. Harmond would always be surprised by the emperor¡¯s judgments. Sometimes he¡¯d make a choice that he didn¡¯t even think of. He was sincerely thankful that he was able to become the aide to the emperor. Although he still couldn¡¯t say he knew Ian completely. ¡°¡­.¡± Harmond looked at Ian silently. Ian was already an unpredictable person, but these days it has gotten worse. What kind of girl was he into? How is the emperor spending his time? ¡°Harmond.¡± Ian Dakendov quietly called to him while he was staring at Ian while deep in thought. ¡°Yes, your Highness.¡± Harmond was surprised by the sudden call, but he replied in a hurry. ¡°Where is the necklace?¡± ¡°Oh, I put it in your desk drawer.¡± At Harmond¡¯s words, Ian opened the desk drawer. ¡°Who is that for?¡± ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Ian asked as he unlocked the box he¡¯d taken from the drawer, and opened the lid. Without even looking at Harmond. Ian¡¯s voice was slightly sharp, but he quickly focused on the necklace. Opening the box, he saw a necklace on a black velvet. Finely crafted silver filigree, and emeralds with a brilliant green hue. The large size and bright colors of the emeralds stood out, but the delicately crafted silver wire and diamonds that encircled the emeralds made the necklace even more spectacular. The necklace in Ian¡¯s hands was called the ¡®Lucky Necklace¡¯, and it was one of the Sienna empire¡¯s precious treasures. The necklace, which had a myth that said it brought good luck, had been a precious treasure for generations in the Sienna Imperial family. When the Levskaya Empire gained the upper hand in the war, the Sienna Empire, whose war had become too much for them, sent emissaries to try to end the war. Ian accepted their proposal with some conditions. One of the conditions was handing over the lucky necklace. It was a spoil of war, so to speak. At first, the Sienna Empire strongly opposed handing over the necklace because of its long history, as well as being a treasure passed down to members of the royal family, but Ian had no intention of backing down. In the end, the lucky necklace ended up in Ian¡¯s hands. The people thought that the emperor was trying to enhance the victory of the Levskaya Empire by taking away the treasure that was the symbol of the Sienna Empire and hurting their pride. Harmond knew that the real reason he was greedy for that necklace was because he wanted to give it to someone as a gift. ¡®I knew he was insane.¡¯ Harmond glanced quickly at the emperor, who was not paying attention to him, while he had an irreverent thought. Of course he respected Ian, but this was a different matter. ¡°Um¡­ As a faithful aide to the emperor, I thought it would be better to know.¡± ¡°As a faithful aide?¡± Ian asked as he carefully put the necklace back on the velvet cloth, and closed the lid on the box. Unlike usual, he was careful with his movements as he touched the necklace. He¡¯d tossed a dragon slaying sword made by dwarves on the ground, but he¡¯d carefully set the lucky necklace in it¡¯s velvet box, then gently inside the drawer. Harmond almost burst into laughter, but he barely managed to bite his lip and endure it. ¡°It¡¯s an unnecessary concern.¡± He seemed a little bothered by Harmond¡¯s interest. ¡°Your Majesty, have you found a woman?¡± Ian did not produce an elaborate response, so Harmond cautiously broached the subject of his speculation. Obviously, he understood the emperor¡¯s words to stop prying, but Harmond pretended not to understand and showed interest once more. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that you¡¯ve been leaving the Imperial palace a lot these days.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Ian was silent when Harmond asked a question filled with the intention of probing him for answers. Ian Dakendov closed the drawer that contained the necklace without blinking. Harmond himself knew that he¡¯d crossed the line, but he was so curious that he couldn¡¯t stand it. Ian has become particularly strange these days. Harmond was convinced that Ian had a lover. ¡°I wonder how beautiful she is, since His Majesty is so distracted.¡± Bang! Ian punched his desk with his fist. ¡°Don¡¯t be curious.¡± He frowned as if he was in a very bad mood. ¡°It seems that the servants of the castle are completely useless in keeping their mouths shut.¡± His eyes quickly became cold like the wind of winter. Harmond wasn¡¯t a skilled swordsman, but he knew that those eyes wanted to kill him right now. He gulped down his spit as he froze. ¡°Harmond, did you organize all the tax documents for each territory?¡± Ian asked in a cold voice. ¡°Not yet.¡± Harmond shook his head quietly. ¡°Then you¡¯re going to start working, right?¡± ¡°Yes! Okay!¡± Harmond deliberately answered loudly to sound more sincere, and left the office as if he was running away. *** That evening, Ian came to Rachel¡¯s mansion without fail. It was the third day in a row that he¡¯d gone to visit Rachel in the mansion. ¡°¡­?¡± But today was a little different from the other days. For some reason, Rachel was waiting for him at the entrance hall. Ian blinked in confusion as he was greeted by the servants and Rachel. ¡°Your Majesty, you came early?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah¡± Rachel was a little awkward, but she talked to Ian first. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat together, right?¡± Ian nodded, unable to understand Rachel¡¯s sudden change. ¡°Um¡­ Why are you standing there?¡± ¡°Oh, I thought it was time for you to arrive soon. So, I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Rachel said with another awkward laugh, she looked unsettled and uncomfortable. If it was inconvenient, she didn¡¯t have to make such a concerted effort. Ian took off his jacket and handed it to the butler, then glanced at Rachel. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Were they waiting because they were hungry? ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel gave a small nod to the emperor¡¯s question. Ian nodded lightly, and strode toward the dining room. A smile appeared on Ian Dakendov¡¯s face, and his steps seemed to be a little faster than usual. *** Rachel had come to this conclusion today. Let¡¯s not go against Ian¡¯s feelings. No matter why he was interested in her, it wasn¡¯t really that important. What was important was that he was the emperor, and she was only a maid who ran away. As long as he kept coming back to her, and as long as he was the emperor, she had only to obey his order. As he said, until his interest waned, she would stay by his side. If Ian¡¯s interest cooled down meant her death, then she could plan to run away again. But it was unclear whether she would be lucky enough to escape from him this time. Anyway, all she had to do now was follow Ian¡¯s order, and not go against his will. The reason why he kept coming to visit her, and the reason why he was interested in her, was something she might find out as she went along. ¡®Yes, first of all, let¡¯s not act in such a way that His Majesty will stare at me.¡¯ Like when Rachel showed her expression in front of Ian last time, she shouldn¡¯t have shown him her true feelings. When she came to that conclusion, what she had to do became clear. Like the other servants within the mansion, it was enough for her to wait for Ian to arrive. All she had to do was to answer his questions in good faith, and treat him with courtesy, like everyone else in the mansion. Rachel smiled softly when Ian looked at her. The meal with Ian was still uncomfortable, but Rachel gave a small smile, and hid her expression. That¡¯s when Ian suddenly asked. ¡°What did you do today?¡± Rachel, who was chewing on some duck meat while she was thinking, blinked at the question, and hastily swallowed the food she was chewing. ¡°Oh, I read the book you gave me.¡± Ian gave a small nod at that. Then he immediately asked another question. ¡°Was it interesting?¡± ¡°Oh, it was interesting.¡± However, no matter how calm she pretended to be, her time with Ian was uncomfortable. Asking how she¡¯d spent her time, whether she¡¯d enjoyed reading a book, she couldn¡¯t understand why Ian was acting this way. What does that have to do with him? Chapter 10 Rachel tried to put the duck in her mouth because she wanted to stop having useless conversations, but she had to put down her fork and opened her mouth again. ¡°Thanks to your Majesty¡¯s concern, I was able to spend my time without getting bored.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Your Majesty? Was there anything else you wanted to say?¡± Ian shook his head slightly, and looked away. Rachel quickly moved her hand and pushed the meat into her mouth. She thought that Ian would talk less if he was eating. ¡®The conversation was longer than usual today.¡¯ Three days. It¡¯s already been three days since he started coming to this mansion in the morning and evening. Of those three days, this was the longest conversation we¡¯d had. He stopped by this mansion for breakfast and dinner, but there were many meals when he only ate without a single word of conversation. There was no dialogue on those times other than a small bow of greeting to him. ¡®Does he look a little happy today?¡¯ Rachel glanced at Ian, who was taking a sip of red wine. If Rachel had been able to act of her own free will, if there were no threats to her safety if she asked the way she wanted. If she wasn¡¯t the maid who ran away, and Ian wasn¡¯t the emperor, she would¡¯ve asked him if he was crazy. No, in the first place, there would¡¯ve been no reason to sit and eat with him. Unfortunately, Rachel was the maid who fled, and Ian was the emperor. Because it was uncomfortable and she was forcing herself to endure it, Rachel took medicine to relieve her stomach ache after he¡¯d left every day. When she saw Ian looking happy for some reason, a small anger rose inside her. Since she¡¯d lived as a free citizen without serving anyone for six years, she hadn¡¯t fully adapted to this life yet. ¡°Your Majesty, have you been busy today?¡± Rachel glazed at Ian once, and carefully opened her mouth. She thought that if she could match his moods, perhaps the day when he lost interest, she could return to Ravenna without incident. So she¡¯d asked cautiously, while paying attention to his mood. ¡°¡­No, not really.¡± Honestly, she wasn¡¯t interested in his answer, but Rachel nodded and opened her mouth again. ¡°When you¡¯ve finished eating, will you be returning to the Imperial palace?¡± Rachel quickly asked a question, because Ian seemed to like conversation more than silence. ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you want me to do that?¡± Rachel blinked as Ian asked her that. ¡°Shall I sleep here since it¡¯s so late?¡± Ian said as he looked out the dark window. He seemed to be thinking about whether to sleep in the mansion overnight since it was dark outside. It¡¯s dark, so he thinks I¡¯m worried about him returning. But that was nonsense. He arrived at the mansion only after the sun set today, so it was clear that it had been dark when he¡¯d traveled from the Imperial palace to the mansion. Ian had been returning safely so far, so what caused the sudden change in heart. ¡°What should I do?¡± Rachel frowned for a little while after he asked her such a strange question. Of course she wanted him to go back to the Imperial palace. It was hard to understand why he was asking the obvious. ¡°My opinion doesn¡¯t matter. You may do as you wish, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He looked at Rachel silently, and soon picked up his wine glass again. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep here tonight.¡± Rachel nodded quietly because she didn¡¯t know what to say. The Imperial palace and this mansion belonged to him anyway, so it was his to do with as he pleased. If there was anything that worried her a little bit, it was that she would have to spend more time with Ian. However, Ian let Rachel leave after he finished eating, so she¡¯d been worried over nothing. Rachel, who¡¯d returned to her room in a hurry, wasn¡¯t tired because it was still early, but she quickly turned off the lights and laid in bed. For some reason, she thought she had to do this. *** The next morning, Rachel woke up with tears in her eyes after she suffered from nightmares. It would have been nice if this was the rural village of Ravenna, but it was the mansion in the capital where Rachel had opened her eyes. She wiped away her tears, and turned her eyes to the window. The red dawn sun was shining. Rachel didn¡¯t want to leave her room because the emperor was in this mansion, so she sat blankly in bed and looked around the room in a daze. At that time, a box on the tea table caught Rachel¡¯s attention. ¡°Was there something like that?¡± Rachel approached the box as if she was possessed and unlocked the latch. ¡°Wow.¡± As soon as the lid of the box was opened, a small exclamation flowed out of Rachel¡¯s mouth. In the box, there was a necklace that was more beautiful than any other accessory Rachel had ever seen. Shiny jewels that resembled midsummer¡¯s day and well-worked silver. Rachel stared at the necklace as if she was enchanted, but never touched it with her hands. She stared blankly at the mysterious emerald for a long time, she hurriedly closed the box and secured the latch. ¡°¡­.¡± Then she put it back on the table where she found it. It wasn¡¯t hers, but she regretted opening it for no reason. Feeling somewhat anxious, Rachel hurried out of the room because she didn¡¯t want to stay in there anymore. ¡°My lady?¡± The maid, who stood outside the room, was surprised to see Rachel in a light slip. She seemed to be thinking of how troubled Rachel would feel if she met the emperor dressed like that. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared water for you in your room.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Rachel smiled awkwardly, and returned to her room. She changed her clothes in a hurry, and left the room again. She deliberately turned her head away from the tea table while she changed. Her heart was pounding from the beautiful necklace. When Rachel came out of the room, she tried to ask the maid about the necklace, but she fell silent again. The necklace was not originally in the room. She certainly hadn¡¯t seen a box like that yesterday evening. If the necklace had been in the room when she¡¯d arrived it would¡¯ve been in one of the jewelry boxes. So someone must have brought it on purpose. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rachel hadn¡¯t even looked near the dressing table containing accessories, except when the butler gave her a tour of the room. Moreover, if she¡¯d known that what was on the tea table was a necklace, she wouldn¡¯t have opened it. ¡°Why did I touch something that wasn¡¯t mine?¡± However, no matter how hard she berated herself, it was a mistake that she¡¯d already made. A deep frown settled on Rachel¡¯s forehead. Throughout her breakfast with Ian, Rachel was anxious and couldn¡¯t eat properly. She¡¯d been in this state since the moment she saw the necklace. She was dizzy from the worries that were rushing through her head. She could feel Ian¡¯s gaze on her, but Rachel tried to ignore it and pushed the food into her mouth. ¡°Um¡­ Did you see it?¡± ¡°Yea, cough! ¡­What?¡± At Ian¡¯s sudden question, Rachel choked on her food, and coughed several times before carefully asking her own question. Rachel¡¯s eyes were full of worries. ¡°I mean the necklace.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Rachel dropped her gaze as she bowed her head in panic. When she glanced up and noticed Ian frowning, Rachel squeezed her trembling hands. He probably realized that what she¡¯d said was a lie. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it?¡± Rachel¡¯s gaze wavered uneasily as she heard Ian¡¯s voice again. She nodded anxiously as if she was being interrogated. ¡°Then let¡¯s go up to your room after we¡¯re done eating, and see it together.¡± Ian¡¯s voice didn¡¯t contain anger or reprimand, but Rachel could see that he was firmly annoyed. Ian continued to eat again, but Rachel couldn¡¯t do anything but hold her trembling hands still. She was caught. ¡°Actually I saw it.¡± Has her time come? Rachel bowed her head and murmured as if she was confessing to a crime. ¡°Hmm? You saw it?¡± Ian¡¯s eyes got a little bigger. He tilted his head slightly. As if he didn¡¯t understand Rachel. Ian raised his eyebrows a little as if he didn¡¯t understand her behavior, she¡¯d said she hadn¡¯t seen it earlier, but now she was confessing that she had. Of course, he wasn¡¯t upset, he was just curious. Why did she pretend that she hadn¡¯t seen it when she could¡¯ve just said she had from the beginning? ¡°But I didn¡¯t touch it, I just looked at it.¡± Rachel rushed to make an excuse. ¡°There was something on the table, and I was curious, so I opened the box¡­ I never touched the necklace. If I had known it was a necklace, I never would have touched it. I swear I didn¡¯t steal it¡­ ¡° ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± The more Rachel talked, the more Ian¡¯s face hardened. Rachel¡¯s heart was beating quickly, as if it was about to burst, when she saw his expression a step too late. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel¡¯s face turned pale, but she opened her mouth with a tearful look in her eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that it was yours, but I¡­¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t finish her words and closed her mouth while holding her tongue. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all yours.¡± Ian said while putting the silverware down. ¡°What? It¡¯s mine?¡± Rachel was surprised and asked. However, Ian was no longer answering Rachel¡¯s question. ¡°¡­Why?¡± Rachel blinked quickly and opened her mouth again, staring into his eyes. Of course, it was Rachel¡¯s, Ian had given it to her as a gift. Rachel didn¡¯t seem to understand at all. ¡°I gave it to you.¡± ¡°Wait, who said that?¡± Ian was taken aback by Rachel¡¯s question. Then he frowned slightly. Rachel, who¡¯d been staring at Ian, quickly lowered her gaze. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, then throw it away.¡± As if he didn¡¯t like something, he swept his hair over. Chapter 11 *** ¡°But¡­¡± It¡¯s ridiculous to just throw away such an expensive necklace. She wasn¡¯t sure how much it was worth, but with the size of the jewels, she thought it would sell for enough money to buy a mansion in the countryside, then eat and play for the rest of her life. How could she throw away such a necklace? Rachel glanced at Ian as if he was being absurd. ¡°How could I do that¡­¡± Rachel¡¯s gaze was absolutely correct. It was the look you gave someone who¡¯s out of their mind. ¡°It¡¯s yours now, so it¡¯s your choice.¡± Ian inhaled as if he was going to sigh. Rattle ¡°I¡¯ll leave now.¡± As Ian rose from his seat, Rachel would normally have followed him out, but she was sitting in a daze because she was still in shock, then she followed him a step later. Rachel returned to her room after Ian left, carefully picked up the box from the tea table, and put it in the bottom drawer of her dressing table. She carefully put it down in there, and closed the drawer. She didn¡¯t know when he would change his mind, and ask for it again. This necklace must¡¯ve been something Ian wanted to give her. ¡°Was this one of the interests that His Majesty mentioned?¡± The reason why he brought her here. The reason why they ate together every day. The reason why he gave her such a gift. ¡°Ha¡­¡± She guessed that it all stemmed from his unknown interest. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± Six years later, she didn¡¯t know why he was interested in her. ¡°Besides, throwing away such an expensive item is just¡­¡± The current emperor seemed to be out of his mind. ¡®War trauma.¡¯ She remembered reading a book. Rachel could read and write, so she¡¯d made money from copying and selling books as a transcriptionist after she fled from Ian six years ago. So, she was forced to read a lot of books about different things. Yes, she remembered reading about it in a book. The fact that some people who¡¯ve experienced war live their whole lives suffering from the trauma of that time. Some of them would never be able to live their daily lives normally ever again. How could anyone be unaffected by a situation in which both parties were killing each other and dying? Rachel suspected that Ian was in the same situation. ¡°Yes, His Majesty is unwell right now.¡± After he went through a war, the trauma made him crazy. ¡°Did he forget who I was, right? If that¡¯s not the case¡­¡± Otherwise, there was no reason to be nice to the maid who ran away. ¡°Why did this happen to me out of all those people¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know for sure, but Ian seemed to have changed after the war. If something was wrong, it must have been very wrong. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rachel sighed a little as she came to that conclusion alone. When would Ian¡¯s interest in her wane? She felt sorry for Ian, who had lost his mind while he was young, but Rachel felt most sorry for herself, who had been brought to the capital so suddenly. She didn¡¯t want a soft bed, expensive clothes, every meal prepared by a chef, or expensive ornaments. She just wanted to go back to where her house was. Rachel sighed deeply again at the situation, unable to do anything of her own will. That night, in a dark dream, Rachel was suffering from an injury induced fever. *** ¡°Hu¡­¡± A fevered groan leaked out through a narrow gap. She¡¯d been in a daze for three days, and without anything to eat. Rachel was lying still with her face on the cold stone floor. She had her eyes open, but her unfocused blue-green eyes looked dull and vacant. They were the kind of eyes that fit this dark and dank dungeon, devoid of hope or motivation. Creak The thick door of the dark dungeon opened and a bright light shone through the crack, but Rachel only frowned a little and just lay still. Thump Thump Rachel closed her eyes as the sound of footsteps got closer. They seemed to be soldiers, with muted steps and swaying lights. Even though their visit couldn¡¯t have been good for her, Rachel was ridiculously relieved that someone had just entered the basement. Tap The soldier tapped Rachel with his foot. ¡°Tsk, she¡¯s completely out of it. Hey, hold this.¡± The soldier grabbed Rachel by the arm, and quickly lifted her up. Was it because she hadn¡¯t eaten anything, or was it because of her bruised calves? Rachel couldn¡¯t walk properly, and had to be dragged by the soldiers. Rachel closed her eyes to the sunlight she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. In fact, she deliberately closed her eyes so that she wouldn¡¯t have to see the people who were whispering around her. ¡°Thief.¡± Their eyes were sharp as they bad-mouthed her as a thief. The fact that no one in the residence was on her side made her feel terrified again. Knock Knock ¡°My Lady, we¡¯ve brought the girl.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Diana Avery¡¯s voice came from behind the door. Rachel bit her lip at the voice that was as cheerful as ever. The door opened, and Diana stood there. The room was filled with sunlight, and Diana was wearing a brightly colored dress and a small smile on her face. The two soldiers knelt Rachel down in front of Diana. Rachel moved under their power like a broken doll. ¡°Get out.¡± Diana waved lightly, and sent the soldiers out of the room. ¡°Pfft, what a nice picture.¡± Even though she knew Diana was talking right in front of her, Rachel¡¯s ear felt like the young lady¡¯s voice was far away. ¡°Why did you put up with it?¡± Diana studied Rachel¡¯s face carefully and slyly dragged on the conversation without a second thought. Her bruised and bloody face, and her tangled brown hair. Out of all of them, it was Rachel¡¯s unfocused eyes that satisfied Lady Avery¡¯s heart the most. Diana¡¯s smile deepened as Rachel didn¡¯t even dare to look at her. ¡°Thief.¡± Diana mocked Rachel, who kept her arms folded and her knees tucked under her legs. ¡°Why did you do it? Did you want this so badly?¡± Finally Rachel¡¯s empty eyes landed on the necklace swinging in Diana¡¯s hand. ¡°This is what happens when someone as vile as you can¡¯t even understand your place, and acts greedy.¡± The young lady hid the necklace in her hand as Rachel stared at it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you at all. How much do you think this is worth?¡± Diana seemed to like the current situation very much. The corners of the young lady¡¯s mouth rose to the fullest, as she expressed her satisfaction. ¡°Even if you worked so hard that your bones broke, you wouldn¡¯t ever be able to afford this.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I was so disappointed. You had to be greedy and unaware of your situation.¡± Again, the sound of the young lady¡¯s voice came from a distant place. Rachel stared at her hand, not wanting to see any more of the necklace hidden in Diana¡¯s hand. The necklace was what ruined Rachel. Rachel had never really seen it before. This was the first time she¡¯d even seen the necklace. *** One day, when the ground was slushy with snow that had gradually melted under the spring sun, the young lady came to the hut. Diana told Ian that the duchy was short of manpower and asked him to lend her Rachel for a few days. So, as the young lady requested, Rachel went to work for the duchy for a few days. However, contrary to her claim that she lacked workers, Rachel had little to do. Rachel was in charge of organizing the young lady¡¯s bedroom, but she worked with two other maids, so there was nothing particularly difficult. She thought it was weird. She¡¯d expected the young noblewoman to give her hard work when she¡¯d called her to the Duke¡¯s household, but surprisingly it wasn¡¯t hard at all. She thought that Diana would go out of her way to torment her and cause trouble. Rachel waited for a few days to pass, then returned to the cabin. She thought it would be nice if she could buy a little bit of meat with the wages she¡¯d received from the Duke. But the next day, Rachel was beaten and taken to the dungeon for stealing Miss Avery¡¯s necklace. The missing necklace that was found in Rachel¡¯s baggage. Her jacket was all that was left of her belongings, and from the pocket of that jacket they found the young lady¡¯s necklace. The maids, who¡¯d cleaned up Diana¡¯s bedroom with Rachel, testified that they saw her hanging around the jewelry box, and Rachel instantly became the culprit. No one in the Duke¡¯s household had any intention of listening to Rachel. And it all happened in an instant. The cold stares, the intense beating, and the confinement in the underground prison happened so quickly that Rachel couldn¡¯t even comprehend the situation. While Rachel was unfairly beaten, she never cried out. She just bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed, and shed tears. She knew that no one in the Duke¡¯s household would pity her, even if she cried out. She just wanted to hurry back to the cabin. ¡°Yes, you should¡¯ve done better. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Tak The young lady got up from her seat, and threw something in front of Rachel¡¯s lap. Rachel¡¯s head moved slowly. As if to see what fell in front of her knees. It was a torn doll that fell in front of her, and it used to belong to Rachel. ¡°You¡¯re a beggar.¡± Tap Tap Rachel¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, which soon fell to the ground. ¡°Why are you making such a big deal out of nothing?¡± The young lady looked down at Rachel and said coldly. ¡°Oh, when I told Ian that you stole my necklace, he told me to take care of it.¡± Once again, Miss Avery smirked at Rachel. With one corner of her mouth pulled up, it looked harsh, and didn¡¯t match her rounded cheeks. Chapter 12 *** *** Rachel slowly reached for the ruined doll with tears falling from her eyes. When she grabbed the doll with her trembling hands, Diana slowly walked towards Rachel. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I want.¡± Diana trampled on Rachel¡¯s hands with an expressionless face. Rachel shed tears because of the torn doll while her hands were being stepped on. Maybe she shed tears because she was no longer confident she could go back to the cabin. ¡°A thief, I feel bad for Ian.¡± Rachel hoped that the young lady¡¯s words were false. Like the people who claimed that she¡¯d stolen the necklace, like Diana when she said the household was short of workers and asked to borrow Rachel. ¡°Only one maid, and with such a bad habit.¡± I hoped it was a lie again. ¡°I¡¯m teaching you instead of Ian.¡± I didn¡¯t think it was a lie this time. Even though she didn¡¯t see it, it came to her mind vividly as if she was there with them. Ian¡¯s voice telling Miss Avery to do as she pleased. She could hear his voice, so real and vivid, in her ear. *** Nothing was in Rachel¡¯s hands as she was kicked out of the young lady¡¯s room and returned to the cabin. Neither the torn doll, nor the small piece of meat that Rachel had hoped for, were in her hands. She wasn¡¯t carrying anything, so her steps should¡¯ve been light, but Rachel¡¯s steps toward the cabin were sluggish, as if she were carrying something very heavy. Was it because her calves hadn¡¯t healed? Most of the snow piled up on the path had melted away from the warm sunlight. It was definitely a warm enough day to wet the ground with melted snow. Perhaps because she didn¡¯t have any outerwear, today felt much colder than any other day. The bruised Rachel shivered in the cold wind. It was very cold, her chest felt stuffy, and she wanted to expel something hot that she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Gasp.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t want to lose any more warmth, so she bit her lip. When she finally arrived at the cabin, the sun had already disappeared behind the mountain. She didn¡¯t realize what a mess she was until she arrived at the door to the cabin. Rachel stood there for a while brushing her messy hair with her fingers a few times, then she opened the door to the cabin. Squeak ¡°I¡¯m back¡­ I¡¯m done.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t figure out what to say, so she ended up slurring the end of her sentence. Ian, who had been sitting still and reading when she entered the cabin, closed his book and stood up from his seat at the sound of Rachel¡¯s voice. ¡°¡­.¡± He looked at her with a cold stare, and Rachel¡¯s heart sank as he frowned at her. Ian stifled a sigh and walked silently out of the room, not wanting to be in the same space with her. As if Rachel really was a thief. Rachel¡¯s heart, which had felt hot under his cold stare, chilled. Her heart, which had been trying to pump something hot, was no longer bothering her. ¡°Ha.¡± Rachel shed tears silently like when she was beaten. Squeak She wanted to run away somewhere, but Rachel just closed the door to the cabin. There was nowhere else for her to go unless it was here. There wasn¡¯t a place for a child like her, who had no parents or money. Perhaps because of her fear of the unknown, or perhaps because she hadn¡¯t yet let go of her regrets, Rachel stepped quietly into the house. ¡°¡­that¡¯s too much.¡± The only thing Rachel wanted from Ian was for him to believe in her. She didn¡¯t want him to be angry at Miss Avery, nor did she want him to heal her wounds. Rachel just wanted him to believe that she didn¡¯t steal Miss Avery¡¯s necklace. She wanted him to recognize a little bit of the wounds she¡¯d received at the castle. She wanted to say that she was really scared and that it was unfair. She wanted him to know about the injustice done to her, but there was no one in the cabin to listen to Rachel. After all, she was only the thief who stole the young lady¡¯s necklace. When she was at the duke¡¯s castle, she wanted to return here quickly, but the cottage she arrived at was colder than the dungeon in the duke¡¯s castle. To the point where her heart felt frozen. Rachel wiped the edges of her eyes and realized. That there was nowhere for her to go back to, that no one would welcome her anymore. ¡°This is what happens when someone as vile as you can¡¯t even understand your place, and acts greedy.¡± Come to think of it, everything really was her fault. As Miss Avery said, it was a foolish mistake for her to not understand her place. It was because of her own greed. Rachel couldn¡¯t help crying, and bit her lip hard so that the sound wouldn¡¯t be heard. *** Opening her eyes early in the morning, Rachel walked to the balcony attached to the room. The blue-gray sky, without even a single small breeze, seemed to be somewhat somber. The cold air made it feel like winter would be here soon. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel looked silently at the distant sky. Blinking slowly, Rachel looked at the distant sky for a while with unfocused eyes, then slowly closed her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s all in the past.¡¯ Rachel gave a small shake of her head, as if shaking off the nightmare. Unable to do anything about it, she wiped the tears that were flowing down her face, and took a small breath. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± It was something that she never experienced in this life. She never spent the winter in the cabin at the Avery territory, she never met Diana Avery, and she was never accused of stealing her necklace. So there was no reason to be sad. It was just a bad dream. ¡°Ha, it was just a dream.¡± It was ridiculous to cry about a nightmare at her age. *** That day, like any other day, Rachel ate with Ian. However, Ian spoke up about Rachel¡¯s appearance, who looked weaker than usual that day. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°What?¡± Rachel, who had been stirring her beef soup with a dazed expression on her face, as if she had forgotten that it was mealtime and that Ian was sitting in front of her, asked back in surprise at Ian¡¯s sudden question. Rachel flinched nervously at Ian¡¯s purple eyes, and squeezed the spoon in her hand slightly. ¡°Or you don¡¯t have an appetite? You haven¡¯t eaten a bite.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel agonized for a moment to find a suitable answer to Ian¡¯s question. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ian, who was waiting for Rachel¡¯s answer, spoke again. Ian¡¯s voice, which sounded worried about her as if he was about to stand up and check on her, was foreign to her. It was a voice that didn¡¯t suit Ian at all. Rachel frowned at Ian¡¯s question about whether she was okay, then remembered that it was the emperor who sat in front of her, and quickly erased her expression. ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯m just a little tired because I couldn¡¯t sleep well.¡± Rachel tried to raise the corners of her mouth, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she made the facial expression she wanted. ¡°Why? Do you normally sleep poorly?¡± ¡°No. Originally I was fine, but¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t say that she started to have nightmares after coming here, so she kept quiet. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call a doctor, and get you some medicine.¡± However, even when Rachel said it was okay, Ian insisted on calling one. She shook her head quietly because she felt burdened about meeting a doctor when she wasn¡¯t even sick. ¡°Please don¡¯t fuss over me.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t have a fever, and she wasn¡¯t sick, she just couldn¡¯t sleep. She couldn¡¯t understand what kind of medicine the doctor would have her take. What would she say when the doctor arrived? That she couldn¡¯t sleep? It was clear that she would be laughed at for making up such an absurd fake illness. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Ian looked at Rachel, then gently put down the tableware he was holding. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your denial.¡± Ian took a sip of his water and turned away. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then did Rachel bite her lip. She¡¯d forgotten that she didn¡¯t deserve to refuse the emperor, whether it was his favor or an order. ¡°He¡¯s a talented doctor, so do what he tells you to do. Take the medicine that he gives you.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry I bothered you.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t want to bother Ian, or cause him trouble. His interest was burdensome and uncomfortable for her as well. Rachel quickly scooped up a large spoonful of soup, and put it in her mouth just for show. However, she didn¡¯t really want to eat the soup. It had gone cold a while ago, and didn¡¯t taste very good. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± With a slight frown, Ian said this to Rachel, who seemed to be forcing herself to eat. He was right that she was, but Rachel just lightly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing myself to eat.¡± Then she put a big spoonful of the soup in her mouth again. Ian slowly opened his mouth while he looked at Rachel. ¡°There was a place I wanted to go with you today.¡± ¡°A place you wanted to go to?¡± Rachel, who was trying to force a third spoonful into her mouth, gave a small nod of her head. She couldn¡¯t believe that there was a place that he wanted to go with her. ¡°I¡¯ll put it off until next time since you¡¯re sick.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m fine, so do as you please.¡± Rachel said this before she could even think about Ian taking her into consideration. ¡°As Your Majesty said, I¡¯ll feel better after taking some medicine and resting.¡± Of course it felt uncomfortable when she spent time with him, but it would be inconvenient for Ian if he had to make plans while keeping her in mind. He was the emperor of the empire, and there was no reason for him to be considerate towards her. ¡°Then I will send a carriage to the front of the mansion around 5pm today.¡± Rachel wondered where the carriage was going, and why she had to ride it, but she didn¡¯t ask. Because she knew she had to follow him anyway. Even if she didn¡¯t like the place, she didn¡¯t have a choice. In addition, she wanted to stop eating with Ian. Perhaps because she didn¡¯t sleep well, she was more tired than usual. ¡°Okay.¡± Rachel replied, and nodded slowly. Ian hesitated as if he had something more to say, but eventually he decided not to open his mouth. Rachel quickly pushed the last spoonful into her mouth in front of Ian, who seemed to have finished eating. Chapter 13 *** *** Ian also told her personal maid in the mansion that they were going out in advance, or at least before the carriage arrived at the mansion. The maid dressed Rachel in a beautiful dress, and brushed her hair. Rachel looked awkwardly into the mirror while the maid got her ready. Where was she going? She didn¡¯t know why she had to wear a dress like this, or why she had to wear makeup on her face. Rachel was very uncomfortable, she¡¯d never been attended to by a maid, and didn¡¯t know how to feel about being touched by her. She felt sorry for the maid as well. Seeing that she was being called a lady, she seemed to think that Rachel was a woman from a noble family. In reality, the maid who was brushing her hair was probably of higher status than Rachel. She felt like she was deceiving her, and felt bad for when she found out the truth. She glanced towards the maid, and turned back towards her reflection in the mirror. ¡°¡­.¡± A beautiful dress, which would have easily been worn by a young lady from a noble family, looked ridiculous on her. She looked like a person who was being forced to wear someone else¡¯s clothing. She couldn¡¯t look at herself in the mirror for long, and quickly looked down. Rachel gazed at her unremarkable brown hair, her slightly tanned skin, and her hands, which weren¡¯t soft like the other noble ladies, and quickly closed her eyes. Rachel deliberately erased her expression because she was afraid that she would appear strange to the maid. Rachel looked beautiful, which overshadowed her worries. Her tightly closed mouth and upturned eyes made the woman in the mirror look a little cold, but the edges of her lips were slightly raised, so she didn¡¯t look unsympathetic. ¡°My lady, you¡¯re ready.¡± However, Rachel didn¡¯t look her age. Maybe it was because her calm eyes didn¡¯t have the excitement that a young noblewoman¡¯s eyes would¡¯ve. ¡°Thank you.¡± She thanked her and blinked her eyes slowly, which still looked a little weary even with the makeup. ¡°But your throat looks a little empty. Would you like a necklace?¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment at the maid¡¯s question, and soon nodded. She thought it would be better to follow the maid¡¯s advice. ¡°Well, my lady. Which one would you like?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Rachel looked at the necklaces for a while, then quickly bowed her head in response to the maid¡¯s question. ¡°What about this? I think it¡¯ll look good with your dress today.¡± Only then did Rachel raise her head and nod. For some reason, she felt her face flushed. Rachel sat still as the maid put the cold necklace around her neck. The gemstones, which were usually a bluish green in the sunlight, didn¡¯t seem very bright today. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, my lady.¡± After she finished dressing Rachel, the maid carefully checked her clothes once more and praised Rachel. ¡°Thank you.¡± Rachel raised the corners of her mouth and thanked her again, but she was curious about something. She wondered what this woman thought of her. Did she really think that she was a lady? Did she really think that this dress looked good on her? Rachel wondered if she would still be smiling like she was now after she left the room. But she couldn¡¯t ask, and just curled her lips up. *** When it was time, the carriage that Ian told her about arrived in front of the mansion. Rachel didn¡¯t know where the carriage would take her, but without any hesitation she climbed inside. The sky outside the window of the carriage was turning red as the sun was about to set. A few clouds floated leisurely in the sky, and a cool breeze was telling everyone what the current season was. Rachel stared at the sun in a daze, leaned her head against the carriage wall and closed her eyes. Did we drive for a long time? The sun had completely disappeared and the sky was now black. Neigh The carriage stopped slowly with a small cry from the horse. The door to the carriage opened in front of a magnificent building. Ian stood out in front of the build with an indifferent expression. The sky was already dark, the only light that illuminated Ian was the lamp from the carriage and the faint light leaking from the building, but he was very beautiful even in the darkness. It was the first time for Rachel to see Ian in a tuxedo. He would look good wearing a uniform or rags, but he looked really handsome wearing a black tuxedo with his hair swept back to reveal his forehead. Like a prince, who¡¯d walked out of a fairy tale book. Ian reached out to Rachel silently. As if to help her off the carriage. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel blinked as if embarrassed, but stepped off the carriage with Ian¡¯s help without saying much. The moment she held his hand, Rachel felt her face burning. The emperor was escorting a maid. It didn¡¯t even make sense to her. In addition, Ian was dressed well, and was holding her hand now. Did he wear it just to meet with her? No, she was sure he had something else he¡¯d had to do, because there was no way that Ian wouldn¡¯ve worn that tuxedo just for her. What should she say? ¡°It looks good on you.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Oh, let¡¯s stop.¡± She thought Ian wanted to talk some more, but he quickly stepped inside the large theater, as if he had nothing to say. A large door was visible at the end of the first floor hallway in the grand theater. From the small amount of noise she could hear coming through the door, Rachel glanced around and swallowed a sigh. There was no one in the hall, she was becoming increasingly anxious because she couldn¡¯t get a sense for what this place was for. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Then Ian took hold of Rachel¡¯s hand and led her upstairs. Rachel took a small breath and followed him. As they walked up the hallway with the railings, another door appeared. ¡°We greet His Majesty the Emperor, Sun of the Empire!¡± When Ian stopped in front of one of them, the person guarding the door greeted him with a bow. Ian nodded his head slightly and the man quickly opened the door. Rachel hurried past the man who¡¯d also greeted her. It was obvious that the man had mistaken her for a noblewoman. Rachel¡¯s face heated up once again. At that moment, applause could be heard through the open door. ¡°Follow me. It¡¯s dark, so be careful.¡± Except for the light that was illuminating the stage, there was only darkness inside. Ian skillfully led Rachel to their seats and helped her sit down, then he sat down in his own chair. Rachel sat down, then looked down at the stage and auditorium on the first floor. ¡®This is the place you wanted to take me to?¡¯ Rachel thought for a moment about why he wanted to come here with her. However, her worries didn¡¯t last long as a man walked on stage and waved. ¡°Wow.¡± On the stage, the flowers in the man¡¯s hands disappeared in an instant. The audience on the first floor clapped their hands in amazements, and Rachel gave a small exclamation of surprise. When she saw the magician on stage, Rachel¡¯s eyes, which had been lethargic until she sat down, sparkled. Magic had long since disappeared in the Levskaya Empire. It was said that magic was common a long time ago. Now, after such a long time, magic couldn¡¯t even be seen except for magic tools that were made in the past. Sometimes there were people born with mana, but every year the number was decreasing. The amount of mana they were born with was also decreasing, so there were practically no more wizards. This wasn¡¯t just a problem for the Levskaya Empire, but a global trend. As wizards gradually disappeared, magicians started to appear. Some ignore it, saying it was just a trick of the eye, but most people were amazing and interested in the magic tricks. Rachel belonged to the latter. The first time she saw a magic trick was during her previous life. After she encountered it for the first time, Rachel fell in love with it and followed the person, who showed her the magic trick, for a while. The trick he showed her was how to make a small object disappear, but Rachel clearly remembered that moment. When the magician on the stage waved again, the flowers reappeared in his hands. ¡°Wow.¡± Again, a small exclamation flowed out of Rachel¡¯s mouth. She focused on the stage with her eyes wide open. Her occasional clapping, and the sparkle in her eyes made her look her age. At that age where everything was fascinating and enjoyable. Ian smiled quietly as if satisfied with Rachel¡¯s happy expression. He poured the wine that was next to him, handed it to Rachel, then took a sip of his own. Ian leaned back after he¡¯d poured Rachel a glass of the byzantine wine. He seemed disinterested in the performance, but he was satisfied with the current time he was spending with Rachel. He had a smile on his face until the end of the performance. It would¡¯ve been very surprising to Rachel if she¡¯d turned her head during the performance and seen his face, but Rachel was so preoccupied with watching the magician that she didn¡¯t have time to look at Ian¡¯s face. The carriage that Rachel and Ian were riding in moved as they left the theater. Rachel, who had a childlike smile of innocence on her face when she watched the magic tricks, was now awkwardly looking at Ian¡¯s face again. ¡°Did you like it?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± Rachel felt a small pang of regret that she might¡¯ve been too absorbed in the show. ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty, I had a lot of fun. Thank you.¡± Rachel wasn¡¯t too happy that she had had a good time with Ian, but she thanked him sincerely. ¡°Huh? But where are we going?¡± Rachel looked at Ian in surprise as the carriage passed by the road to the mansion. ¡°It¡¯s late, so you have to eat dinner.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rachel turned her head to the side and looked at the road leading to the mansion where the carriage had passed. Chapter 14 ¡°But the mansion¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go somewhere else today.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She just wanted to go back to the mansion to eat. Until now, she¡¯d been lucky to not encounter people, but she would definitely meet people if she went to a high-end restaurant. He was the emperor, so if she was eating with him, she would definitely attract attention. No one would know her name or face, but if she was with the emperor, it would be just the thing to attract people¡¯s attention. Rachel glanced at Ian. She was sure he didn¡¯t know that either since Ian still looked relaxed and laid back. As if it had nothing to do with him. ¡®Will it be okay?¡¯ People¡¯s eyes felt burdensome, but if Ian wanted to, then it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± ¡°What? No. It¡¯s my first time going there¡­ I want to know what kind of place it is.¡± Ian was looking at Rachel after he¡¯d suddenly asked her that, as if he would change the plans if she didn¡¯t like it. Rachel shook her head in a hurry. No matter how much she thought about it, it would be more uncomfortable if he changed his plan. After all, the man who always put himself first, was being considerate of her. Perhaps this was also included in the interest he¡¯d talked about, but she didn¡¯t want to be cared for at all. If he came back to his senses, she might have to pay everything back. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to be wrong. When he acted so considerate of her, it was as if she¡¯d become something important. In reality, she was sure that she was nothing to him¡­ She didn¡¯t want to suffer anymore. *** Contrary to Rachel¡¯s worries, there was no one in the seafood restaurant other than the employees. She looked around as she was guided to her seat by a server. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no one here.¡± ¡°Yeah, I borrowed it.¡± A restaurant employee helped Ian out of his jacket. Rachel opened her mouth as if surprised by his words, but soon recalled that he was the emperor and quickly shut her mouth. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He was no longer the little prince who ran away with her. He was taller than six years ago when Rachel ran away from him, and many things that he didn¡¯t have then were now in his hands. Time had passed, and much had changed from back then. Her previous life once again loomed vividly. He¡¯d changed a lot from the man she¡¯d once known. Unfortunately, the biggest change would be that he was out of his mind. Otherwise, why would he give a necklace to a maid, let her live a luxurious life in a mansion, and eat in a place like this where lovers would go together. Ian definitely needed treatment, but if she told the emperor that he was crazy and needed help, that would be the end of her life. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat the same thing as you, Your Majesty.¡± Rachel quickly replied that she¡¯d eat the same thing as him since she couldn¡¯t understand the menu. ¡®More than that, where was Miss Avery?¡¯ When Diana came to Rachel¡¯s mind, she frowned. Come to think of it, she didn¡¯t understand why Ian was doing this with her, and not with Miss Avery. Even in this life, Diana and Ian would like each other, just like they did in their past life. Would the young lady find out? That her relationship with Ian was strange. ¡°Will¡­ the young lady become the empress?¡¯ Diana Avery. Rachel was concerned about Ian¡¯s interest in her this time around. She¡¯d never met Diana in this life, so Rachel had no idea what kind of relationship Ian and Diana had this time. But just like in the last life, the two probably fell in love with each other again. ¡®Why me, by the way?¡¯ In his previous life, he was engaged to Miss Avery as soon as he became the crown prince. However, it didn¡¯t seem to be the case in this life. Rachel read the newspaper every day, but she never saw an article saying that the two were engaged. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ Rachel¡¯s face hardened when some ominous thoughts came to mind. Did they stop loving each other? Did Miss Avery and Ian not meet in this life? Because she disappeared. In her previous life, she met Miss Avery while she walked through the forest with Ian and the duke. At that time, I¡¯d fallen down the mountain and gotten hurt, so she¡¯d received help from the young miss. Perhaps he didn¡¯t meet Diana that day because he didn¡¯t go to the forest? Maybe Ian hid himself at the sound of an approaching person because he didn¡¯t need her help? ¡®Was it¡­ because of me?¡¯ In the end, Rachel couldn¡¯t even eat the expensive food properly, and after struggling with her thoughts, she finally shoved the food into her mouth towards the end of the meal. *** Close, too close. Rachel completely stiffened up while she sat next to Ian nervously. If he moved even a little bit, she thought that her body would touch his, so she slouched her shoulders subconsciously. ¡°¡­.¡± Night time had already fallen, and there was nothing to see out the window, but Rachel stubbornly turned her head to look outside. It was better to pretend to focus on something else, then to endure this uncomfortable situation. Fortunately, Ian didn¡¯t seem intent on ending the silence first. In the quiet carriage, Rachel managed a small gulp. ¡®What was he doing now?¡¯ Today was the strangest day she¡¯d ever had. The time Ian and her spent together felt like a date for lovers no matter how much she thought about it. ¡®The interest that his Majesty said was¡­¡¯ Her head was so full of complicated things that it felt like it would burst, but Rachel, who couldn¡¯t rest at all because Ian was in the seat next to her, just blinked. ¡®Was it a rational interest?¡¯ Rachel wasn¡¯t that foolish either. She knew how a man would behave towards a woman he was interested in. Like giving gifts, minor considerations, or going to see her face continuously. Yes, that¡¯s right. The necklace that was given out of the blue, the hand he held out to her, and how he would come to the mansion for every meal. It seemed that this strange time we had spent together today meant that Ian was interested in her as a woman. She tried to ignore those confusing thoughts, reminded herself that it was ridiculous, but he did seem to have a rational interest in her. Her guess was that it was a fleeting interest. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel glanced sideways at Ian, then bowed her head. Everything was so awkward. The mansion that didn¡¯t suit her, nor her soft nightgown and bedding. Even the meals she had with Ian every day. He told her to stay with him until his interest waned. ¡®If you just wanted to keep me by your side, you could¡¯ve just made me a maid at the Imperial palace again.¡¯ He wouldn¡¯t have had to take the time to come here if he¡¯d just called her to be a maid again, nor would he have to give her such fancy things. If he¡¯d used his name, she couldn¡¯t go against it, and she couldn¡¯t say anything even if she was called to serve as a maid. She was a fugitive in the first place. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t understand Ian. Why did he appear in front of her? There must be many beauties and noblewomen around him, so what interest did he find in her. With just one command, he could make everything go his way, so why was he doing these troublesome things? What happened to Miss Avery? She was feeling confused because she couldn¡¯t understand where these uncomfortable feelings were coming from. Rachel¡¯s eyes were closed, and a thin crease appeared between her brows. She was about to sigh, but Rachel pressed her lips together tightly. ¡°¡­.¡± How could she stop Ian if he asked her for what he wanted. If it was going to happen anyway, she hoped that she would be okay with it. *** After a long time with him, the carriage finally returned to the mansion. When the carriage stopped, Ian exited first and reached out to Rachel. Indifferent expression, and confident movements. The emperor¡¯s act of reaching out to a maid as if it was something natural without even the smallest amount of hesitation. Although, she did need help since she was wearing a long dress. ¡°¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t like Ian being considerate towards her. Rachel looked at Ian¡¯s hand, took hold of it half-heartedly, and stepped down. Large, white hands that were different from her own. Rachel let go of his hand in a hurry. ¡°Go in.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, I had a lot of fun today. Please get home safely.¡± The time with him was more difficult and burdensome than enjoyable, but all Rachel could say was that she had fun. Ian stared down at Rachel. ¡°It¡¯s late. Go inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go in after Your Majesty leaves.¡± ¡°¡­I guess.¡± After a long time, Ian nodded quietly and boarded the carriage. The carriage left Rachel behind and drove to the Imperial castle without delay. Rachel, who was watching the carriage leave, stood in place until it disappeared in the distance. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rachel stood there for a long time, then she sighed deeply, as if she could see Ian¡¯s heart. Only when she was trembling from the cold night breeze did Rachel quietly walk into the mansion. *** ¡°Ha¡­¡± In the quiet room, Rachel let out a deep sigh. The emperor was wrong. She was examined by the doctor and took the medicine that was prescribed to her, but Rachel couldn¡¯t sleep that night. Even though she was tired, Rachel tossed and turned, and pulled the blanket over her head. However, it wasn¡¯t that long until dawn, and Rachel knew it. It was time for Ian to come soon. ¡°Phew, I have to get up.¡± She made herself get up, and changed her clothes. Rachel forced herself to put strength into her eyelids, which had become heavy, because she was afraid that Ian would call another doctor if she looked tired. Then she left the room in a hurry to greet him. Chapter 15 In the middle of the meal, Ian spoke up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you bored here?¡± She couldn¡¯t be bored. There wasn¡¯t enough time in the day to prepare to deal with Ian, who was coming in the morning and evening. In his absence, she didn¡¯t have enough time to think about why he¡¯d changed like this, or what the heck he wanted from her. She had no time to feel relaxed because she was too anxious. ¡°Is there anything you want to learn?¡± However, Ian seemed to be worried that Rachel really was bored. ¡°You can¡¯t just read books every day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not bored.¡± Ian looked at Rachel silently again. But soon enough he moved his eyes away and spoke again. ¡°Still, if you need anything, tell the butler anytime.¡± Rachel nodded quietly. Silence fell between them again. She ate with Ian twice a day, but only a few words were spoken between them. She didn¡¯t understand why he was overcoming the hassle and coming to this mansion to eat when she had nothing to say. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel glanced at Ian, who looked as relaxed and laid back as usual. She didn¡¯t think he was that crazy. Rachel still had no idea what he was thinking. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± When their meal was about to end, Rachel spoke up cautiously. ¡°Your Majesty, can I go to the plaza or market?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do it alone.¡± However, Ian shook his head before Rachel could finish asking. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He¡¯d acted like he¡¯d give her everything she wanted. But he firmly refused without a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°What about if I went with the butler?¡± ¡°Just you and the butler?¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t do that either.¡± Again, Ian shook his head without considering it at all. She wasn¡¯t kidding with him, so why did he tell her to just ask for what she wanted? ¡°If you want to go to the market, go with me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go with me.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Rachel blinked in confusion, and replied quietly. She didn¡¯t expect that, and now she was able to clearly recognize her situation. It seemed that she was being detained at this mansion. *** Rachel, who was left alone after Ian left, returned to her room and laid down on her bed. She wondered if she could sleep a little bit. ¡°Haa. I somehow got caught.¡± As soon as she closed her eyes, a sigh she¡¯d been patiently holding in escaped her. How did she end up in this situation? She missed her life in Ravenna. It wasn¡¯t a big house, but she¡¯d filled it up herself. Although she¡¯d gained little compared to her efforts, it was a small home that she¡¯d worked hard on. She missed Thomas¡¯ chubby cheeks, and the warm smile of the fruit store lady. Dean, who was so pure and innocent, would blush and often stutter nervously when standing in front of her. Rachel missed him, who was always so awkward. But she¡¯ll never see them again. Even if Ian¡¯s interest in her waned, she would never be able to return to Ravenna again. She had to leave to a place where no one knew her. But Rachel didn¡¯t know where to go unless it was Ravenna. She was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t be able to adapt well there. Would she be able to meet kind and friendly people again like she did in Ravenna? She was worried that such great luck wouldn¡¯t come to her again. There would probably be no luck like that this time. ¡°¡­I miss you.¡± Only then did Rachel realize she liked the people of Ravenna more than she thought. Unlike her pledge to never get attached to anyone. She belatedly realized that she¡¯d already given them her heart. *** ¡°My Lady.¡± At the Duke of Avery¡¯s residence. Anna, the personal maid, hurried up to Diana as she stepped off the carriage. At that same time, she looked worried that she was in danger of being attacked. ¡°D*mn it.¡± Diana¡¯s curly blonde hair was pulled back to reveal her neckline, and her white neck had turned bright red. ¡°My lady, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Anna asked in a cautious voice, and took the fan from Diana¡¯s hand. With her shoulders hunched, the maid looked at Diana¡¯s face. ¡°He refused again today.¡± ¡°Then again today, His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Argh! So annoying!¡± Diana snapped loudly at Anna¡¯s question, as if she was angry. The maids of the Duke¡¯s mansion looked uncomfortable, and glanced at the young lady¡¯s face. The servants knew from years of experience that when Diana was angry, nothing good came from being around her. In particular, the maids left in her vicinity would act cautiously. They knew if they made a mistake, not even their bones would be able to heal. ¡°Why is he so busy?¡± Diana swept her hair back roughly. ¡°How can he do this to me? How could he ignore me like this!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ha, he said I shouldn¡¯t go there like that again!¡± Anna nodded carefully to the angry Diana. ¡°Do you know what he said to me? It¡¯s going to be the last time that it ends nicely!¡± Diana took off her white gloves, and threw them away. ¡°And he said that through his assistant!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Am I bothering him?¡± ¡°No way. How could he be bothered by a beautiful woman like you.¡± Anna shook her head slowly. ¡°Then why won¡¯t he meet me?¡± ¡°His Majesty must be busy.¡± Anna slowly fanned Diana, who was still overheated. ¡°I think it¡¯s because there¡¯s a lot to deal with after the war.¡± ¡°But how could he do that to me?¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± Anna seemed embarrassed for a while, and only gave a brief response to Diana. ¡°He ran away to our territory, and we saved his life. It¡¯s all thanks to me that he was able to stay alive.¡± As if her anger had subsided a little after Anna listened to her, Diana made a face at the maid using the fan. After that Anna became more enthusiastic about fanning. ¡°He must be crazy.¡± Diana cursed Ian, then opened her eyes wide. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Anna¡¯s shoulders gave a small shiver as Diana suddenly raised her body. ¡°Ian couldn¡¯t like a girl other than me, right?¡± ¡°No way. There¡¯s no one more beautiful than the young miss in the whole empire.¡± Anna shook her head as if it was ridiculous. ¡°Right. That¡¯s true.¡± Anna replied sincerely with an answer that would please Diana. ¡°In addition, there isn¡¯t a single man who doesn¡¯t like the young miss.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Diana nodded arrogantly at the compliment she¡¯d received. ¡°If His Majesty had a wife, of course it would be the young miss. There¡¯s no one among the nobility or empire that suits His Majesty better than you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°¡­His Majesty and the young miss have a special relationship.¡± Only then did Diana nod slowly. ¡°Right. It¡¯s all thanks to me that he was able to live by hiding in our territory.¡± As if she was satisfied. ¡°Now that the war is over, Ian will have to participate in various balls. The other noble ladies will act greedy.¡± ¡°Before that, you want to confirm that you have a relationship with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want to lose what¡¯s mine to someone else.¡± Diana raised her eyes fiercely again. ¡°I need to set things straight before people, who don¡¯t know any better, start acting like thieves!¡± Anna blinked for a moment, and slowly opened her mouth. ¡°I think it¡¯s because His Majesty is so busy that it¡¯s hard for him to make time to meet the young miss.¡± Anna carefully checked Diana¡¯s expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make an appointment in advance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t make an appointment. Even if I send a message, he always says no. Are you telling me I should sit down and wait?¡± ¡°¡­But you come back without meeting him every time you visit.¡± Anna concluded her words while looking at Diana¡¯s face. ¡°Ha¡­¡± What should she do to meet Ian? Diana sighed as if she was frustrated. ¡°Hey, why are you still hanging around? Hurry up, get out already.¡± She glared at Anna and rebuked her. Diana didn¡¯t like the situation that wasn¡¯t going the way she wanted, and she was taking it poorly. ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Anna could hardly guess her whims, but she left the room without saying much as if she was familiar with it. *** ¡°Your Majesty, Miss Avery just left.¡± There was a dark shadow over Harmond¡¯s face, who¡¯d returned to the office after being away for a long time. ¡°Why does she act like she can just meet His Majesty?¡± Harmond shook his head as if he was fed up. ¡°Ha, I can¡¯t communicate with that young lady.¡± Diana acted as if she was the emperor¡¯s fianc¨¦e. He couldn¡¯t understand how she could treat Ian so lightly, and visit the emperor of an empire casually without a basic reason. If Ian sent a notice of rejection, she should know how to give up. Did she think he¡¯d meet with her if she just showed up? ¡°Her angry voice is still ringing in my ears.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Has she ever learned etiquette?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, are you even listening to me?¡± Whose fault was it that he¡¯d returned to the office after suffering so much? Ian didn¡¯t seem to have any interest in Harmond, who¡¯d just returned from being tormented by Diana. ¡°Did you properly deliver the message?¡± ¡°Yes, I told her not to come again.¡± ¡°Then we won¡¯t see each other anymore.¡± Ian spoke without glancing up from his documents. ¡°She won¡¯t give up like this. She¡¯ll bother you again somehow.¡± Harmond glanced at Ian, who was looking down at the papers in front of him, and quietly sighed. He couldn¡¯t understand why he should be forced to suffer between the two of them. Chapter 16 Ian wasn¡¯t interested in Diana at all, where the heck did she get the confidence to push so much. She had a pretty face, but she was a woman who couldn¡¯t be understood with basic common sense. ¡°¡­.¡± Harmond glanced at Ian, who was checking his documents without saying a word. He was sure that Ian was concentrating so hard to finish his work quickly so he could go see her again. He felt exhausted just thinking about when Diana found out that Ian had a woman other than her, and how that would turn out. Ian had no interest in her, and in a way Harmond felt a little sorry for Diana, who firmly believed that Ian was hers. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Shuffle, shuffle Ian checked the documents without saying a word. Harmond sat in place as if the current situation was very unfair and stared at Ian silently. He¡¯d suffered so much from Miss Avery¡¯s actions, he was literally exhausted. But far from saying that he worked hard, the emperor had no interest in him. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any strength left in my body to look at the documents anymore.¡± Harmond moved his body in an exaggerated manner, as if to get Ian¡¯s attention. ¡°And?¡± Harmond¡¯s whining worked, as Ian raised his head from his paperwork. ¡°My head is dizzy because I¡¯ve been suffering so much because of Miss Avery. I don¡¯t think I can help with anything.¡± ¡°Huh, so?¡± ¡°I want to get some fresh air and some sweets¡­¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Ian cut off Harmond¡¯s complaining. ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to.¡± Ian looked as if it didn¡¯t bother him at all. ¡°The preparations for the festival are almost over. There¡¯s nothing for you to do, so go ahead and do it now. I¡¯ll take care of what needs to be done by today.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do the rest tomorrow.¡± Harmond¡¯s breath caught in his throat, as if he were moved by Ian¡¯s words. At last, Ian seemed to have recognized his hard work, and tears began forming in his eyes. ¡°But there are still a lot of people watching, so come back by six o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°On the way back, stop by a bakery in the capital and get some strawberry cake.¡± ¡°Strawberry¡­ cake?¡± Why does he want a strawberry cake? It was a request that didn¡¯t suit Ian, who didn¡¯t like sweets. ¡°Your Majesty, are you hungry?¡± Harmond looked back at his memories and cocked his head, wondering when his boss had changed his preferences. ¡°¡­.¡± However, Ian had no intention of solving Harmond¡¯s trivial question, he just finished what he said and went back to his work. ¡°Your Majesty, no way¡­¡± Harmond¡¯s mouth opened wide in shock as if he¡¯d realized something. ¡°Are you going to bring it to her?¡± Harmond looked shocked. He didn¡¯t even have time to collect his expression as he instantly imagined Ian holding a small cake box and handing it to a woman. He couldn¡¯t believe that he cared so much for another person. That fact was astonishing. ¡°Harmond, do you want to work more?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Harmond shook his head. ¡°No way.¡± Harmond quickly controlled his expression after a brief glare from Ian. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go right away.¡± As Harmond tried to leave the office with his jacket, he slowed down as if he remembered something. ¡°Shall I deliver it to her myself, Your Majesty? I¡¯m confident I can get it to her quickly, when the cake is at its freshest.¡± ¡°¡­What do you think I¡¯ll say?¡± Harmond¡¯s eyes, which had been sparkling with anticipation, gradually lost their light. ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± Harmond replied in a sullen voice. ¡°And?¡± Ian nodded quietly and asked. ¡°¡­.¡± Harmond was preoccupied with trying to come up with another answer that his boss would like. ¡°You want me to go away now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The smart Harmond found Ian¡¯s favorite answer right away this time. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Harmond bowed his head dejectedly, and left the office after he gave a feeble response. *** Ian had just left, and Rachel looked down at the small white box in her hands. ¡°Cake. You still seem to like it.¡± Then Ian handed the box over to her. ¡°Because I still seem to like it?¡± He seemed to be talking about when they went to the seafood restaurant. ¡®Did I eat a lot of dessert that day?¡¯ Rachel looked down at the box, tilting her head as she tried to remember. The name of a famous bakery in the capital was on the white box. Rachel carefully inspected the box with her fingers. She hadn¡¯t had a cake from there in a very long time. ¡°My lady, do you want to eat it now?¡± The maid carefully asked Rachel, who was staring blankly at the box. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Would you like some tea?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel nodded her head slightly, and handed over the cake box to the maid who was reaching for it. ¡°¡­.¡± For some reason, Rachel¡¯s eyes lingered on the maidservant as she left with the box. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel was watching the back of the maid in a daze. She blinked her eyes, unsure of where she should go to wait for the cake. Rachel thought about where to go, the drawing room or her bedroom, then finally decided to go up to her bedroom. ¡®His Majesty¡­¡¯ Still she didn¡¯t know what Ian was thinking. Maybe it changed like this from the previous life because of her actions. All she did was abandon Ian and run away, so she wondered why he came for her and was so kind to her. Ian Dakendov. Rachel thought she would never see him again, and when she did see him again, he was incredibly attentive to her. Of course, the way he looked at her still seemed indifferent and insensitive. His eyes didn¡¯t look at her the way someone would look at a lover, but his behavior towards her was definitely different from his previous life. It was probably because of that interest that she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡®He has a superior position, but he leaves so many women behind just to come here¡­¡¯ Knock Knock While Rachel was frowning over Ian, the maid brought a silver tray with cake and black tea on it. ¡®Strawberries.¡¯ It was Rachel¡¯s favorite strawberry cake. Fresh strawberries on top of a white cake, with powdered sugar on top of it. Rachel¡¯s gaze moved along the cake that has a beautiful and appetizing appearance. Rachel¡¯s eyes shined as she forgot all of her worries about Ian, and she coveted the cake in front of her. *** That night, Rachel had a vivid dream in which she took the form of a child. The little girl¡¯s eyes were raised coyly as she sat on the edge of a chair that was much larger than her body. The chair was so high that the child¡¯s feet didn¡¯t touch the ground, and were dangling in the air. Rachel looked at the cake on the tea table with eyes full of expectations. But she quickly closed her lips tightly and turned away. Then a voice came from behind Rachel¡¯s back. ¡°Go ahead and eat.¡± ¡°Can I really eat this?¡± Rachel turned around in the chair and looked at Ian, as if asking for permission once again. ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it multiple times.¡± It was a different voice from the Ian, who¡¯d become the emperor. His voice was slightly higher and clearer. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat it, then get down.¡± ¡°No, I want to eat it!¡± Rachel shook her head urgently at his slightly chilly and cold tone. Afraid of missing out on the cake in front of her, Rachel shook her head hastily and grabbed her fork. ¡°¡­.¡± Even though she¡¯d answered decisively that she would eat, the child didn¡¯t want to damage the beautiful white cake. ¡°Ha, just come down.¡± Rachel, who¡¯d been sitting still for a while and staring at the cake, heard the boy¡¯s cold voice again behind her. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to eat it now.¡± She muttered, and quickly stuffed a piece of cake in her mouth. Rachel filled her mouth with cake, but her brow furrowed. ¡°Mmm!¡± A small, high voice flowed through her red lips, as if thrilled by the soft, sweet cake. ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡± Ian took his eyes off his book, and looked quietly at the back of the little girl¡¯s head. The girl kicked the air excitedly, and her little legs swayed in the air. There was a smile on the tip of Ian¡¯s lips. But he soon shook his head, and turned back to his book again. ¡°Hmm.¡± Rachel soon finished eating the cake, prepared to carefully hop down from the chair, while she licked her lips. Ian got up from his seat and approached Rachel when she made a small sound, as if she was having difficulty getting down from such a high place. However, Rachel¡¯s toes touched the ground faster than he could arrive. Rachel pushed the chair she¡¯d sat on back into its place, and turned her head towards Ian. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? You got it all over your mouth.¡± Ian raised an eyebrow. Ian, who was slightly taller than Rachel, lifted his heels and picked up a handkerchief from on the other side of the table. Rachel wiped her mouth with her sleeves, grabbed Ian¡¯s hand, and left her face to him. ¡°Uh, thank you.¡± With his touch, Rachel smiled brightly. ¡°Who¡¯s taking care of who?¡± Ian clicked his tongue, and put his handkerchief back on the table. While the boy grumbled as if he was bothered, his expression didn¡¯t seem to be angry at all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ian shrugged at Rachel, who was smiling foolishly, then went back to his place and picked up the book. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel, who was still looking at Ian, turned her eyes towards the window in the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Go and memorize.¡± He ordered briefly. ¡°But it¡¯s too hard.¡± The little Rachel whined, then furrowed her brows as if it was unfair. ¡°I want to stop for the day.¡± ¡°What did you do for so long that you want to stop?¡± Ian frowned as if she was being absurd. He even gave her cake, but instead of working hard, she wanted to quit. ¡°But¡­¡± She looked at Ian as if she was embarrassed, then Rachel pouted and cried. ¡°But¡­¡± Rachel, who couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, glanced at Ian¡¯s expression. Chapter 17 *** *** One, two, three. Had it been three seconds? Ian sighed and opened his mouth. ¡°Okay, come here.¡± He knew what Rachel wanted. Ian sighed quietly as if he couldn¡¯t help it, and tapped the seat next to him with a small chubby white hand. Only then did Rachel smile again, and sit close to him. As Rachel sat next to him, Ian put down the thick book he was reading and opened up a thin fairy tale book that was lying around. ¡°A long time ago, there lived three bears.¡± Then, with a short sigh, he began to recite the fairy tale. The voice of the boy resonated in the quiet room. Rachel scooted even closer to Ian, as if trying to see the illustrations in the book, and stuck her face close to the picture. ¡°Hey, go away. I can¡¯t see it.¡± Ian sighed again, pushed Rachel¡¯s head with his hand and said. ¡°Stay still.¡± He cautioned again like a parent who was reprimanding an unruly child, and then read the book again. ¡°The bear family lived in a strong and huge house.¡± Red sunlight was coming through the window of the room. The sun had already fallen close to the horizon, and had colored the sky with red as if it was squeezing the last of the light. Rachel pretended to look at the picture and got close to Ian again. The little Ian frowned as if he was bothered, but he didn¡¯t push Rachel away this time. *** Ian Dakendov, the emperor of the Levskaya Empire, was leaving the Imperial Castle alone shortly after dawn. In the early morning, the deserted streets were still, and the only noise on the quiet street was the sound of horses¡¯ hooves. Ian¡¯s muscular black horse was walking on it¡¯s own, as if it had already gotten used to walking this route. The hair on Ian¡¯s horse was swaying gently along with the light breeze and the horse¡¯s movements. The autumn morning air, the sunshine and the wind. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, but there seemed to be a sense of urgency in the air. His violet-purple eyes were a little red, as if he had missed sleep, and his face seemed a little pale. He exhaled tiredly, and squeezed his eyes shut. After some time had passed. Neigh The emperor¡¯s clever black horse cried once when he arrived at his destination. ¡°Good job.¡± Ian only opened his eyes then, and stroked the black horse. He handed over his horse¡¯s reins to a waiting attendant. Ian stepped into the mansion a little more urgently than usual. However, the moment he opened the front door, he frowned in disappointment. He looked around for a moment as if he was looking for someone. ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up yet, Your Majesty. Should I wake her?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ian gave a small shake of his head at the butler¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± Ian looked around once again, and walked to the drawing room. The butler, who followed Ian to the drawing room, quietly began to report to him after Ian sat on the sofa. ¡°The lady spent most of the day in her room. She took a short walk around the garden as well.¡± Ian remained quiet with an expressionless face while the butler made his report. ¡°She has trouble talking to the servants, and spends most of her time alone. If she¡¯s bored, it seems that she reads books.¡± At first glance, he seemed indifferent to the butler¡¯s words, but Ian¡¯s violet eyes were contemplating something. ¡°She hasn¡¯t said she needs anything yet.¡± The butler, who¡¯d been reporting the day¡¯s events for a while, glanced at the clock and closed his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s very late. Should I wake her up?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just finish the report.¡± Ian, who¡¯d been still for a long time, shook his head slightly. He didn¡¯t want to wake Rachel up, who only recently said that she wasn¡¯t sleeping well these days. He would¡¯ve liked to see her face before he left. Well, he should be able to see her in the evening. Ian stared down at his palm, looked away, and clenched his hand. *** Rachel had slept in late for the first time in a long time, but the bright sunshine made her turn over in bed and stretch. She suddenly realized that it had been a long time since the sun had risen, so she quickly washed her face and changed her clothes. Dadada. ¡°Butler, His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°His Majesty has just left.¡± The butler bowed his head slightly and greeted Rachel. ¡°Did he eat alone?¡± Rachel hesitated before asking that. ¡°No, he said it was too late, and left after waiting for you.¡± ¡°Then he didn¡¯t even eat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why¡­ didn¡¯t he wake me up.¡± Ian had waited for her. She was confused about why she was bothered by the fact that he hadn¡¯t even eaten. ¡°His Majesty told me not to wake you up.¡± ¡°His Majesty said that?¡± The butler nodded, and opened his mouth again. ¡°My lady, shall we prepare a meal?¡± Rachel nodded silently with a face lost in thought. Obviously, it would be nice to be able to eat comfortably without looking at Ian¡¯s expression, but she wasn¡¯t very happy. Rachel felt uncomfortable when she heard that he had left without eating, and she felt a little strange about his consideration. ¡®You came all the way here, but you didn¡¯t wake me up.¡¯ As expected, she couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. Come to think of it, he was strange since he was young. He¡¯d personally taught a maid how to write. He¡¯d taught her, a maid of the Imperial palace, the exclusive skill of the privileged class. She didn¡¯t know what he was thinking, but thanks to that, Rachel was able to live without any difficulty making money. ¡®Come to think of it, he often gave me cake.¡¯ He used to give Rachel treats, telling her to eat them herself because he wasn¡¯t interested in sweets, but he knew that Rachel was. He prepared it for her on purpose. ¡®If you keep being so kind like this¡­¡¯ ¡°My Lady, the meal has been prepared, and is waiting in the dining room.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± She heard the maid calling out to her, so Rachel shook her head to empty her mind about Ian. *** ¡°His Majesty, is here?¡± By the time Ian arrived, Rachel was waiting for him with the other servants at the front door. She bowed her head to Ian, who¡¯d just entered. ¡°Your Majesty, I heard you left without even eating a meal this morning. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Ian looked at Rachel indifferently, and soon turned his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t that hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± Rachel bowed her head again. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian winced as if he had something to say to Rachel, but eventually did not open his mouth. ¡°Hmm? Your Majesty?¡± Rachel, who belatedly raised her head and confirmed Ian¡¯s expression, frowned slightly. ¡°Are you uncomfortable? Your eyes¡­¡± His eyes were a little red. Rachel took a few worried steps towards Ian because his eyes were covered with standing veins. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Ian said this to the approaching Rachel as he turned his head towards her. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel turned her head away from him. She blinked, a little flustered by Ian having turned towards her, and took another step back. ¡°Oh, I enjoyed the cake Your Majesty gave me. Thank you.¡± ¡°Tell the butler if you want more.¡± Ian nodded his head slightly, and walked towards the dining room. After Rachel entered the dining room after Ian, and sat down in a chair, Ian opened his mouth. ¡°Countess Achille will be here tomorrow.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard she¡¯s a talented tutor.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t understand what Ian was saying, and blinked in confusion. ¡°Learn some basic manners. Meal etiquette, and the culture of tea parties.¡± The etiquette while eating, and the culture of teas and cakes. He wanted her to learn the manners of the aristocrats? Rachel could only nod. ¡°Your Majesty? I don¡¯t understand what you want.¡± ¡°Learn the manners of the nobles.¡± Rachel frowned. ¡°¡­Why?¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t stand it, and asked a question. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­ If Your Majesty wants me to do something, I¡¯ll do it, but I don¡¯t understand why¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need it.¡± Ian gave a brief answer, but it didn¡¯t really answer Rachel¡¯s question. She couldn¡¯t understand why she needed to know aristocratic etiquette. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± However, Rachel just nodded because she thought Ian would be bothered if she asked again. Once again, things were going in a direction that Rachel couldn¡¯t understand, but she just nodded again this time. *** Inside the red roofed mansion. Rachel was learning how to walk like an aristocrat. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel straightened her back, pulled her chin up and looked at her tutor, Countess Achille, who was teaching her how to be a lady. The gentle-faced countess nodded as if she¡¯d done well. Rachel stepped lightly as if she had gained strength from her smile. ¡°You¡¯re so good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The countess quickly removed the book off of Rachel¡¯s head, and praised her. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more I can teach you.¡± Rachel smiled gently, and she took a moment to bask in her praise. This was also the way that such a walk was learned from an early age by the children of the nobility. Rachel felt somewhat embarrassed that she, an adult, was being praised for imitating something that even a five or six year old could learn. ¡°How can you learn so perfectly in one try?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You learn so fast.¡± However, Countess Achille seemed to be impressed by Rachel, who was quick to pick up her teachings. In reality, Rachel had never learned the manners of aristocrats, but she had seen the way they moved and spoke with side glances while she stood beside Ian and Diana. How the nobles walked and talked. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t that difficult for Countess Achille to teach her. However, even though she moved her body skillfully and elegantly like an aristocrat, Rachel still seemed to be awkward in this kind of graceful behavior when she compared herself to the Countess. Chapter 18 ¡°What should I teach you next¡­ I¡¯m worried.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you Countess Achille.¡± ¡°Oh my. I never thought you¡¯d be so well-mannered. I think our class is going to be over far too soon.¡± Rachel touched her hair awkwardly as if it was difficult to hear such compliments. Rachel, who was blushing and feeling embarrassed, slowly shut her mouth. ¡°This is the end of today¡¯s class.¡± The Countess approached Rachel quietly and slowly. ¡°You have to look right into a person¡¯s eyes. Don¡¯t avoid looking at me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No matter how perfectly you walk, if you don¡¯t have the confidence in your eyes, it¡¯s all for nothing.¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°Unless your rank is below the other lady, never lower your head.¡± Countess Achille raised Rachel¡¯s chin slightly with a careful touch. ¡°Like this.¡± Rachel nodded awkwardly again. She was about to bow her head down again, but forced her head up. ¡°Please hold my gaze right now. You seem to be shy, but with a few practice sessions, you will soon get better.¡± The Countess held Rachel¡¯s chin with her hand with a compassionate smile that was uniquely hers. Rachel¡¯s face stiffened, as she felt awkward and uncomfortable, but she immediately straightened her gaze as the Countess had said. ¡°You¡¯ve already gotten a lot better.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± No matter how uncomfortable and difficult it was, she had no choice but to follow the order. *** The first class with Countess Achille was over after she reviewed what she¡¯d learned. ¡°My lady, I¡¯ll be on my way now.¡± As soon as the Countess left, Rachel fell on her bed as if she was tired. ¡°Almost¡­¡± Rachel let out a small sigh. She had no idea who the heck the other people thought she was. ¡°Unless your rank is below the other lady, never lower your head.¡± According to the Countess¡¯ words just now, Rachel should¡¯ve kept her head down throughout the class with her. She was a countess, and Rachel was a commoner. However, the Countess raised her chin, and told her not to bow down to someone lower than her. ¡®Who does she think I am?¡¯ Did that mean Rachel was a higher rank than the Countess? Was that what Countess Achille was thinking? ¡°Huh, what the heck is going on here?¡± Rachel sighed deeply again. She didn¡¯t understand Ian, who said she¡¯d need noble etiquette, nor the Countess, who told her to raise her chin and to never lower her head. She had a headache from trying to understand what Ian was thinking. ¡®Don¡¯t lower your head.¡¯ What the Countess taught her was the opposite of what she¡¯d learned so far. Since she was very young, she¡¯d been taught to lower her head. Even when she¡¯d first entered the Imperial palace, and received her maid education. The first thing Rachel learned was to lower her head. Don¡¯t look at her master face to face, but lower her head. Don¡¯t stare at her master¡¯s face unnecessarily, and don¡¯t raise her eyes. Those were the first things she¡¯d learned as a maid. But now, she wasn¡¯t to lower her head, and she was to maintain eye contact. ¡°¡­.¡± What was Ian saying to people about her? A dark shadow formed over Rachel¡¯s face. Rachel pursed her lips in concern, and sighed deeply. *** Knock Knock ¡°Come in.¡± Anna opened Diana¡¯s door after taking a deep breath. ¡°My Lady, you got a reply from the Imperial palace.¡± ¡°Do you have it?¡± ¡°Yes, here.¡± At Anna¡¯s words, Diana hurried over and picked up the letter. Tear Diana ripped the envelope open as if she couldn¡¯t stand to wait even for a moment. ¡°¡­.¡± Diana¡¯s gold eyes moved busily. But as she read, her face hardened. ¡°My Lady? What did His Majesty say?¡± Anna quickly stopped talking to Diana, who was biting her lip. She didn¡¯t think that the reply was good. ¡°Read it yourself!¡± Diana pushed the letter into Anna¡¯s face angrily. If the distance had been a little closer, Anna would have definitely been struck on the face by Diana¡¯s hand. Anna received the letter from Diana without saying a word, as if she was familiar with this. ¡°¡­.¡± The reply to Diana was a short message of rejection. [Unfortunately, His Majesty has a tight schedule due to State affairs. I am sure that Lady Avery understands this well. Also, I don¡¯t think you should expect a reply in the future.] Diana frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I should be able to meet Ian if I sent a letter like this?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, My Lady.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even a letter from Ian himself! It¡¯s from his assistant Harmond!¡± DIana stared at the maid with resentment. ¡°Your silly advice made me a laughingstock.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lady.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve ruined my reputation!¡± Even though Anna apologized, she stared at the maid for a while as if she was still angry. Diana¡¯s reputation had been ruined since she¡¯d made a fuss when she visited the Imperial palace on her own and demanded to see the emperor without any appointment, but she didn¡¯t seem to be aware of that fact. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, My Lady.¡± It was unfair, but Anna could only bow her head deeply and apologize. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you, get out now!¡± Anna hurried out of the room as Diana was shouting at her to do exactly that. ¡°AHH! So annoying!¡± Diana, who was still angry for a long time even after Anna left, tore the letter to pieces. She gasped for breath, her face flushed red. ¡°I helped you, and you dare!¡± Her neatly manicured nails were digging into Diana¡¯s white hands, but she put more pressure on her hands like someone who didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of pain. ¡°Even Father wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Ian, a child who ran away six years ago without anything. It was the Avery family who hid him, who was young and poor. Didn¡¯t he hide in her family¡¯s territory, while they kept him safe? So he was indebted to her and her family. She also couldn¡¯t believe he was the emperor now. When Ian Dakendov became the emperor, Diana believed that it was she who would be the empress. Who else should be the empress other than the daughter of Duke Avery, who helped the emperor when he was running for his life? ¡°How can you repay my kindness like this? Are you betraying me?¡± Ian seemed to have no intention of giving her the position of empress. He didn¡¯t seem to care even a little bit about her. ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can do this.¡± Diana had no intention of letting Ian go. So far, she¡¯d never let go of what she thought was hers. There had never been a time when she couldn¡¯t get what she wanted. He would end up in her hands. Diana tugged on the bell-pull aggressively. *** The Emperor¡¯s Office The emperor¡¯s aide, Harmond, frowned to the fullest as if he¡¯d seen something that he couldn¡¯t believe, and soon blinked vigorously. ¡°¡­.?¡± Ian was trying to keep his face expressionless, but his lips were slightly raised and even his cheeks. They were more puffed up. Ian Dakendov. He was smiling. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The look didn¡¯t suit Ian at all. Harmond had never seen him smile during his time with Ian. Even when he won the war or received great cheers from the people. Even when he became the emperor. He still had an indifferent and expressionless face. The expression of deep calm caused him to look as if he wasn¡¯t interested in anything, like he couldn¡¯t feel emotions. It was definitely like that. But Ian was smiling right now. ¡°Should I call a doctor?¡± ¡°What?¡± In an instant, the smile disappeared from Ian¡¯s mouth. ¡°You looked uncomfortable.¡± Ian glanced at Harmond and shook his head slightly. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°¡­I see. I must have seen it wrong.¡± Harmond mumbled to himself that he¡¯d seen it incorrectly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought Your Majesty was smiling. I was mistaken.¡± Ian frowned as he looked at Harmond. ¡°Why do you want to call a doctor because I¡¯m smiling?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Harmond¡¯s eyes moved busily as if embarrassed by Ian¡¯s question. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± As if he realized that any excuse would sound ridiculous, Harmond gently bowed his head and regretted his mistake. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Just work.¡± He couldn¡¯t work after hearing this. Harmond¡¯s mouth hung open blankly. It was obvious that he¡¯d said he was in a good mood. He thought Ian didn¡¯t feel anything. He seemed to have fallen in love properly. ¡°Is it because of her? The reason why Your Majesty smiled.¡± For a moment, Ian frowned a little bit around his eyes. Harmond¡¯s interest in Rachel seemed to make him feel uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯ve told you to work.¡± ¡°¡­But.¡± When Ian looked at Harmond fiercely, the aide nodded and bowed deeply. Harmond¡¯s hands quickly busied themselves with rummaging through the papers. *** The sun had gone down, and Ian arrived at the mansion again. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian looked at Rachel, who was sitting in front of him. She was in a good mood that morning. She¡¯d talked longer, and walked closer than usual. But she didn¡¯t seem to feel comfortable now. Rachel had returned to her original expressionless and thoughtful face, just as she did when she first came to the capital. When they walked together, she consciously tried to widen the space between them. Did something bad happen to her? Or does it hurt somewhere? Ian¡¯s purple eyes sank lower. His eyes moved slowly along until it reached Rachel¡¯s spoon, which was moving pointlessly. ¡°¡­How was your day?¡± When the meal was almost over, Ian opened his mouth. Chapter 19 ¡°What did you do today? With the Countess.¡± ¡°Oh, I learned about basic steps today.¡± Ian nodded his head slightly. ¡°Did you like it?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rachel blinked without understanding Ian¡¯s question. What the heck did I like? Today¡¯s meal? Time with him? ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Rachel didn¡¯t understand what he was asking, she had trouble speaking up, and looked at Ian quietly. Ian was looking down at his wine glass, and as he waited for an answer while he looked endlessly bored. She didn¡¯t think he was interested in the current conversation at all. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the Countess. Was there anything uncomfortable?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable because the Countess was kind.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t understand why he was asking her these things in detail when he wasn¡¯t interested. If she said she was uncomfortable, what would be the difference? What did he mean, was her time with the Countess uncomfortable? What did he mean, was he asking her if she liked the time she spent with her? That was a strange question. It was an odd kind of question to ask someone like her. It was Ian¡¯s order that she spend time with the Countess, so she just had to endure it. It wasn¡¯t important whether she liked her time with Countess Achille or not. It wasn¡¯t her decision. Rachel bit the inside of her mouth as if she was uncomfortable. However, Rachel was still sitting in front of Ian in the dining room. This was also something she had to endure. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel glanced at Ian. In a little while, he would return to the Imperial palace. She had to ask before that. As the time approached, her heart pounded unsteadily. Her hands were shaking little by little, and her palms were already damp. But today, she¡¯d decided to finally ask. If she couldn¡¯t ask him now, she would be anxious every day in the future. Of course, opening her question wouldn¡¯t make a big difference in anything she could do. In the end, Rachel had to endure it again, but she wanted to know at least for the time. ¡°Um¡­ More importantly, Your Majesty.¡± Rachel, who was looking at Ian¡¯s expression, carefully opened her mouth. ¡°A dress designer came to the mansion today.¡± The designer took her measurements, and asked about this and that. What color did she like? What fabric did she like? She unfolded her notebook and catalog of various dress designs, then asked her what she liked. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°I was wondering if you knew about it.¡± Of course, the designer had come here under his orders. Ian nodded. Rachel had already vaguely guessed it, but she wanted to make sure. ¡°Was she here to make me a dress?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t give an explanation?¡± Ian frowned a little bit. ¡°Did you know that she even took my measurements?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Ian tilted his head slightly. He didn¡¯t seem to understand Rachel¡¯s question. How could you do a dress fitting without knowing the measurements? Ian didn¡¯t seem to understand what the question was. ¡°She looked like a famous designer.¡± Rachel glanced back at Ian. ¡°The price of the dress was¡­¡± Was he paying for it? ¡°The butler will take care of it.¡± Ian said. He was as nonchalant as ever, as if it had nothing to do with him. A dress from a famous designer. She didn¡¯t know how much it cost, but it had to be worth more than her monthly living expenses in Ravenna. ¡°Your Majesty, are you giving it to me?¡± He nodded his head slightly. ¡°¡­Why?¡± Rachel had been hesitating for a while, and finally asked her question carefully. He covered her living expenses, then gave her various jewelry and dresses as gifts. She¡¯d overheard that some nobles would do this for their mistresses. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Your Majesty is giving me these things.¡± Did he want to keep her by his side that much? So much so that he would let her hold all of this in her hands? ¡®Then, I will¡­!¡¯ All she could do was accept it. Still, she wanted to know exactly what she was, if at all possible. Rachel was trying to prepare her mind. ¡°Am I to become His Majesty¡¯s lover until His Majesty loses interest in me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure because I¡¯m foolish, so if you want anything from me, please tell me so I can understand.¡± For her, it was all too much. The mansion, the dresses, the food. ¡°The reason why I was brought to the capital, the reason why I can live in luxury in this mansion¡­¡± Would she stay by his side as his mistress until his interest waned? Was that why all of the servants, and the countess, treated her like a lady? Because she was a woman who could mix her body with the emperor¡¯s? ¡°Is it because of that?¡± As she lowered her gaze, Rachel¡¯s eyelashes trembled as if she was anxious. ¡°Rachel.¡± Rattle Ian opened his mouth on the spot, after breaking his silence that had lasted for quite a while. Thud Thud. ¡°I told you. Just stay with me.¡± Ian approached. Rachel looked up at his face with a calmer expression than usual. He looked angry somehow. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± He titled his head slightly, and reached out to Rachel. It was rare to see Ian with a furrowed brow. ¡°Do I look like a person who would take off your clothes, even if you said no.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t manage to touch Rachel¡¯s face, and his hand fell away. ¡°If it is Your Majesty¡¯s will, if that is what you want from me.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Rachel¡¯s shoulder¡¯s trembled slightly at Ian¡¯s bitter laugh. ¡°I was wondering what you were thinking by yourself.¡± Rachel looked up in frustration at the situation that was unfolding without her understanding why. Now she had no idea what she should do. How long would she have to stay by his side? She also had no idea what to do to get away from him again. ¡°¡­Rachel.¡± Ian¡¯s face was a little distorted. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I want from you.¡± Somehow, he looked as frustrated as Rachel. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to flinch when I approach you, don¡¯t avoid me when I make eye contact, I want you to smile at me, and I want you to call me Ian rather than Your Majesty.¡± His mouth curved up a little. ¡°I want you to come, and hold my hand first.¡± He held a handful of Rachel¡¯s hair in his hand, then he opened his hand again. ¡°I want to hold you like you said.¡± Rachel¡¯s brown hair slid from his hand. ¡°But then you wouldn¡¯t like it.¡± Somehow Ian¡¯s eyes looked somewhat empty as he silently watched her hair flow through his fingers. Ian gently pressed his thumb to Rachel¡¯s lower lip. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much. So I just love being able to see you like this.¡± His sharp gaze fell on Rachel¡¯s red lips. ¡°There are so many things I want from you, but I want to be by your side the most. Please don¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°I like you.¡± Rachel blinked rapidly. ¡°I like you a lot.¡± Unlike normal, his voice trembled. ¡°I need you. I¡¯m scared you¡¯ll leave, and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Rachel frowned at his trembling purple eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you, so there¡¯s no need to be so afraid. Either way, I¡¯m just being selfish.¡± He sighed softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you to the capital to treat you like a pr*stitute, Rachel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be uncomfortable if I stay any longer, so I¡¯ll leave.¡± The corner of his slightly raised mouth looked somewhat sad. Ian looked at Rachel one more time, as if he had lingering regrets, and then the expression passed. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel sat still like that, doing nothing even as Ian walked out of the dining room. Even though she knew she had to get up and see the emperor off, she couldn¡¯t do anything right now. *** Rachel was tossing and turning awkwardly in a darkened room with the lights out. ¡®He likes me?¡¯ Obviously, since Ian said so. He clearly said that in his own voice, and she heard it clearly. Even so, she had a hard time believing it at all. He never looked at her, and smiled. Rachel was well aware of how lovely his smile was when he looked at his favorite person. Ian¡¯s eyes would close beautifully, and his smile was dazzling. This was the expression that she liked the most. Ian would always smile when he looked at Diana. However, Ian never smiled at her like that. That smile had never been hers, but he liked her. His words were obviously false. The indifferent expression that he looked at her with was not the same as when he looked at someone he liked. So, he didn¡¯t like her. Chapter 20 ¡°What did you do today? With the Countess.¡± ¡°Oh, I learned about basic steps today.¡± Ian nodded his head slightly. ¡°Did you like it?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rachel blinked without understanding Ian¡¯s question. What the heck did I like? Today¡¯s meal? Time with him? ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Rachel didn¡¯t understand what he was asking, she had trouble speaking up, and looked at Ian quietly. Ian was looking down at his wine glass, and as he waited for an answer while he looked endlessly bored. She didn¡¯t think he was interested in the current conversation at all. ¡°I¡¯m talking about the Countess. Was there anything uncomfortable?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t feel uncomfortable because the Countess was kind.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t understand why he was asking her these things in detail when he wasn¡¯t interested. If she said she was uncomfortable, what would be the difference? What did he mean, was her time with the Countess uncomfortable? What did he mean, was he asking her if she liked the time she spent with her? That was a strange question. It was an odd kind of question to ask someone like her. It was Ian¡¯s order that she spend time with the Countess, so she just had to endure it. It wasn¡¯t important whether she liked her time with Countess Achille or not. It wasn¡¯t her decision. Rachel bit the inside of her mouth as if she was uncomfortable. However, Rachel was still sitting in front of Ian in the dining room. This was also something she had to endure. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel glanced at Ian. In a little while, he would return to the Imperial palace. She had to ask before that. As the time approached, her heart pounded unsteadily. Her hands were shaking little by little, and her palms were already damp. But today, she¡¯d decided to finally ask. If she couldn¡¯t ask him now, she would be anxious every day in the future. Of course, opening her question wouldn¡¯t make a big difference in anything she could do. In the end, Rachel had to endure it again, but she wanted to know at least for the time. ¡°Um¡­ More importantly, Your Majesty.¡± Rachel, who was looking at Ian¡¯s expression, carefully opened her mouth. ¡°A dress designer came to the mansion today.¡± The designer took her measurements, and asked about this and that. What color did she like? What fabric did she like? She unfolded her notebook and catalog of various dress designs, then asked her what she liked. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°I was wondering if you knew about it.¡± Of course, the designer had come here under his orders. Ian nodded. Rachel had already vaguely guessed it, but she wanted to make sure. ¡°Was she here to make me a dress?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t give an explanation?¡± Ian frowned a little bit. ¡°Did you know that she even took my measurements?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Ian tilted his head slightly. He didn¡¯t seem to understand Rachel¡¯s question. How could you do a dress fitting without knowing the measurements? Ian didn¡¯t seem to understand what the question was. ¡°She looked like a famous designer.¡± Rachel glanced back at Ian. ¡°The price of the dress was¡­¡± Was he paying for it? ¡°The butler will take care of it.¡± Ian said. He was as nonchalant as ever, as if it had nothing to do with him. A dress from a famous designer. She didn¡¯t know how much it cost, but it had to be worth more than her monthly living expenses in Ravenna. ¡°Your Majesty, are you giving it to me?¡± He nodded his head slightly. ¡°¡­Why?¡± Rachel had been hesitating for a while, and finally asked her question carefully. He covered her living expenses, then gave her various jewelry and dresses as gifts. She¡¯d overheard that some nobles would do this for their mistresses. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Your Majesty is giving me these things.¡± Did he want to keep her by his side that much? So much so that he would let her hold all of this in her hands? ¡®Then, I will¡­!¡¯ All she could do was accept it. Still, she wanted to know exactly what she was, if at all possible. Rachel was trying to prepare her mind. ¡°Am I to become His Majesty¡¯s lover until His Majesty loses interest in me?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure because I¡¯m foolish, so if you want anything from me, please tell me so I can understand.¡± For her, it was all too much. The mansion, the dresses, the food. ¡°The reason why I was brought to the capital, the reason why I can live in luxury in this mansion¡­¡± Would she stay by his side as his mistress until his interest waned? Was that why all of the servants, and the countess, treated her like a lady? Because she was a woman who could mix her body with the emperor¡¯s? ¡°Is it because of that?¡± As she lowered her gaze, Rachel¡¯s eyelashes trembled as if she was anxious. ¡°Rachel.¡± Rattle Ian opened his mouth on the spot, after breaking his silence that had lasted for quite a while. Thud Thud. ¡°I told you. Just stay with me.¡± Ian approached. Rachel looked up at his face with a calmer expression than usual. He looked angry somehow. ¡°Why do you look like that?¡± He titled his head slightly, and reached out to Rachel. It was rare to see Ian with a furrowed brow. ¡°Do I look like a person who would take off your clothes, even if you said no.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t manage to touch Rachel¡¯s face, and his hand fell away. ¡°If it is Your Majesty¡¯s will, if that is what you want from me.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Rachel¡¯s shoulder¡¯s trembled slightly at Ian¡¯s bitter laugh. ¡°I was wondering what you were thinking by yourself.¡± Rachel looked up in frustration at the situation that was unfolding without her understanding why. Now she had no idea what she should do. How long would she have to stay by his side? She also had no idea what to do to get away from him again. ¡°¡­Rachel.¡± Ian¡¯s face was a little distorted. ¡°There¡¯s a lot I want from you.¡± Somehow, he looked as frustrated as Rachel. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to flinch when I approach you, don¡¯t avoid me when I make eye contact, I want you to smile at me, and I want you to call me Ian rather than Your Majesty.¡± His mouth curved up a little. ¡°I want you to come, and hold my hand first.¡± He held a handful of Rachel¡¯s hair in his hand, then he opened his hand again. ¡°I want to hold you like you said.¡± Rachel¡¯s brown hair slid from his hand. ¡°But then you wouldn¡¯t like it.¡± Somehow Ian¡¯s eyes looked somewhat empty as he silently watched her hair flow through his fingers. Ian gently pressed his thumb to Rachel¡¯s lower lip. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much. So I just love being able to see you like this.¡± His sharp gaze fell on Rachel¡¯s red lips. ¡°There are so many things I want from you, but I want to be by your side the most. Please don¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°I like you.¡± Rachel blinked rapidly. ¡°I like you a lot.¡± Unlike normal, his voice trembled. ¡°I need you. I¡¯m scared you¡¯ll leave, and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± Rachel frowned at his trembling purple eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you, so there¡¯s no need to be so afraid. Either way, I¡¯m just being selfish.¡± He sighed softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you to the capital to treat you like a pr*stitute, Rachel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be uncomfortable if I stay any longer, so I¡¯ll leave.¡± The corner of his slightly raised mouth looked somewhat sad. Ian looked at Rachel one more time, as if he had lingering regrets, and then the expression passed. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel sat still like that, doing nothing even as Ian walked out of the dining room. Even though she knew she had to get up and see the emperor off, she couldn¡¯t do anything right now. *** Rachel was tossing and turning awkwardly in a darkened room with the lights out. ¡®He likes me?¡¯ Obviously, since Ian said so. He clearly said that in his own voice, and she heard it clearly. Even so, she had a hard time believing it at all. He never looked at her, and smiled. Rachel was well aware of how lovely his smile was when he looked at his favorite person. Ian¡¯s eyes would close beautifully, and his smile was dazzling. This was the expression that she liked the most. Ian would always smile when he looked at Diana. However, Ian never smiled at her like that. That smile had never been hers, but he liked her. His words were obviously false. The indifferent expression that he looked at her with was not the same as when he looked at someone he liked. So, he didn¡¯t like her. Chapter 21 ¡°Ha¡­¡± Obviously, he didn¡¯t like her, but his shaking gaze came back to her mind. Her heart felt complicated about his eyes that looked somewhat sad. Ian¡¯s cold touch kept hovering in her thoughts. The places he touched on her face and lips still felt hot. He said he liked her. ¡°What should I do now?¡± She couldn¡¯t think of anything she could do. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rachel turned over in frustration, and grabbed her pillow tightly. Unfortunately, that didn¡¯t give her any answers. A deep sigh came out of Rachel¡¯s mouth again as she realized that she¡¯d stayed up all night again. *** The morning sun came in through the window, and shone into the house. Rachel stood at the front door to welcome Ian, who would arrive soon at his usual time. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rachel was much more irritable than usual. She kept her eyes on the wall clock, as if she was being pursued by something. Had she anxiously glanced at the clocks 30 times? Then Ian came through the front door. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, are you going to the dining room?¡± When his purple eyes met hers, Rachel quickly bowed her head. She also murmured a late greeting along with the servants of the mansion. From above her bowed head, she heard Ian give a small chuckle. Ian gestured for them not to proceed any further, and the employees excused themselves. ¡°Rachel, did you sleep well?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You look tired.¡± Ian glanced at Rachel, and handed his jacket to the butler. ¡°Did you not sleep?¡± Rachel turned away quickly as her gaze met with Ian¡¯s. ¡°Was it because I said I like you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not tired.¡± Rachel replied, and waved her hand as if she was embarrassed. ¡°Really? Actually, I didn¡¯t get any sleep.¡± Ian slowly approached her. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about many things.¡± Rachel blinked as if she was embarrassed that he was getting closer, and took a few steps back. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t mean to say that I like you.¡± He raised the corners of his mouth a little. ¡°But I¡¯ve already said it. So, what can I do?¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°So I¡¯m just going to stick it out. I¡¯ll do my best to not make you feel pressured.¡± Rachel turned her head as if she was burdened with the way he was looking down at her. ¡°Well, let¡¯s go sit.¡± Ian looked down at Rachel¡¯s red cheeks, and moved towards the dining room. ¡°Rachel.¡± Rachel was standing still and staring blankly at Ian. She turned around and hurried to follow Ian, who glanced at her. It would be nice if it was just a useless worry, but Rachel couldn¡¯t erase the feeling that her future was going to be harder. *** ¡°His Majesty is said to visit a red-roofed mansion in the capital every day.¡± The Duke of Avery¡¯s Residence Diana frowned at the report the knight delivered. ¡°The newly rebuilt mansion that collapsed?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Every day? What¡¯s wrong with His Majesty?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that either.¡± Diana frowned at the knight¡¯s words. ¡°Ha, if you don¡¯t know that, then what did you go around looking for?¡± Diana looked down at the knights as if he was pathetic. How much time had she given him? ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Of course she was being unfair to the knight. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to follow the emperor. In fact, it was difficult to find out that the emperor was visiting the mansion every day. However, the knight knew that this wouldn¡¯t be enough for Diana, and apologized to her. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot. How long have I been waiting for you? You have until tomorrow to find out more, even if it costs your life.¡± The knight bowed his head silently at Diana¡¯s unreasonable demand. ¡°More than that, the red roof¡­¡± The red roofed mansion had definitely belonged to the Duke of Oates, but the emperor was visiting there every day. Did that mean the owner had changed after the mansion was rebuilt? ¡°Wasn¡¯t it originally owned by the Duke of Oates?¡± ¡°The mansion is still owned by the Duke of Oates.¡± Diana nodded her head at the knight¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s still owned by the duke? Then why is Ian there¡­¡± Why was Ian at the Duke of Oates¡¯ residence? Why was Ian visiting there every day? Was there the duke or another noble in the capital? ¡°Who¡¯s staying in the mansion?¡± ¡°I tried to find out, but I failed.¡± ¡°Ha? You didn¡¯t even find that out? How useless. Then what the heck were you doing the whole time you were gone? That doesn¡¯t help at all.¡± Diana was feeling nervously tongue-tied by the shameless knight, who was standing in front of her without knowing the most important information. ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s fine, so just stop going out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The knight looked at Diana¡¯s scowling face, apologized again, and hurried out of the room. Click ¡°Ugh, useless jerk.¡± After the knight was released, Diana was left alone as she stared at the door in disgust. Apparently he was too old to carry out his duties. ¡®After he¡¯s done with this, I¡¯ll grab his tail and drive him out.¡¯ Diana came up with a punishment for the knight who¡¯d failed her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t find out one thing about why Ian was going to that mansion.¡± Diana clicked her tongue lightly. ¡°Because of that idiot, I¡¯ll have to step up in person.¡± Diana grumbled for a long time, and put on her outerwear. It was a little annoying, but if she was curious about something, then she should¡¯ve gone and found out for herself. It would¡¯ve been faster to move directly than to trust and wait for that silly knight. Diana pulled the rope vigorously, and soon a maid arrived. ¡°Did you call, My Lady?¡± ¡°Get the carriage ready. I have somewhere I want to go to right now.¡± ¡°¡­A carriage?¡± However, even with Diana¡¯s orders, the maidservant seemed to have something to say and squirmed in place. ¡°What are you doing? Did your ears fall off? Get the carriage ready.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Duke ordered that the young miss wasn¡¯t allowed to move at will.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He asked you not to visit the Imperial palace again. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think you can go visit the palace.¡± The maid said this and bowed her head deeply. The maidservant, who was trying her best not to go against Diana¡¯s mood, was very careful with her actions. ¡°Ha?¡± However, Diana was clearly angry with the maidservant despite her efforts. She smiled proudly, and flipped her hair back. It made her angry to think about Ian and Mr. Hammond, who had even alerted the Duke to her visits. ¡°Hey, when did I say I was going to the Imperial palace?¡± ¡°Then, where¡­¡± ¡°Why do I have to report to you for every little thing? If I tell you to get ready, you get the carriage ready!¡± Diana picked up a teacup from the tea table, and acted as if she was planning to throw it at the maid right away. ¡°Ha! Get out of here right now.¡± Because of the warning from her father, Diana let out a deep sigh, held back her anger, and lowered her hand. Bang! The door closed, and Diana put the teacup down hard. ¡°How the heck were they trained?¡± If it wasn¡¯t for her father¡¯s warning, she would¡¯ve educated her personally. ¡°Keep in mind that you will no longer be able to stay in the capital if you visit His Majesty one more time and bother him again.¡± That was what Duke Avery said to Diana. She couldn¡¯t believe that she might have to go down to Avery¡¯s territory. It was too cruel. It was ridiculous that a flower of society like herself would have to stay in a rural territory without any parties. ¡°Father doesn¡¯t even know what he¡¯s doing, and he keeps doing stuff without properly thinking it through. He will regret acting so foolishly when I become empress.¡± Diana shook her head in frustration. What did he mean about not bothering the emperor without a thought towards helping her get the empress position? Especially in the current situation, she had to become the empress even more. It was the only way to restore the Avery family¡¯s reputation. ¡°D*mn it.¡± Now, she had no choice but to follow her father¡¯s order. If she ignored his order for no reason, and angered her father, she¡¯d be dragged back to the Avery territory. ¡°Yeah, as long as I don¡¯t visit the Imperial palace.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe that Ian would visit the Duke of Oates¡¯ residence every day when he wouldn¡¯t even see her on the pretext that he was busy. She had a bad feeling for some reason. She had to know why the busy Ian was going to the Duke of Oates¡¯ mansion. *** ¡°Lady Avery, I¡¯m sorry but you can¡¯t enter this mansion. I don¡¯t mean any disrespect.¡± ¡°Huh! I¡¯m here to see the Duke of Oates!¡± Despite Diana¡¯s stubbornness, the butler from the mansion with the red roof only shook his head firmly. ¡°The Duke of Oates is not here.¡± ¡°Then who is in the mansion?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± It had already been a couple of minutes since the dispute had begun. Diana had demanded to know who was in the house, and the butler was refusing to tell her. ¡°Ha?!¡± Diana scoffed in anger. Her eyes looked absolutely poisonous as she swept her hair back. ¡°What great secret is it that you can¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°Please stop, and go back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Diana Avery. Who are you to leave me standing outside for so many minutes.¡± The butler once again bowed his head to the screaming Diana. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t bring you into the mansion without prior permission.¡± ¡°I feel so annoyed today.¡± Diana looked up and down at the butler while she lamented. ¡°I don¡¯t like anything from beginning to end.¡± Thud The ranting Diana finally kicked the butler in the shin. ¡°Argh!¡± When the butler groaned while grabbing his abused shin, Diana walked past the butler without any hesitation into the mansion. Chapter 22 *** *** ¡°M-My Lady! You can¡¯t go in!¡± The butler walked after Diana, limping along on his sore leg in a panic. ¡°Ha, that bug is a pain.¡± Diana opened the front door, shaking her head lightly in annoyance. Smack ¡°No farther than here.¡± The door was quickly and firmly shut by the butler, who¡¯d rushed after her. ¡°My Lady, please don¡¯t do anything more rude than this.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Diana Avery. You dare say that I¡¯m rude?¡± Diana opened her eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°Move out of the way.¡± However, the butler had no intention of backing down.He was face to face with Diana with his back firmly against the door. ¡°How can you be so full of yourself without understanding your situation? You know it¡¯s useless to cry to me about it later, right?¡± ¡°Please leave right now.¡± Breathing heavily, Diana kicked the butler in the shin once more. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Don¡¯t you dare disobey my order.¡± Diana smacked the butler on the head with the fan she held in her hand as he shrank back in pain. She hit him repeatedly. After smacking the butler on the head until she was satisfied, Diana finally turned back. *** The coachman rushed down from his seat and opened the door of the carriage in a hurry when he saw Diana hurrying away from the Duke of Oates¡¯ residence. ¡°My Lady, where do you want to go?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Go home now.¡± The coachman nodded silently at Diana¡¯s fierce tone. He seemed to be familiar with her anger. ¡°D*mn it. Stupid things keep getting in the way.¡± The cool autumn wind blew, but Diana unfolded her fan as if it was hot. However, the wind from the fan wasn¡¯t very cool as several of the spines were broken due to the blow to the butler¡¯s head. ¡°How rude. Do you think a Duke is on the same level as me?¡± That fact further aroused Diana¡¯s annoyance. ¡°Ah, so father¡­¡± Smack Immediately throwing away the fan in anger, Diana opened the window of the carriage. ¡°Count Achille¡¯s wife.¡± Diana squinted her eyes as if she was contemplating something. She definitely saw her through the open front door. ¡°Why was she in the Oates¡¯ residence?¡± Countess Achille had opened her mouth as if she was surprised to see me, and she looked as if she¡¯d been caught. ¡°Is Ian¡¯s preference like that?¡± Is that why he¡¯s been turning down all of my requests? ¡°Why are they meeting at the Duke¡¯s residence of all places, anyway? Does the Duke of Oates already know about this?¡± Did Ian stop by the Duke of Oates residence every day to meet Countess Achille? Diana frowned slightly as if she had a headache. ¡°What are you doing, Ian?¡± Diana, who¡¯d been moaning in anger for a long time, suddenly raised her eyes and straightened her posture. ¡°Haha! You hid her away so that people wouldn¡¯t notice. It¡¯s not good to meet up with a married woman.¡± Who knew that there would be a countess in the duke¡¯s residence. ¡°The Duke of Oates gave up his mansion to gain favor with the emperor. Tsk, but you foolishly got caught by me.¡± She laughed at the fact that she found out what that stupid Oates¡¯ butler was trying to hide. That¡¯s why he tried so desperately to stop her. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ian crazy?¡± However, as soon as she realized that Ian had abandoned her, a flower of society, and chose the old Countess, she became angry again. What does he like about that old woman? She couldn¡¯t believe she was pushed aside for the Countess of Achille. ¡°It¡¯s true that his background is crude, so his tastes are also crude. No matter how much of an emperor you become, there is nothing you can do about your identity. Haha, you¡¯ve been so arrogant, and I¡¯m curious how long you can keep acting like that.¡± Diana thought about what to do with this fact that she¡¯d found out. She could either blackmail Ian with this fact and force him to meet with her, or she could humiliate him by leaking it to the social world. Diana laughed as she thought about the important card in her hand. *** ¡°Anna!¡± Diana had returned to the Duke of Avery¡¯s residence, and called for Anna urgently as she opened the front door. ¡°Anna!¡± She wondered what Anna would look like after she told her about this. Tap Tap Tap Anna hurried down the stairs at Diana¡¯s call. ¡°Did you find anything, My Lady?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you, so just grab some tea and come upstairs.¡± Diana said with a smile. ¡°I saw something very interesting today.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯ll pick up some refreshments, and go to your room.¡± Anna blinked at Diana, who looked happy, and soon nodded. ¡°¡­.¡± She followed Diana up the stairs with her eyes, then she hurried along. Light steps as if she was in a good mood. The young miss had returned from the red roofed mansion. She¡¯d expected her to be rejected, but how did she manage to get inside the mansion? Was the visit to the Duke of Oates¡¯ residence granted? Diana Avery. Until a few years ago, the House of Avery held a great amount of power compared to the royal family. So, no one could do anything to the people of the Avery family, and Diana was an object of fear for everyone. That was why Diana suddenly visited people without any notice. The people she visited always welcomed her, so she didn¡¯t feel the need to make an appointment or ask for permission from the other person. But that was all in the past. Duke Avery watched the situation step by step in the war between the Levskaya Empire and the Sienna Empire. He decided that the Levskaya Empire, which lacked a lot of manpower and goods to rebuild its capital, would not be able to defeat the Sienna Empire. Rumor has it that there was a back door deal between the Duke of Avery and the Sienna Empire. Contrary to the Duke¡¯s prediction, the Levskaya Empire won the war, and the current emperor held the Duke of Avery responsible for his actions. This led to the dissolution of the Knights of the House of Avery, and the honor of the Averys, which had been built up over decades, quickly collapsed to the ground. The House of Avery no longer held it¡¯s old reputation, but Diana didn¡¯t seem to realize that. Even when the Knights were disbanded with much fussing and yelling, she enjoyed it and said that it was good. It was fully understood that she didn¡¯t realize her family¡¯s situation yet, as she was only interested in luxury items such as dresses, accessories, teas, and jewelry that came from overseas. Their honor had been tarnished and their power had weakened, but the family¡¯s wealth was still sufficient. ¡°I thought she¡¯d be kicked out. How did she get into the Oates mansion?¡± Anna tilted her head. Why was the Duke of Oates, who wasn¡¯t another family member, not rude to the young lady. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± However, Anna soon gave up her curiosity and hurried to bring the refreshments. Knock Knock ¡°My Lady, I brought the tea.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Anna, who hid her expression before entering Lady Avery¡¯s room, carefully walked in. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to just bring me tea?¡± ¡°You got something as a gift, and I thought it would go well with the tea.¡± Diana shook her head. ¡°Anna, please just do what you¡¯re told to do. Did you make me wait for this?¡± Diana frowned while eating the snacks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Anna bowed her head in apology, but she bit the flesh inside her mouth, recalling what happened before. She was criticized in the past for bringing only tea in accordance with the order to bring only that, and asked if she had any thoughts of her own. It was unfair, but Anna bowed her head without saying much. ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done.¡± Diana once again said, as she continued to eat the snacks. Anna was annoyed and astounded by Diana, who kept eating the snacks, and didn¡¯t reveal her emotions like she usually did. ¡°Do you know what I saw today?¡± ¡°No, what did you see?¡± ¡°Countess Achille was at the red mansion.¡± ¡°The red mansion?¡± Anna tilted her head. ¡°If it¡¯s the red mansion, then¡­¡± ¡°The Duke of Oates.¡± Diana sighed at Anna, who only blinked as if she didn¡¯t understand what she was saying. ¡°Stupid, you still don¡¯t understand why Countess Achille was there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°She¡¯s meeting with Ian in secret! Ian has very particular tastes, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Diana said while she giggled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? That¡¯s why he pushed me away like that.¡± ¡°His Majesty and Countess Achille were meeting?¡± ¡°Yeah, a married woman and him. Ian comes and goes to the mansion every day, right? It¡¯s because of that.¡± Despite Diana¡¯s explanation, Anna simply couldn¡¯t understand what she was talking about now. ¡°What should I do about this funny fact?¡± Diana put down her teacup, and raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°How dare he make me feel insulted? Should I spread it to society and humiliate them? Or threaten him to meet with me?¡± Diana nodded her head excitedly, if she stayed like this any longer she would start to hum. ¡°But why is His Majesty and the countess meeting at the Duke of Oates¡­.¡± His Majesty and Countess Achille were in a relationship? It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°The Duke of Oates must have dedicated his mansion to Ian to look good. Pfft, the duke has no pride.¡± When Anna tilted her head, she frowned and opened her mouth. ¡°¡­I see. Have you talked to the countess, My Lady?¡± ¡°Sigh, the butler, who¡¯s like a bug, wouldn¡¯t let me go in.¡± ¡°Then how did you see the Countess of Achille?¡± ¡°I opened the front door, and she was standing right there. I caught her!¡± Anna opened her mouth as if thinking about something for a moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you meet Countess Achille first?¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°I thought it would make it easier to decide what to do about this information.¡± Diana squinted at Anna¡¯s words for a moment as if thinking about something. ¡°¡­.¡± Anna quietly looked at Diana¡¯s expression. Attempting to intimidate the emperor or spread rumors with uncertain facts. Diana must not have given a second thought to the cleanup process after the initial event. ¡°Yeah, that sounds good too.¡± Finally, Diana nodded her head slightly. Anna nodded, finally feeling relieved. She didn¡¯t know whether Diana would be able to meet with Countess Achille, but it would have less of a ripple effect than spreading rumors in high society, or threatening the emperor directly. Chapter 23 *Thank you to Beatrice for the Kofi~ [1 of 4]* On a dark evening, in a room with the lights off. ¡°The Duke of Oates¡­¡± A murmur came out of the quiet room. ¡°Hmm? What did you say?¡± ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m sorry, I was just thinking about something.¡± Anna apologized again to Rose, who sat up at the sound of her voice. Rose soon murmured that it was okay, and lay down again. It wasn¡¯t long before Anna could hear her slow breathing, but she still couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She tossed and turned with her eyes open. ¡®His Majesty visits the Duke of Oates everyday?¡¯ Anna had been in the same state since she left Diana¡¯s room. ¡®The Count of Achille¡¯s wife was a well-known tutor with a good reputation.¡¯ Of course, reputation alone couldn¡¯t determine a person, but His Majesty and the Countess. She couldn¡¯t believe what Diana said. ¡®The reason why His Majesty was visiting the Duke of Oates¡¯ residence¡­¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure about anything yet, but if she was right, she thought things were about to get interesting. She could imagine how mortified that uptight Diana would feel. ¡®Lady Oates.¡¯ Before the war broke out, around two years ago, Duke Oates added a woman to his family register, claiming that she was a child of his relative. The Dukes of Oates, who had only one son, now had a new daughter. The nobles saw it as a good opportunity to make a connection with the Oates family, and they all hoped that the new lady would show her face in society as soon as possible. However, the Duke of Oates insisted that he had no intention of showing his daughter yet, then the war broke out, and the new lady was the last thing on people¡¯s minds. Diana seemed to have forgotten that fact, but if Anna was right, that was also the reason why the Emperor visited the Duke of Oates¡¯ residence every day, and why Countess Achille, the famous tutor, was in the Duke¡¯s residence. It seemed to be because Lady Oates was currently staying at the red mansion. What was the young lady learning from Count Achille¡¯s wife? Obviously, it would be the empress classes. Maybe she was learning some basic lessons in preparation for when she becomes the empress. She didn¡¯t know how the emperor and the young lady were connected, but the next empress seemed to have been chosen. ¡®Then Lady Avery¡­¡¯ Diana always talked to her as if Ian owed her a lot, but Anna actually disagreed with Diana. How ridiculous was it that the emperor was indebted to Lady Avery just for the fact that he stayed in the Avery territory for several years when he was young. One might think that Diana and Ian had a few conversations in those days. In reality, Diana only heard rumors that he¡¯d stayed in Avery for years as a child after he became the emperor. However, Diana pretended to have a great connection with the emperor because he¡¯d lived in hiding in her family¡¯s territory as a weak child. To the point that she believed that the emperor could be hers. If Anna¡¯s expectations were correct, then the emperor and Lady Oates were lovers. She was sure Diana couldn¡¯t beat her. *** Shift A quiet drawing room where the dazzling sunlight gently fell. A light autumn wind flowed through the open window. Shift ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel walked past the bookshelf, she soon bowed her head close to a book. She felt like she wanted to see the letters better. Shift However, even though she was close enough to the book, Rachel leaned in close and closer over time. For a while now, her nose was close enough to touch the book. When she couldn¡¯t bend down any more, Rachel carefully took a breath and raised her head. ¡°Your Majesty, do you have anything to say to me?¡± Rachel looked at him as if she couldn¡¯t understand. For some reason, Ian hadn¡¯t left for the castle after dinner today. From thirty minutes ago, he was staring at her silently. Rachel had become even more uncomfortable after hearing from Ian that he liked her. So, she wanted to ignore his gaze as much as possible. Apparently, that wasn¡¯t going to happen. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± When Rachel called Ian once again, he glanced up from the newspaper in his hands in confusion, as if he didn¡¯t realize that Rachel had been talking to him. ¡°I¡¯ve been reading this.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± For the past thirty minutes, he¡¯d been reading the same page. It¡¯s upside down too. ¡°Ah¡­¡± When Rachel pointed that out, Ian¡¯s ears turned a little red when he realized he¡¯d been holding the newspaper upside down. ¡°That¡­¡± Ian frowned a little as if embarrassed and stammered a bit. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a night market in the square. Shall we go together?¡± ¡°A night market?¡± ¡°Yeah, the festival starts today. You liked night markets.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t understand why he was asking for permission. Also, why was he looking so nervous right now? He was going to do whatever he wanted. ¡®Night market¡­¡¯ Rachel nodded silently to Ian, who was waiting for her answer. No matter how uncomfortable her time was with him, it was just something she had to deal with. Even if it was true that he liked her, nothing changed. After all, she had to obey him. ¡°Then let¡¯s leave here around seven o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± She hastily averted her gaze from his bright smile, and ducked her head. ¡®It was a festival.¡¯ She guessed that the harvest was already over. Was the festival already being held in Ravenna? She was supposed to spend this festival with Thomas and Dean. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯d like to ask you for a favor.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Rachel was able to more easily speak to Ian, who seemed to be receptive to her request for some reason. ¡°Can I go to Ravenna? I think they might be worried since I left without saying anything. I just want to say hi.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I can¡¯t, please tell me. I just want to let Thomas¡¯ family know.¡± She was sure that they must be worried about her. They were warm people with a lot of affection. ¡°You¡¯re going to go and come back, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go alone, so I¡¯ll assign a knight to you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ian gave a small nod to Rachel, who opened her eyes wide in surprise. In reality, Rachel hadn¡¯t expected much. Since she couldn¡¯t even go to the plaza alone. ¡°I¡¯ll give you as much money as you want, so take a gift.¡± ¡°A gift? Can I really do that?¡± By the look on Rachel¡¯s face as she asked in surprise, the suggestion didn¡¯t seem so bad. ¡°Yes, you must like them, so you can use as much money as you want.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Ian looked at her happy smile as she thanked him. He wanted to go with her, but Rachel would be uncomfortable. ¡®She¡¯s finally smiling for real.¡¯ It was the first time since they¡¯d met again. When she smiled sincerely, her eyes folded prettily and her cheeks dimpled. Ian looked at Rachel and grabbed her hand. ¡°¡­When do you want to go?¡± ¡°I want to go as early as possible¡­¡± ¡°Then you can leave in two days. If there¡¯s anything that you need, get it ready by then.¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°Just say hello, and come back.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Ian shrugged as if it was nothing. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She smiled happily, but Rachel quickly became awkward and turned her attention to her book again with a small cough. Ian tried to quickly grab Rachel¡¯s hand as the happiness disappeared from her green eyes, but then he turned away from her. She¡¯d even smiled at him today. He thought that was enough, but he was impatient. No matter how much he tried to pull himself together, he couldn¡¯t help feeling restless. Ian clenched his fists as if he was trying to get his act together again. ¡®It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s slow, so I hope we can become closer.¡¯ After he swallowed his sigh that he couldn¡¯t spit out, he corrected the newspaper this time. That didn¡¯t mean that he was reading the paper, but he pretended really hard by turning the pages so that Rachel wouldn¡¯t feel uncomfortable. But before he knew it, his eyes were on Rachel beyond the newspaper. *** ¡°Lady Avery?¡± Entering the drawing room, Countess Achille blinked as if she were embarrassed by Diana¡¯s sudden visit. ¡°What brought you here?¡± The Countess didn¡¯t seem to like that Diana had visited, and talked in a cold tone. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± However, despite Countess Achille¡¯s sharp tone, Diana was still so confident that she continued without even trying to apologize. ¡°You should sit down.¡± The Countess almost laughed in disgust at Diana¡¯s suggestion that she sit down as if it were her own home, but she struggled to smile. No matter how much she thought about it, wasn¡¯t she too confident? However, the Countess sat in the seat Diana pointed to without saying much. Countess Achille resented the way she disregarded proper etiquette, but she didn¡¯t want to get embroiled in a personal fight with Diana or the Avery family. If someone pointed out Diana¡¯s faults, she would be your enemy from that moment on. Diana was just that kind of person. When she was told her faults, she wouldn¡¯t admit and correct the mistakes, instead she¡¯d reveal her teeth. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t want to create more work for herself or create enemies by pointing out Diana¡¯s faults. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time, so I don¡¯t think you can stay long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t want to stay for long either.¡± Diana proudly raised one corner of her mouth. ¡°Then let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡± Tak Diana, who put down the teacup she was holding, looked down at Countess Achille with an arrogant look. As she was treating her like a subordinate, Diana had no consideration for the Countess. Countess Achille¡¯s mouth, which had been smiling serenely, hardened at Diana¡¯s absolute disregard for her opponent. Chapter 24 *** *Thank you to Beatrice for the Kofi~ [3 of 4]* *** Rattle. Rattle. In the moving carriage, Rachel turned her head towards the window. Even though there was nothing to see on the already dark streets lined with houses, she still stubbornly looked out the window. Otherwise, she felt like the man sitting next to her would talk to her. In addition, she was worried about moving her body that was so close to him, so she was being careful. Neigh After some time, the carriage stopped after a short horse cry when the reins were tugged. ¡°Let¡¯s walk from here.¡± There were still only houses outside the window, but Ian said he wanted to step out of the carriage. ¡°If we arrive in the carriage, all eyes will be on us. Let¡¯s walk from the entrance of the square.¡± Rachel nodded to Ian, who explained kindly as usual. Even if he didn¡¯t explain, she would¡¯ve done what he said. Rachel stepped down from the carriage using Ian¡¯s hand, then quickly let go of his hand. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t help, but blink at Ian¡¯s sudden action. She braced herself for a moment against the hand that moved to her neck. Unable to lower or raise her gaze, she waited patiently for him to finish his action. ¡°Finished.¡± ¡°I could¡¯ve done it.¡± Ian, who had been casually looking down at Rachel, raised his hand suddenly. She ran her fingers down the cord that was tied tightly around her hood to keep it from coming off. [Baset: So¡­ in the last chapter, the maid placed a hooded cloak out for Rachel, not a dress. Sorry for the mix up. (¥Î§Õ©c;)] This was something she could¡¯ve done. She felt awkward having Ian take care of her. Rachel glanced up, and looked at Ian. She didn¡¯t know what expression he was making right now since he was wearing a hooded cloak. For some reason, she felt fortunate that she couldn¡¯t see his eyes. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As they approached the entrance to the square she heard several sounds, musical instruments, laughter and conversations. Rachel somehow felt good hearing the noisy square. She didn¡¯t like noisy things, but maybe it was because she hadn¡¯t been out in a while? She started to feel excited by the smell of street food spreading on the wind. ¡°¡­.¡± At that time, Ian stopped walking. He looked back slowly, and Rachel also stopped walking. ¡°Rachel, come here.¡± He pointed with his chin next to himself since Rachel was walking behind him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Because there are many people, and you could get lost.¡± At Ian¡¯s words, Rachel walked beside him. Finally, Ian nodded his head in satisfaction and went back to walking. She grabbed both of her hands, feeling that they might brush against Ian¡¯s since their proximity was so close. The square was as bright as day with all the glittering lights. Stalls lined up along the street, and people filled the street. There were children who¡¯d come with their parents, lovers, and friends. She couldn¡¯t see their expressions in detail, but they looked busy and seemed to be enjoying themselves. ¡°Do you want to eat something?¡± As if to turn Rachel¡¯s gaze back to him, Ian bowed his head and whispered in her ear. ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Rachel nodded hastily at the voice near her ear. She¡¯d tensed when the distance between them became closer than normal. ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine with anything. Whatever His Majesty wants¡­¡± She¡¯d forgotten to watch her words, so she glanced around them and quickly closed her mouth. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel bit her lip in embarrassment. He¡¯d come out wearing a hooded cloak so he could hide his features from people, but she¡¯d made the mistake of calling him His Majesty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ian replied as he shrugged slightly. He looked around the stores again as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Do you want octopus skewers?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel answered Ian indifferently, and looked back at those they passed a while ago. No matter how much he said it was okay, she still couldn¡¯t help feeling bothered by it. She thought they¡¯d heard her. Was it okay? ¡°Oh?¡± Rachel, who¡¯d been looking back for a while, faltered slightly by the force that pulled on her. It was Ian pulling on her shoulder. Rachel opened her eyes in surprise, and looked up at him. ¡°You have to be careful.¡± Ian said, then glanced back to check what Rachel was looking at. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She almost bumped into someone else while trying to be overly cautious. She had to be more careful because there were so many people. Rachel bit her lip, she didn¡¯t enjoy appearing foolish. ¡°Rachel, if you can¡¯t pay attention, we¡¯ll have to hold hands.¡± Ian kept his hand on Rachel¡¯s shoulder while she regained her balance. She flinched slightly at the gentle touch on her shoulder. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d prefer it that way, but I don¡¯t want you to hate me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Since there will be more people now.¡± Because of the hood, no matter how much she looked up, she could only see his neck. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to hold my hand, then pay attention.¡± Rachel nodded quickly, and Ian walked back towards the stall selling food. She followed him and tilted her head. Somehow, his voice seemed to be mixed with laughter. Then Ian¡¯s words came to mind, and she shook her head. ¡°Rachel, shall we take a break?¡± Ian noticed Rachel¡¯s slightly sluggish gait and adjusted his speed. Maybe it was because she had been walking around for so long? She looked a little tired. ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel nodded her head slightly. ¡°If we leave this street, there will be a park, so let¡¯s go there.¡± Ian looked around and dragged Rachel into a deserted street. They¡¯d only moved a few steps, but the bright lights in the square had disappeared behind their backs. Even on a dark narrow road, Ian walked skillfully. Rachel was surprised, he was more familiar with the geography of the capital than she thought. Just as he said, when they exited the road, they arrived at a park. Streetlights were all over the park, but it wasn¡¯t as bright as the square. Maybe it was because everyone was enjoying the festival in the square, the large park was quiet and empty, without anyone passing by. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down.¡± Ian led Rachel to a nearby bench. ¡°Are you having a hard time?¡± Ian sat Rachel down on the bench, bent down and untied her hood. He looked at Rachel¡¯s face and pulled back the hood. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Rachel¡¯s voice had been sounding uncomfortable for a while. Ian looked at Rachel carefully to find out why. ¡°Is it uncomfortable? Are you sick?¡± Rachel slightly pulled away from the large hand that approached her face. For a moment, Ian¡¯s hand stopped in the air. ¡°Wait, let me check if there¡¯s a fever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± As if Ian¡¯s touch made her feel awkward, Rachel looked down. She couldn¡¯t see his eyes because of the cloak he wore, but she could clearly see his firm mouth. Ian slowly put his hand on Rachel¡¯s forehead, and soon let out a small sigh. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± She still seemed uncomfortable somewhere, but Ian frowned as if he was frustrated by Rachel, who kept replying that she was okay. Ian looked down at Rachel silently. She quickly spoke up, as if she wanted to get rid of the awkward silence. ¡°I¡¯m a little uncomfortable, but it¡¯s really okay.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Glancing down, Ian looked at Rachel¡¯s feet. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Surprised when he kneeled down without hesitation, Rachel tried to stand up as she called out in surprise. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± However, with Ian kneeling in front of her, she couldn¡¯t stand up properly, and could only look down at him from an awkward crouched position. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Rachel looked on the verge of tears. ¡°Sit down for a second.¡± Although she sat down when Ian told her to, Rachel couldn¡¯t stay still and moved her hands self-consciously. ¡°I¡¯m really fine¡­¡± Rachel wanted to grab Ian¡¯s hand, but she couldn¡¯t touch him, so she pleaded with him instead. What was she supposed to do? Rachel couldn¡¯t understand this incomprehensible situation where Ian was kneeling at her feet. She knew that there was no one around, but she was afraid that someone would see it. Rachel didn¡¯t want to leave her foot in Ian¡¯s hands, so she made a small effort to move it, but she eventually gave her foot to Ian. ¡°Tsk. What do you mean it¡¯s okay?¡± Ian clicked his tongue as he grabbed Rachel¡¯s ankle, and pulled off her shoe. His voice was a little cold, but his hands were very gentle as he removed her shoe. ¡°Ha¡­ How long has it been like this?¡± Ian couldn¡¯t hold back and sighed as he looked at Rachel¡¯s heel. Her heel was bleeding quite a bit. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt that much. It¡¯s okay.¡± Rachel said awkwardly as she pulled her foot towards her body. However, even with Rachel saying it was okay, Ian still looked at Rachel¡¯s feet silently. Black shoes. Rachel¡¯s black shoes had quite a bit of a heel. Thinking of Rachel, who would¡¯ve been uncomfortable walking because she was unfamiliar with the city, but she also had to walk in heels that hurt her feet. He wanted to sigh again, but he bit his lip and held it back. He didn¡¯t want Rachel to feel self-conscious again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± However, Rachel apologized quietly while checking his expression, since she wasn¡¯t sure what Ian was thinking. ¡°What are you sorry about?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t easily answer that question. It was obvious that Ian was in a bad mood, but she couldn¡¯t easily answer his question because she didn¡¯t know why he was upset. Rachel couldn¡¯t give an answer, so she just watched him with her head bowed. Something was strange. The way he was looking at her foot, and the way she looked down at him. He was kneeling in front of her, his hands carefully checked her feet, everything was weird and uncomfortable. At the careful touch, as if he was dealing with something precious, her heart tingled as if he really liked her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Oh, what?¡± Even though she vividly heard Ian¡¯s low-pitched voice, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but ask the question. Why was he sorry? Those words couldn¡¯t have come from his mouth. ¡°You were hurt this badly because of me, and for no reason.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, Ian apologized again for his actions. He sighed and his voice sounded very sorry. Chapter 25 *Thank you to Beatrice for the Kofi~ [4 of 4]* ¡°I didn¡¯t know about the shoes.¡± He took out a handkerchief, and wiped away Rachel¡¯s blood. His hands were being overly cautious this time as well. He was careful not to hurt her in any way, as if he were handling something very precious. It was a really strange thing. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Ian forced down the heels of the shoes and broke them. His hands were careful as he put the shoes on Rachel¡¯s feet again. ¡°Can you walk?¡± Somehow, his voice seemed to have softened. He looked up at Rachel. He pulled his hood back to check Rachel¡¯s face, and she was finally able to see Ian¡¯s face. ¡°¡­.¡± The frown, as if he was worried about her, and his purple eyes, that were looking up at her. He felt badly that Rachel was injured. Looking at those eyes, she felt like she¡¯d become someone really important to him. How would he react if Rachel told him she couldn¡¯t get up? She didn¡¯t know anymore. Still, she thought she knew him better than others. Rachel was so confident, but she didn¡¯t know anymore. What he thought, and how he would act in the future. She didn¡¯t have the slightest idea what kind of person Ian was anymore. ¡°You can¡¯t get up?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride?¡± When did things change so much? He was no longer the Ian she knew. ¡°Why would you give me a piggyback ride?¡± Six Years. If it¡¯s that amount, then it had been a long time. During that time, there must¡¯ve been a lot of things she didn¡¯t know about Ian anymore. So, he was no longer the Ian that Rachel knew. ¡°Whether I¡¯m injured or not. What does that have to do with His Majesty?¡± Maybe Rachel was being mean, but she didn¡¯t like him being kind. Why has he changed so much from before? Just when she thought she¡¯d covered it up well, the thorns Rachel had hidden popped out again. She didn¡¯t have time to hide them again. ¡°Why now? I didn¡¯t ask for it.¡± Ian blinked quickly as if he was surprised by her crisp tone. At the same time, he wasn¡¯t angry at all. It would¡¯ve eased her mind a bit if he¡¯d at least gotten angry at the maid who¡¯d dared to be rude to him, but Ian didn¡¯t say anything and just looked perplexed. He just looked into Rachel¡¯s eyes, as if he didn¡¯t know what to do. The Ian who hurt her no longer existed. She didn¡¯t know why, but it was unfair. Rachel felt a pang at the loss of the target of her resentment. She didn¡¯t want to like him, but she no longer had that luxury. Rachel couldn¡¯t hate him anymore after he was so kind to her. Even though she certainly hated the man in front of her very much. Now she didn¡¯t know what to do with the hatred left inside her. How selfish, he was too much for her until the end. She couldn¡¯t hate him anymore. ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong? Rachel?¡± Rachel was in tears, and Ian stuttered as if he was flustered. ¡°Why are you crying¡­¡± Her face scrunched up. Rachel was about to start crying over him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do now.¡± Rachel roughly wiped away her tears. Like an idiot, she¡¯d burst into tears and couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, please?¡± Ian¡¯s voice trembled a little. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t cry.¡± His pleading voice was desperate. However, the tears flowed out even more, like a rebellion at the plea from him to not cry. Rachel was in pain because she couldn¡¯t hate him anymore, and she was afraid that if she didn¡¯t hate him anymore, then she would like him again. Her heart ached with the hatred that was welling up inside of her at any given moment, but Rachel felt frustrated because she didn¡¯t know what to do with it anymore. She didn¡¯t want to get hurt anymore. She wanted to forget all of the memories she had of him. His eyes, which seemed so sincere to her, caused her heart to feel conflicted. Whistle! Bang! At that moment, fireworks painted the dark sky with a loud bang. Sparks of various colors spread over the black sky like embroidery. Wow! Shouts of surprised people came from the square. The sound was so loud that it was heard all the way into the quiet park. Again a loud bang was heard, and a second set of fireworks were set off. For an instant, the park became a little brighter. Was it because she was surprised by the commotion? Suddenly, the tears stopped flowing from Rachel¡¯s eyes. Again the sound of admiring people was heard. It was a fun festival for everyone. Rachel looked up at the sky, then bowed her head, sniffling as if she wanted to be away from the afterglow of the fireworks. ¡°¡­.¡± When she glanced at Ian his eyes seemed wet. He soon turned his head and half of his face was covered by his hood, so there was no way to know what expression he was making. It was a fun festival for everyone, except for the two of them. After a while, the sky calmed down again. Fireworks. She knew of them from a book, but it was her first time seeing it. Have they ever set off fireworks at a festival before? Rachel wiped away the tears on her face along with that useless thought. ¡°I wanted to show you.¡± Ian finally got up from where he was kneeling. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As he brushed off his knees, he glanced at Rachel. ¡°And, if you¡¯re uncomfortable meeting with me, I¡¯ll visit you once a day instead.¡± In the quiet park, Ian¡¯s voice rang out quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll move slowly so that you don¡¯t feel pressured. I¡¯ll try to get closer more carefully.¡± He turned his back to Rachel. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Don¡¯t push too hard.¡± Rachel, who¡¯d been staring blankly at the ground, slowly looked up at Ian¡¯s words. Earlier, he seemed to have missed a few words, but Rachel didn¡¯t ask about it. ¡°¡­.¡± Standing with his back turned, he looked somewhat sad. Somehow, he looked a little afraid. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay with me?¡± There was nothing she could do to him. So what was he, the Emperor of Levskaya Empire, afraid of? ¡°Without you, I¡­¡± He seemed afraid of being rejected. Amusingly, from behind him, she could see herself holding back tears as her mother left her when she was a child. Ian was afraid of something. It was unbelievable. There was no thought so ridiculous as the idea of Ian being like her, but for some reason Rachel couldn¡¯t get rid of the idea. She could see herself at the age of seven, holding back tears for fear of being abandoned by him. ¡°Since when did you like me?¡± Rachel could no longer doubt what her mind had continued to deny. He really liked her. Since when? Why did she run away from him? ¡°I don¡¯t know why Your Majesty likes me.¡± There was no reason for him to like her, but when did he start liking her? Rachel couldn¡¯t stand it, and spat out the question. ¡°I don¡¯t know when either.¡± Ian broke the long silence, and opened his mouth. He bowed his head, and blinked slowly, as if he were looking back on his life. ¡°Probably¡­¡± Was it when Rachel, a young maid, entered his room? Or before that? He¡¯d seen it a few times, children around his age busily moving about, and working as maids. Rachel, who¡¯d entered his room, didn¡¯t make a fuss or bother him, so he liked her since then. ¡°But I think it¡¯s from that day. The day you stopped my brothers, and got beaten instead of me.¡± He thought it started from that day. That didn¡¯t mean he had negative feelings towards Rachel before that, but until that day, she was just one of the maids. ¡°From then on, I remember everything about you vividly.¡± From the moment Rachel cried, she was vivid in every moment in his memory. The moments with her were crystal clear. ¡°What you said to me, what we did together.¡± It was so clear that he could hear her voice. It was a strange thing that he¡¯d never experience in his lifetime, as if it were imprinted. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve liked you since then.¡± Rachel was the first one to side with him. All the many adults and maids acted as if the young and powerless prince was invisible and unheard. They were afraid they¡¯d get stuck in the crossfire. If they treated him kindly, then they¡¯d get involved in troublesome things. Even if they were able to handle it all, there was no benefit for them. But Rachel was different. The small, dull child stepped up without hesitation. Even though doing so didn¡¯t benefit her at all. Rachel, who was crying herself sick, didn¡¯t blame him either. She didn¡¯t feel it was unfair for being beaten up for nothing, nor had she resented him for not helping her after she helped him. She just cried because she was injured. ¡°But you were so mean to me.¡± When Rachel was young, Ian sometimes gave her fun and expensive things, but sometimes he was cruel and mean. ¡°I was frustrated. I didn¡¯t like how nice you were to everyone.¡± Rachel, who he liked, was friendly with everyone, and he was annoyed by her kindness. The more time he spent with her, the more Ian realized this. Rachel would¡¯ve acted the same way if the person who was being beaten that day was someone else, and not him. Ian hated the fact that for the first time in his life, the favor he received was something that she would¡¯ve done for anyone. Ian didn¡¯t like the fact that it wasn¡¯t given to him because it was him, but that he just happened to receive it. He was mean to Rachel, and even made her cry, because he thought he was nothing to her. ¡°I¡¯m a fool. I only hurt you.¡± Because he wanted to be as special to Rachel as she was to him. ¡°I really liked you back then, and now.¡± There was no lie in his liking her. People told him. He was a talent that was only born after hundreds of years. But when it came to Rachel, he wasn¡¯t sure about anything at all. He didn¡¯t know how to express his feelings or how to treat her. Rachel was always too difficult for him. To the point where he couldn¡¯t handle it. It was too much for a child like him. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. You can hate me until you feel better. It¡¯s okay to say mean things, or to treat me harshly, as long as you stay with me.¡± Ian clenched his fists and stubbornly said. ¡°I¡­ I just want to be nice to you, even now.¡± Now he had power and wealth. He was able to give Rachel a lot. It wouldn¡¯t be a waste to give her everything if that¡¯s what she wanted. Chapter 26 *Thank you for the Kofi Sanji~* ¡°As much as you¡¯ve been by my side.¡± Yeah, he wanted to give Rachel everything. Because she was always by his side even when he was lacking. Rachel stood by him when he was insignificant. ¡°I want to return it. But if all this is a burden, if I¡¯m a burden, I¡¯ll try to approach you slowly.¡± So, please don¡¯t leave me. Ian fervently worried about what he couldn¡¯t say. Like someone who believed that it would really happen. ¡°If you don¡¯t like¡­¡± Ian glanced at Rachel¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ll only visit you once every other day. Please allow that much.¡± There was a long silence for a while, then Rachel shook her head slightly. ¡°I want to go back now.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Rachel was tired, and her voice sounded weary. After Ian¡¯s short answer, silence fell over the park again. There was only the sound of shoes slowly walking. Ian bowed his head, and walked much slower than usual. *** Rachel, who¡¯d returned to her room, sat blankly on her bed and looked down at her foot. Bandaged. The white bandage on her foot looked so alien. It was only slightly scraped, but this bandage wasn¡¯t suitable for her. ¡°You¡¯ve liked me since I was young?¡± Ian said that he¡¯d felt that way since he was a child. ¡®Then what about Ian in the previous life?¡¯ Was he the same? Did Ian from back then like her too? Rachel had in fact realized how good Ian was to her during their childhood. He taught a maid to write, and would give her cake. She couldn¡¯t help but know that he did it because it was her. Rachel also knew that he treated her differently from the others, and took care of her in a gentle manner. Yes. At one time, we may have felt the same way for each other. Maybe that¡¯s why it was so sad when she saw his heart leaving. The older they got, the more it couldn¡¯t be the same as before. No matter how weak he was, he was still a prince and she was a maid. They were feelings that couldn¡¯t be achieved in the first place. It was natural that they would drift apart, but she was stupid and couldn¡¯t easily give up on those emotions. Because those memories were so sweet, and she was very happy during that time. All of the times she was sick and sad was because she was a fool, who was unable to let go of that time. She lived in the memories of the past, nostalgic for the person who¡¯d left her because she couldn¡¯t accept reality, until she finally hated him. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Rachel stared down at her feet for a long time. Eventually she shook her head hard, as if she was trying to shake off the memories related to Ian. *** Without fail, Rachel had a dream that night. ¡°Your Highness, today is a festival!¡± Ian was on his way back to his room after class. Rachel, who was following him, couldn¡¯t hold back and started talking. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Have you ever been to a night market?¡± Ian opened his door and glanced back at Rachel, who was behind him. ¡°I heard from the maids that the night market was really interesting. You can pet monkeys, and watch the circus performers on the street.¡± After returning to his room, Ian put away his textbooks, and took out another book. ¡°The monkeys ride bicycles too. Don¡¯t you want to go?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Ian opened his book, which meant that she should be quiet now. ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Rachel looked at him regretfully for a moment, but quickly returned as she had things to memorize before the end of the day. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± A long time passed, and darkness enveloped the world outside the window. It was time for Rachel to go back to her room. ¡°I¡¯m not going to wait long.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just wear your jacket, and come quickly. If you¡¯re late, I¡¯ll go alone.¡± Rachel didn¡¯t understand Ian¡¯s words, and tilted her head. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to go to the night market.¡± ¡°Oh? Really?¡± Rachel opened her eyes wide in surprise and hopped in place, then she quickly ran to get ready as she remembered Ian¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back! I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible!¡± Rachel looked very excited as she quickly ran to her room. *** ¡°Follow me well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t stay with me, I¡¯ll just leave you behind.¡± Ian left the Imperial palace at Rachel¡¯s request, and kept warning her in a chilly tone. Despite Ian¡¯s frigidness, Rachel nodded happily. The cold night air, and the exciting sound of musical instruments. There was even the smell of delicious food. Rachel took a deep breath. She wanted to see the night market even more now. ¡°Hurry up.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± It was quite hard for the young Rachel to keep up with Ian without being swept away by people, but Rachel worked hard to follow him. Tap It would only take a moment of inattention to lose him. Things would catch her attention, and a few times she was swamped by large crowds. She quickly chased after Ian¡¯s back, but she could no longer see him. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Flustered, she looked around, but there was no way for the short Rachel to find Ian among all of the adults. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± However, it was impossible to call out to Ian here. Rachel¡¯s face grew pale. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t familiar with the geography of the capital, so she couldn¡¯t find her way back to the Imperial palace. ¡®His Highness said he wouldn¡¯t wait for me.¡¯ She was afraid that he¡¯d really leave her behind. She was afraid that she¡¯d never find him because she¡¯d crossed the road without him. Rachel didn¡¯t know where to go, and started to search around in a panic. After walking for a long time among the adults, tears finally flowed from Rachel¡¯s eyes. It seemed that she had lost him. ¡®I wish I hadn¡¯t come out like an idiot.¡¯ When she cried, she became more frightened, so she quickly wiped away her tears. Someone grabbed Rachel¡¯s shoulder as she tried to walk through the crowd once again. ¡°Baby girl. Did you lose your mom?¡± At the friendly voice, she shed more tears and nodded. ¡°Oh my, you should¡¯ve held onto her hand better!¡± The woman looked around, and quietly clicked her tongue. ¡°There are so many people here, so let¡¯s go to the square.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Even your mother wouldn¡¯t be able to find you in such a crowded place. Come along.¡± The woman held Rachel¡¯s hand, and led her away. Rachel looked around as if she was scared to follow a stranger, but she couldn¡¯t figure out what to do, so she followed the woman who was dragging her along. ¡°Don¡¯t cry too much, baby girl. Your mom will try to find you too.¡± However, Rachel shed even more sad tears at the woman¡¯s words. She wasn¡¯t sure if Ian would try to find her. He definitely said he would leave if she didn¡¯t follow him well. When she followed the woman to the square, it became a little quieter. ¡°Let¡¯s go over there. It¡¯ll be easier for your mother to find you if you¡¯re in a conspicuous place.¡± The woman walked to the fountain with Rachel. ¡°Sit here.¡± The woman had Rachel sit on the edge of the fountain in the center of the square. ¡°Your mom will come to find you soon, so let¡¯s wait here.¡± Rachel wasn¡¯t sure yet, so she silently nodded her head. She was really scared that she¡¯d say something unnecessary, and then the woman would leave. Just like that, she sat there helpless, and soon enough an hour had already passed. The woman reassured Rachel, saying she would take her home if her mother didn¡¯t show up. Another thirty minutes passed in this manner. ¡°Hey!¡± A familiar, yet unfamiliar, voice was heard. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ian shouted as if he was angry. ¡°I told you to stay with me!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel¡¯s little shoulders hunched as if frightened by the sight of Ian¡¯s anger, which she was seeing for the first time. ¡°Are you her older brother?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ian finally saw the woman standing beside Rachel, and nodded his head slightly. ¡°See, your brother came looking for you. Thank goodness. Where¡¯s your mother?¡± Ian hesitated for a moment, and then pointed toward the street he¡¯d come from. ¡°Can you get back to your mother by yourselves? Or do you need me to go with you?¡± ¡°No, we can get back on our own.¡± ¡°Okay, hold your brother¡¯s hand tightly. Don¡¯t get lost again. Your brother must have been very worried, so don¡¯t be too upset.¡± The woman wiped Rachel¡¯s tear stained face and said. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now. Get home safely.¡± After the woman left, Rachel checked Ian¡¯s expression. ¡°Ha¡­¡± His face was wet with sweat, as if he¡¯d been running around a lot. He flapped his hand in front of his face a few times, as if he wanted to cool down a little bit. Unable to take off his hat, which hid his noticeably silver hair, he rubbed his face several times with his sleeve as if he were hot. ¡°Get up. Let¡¯s go.¡± Reading his mood, Rachel quickly got up from her seat. ¡°Tsk, did you cry?¡± He looked at Rachel¡¯s red eyes, and rubbed her face with his sleeve. Like he was trying to wipe Rachel¡¯s face clean. However, Rachel¡¯s face was even more messed up by his sweaty sleeve. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Recognizing this fact belatedly, he blurted out some awkward words. ¡°Wipe your face.¡± He¡¯d seemed very angry, but he was no longer angry at Rachel. His tone seemed to have become more gentle than usual. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll buy you some ice cream.¡± Ian waited for Rachel to wipe off her face, then reached out to her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hold hands.¡± Rachel looked blankly at Ian¡¯s hand stretched out in front of her, then grasped his hand with both of hers. ¡°No, like this.¡± He smiled as if he was astonished with her action, then gently grabbed Rachel¡¯s hand. ¡°Well, if I lose you again, I¡¯m the only one who¡¯ll have a hard time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Were you scared?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± ¡°I told you to follow me carefully.¡± He turned his head away slightly, then awkwardly said. ¡°I saw it on my way here, there was a monkey on the street behind the clock tower.¡± He glanced at Rachel, who was walking behind him, then he slowed down. ¡°Let¡¯s go buy some ice cream, and go see it.¡± Rachel smiled brightly at his words, and nodded. Her eyes were still bright red and her smile looked somewhat crooked, but Rachel looked happy. She wasn¡¯t happy because he was going to buy her ice cream, or the fact that she¡¯d finally see a monkey and be able to brag about it. It was because he¡¯d gone looking for her. It made her feel good to think of him searching for her in the back streets of the clock tower, on the opposite side of the street from where they had walked. He made an effort to find her, ending up drenched in sweat, but he¡¯d eventually found her and he didn¡¯t abandon her. Rachel smiled and smiled at Ian¡¯s hand. ¡°Is the monkey small?¡± ¡°Yes, it was small.¡± ¡°Was it a baby then? How small was it? What color was the monkey?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t move so much.¡± Ian sighed softly at Rachel, who held his hand and waved it around. Chapter 27 * Thank you to Berry for the Kofi (?^?^)? * It was time for the sun to rise, erasing the shadowy darkness. The sky was still dim, but the morning would soon dawn. A pained groan came from the quiet bedroom. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ian, who couldn¡¯t overcome the pain, stood up and leaned against the bed. He frowned, and grabbed his chest. Sweat beaded on his face, and contorted in pain. He let out a ragged breath. ¡°Ha!¡± Even though he¡¯d been groaning for a while, Ian grit his teeth as if he had no intention of calling for anyone. If he cried out even once, the servants outside the room would immediately rush in, but his stubborn lips were closed tightly. As long as it would take. The sky brightened, and the morning had completely arrived. ¡°Haa, ha.¡± Tap Tap The sweat slowly stopped dripping, and Ian¡¯s breathing gradually calmed down. ¡°[email protected] it!¡± He spat out a short swear word, and wiped off his sweat. ¡°I can¡¯t get used to this experience no matter how many times I go through it.¡± Ian pressed the area near his chest with some strength due to the pain that still lingered there. Six years. It was a pain that had lasted for six years. After he swallowed that strange liquid, it continued on like this. A life of suffering so much that he couldn¡¯t breathe properly, night or day. But the pain wasn¡¯t the only thing wrong with Ian. This pain always let him know that he could no longer dream of having Rachel by his side anymore. Ian¡¯s purple eyes turned red. He closed his bloodshot eyes tightly. He missed Rachel already. Ian tried to leave the room in a hurry as usual, but soon returned to his bed. It seemed that he really had to stay here today. Yesterday, he told Rachel that he¡¯d only visit every other day. Since he told her that, he couldn¡¯t go see her today. Ian¡¯s body, which was sitting on the bed again, lost some of its strength. ¡°¡­Rachel.¡± Ian¡¯s eyes sank low, as if he was lost in thought. Even though he could have waited a few days to see her again, his anxiety was growing worse and worse. ¡°I¡¯ve been an orphan since the day Mother abandoned me.¡± When her mother came to visit her, Rachel firmly said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you came to see me now, but don¡¯t come back again.¡± On that day, Rachel was making a face that he¡¯d never seen before. She, who always grinned foolishly, didn¡¯t smile at all that day. Rachel snapped at the woman who was reaching out to her, and stood up from her seat without any regrets. ¡°Since that day, our relationship has ended. I have nothing to say to you, and I don¡¯t want to be around you. Don¡¯t come back here.¡± She handed over the money she¡¯d saved so far, and severed ties with her mother. The way she handed over the money wasn¡¯t heartless to the end, so everything she said was even more sincere. Rachel really broke it off that way. Ian furrowed his brow slightly. It seemed like Rachel would end up showing him the same face someday. ¡°I¡­¡± When that day came, everything that he¡¯d been holding on to would be over. He could never catch Rachel again. Would he be able to endure that day? He was afraid. A day where he would see the hatred in Rachel¡¯s eyes as she looked at him, and that¡¯s how it would all end. Then he would have to live his life without Rachel again. That thought scared him. ¡°Haaa¡± He had a dream yesterday. A dream where Rachel disappeared again. In his dream, she knew everything. Rachel left when she found out that he had memories of his past life. She turned her back on him with a look of resentment, and he couldn¡¯t do anything anymore. *** A lot of time had passed, but Ian had never forgotten the day Rachel disappeared. It was a summer day where the weather was perfect. After he¡¯d captured the dragon and received the title of Crown Prince, Ian called Rachel and Diana to the Imperial palace. Diana was his fianc¨¦e. Rachel was his maid. Ian, who¡¯d become the crown prince, spent most of his time rebuilding the capital, and spent the rest of his time alone on the hunting grounds owned by the emperor. The day that Rachel died was the day that Diana and Rachel visited the hunting grounds. *** ¡°Ian!¡± Ian, who was slowly riding his horse through the hunting grounds, turned his head to look towards the voice that called out to him. His gaze landed on Rachel, who was walking slightly behind Diana. Diana ran towards him while she waved happily, and Rachel followed slowly behind her. Ian frowned slightly at the unexpected visit, but quickly changed his expression. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He dismounted from his horse, and greeted Diana. ¡°Tsk, Ian. Why is it so hard to see your face these days?¡± Ian hesitated for a while, then smiled softly at Diana, who was wrinkling her nose as if she didn¡¯t like something. ¡°Is hunting more important? More than me?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Tsk, I came because I missed Ian.¡± Diana grumbled quietly, but soon she smiled brightly. She seemed to have relaxed immediately after she saw Ian. Ian wasn¡¯t exactly happy about being disturbed at this time, but he swallowed his sigh. ¡°Ian, did you miss me too?¡± Ian nodded slightly as his eyes stayed on Rachel for a while. Rachel, who was bowing her head and turned away from them, looked to be in pain. However, Ian¡¯s gaze soon returned to Diana. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Already? I don¡¯t want to, Ian. I want to see the hunting grounds too!¡± Diana glowed as her eyes looked around the wide forest. ¡°There are many wild animals around the hunting grounds, so it would be dangerous.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re here. You¡¯ll protect me when I¡¯m in danger, so I have nothing to worry about. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Ian swallowed a small sigh, and soon nodded his head. He didn¡¯t think there would be a problem as long as they didn¡¯t go in too deeply. When Ian looked at Rachel, she still had her head bowed and said. ¡°¡­then I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Ian nodded silently. It was hard to see Rachel¡¯s face. Ian had been avoiding Rachel these days. He was distancing himself because he felt like he was going crazy from just looking at her. The foolish girl had become more beautiful over time. Needlessly so. Rachel¡¯s eyelids, with their long lashes and upturned corners, moved slowly, like the fluttering wings of a butterfly. The shape of them was hard for him to take in. He wanted just a moment to look into those eyes that were filled with the bluish green of summer. Even though he knew that it wasn¡¯t just foolish, but a crazy idea. He looked at her red lips, he thought it would be too bad to go crazy. This cheeky girl. Everytime she shook a person¡¯s heart, she was blind to it, as if nothing had happened. Her quiet eyes that were half covered by her eyelashes when they were lowered made it harder for him to read her thoughts, which caused him to be even more anxious. Ian felt annoyed by Rachel lately, annoyed by everything, but lately it had gotten worse. He wanted to find out what this mysterious girl was thinking, but he ignored her without knowing that she would never be able to return. Even though he knew better than anyone else that it would be a fleeting happiness. He wondered if there was anything he had wanted more in his life than this woman. Even then, he ended up pushing that thought away because he knew it was a choice that would make everyone unhappy in the end. He¡¯d made a vow to himself that he would be the one person no one would ever ignore again. He¡¯d lived his whole life being ignored for being a half-blood. He knew better than anyone that he needed to be accepted by the nobles. It was too clear what choice he had to make to be recognized by those who valued bloodlines. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Rachel, who was trying to turn around, looked up at Diana¡¯s words and looked at her. ¡°Where are you going while holding my fan and bag?¡± Diana smiled in exasperation. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to take what¡¯s mine again, did you? You still haven¡¯t fixed that habit?¡± Rachel bit her lip at Diana¡¯s questions. ¡°Or were you going to make me hold it myself?¡± Diana said, putting her hand on Ian¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t think about slacking off, and just follow me. I need someone to wait on me.¡± Diana warned Rachel, pulled on Ian¡¯s arm, and smiled cutely. ¡°Ian, come on.¡± Ian wanted Rachel to go back, but he didn¡¯t want to argue with Diana over it. Because there was no end to the problems she would cause. Ian nodded and pulled on the reins of the horse. *** Where the stream flowed. ¡°Wow, there¡¯s a place like this in the forest?¡± With Ian¡¯s help, Diana got down off the horse, and looked around. With a large meadow and a quietly flowing stream, Diana exclaimed that she found the perfect place for a picnic. ¡°Why are you standing there in a daze? Hurry up and put it down.¡± ¡°Are you going to put down the rug here?¡± ¡°I prepared a sandwich to eat with you, Ian.¡± Ian couldn¡¯t understand Diana¡¯s idea of enjoying a picnic on a mat in the middle of this forest, where you never knew when wild animals could appear, but he nodded his head as if he understood immediately. When Rachel took out the mat from the basket and spread it out, Diana gently sat on it. ¡°Ian, please sit down. I worked really hard on it.¡± Diana, who took the picnic bag from Rachel, smiled gently as she took the sandwiches out of the bag. Of course, it was prepared by the Imperial palace chef for Diana¡¯s outing, but that fact wasn¡¯t important. As Ian sat on the mat, Rachel took a few steps back and waited quietly for their picnic to end. After a long time, Rachel started to move little by little in place as if her legs hurt. Ding-dingding He heard a bell from afar. Chapter 28 ~ Thank you for the Kofi, Sewerat [1 of 2] ~ ?(?*¨@?¨A)?*??¨A Ding Ding Dong It was the sound of a bell that announced the invasion of outsiders. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­Ian?¡± At that sound, Diana and Ian also stopped talking and frowned. ¡°What? I guess someone broke in! Oh no, I¡¯m scared.¡± Diana was instantly frightened. ¡°[email protected] it!¡± A quiet swear word flowed out of Ian¡¯s mouth. ¡°What should we do? Ian, let¡¯s go back.¡± Diana grabbed Ian¡¯s arm and cried out in a panic. When Ian just looked at her and Rachel without saying a word, Diana burst into tears. ¡°Ian!!! I¡¯m scared!¡± Diana grabbed Ian by the lapel, and wailed. ¡°I want to go back! Hurry!¡± ¡°Yes, alright.¡± Ian sighed slightly and helped Diana, who was having trouble standing. Who¡¯d broken in? It couldn¡¯t be a foreign country. Was it a rebellion? Of course, to know what was happening inside the Imperial palace and how the situation would unfold in the future, it would be most accurate to see it in person. The Imperial palace had the Imperial knights, so it was safe for the time being. ¡°Ian! What are you doing? Let¡¯s go!¡± Ian also knew that his main priority was to hurry back, and figure out the situation. However, there were a total of three people here. Only two people could ride on the horse. Which meant that someone would have to wait here. ¡°Ian!¡± ¡°Shut your mouth.¡± Diana, who¡¯d nervously called out to Ian, frowned deeply. She was surprised at Ian¡¯s expression, which she¡¯d never seen before. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Ian looked at Rachel for a moment, and she soon called out to him. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Rachel¡¯s face scrunched up, afraid that Ian and Diana would leave her alone here. Ian glanced at Rachel, and put Diana on the horse. Wild animals rarely came down to this place during the day. If he rode the horse quickly, it would take less than thirty minutes for him to drop Diana off outside the forest and return. Thirty minutes. Nothing should happen in that amount of time. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Ian hurried to get on the horse, but Rachel caught him by the sleeve. She looked up into his eyes with trembling hands and tear-filled eyes, as if she was about to cry. She seemed afraid that the two of them would leave her here alone. ¡°Um, I¡­¡± Rachel bit her lip, and looked as if she was about to burst into tears. ¡°Please.¡± Rachel begged. ¡°¡­Please take me too.¡± Ian frowned at Rachel, who was frightened for some reason. She didn¡¯t do this when they risked their lives to escape the Imperial palace together, Rachel didn¡¯t shed a single tear at that time. Thick tear drops flowed down her cheeks. Rachel took her hand away from the shirt that she¡¯d grabbed. ¡°Ian!¡± Ian shook his head hastily at Diana, who was calling for him, as he tried to catch Rachel¡¯s hand, which was moving away. ¡°Wait here.¡± ¡°¡­hick.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take long. I¡¯ll be right back, so wait here.¡± Rachel bit her lip hard, as if to hold back her tears. Rachel¡¯s shoulders shuddered once. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ian heard Rachel¡¯s answer, and finally climbed on the horse. Looking back at Rachel, Ian hurried to ride out of the forest. Tears. It was the first time since she was very young. Even the day when they ran away from the Imperial palace together. Even during their many difficult days after that. He didn¡¯t see Rachel cry. Why was she crying like that? Rachel was different from her usual self. Ian¡¯s heart pounded anxiously at her appearance, as if she was extremely frightened. ¡°[email protected] it.¡± It would only be thirty minutes, not a day. He knew nothing would happen to Rachel. But when the calm Rachel cried, anxious cursing would flow out of him. ¡°Get off.¡± Ian said this as they exited the hunting ground, and arrived at the entrance to the forest. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Get off.¡± ¡°Ian, you want me to dismount here?¡± Diana frowned at Ian¡¯s command to get down from the horse. ¡°Are you going to leave me here alone, and go back to that girl? In a situation where you don¡¯t even know who broke into the Imperial palace? Are you out of your mind?¡± Diana flushed angrily and shouted at Ian, who was going to abandon her and return to Rachel. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing dangerous here, so get off.¡± However, even in front of the angry Diana, Ian was significantly different than usual, ¡°Ian!¡± It was the first time Ian acted like this towards her. He¡¯d never balked or refused whatever she¡¯d asked for before. Hadn¡¯t he done everything she¡¯d demanded of him so far? Diana fumed in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s your last chance to get off with your own two feet.¡± But the answer that came back was still cold. There was no consideration for Diana. If she didn¡¯t get off, he¡¯d drag her off. Ian¡¯s purple eyes, that looked down at her, were as cold as the winter night sky. That was why Diana couldn¡¯t continue to be stubborn. Ian¡¯s eyes were looking at her so sharply. ¡°¡­.¡± It was the first time she¡¯d felt fear in her whole life as a Lady of Avery. Farther. Farther. Diana watched as the horse, and Ian moved away into the forest. ¡°Crazy b!tch.¡± Insane [email protected] ¡°How could you act like that beggar is more important than me?!¡± She knew it. In the end, she knew Ian would act like this. She knew that the beggar would eventually not know her place, and would be greedy for what was hers. Diana couldn¡¯t hold in her anger, and ground her teeth. *** Faster. Faster. [email protected] it. Ian forced the horse to move faster. He knew in his head that nothing would happen. Rachel, who was in tears, kept shaking and that made him anxious. Silly girl. Why were you crying just because you were scared? The sun was still up, and the only wild animals in that part of the forest were roe deer. Something wouldn¡¯t happen in that short amount of time. Silly girl. He could see the colorful mat from a distance. ¡°Rachel!¡± For some reason, Rachel was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Rachel!¡± A flock of birds flew away at his cry. ¡°Where is she!¡± Ian¡¯s head moved around quickly. He wasn¡¯t sure where Rachel had gone. ¡°I told you to stay put. Where did you go?¡± At that moment, an unbearable irritation rose up. Ian drove the horse further into the forest. ¡°Rachel!¡± Didn¡¯t she answer that she would wait? Then she should¡¯ve waited there. Why did she move? ¡°Rachel!¡± Ian dismounted from the horse, and began to run on foot. Just in case, he checked the bushes off the trail. ¡°Rachel!¡± He ran around thinking that her voice might be drowned out by the sound of hooves. But Rachel couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. Dadadada She couldn¡¯t have gone far in such a short amount of time. ¡°Rachel!¡± Ian began to run farther into the forest, but no matter how far he ran, he didn¡¯t see Rachel. ¡°F*ck¡­¡± A lot of time passed, and before he knew it, the sky was red. He¡¯d sweated so much that his hair was wet. However, even after he wandered through the whole forest, he couldn¡¯t find where the foolish girl was hiding. If she hadn¡¯t fainted from fear, why wasn¡¯t she answering as if she couldn¡¯t hear his voice. He wouldn¡¯t have missed Rachel¡¯s tracks, but he hadn¡¯t seen any in the forest. If it got any darker¡­ He didn¡¯t know when it started, but Ian¡¯s hands were shaking. ¡°Rachel!¡± Ian once again called out to her at the top of his lungs, but there was still no answer back. *** ¡°Your Highness.¡± The Entrance to the Imperial Palace A servant, who seemed to have been waiting for Ian, approached in a hurry. ¡°Where have you been this whole time?¡± The servant frowned when he saw Ian¡¯s ruined clothes. During that long period of time when they¡¯d been subduing all the rebels who¡¯d invaded the Imperial palace, the Crown Prince hadn¡¯t shown his face once. They knew that it probably wasn¡¯t the case, but everyone was worried that Ian might have been killed. Where was he? And why did the Crown Prince only return after the sun had set? ¡°Why are your clothes all wet? Did you fall into the water?¡± He didn¡¯t show his face once, but just by looking at his behavior, it would¡¯ve been believable if he¡¯d been overpowered by the rebels while alone. What was he doing? Looking at the eyes of the Crown Prince, which were out of focus, the servant glanced at his expression. ¡°Gather people.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go find Rachel.¡± Shaking hands, and a cracked voice. It wasn¡¯t easy to understand his words with his voice so hoarse. The servant couldn¡¯t understand Ian¡¯s command, therefore couldn¡¯t follow it, so Ian had to keep talking. ¡°Go find Rachel!¡± ¡°¡­Your Highness?¡± ¡°Right now!¡± The Imperial Knights, who were exhausted from dealing with the traitors, had to carry lamps and enter the hunting grounds under the Crown Prince¡¯s orders. Rachel. To find her. A hundred people, then two hundred people. As time went by, the number of knights who entered the forest increased. With all the lights from the lamps, it was now bright as day, but Rachel was not seen anywhere in the forest. The knights and Ian searched the forest from dusk until dawn. They searched everywhere in the forest. But oddly enough, they didn¡¯t find anything. He knew it didn¡¯t make sense. Rachel had disappeared like smoke. The next day. Ian ordered all the trees in the hunting ground to be cut down. He wondered if there was a place they¡¯d missed because they were covered by vegetation. He knew it wouldn¡¯t help. But this was all Ian could think of. He vowed that he would lock Rachel up so that the foolish girl wouldn¡¯t get lost again. However, even after they cut down all the trees, they still couldn¡¯t find her. Ian forced the lords that lived around the hunting ground to search for Rachel. He wondered if maybe Rachel, who was a bit of a dunce, had walked there aimlessly. After all the territories around the hunting grounds were searched, and Rachel still wasn¡¯t found, Ian searched the territories around the hunting grounds again. He was going to search the whole empire if Rachel didn¡¯t show up. *** A Note from Baset Sorry for the inconvenience this may cause some of you. (*_ _)ÈË Chapter 29 ~ Thank you for the Kofi, Sewerat [2 of 2] ~ ?(?*¨@?¨A)?*??¨A A month. That¡¯s how a month passed. However, despite searching all over the place, Rachel was no longer beside Ian. *** ¡°Prince.¡± He knew reality. ¡°Ian Dakendov.¡± Ian was standing in front of his father. His expressionless face seemed to be somewhat put together. He looked like he hadn¡¯t slept in a month. His eyes were red and bloodshot, his cheeks looked hollowed, and he seemed to have lost some weight. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you what you¡¯ve been doing with the Imperial knights for a month!¡± Ian slowly dropped his gaze at the Emperor¡¯s roar. ¡°What the hell are you doing looking for that woman?¡± That woman. Ian slowly blinked at the words that were used for Rachel. Ian knew that no matter how much time the Emperor gave him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer his question. He didn¡¯t know what he was going to do after he found Rachel. ¡°So, will you put that woman in the position of Crown Princess? Or do you want her as your concubine?¡± Ian still didn¡¯t know what he wanted from Rachel. He just felt like he had to find her. Even if she was dead. He just wanted to find out. ¡°Did you at least love her?¡± Only then did Ian¡¯s breath burst out of his mouth at the Emperor¡¯s words. The Emperor, who was still looking down at Ian, raised the corner of his mouth as if it were funny. ¡°That¡¯s enough silliness for now. This will all fade away in time, so let this business end here.¡± The Emperor generously spoke again to his foolish son. ¡°Even that love, which seems to be everything in the world now, will fade in time. So forget about it.¡± Ian knew it too. Love was a useless emotion. When that deadline passed, the distance in his eyes returned. A useless feeling that only left regret. Wasn¡¯t that exactly what he was? The ¡®troublesome¡¯ prince, who arose from the unbearable lust of the moment. Ian Dakendov. He couldn¡¯t help, but know how trivial the emotion of love was. ¡°The first prince, who¡¯d started the rebellion, has died.¡± The Emperor started speaking again. The Emperor let out a deep sigh. The first prince, who¡¯d led the revolt, had died. ¡°Ha, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re the only prince in the empire now. Correct your actions.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The Emperor frowned as if he hadn¡¯t expected Ian¡¯s simple answer. He thought he¡¯d make a lot of fuss about this, but Ian gave up faster than he expected. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± Ian nodded his head. He¡¯d done everything he could. Nevertheless, Rachel couldn¡¯t be found, and there was no other way to find her. He had no choice, but to forget now. He couldn¡¯t just sit around and be tied up in a situation that would not progress any further. As the Emperor stated, he would forget her over time. It only bothered him since they¡¯d spent so much time together. He was just a little surprised because it was unexpected. Even if it was love, it was a feeling that would pass. She was a quiet girl anyway. Even if that girl disappeared from his life, nothing much would change. He would still be an Emperor, whether he had a woman or not. When the time came, he wouldn¡¯t even remember her. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll get going now.¡± With a small bow of his head, the Crown Prince slipped out of the audience hall. Thud Thud His gait seemed quite tired, and he looked a little weak. ¡®Love.¡¯ It seems that this feeling of being irritated at the sight of that woman, and that time of being concerned about her, was love. He thought it would be softer and warmer, but his love for her was so fierce. Ian¡¯s breath became heavy because it started sooner than he¡¯d thought. Would he ever be able to forget Rachel? He sincerely hoped that everything would be forgotten, as the Emperor said. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeah, that would be better. Because if it weren¡¯t for that woman, there wouldn¡¯t have been anything difficult for him. Ian couldn¡¯t be more annoyed. This was for the best. *** Rachel was no longer with Ian, but his time went by as usual. No. It was much busier and faster than usual. The war against the Sienna Empire. It had been four years since he¡¯d participated in the war. In four years, the war ended, and in the meantime Ian had become the Emperor. Ian had been busy fighting the war. Afterwards he was busy restoring the territories, and various facilities that had been ruined during the war. ¡°Your Majesty, there are documents that need to be approved.¡± ¡°For when?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not due until next week, but can I give it to you today?¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do that.¡± He didn¡¯t remember exactly, but Diana was still around at the time that Rachel disappeared, but she went back to her territory soon after. She said she was disappointed in Ian, and said that he didn¡¯t love her. Thus, Diana returned to her territory, and their engagement ended like that. The war with the Sienna Empire started around that time, and kept Ian busier than ever. As his father said, his love was gradually forgotten. It was the emotion of the moment that caused Ian to worry needlessly, just as the Emperor had told him. *** ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Hammond glanced back before leaving the room, and called out to him quietly. Ian immediately turned away from Hammond before he walked up as if it was nothing. Hammond had noticed that Ian had always been like this. Before taking a step, he always looked back as if he were checking for something. Did he become sensitive because he¡¯d fought in the war for a long time? Or was it just his habit? ¡°Your Majesty, did you know about this?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, you always check behind you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hammond copied Ian¡¯s usual action. ¡°You didn¡¯t realize?¡± Despite Hammond¡¯s kind explanation, Ian still seemed to have no idea. ¡°You always check like you¡¯ve left something behind. You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­Do I?¡± Ian soon turned away from Hammond, as if his interest had cooled down. Hammond shut up when he realized that the Emperor no longer wanted to talk about this topic. Somehow, Ian¡¯s face seemed a little tired today. It was something he¡¯d learned how to see after spending a long time with Ian. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, Your Majesty, should we postpone the patrol?¡± Hammond looked at Ian¡¯s complexion, and asked carefully. ¡°It¡¯s fine, so let¡¯s do it the way we planned.¡± Despite Hammond¡¯s consideration, Ian shook his head lightly. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll prepare the carriage. You can go get ready, then come out.¡± Ian nodded slightly at Hammond¡¯s words. *** After the mayor¡¯s report was over, Ian approached Hammond, who was waiting for him. ¡°Will you be going back?¡± ¡°No, I want to walk for a little bit.¡± ¡°What?¡± When Ian said he wanted to walk, this caused Hammond to frown. Did that mean he wanted to walk from here to the Imperial palace? Wouldn¡¯t that take an hour? ¡°Are you going to walk all the way to the Imperial palace?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian nodded slightly at Hammond¡¯s question about whether he was really thinking of walking. ¡°Give me some robes.¡± At his words, Hammond opened the carriage door. He didn¡¯t know why, but Ian had been looking tired these days. It seemed that he wanted to have some alone time. Hammond nodded, and handed over the robes to Ian. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go ahead first.¡± ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Ian called Hammond back before he got in the carriage. ¡°What happened to the girl?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The girl I asked you to look for.¡± Hammond blinked in confusion at Ian¡¯s words. ¡°Are you talking about Rachel?¡± Then he finally spoke up as if he finally realized what he meant. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I kept looking for her, but I didn¡¯t find any information.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± He nodded slowly. Ian had continued to look for Rachel. It was the month after Rachel had disappeared. Hammond had seen Ian during that time period. He¡¯d been out of his mind, but he seemed to have gotten better with time. But he was still thinking about Rachel. Ian ordered Hammond to report to him if he found Rachel¡¯s body. After that, he never brought it up again. So he thought he¡¯d forgotten about it, but Ian was still thinking about her. ¡°Okay, you can go now.¡± Ian said with a small motion with his chin. Hammond nodded briefly, and got on the carriage. She had green eyes with brown hair. She was an impressive woman with green eyes that soaked in the sunlight. Rachel. She was beautiful. He¡¯d taken an interest in Rachel for a time, though he quickly gave up on her after a harsh glare from Ian. For Hammond, Rachel was an attractive woman. Ian warned him that if he wasn¡¯t going to marry Rachel, then he should just give up right away if he was only going to play around with her for a while, or else he¡¯d kill him. How chilling he was then. Since then, Hammond avoided Rachel for fear of being caught by Ian. ¡°She¡¯s probably dead.¡± It had already been five years since Ian cut down all the trees in the hunting ground, and overturned the Empire to find her. But they couldn¡¯t find even the hem of her clothes, let alone her body. He thought the Emperor had forgotten. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal, so he should¡¯ve just forgotten about it.¡± Why couldn¡¯t he forget? Hammond was fine on that day, and he was good now. Well, as far as Rachel was concerned. He thought Ian was very foolish. *** The Capital Square. A fountain located in the middle of the square. Ian wandered around that fountain blankly. ¡®Should I turn back?¡¯ Ian recalled what Hammond had said. It was probably a habit that Rachel created. It had already been a long time since that girl had disappeared, but he still couldn¡¯t escape from his thoughts of her. In reality, Ian knew it. That he hadn¡¯t forgotten Rachel in all this time. ¡°¡­.¡± When Rachel was young, she sat here and waited for him. He was confident that he¡¯d find her if she¡¯d just waited. He didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be waiting for him this time. Maybe. She was dead. Funnily enough, it took five years to accept this fact. Was it because he¡¯d taken a wrong turn, and couldn¡¯t find Rachel? If she¡¯d been attacked by wild animals, they would¡¯ve found a dead body. None of her clothes had come back into his hands. Therefore That was probably why he couldn¡¯t abandon his unrequited love until now. It was better to think that she was alive somewhere, because it made it at least bearable and he didn¡¯t feel so sad. ¡®Sadness?¡¯ Yeah. Ian was terribly sad that Rachel was no longer around him. To the point where he didn¡¯t want to accept reality. Chapter 30 * A thank you to Mar for the Kofis [1 of 3] ©c(*?¦Ø?)? * Actually, if he found Rachel. As long as he found her again this time, as he had before, even after she made him suffer so much. All because she didn¡¯t listen to him. He¡¯d forgive her for all of it. He would have no choice, but to do so. Thud! At that moment, something small ran into him on the bridge. ¡°Hey! I told you to be careful.¡± The girl who bumped into Ian was crying, as if she was scared of him, as she looked up at him. Behind her, a boy ran up and criticized the child. ¡°Mister, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The child who ran up quickly apologized for the girl. Ian nodded his head slightly. The boy bowed his head and apologized again, then he took the girl¡¯s hand and walked away. Brown hair. The child¡¯s hair fluttered in the wind. Her sunny hair shone brilliantly with various colors. ¡°¡­.!¡± Flustered, Ian rubbed his hand down his face. He hurried his steps as if he was embarrassed. Foolish man. Ian, who was swearing at himself, hurried towards the Imperial palace. Was he completely crazy now? However, no matter how hard he tried to pull himself together, tears flowed down again. She was definitely a quiet girl. She could have followed the boy around all day, and she wouldn¡¯t have said a word. For some reason, it was too vexing to think that one of those women was gone. It was no different from any other day, but the vacancy was noticeable today. Love. Didn¡¯t they say it was a feeling that would disappear soon? But as time went by, he missed her more and more. He was very sad that they couldn¡¯t meet anymore. A cheeky girl. If she was going to disappear, how could she disappear like that? Ian stopped on his way to the Imperial palace, and changed his path. This was also the road he walked with Rachel. He hurried to the place where there was no memory of her. Then he wondered if he could forget it a little bit. He wondered if it would be a little less painful. He turned down the road to see if he could breathe. Since when did that girl become everything to him? He thought it would be okay because she had no presence. He thought it wouldn¡¯t matter. Ian thought he¡¯d be able to hold on. It was too much, so he wanted to quit now. Emotions that he¡¯d endured for five years. The feelings ignored him, as if it didn¡¯t know. The emotions that had been suppressed flowed out like a burst dam, with no time to block it or stop it. He couldn¡¯t pretend he didn¡¯t know, or endure it anymore. Ian had no choice, but to accept that he was destined to flounder in this longing and suffering for the rest of his life. Rachel, who couldn¡¯t be erased. He wanted to be free of this pain and forget Rachel forever, but he didn¡¯t want to forget any of the small things about her. She liked sweet things, and hated unfamiliar places. When she laughed, her cheeks would slightly dimple under her eyes. She burned food often as if she had no talent for cooking, but she was smart and a quick learner. Even so, she hated studying and liked to scribble. She always smelled good too. He missed that. The more he thought of Rachel, the harder it was to breathe. Ian¡¯s breathing was gradually getting more ragged. Eventually, he burst into tears like a child. He didn¡¯t even remember when he last cried. He was crying because he felt hopeless and suffocated, like a child who¡¯d lost their parents. *** ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The head of the knights ran out to receive him, as if he was worried about Ian, who¡¯d returned later than scheduled. Ian lowered his head as soon as he was found, as if he didn¡¯t want to show his face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ian pulled his robe even farther over his head, and gave a small nod. ¡°You were late, I was worried.¡± ¡°Nothing happened.¡± Ian passed by him, only giving a short answer. The head knight hurried to follow him. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I want to be alone, so don¡¯t follow me.¡± He wanted to be alone. At Ian¡¯s command, the commander of the knights nodded slightly, and no longer followed him. ¡°Haaa.¡± He¡¯d returned to the Imperial palace to avoid Rachel¡¯s residual presence. In the end, she manifested herself everywhere. If he stood in front of the window, Rachel was walking in the hallway. Ian hurried to hide in his office. He wanted to confess to someone that he missed Rachel so much that it was almost too much to bear, but Ian couldn¡¯t. Ian walked around his office in a daze. Everything went as he wished when he was young. He eventually became the Emperor, and the Empire grew strong. No one ignored him for being vulgar anymore. He got everything he wanted. But in the end, Ian wasn¡¯t happy at all. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± Ian sighed heavily again. Where did he start getting it wrong? Then what did he have to do? Would he have been happy if he caught her? Would Rachel have returned to him safely if he¡¯d called in the knights sooner to search for her? Ian stopped walking, and buried himself deeply into the sofa. He regretted everything to the fullest. From time to time, Rachel would visit Ian in his dreams and smile at him, seemingly unconcerned, but the more she did so, the more he thought of the last time he saw her face, which was scared and tearful. If he¡¯d been a little more affectionate with her. If she¡¯d been a noble woman. If he hadn¡¯t been so greedy for power. If he didn¡¯t have such low blood. Would things have been better now if he hadn¡¯t been born into the royal family? Even though he knew it was useless, he kept making meaningless assumptions. If he¡¯d realized that she wouldn¡¯t wait for him for the rest of her life. ¡°¡­.¡± He knew that she liked him. She smiled brightly only at him, so he couldn¡¯t help but know. Rachel, who always welcomed him with a bright smile. He always knew it would be like that. Was it because I thought she was already his? He never felt impatient. He was always given the option of a relationship, so he thought he could have it whenever he wanted it. ¡°Crazy guy.¡± He was the most selfish person he knew. Was that why he was being punished? Then why didn¡¯t he just suffer alone? Why Rachel? Ian closed his eyes as if he was in pain, and buried himself deeper into the sofa. *** In his dream, he had Rachel in his line of sight. Ian tilted his head, and frowned when his eyes spotted Rachel. What was she doing there? Rachel was leaning against the window frame, and looking up at the stars. He couldn¡¯t see her that well, but something small was shining in her hand. Necklace. Yeah, it looked like a necklace. He approached Rachel with small steps. He stopped suddenly. For some reason, she didn¡¯t seem to be in a very good mood. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Rachel screamed with her shoulder crouched as if surprised by his sudden appearance. But she quickly recognized him, and bowed her head in a hurry. Rachel held the object in her hand without hiding it. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ian glanced at her hand, and inquired. Rachel blinked as if she hadn¡¯t expected him to ask. ¡°¡­.¡± The sudden attention seemed to embarrass her. She reluctantly stretched out her hand and showed him. However, Ian just waited silently as if he wasn¡¯t going to leave until Rachel answered him. ¡°What, where did you get that?¡± ¡°¡­Someone gave it to me.¡± Rachel turned away without looking at his face, as if this time she felt uncomfortable. In the palm of Rachel¡¯s hand, he saw a small bottle on the end of a thin necklace. It was filled with a golden liquid. The moment Ian shook his head as if he couldn¡¯t understand Rachel, she immediately squeezed her hand shut and blocked his view. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his name.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was the first time we¡¯d met.¡± Ian raised an eyebrow. Why would she accept something from someone she didn¡¯t even know? In addition, he couldn¡¯t understand what she liked about it so much. ¡°Where did you meet him?¡± ¡°We met at the western palace.¡± ¡°What does he look like?¡± As he asked her questions, Rachel glanced at him. Like she didn¡¯t want to talk much. Ian¡¯s brows furrowed, which prompted a response. ¡°He was tall and handsome¡­¡± His lips slanted slightly at Rachel¡¯s answer, as he resisted the urge to laugh in vain. Handsome? ¡°What color was his eyes or hair?¡± ¡°¡­Why are you asking that?¡± Rachel showed a little bit of rebellion at that moment. What does he have to do with who and what she received? What if he found out who gave it to her? Such questions were being revealed on her face. But when he urged her again, she opened her mouth. ¡°Oh, it was someone with red eyes.¡± ¡°Red eyes?¡± Ian frowned. Harmond Bourke. It was clear. Not exactly red eyes, but often people mistook his eyes for red. In addition, he¡¯d never heard of anyone else in the Empire with red eyes. Red eyes weren¡¯t human. ¡°Ha?¡± Handsome¡­ Was Rachel¡¯s taste like that? Harmond Bourke. He was a neat-looking man. ¡°Why did he give you this?¡± ¡°I helped him with something, and he gave it to me as a thank you.¡± His lips came up at a slight angle once more at those words. Was he interested in Rachel? ¡°Give it here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ian proudly held out his hand. For a moment, there was a look of astonishment on Rachel¡¯s face. ¡°You want this?¡± A fierce sense of frustration was revealed on her face, as Ian reached out once again. ¡°But, but this! I received it.¡± ¡°So?¡± Even as he tried to take Rachel¡¯s necklace, he was endlessly confident. ¡°But. He told me to keep it safe and that it would grant my wish.¡± ¡°Wish?¡± Ian¡¯s face cooled down at Rachel¡¯s words. Chapter 31 * A thank you to Mar for the Kofis [2 of 3] ©c(*?¦Ø?)? * ¡°If you drink this. Your wish will come true¡­¡± He was appalled at Rachel for foolishly believing the story that her wish would be granted, and annoyed at Harmond for making fun of the silly girl. ¡°Give it here.¡± Rachel looked at his expression, and soon took the necklace from around her neck. She had no choice, but to hand her necklace over to Ian. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of his hand, as if she wasn¡¯t happy with the situation and felt it was unfair. Ian closed his hand, and blocked her gaze as Rachel had done to him. ¡°Don¡¯t wander around uselessly.¡± ¡°¡­Okay, I got it.¡± The voice that answered somehow lacked power. Rachel bowed her head deeply, as if she wanted to stop talking to him. It was their first conversation in a month, but Rachel didn¡¯t seem to welcome it and wasn¡¯t interested in it. Rachel, who was bowing her head deeply, looked a little tired. Ian wanted to talk to Rachel more because he felt bad about neglecting her, but he soon took a step back because he couldn¡¯t think of anything to say. ¡°Tsk, silly girl. What are you doing?¡± Ian moved away, and let go of the annoyance that he had endured quietly. Come to think of it, Rachel used to be talked about by the servants. It must¡¯ve been worse without him because he¡¯d heard about it somehow. ¡°Did you see the maid the prince brought?¡± ¡°The one with the green eyes?¡± ¡°Yeah, she was pretty.¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Be careful. She looks like she¡¯s the Crown Prince¡¯s type.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I should take this opportunity to embrace a woman who¡¯s close to the royal family.¡± He sighed deeply as if he was trying to hold back his anger, perhaps because he remembered it at this time. They had already become unable to sin anymore, but often he felt unbearably dirty when their conversation came to mind. ¡®Foolish girl, it¡¯s because you¡¯re uselessly pretty.¡¯ She caught people¡¯s attention for no reason. Click Ian returned to his office, and put the necklace he took from Rachel in the desk drawer, then closed it. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Harmond Bourke. He heard that he was brilliant, but he didn¡¯t know what his personality was like. He¡¯d given her a gift that he claimed would grant her wish, all because she helped him. It seemed that he¡¯d played a trick on Rachel. What was it that little Rachel cost, and how much did he ask her to help him with? He was all over the Imperial palace, but Ian couldn¡¯t understand him asking for Rachel¡¯s help. ¡°Your wish could come true?¡± Ian sighed softly at Harmond, who was talking nonsense. ¡°You couldn¡¯t avoid the crazy guy, but you think he¡¯s handsome. Do you really believe what he said?¡± He felt sick about whether Rachel really believed that ridiculous story or not. ¡°Harmond, what the heck are you doing?¡± Ian took a small breath as if he was trying to calm down his sour mood. *** It was evening, when darkness filled the night sky. Ian opened his eyes slowly. He¡¯d fallen asleep for a while on the small sofa. Slowly he swept a hand down his face as if the sleep wasn¡¯t quite gone yet. ¡®Necklace.¡¯ Come to think of it, there was a necklace that he¡¯d taken from Rachel. When he thought of it, Ian got up from his seat and walked towards the room he¡¯d used when he was the Crown Prince. A necklace that belonged to Rachel. For some reason, his steps became a little urgent. Tap Tap Tap Soon enough, he was running through the Imperial palace, completely forgetting about his dignity. The Crown Prince¡¯s room was dark, without a single light. When he roughly pulled the curtains back, the moonlight flowed into the room. Shift When he opened the drawer, he saw a rolling bottle inside. Ian grabbed it without hesitation. When he took this from Rachel it was warm. The bottle was now cold, with not a trace of warmth left in it, and his heart ached at the fact. ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± He laughed at himself for the fact that he ran all the way here just to see this. He didn¡¯t know what the heck he wanted. ¡°To grant a wish¡­¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Ian chuckled as he remembered what Rachel had said to him on that day. He must be crazy. While he laughed at Rachel¡¯s foolish, and innocent beliefs. He was anxious for Rachel¡¯s faith in the bottle to be correct. Please, just as she said, Ian desperately hoped that this would make his wish come true. If this really could make his wish come true, then he hoped he could meet Rachel again. He hoped she was alive. He hoped he could hold Rachel in his arms at least once. Ian thought he was crazy, but opened the bottle cap with an earnest heart. The golden liquid shone brilliantly in the moonlight coming through the window. Rachel liked shiny things, so she must¡¯ve held this necklace up to the sun whenever she had time. He missed Rachel¡¯s brown hair, which would shine in various colors under the sunlight. ¡°I hope you were right.¡± Ian tilted the bottle back without hesitation. ¡°Sigh.¡± The moment his breath left Ian¡¯s mouth, white steam rose up and quickly disappeared, taking all the heat with it. Low ceiling height, and a narrow room. Old chairs and a table with flaws everywhere. When Ian opened his eyes again. He realized he had returned to the winter when he was fifteen years old. The Avery territory, in the cabin there. ¡°Ha?¡± Ian smiled slightly at the familiar space. He frowned, looked around him, and soon looked down at his hands. White hands with no calluses. They were definitely smaller than his original hands. ¡°Really?¡± He didn¡¯t know what happened. How was Rachel¡¯s potion able to really fulfill his wish? Why did Harmond hand it to Rachel? No, how the heck did he have this? ¡°Then Rachel¡­¡± However, that wasn¡¯t very important to Ian. At least at this moment. Rachel was alive here, so he could meet her. The moment Ian realized that Rachel wasn¡¯t in the cabin, he kicked open the door. He just wanted to see her now. Tap Tap Tap Even after he roamed around the forest, Rachel was nowhere to be found. ¡°Ugh! What the heck.¡± By sunset, Ian was gasping from an unexpected pain. Until the sun disappeared, Ian groaned in agony. The forest darkened. Ian, who couldn¡¯t find Rachel, eventually returned to the cabin. Maybe she¡¯d returned to the cabin. He was thinking that maybe they hadn¡¯t met because he was confused. However, even from a distance, there wasn¡¯t even a small light on inside the cabin. Ian wanted to cry. Rachel didn¡¯t seem to be here either. He thought they would meet again. ¡°Rachel. Where the heck are you?¡± The door to the cabin was opened, but all he found inside was darkness. He bit his lip, and made a fire in the stove. ¡°I can¡¯t do this if you aren¡¯t here again.¡± Soon, the fire lit up the cabin, only then did a small piece of paper catch Ian¡¯s eyes. He carefully opened the piece of paper. [Dear Prince Ian,] It was written in a small, neat font. It belonged to Rachel. [I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be with you, My Prince. I prepared potatoes and bread for this winter. This much firewood should be enough to spend the winter. It¡¯s funny to say this in a fugitive situation, but don¡¯t skip meals and make sure to eat. Always stay healthy. -Rachel ] He¡¯d returned to the winter when he was fifteen years old. There was no Rachel, and only the short letter was left in her place. She¡¯s alive. The moment he found the letter, the first thing Ian felt was relief. Still, he thought Rachel was alive here. ¡°¡­.¡± However, tears filled his eyes. Ian, who¡¯d finished reading the letter, stood there and shed tears. He just stood still and cried as if he had no intention of wiping them away. Rachel left him. A ridiculously nice girl, in an equally dangerous situation, but one that he ended up worrying about, walked away coldly like someone she would never see again. ¡°You came with me.¡± Rachel seemed to have returned like him. She remembered everything too. Otherwise, that good child wouldn¡¯t have left him first for no reason. ¡°Because you hate me¡­¡± He¡¯d hurt Rachel, who¡¯d always been with him, so much that she¡¯d abandoned him. Only then did Ian understand a little bit how sad Rachel must¡¯ve been to make up her mind like this. Maybe she didn¡¯t want to be with him anymore. Rachel seemed to hate him. Funny enough, he wanted to see Rachel and missed her, but Ian never thought she would hate him when he met her again. He won¡¯t see her face again. He didn¡¯t know she was having such a hard time because of him, to the point of quitting. Did Rachel resent him just before she died? Is that why she left like this? He regretted every day that he¡¯d been mean, and felt deeply sorry. Even though he was hard on Rachel, he thought everything would be solved just by meeting her. He never thought she¡¯d hate him. Ian thought she would be by his side as she¡¯d done so far. ¡°Silly until the end.¡± He could see the potato bag, bread, and well-organized firewood that Rachel had prepared. In the end, his heart collapsed due to her unstoppable sincerity. If she was going to throw him away, he was going to go crazy. Foolish. She¡¯d probably taken him here on purpose. If she hated him, she would¡¯ve left him on the street. When he thought about how upset that foolish girl would¡¯ve been to leave like this, his heart collapsed. Ian cried at the sadness she must¡¯ve felt. ¡°How can I live now?¡± Rachel abandoned him and left. Now he didn¡¯t know what he should live for. ¡°I miss you.¡± Now they could meet again, but Rachel wasn¡¯t by his side. ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore as long as I have you. So please.¡± Now Ian was confident that he wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid now, he was confident that he would do well. He didn¡¯t know what to do if she left like this. Chapter 32 * A thank you to Mar for the Kofis [3 of 3] ©c(*?¦Ø?)? * For Ian, Rachel was always a difficulty. If they¡¯d been in an environment where they could love each other without any interference, then maybe they would have been happy. They didn¡¯t have that. He was greedy enough to give up everything, and chase after Rachel, and he felt great regret for not having done so. However, unlike his father, he wouldn¡¯t take a night and throw her away, or hug Rachel to his heart¡¯s content to fulfill his own desires. He couldn¡¯t do that to Rachel. That¡¯s when he finally made up his mind. Even if he finally gave up everything, he wanted to have Rachel and only her, but she¡¯d already left. Ravenna. Ian knew where Rachel would have left for. He was sure she went to Ravenna. When she was young, she¡¯d said as much. She wanted to live there when she left the Imperial palace. In a small village with a large lake. He didn¡¯t know where she¡¯d heard about it, but she talked for a long time about the scenery in the village that she¡¯d never been to. Ian couldn¡¯t leave to find Rachel, even though he knew she¡¯d definitely gone there. Was it because he was scared that Rachel would push him away? Or did he hate going to Rachel without anything? Or maybe he wanted Rachel¡¯s heart to ease a little over time. Maybe he was reluctant to visit Rachel, who was hurt by him. So, Ian didn¡¯t visit Rachel. Just as he did in his previous life, he still spent time in the cabin, but he would often go down to Ravenna. He would see her face from afar, then he would return to the cabin. It would be seven years at most before the war ended, and he became the Emperor. He was confident that he would finish everything by that time. Ian vowed to visit Rachel again by then. He didn¡¯t ask for love again, or forgiveness. He just wanted to give to her as much as she gave to him. The truth was that Rachel had left him because she hated him, but Ian wasn¡¯t sure he could live without her for the rest of his life, so he thought of a ridiculous excuse to keep her by his side. Even though he knew he was a selfish jerk until the end. That was the best Ian could do. The time away from her passed slowly, and it felt like an eternity. It was painful, but his only hope was that Rachel was alive here. Thinking that they could meet again if he waited a little longer, Ian waited with patience. As he was waiting for Rachel, he hoped that she would visit him at some point. But Rachel never did, and so six years passed. *** Ian had no choice, but to visit Rachel in person. Eleven years. For the first time in eleven years that he came face to face with Rachel. He missed her so much. When he tried to stand in front of her, he was worried. Ian didn¡¯t know what to say, and he didn¡¯t know where to start talking. He wanted to hug her at least once, but all he¡¯d ever done was hold her hand like he was offering up a favor. Ian wanted to say ¡®I missed you¡¯, but he couldn¡¯t say anything the moment he made eye contact with Rachel. He wanted to say he was sorry, but he couldn¡¯t spit out the words that lingered in his mouth. Then Ian felt like he was going to lose Rachel forever. He couldn¡¯t do anything as if their connection was broken. It had been a long time since he¡¯d seen Rachel, and she was very different. Ian couldn¡¯t spit out any of the things he wanted to say. The ten years apart was too heavy to ignore. He still didn¡¯t know how to treat Rachel. But now Ian just wanted her to stay by his side. It had been so lonely and hard for a long time. He wanted to give Rachel precious and valuable things. He wanted to make Rachel feel happy because of all the trouble she had gone through for him. As a result, Ian hoped that Rachel¡¯s feelings towards him would ease a little bit. Then maybe it was possible that she might like him again. Everything was just his greed, but he couldn¡¯t think of what else to do. Ian couldn¡¯t let Rachel go or give up on her, who¡¯d left him. This was the best he could do. *** Rachel blinked slowly as she looked around the people outside to see her off. From the butler, to the servants, and the maids. ¡°Have a safe trip, My Lady.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back.¡± The current situation was uncomfortable enough that she wanted to hide, but Rachel consciously forced herself to not bend her head as she recalled the Countess¡¯ teachings. Rachel stepped into the carriage, and left the people seeing her off behind. Ian Dakendov. He didn¡¯t come today. After they parted ways after the night market, Ian stopped visiting her every day. He sent the carriage and the knights, but he didn¡¯t show his face. That didn¡¯t mean that she missed him, but she was a little concerned because the person, who used to visit every day, didn¡¯t show up. Only a little bit. ¡°No¡­¡± Rachel leaned her head against the wall of the carriage. The carriage she was in only shook slightly, which was significantly different from a public carriage Rachel had ridden before. Unlike the public carriage, where she had to stand up because there was no place to sit, she was alone in this carriage. She didn¡¯t have to be bothered by other people. The ride was comfortable, and she didn¡¯t have to worry about motion sickness. The bench was also soft. It was originally a carriage that she could¡¯ve never dreamed of. It had been like that since she¡¯d arrived in the capital. Even if Ian wasn¡¯t around, Rachel spent half the day thinking about him. The splendid mansion, everything surrounding her, all of it reminded her of Ian at every moment. Ravenna. He wasn¡¯t there, and she was on her way back to that place where she had run away to avoid him. Her head felt confused with thoughts of him. ¡°I like you.¡± He told her that he liked her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe him.¡± What did he want her to do? Ian just asked her to stay with him, which was a strange request. Considering that¡¯s what he wanted from the one he liked. Was that really all he wanted? ¡°Strange.¡± Ian Dakendov. It reminded her of that day at dawn long ago, when she held his hand and slipped out of the Imperial palace. ¡°I¡¯m leaving the Imperial palace tomorrow.¡± The young man whispered to her. ¡°¡­What about you? Do you want to come with me?¡± He asked, after he hesitated for a moment. Would she go with him? Rachel still hadn¡¯t forgotten how excited she was that day. It was as if she had a family. We were a family that would stick together in any situation. She was also aware that Ian was running away to save his life. That the road ahead wouldn¡¯t be an easy one. Still, Rachel was just happy to be with him, rather than the trepidation that accompanied such a distressing situation. They¡¯d been together a long time, and he didn¡¯t want to leave her behind, which made Rachel feel like she was important to Ian. She was just happy that he¡¯d asked her to go with him. This time again, he took her out of the Imperial palace without fail. Rachel hated Ian, but she certainly felt safe with him taking her hand and pulling her along. At least at that moment, she was grateful to be with him, but Rachel eventually left him behind. She didn¡¯t want to hold on to her foolish hope anymore, and she didn¡¯t want to be hurt by expecting something like a fool. She knew that people didn¡¯t change. One day after she¡¯d adapted to living in the Imperial palace, her mother, who she thought she would never see again, showed up. In the end, all she wanted was money, and not her. She was sad and upset for a few days, but this time she was able to forget it sooner than she thought. So, she thought she¡¯d be able to forget Ian just like that, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as she¡¯d thought. Ian had given her many things, so she thought of him all the time. Everytime she read, everytime she wrote, she suddenly remembered him. Whenever people were amazed and asked her where she learned to write, she remembered him. She thought she¡¯d be able to forget him easily. Even when she ate chocolate or cake. As the festival period approached, her time with him came to mind. The times he would secretly give her something to eat. She remembered him sweating as he searched for her, and he looked for her until he found her. Eventually, she was saddened by the memories that came to mind one after another, even though she was so happy. For Rachel, all of her memories of Ian were painful. ¡°Ha¡­¡± What happens when you like someone? What did Ian want to do? No matter what, she hoped she wouldn¡¯t get hurt this time, and she didn¡¯t expect anything from him. Rachel, who was quietly mumbling, clenched her fists with strength. *** Knock Knock ¡°Who is it?¡± Knocking on the door once more, Rachel took a deep breath when she heard the sound of someone approaching the door. She was glad to be meeting Marilla, Ian and Dean again. She just couldn¡¯t think about how to explain what happened. Squeak ¡°Rachel?¡± ¡°Marilla, it¡¯s been a while¡­¡± ¡°Rachel!¡± Marilla, who opened the door, furrowed her brows as if she couldn¡¯t believe it. Soon enough, she looked like she was going to cry, and hugged Rachel in her arms. ¡°It¡¯s really you, Rachel! What was all of that about!¡± Marilla¡¯s voice was a little angry. ¡°I was so worried when I heard about it from the boys!¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Where have you been? Hmm?¡± She frowned when she noticed the men standing behind Rachel. Then, she carefully let Rachel go. ¡°Who are those people?¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯ve come all the way here with me.¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment on how to explain the Imperial knights. At Rachel¡¯s dubious explanation, Marilla looked at them silently, but soon opened the door wide. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t stand outside and come in. Come on in.¡± She even opened the door to the knights, but the knights shook their heads quietly, and refused her hospitality. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to pay attention to us. Miss, we¡¯ll be waiting here. Have a good time.¡± ¡°¡­Okay. Marilla, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Rachel replied quietly, as she noticed that Marilla¡¯s face was painted with astonishment. Chapter 33 *** * Thank you for the Kofi, Anonymous ( ¡ä ? ` ) * *** Click When the door closed, Marilla furrowed her brow. ¡°Lady? Rachel? What is this? Who are those people?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Despite Marilla¡¯s question, Rachel couldn¡¯t easily speak up. She didn¡¯t even know how to explain this to her. ¡°Well, those people¡­¡± ¡°Hmm? Rachel?¡± That was when Thomas came down the stairs rubbing his eyes, found Rachel and his mouth opened wide in a grin. ¡°Rachel!¡± Tap Tap Tap Flop Even though it had been a long time since she¡¯d seen him, Thomas¡¯ habit of throwing himself into Rachel¡¯s arms remained. Rachel finally smiled a little bit at the unchanged appearance of the child. ¡°Thomas, you have to be careful.¡± ¡°Heuk, Rachel!!!¡± He was about to cry. ¡°Where did you go? Without saying a word!¡± Rachel comforted Thomas by holding the boy in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Thomas.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to disappear again, right? It¡¯s okay now, right?¡± At a touch from his mother, he was forced to let go of Rachel and Thomas waited for an answer. There was a moment of silence. ¡°I won¡¯t disappear without saying anything.¡± Rachel, who had been struggling to speak for a while, nodded to the desperate child and promised. Thomas was somewhat puzzled, but he immediately took Rachel¡¯s hand and grinned. ¡°Marilla, what about Dean?¡± ¡°Dean went to work, so he won¡¯t be back until late at night. Have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s eat first.¡± It seemed like there was a lot to be said and asked, but Marilla hurried to the kitchen as she spoke about preparing a meal. *** ¡°Rachel, eat a lot.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Hot rye bread, and stew with meat. Boiled potatoes too. Thomas was greedy for the meat he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, so he stuffed his mouth full with stew. Rachel followed his example, and filled her mouth as well. Rachel liked the cozy smell unique to Thomas¡¯ house. It had been a while, but she liked the neat furniture as well. It wasn¡¯t fancy, but she liked this warm house. In addition; she liked Marilla, who served her a table full of food; and Thomas, who handed her his bread after much consideration. When Rachel¡¯s bowl was half-empty, Marilla carefully opened her mouth. ¡°Rachel, can you tell me what happened?¡± ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll be living in the capital city from now on.¡± Thomas, who¡¯d been pushing meat into his mouth, frowned and muttered. ¡°What? Why? I don¡¯t like it, Rachel. You should keep living here. Huh?¡± Marilla glanced at Thomas, sighed and said. ¡°Thomas, I think you¡¯re done with dinner. Go to your room.¡± ¡°No, I want to stay here, and I haven¡¯t finished eating yet.¡± ¡°I have something I need to talk to Rachel about. Thomas, go upstairs.¡± Marilla kicked the teary-eyed child out firmly, as she had no intention of giving in to Thomas¡¯ tantrum. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m coming back down a little later.¡± Thomas mumbled that it was disgraceful, but at his mother¡¯s adamant command, he had no choice but to go up the stairs. ¡°A person I knew from before came to Ravenna, so I think I will have to stay in the capital.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Marilla nodded without asking for clarification, despite Rachel¡¯s poor explanation. ¡°So, you¡¯ll have to go back to the capital again.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°When are you leaving?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just say hello to Dean, then leave.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Marilla swallowed her sigh that she couldn¡¯t spit out, and nodded. She had something she wanted to say, but she quickly stopped herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left without telling you. I came to say hello.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for worrying you.¡± Marilla, whose head was bowed as if she was hiding her face from her, looked gloomy, so Rachel stopped talking. ¡°Rachel. I don¡¯t know if you can, but will you come whenever you¡¯re having a hard time?¡± Before long, Marilla whispered as she covered Rachel¡¯s slender hand with her own. ¡°Don¡¯t suffer alone, and make sure to come here if you¡¯re having a hard time. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel understood. The reason she didn¡¯t ask for more details was out of consideration for her. ¡°¡­Can I write to you if I can?¡± ¡°As much as you want! Thomas knows how to read. Write as much as you want!¡± ¡°Thomas still has a lot to learn, I¡¯m sorry for going like this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Marilla put all her strength into their cupped hands. Both of them were looking away. Rachel understood what she was trying to say. Everything was fine, so don¡¯t be sorry. *** ¡°Rachel, it¡¯s late. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s better to stay for the night?¡± Dean frowned in disappointment as Rachel tried to leave out the door. Rachel looked apologetically at Dean, who¡¯s eyes were downcast at the momentary encounter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have work in the capital city, so I have to leave now so that I won¡¯t be late.¡± ¡°Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, get home safely. We can see each other again. Right?¡± Rachel nodded to Dean, who asked as if he wanted her to make a commitment. ¡°Rachel. By the way, I was wondering if I was mistaken about the person I saw. The one who visited you that day.¡± Dean whispered to Rachel quietly as if to check something. Dean, who had lowered his voice and carefully spoke, quickly stopped talking when Rachel bit her lip in panic. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay if it¡¯s too hard to answer.¡± ¡°Get out of the way, Rachel!¡± As Dean said that and took a step back, Thomas pushed him out of the way and approached. ¡°Rachel, you¡¯ll come back, right?¡± Thomas opened his eyes wide to avoid crying, as if he had been warned by his mother. However, tears had accumulated to the point that he regretted opening them so wide. As if they were going to fall if they were touched a little bit. ¡°¡­.¡± However, Rachel couldn¡¯t easily respond to Thomas¡¯ request. She wasn¡¯t sure if Ian would let her visit Ravenna again. ¡°Huh? You¡¯re going to come, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She was worried that she would give him hopeless expectations, but Rachel finally nodded at Thomas¡¯ question. ¡°Now that Thomas can read, I¡¯ll write to you from time to time. Okay?¡± ¡°Yes, get home safely.¡± Rachel exited through the door after she said that. Marilla left Dean and Thomas in the house, and followed Rachel alone after telling them it would be complicated. She looked around the carriage that stopped in front of her house, then held Rachel in her arms as she did when they first met. ¡°Always be healthy. You have to be happy.¡± As if she was really praying for Rachel¡¯s happiness, she closed her eyes for a moment and remained silent. When Marilla finally released Rachel from her arms, a knight spoke softly. ¡°My Lady.¡± He held a large box in his arms. ¡°Oh, Marilla. This is a gift.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Marilla bit her lip and asked, as if she wasn¡¯t very happy about receiving a gift from Rachel. ¡°There¡¯s something for Dean and Thomas too. I picked them myself, so I hope you¡¯ll like them.¡± Marilla reached out to receive the box from the knight, but the knight shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s heavy. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll move it inside your house.¡± When Marilla nodded awkwardly, the knight picked up the gift box and walked into Thomas¡¯ house. ¡°I¡¯ve always been thankful. Thanks to you, I was able to have fun here. Marilla, always be healthy and happy.¡± Rachel bowed her head for the last time before getting on the carriage. ¡°Rachel.¡± Marilla called her name quietly, and grabbed her arm before she could climb up. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but if you¡¯re too tired or hurt, don¡¯t hold back and come here. I¡¯ll come get you if you need me to.¡± She whispered so quietly that only Rachel could hear it. Marilla¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Her slightly turned hand slowly swept Rachel¡¯s cheek. Rachel smiled brightly on purpose for Marilla, who was about to cry. As if there was nothing to worry about. ¡°Thank you. I wanted to stay with you longer, but it¡¯s already very late. I should get going now.¡± Rachel let go of her hand, and boarded the carriage. Crying She started to cry as soon as the carriage departed. Rachel smiled and waved at Marilla, who was still standing there. Thud Thud The sound of the horseshoes, and the lights of the carriage gradually grew farther away, but Marilla stood still until the lights had completely disappeared. ¡°¡­.¡± Marilla could tell. When Rachel was having a hard time. That she was upset and wanted to cry, and that she would never come to her. *** Knock Knock ¡°Your Majesty, Mike Oates is here.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± With Ian¡¯s permission, a large door opened and a tall man plodded into the room. ¡°Mike Oates. I present to you His Imperial Majesty, the Sun of the Empire.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Ian raised his hand as if telling him to stop and stand up as he greeted him with courtesy. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Majesty.¡± A dark blond man with a bright smile. He looked very excited about something. ¡°Feeling good?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m finally going to meet my sister after a successful war.¡± His light blue eyes were beautifully folded. ¡°Your Majesty seems to be feeling a lot better, your face looks better than before.¡± ¡°It must be better than on the battlefield, where knives and arrows come and go.¡± Ian soon turned to Mike, who smiled brightly. Mike Oates. He was definitely a man who was loved and raised differently from him. He was friendly to everyone and always looked relaxed. He was always polite to his servants, basically he was a good man who knew how to let go of other people¡¯s small mistakes with a smile, and a strong man who could shake his head firmly when something didn¡¯t meet his moral standards. He had a strong sense of responsibility and above all, he was able to protect himself and his people. *** Chapter 34 [Note From Baset: I made a mistake at the end of chapter 33. The young man introduced wasn¡¯t Duke Oates, but Dy*e Oates. Yes, that¡¯s how his name was in the raws. I decided to change the name to Mike. Yue went back and modified chapter 33 to reflect the change. Sorry for the mistake.] ¡°My father wanted to come, but he couldn¡¯t come with me because something suddenly happened. He was quite disappointed. More importantly, Rachel, how is she?¡± Ian had been nodding at Mike Oates¡¯ story, hesitated for a while, then finally spoke. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything yet.¡± ¡°What? About what?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know that she¡¯s an Oates.¡± ¡°But you said that she was staying at the Oates family residence. I thought Your Majesty had already told her.¡± Mike frowned as if he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°I was going to, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± He was going to, but couldn¡¯t. Mike tried to think about what Ian¡¯s words meant, and soon opened his mouth. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better for Your Majesty to bring it up instead of me? It¡¯ll be very embarrassing if I¡¯m the first one to say it.¡± ¡°No. I want you to tell her.¡± ¡°What? No, why¡­¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. Your Majesty.¡± Mike nodded countless times at Ian¡¯s request. ¡°Thank you. How long will you stay in the capital city?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay until the victory banquet is over.¡± Mike looked to Ian, who nodded silently, then he awkwardly averted his gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you tonight at the Duke¡¯s residence. You must be tired after traveling such a long way, so you should rest. I¡¯ll tell you the rest of the story then.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± When the Emperor said he could leave his seat, Mike once again bowed to him courtesy. *** ¡°My Lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± Rachel thanked the butler for opening the door to the carriage. ¡°Was your long trip at least comfortable?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As the butler said, Rachel traveled so comfortably that she couldn¡¯t have been any more comfortable than that, but she was a little tired because she had to ride the carriage for a long time. ¡°Young Master Mike is waiting for you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± At the butler¡¯s subsequent words, Rachel¡¯s slightly slackened eyes tightened. ¡°The Young Master?¡± ¡°If you wait in the drawing room, I will bring him to you.¡± The butler nodded slightly, and opened the door to the mansion for Rachel. Then he went up the stairs. ¡°No, that¡­¡± Without explaining who the Young Master was. Rachel bit her lip nervously. Who was the Young Master? After coming to the capital, she hadn¡¯t interacted regularly with anyone other than Ian and the servants of this mansion. Rachel couldn¡¯t understand who would¡¯ve come to visit her. Did Ian know that someone had come to visit her? Although the situation was a bit puzzling, Rachel did as the butler said and moved to the waiting room. Because the butler told her to wait in the drawing room. ¡°Mike?¡± What was going on? After coming to the capital, she¡¯d only met Ian, the servants here, and Countess Achille. Young Master, she hadn¡¯t heard anything about him. ¡°Young Master.¡± Rachel blankly mimicked the butler¡¯s words. That didn¡¯t help her from knowing anything about it, though. Come to think of it, the servants here called her a lady. Tick Tick A quiet drawing room. Only the sound of the second hand of the clock was heard. Knock Knock After a long time, the butler knocked on the drawing room door from outside. ¡°My Lady, the Young Master is here.¡± Rachel quickly stood up at the butler¡¯s words. The door opened slowly, and a blond man walked into the drawing room. Thud Thud Dark blond, cut short, and light blue eyes. Rachel couldn¡¯t help but blink slowly at the smile that seemed awkward in the current situation. Rachel thought idly of how much better it would have been had that gesture been directed at her. Click The butler bowed his head, and closed the drawing room door. ¡°Um¡­¡± Mike¡¯s eyes flicked around awkwardly. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do, but Rachel quickly dropped her gaze at the thought that he shouldn¡¯t be a lower rank than her. ¡°I¡¯m Mike Oates.¡± Mike hesitated for a moment. He struggled to speak to the younger sister he¡¯d gained two years ago. But today was the first time he¡¯d met Rachel. Besides that, Rachel didn¡¯t know anything about it. He was at a loss as to where to begin to explain the situation, and he let out a small sigh. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Oates.¡± She¡¯d remembered who he was only then. She¡¯d seen him a few times in her previous life. ¡°I¡¯m Rachel.¡± ¡°Yeah, Rachel.¡± Her name briefly left his mouth. Once again, silence fell over them. ¡°Rachel, I have something to say. Do you want to sit first?¡± Mike recommended Rachel sit down, then he sat in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start explaining this.¡± Mike took a glance at Rachel. Dark brown hair, and blue-green eyes. Shoulders that were tense, as if she was uncomfortable with the unfamiliar situation. Mike swallowed his sigh, and opened his mouth. ¡°First of all, this is the Oates residence. Did you know that?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Rachel shook her head slightly at Mike¡¯s friendly question. ¡°¡­Yeah, you really don¡¯t know anything. First of all, the Oates family adopted a child two years ago.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Mike smiled quietly as if he was troubled. ¡°It was you.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rachel, who was quietly listening to Mike, frowned at that. As if she couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°You¡¯re Rachel Oates.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Duke Oates put you into our family register two years ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Oates?¡± Mike nodded. ¡°But why me?¡± Rachel¡¯s eyes shook more finely than when she first saw Mike. She¡¯d never even met the Duke of Oates. But that didn¡¯t mean it was related to Mike. It would¡¯ve been the same for them. She just couldn¡¯t believe that they¡¯d let someone join their family when they didn¡¯t even know what they looked like. A child of unknown status was allowed to join a noble family. However, that question soon diminished. That was because Ian came to mind. She was sure he¡¯d planned this. ¡°That¡¯s why the people here call me ¡®My Lady¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes, because you¡¯re Rachel Oates now.¡± It¡¯s been a while. After a long time, Rachel opened her mouth. Mike nodded roughly, then closed his mouth tightly again. As if to give her a moment to get over her confused thoughts. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian Dakendov, and Duke Oates. She didn¡¯t know what was said between them, but it seemed that the decision had already been made. It was probably Ian¡¯s plan, and Duke Oates acted according to his plan. ¡°Then what should I do from now on?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± When Rachel spoke again, Mike frowned. ¡°What should I do in the future?¡± Mike blinked quickly, as if he was confused by Rachel, who¡¯d asked that question calmly. The status of Young Lady was acquired overnight, but Rachel didn¡¯t seem to enjoy that fact at all. However, she didn¡¯t seem to be angry about being unaware of that information. She just looked a little surprised. That was all. It was an incomprehensible reaction to him. Was she supposed to be calm? Rachel accepted the situation so quickly that he was worried that she might be confused. ¡°Well, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve become a young lady, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t figure out what Mike wanted or why he asked her that. She shook her head slowly at Mike¡¯s question. ¡°You don¡¯t hate being a young lady, do you? You don¡¯t hate being a family with us, do you?¡± Family. Rachel flinced, then nodded quietly. ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± Again, Rachel gave a small nod. Judging from her reaction, it didn¡¯t seem to be a good thing. She was as incomprehensible as the Emperor. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. You can do whatever you want.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve decided to accept this situation, then let¡¯s sort out our nicknames first. Something like brother, big brother, Mike. You can call me whatever you want.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you Rachel. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel nodded. ¡°The nobles are very curious about you.¡± ¡°About me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two years since you joined the family, but you didn¡¯t show your face once. So, it was something worth being curious about.¡± Mike sighed softly. ¡°Maybe you should go to the victory banquet too.¡± Rachel nodded again. ¡°You¡¯ll meet our father around that time too. Father wanted to come with me, but I came alone because a problem arose with a business partner.¡± Rachel listened quietly while Mike held her hand. The words he brought up were all difficult things. ¡°Father really wanted to meet you.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t bear Mike¡¯s words anymore, and bowed her head. Why the heck did Ian plan this? As expected, he was a person who she didn¡¯t understand at all. ¡°I wanted to meet you too.¡± At Mike¡¯s words, Rachel couldn¡¯t help but raise her head and look at him for a moment. Rachel couldn¡¯t understand why he was saying this to her. Why was he saying he wanted to meet her when he didn¡¯t even know her? ¡°I was worried that you might not like me. Still, it¡¯s a relief. I don¡¯t think I hate it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet. Shall we go eat together?¡± Rachel nodded slightly at the brightly smiling Mike. She didn¡¯t know if this was a lie, the man in front of her showed her courtesy, and she felt like she could breathe. *** Chapter 35 Rachel glanced at Mike, who was sitting in front of her. ¡°¡­.¡± She remembered running into him several times in her previous life. He was so kind to the servants, and he always greeted her quietly even though she was a maid. He certainly seemed like a good person, but Rachel soon bowed her head, and put the cut meat in her mouth because she was uncomfortable with the current situation. Of course, Mike seemed to be uncomfortable with the current situation as well. Ian was the only one who looked comfortable in the dining room. ¡°Uhmm.¡± Mike couldn¡¯t stand this awkward silence, so he cleared his throat. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Ian slowly raised his head, and looked at him. ¡°I heard from the butler that you come to the mansion everyday, correct?¡± Ian nodded his head slightly. ¡°Then why is there such an awkward atmosphere here? Did the two of you fight?¡± At Mike¡¯s question, Ian shrugged his shoulders as he looked at Rachel. ¡°If not, then I think this atmosphere is caused by me, so I think it¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ian seemed like he wasn¡¯t going to stop Mike from standing up, even though he hadn¡¯t finished his meal. Rather, he nodded in agreement with him, as if he thought it was a good idea. ¡°Of course. Rachel, eat comfortably.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± Mike left the dining room after a friendly word to Rachel. It may have been an act of consideration for Rachel, but Mike was firmly mistaken. Rachel wasn¡¯t uncomfortable because of Mike. Well, it was awkward to eat with a stranger she hadn¡¯t had a lot of contact with, but the biggest reason Rachel was uncomfortable was because of Ian. ¡°¡­Are you angry?¡± Mike had left, and Ian carefully spoke to her. For some reason, Rachel had greeted him, then hid behind Mike. He couldn¡¯t even say hello to her. Rachel blinked at Ian, and looked at his expression. ¡°No.¡± Rachel gave a small shake of her head. As expected, he was a person she couldn¡¯t understand. He selfishly did everything on his own, and now he was worried about how she felt? ¡°If you have something to say to me, don¡¯t hold it in.¡± ¡°Well, then I want to ask you one thing. Was it the status of a Ducal family that Your Majesty wanted to give me? Your Majesty knew from the beginning, right?¡± Ian contemplated for a while, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He wanted to give her things she could rely on. Whether it was money, or power. Now that Rachel was a member of the Oates family, they would step up and help her if she was ever having a hard time. Because they were people of good character. Of course, it was possible that Rachel might not need all of this. These were all things that Ian could give Rachel. However, the last reason was because it would allow Rachel to stay next to him. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me earlier. I was surprised.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel wondered why Ian made her a noble. What would Ian gain if she became a noble woman? She also wanted to ask why, among all of the nobles, he chose the Oates. She also wanted to ask the Duke of Oates, and the Young Master Mike, why they gave her the Oates surname. However, she couldn¡¯t ask why, so she just turned her head away. ¡°You¡¯re apologizing to me a lot. You know you don¡¯t have to do that.¡± Ian sighed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be hated by you.¡± She was speechless at what he said, but he had no choice but to do this. He wanted Rachel by his side, so he pretended not to know her mind and acted selfishly. In the meantime, he didn¡¯t want to be hated again, so he spit out a polite apology. ¡°Oh, no. I didn¡¯t. I don¡¯t hate Your Majesty, or anything.¡± She frowned, as if she was flustered by Ian saying he didn¡¯t want to be hated. Words he¡¯d spoken quickly, unlike his usual manner of speaking. Rachel hastily discovered that a lie had been exposed. ¡°Your Majesty must hate me for what I did.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I, without conscience or shame, abandoned Your Majesty and ran away. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel¡¯s apology caused Ian¡¯s face to go cold. ¡°Did you enjoy your trip to Ravenna?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to His Majesty.¡± Ian had dropped his gaze, and hastily changed the subject. Rachel nodded quickly, as if she too liked this proposed choice. ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty, I was able to help them. Winter is a difficult season because business is poor during that time. Is it alright if I send them letters from time to time?¡± Ian nodded while he continued to avoid looking at Rachel. ¡°Yeah, you can have them visit you here if you want.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not too often, you can go see them whenever you want.¡± ¡°Can I really do that?¡± ¡°You can find a house for them to stay in while they¡¯re here if you want. You can¡¯t do it alone though, bring a knight. You can also go to the capital whenever you¡¯re bored.¡± He didn¡¯t want to lock Rachel up here. ¡°You can join any party you want to go to.¡± As a result of his actions, it was true that she¡¯d been locked up so far. Rachel nodded slowly at Ian¡¯s words, but she didn¡¯t seem particularly interested in parties. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you want, let the butler know.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Rachel nodded her head slightly. Ian seemed to have something more he wanted to say, but soon he closed his mouth firmly. ¡°The victory banquet. Are you going?¡± As he finished eating, he asked this, as he put his utensils down. When Rachel gave a small nod, he nodded at her response. ¡°Okay. Got it.¡± Ian replied briefly, and got up from his seat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving. You don¡¯t have to see me out.¡± After saying that, Ian left the dining room. Even though it had been a long time since they¡¯d met, he¡¯d left earlier than Rachel expected. *** ¡°Rachel.¡± She¡¯d been about to go up to her room after she was done eating, but stopped walking when Mike called out to her. ¡°Should we go get the dress you¡¯re going to wear for the banquet?¡± Victory banquet. The banquet would be held in four days, and Rachel knew she had to go. ¡°A dress¡­¡± Rachel hesitated for a while, then opened her mouth. Dresses were already overflowing from her closet. ¡°I already have enough.¡± ¡°Really?¡± After Mike seemed to agree with her, she bowed her head quietly and tried to be on her way, but had to stop walking once again. ¡°Let¡¯s go anyway.¡± Mike said with a slight smile. ¡°You can take the opportunity to get a new dress, and get a gift from your brother. Does that bother you?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Rachel shook her head at Mike, who seemed to want to spend time with her. ¡°When should I prepare to go out?¡± ¡°I can wait. We can go after your class with the Countess. Take your time getting ready, then come down.¡± Mike smiled once again, and told Rachel about the schedule. She nodded at his beautifully folded eyes, and friendly tone. His kindness felt awkward, but not too bad. She didn¡¯t know how much more time she would be spending with Mike in this mansion, but she felt fortunate that he didn¡¯t show any hostility towards her. Around 3pm, after her class. ¡®How long will it take to fit the dress?¡¯ Rachel recalled the day the designer visited her last time, and looked back on the time that took. This time, she only had to get fitted for one dress, so it seemed likely that she would be back by at least 6:00 or so. *** Ringing As the door opened, a cheerful bell rang. A famous boutique in the capital city. Rachel wasn¡¯t familiar with these kinds of places, so she looked around slowly. On the other hand, she quickly gathered others¡¯ gazes, which she suspected was because she looked funny as she glanced around. ¡°Oh, Master Oates!¡± The designer looked at Mike, opened her eyes wide in surprise, and welcomed him. ¡°How long has it been? It¡¯s been a while!¡± ¡°It has been a while. I couldn¡¯t come here because of the war.¡± ¡°Thanks to the diligent efforts of Master Oates and the Imperial army, our store has been well protected. Hmm?¡± As she was happily greeting Mike, her gaze finally reached Rachel. ¡°This person is¡­¡± Mike looked at Rachel, as if she had to say it herself. ¡°It¡¯s Rachel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, Rachel.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m Rachel Oates.¡± Only then did Mike nod, as if she¡¯d done well. ¡°Oh my! This person is¡­¡± The designer opened her eyes even wider than when she had seen Mike come in the door, then she took a quick look at Rachel. ¡°Oh, I was staring at you too much. I¡¯m sorry, My Lady.¡± She then immediately apologized softly, perhaps realizing that it was hardly appropriate. ¡°So, this was the rumored Lady Oates. I¡¯m going to be one of the first people to see the elusive noblewoman. This is truly an honor. It seems that you¡¯ve come here today to be fitted for the dress you¡¯ll be wearing to the victory banquet.¡± Mike nodded. ¡°No matter how much I admire Master Oates, this time it is just too much.¡± The designer gave Mike a teasing glare. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you came to be fitted for your outfits when there are only four days left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Both of you need to get something, right?¡± ¡°If you really can¡¯t, then please don¡¯t worry about me, and just make Rachel¡¯s dress.¡± ¡°You know that I can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s a historic day when the young lady makes her debut in society, so trust me.¡± The designer gave a small shrug as she pulled Rachel with Mike in tow. ¡°Then I will measure you first, Master Oates. Will you be browsing the dresses to see if there¡¯s one you like?¡± The designer pointed to the dresses on display, and explained the process to Rachel. Rachel gave a small nod, and looked at the dresses under the colorful lights. However, no matter how many she looked at, there was nothing that Rachel liked very much. Although, every single one of them was pretty and gorgeous. ¡°¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t think it would go that well for her. ¡°Rachel, is there anything that you like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Could you please help me choose one?¡± Rachel shook her head lightly when Mike approached her after his measurements were taken. ¡°Well, I think you¡¯ll look good in anything.¡± Mike looked through the dresses for a moment. ¡°You should try them on, then pick the one you like.¡± Mike was really relaxed, as if he was fine with waiting until Rachel chose one dress out of the many that were there. *** Chapter 36 ¡°Do you have a preference?¡± While Rachel freaked out a little bit, Mike smiled quietly and pondered for a while. ¡°Our family color is navy blue. Why don¡¯t you pick a similar color?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Mike¡¯s mouth tightened as if he didn¡¯t like something about Rachel¡¯s reply. ¡°Rachel, it¡¯s your dress. You can choose whatever you want, so do as you please. Only pick a blue dress if you want it, okay? Don¡¯t pick something you don¡¯t like.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Only then did Mike nod. After Mike¡¯s words, Rachel was beckoned by the designer, and had to try on several outfits. ¡°Ha¡­¡± This was the fifth outfit. Rachel glanced at the clock anxiously. It was almost 5:30. She should¡¯ve left for the mansion by now so that she could arrive by 6 o¡¯clock. ¡°I want this one.¡± Rachel said urgently. Otherwise, the designer would bring out another dress. ¡°Oh, Lady Oates, you like this one.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take this one.¡± Rachel nodded in a hurry without even looking in the mirror. ¡°You look so beautiful! This is a great dress.¡± The designer circled Rachel and studied her. ¡°Wait, I think I just need to fix it a little bit.¡± The designer touched her waist and the hem of the dress several times. ¡°Master Oates, would you like to see?¡± Then she called out to Mike. ¡°Oh, you like this?¡± ¡°Yes, I like it.¡± ¡°Okay, then let¡¯s go with this. It¡¯s pretty.¡± With Mike¡¯s approval, Rachel felt a bit more impatient. If they left now, she could arrive at the mansion before 6 o¡¯clock. ¡°Then please do.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Oates. Please be safe on your way home.¡± Rachel hurried out of the boutique in silence. ¡°Rachel?¡± Mike called out quietly to Rachel, who was walking in a hurry. ¡°Where are you going when you don¡¯t know the way?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even buy any accessories yet.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel had no choice but to turn back to Mike, who pointed in the opposite direction of the carriage. ¡°You also need to buy gloves, shoes, and a fan that will match the dress.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°Are you having a hard time?¡± Mike asked carefully why Rachel¡¯s reply was so listless. ¡°A little bit.¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment, then nodded. She had to be leaving now if she wanted to get to the mansion by 6 o¡¯clock without being late. Any delay here would make the Emperor, who could be visiting the mansion, wait. Ian hadn¡¯t visited for a few days, so Rachel wasn¡¯t sure if he would visit the mansion today. She didn¡¯t know what to say to Mike. If Ian didn¡¯t show up after they returned to the mansion, it would look like she¡¯d lied to him. It was already embarrassing how funny she looked next to Mike. ¡°I want to go back and rest.¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment, then lied that she was tired. For some reason, it was difficult to tell Mike that Ian might come to the mansion, so it would be better to go back. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry up, pick some things, and go back. It won¡¯t take longer than thirty minutes.¡± Mike gave a small smile at Rachel, who was finally speaking her mind. ¡°That¡¯s okay, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel replied, and glanced down the street towards the clock tower. Rachel¡¯s steps, that had been dragging, suddenly became hurried once again. *** ¡®Will he be gone?¡¯ Inside the carriage that was returning to the mansion. Rachel looked out the dark window. It was almost 8 o¡¯clock. Even if Ian had gone to the mansion, he must¡¯ve returned after getting tired of waiting. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian used to stop by the mansion twice a day, but she had a hard time seeing his face these days. He didn¡¯t even visit her the morning after they¡¯d visited the night market. Ian didn¡¯t show his face the whole next day. Before going down to Ravenna, Ian didn¡¯t even visit her that morning. She was wondering if he was angry. Ian didn¡¯t seem to be very angry when she saw him last evening. It was definitely that. Why didn¡¯t he stop by the mansion? ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel gaze one again turned towards the dark window. Neigh With a short horse cry, the carriage slowly came to the stop. ¡°Rachel.¡± Mike got off first, and reached out to Rachel. Rachel grabbed his hand, and quickly descended from the carriage so she could enter the mansion faster. ¡°You have to be careful, you might fall.¡± Mike warned Rachel as she stepped out of the carriage without looking at the steps. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel blinked helplessly, as she mumbled her apology. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian didn¡¯t seem to be in the mansion. She couldn¡¯t see his black horse. Did he leave? Or maybe he didn¡¯t come? ¡°You must be tired. Where do you want to eat? Do you want to eat in your room since you¡¯re tired?¡± ¡°Yes. Can I do that?¡± Rachel asked helplessly. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell the servants, so go up now.¡± Mike told Rachel, who looked tired, not to stay up anymore, then went into the dining room. Rachel, however, hurried past the stairs and visited the butler. ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Butler.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady. Please feel free to speak.¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth. ¡°Today, His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°His Majesty didn¡¯t visit here today.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Rachel nodded her head slightly. ¡°My Lady, was there anything else you needed to know?¡± ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. Thank you.¡± Rachel hurried up the stairs, and left the butler behind. ¡°¡­.¡± Why didn¡¯t he come today? Yes, the Emperor of the empire didn¡¯t have extra time. She wasn¡¯t sure, but he must have been busy preparing for the upcoming banquet. Even if he wasn¡¯t, there must be a lot of things he needed to do. Maybe he wasn¡¯t coming because he was tired. ¡°Ha, what am I doing?¡± Rachel, who was filling her head with thoughts about Ian, grimaced in frustration. ¡°If you do this, it feels like I¡¯m waiting for you.¡± Rachel soon shook her head vigorously. There was no reason for her to wait for Ian. The time with him wasn¡¯t enjoyable at all, and she was uncomfortable around him. Besides, she didn¡¯t have anything to say when she met him. Then, why was she thinking about this? ¡°No, I just don¡¯t have people who come every day. I¡¯m just curious because it¡¯s weird.¡± Rachel frowned and murmured softly. As if she was protesting against something. Knock Knock Rachel quickly stood up from her seat at the sound of knocking at her door. ¡°My Lady, I brought your meal.¡± Rachel¡¯s thoughts were slightly diverted by the maid, who knocked on the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Rachel purposefully gave a small smile. *** Early in the morning. Rachel was walking around the hall before entering the dining room. Mike had been walking down the stairs, when he noticed Rachel wandering around the hall, and tilted his head. ¡°Rachel, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s¡­¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t easily answer Mike¡¯s question. For some reason, it was difficult to say that she was waiting for Ian. ¡°Are you waiting for His Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­Yes. There was something I wanted to ask him.¡± Rachel quickly added a reason, worried that Mike would misunderstand. She wasn¡¯t waiting for Ian because she wanted to see him, but because she wanted to make sure that he visited. She was waiting for him, thinking that the arrival of Ian, who seemed to be friends with Mike, might ease this awkward situation even a little. That was it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait here. Why don¡¯t you go into the drawing room and wait?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m bothering you. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true, but we don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll come, so let¡¯s sit down and wait. Come here, Rachel.¡± Mike beckoned to Rachel to come over to him, and walked toward the drawing room. For some reason, Mike said this as if Ian would visit that day. ¡°Is he coming today? Does Master Oates know His Majesty¡¯s schedule?¡± Rachel nodded to herself, and followed Mike. Somehow, he knew that Ian would come today. *** ¡°His Majesty has arrived.¡± Rachel was having a conversation with Mike in the drawing room when the butler informed them that Ian had arrived. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Mike nodded, and got up from his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rachel.¡± Mike held the door for Rachel, so she could leave the room first. Rachel hesitated for a moment because of how awkward his consideration made her feel. She whispered a thank you, and hurried out of the drawing room. As she entered the hall alone, she could see Ian standing still and looking at her. Waiting for Rachel with an expressionless face, he opened his mouth even before she greeted him. ¡°Are you doing well?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Are you still having trouble sleeping?¡± He stared at Rachel and asked. ¡°Is the medication not working?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Rachel shook her head slightly. ¡°I was here only yesterday.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Ian nodded slightly to Mike, who was greeting him, and turned back towards Rachel. He didn¡¯t seem interested in Mike. ¡°Shall we go?¡± Rachel had a lot to ask Ian, but she couldn¡¯t say it and just nodded. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯d rather eat separately, correct?¡± When Ian was about to walk into the dining room, Mike carefully asked this, as if he¡¯d noticed Ian¡¯s mind. ¡°If it¡¯s easier for you, then let¡¯s do that.¡± Ian glanced at him, and nodded. Mike smiled, and whispered quietly to Rachel to have a good time. Her face turned a little red at his whispered words. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rachel.¡± Ian beckoned to Rachel, whose head was bowed. He didn¡¯t begin to walk again until she was by his side. ¡°I heard you picked out your dress with Mike yesterday.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He hadn¡¯t come to the mansion yesterday, how did Ian know about that. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± In response to Rachel¡¯s answer, Ian blinked slowly as if thinking about something. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± He frowned a little as if he was disappointed that he hadn¡¯t seen it, and murmured a little. Rachel looked up at him, as if worried that she¡¯d missed his words. However, Ian only smiled quietly. His playful smile completely eased the mood. ¡°Well, Your Majesty.¡± Rachel finally opened her mouth after tens of thousands of worried moments. *** Chapter 37 ¡°Were you busy yesterday?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Ian blinked as if he was surprised by Rachel asking him a question. He couldn¡¯t believe that she was curious about his schedule. ¡°I was busy.¡± A smile floated at the tips of Ian¡¯s lips. Rachel soon nodded as if she understood Ian¡¯s answer. Ian looked at Rachel¡¯s expression, and pulled her chair out for her. ¡°¡­Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Rachel awkwardly thanked him for his courtesy. ¡°¡­.¡± She hadn¡¯t known if he was coming that evening. Would he be here tomorrow morning? She had a few more questions and was waiting to ask them, but for some reason Rachel couldn¡¯t open her mouth any more. *** The day of the victory banquet. Even this morning, Ian didn¡¯t come to the Oates residence. She was somehow upset even though she knew he was busy, and that it couldn¡¯t be helped. Rachel wanted him to give her an explanation, but soon realized that there was no reason for him to explain it to her, and she laughed at herself. Somewhere along the way, she started to hope for too much from Ian. ¡°Haa¡­¡± Rachel let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, My Lady.¡± Rachel smiled quietly as the maid told her that it would be okay. ¡°The dress won¡¯t arrive late. It¡¯s still bright out, so please wait a little longer.¡± Perhaps she thought that Rachel¡¯s sigh was due to the dress arriving later than expected. Rachel nodded as the maid tried to reassure her while looking anxious and nervous. Of course, Rachel¡¯s sigh meant something different from the maid¡¯s anxiety. Knock Knock At that time, someone knocked on Rachel¡¯s door, and the maid hurried to the door, wondering if it was the news that she was waiting for. ¡°The Duke of Oates is here.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I just need to fix my lady¡¯s hair, so please wait.¡± The maid seemed a little disappointed because it wasn¡¯t the news she wanted, but she soon nodded. ¡°The Duke came before your dress. I¡¯ll fix your hair.¡± The Duke of Oates. Rachel bit her lip slightly as if nervous about the Duke¡¯s visit, who she would be meeting for the first time. No matter how much he wanted to give her the title of a ducal lady, Rachel couldn¡¯t fully understand Ian¡¯s choice. ¡°You¡¯re done.¡± Rachel wanted the maid to brush her hair a little bit longer, but her hands fell away. ¡°Thank you.¡± Rachel got up from her seat, and nodded a number of times. Somehow, she wanted Ian to be with her at this moment, then she would¡¯ve felt less nervous. Rachel walked out of the door, and controlled her expression as she walked down the stairs. She felt nervous as she tried to control her breathing. In front of the reception room, Rachel wanted to postpone this moment a little longer, but the butler knocked on the door without waiting to see if Rachel was ready or not. Knock Knock ¡°Duke Oates, the young lady is here.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± When the permission to enter was granted, the butler opened the door. ¡°¡­.¡± What words of greeting should she use, and how should she start speaking? None of the answers came to mind with any certainty. Should she say thank you for giving her the status of a ducal family? Rachel quickly shook her head, and tried to think about how to greet the Duke. Rachel put a little bit of pressure on her hands as the Duke approached her. The Duke raised his hand in a small gesture to the butler to close the door. ¡°Good afternoon¡­¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re finally meeting, Rachel.¡± Rachel hesitated and was finally ready to speak, but was beaten by the Duke of Oates, who smiled brightly and greeted her. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to meet you for two years.¡± The Duke approached with a smile again, as if he was trying to hug Rachel. However, he stopped walking when he noticed Rachel flinch slightly. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Then he reached out to Rachel with a large hand. Bright blond hair, and blue eyes as clear as the autumn sky. The finely folded eyes and lips that were raised to the fullest. Duke Oates had the same atmosphere as Mike. No, it was a little softer than that. Rachel awkwardly reached out her hand to the friendly gesture. The thought that he might not like her disappeared as soon as her hand shook up and down. ¡°Okay, shall we sit down first?¡± Duke Oates recommended that Rachel should sit down. ¡°The day I received a message from His Majesty, I wanted to come up to the capital right away, but¡­ I¡¯m late because something happened suddenly. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine.¡± Rachel gave a small shake of her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for so long. I heard you¡¯ve been in Ravenna.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Once again, Rachel nodded slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a small country village. Is the countryside better than the city?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°The Oates territory has many permanent residents, but it¡¯s beautiful because of its wide open plains and lakes.¡± Duke Oates was looking at Rachel¡¯s face. ¡°Rachel, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it too.¡± Rachel nodded her head quickly because she felt she had to. Then, the Duke smiled brightly. ¡°Oh, I prepared a gift that I thought you might like, do you want to see it?¡± The Duke clutched the armrest of the sofa as if he was going to stand up when Rachel didn¡¯t respond right away. Somehow the Duke looked more excited, as he spoke about the gift he¡¯d prepared for Rachel. Knock Knock ¡°Father, you have to go to the Imperial palace now if you don¡¯t want to be late.¡± The Duke nodded in disappointment as Mike opened the door to the drawing room. ¡°That¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll matter if I¡¯m a little late.¡± ¡°Rachel is also busy preparing for the banquet today, so I think it would be better to say goodbye like this.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, Rachel hasn¡¯t finished preparing yet. Yeah, we have a lot of time now, so let¡¯s talk slowly.¡± Duke Oates looked back at Rachel ruefully. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have the present sent to your room, so you can look at your leisure.¡± The Duke said as he slowly got up from his seat. ¡°I hope you like it.¡± ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± Rachel stood up from her seat to see him off and gave him a soft farewell. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you later at the banquet.¡± The Duke patted Rachel on the head, and left the drawing room. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel blinked for a moment, surprised by the Duke¡¯s touch on her head. ¡°Are you alright, Rachel?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Father must be in a good mood because he got to meet you. Let me know if you feel uncomfortable. I don¡¯t think he meant it in a bad way, but he¡¯s in a hurry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Rachel gave a small shake of her head. Mike smiled in relief at Rachel¡¯s reply. ¡°It¡¯s a very important day for you to make your social debut, but your dress is late.¡± Mike glanced at the clock. He seemed to be completely distracted about Rachel¡¯s dress. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, everything will be fine.¡± His voice was a little strained, like someone who really wanted to believe. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go take a rest? You have to save your energy to attend today¡¯s banquet.¡± Mike said that, and sent Rachel up to her room. ¡°Have a comfortable rest.¡± ¡°Yes, then I¡¯m going to go up and get ready.¡± From the bottom of the stairs, Mike told Rachel this with a slight smile. However, as Rachel walked up the steps and disappeared from Mike¡¯s sight, a quiet voice was heard. ¡°Butler, send someone to the boutique.¡± Despite his earlier assurance that everything would be fine, his voice was full of impatience. Click When she entered her room, there were large boxes around the tea table. ¡°Hmm? This¡­¡± It seemed to be the present which the Duke of Oates had mentioned earlier. Rachel blinked in confusion at the large boxes that occupied the room. She didn¡¯t know there would be so many gifts. ¡°This is too much. They¡¯re all mine?¡± Various boxes of color, large and small, and ribbons tied beautifully on top of them. It looked like it would take a whole day to get through all of this. Rachel took a careful step towards them. There was a white envelope on the tea table. [To Rachel] Rachel carefully opened the envelope, which had her name written on it in cursive. [Rachel, I¡¯m excited every day that we can finally meet. Perhaps that¡¯s why I can¡¯t sleep these days. I¡¯ve been looking forward to this day for two long years. The day I would finally meet my daughter. From now on, as a Lady of the Oates and my daughter, I will help you adapt to this place, so let¡¯s not worry about anything and be happy together. I¡¯ve already heard a lot about you from His Majesty, but my small wish is to spend a lot of time together in the future, and know you for myself. Thank you for being a part of the Oates family, Your Father.] ¡®Father.¡¯ It was a strange thing. Since it was just Ian¡¯s order, she thought he would enlist her in the army. But the Duke of Oates seemed very pleased with her. Father. What a strange thing to do. The noble she¡¯d never met before had welcomed her like this. There was no reason for the Duke to look kindly upon her. This was Ian¡¯s idea, there was no reason to be nice to her now that he wasn¡¯t here. Rachel looked down at the letter again, then folded it and put it back into the envelope. No matter how much she thought about it, it was strange to hear that they welcomed her as a family member of a noble family without a drop of blood. Rachel arranged the boxes on the floor row by row. However, she only arranged them like that, she didn¡¯t open any of the boxes. *** ¡°My Lady, here¡¯s your dress!¡± Her maid rushed through the door. The maid was breathing heavily as a dress came in behind her. *** Chapter 38 *** * Thank you for the Kofi, bizzanon. [1 of 2] (???) * *** Rachel couldn¡¯t get up because of the pack that was put on her face, so she had to lie still and listen to the maid¡¯s voice. The pack, which seemed to be made of flour, eggs, and other miscellaneous things, had become stiff and it was difficult to even move her mouth. ¡°There¡¯s still plenty of time, so it won¡¯t be too late. I¡¯ll wipe your face now.¡± Rachel nodded. Although the dress was a little late, Rachel had done other things for the time being. She took a bath in scented water, and the maid put oil in her hair. Rachel also had to endure the pains of leaving her body to the maids for an hour, and held in her annoyance. In fact, even if that dress had arrived in advance, nothing would¡¯ve changed. The maids were more anxious about the late dress. A maid wiped Rachel¡¯s face with a wet cloth. She¡¯d never left her face to anyone except when she was very young. Rachel thought she was getting used to it, but then the maid¡¯s hand once again caused her to feel awkward and she blushed. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m going to help you change into your dress.¡± The maid didn¡¯t wait for Rachel to overcome her awkwardness. ¡°Wow! Miss, you¡¯re so beautiful! How did you choose such a perfect dress?¡± The maid, who was helping Rachel change, was amazed by her appearance. ¡°I think you look beautiful when you show your neckline and shoulders. You should¡¯ve worn a dress like this on your last date with His Majesty.¡± The maid regretted the dress Rachel wore last time when she went to see the magic show with Ian. ¡°Of course, the other dress was beautiful, but you look much more charming today!¡± Rachel whispered her thanks for the maids compliment, and turned to the mirror. ¡°¡­.¡± As soon she faced herself in the mirror, Rachel¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°What?¡¯ ¡°Miss?¡± When did she choose such a dress? ¡°What¡¯s the matter, miss?¡± It was a v-neck evening dress. Rachel blushed at her white shoulders and chest. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too revealing?¡± ¡°¡­You don¡¯t like it?¡± The maid had been told that she¡¯d chosen the dress herself, so she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel bit her lip, and berated herself for being a fool. She should¡¯ve looked in the mirror that day. She thought she had to rush back to the mansion, and she¡¯d picked the dress thoughtlessly. ¡°Other young ladies will wear similar styles, it won¡¯t look strange. The maid soothed Rachel that it would be alright. ¡®Other young ladies.¡¯ Of course, there would be many evening dresses with revealing shoulders, but this was a first time for Rachel. Unlike other young noblewomen, she¡¯d never worn clothes that were so revealing. ¡°I¡¯ll put a shawl on you, then you¡¯ll feel a little better.¡± The maid once again comforted Rachel by giving her an alternative. After that Rachel nodded slowly. It had been her choice, nothing changed just because she was worried now. In addition, other young noble ladies would be wearing similar dresses. It was just a little unfamiliar to her because she¡¯d never worn an evening dress before. ¡°Miss, if you don¡¯t mind, may I do your makeup now?¡± Rachel nodded at the maid¡¯s question, she was then led by the hand and sat down in front of the dressing table. *** After that, a much more chaotic time passed. Rachel¡¯s hair was half tied up, and waves were put in. Eventually, it was decided that all of her hair would be tied up like last time. The maids were very busy afterwards. Which jewelry would she prefer, one with a large gemstone or the one with a longer gemstone? Which chain would she like, the rose gold one or the silver? Did she want the earrings that go as a set, or did she want something else that matched. Whether to choose shoes with high heels or low heels? After that, she thought for a long time about whether to choose a pointed toe shoe or a rounded one. As she recalled, she¡¯d picked out a necklace, earrings, and shoes with Mike yesterday. She thought it was prepared for today. But they¡¯d just become one of many accessories to choose from. She didn¡¯t want to keep Mike waiting, so she wanted to leave, but Rachel didn¡¯t want to stop the busy maids, who were feeling troubled. She thought they knew better than she would since this was her first banquet. Even though the long dress¡¯ hem would cover her shoes. She didn¡¯t know whether the heels should be high or low, or which shoe toes would look good. Rachel just waited for the maids¡¯ worries to be over. ¡°Huh? Why is this here?¡± The voices of the maids, who¡¯d been agonizing for a while, quieted. ¡°Why did you put this aside, Miss?¡± They lifted out a box carefully. ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was the necklace Ian had given her. ¡°Well¡­¡± While Rachel was choosing what to say, the maids carefully opened the lid of the box. ¡°Wow¡­¡± They let out sounds of admiration. ¡°I think this will suit you very well. What do you think? ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. I think this is the best choice.¡± ¡°I think so too. This is the best. Miss, what do you think?¡± The maids turned to Rachel. ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± Rachel hesitated for a moment. ¡°His Majesty gave it to me.¡± Rachel felt uncomfortable about wearing that necklace. Ian had given it to her though. She just wasn¡¯t sure if she should wear it however she wanted. ¡°His Majesty gave it to you?¡± But the maids¡¯ seemed to have gotten the wrong idea from what Rachel said. ¡°Oh! I envy you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect His Majesty to be so kind.¡± ¡°Well, he often smiles at you.¡± They whispered quietly among themselves, and once again looked down at the shining necklace with envy. ¡°I think this would be better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure His Majesty would like you to wear this too!¡± Ian didn¡¯t come to see her these days, but she felt uncertain about wearing the necklace that he¡¯d given her. Rachel wasn¡¯t particularly inclined towards wearing the necklace, but nodded at the maids¡¯ recommendation. Knock Knock ¡°Rachel, will it take much longer?¡± At that moment, Mike knocked on the door. ¡°I don¡¯t want to rush you, but if you could be ready in twenty minutes so we can get there in time.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll be ready by that time.¡± Rachel said this to Mike, and nodded to the maids. When the necklace was decided, the earrings that matched the necklace were quickly chosen. Perhaps the maids had come to their senses after Mike¡¯s words, but Rachel¡¯s choices were simplified. ¡°Thank you. Well, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Rachel hurried out of the room, fearing the maids might catch her again. *** ¡°Rachel, aren¡¯t you nervous?¡± In the carriage to the Imperial palace. Mike asked this, as he looked at her expression. Rachel shook quietly at his question. There wasn¡¯t much she had to do there anyway. All she had to do was follow Mike. Meeting nobles wasn¡¯t that difficult for Rachel. In her previous life, she followed Diana Avery around and met many aristocrats. The insulting moments were fleeting anyway. The nobles always seemed to be afraid of being ostracized, but for Rachel it was a different world. Once she set foot in there, it wasn¡¯t her world. A few hours at the most. There was nothing difficult because it would be over in a few hours. After all, she had no honor or reputation. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be there for you, so you don¡¯t have to be nervous. Tell me whenever you feel uncomfortable or tired.¡± Rachel frowned at Mike¡¯s subsequent remark. ¡°I¡¯ll rescue you out of there any day.¡± Rachel looked over at Mike for a moment. If the nobles found fault with her, would that harm Mike and Duke Oates? In the eyes of others, she was a member of the Oates family, and her mistakes could cause damage to Mike and the Duke. Nevertheless, Mike didn¡¯t look nervous at all. He didn¡¯t seem nervous that she might make a mistake, and showed the people of the nobility that she was short on aristocratic etiquette. Rachel tried to guess what Mike was thinking, then gave up and spoke. ¡°What if I make a mistake? I¡¯m not very good at manners yet, so I might be criticized.¡± Rachel said this cautiously, wondering if Mike had considered the worst. Mike only smiled quietly, as if he hadn¡¯t thought or worried that the Duke might get arrested because of her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be there for you.¡± ¡°But still.¡± ¡°You said you weren¡¯t nervous, but you are worried.¡± The Duke¡¯s carriage passed under the Imperial gate. ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, there¡¯s no problem. You¡¯ve learned more than enough. Also, if you make a mistake, I¡¯ll take care of it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Mike realized that they would have to get off the carriage soon, and told Rachel his last request. ¡°That¡¯s enough worrying. Now, step down safely.¡± Then the carriage stopped, Mike stepped out of the carriage first, then reached out to Rachel. Rachel couldn¡¯t understand how Mike could be relaxed, as if he didn¡¯t care what was going on, but she felt somewhat relieved to see his smile. The Imperial palace was brighter and more colorful than the square on the night of the festival. Pillars decorated with flowers and ribbons, and the melody of stringed instruments that could be heard gently. Although there were no clear voices or loud laughter from the nobles, the absence of that sound made Rachel feel a little stronger. Rachel held Mike¡¯s hand, and comforted herself by saying ¡®This splendid moment will soon be over.¡¯ *** ¡°Young Master Mike Oates and Young Lady Rachel Oates are entering!¡± The voice that announced their arrival stopped, and Rachel stepped toward the banquet hall, guided by Mike, who took her hand in his. She pulled her chin in slightly, kept her gaze straight, didn¡¯t blink too much, and walked as carefully as she could. Rachel took a step, and tried not to forget the posture she¡¯d learned from Countess Achille. When Ian told her that it was going to be useful, she didn¡¯t realize it was because she¡¯d become a young lady of a ducal house. She had been instructed by Countess Achille for this moment. Therefore, she would not make a mistake. Because that was what was given to her. *** Chapter 39 * Thank you for the Kofi, bizzanon. [2 of 2] (???) * At first, Rachel had to work harder than usual to fulfill Countess Achille¡¯s teachings in front of the aristocrats, who¡¯d become noisy as people whispered and glanced at her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Rachel.¡± Mike whispered, then squeezed Rachel¡¯s hand gently. ¡°You¡¯re doing well, you don¡¯t have to try so hard. It¡¯s okay to make a mistake.¡± At the very end of the banquet hall. Mike walked to the area where the Duke of Oates was standing. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Rachel, you¡¯re finally here.¡± The Duke fixed his eyes on Rachel, despite Mike¡¯s greeting. ¡°I guess they¡¯re all interested in your appearance, which they¡¯ve only heard rumors about. The banquet hall is quite loud.¡± He took a look around the hall. The Duke¡¯s warning glance kept the people around him quiet, but the hall was still noisy. ¡°This is your first ball, isn¡¯t this kind of interest uncomfortable?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± People¡¯s interests. The murmurs caused Rachel to shrink into herself a little bit, but she shook her head at the Duke¡¯s question. ¡°You can stay with me if you feel uncomfortable. Then they won¡¯t be able to talk to you.¡± ¡°Well, won¡¯t it be much harder to deal with older people?¡± Mike shook his head quietly. If she was by the Duke¡¯s side, she would have no contact with young ladies, instead she would have to deal with those who¡¯d already received their titles. ¡°I will take good care of Rachel, so Father doesn¡¯t need to worry. We¡¯ll just walk around and say hello for a while.¡± ¡°Oh, did Rachel agree to this?¡± The Duke looked at Mike disapprovingly. He turned to Rachel immediately. ¡°Duke Oates.¡± With an intense gaze that told her to choose him instead of Mike, Rachel was about to open her mouth when someone spoke to them. ¡°Introduce your daughter to us that you¡¯ve kept well hidden away.¡± ¡°If not today, I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll see each other again, so I have to say hello.¡± Rachel bowed to the noblemen, who were as old as the Duke. ¡°Good evening, Count Haston. I¡¯m Rachel Oates.¡± ¡°You know me. It¡¯s nice to meet you, My Lady.¡± Rachel was a little relieved that the aristocrats who approached her treated her more favorably than she thought they would. Thankfully, this situation felt less daunting because of her familiarity with the aristocracy, and because she had Mike by her side. The Duke and Mike created a situation where she could answer comfortably. If she had a troubling question they would step forward to answer it, or if the conversation dragged on too long, they would cut it off. Despite their efforts, it took a long time before all the greetings came to an end. ¡°Father, I¡¯ll be taking Rachel with me. Goodbye.¡± Mike led Rachel away again after a brief farewell to the Duke before more people could call out to them. Rachel bid the Duke a soft farewell before she hurried after Mike. ¡°Rachel, you only have to greet those who approach us first.¡± Mike led Rachel to a quiet place with only a few people, as if to give her a chance to rest. However, when Mike and Rachel stopped walking, some young noblemen and noblewomen walked over. ¡°Lord Oates, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± At first they greeted Mike and asked how he was doing, but soon their eyes fell on Rachel. ¡°This is my sister, Rachel Oates.¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Baishi, the second son of Count Sinou.¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Rachel Oates.¡± Rachel said, and Mike smiled quietly as if she¡¯d done well. It made Rachel feel at ease, and she was able to do well, as she recalled what she had learned from Countess Achille. *** ¡°Good evening, Lady Avery. I¡¯m the second daughter of Viscount Hari.¡± Diana entered the banquet hall a little late, glanced at the noblewoman as she approached her, and then slowly stepped back. For some reason, the atmosphere was different today. Unlike usual, it was a little noisy, and she didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Lady, Lady Oates came to the banquet today.¡± ¡°What? Lady Oates? You mean the adopted daughter, don¡¯t you?¡± Diana quickly looked around the banquet hall when she heard the news about Lady Oates. ¡°There?¡± Diana pointed to the corner of the hall where people were gathered. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Diana gave a short click of her tongue. Were they so preoccupied with the appearance of the new young noblewoman that they couldn¡¯t say hello to her? ¡°I guess there was a Young Lady of Oates family, wasn¡¯t there? I thought she couldn¡¯t show her face because she was sick or terribly ugly, so why did she come to this banquet?¡± ¡°She is really pretty.¡± Diana gave a stern look, displeased with the answer she was given. ¡°She¡¯s nothing more than a pretty face, that¡¯s all. Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Viscount Hari¡¯s¡­ ¡°Stop bothering me, get out of here.¡± Diana coldly warned off the Viscount¡¯s daughter. How dare the daughter of a Viscount she¡¯d never heard of address her? Diana glared at her once more, turned her head to the side with a huff, then went in search of a face she was familiar with. ¡°Lord Sinou! Baishi!¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Lady Avery.¡± Diana finally caught him by the arm, glad to finally see someone she knew. However, once he¡¯d confirmed it was Diana, Baishi smiled awkwardly, as if he wasn¡¯t pleased to see her. ¡°¡­You¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I heard Lady Oates is here.¡± Baishi nodded slowly, but his gaze had long since turned away from Diana. As if he wanted to end the conversation quickly, Baishi turned to another person. ¡°She didn¡¯t show her face, so I thought she was sick, but that wasn¡¯t the case¡­¡± ¡°Baishi!¡± Then another young man called Baishi from afar. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Baishi gave a small bow to Diana, then immediately moved towards the man who called out to him. ¡°We¡¯re not done yet. Where are you going?¡± However, despite Diana¡¯s cry, Baishi left without looking back. ¡°Huh? What the heck? Now I feel annoyed.¡± Diana slowly looked around the banquet hall. Somehow it seemed like everyone was staring at her. Diana glared fiercely, looking at the young lords and ladies, who hurried to avoid her gaze. Then she walked towards the place where Lady Oates was. She wanted to see her first. ¡°Oh¡­¡± People gave a brief sigh as Diana approached, then they hurried out of her way. They stepped back as if they didn¡¯t want to be involved with her, instead of coming towards her to speak like they would usually do. Diana gritted her teeth with a small mocking smile for those people. ¡°Lord Oates.¡± ¡°Oh, Lady Avery.¡± Diana bowed softly towards Mike, and slowly turned towards Rachel. ¡°¡­.¡± Diana stared at Rachel, and immediately raised the corner of her mouth. ¡°My Lord, is this the famous adopted daughter?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m Rachel Oates.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Diana Avery. Can I call you Rachel?¡± At Diana¡¯s aggressive approach, Rachel took a half step back, as she looked bewildered. Mike and Rachel¡¯s shoulders bumped together slightly. ¡°Lady Avery.¡± To Rachel, who was feeling burdened, Mike quietly called out to Diana. ¡°If you want to be friends, you have to be polite first.¡± Mike smiled softly, but his eyes were cold. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t honorifics the basics of manners used when talking to a stranger?¡± ¡°Why? Do you feel bad about me speaking informally?¡± Diana looked at Mike for a moment, and then turned towards Rachel. ¡°Lady Avery.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean any harm by it. I¡¯m just trying to be friendly, I don¡¯t know why my lord is being so sensitive about it.¡± Diana complained as if she was being wrongly accused. ¡°Right now she¡¯s a noble lady, but what was she before she was registered? I don¡¯t even know that, so what honorifics are you talking about?¡± At that moment, the smile on Mike¡¯s lips disappeared. ¡°Also, why haven¡¯t we seen her face for two years? I thought the rumors were true that there was something wrong with her.¡± Mike raised an eyebrow at Diana¡¯s rude words. There was only one reason to mention negative rumors related to Rachel in this situation. It was only to find fault with Rachel, and to prevent her from adapting to noble society. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Mike sighed briefly, and pulled Rachel to his side. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the Empire was at war for two years? Ah, I wonder if you had more leeway than the other families, since your family cowardly tried to sell out the Empire by stepping back from the war.¡± Mike gave a small mocking laugh. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Lady Avery would come today. Didn¡¯t you know this was a victory feast?¡± ¡°Lord Oates.¡± ¡°Ha, aren¡¯t you being impudent?¡± Diana looked around as if searching for someone to help her with Mike¡¯s insulting words. But everyone was chuckling, and no one was willing to stand up for Diana. ¡°On such a happy day, I don¡¯t want to be in the same place as an Avery, who tried to betray the Empire in a time of crisis. Would you please go back to your seat?¡± ¡°Saying that we betrayed the Empire, that¡¯s too much.¡± Diana glared at Mike with a flushed face. ¡°During the war, it was simply not possible to send the family¡¯s knights since they were quelling the civil war that broke out among the Avery landowners.¡± ¡°Had the civil war been going on for two years?¡± ¡°So, hasn¡¯t my house already taken responsibility for this? I don¡¯t know why you brought this up again.¡± ¡°Responsibility? Duke Avery¡¯s misjudgments have tarnished the reputation of the dukedom. Until then, it¡¯s the responsibility of the ducal house.¡± Diana glared at Mike, as if she wanted to spit curses at him, then she turned away from him. Oates had beaten Avery. The hall once more became noisy at this declaration. None of them were on Avery¡¯s side. It was great news for many, who¡¯d been waiting for the fall of the Avery family. Because if the Oates drew the line first like this, they could draw a line against the Averys as well. *** Chapter 40 ¡°Rachel, are you alright?¡± Mike looked around the noisy banquet hall, and whispered softly to Rachel. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Rachel nodded slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about what that noblewoman said. She¡¯s a person who speaks without thinking, so just forget it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really alright.¡± Rachel smiled softly at Mike, who seemed to be worried about her. In this life, she was a little surprised when Diana approached her first, but didn¡¯t Mike sort things out before Diana could do anything? As Mike had said earlier, he would always be by her side, so she didn¡¯t need to worry. Rachel wasn¡¯t so afraid because she had Mike right next to her. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s is entering.¡± As soon as Mike reached out to tidy up Rachel¡¯s hair, a servant loudly announced the Emperor¡¯s entrance. In an instance, all eyes were on the beginning of the red carpet. Since Ian didn¡¯t show up at social functions often, several of the noble sons and daughters were seeing the Emperor for the first time today. Then the door opened, and Ian walked in. Ian Dakendov¡¯s hair was pulled back, showing off his forehead. Thrown over his shoulder was a red cloak threaded with gold that swayed with each step he took. Despite his young age, he exuded authority. ¡°Gasp.¡± Rachel took a deep breath, as she stared at Ian as he walked in. Surprised, Rachel frowned and covered her mouth. She wasn¡¯t the only one, most of the people in the hall were staring at Ian. Everyone seemed to have forgotten to bow. As the emperor walked past them, they hastily bowed their heads deeply. There was a shining crown on his head. ¡°¡­.¡± It was a perfect crown for Ian. Rachel knew how hard Ian had worked to get there. BoomBoom The orchestra matched Ian¡¯s footsteps. His shoes attracted Rachel¡¯s gaze as she bowed her head. BoomBoom His steps seemed to slow down for a moment, but soon his shining shoes disappeared from Rachel¡¯s gaze. *** The banquet began in earnest after a few short words from Ian. The orchestra began to play. The surrounding young noblewomen began to make a lot of noise. Those who would normally stand along the wall without a dance partner whispered to each other as if it didn¡¯t matter so much now. ¡°Did you see His Majesty¡¯s face? I thought he was a fairy.¡± ¡°No way. Doesn¡¯t that mean he defeated a dragon with that face?¡± ¡°Oh, why did I see His Majesty now?¡± That was why the dance floor was more empty than usual. The situation wasn¡¯t much different among the young ladies who¡¯d chosen to dance after being asked by a young nobleman. They were more busy glancing at Ian than at the men they were dancing with. ¡°Rachel.¡± Rachel turned her head towards the person that tapped on her shoulder. ¡°Do you want to rest? Come over here.¡± Mike quickly ushered her away before some else came to speak to them. ¡°Sit comfortably.¡± Mike led Rachel to a balcony and sat her down. He then took off his jacket, and put it over her shoulders in case she was cold. ¡°I knew it. His Majesty is quite popular.¡± He smiled playfully at her. ¡°You must be happy, Rachel.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°His Majesty is yours, no matter how much the other young noblewomen desire him.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± Rachel jumped, unusually startled by Mike¡¯s remark. ¡°His Majesty isn¡¯t mine, that¡¯s ridiculous. What if someone heard you.¡± Ian was hers? Rachel shook her head violently. ¡°Why? His Majesty likes you¡­¡± But Mike didn¡¯t finish what he was saying, and went silent. Perhaps Rachel didn¡¯t know His Majesty¡¯s heart yet? Mike contemplated the relationship between the two, whom he knew and yet didn¡¯t know. He changed the subject because Rachel seemed uncomfortable. ¡°Rachel, you¡¯re not tired are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks to the Young Master. Thank you very much. It was reassuring having you by my side. Rather than that, will everything be okay with Lady Avery? She seemed pretty upset.¡± Mike seemed to have talked more harshly to Diana because of her. ¡°It¡¯s probably okay, but who can really know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m the reason you said such bad things, and your relationship with Lady Avery has become strained.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always hated Diana and the Averys. It¡¯s not your fault that I said those things, Diana was the one at fault.¡± Mike tapped Rachel¡¯s foot with his own as she looked at him in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged by what Diana said. Also, why are you blaming yourself again? Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a bit, then go dance.¡± ¡°Dance?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve come this far, we have to dance at least once. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Rachel looked troubled, and seemed to have difficulty speaking up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you learn how to dance?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve learned some things, but¡­¡± She was still quite inexperienced. She was sure that she would become a laughingstock. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you. My new leather shoes are strong, so I don¡¯t mind you stepping on them a few times.¡± Rachel laughed at Mike¡¯s joke. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to talk much to His Majesty today. He¡¯ll be very busy, and have a lot of eyes on him.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Mike explained in case Rachel was disappointed. However, she just nodded as if she knew without any signs of displeasure. Mike was going to ask her why she didn¡¯t just go ahead and let people know, when he stopped himself because Rachel seemed to be satisfied with how things were between her and Ian. ¡°Rachel, would you like a drink?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rachel answered and tried to get up from her seat, but Mike pressed down on her shoulders gently. ¡°If you rest here, I¡¯ll bring it to you right away.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll get it.¡± ¡°Forget it. If you leave, people will swarm you again. You¡¯re tired, so stay here.¡± Rachel nodded in agreement. Dealing with people who wanted to talk to her without a break was even more difficult than she¡¯d anticipated. After Mike left the balcony, the surroundings became quiet except for the sounds and music that floated in from the banquet hall. Rachel stared blankly down at the Imperial gardens. The chilly autumn breeze blew through her hair. ¡°¡­.¡± When she thought about it, everything was strange. From the day Ian had come to her again, everything was going in an unpredictable direction. She¡¯d met him again, which she thought would never happen again in her life. She¡¯d eaten as much precious food as she could ever want, meals that she¡¯d never eaten in her life. Then she¡¯d worn priceless fabrics, which she¡¯d never thought she would ever wear, as pajamas. Her room was as large as her house in Ravenna, and she¡¯d become a Lady of the Oates family. The strangest thing was the fact that Ian liked her. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Rachel bowed her head. Ian Dakendov. Did he still feel the same way? Did he still like her as he said he did that day? She¡¯d made up her mind that she would no longer associate with Ian, but his confession made her feel conflicted. She was so confused by her emotions that she couldn¡¯t figure out what she was feeling. It was good that she had at least a little bit of influence on Ian. If Ian had liked her in his previous life, Rachel wondered if he would¡¯ve regretted his choice after she died. She wondered if he¡¯d even thought of her for a moment. There was a sense of relief at the idea that if he had liked her, that he wouldn¡¯t have forgotten her, at least not overnight. She hoped that just maybe, Ian had missed her, despite knowing that it was pointless. Rachel didn¡¯t know why she wanted Ian to have suffered. She wasn¡¯t even sure where these thoughts came from. Why was she so concerned about him these days? It had been a long time since she¡¯d seen him, but she was confused by Ian, who didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡­She wanted Ian to look at her a little more. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Rachel let out a small frustrated sigh. It was a wish that made her feel overwhelmed. The curtains were pulled back, and bright light poured in briefly. Rachel quickly stood up to help Mike, who¡¯d gone to get a drink for her, and turned around. ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡± However, Mike wasn¡¯t alone when he returned. He was with Ian. ¡°Rachel.¡± Ian approached Rachel, walking past Mike, who was holding a drink in each hand. ¡°You look really beautiful.¡± Ian reached toward Rachel, but his hand stopped midway. He brought his hand back, and smiled. Rachel¡¯s heart raced helplessly at the sight of his neatly folded eye. Perhaps it was perfume, but Ian¡¯s hand smelled fresh. Rachel¡¯s face turned red for some reason, while Ian smiled at her as if he was pleased. ¡°Did Mike take good care of you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel sincerely hoped that Ian couldn¡¯t hear the loud beating of her heart. Looking at Ian¡¯s red lips, which rose up in a fine arc, Rachel finally understood why she had been feeling strange lately. Yeah, maybe she liked him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it difficult because of the crowd?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± That seemed to be the reason why she was waiting for him, and why she cared. ¡°You¡¯re wearing the necklace I gave you?¡± He glanced at Rachel¡¯s neck for a moment, then he smiled more brightly than he had a little while ago. ¡°As expected, it suits you. Thank you.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t understand why Ian was thanking her. She had no choice, but to deal with the burning blush that spread across her face. Once more the wind blew, and ruffled her hair. Her heart felt tickled by the rustling that brushed by her neck. Rachel tried to empty her mind by biting her lip. Chapter 41 Ian sat down on the sofa and tapped lightly on the seat next to him. Rachel looked alternately at Mike and Ian. If she sat by Ian¡¯s side, she wondered what Mike would do. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Rachel.¡± Mike offered Rachel the seat as if he didn¡¯t care, and set down the glass of wine he¡¯d brought for her on a small side table. ¡°Please take your time, Your Majesty.¡± Then he moved to the opposite end of the balcony. ¡°I missed you.¡± Ian spoke up, as if he wanted to direct Rachel¡¯s gaze towards himself. ¡°I almost visited you. I tried really hard to be patient.¡± Ian whispered softly. Then he stared at Rachel, as if to make up for the time he hadn¡¯t seen her. ¡°Well¡­¡± Rachel mumbled quietly, as she turned her head away from Ian, who was staring at her. ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you come visit me then.¡± Rachel said with a small shrug. As if it didn¡¯t really matter. ¡°¡­but you don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t? What?¡± ¡°If I visit too often.¡± Rachel blinked in dismay at Ian¡¯s remark. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rachel sighed in exasperation at Ian¡¯s unexpected answer. She couldn¡¯t believe that was the reason why he hadn¡¯t come to visit her lately. ¡°Did you choose this dress yourself?¡± Ian quickly changed the subject, worried she would put more restrictions on him. Rachel nodded silently. However, there was no way to hide the fact that her ears were turning red because of the revealing dress. ¡°It looks perfect on you.¡± Ian looked away from Rachel for a moment. He looked off into the Imperial palace¡¯s garden, and spoke slowly. ¡°Rachel, if I asked you to dance with me, would you refuse?¡± ¡°No.¡± Rachel shook her head slightly. Ian smiled at her words. ¡°How can I refuse?¡± But Rachel¡¯s subsequent reply caused his smile to weaken. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Ian gave a small nod. Rachel wasn¡¯t very interested in him yet. Also, if he danced with her, she would be troubled because of him again. So, this way was the most suitable. He could see her face, and speak with her a little bit. ¡°Then we can dance later, that would be better.¡± Ian¡¯s lips were stretched out in a smile again. ¡°The wind feels good.¡± Rachel¡¯s scent wafted over to him on the autumn breeze. Sweet and tender. He felt a little relieved by her nervousness. ¡°I can¡¯t stay away long, I¡¯ll have to leave in a minute.¡± Ian explained to Rachel, as she glanced at him uncomfortably. The attention of those gathered today were focused on Ian, the Emperor. Which family he favored, and which family the unmarried Emperor would look to for his Empress. Ian couldn¡¯t easily pretend to know Rachel in the midst of all the attention. Even with Mike here, he couldn¡¯t stay long. Empress. He was sure that Rachel wouldn¡¯t want such a burdensome title. ¡°¡­.¡± So even though he knew he had to get up. He just wanted to sit like this in Rachel¡¯s sweet scent. He was afraid that Rachel would be taken away by someone else, and that she would like someone other than him. So he would rather dance with Rachel, and show it to the people who gathered at the venue. But Rachel wouldn¡¯t like it. ¡°I really must go now.¡± Ian sighed softly, and stood up. ¡°Have a good time.¡± He was always greedy for his pretty Rachel, but he forced himself to walk away. ¡°¡­Um, Your Majesty.¡± Rachel¡¯s quiet voice stopped him in his tracks. ¡°Well¡­¡± Rachel hesitated, as if she had something to say. ¡°When will you come to the house?¡± ¡°¡­Monday. Is that alright?¡± Ian asked Rachel, who didn¡¯t answer right away, and he immediately felt regret. What if she said no? ¡°I have something to discuss with the Master Oates¡­ so I have to stop by that day.¡± Ian made a hasty excuse before Rachel could tell him not to come. It was funny to see himself like that, but the moment Rachel nodded her head he felt happy for a moment. He was relieved. ¡°But¡­¡± Rachel hesitated, as if she had something more to say. ¡°Speak freely, Rachel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Being in the mansion. I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ian sighed softly at Rachel¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°You like reading books, don¡¯t you? Should I send more books if you don¡¯t have enough to read?¡± Rachel shook her head softly. ¡°Well, do you want to learn to draw? I¡¯ll send a teacher over. I¡¯ve heard that oil painting is all the rage with noble daughters these days. How about that?¡± Rachel only shook her head again. ¡°Or do you want to learn something else¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What about having a tea party? I think it¡¯d be fun to hang out with young ladies around your age¡­¡± However, no matter what Ian said, Rachel showed no interest in any of it. Ian was scared that Rachel would leave him again. ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, if you¡¯re available tomorrow.¡± Ian waited quietly for Rachel to finish her sentence. ¡°Will you stop by?¡± ¡°What?¡± However, Ian couldn¡¯t understand Rachel¡¯s words all at once. Even though he put all of his energy into it. She had no choice, but to ask him again since he was acting like a fool. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy. It¡¯ll be too difficult, won¡¯t it?¡± Rachel shook her head slightly as if there was nothing to be done about it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was just bored.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not busy.¡± His voice lowered. ¡°I don¡¯t have work tomorrow.¡± He shook his head as if it were true. ¡°I¡¯ll be there tomorrow. I¡¯ll be there for sure.¡± Just in case Rachel changed her mind, he gave a definitive answer. ¡°I have nothing to do, so I¡¯ll be with you all day. Then you won¡¯t be bored.¡± Rachel gave a small nod. Her fine hair swayed slightly with the movement. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go now.¡± Ian smiled quietly, and then turned away from Rachel. If he stayed a little longer, he would really want to stay next to her forever. Ian exited the balcony, and found Harmond in the hall. In the midst of all this, nobles approached him as if they wanted to exchange a few more words with him. Ian shut them up by saying that he was busy. He left the banquet hall with Harmond in tow after giving a farewell speech. He had no choice, but to finish what he had to do tomorrow by tonight. *** ¡°Rachel.¡± Mike and Rachel left the hall halfway through the banquet. So far, they have achieved all of their goals for today. Rachel¡¯s social debut was also a success. However, many people had inquired about dancing with Rachel, so they wanted to go back to the mansion. ¡°But I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡± Mike opened his mouth as he took Rachel¡¯s hand so she could get into the carriage. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Did the Emperor give you that necklace?¡± He was so curious that he couldn¡¯t resist asking, as he closed the carriage door. ¡°Yes, His Majesty gave it to me.¡± Mike¡¯s face froze a little when he heard Rachel¡¯s answers. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± He couldn¡¯t get over the awkwardness. From the time he saw it, he thought it looked just like the Lucky Necklace. There was no way. ¡°When did he give it to you? Did he say anything special while giving it to you?¡± ¡°I just got it, and he didn¡¯t say anything special about it.¡± But Mike was still sure. That necklace was the Lucky Necklace. Once again, he realized how sincere Ian was about Rachel. ¡°Now that the banquet is over, I¡¯m afraid our father will be returning to the Oates territory soon.¡± Mike hesitated for a moment, then changed the subject. ¡°I¡¯ll probably be here for a month or so.¡± Mike would¡¯ve normally followed his father back to the estate, but he decided that it would be better to stay with Rachel for a while. He was sure that Rachel would be getting a lot of invitations starting from tomorrow. She would need some help adjusting to the social scene. ¡°Have you looked at the presents you received from our father yet?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Really? You haven¡¯t seen any of them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mike blinked for a moment at Rachel¡¯s answer. She was busy preparing for the banquet, but he thought she¡¯d at least had time to open some of them. ¡°Did you not like them? Or do you feel pressured?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that.¡± Rachel shook her head in surprise at Mike¡¯s question. ¡°I just wanted to keep them a little bit longer.¡± Even the colored ribbons were so beautiful that it was a shame to untie them. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to open them because it would be a waste.¡± She didn¡¯t understand why they would give her so many gifts, even though they didn¡¯t know what she looked like. She didn¡¯t know what the Duke meant by giving her those things, but Rachel felt very grateful. It was the first time she¡¯d received so much. She didn¡¯t even do anything. Things that were given to her for no reason. Mike¡¯s kindness, and the Duke¡¯s gifts. ¡°I see.¡± It was all terribly unfamiliar to Rachel. ¡°Father has been collecting them for two years, waiting for the day he¡¯d finally meet you. Of course, there was the Emperor¡¯s request that we add you to the family register.¡± Mike patted Rachel on the head. ¡°Because we accepted you as family before that. Rachel, I think you¡¯ll receive even more gifts then you already have. So, you can take your time opening your heart.¡± Rachel nodded silently at Mike¡¯s friendly smile. Still, what he said was incomprehensible to Rachel, and his touch was unfamiliar, but she nodded anyway. He thought that they could really be family. Rachel nodded, thinking that she really didn¡¯t want to lose this strange feeling. *** Chapter 42 ¡°Where¡¯s Rachel?¡± ¡°She must¡¯ve been tired. She¡¯s already fallen asleep.¡± As soon as the Duke of Oates returned to his mansion, he looked for Rachel. But it was already late, Rachel had given up on waiting for him and gone to bed. ¡°¡­I was going to leave early, but I was caught for no reason. They¡¯re already interested in Rachel¡¯s marriage.¡± The Duke of Oates clicked his tongue softly, as if he didn¡¯t like it. As the Duke of Avery was on the verge of ruin, the nobles were constantly clinging to the Duke of Oates, determined to change their course. When he was a little more relaxed, someone would talk to him again. Then when he tried to leave, he would be caught. He sighed quietly as if he was exhausted. Nevertheless, the reason why he suffered through those people was to show them how much he cared for Rachel. He wanted her to have a firm position here. ¡°She¡­¡± The Duke glanced up the stairs, and lowered his voice. So, no one could hear him. ¡°Does Rachel seem to like the presents?¡± ¡°She was so happy that she couldn¡¯t even open them.¡± Mike gave a small nod. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s a good thing.¡± The Duke of Oates smiled as if he was relieved to hear that she liked them. ¡°When do you intend to go down to the territory, Father?¡± ¡°Hmm? Territory?¡± ¡°Yes, I think you should spend a little time with Rachel before you go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be here for about a week.¡± Mike frowned at the Duke¡¯s response. ¡°You¡¯re staying here for a week or so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you tell your aide in advance? I didn¡¯t think that your work schedule would allow for it.¡± The Duke gave a small nod. ¡°It¡¯s been two years since we¡¯ve seen each other. Of course I¡¯ll have to make time.¡± Mike gave a slight nod at the Duke¡¯s cheerful smile. ¡°Alright. It¡¯s late, so I¡¯ll go up now.¡± ¡°Okay, see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Have a comfortable night.¡± Mike bowed his head, and turned his back on the happy-looking Duke. Somehow, Mike felt anxious that if the three of them gathered together tomorrow, he would be left out again, but he tried to ignore it and climbed the stairs. *** Knock Knock ¡°Duke, shall I arrange for some tea?¡± ¡°Yes, please do.¡± The Duke of Oates gave a small nod in response to the butler¡¯s question. The butler immediately closed the door after receiving an answer. Click In the quiet room, there was only a faint orange light drifting into the room. Rachel. Rachel Oates. She was a much more lovely child than he had imagined. He could see she was frozen as if she was scared, but he was sure that she would get better as time went on and the girl opened her heart to him. ¡°¡­.¡± In truth, he wished he had a daughter, but the Duke of Oates had never considered adopting a child so grown up as his daughter. He thought it would be difficult to open up to each other, and become family. About two years ago. When the Crown Prince first came to him, and talked to him about the adoption, he thought it was funny. It was ridiculous, and he didn¡¯t feel any reason to obey him. Of course it would be a good benefit to the family if he adopted the child he¡¯d spoken of, as it would tie the Crown Prince and his family together. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t feel comfortable with the decision to adopt. *** ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s difficult for me to give an answer to what you said.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t adopt a child, who I don¡¯t even know their face or personality, just because it¡¯s your request.¡± ¡°But I think the Duke would be the best family for her.¡± Ian was filled with conviction when he said that. Despite the fact that he was being stubborn, Ian¡¯s words held a certain power to them. He wasn¡¯t sure if it came from the confidence in his voice, or the seriousness in his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t be a parent to a child I know nothing about. No matter how much it may be Your Highness¡¯ request.¡± The Duke spoke again, as if he was trying to persuade Ian. ¡°Even if I bring her into the family at your request, I wouldn¡¯t be a good parent.¡± He thought Ian would understand this much. But that was the Duke¡¯s complete delusion. *** ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The Duke of Oates sighed in exasperation. ¡°Your Highness, why are you here again?¡± He¡¯d sighed when he saw the Crown Prince¡¯s face. It was clear that this behavior was contrary to normal etiquette, but the Duke couldn¡¯t afford to be so concerned. Because he¡¯d already been tormented by the Crown Prince for two months. ¡°I came here because I remembered I had something to tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t really care.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d get attached to the child if you got to know her?¡± Ian had been like this for the past two months. The Duke said he didn¡¯t know what Rachel looked like, so he had a portrait made of her. When the Duke said he didn¡¯t know Rachel¡¯s personality, Ian visited every day and told him anecdotes. Rachel helped him when he was young, and was being beaten by the other princes. She was scolded when she was caught sneaking a kitten that was abandoned by its mother into the Imperial palace. She cried when she made a mistake while running errands for the maids. She¡¯d fallen into the pond while feeding the carps in the Imperial palace. She was depressed when she handed over the money she¡¯d saved to her mother, who¡¯d abandoned her. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± The Duke of Oates sighed softly. While he was doing that, Ian cut in with another anecdote about Rachel. What the Duke was really afraid of was neither Ian, who came every day, nor the current situation, where he had to spare his time. The more he heard about Rachel, the more he grew attached to her. It was a fact that he no longer hated this time. *** ¡°Your Highness.¡± The Duke looked at Ian, who¡¯d visited him again today. It was half a year. The map of when he¡¯d visited him was clear in his mind. It had been half a year since he¡¯d first heard about Rachel. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask.¡± ¡°Do you like her?¡± Ian nodded. When he confirmed it, he remained expressionless and looked indifferent. ¡°Then why did you leave that child alone? Why didn¡¯t you bring her to the Imperial palace?¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the Duke¡¯s answer, aren¡¯t I?¡± But the Duke still couldn¡¯t understand Ian. ¡°Do you wish to have that child as your Crown Princess?¡± ¡°I want to give her good things. I want to welcome her as the Crown Princess, if that is what she wishes.¡± Ian nodded. ¡°Hmm, so the reason His Highness has come to visit me, and asked me to enroll a commoner into our family, was so she can become the Crown Princess, then you will gain our support.¡± ¡°I will be the Emperor with or without support, and I will gain greater Imperial power than any of my predecessors. Whoever the Crown Princess¡¯ family may be, I won¡¯t need that help.¡± Having a powerful Imperial family without any supporting forces? The Duke of Oates had thought he was being childish, but the look in Ian¡¯s eyes that seemed so self-assured, it made him think that perhaps he wasn¡¯t being. ¡°Why would you do this?¡± ¡°I told you already, I want you to be her family.¡± ¡°Then why did you have to choose me? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not difficult to find a nobleman who would enter her into their family register without any hesitation at Your Majesty¡¯s request. Is it because I¡¯m a Duke?¡± Ian blinked slowly, and then opened his mouth again. ¡°I like the Duke. I¡¯m relieved that my request wasn¡¯t easily accepted without hesitation.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think about your responsibility for a long time before you follow through with an action? As the Duke said, it may not be difficult to find a nobleman who would put the child into their family. But they won¡¯t really care about Rachel, they¡¯d just be in it for themselves.¡± Ian stared at the Duke for a moment. ¡°If Rachel was no longer of any use, they would throw her away as easily as they did when they accepted her. That¡¯s why it has to be the Duke.¡± ¡°¡­Is there anything different about me?¡± ¡°If the Duke accepts Rachel, it means that she will indeed be accepted as family. The Duke I know would be there for her when she¡¯s in trouble. I think she could rely on you.¡± The Duke was momentarily dissatisfied with Ian, who seemed convinced about who he was. As if he knew everything there was to know about him, how else could he be so sure that he knew what he would do. In addition, the role that he was asking him to play, he would¡¯ve wanted to do as well. Ian was doing all he could to find someone who would help Rachel when she was in trouble, someone she could rely on. As long as they didn¡¯t let go of Rachel¡¯s hand. But what could help Rachel more than him being Emperor? ¡°Then, Your Highness, you will do your part, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Even if I could, I wouldn¡¯t want to be everything to her. It¡¯s easy to be isolated if you rely on just one thing.¡± Ian laughed softly. ¡°Even if it¡¯s possible? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been hated for so many crimes that I¡¯ve committed.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If you are loved by many people, won¡¯t the wounds heal a little? Then won¡¯t she look at me again? That¡¯s what I think.¡± The Duke tapped his desk softly. There were still a lot of things he couldn¡¯t understand about Ian. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come to me again.¡± ¡°Your Grace?¡± For one thing, he felt the same way as Ian. ¡°I don¡¯t think Your Highness needs to struggle so much for my daughter.¡± He wanted to be a support to Rachel, who must have had a hard time alone. *** Shortly after the Duke concluded that, there was a war in the Levskaya Empire. If they lost the war, the title of Ducal Lady would be nothing but a shackle. So, the Duke waited to meet Rachel until after the war. After two years of waiting during a fierce war, the Duke was finally able to meet Rachel. *** Chapter 43 Knock Knock ¡°Lady Avery.¡± Anna knocked carefully on the door. ¡°I¡¯ll help you change.¡± She didn¡¯t know why, but Diana wasn¡¯t looking very good, so she carefully opened the door and entered. When she¡¯d opened the door, she saw that the room was a mess, as if Diana already had vented her anger. Anna didn¡¯t speak anymore, but stood still and waited for Diana¡¯s permission to act. ¡°Sigh, it pisses me off. Take it off.¡± Anna moved her hands in a hurry so as not to offend Diana. ¡°Ha, beggars. How dare they ignore me without knowing their place?¡± Diana swept her hair roughly back. ¡°They¡¯ve always been desperate to get something from me.¡± Now they were quietly trying to avoid her. As if they were afraid that the firestorm might spread to them. At the same time, they didn¡¯t reject her completely. One day the Avery¡¯s might rebuild, so they didn¡¯t seem to be able to completely chuck her out. Mike Oates, except for him. Frankly, she never expected him to come out so aggressive. Normally the maid, who couldn¡¯t do her job properly, made mistakes and floundered like a fool, but today was different. ¡°Lady Oates.¡± Mike Oates, that only made her position difficult. She couldn¡¯t believe he brought up the story where everyone was watching. She was sure that he was talking about her by now. ¡°That woman.¡± Diana tried to blame Lady Oates for the condemnation that had fallen on her. No matter which Ducal family she was enrolled with, there was no way that the aristocratic families would accept her as she was. They were people that valued bloodline above all else. Everything was out of alignment because of the unusual dynamics. ¡°Lady Oates?¡± ¡°Yes, that woman. She was at the banquet today, but why? No matter how much I think about it, something feels off, and it keeps rolling around in my head.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Look, she hasn¡¯t shown her face in two years and she¡¯s drawn people¡¯s curiosity. Why did she attend the banquet today?¡± The reason Lady Oates participated in this banquet must be because Diana was being criticized. This banquet was the best time to avoid negative public opinion. ¡°It¡¯s so annoying that she¡¯s trying to get in my way in society because she doesn¡¯t have a foundation.¡± Diana narrowed her eyes slightly as she thought of Rachel, who was hiding behind Mike Oates while she watched. ¡°I should go to my father. How could they ridicule my family, and treat me like this. He must be resolved to deal with his commitments. What in the world was he doing by cooping himself up in the territory?¡± His daughter was trying so hard to become the Empress of the Empire, so what was he thinking? Whether it was about placing the right bribes, or taking advantage of weaknesses , shouldn¡¯t he be keeping those people from thinking nonsense? ¡°What do you mean ¡®waiting for the situation to calm down¡¯, you¡¯re just hiding away.¡± Rather, if they hid in the territory like that, it would provide more fodder. At such a time, they should be more enthusiastic about attending social events. Don¡¯t let them talk behind our backs. Don¡¯t let them think nonsense. The Avery¡¯s had to show that they were still solid. However, as her father admitted his faults and hid in his territory, people looked down on them even more. That¡¯s why Ian pretended not to know her, even though she was a Ducal Lady. Because she was a lady from a family that was on the path of decline. ¡°Phew, at least no permanent harm was done.¡± She was angry at Ian, who never even gave her a single look, with his silvery hair and iridescent purple eyes. The rumor was true, Ian was more beautiful than anyone she¡¯d ever seen. The noble ladies at the banquet hall were making a fuss. Even if Ian pretended to be indifferent towards her, Diana was even more greedy for him. She had to make him hers, then show off to the other nobles. Then everyone would know that the Avery¡¯s were still alive and well, and no one would dare ignore her or covet what was hers. *** ¡°Harmond, I think you¡¯ve finished your work, so you can stop.¡± At Ian¡¯s words, Harmond checked the wall clock with a sullen look on his face. It was 6am. Harmond blinked blankly, and turned his head towards the darkened window. After the splendid victory banquet, the Imperial palace outside was now colored in darkness and nothing was visible. It had been eight hours since he¡¯d entered the office under Ian¡¯s guidance. His feelings were truly bleak after he was unable to dance with any young ladies, and instead he was buried in these beggarly documents. He wanted to find a girlfriend at the banquet. However, his perfect plan collapsed all at once when the Emperor had a change of heart. What the heck was the Emperor thinking about doing tomorrow¡¯s work in advance? ¡°I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Harmod stood up with his things, as he swallowed his sigh. In fact, he could understand to some extent why the Emperor suddenly felt like concentrating on his work. Was Lady Oates that great? Who would be Ian¡¯s woman, and who would be the owner of that strawberry cake. He¡¯d wondered where the Emperor went every morning, but his curiosity was finally resolved last night. The Emperor seemed to be trying to hide it, but Harmond knew that Ian¡¯s eyes were only on Rachel. Moreover, it was strange for him to head to the balcony with Mike. Although Mike and Ian had a connection, they weren¡¯t close enough to have a private conversation, they weren¡¯t even close enough to move to a private place to have a conversation. Of course, the fact that he knew that Ian¡¯s woman was nice, it was still inevitable that he would sigh from the unexpected overnight work. ¡°Haa¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t until Harmond had closed the office door that he sighed. ¡°The banquet ended in vain.¡± For the next few months, he would be alone and lonely while working underneath his boss, who had a girlfriend. He thought the sun would come up after about 30 minutes. Harmond didn¡¯t want anything big, he just desperately wanted to be able to close his eyes before the sun rose. *** The pitch-black darkness lifted, and the sky gradually brightened. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ian groaned, and pressed hard near his chest. ¡°Ugh, huff.¡± He tried not to leak out any sound as much as possible, but his irregular and rough breathing flowed out. ¡°Huff, huff.¡± He threw away his pen, and leaned his upper body on the desk. He couldn¡¯t even sit still from the unbearable pain. A heart-rending pain that formed shallow tears in his eyes. It wasn¡¯t originally this bad, but the pain seemed to get worse as time went on. Click The door to the office opened. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Get out.¡± Ian growled out a warning. Was it Harmond? An attendant? Whoever it was, the unnecessary rumors would be troublesome and irritating. Ian tried to hold back his groan. ¡°Ugh.¡± Tak However, the person who opened the door slowly stepped into the office. Step Step ¡°¡­I¡¯ve already told you to leave.¡± Ian ordered the person to leave again, but was unable to raise his head in the face from the pain. He didn¡¯t have the strength to control his body because of the pain that weighed down on his chest, and he didn¡¯t want to show his face ruined by sweat and tears to anyone else. ¡°Amazing.¡± The person who¡¯d walked into Ian¡¯s office, walked up to the front of his desk and slowly opened their mouths. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be strange if you¡¯d fainted.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re enduring with just your mental strength.¡± Ian finally lifted his body, which had been leaning against the desk, as the stranger began to slowly speak. Black hair that slightly touched the man¡¯s shoulders. He couldn¡¯t see his face properly because their black hair partially covered it. His eyes were bright red. Red eyes, which resembled the color of dark red blood, were looking down at him. There was a deep silence between the two. ¡°¡­What¡¯s this?¡± Even when he checked again, he wondered if he was seeing it wrong, but the man¡¯s eyes were still red. Somehow, he remembered what Rachel said that day. ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m not going to do anything, so stop wasting your energy.¡± The man raised his palms to Ian as if to calm him down. But in the midst of all this, Ian seemed completely unwilling to listen to him, so the man gave a small, unabashed shrug. A person, who had coloring that wasn¡¯t seen in any normal human. He could only think of one person. Who prophesied that he would be Emperor, who led him to the life of a fugitive a few years ago. ¡°Are you the prophet?¡± The black-haired man nodded his head. ¡°As expected, you¡¯re smart.¡± As he slightly raised the corners of his mouth, his red eyes were also half-covered. ¡°Why did you approach Rachel?¡± The red sun rose above the sky, and the darkness completely disappeared. The pain, which seemed to take his breath away, gradually subsided. ¡°Tell me why you approached Rachel.¡± ¡°Is that really what you want to ask me?¡± As Ian rose threateningly from his seat and approached, the prophet took a few steps back as if he wanted to keep his distance from Ian. ¡°Aren¡¯t there far more important things than that? Like who I am, why your pain doesn¡¯t go away, or why it gets worse by the day. You should ask that.¡± The prophet was still relaxed. Ian frowned as the prophet slowly spoke. ¡°There was no record of you living in hiding in the Imperial palace, or meeting anyone other than the previous Emperor. Tell me why you approached Rachel.¡± Rachel apparently met someone with red eyes. She helped him, and he gave her a present. Anxiety washed over him at the thought that Rachel had met with the man in front of him. Ian bit the inside of his cheek because of the unpredictable man in front of him. ¡°I wonder if you were waiting for that woman.¡± The prophet rolled his eyes, as if he was hesitating to answer Ian¡¯s question, before he slowly opened his mouth. At the moment, Ian raised his eyebrows. *** Chapter 44 ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in her anymore.¡± The prophet flicked his hand at Ian, and he was pushed back into his chair. ¡°Sit down some more, I¡¯m kind to the sick.¡± He smiled mischievously, and swept up the hair that was hiding his face. Magic. He wasn¡¯t human. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the prophet was a dragon.¡± ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t. Because I didn¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°Why did you show yourself to me now? It¡¯s been a while since I became Emperor.¡± ¡°The Empire was busy fighting a war.¡± ¡°Ha? You¡¯ve been hiding in the Imperial palace all this time.¡± The prophet shook his head softly. ¡°Anyway, haven¡¯t I met you now? Don¡¯t you wonder why that is? You don¡¯t know why I found you after so long.¡± But Ian didn¡¯t feel the need to answer his question. Perhaps the prophet sensed Ian¡¯s heart from his tight-lipped expression, and his shoulders shrugged slightly as if he didn¡¯t mind at all. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you something quite important today. So, don¡¯t be too wary.¡± The prophet blinked, then slowly spoke again. ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The prophet looked at Ian¡¯s face for a moment. ¡°All the pain you have suffered so far is the price for not following the natural order. Light and darkness, day and night. The moment the sun and moon changed, you and Rachel were going to pay the price for defying reason.¡± ¡°Rachel? Was Rachel experiencing this pain too? I didn¡¯t think so a few years ago.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re going through what Rachel went through.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then did Ian give a small nod, as if he was relieved. ¡°What did you mean about me dying?¡± ¡°The wish you made while you were drinking the medicine. If you don¡¯t achieve it, you¡¯ll die.¡± Ian frowned as if he didn¡¯t understand the prophet. ¡°You¡¯ve got one more chance to untangle the messy threads of fate, and your life was used as collateral.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m going to die if I don¡¯t untangle the threads?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ian let out a small laugh. The prophet looked down at him silently as Ian laughed mockingly at himself. ¡°And what about Rachel? Rachel has nothing to do with it, right? I¡¯m paying the price, as you say.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The prophet nodded softly. ¡°Why did you touch something that wasn¡¯t even yours?¡± ¡°How much time do I have?¡± ¡°Not much. So, hurry up.¡± The prophet didn¡¯t give an exact answer. But Ian could tell. He really didn¡¯t have much time left. The pain got worse by the day, maybe that was proof that his life was almost over. At least, He finally met Rachel. ¡°Or you can beg that girl. You could ask for help because you don¡¯t want to die. She looked nice, you know? I wonder if she¡¯ll forgive me for feeling sorry for her.¡± Ian frowned, and sighed softly. ¡°Why are you telling me now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been six years since I came to the past. You had plenty of time to tell me, so why are you telling me now?¡± The prophet shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I thought you were going to forget about her and start a new life. You didn¡¯t seem to care.¡± Ian sighed when he heard the words ¡®You didn¡¯t care¡¯. It seemed that his life wasn¡¯t a very important matter for him. Whether he was dead or not, it was just a matter of moments to him. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The reason you visited me, are you done?¡± ¡°Mostly?¡± ¡°Then get lost, you¡¯re annoying.¡± For a moment, the prophet frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t thank the person who visited you to let you know about this, instead you kick them out with harsh words. Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± ¡°I meant it, get lost.¡± The prophet glanced at Ian, and finally left through the door. The bright sunlight filled the room. Ian rose from his seat. Today was the day he was supposed to meet Rachel. *** ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Ian leaned his head against the carriage wall, and closed his eyes. The prophet. He didn¡¯t expect that the red-eyed man that Rachel met would be him. The one who gave her the medicine that could make her wish come true. At first glance, he thought the person Rachel had mentioned was the prophet, but he really didn¡¯t think she¡¯d actually met him. ¡°Like a dog.¡± It was a brief conversation, but he could understand what he was thinking. He didn¡¯t even seem willing to hide it in the first place. He pretended to be considerate of him, who was suffering painfully, but his death was a shallow interest to him. Maybe he did the same thing to Rachel. Ian chewed the inside of his cheek anxiously. The prophet. The records about him began 300 years ago. The prophet of the Levskaya Empire. There was no accurate information about him. Only the current Emperor could meet the prophet. It was not known whether the prophet was one person for 300 years, or whether the prophet changed over time. Ian also knew only bits and pieces through several books. ¡®Why didn¡¯t he tell me about the prophet?¡¯ Only the Emperor knew? His father died after he¡¯d become Emperor, so why didn¡¯t he tell him about the prophet? He was definitely a dragon. Did he think that Rachel was the woman he was waiting for? ¡°Annoying bastard.¡± Ian briefly cursed him, and put his hand on his chest. Thump, ThumpThump His heart moved at a steady beat. Ian closed his eyes as if he could see his future. *** ¡°Sire, the lady went to the theater with the Young Master.¡± ¡°The theater?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, they didn¡¯t know you were coming.¡± The butler bowed apologetically. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian looked up the stairs in silence. It felt like Rachel would come down at any moment. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°The play will be over soon, but I don¡¯t know what they have scheduled for afterwards. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The stairs were still quiet. Ian nodded as if he was giving up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take you to the drawing room.¡± The butler had no idea when the young lady, who¡¯d gone out with Mike, would be back. It would be at least three hours before the play ended, and then they might decide on going to another location. And yet, he chose to remain. He thought it would be better to make an appointment again for another day, but Ian seemed to really want to wait. So, the butler had no choice, but to do his job. *** ¡°Rachel, are you having fun?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Mike laughed at Rachel, who was sitting on the edge of her chair as if she was about to pop up. ¡°Why do you like magic so much?¡± After the first part of the performance, the curtains were lowered on stage to prepare for the next act. That¡¯s why they had a short break. Mike had asked Rachel about it. Of course, he didn¡¯t hate magic either, but Rachel seemed to like it the most among the people he knew. Mike smiled softly at the sight of her eyes shining like an innocent child. ¡°I¡¯ve seen magic before. Right in front of my eyes, well I thought it was magic.¡± ¡°What kind of magic was it?¡± ¡°There was nothing in his hands, but when he flicked his hand, he pulled out this and that. Then he showed me magic to get rid of things.¡± Rachel rambled exuberantly. When Rachel talked about her interests, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Mike to see how excited she was. ¡°And then he gave me a present.¡± ¡°A present? What was it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Sparkling water?¡± Rachel looked up. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She was seriously thinking about it, as if she really wanted to explain the gift she¡¯d received to Mike. ¡°It was like melted gold and water had mixed together. It was the brightest thing I¡¯d ever seen when the sunlight shone through it.¡± ¡°Really? More than jewels?¡± ¡°Well, yes. But I haven¡¯t seen much jewelry.¡± Mike blinked slowly as if he was recalling the gifts Rachel had received. ¡°I guess you liked that present.¡± ¡°It was one of the few gifts I¡¯d ever received.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it was the second present I¡¯d ever received in my life.¡± Rachel looked a little bitter for some reason when she said this. She¡¯d loved that first gift she¡¯d received. It wasn¡¯t because she was materialistic, or that she¡¯d received something for free. It was just because it was something that was meant only for her. It felt good. That time he spent worrying about her. She liked the feelings that he had for her. The maids she met at the Imperial palace often bragged about what their parents had given them. ¡°My mom gave me this necklace. Look at this, it has my initials.¡± ¡°My mom gave me this doll so that I don¡¯t cry when I sleep alone.¡± They didn¡¯t look lonely at all even though they came to work at the Imperial palace away from their families. Even if it was hard, there was a place to go back to, because there was a family to comfort them. Often, when they went on vacation and came back, they came back with an armful of presents. Then they began to work hard again, as if they had forgotten all of their previous fatigue. At that time, Rachel would look at their soft-looking stuffed animals. She was envious of their dolls, which had been made with a child in mind. But Rachel knew that she would never get a gift. She didn¡¯t have a family. Then one day, she was given a doll. Rachel burst into tears. It was certainly not because the doll had shiny golden hair and a silky dress that was pretty. And she wasn¡¯t able to brag about it to her friends. She didn¡¯t know why, but she cried like a fool. Maybe it was because she didn¡¯t feel lonely anymore? ¡°Can¡¯t you show me, please?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The present you got. Show me too.¡± Water that shone brighter than jewels. He wondered what it would look like. More than gold, more than diamonds, more shiny than the Lucky necklace the Emperor had given Rachel, his curiosity ate at him. ¡°Oh¡­ I don¡¯t have it anymore.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± ¡°I lost it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I think you liked it.¡± Rachel nodded softly. Chapter 45 ¡°Did you meet the magician in Ravenna?¡± Magician? Apparently he wasn¡¯t a magician. He worked for the Imperial palace, so he wouldn¡¯t be a magician. However, he wasn¡¯t wearing fancy clothes that nobles would wear, and seeing that he was moving things himself, he seemed to be an attendant. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°He must have been a pretty good magician. Was he a villager?¡± ¡°¡­No. I¡¯ve only seen him twice. I don¡¯t know who he was.¡± ¡°Really? Was he just on tour?¡± Rachel nodded vaguely at Mike¡¯s question. She was in a hurry to change the subject because she didn¡¯t want to lie to Mike, then the Duke tapped Rachel on the shoulder. ¡°Rachel, eat this.¡± The Duke handed Rachel a dessert. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± ¡°Mean. Please stop thanking me.¡± The Duke grumbled softly at Rachel¡¯s thank you. ¡°That was exactly the 34th thank you I¡¯ve received today.¡± ¡°Still, thank you?¡± Rachel had never received so many gifts in her life. Expensive dolls, cute teacup sets, dazzling necklaces and earrings. Every time he visited various places, he collected perfumes for her, he even wrote letters in between. She couldn¡¯t help, but thank him. She was so grateful that she could cry at the unprovoked kindness. ¡°Yes, Rachel. Just do as you please.¡± The Duke smiled quietly, and patted Rachel¡¯s head carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± The Duke of Oates didn¡¯t like Rachel¡¯s excessive thankfulness. He didn¡¯t want to see her feel grateful as if she had received something that wasn¡¯t hers. She was Rachel Oates now. He just wanted these kinds of gifts to be routine. He hoped that one day happiness would be taken for granted so that there was no great impression. He wanted her to accept love to her heart¡¯s content. But he guessed this was his own greed. It could be too hard for Rachel yet. ¡°It¡¯s about to start. I won¡¯t disturb you, so watch comfortably.¡± Then it would have been better if he tried harder. After the Duke confirmed that Rachel¡¯s eyes were on the stage, he slowly turned himself around. Rachel just blinked at the fluffy landscape in front of her. Chocolatey powder and sugar powder. Rachel couldn¡¯t easily touch the dessert that was in front of her. ¡°Rachel, go ahead and eat.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Rachel shook her head, picked up a dessert fork, and took a piece. Powder dripped down on her fork. Rachel became serious as if she didn¡¯t want the strawberry to fall off. When she cut into the cake, the cream cheese filling came out. ¡°¡­.¡± Rachel couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the sight and just blinked. Soon after, she realized the Duke¡¯s gaze was on her, and she quickly put the piece of cake into her mouth. Rachel frowned slightly at the same time as she put the dessert in her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± She let out a little admiration. The Duke smiled gently at the sight. Her voice was a little higher than usual. Rachel put a second piece of the dessert in her mouth, and moved her legs excitedly. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± At that moment, the Duke of Oates couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°Um, Duke?¡± ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m sorry.¡± The Duke, who was laughing loudly, wiped away his tears and apologized lightly. ¡°You¡¯re just like you were as a kid.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry to surprise you.¡± The Duke said something Rachel couldn¡¯t understand, before he quickly ended the conversation without further explanation. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like tea very much. I¡¯ll get you a sweet lemonade.¡± The Duke said this, then raised his hand and called a waiter. Rachel wiped her mouth in confusion, still unaware of why the Duke had laughed. She must¡¯ve smeared it around her mouth in her excitement, and looked like a fool. ¡°Rachel, will you stay in the capital for a while? Or do you want to go down to the Oates estate with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°Can I go down to the Oates estate? Me?¡± Rachel asked, startled. The Duke nodded, as if it was only natural. ¡°You¡¯re a Lady of the Oates family.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Ian wasn¡¯t going to allow it. ¡°But you¡¯re still more comfortable with His Majesty, right?¡± The Duke said with a small smile to Rachel, who was still hesitating. ¡°Tell the butler if you want to come down at any time. He¡¯ll prepare a carriage for you. And you don¡¯t have to say anything to me. Because any time you come down, it¡¯ll be like a birthday to me. I think a surprise would be better than taking a day or two more to report it.¡± Rachel nodded quietly at the Duke¡¯s words. ¡°Let¡¯s ride horses, and take a walk together. The lake around our territory¡¯s lake is perfect for horseback riding.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Duke seemed excited to tell her about what the territory was like. ¡°And our land is very famous for its grapes. It has a high sugar content, so it¡¯s different from other grapes. It would be nice to pick grapes together, and make wine together if you want. It will be really delicious if it¡¯s aged for about three years.¡± ¡°Wine?¡± ¡°Yeah, have you ever had any?¡± Rachel shook her head softly. ¡°Nothing to worry about. I¡¯ll teach you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you ever drink, you should never show others how drunk you are. At least you must drink better than the stupid ones who want to attack you when you are at your weakest. If I teach you, you will never be beaten by those idiots.¡± As Rachel nodded quietly, Mike sighed. ¡°Father.¡± When Mike called out quietly to the Duke, he realized that he was too excited, coughed awkwardly, and quieted. ¡°Yeah, it has a nice place to swim in the summer. There is another small lake surrounded by forests on the estate, which is just right for swimming.¡± ¡°Wow, that sounds like fun. There¡¯s a lake in the forest?¡± Rachel felt a bit of excitement from the Duke¡¯s excited talk. ¡°That¡¯s right. It keeps the sun at bay and the wind is cool, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°I like it already.¡± Rachel¡¯s mind was already filled with images of a lake on a windy day. The thick leaves of the tall trees scattered little by little on the wind, and the greenery poured through the branches touched the wide lake and broke into pieces. ¡°There are so many other things I want to do with you.¡± The Duke smiled quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll always be waiting for you, so make yourself at home. Or you can stay in the territory for a few months, and come back up to the capital.¡± Rachel nodded vigorously at the Duke¡¯s question. She thought Ian would let her. *** ¡°When we first went out, we ate before going in.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡± Mike shook his head softly at the apologizing Rachel. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rachel. Just do as you please, that¡¯s it. Are you very tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll have more chances in the future.¡± The Duke smiled quietly, and shook his head. Dark dust settled out of the carriage window. The darkness deepened, and soon ate up the light. Rachel¡¯s mouth gradually hardened as the sky darkened. ¡°¡­.¡± Obviously, Ian said he was coming today. He didn¡¯t come for breakfast, so he should come around dinner. She was sure she could arrive before Ian. He wouldn¡¯t leave, would he? Even if he arrived at the mansion first, wouldn¡¯t he wait a little while? Or would he get angry at her, and demand where she¡¯d been? The Duke¡¯s carriage slowed down gradually as Rachel fretted over those worries. They¡¯d arrived at the Duke¡¯s house that Rachel had longed for. ¡°Rachel, come down slowly.¡± The Duke got off first, and held Rachel¡¯s hand as she exited. ¡°Thank you.¡± Rachel hurriedly looked around the garden as she got out of the carriage, but Ian¡¯s black horse was nowhere to be seen. He never arrived before dark when he came to see her. Was he gone already? Maybe he was in the mansion? Rachel was impatient to get inside the mansion. However, she wasn¡¯t able to run into the mansion before the Duke, so she slowly timed her steps. ¡°Miss.¡± That was when the butler, who¡¯d been standing on the front step, ran towards Rachel. ¡°His Majesty is waiting.¡± ¡°Is His Majesty here?¡± She didn¡¯t understand his words. Did he come here in a carriage? ¡°Yes, he¡¯s waiting in the drawing room.¡± The butler looked troubled. He nodded in a hurry, which made Rachel feel anxious again. ¡°Duke, may I go ahead to see His Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead. I think he¡¯s here to see you, so I¡¯ll greet him later. Tell him for me.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. Then I¡¯ll go first.¡± Rachel felt sorry for the Duke after her short acknowledgement, as she walked quickly away. She soon entered the front door, and disappeared from the Duke¡¯s sight. ¡°Hahaha. I guess that¡¯s why Rachel was in a hurry.¡± ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t expect His Majesty to come.¡± ¡°Maybe the day will never come when I come before His Majesty.¡± The Duke smiled faintly, and looked down the corridor which Rachel would¡¯ve walked down. ¡°Father, are you disappointed?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± At Mike¡¯s question, the Duke gave a small hum. Didn¡¯t it feel like his little girl was getting married right after she was born? ¡°A little. I¡¯m a little disappointed. He was a little disappointed, or quite a lot, even though he knew it was natural for Rachel to do so. ¡°Don¡¯t put pressure on Rachel.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not that clueless.¡± The Duke shrugged at Mike¡¯s advice. Even when Rachel called him Duke, didn¡¯t he keep quiet? He was already trying his best to not make Rachel feel pressured. He was being careful and restrained. Still, the Duke wasn¡¯t sure how long he could be careful. He thought he¡¯d rather take Rachel to the estate, but the Duke restrained himself once again. *** Chapter 46 ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Knock Knock ¡°The lady has returned.¡± The maid tried to open the door, but she was only able to half open it before it was blocked. This happened because Ian, who was standing behind the door, had grabbed the handle at the same time. The maid noticed Ian, and hurriedly removed her hand from the door. ¡°Your Majesty, why are you standing there?¡± ¡°Yes, I thought you¡¯d returned. I heard you saw a play with the Duke. Did you have fun?¡± Ian slowly opened the door as if it didn¡¯t matter. He looked down at Rachel, and smiled softly. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel hesitated to reply to his usual warm smile. ¡°Did you wait for a long time?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ian shook his head, and his hair moved gently. It was a light and itchy movement like the sugar powdered on the cake that she¡¯d eaten a while ago. ¡°What did you do with the Duke?¡± ¡°We watched a magic performance together.¡± Ian¡¯s lips were a little stiff for a moment. ¡°And¡­¡± Rachel blinked as if she was trying to change the subject in a hurry. ¡°We went to a bakery. It was the place that His Majesty had bought a cake from the other day.¡± ¡°What did you eat this time?¡± ¡°Pandoro and lemonade.¡± ¡°Pandoro?¡± ¡°It had cream cheese in it. There were two strawberries on top, and there was also powdered sugar.¡± Rachel was chattering, but then she suddenly shut her mouth. It was because when she met Ian¡¯s eyes, she belatedly realized that he was staring at her. She thought she¡¯d said too much, and her face turned red for a moment. ¡°It must¡¯ve been fun.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Rachel hurriedly changed the subject. She walked to the sofa in the drawing room, and sat down. She thought Ian would sit across from her, but he flopped down right next to Rachel. ¡°Your Majesty, were you busy today as well?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s me every day.¡± Rachel nodded slowly at the remark. She thought he would come in the morning, but he must¡¯ve been busy since he only came in the evening. ¡°Your eyes are a little red, Your Majesty.¡± His purple eyes had a slightly darker red color than usual. ¡°Are you okay? Your eyes look a little bloodshot. Did you not sleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little tired.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rachel frowned apologetically at Ian¡¯s words. ¡°You came all the way here because of me.¡± ¡°Well, I think I¡¯ll be fine if I stay like this for a while.¡± Ian leaned his head on her shoulder. His soft hair fell lightly on Rachel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Just for a moment.¡± His whisper caused Rachel¡¯s back to stiffen. Rachel looked around helplessly, as if his whispered hot breath made her nervous. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be fine soon if I stay like this for a while. Are you uncomfortable?¡± Ian asked, and moved his head lightly on Rachel¡¯s shoulder. She thought he wanted to find a more comfortable position. He moved his head like a cub digging into its mother¡¯s arms. The movement messed up his hair, and rubbed it against Rachel¡¯s shoulders and neck. ¡°It tickles.¡± Rachel¡¯s shoulders trembled slightly at the exotic feeling. Soon enough, Ian pulled back off of her shoulder a little bit so that she wouldn¡¯t feel so uncomfortable. ¡°Sorry.¡± Ian apologized quietly. However, contrary to the apology, he still had his head on Rachel¡¯s shoulder. Somehow Ian looked a lot different than usual. Although she¡¯d been by his side for a long time, Ian¡¯s tired appearance was unfamiliar to her. Rachel saw Ian as a knight. The word knight suited this man very well. A brave and valiant knight. He was someone who¡¯d lived a long knightly life of battles, and war. He was dulled by it all, but that¡¯s why he was someone who could see the bigger picture Ian looked exhausted somehow today. Twenty-one. Ian, a knight who has been through all sorts of hardships, was still young. Was the throne too demanding at such a young age? Looking unusually tired, Rachel finally realized that he was only a year older than her. When they ran away from the Imperial palace together, he was 15 years old. When he defeated the dragon, he was only 18 years old. Even so, Ian had never shown this side of himself in front of Rachel or the other people around him. Rachel stopped her hand awkwardly midair, unable to do anything about her sense of regret. ¡°Oh, the Duke is coming to say hello a little later.¡± Rachel hurriedly opened her mouth as if she were trying to get rid of the awkward atmosphere. ¡°They¡¯re being considerate to you.¡± Then Ian, who still had his eyes closed, smiled. ¡°I had a really hard time today.¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°So, just once.¡± Ian turned his head toward Rachel. But the only thing that caught his eye was Rachel¡¯s stiff white neck. ¡°Please stroke my head a little bit.¡± The stiff neck remained motionless for a long time. Then her neck moved slightly, as Rachel swallowed her saliva. Then, a little more time passed, and Rachel¡¯s small hand was gently placed on the back of Ian¡¯s head. She patted him on the head with an awkward, stiff touch. Rachel raised the arm that Ian wasn¡¯t leaning on, and followed his request as best she could. ¡°Puff. Puhaha.¡± At that moment, Ian¡¯s shoulders shook slightly, but soon he couldn¡¯t hold back and burst into laughter. Ian¡¯s clear laughter filled the living room. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Rachel leaned back in embarrassment at Ian¡¯s sudden laughter. ¡°You¡¯re a real fool.¡± Ian said, as he raised his head from Rachel¡¯s shoulder, which gently recoiled. His voice, mingled with laughter, sounded like a whisper. Rachel didn¡¯t like Ian¡¯s voice, and her face turned red as if she thought he was making fun of her. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Ian wrinkled his nose slightly and whined softly, then got up from his seat. Although he¡¯d laughed more easily than usual, the dark atmosphere quickly disappeared. Rachel finally realized that Ian was teasing me, so she stared at him, but soon got up from her seat when he beckoned to her. As they entered the dining room, Mike and the Duke, who were waiting for the two, rose from their seats. ¡°We greet His Majesty, the Emperor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Duke. Why are you being so polite when you¡¯re just saying hello?¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been waiting here for a long time. If you had told me you would be visiting, we wouldn¡¯t have gone out.¡± Ian shook his head as if he didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Rachel had a good time with the Duke, and that¡¯s enough. I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°More than that, it¡¯s new to see His Majesty in the dining room of our family mansion.¡± Rachel glanced at Ian, who was sitting close to the Duke. Ian was having no problems speaking with the Duke, despite the large age gap between the two, and they talked about this and that without a break. Ian looked relaxed as if he had no difficulty in dealing with the Duke. Since he¡¯d looked so tired, Rachel thought he¡¯d been having a hard time dealing with the older aristocrats. She guessed that he was just trying to make fun of her. How funny it must have been to have her stroke his head without knowing it. ¡®Like a fool.¡¯ Rachel cursed herself for not being able to distinguish a prank, and pushed the food into her mouth. She felt less embarrassed when she was doing something. *** Ian, who had only talked to the Duke throughout the meal, finally put down his tableware. The amount given to him was more than usual, but Ian finished the food as if it was true that he was hungry. ¡°So, you¡¯re going down in a week?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯ll stay in the capital for a week.¡± ¡°Hmm, alright.¡± Ian nodded, and lightly wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°Your Majesty, would you like a drink?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll leave it for another time.¡± The Duke offered a drink as if it was a pity to end the conversation with him, but Ian only shook his head slightly. ¡°Why? Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°No, I just want to take a break away from the Duke.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need to talk to Rachel.¡± ¡°Well, Your Majesty did come here to see Rachel.¡± Only then did the Duke nod as if he understood. ¡°Rachel, would you like to walk in the garden for a minute?¡± Ian asked for Rachel¡¯s permission as if she could do what she wanted, but Rachel would only spit out a positive answer to his query. Rachel nodded lightly, and the Duke rose from his seat. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll retire first.¡± Rachel bowed low, and hurried out after Ian. Tap Tap Ian walked slowly in time for Rachel¡¯s step. ¡°I think winter is coming soon, the wind is cold.¡± Ian glanced at Rachel¡¯s thin dress, and took off my jacket. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like it?¡± Ian tilted his head at Rachel as she waved her hand. ¡°You were wearing Mike¡¯s jacket that day.¡± It took Rachel a while before she realized he was talking about the moment on the balcony at the victory banquet. ¡°That time¡­¡± At that time, the dress was so thin that it was really cold. But this time their positions were reversed. If he took off his jacket, he¡¯d probably be colder than she was. ¡°Your shirt is thinner than my dress.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± Ian smiled briefly, and put his jacket on Rachel¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m different from you.¡± Then he shook his head softly. ¡°You must¡¯ve forgotten, I¡¯m a dragon slayer. I¡¯ve survived with this body without having anything.¡± He grinned, as he showed off his usual bravado. ¡°I¡¯m not weak enough to catch a cold as easily as you.¡± ¡°¡­A cold.¡± Rachel followed Ian blankly, and he tilted his head. ¡°Why are you still worried about me?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Rachel shook her head quietly, and followed along behind him. As she did so, she gradually slowed down as she became lost in thought. Ian kept pace with Rachel as she slowed. Ian, who normally walked fast, was frustrated, but he once again set his pace to Rachel¡¯s steps, which slowed down without a word. After walking silently for a long time, Ian broke the silence and opened his mouth. ¡°The wind is nice.¡± Rachel¡¯s hair tickled Ian¡¯s shirt in the cool breeze. He inhaled Rachel¡¯s scent which came to him on the breeze. *** Chapter 47 It was a strange thing. Rachel always had a strange smell. A cozy and warm scent. The sweet scent she had at the banquet was good, but Ian liked Rachel¡¯s original scent even more. Her scent reminded him of a sunny afternoon. In the room where the cool wind came in through the small open window, it was like lying under the warm sunlight that passed through the white linen curtains and came into the room. A languid afternoon. His happiest moment came to mind. ¡°¡­.¡± Ian laughed a little. He didn¡¯t have a day like that, but it was funny. Maybe there won¡¯t be a day like that in the future. ¡°Rachel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But it didn¡¯t matter. When he called her name, she had a clear and quiet voice. ¡°Rachel.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± After her response, Ian called her name meaninglessly once again. Rachel gave Ian a little pause as if he were strange, but soon heard her voice again. At last, Ian smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Do you want to go see the sea next week?¡± ¡°¡­The sea?¡± ¡°I wanted to see it with you.¡± Rachel blinked slowly, as if contemplating for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You haven¡¯t seen it yet, right?¡± Ian gave a small push. The sea. In order to see the sea in the Levskaya Empire, we would have to go down south for a long time. It would take about three days to get there. Rachel soon nodded without much thought. ¡°Do you not feel like traveling that far?¡± Ian bent his head towards Rachel, who didn¡¯t look very happy, as if to look at her expression. Somehow Rachel¡¯s mouth seemed more stiff than usual. ¡°No, it¡¯s good.¡± Rachel realized that her face was stiff, and forced herself to pull up the corners of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m just a little tired.¡± ¡°You¡¯re tired?¡± Rachel nodded lightly. ¡°I went to many places today. It¡¯s been a while since I went out.¡± ¡°Oh, you must be tired. That¡¯s true.¡± Ian nodded as if he understood. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t realize.¡± He apologized quietly, and looked back to the path they were walking on. ¡°Shall we go back? Will you return to your room and rest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I should have paid more attention. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rachel frowned slightly, then she looked up at Ian, who¡¯d apologized to her repeatedly. Somehow he¡¯d felt alien many times today. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back next week. Let¡¯s go to the sea then.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Hurry up, and go up. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± ¡°Get home safely.¡± Rachel quietly bid him farewell, and slowly climbed the stairs. Then she walked quickly after she went up the stairs, and was no longer visible to his eyes. TapTapTapTap By the time she entered her room, she was almost running. Click Rachel closed her door, then leaned her back against the tightly closed door. ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯ It was strange. When she thought of it, everything was weird from the beginning. Where could it have started? Yeah, everything had been weird since she¡¯d returned to that day when she was 14 after she¡¯d died. A miracle beyond common sense. And this time Rachel had left Ian. She didn¡¯t want to be with Ian, who¡¯d abandoned her, anymore. That¡¯s what she thought when she abandoned Ian. She would no longer give up on herself because of Ian. She chose her life over him. But when she thought about it, she hadn¡¯t forgotten Ian for a second. She read the newspaper every week because she was worried about him on the battlefield. Maybe he was in danger, maybe he was still safe. She was worried about him every day. Was it just affection? She¡¯d left him and went to Ravenna, but in her heart, she still hadn¡¯t left him. Then there was Ian¡¯s confession that he liked her, which seemed to be another miracle. Ian had come to her, and whispered to her that he liked her. His attitude was so different from her previous life, but she thought it was just an extension of the miracle. She just believed that was the case. But she also thought maybe all of this wasn¡¯t a miracle. ¡°Ha¡­¡± A deep sigh left Rachel¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not weak enough to catch a cold as easily as you.¡± Ian certainly said this. Cold. In her previous life, she¡¯d suffered from a bad cold for quite a long time during that winter on the Avery estate. That first winter, she suffered from a cold so badly that she couldn¡¯t stop coughing. But apart from that year, Rachel didn¡¯t have many memories of catching colds. When she was very young, she lived in a small, shabby room with her mother. She suffered from a bad cold once there because she couldn¡¯t keep herself from the cold and the wind at all. After that, she didn¡¯t catch a cold as easily. While young maids easily transferred colds to each other, Rachel had never been seriously ill. Sometimes she¡¯d have a slight fever, but that was it. She¡¯d never coughed, had body aches, or suffered from a high fever. The slight fever quickly disappeared, and she had no memory of suffering from a cold. Except for that winter at 14 until the spring when she was 15. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, do you remember?¡± Rachel¡¯s legs felt weak, and she sat down on the floor. ¡°Then like me.¡± It didn¡¯t even occur to her to get up on the floor. When she was dead, did he regret it? Was that why he came to see her? Why? Then how could he throw her away so coldly? If he¡¯d liked her even a little bit, he couldn¡¯t have treated her so coldly. Why did he whisper that he liked her now? Since when? ¡°¡­.¡± If she hadn¡¯t figured it out, how long would he have kept deceiving her? Rachel raised her trembling hand, and swept her hair back. She often thought that maybe he knew the past like she did, but every time there wasn¡¯t anything conclusive. Because the eyes that looked at her now, and Ian¡¯s eyes in her previous life, were like completely different people. For some time during her first life, Ian seemed annoyed with her. Whenever they met in the Imperial palace, he frowned every time, then he¡¯d turn his head as if he¡¯d seen something he didn¡¯t want to. Then he would pass by casually while he pretended not to know her. But they¡¯d been together for three years in a place where no one was around. She¡¯d served him faithfully for three years. Was all the time with her annoying to him? If she thought about it, life in the cabin wasn¡¯t that different. At some point, Ian became indifferent and heartless to her. Rachel didn¡¯t know what really bothered him so much. So, she cursed herself every day. She thought it was all her fault that he changed. Was he mean to her for being unreasonably greedy just as Lady Avery said? Or maybe he didn¡¯t want to talk to the ungrateful thief. Whatever the reason, Rachel just wanted to cry as he turned his head away from her, as if he didn¡¯t know her. While she wasn¡¯t loved by her parents, it was much harder being ignored by Ian. She thought it was all because of her that the person, who was friendly at times, had turned cold. Rachel was even more careful whenever they met. Ian frowned whenever their eyes met, so she bowed her head so that he wouldn¡¯t be angry anymore, and walked carefully all the time in case she met Ian. Obviously, she tried hard in her own way, but he got colder day by day. She didn¡¯t want anything big either, she just wanted him to pretend to acknowledge her. Was it her greed? Was it excessive greed? Rachel was no longer happy around Ian. She wanted to stop seeing Ian, but it wasn¡¯t easy to not face Ian, who was avoiding her. Because Diana often took her to see Ian. Diana seemed to hate her, but she always needed a maid, so she took her from place to place. To her tea party, charity events, and when she went shopping. Of course, every time she brought Rachel with her, she was mean and made her do all sorts of bad things. She was ignored and humiliated in front of many aristocratic ladies and lords. Although she was mocked, she could endure it as long as she wasn¡¯t meeting with Ian. It wasn¡¯t sadder than seeing Ian, who was annoyed and cold every time he saw her, but smiled brightly at Diana. Rachel had no choice but to stare at him, even if she didn¡¯t want to. She knew that the more she did so, the sadder she was, but she couldn¡¯t help but be distracted by the pretty smile she¡¯d never seen. Ian looked happy when he was by Diana¡¯s side, in a way that Rachel had never seen. Diana looked good beside Ian. Of course, Diana was sometimes harsh to her, but not as much as Ian was. The two were an awful pair. ¡°At today¡¯s tea party, Lady Hana lost her earrings.¡± ¡°I gave Rachel a piece of cake today, and she ate it in such a hurry. Like a person who¡¯d been starving for days. I was so embarrassed that I gave her everything.¡± Of course she often gossiped about Rachel. Still, Rachel learned to keep her mouth shut. She wondered if the reason why Ian hated her was because of Diana¡¯s lies, but even if that was the case, there was nothing she could do. When Diana was like that, Ian would just shut his mouth without a second thought. Until Diana would move on to another topic. While she was grateful that Ian didn¡¯t spew words of agreement with Diana, Rachel was still appalled when he kept his mouth shut. The silence, which somehow seemed to reproach her, was hard. During those moments, she sincerely thanked Diana for breaking the heavy silence and changing the topic. No, if she thought about it, Rachel was a little bit more than thankful to Diana. Because she could make Ian smile. Diana gave her something that she would never have been able to receive in her lifetime. Perhaps Rachel could¡¯ve asked Ian to let her quit being a maid at the Imperial palace. It was possible that Ian would give her that much grace since she¡¯d served him closely during his most difficult time, but Rachel never did. *** Chapter 48 ****Thank you to Fatou for the Kofi ¡î*:.?.o(¨R¨Œ¨Q)o.?.:*¡î *** She wanted to stay a little longer next to Ian, who was the only one on her side when she was young. Of course, he didn¡¯t seem to need her anymore, but she wanted to stay with Ian until he was a little happier. Even if there was nothing she could do for him. She wanted to wish him happiness from the bottom of her heart. She hoped that he was happy even during the hard times. She hoped it didn¡¯t hurt anymore. But that was the wrong idea. If she¡¯d known Ian hated her so much, she would¡¯ve left him sooner, but she realized it too late. At the end of her life. It was funny how much Ian hated her at that moment. *** ¡°Hey!¡± Diana nervously called Rachel. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Ian. Take this.¡± Rachel nodded and lifted her bag. ¡°Ha, Ian is always hunting.¡± Diana grumbled softly. She wasn¡¯t seeing Ian a whole lot lately. Rachel walked cautiously with the heavy picnic bag. The bag went down to her knees, and Rachel had a hard time even walking. ¡°Hey! Did you want to arrive after sunset?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± However, Rachel had to speed up a little more at Diana¡¯s mocking comment. The carriage that Diana and Rachel had ridden in had stopped at the entrance to the forest. At the Hunting grounds. A soldier was guarding the entrance to the Hunting grounds. ¡°Let¡¯s get off here and walk.¡± For some reason, Diana stopped the carriage at the entrance. Diana, who hated walking, said they should walk. Rachel thought it was a little strange, but she soon realized why she wanted to walk. It was to give her a hard time. It must have been funny to watch her walk with small steps while she carried a heavy bag. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Diana was once again nervous about Rachel being left behind. Rachel was careful not to mess up the contents of the picnic basket, but hurried so as not to provoke Diana¡¯s anger. ¡°Oh? Ian!¡± For a moment, Diana¡¯s voice rose a little when she found Ian. Rachel glanced up at Ian. Ian slowly turned his head to the sound of someone calling his name. His hair was a little messy from the autumn breeze. Ian was riding a muscular black horse under the autumn sun. The bright sunlight struck his silver hair and shattered, and the small pieces glittered brilliantly. He skillfully changed the direction of the horse and approached Diana. Rachel hurriedly lowered her head, and moved away because she didn¡¯t want to ruin his good mood. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He descended from his horse and was greeted by Diana. ¡°Why is it so hard to see your face these days?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Is hunting more important? More than me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I came because I missed you.¡± Diana¡¯s voice had softened a lot. It was a completely different voice from when she talked to her. Diana was in love with Ian. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Already? Ian, I want to see the Hunting grounds!¡± ¡°There are many wild animals in the Hunting grounds, so it will be dangerous.¡± ¡°But Ian¡¯s with me.¡± Rachel, who had been quietly listening to their words a step away, opened her mouth slowly when Ian glanced at her. ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± However, Diana wouldn¡¯t allow her to leave her position this time. For some reason, Diana always wanted to have Rachel by her side whenever she was with Ian. ¡°Where are you going with my fan and bag? You didn¡¯t mean to take what was mine again, did you?¡± At the insulting remark, Rachel bit her lip slightly. ¡°Or were you going to let me carry it myself? Don¡¯t try to fool around, and follow me.¡± After that, Diana looped her arm through Ian¡¯s, and quickly turned to him. Rachel followed behind them on Diana¡¯s orders. Ian¡¯s steps were much slower than usual, perhaps because he was leading the horse, so Rachel was able to carry the picnic basket a little easier. *** The sound of the flowing stream was clear and cool. There was a slight smell of water on the wind. As Rachel unfolded the mat, Diana gently sat on it. Rachel¡¯s role was now over. Until their picnic was over. Rachel took a few steps back. Fortunately, there were many things to see other than Ian and Diana. They were laughing quietly about something funny, but Rachel hurriedly turned her eyes away. She listened to the stream, the sound of the water, and waited for their pleasant time to end. Diana¡¯s happy but excited voice and the sound of cool water. Even a ticklish breeze. Was it because of the sunlight? Was it because she¡¯d come to the forest after a long time? Was it because she was relieved that Ian and Diana didn¡¯t care about her? Rachel thought this moment wasn¡¯t too bad. Ding! DINGDINGDING! Until she heard the cold, heavy iron bell, which didn¡¯t fit in with the silent forest. Ding! DingDing! Diana frowned at the sound of the cold bell. ¡°Someone broke in!¡± Diana shouted in a loud voice. ¡°Oh, my! Let¡¯s go back now! Ian!¡± It looked like someone had broken into the Imperial palace. Rachel frowned. For a moment, Ian and her eyes seemed to meet. Soon, Diana burst into tears. ¡°Ian!!! I¡¯m scared!¡± Diana grasped Ian¡¯s sleeve, and wept. ¡°I want to go back! Hurry!¡± Diana¡¯s anxious crying caused Rachel¡¯s heart to pound. As she watched Diana cry, Rachel became more and more afraid. ¡°Ian! What are you doing? Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Ian!¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Ian furrowed his brow, and warned Diana. He¡¯d become angry at Diana. The situation seemed to be very bad. ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡± Rachel called Ian timidly. He had wrinkles between his eyebrows. He seemed to be sensitive to the sound of the bell that kept ringing. Ian glanced at Rachel, then picked up Diana. It looked as if he was about to ride off. Rachel approached him urgently in such a situation. ¡°¡­Your Highness.¡± Rachel was afraid Ian would leave her here, and just walk away. She gripped Ian¡¯s sleeve with her trembling hands. ¡°¡­Um, I¡­¡± Rachel held back her tears, and bit her lips. ¡°¡­Me too, please take me with you.¡± She implored earnestly. She didn¡¯t want to be left here alone. The loudly ringing bell was scary, and she was even more anxious after Diana started to cry. She wanted to cry because she thought he would leave her here alone in this deserted Hunting grounds. She hoped he wouldn¡¯t leave her alone because she would run after him. But Ian only frowned. He looked silently at the sleeve she¡¯d grabbed. He seemed angry because she¡¯d grabbed his clothes recklessly. That sight caused Rachel to shed the tears that she¡¯d been holding back. Ian didn¡¯t say anything, but Rachel could tell. Ian wouldn¡¯t take her with him. Rachel soon removed her hand from Ian¡¯s sleeve that she¡¯d caught. ¡°Ian!¡± Diana, who was on the horse, called out to him. Ian glanced back at Diana. ¡°Wait here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Rachel bit her lips hard as she tried to hold back her tears. He was telling her to put up with it. Hold it in, and wait. Rachel became more nervous when she was told to wait patiently. That¡¯s what her mother used to say to her all the time when she was a child. She would be told to wait when she was being a bother. Those were the easiest words to say to soften and soothe a troublesome child. But no matter how long she waited, nothing changed. Her mom would always forget that she was waiting. Would Ian be different? Somehow it didn¡¯t seem that different. An irritated tone. A bothered expression. Somehow he seemed no different. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rachel forced out the answer. She nodded in understanding to Ian, who looked annoyed and seemed to be in a hurry. Glance Ian glanced at Rachel for the last time, and soon rode away. He disappeared like that without any hesitation. She thought that gaze would be his last acknowledgement. Her mother, who¡¯d left her at the Imperial palace that day, looked back just once like that. All Rachel could do was watch his back. She couldn¡¯t jog after him, nor could she catch up with him later. Maybe Ian would pick her up. She didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d pick her up like he¡¯d promised. It was his first promise to her. He said he¡¯d pick her up. It was his first promise to her. He was a man of his word, so he might pick her up. But Rachel couldn¡¯t get rid of the thought that she¡¯d been abandoned because of Ian¡¯s behavior, which was so similar to her mother¡¯s. This time, unlike when she was young, tears flowed. Rachel couldn¡¯t even make a loud noise and cried in silence for fear of wild animals coming down. She knew she had to walk to the entrance of the forest even now, but she was scared again. She was afraid she¡¯d meet a wild animal while walking alone. In the end, Rachel could do nothing but cry. ¡°No, he said he¡¯d come, so he¡¯ll come. He¡¯ll come.¡± But Ian didn¡¯t come in the end, and sent someone else. Rachel was truly grateful to him, although he didn¡¯t come in person. She was thankful that he hadn¡¯t forgotten her. But in the end, this was her death. ¡°Sir knight.¡± Rachel carefully called out to the knight in a sobbing voice. ¡°We didn¡¯t go this way when we came in. Here, I feel like we¡¯re going deeper.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± However, Rachel was forced to shut her mouth by the nervously angry knight. ¡°¡­.¡± Somehow, they seemed to be moving in the opposite direction, and not towards the Imperial palace side. For a long time the knight rode his horse, and before she knew it, the forest ended and a vast plain came into view. A few houses could be seen in the distance. The unpaved road was narrow, as if it wasn¡¯t frequented by people. *** Extra note : As you know we are a free to read website and we only survive on ads. However, ads are not able to help us much longer and we are on the verge of disbanding. If you like what we do and have any spare, please consider supporting us to keep us alive. Your help is desperately needed.