Chapter 46: I Stole Yeuju's First Love
I hated his face, always smiling as if he didn't have a care in the world, and I also hated the occasional raw, chilling side he showed.
That's why the time I had to come to the imperial city for reports was always painful.
"Is he not coming today?"
But lately, things were a bit different.
Aster would call Karina before and after his reporting time, as if to flaunt the relationship between Karina and himself.
His cold gaze when he looked at me still hurt, but I was grateful that I could see her this way.
After pacing the corridor for a while, Andrew finally moved his feet.
Upon returning to the ducal residence, he first looked for Tatiana.
The butler said she was in the reception room with Wilhelm.
The butler's tone when saying this hinted at suspicion about their relationship.
But Andrew deliberately didn't ask anything.
When the door opened, Tatiana and Wilhelm were visible. Tatiana's eyes were red, as if she had been crying.
"I come to see the Duke."
The brazen man bowed to Andrew.
"Sit down first. You need to hear this too."
Wilhelm, who was about to leave the room, stood behind Tatiana at Andrew's words.
It was unclear whether he was the Duke of Gloucester's knight captain or Tatiana's protector.
"The Emperor has ordered the Duchess to attend the hunting festival."
Tatiana's blue eyes widened.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and soon tears streamed down her face.
"I don't want to. I don't want to go out."
"It's an imperial command. If you don't want to die, you have to go."
"An imperial command! Karina must have ordered it behind the scenes!"
With a screech, Tatiana began to cry hysterically.
"Why do you both treat me like this? What have I done wrong? I didn't know things would get this big, so why are you all treating me like this!"
Even as she raged and fumed, Andrew's expression remained stern.
Knowing that he wouldn't change his mind no matter how much she cried and pleaded, Tatiana fell into deeper despair.
It was only natural that Tatiana, who had barely eaten and cried for days, would collapse.
When she opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
After a moment, she realized she was in Andrew's bedroom.
Turning her head, she saw Andrew talking to the doctor.
Speaking briefly, a waiting maid rushed to her.
She helped Tatiana sit up, propped a cushion behind her, and tilted the cup to help her drink.
"You fainted from exhaustion due to excessive crying. You'll be fine with some rest."
"I, I'm really sick, so I don't want to go to the hunting festival."
Andrew sighed deeply at Tatiana's words.
"I already told you, it's an imperial command. If you refuse to go for something like this, who knows what kind of retaliation might come."
"But I'm really sick. My vision is blurry, and I can barely stand. How can I go?"
Andrew knew she was lying.
But he was too exhausted to argue with her over this.
"Why don't you want to go to the hunting festival? If you give me a proper reason, I'll plead with the Emperor for you."
"Really? You'll really do that?"
"Let me hear your reason."
Tatiana was about to give her reason but stopped.
She remained silent for a long time.
Andrew, who had expected her to come up with dozens of reasons enthusiastically, tilted his head in confusion.
"Why aren't you speaking?"
Tatiana, who had been gnawing on her lip, finally confessed the truth.
She didn't want to go to the hunting festival because she knew Karina was behind this situation.
The thought of being manipulated by her hands hurt her pride, making her even more reluctant to go.
But if she said this, Andrew would surely despise her even more.
Andrew stood up with a cold expression.
"Attend the hunting festival."
He slammed the door and left.
Alone in the room, Tatiana bit her lip.
'He must be thrilled now that he got his way.'
Her boiling anger had a clear target: Karina.
She got out of bed and took out a special letter.
This letter, which would be sent to Raymond as soon as she wrote her name at the end, contained a short sentence.
[Keep your promise at the hunting festival.]
It was a promise only the two of them knew.
Now, I had to start preparing for the hunting festival in earnest.
Since I was going to attend as Aster's partner, there was more to prepare than I had expected.
"The imperial command has arrived!"
Lily, who was extremely excited, stomped her feet and shouted.
I thought Aster would send a message around this time.
I immediately got up and went downstairs.
"Princess Pionia, receive the imperial command."
Kneeling and raising my hands, the head butler handed me the letter.
I stood up and tore open the letter with the paper knife Lily brought.
"Um, he's inviting us to go shopping for clothes together?"
Lily seemed more excited than I was.
After confirming the date, she started fussing about needing to shop for shopping.
How could the Emperor of a country go shopping?
The security issues alone would be difficult, and there was a high chance of running into other nobles.
They would surely gossip about the Emperor's dignity.
It was undoubtedly a challenging task.
"Miss, the Emperor has arrived."
Hearing the butler's words, I left the reception room and headed to the entrance.
Father was busy with a meeting with foreign envoys, so I was the only one to greet him.
Opening the door, I saw Aster getting out of the carriage.
I knelt on one knee to greet him, and he quickly pulled me up.
"You don't need to be so formal. How have you been?"
"Thanks to the Emperor's concern, I've been doing very well."
After a brief exchange, we got into the carriage.
The carriage headed straight for Veris Street, the largest commercial district.
Looking out the window, I turned to Aster and asked.
"How do you plan to go shopping?"
"There are security issues... and we might run into other nobles."
At my concern, Aster tilted his head and said casually.
"I've had the entire street closed off for today."
His answer, which went beyond imagination, made me feel dizzy.
"I've promised to compensate the merchants with double the sales of the weekend, so there's no need to worry."
"But if that happens... the only people who will suffer are the nobles who planned to shop today."
It was an absurd plan with absurd execution.
"Is it that bad? But I hope you can understand this part."
"No, it's not that I don't understand. I was just surprised by a method I never thought of."
Aster smiled broadly and left a frightening statement.
"Then there will be more surprises to come."
Hearing his bold words, I involuntarily swallowed hard.
The carriage soon arrived at Veris Street.
Our first destination was the boutique where he had once given me an entire floor.
"The madam was very worried because the princess hasn't visited as often as expected."
"I've just been busy. I feel bad for the madam now."
Aster nodded briefly and extended his hand to me.
With his escort, we entered the boutique, where the staff greeted us with tension.
"Welcome, Your Majesty, Princess Pionia."
Their welcome was several times louder than usual, making me jump.
Aster pulled me closer to his body as we entered.
"Your Majesty, Princess. We've been waiting for you."
The madam stood up and bowed respectfully, then led us inside.
The first floor, usually bustling with customers, was different today.
Aster had moved the entire floor he had rented for me to the first floor.
"Would you like any particular tea?"
"Please bring me rooibos tea."
Usually, I would have had coffee or black tea, but I was afraid my heart would burst from the tension if I drank anything else.
Thanks to Aster ordering the same, the tea arrived quickly.
Drinking the warm rooibos tea helped me relax, and the madam, with a serious face, stood before us.
Behind her were several mannequins, hidden behind screens to build anticipation.
'The madam looks so unhappy.'
Given that both of us were busy, it was only natural that the madam felt burdened, having only received our measurements, preferred colors, and designs.
Moreover, making clothes for the Emperor, who had a dedicated tailor in the palace, must have increased her pressure several times over.
"I heard both of you will attend the hunting festival. So I prepared two hunting outfits, a dress, and a tuxedo."
At the madam's words, Aster looked at me in surprise.