She was famous for having a fiery personality as much as her gorgeous red hair.
In particular, I couldn’t forget her face even more because I had bumped into her once at a party before I became the Empress.
“There hasn’t been an official announcement yet, but it seems like you’re mistaking yourself for being the Empress to set it up next to His Majesty. On the subject of being by His Majesty’s back with his father’s back.”
She was insulting me at a party celebrating the success of the rebellion, so how can I easily forget her?
Although it was a one-sided attack by Cleraine Young-ae, who had Raymond in mind, she was the person who made me stand out at the party for the first time, though I was a quiet person.
(T/N: Yeongae (영애, 令愛) – lit. the beautiful and beloved. Used to refer to another person’s daughter, usually of higher position.)
Thanks to the good press of the Chase Young-ae, the words disappeared at once because she was too timid with the lumber of the Empress.
If you look at it like that, is she a thankful young girl? It was a ridiculous idea. I had forgotten for a while that I was shocked when Raymond and I were getting married.
Apparently, the person who stopped my carriage today is Young-ae Cleraine. I tried hard to make a frown impression.
“Oh, my God, who is this, is it not the empress,” said Cleraine Young-ae, who found me, approached me, speaking in an exaggerated voice like a comedian.
At that time, as if something had just come to mind, Cleraine opened her red lips again.
“Ah, right, right….. You are no longer the empress. Not long after the divorce was announced, I forgot.”
I hardened my face when I saw Cleraine Young-ae speaking with a smile that didn’t seem to have forgotten at all.
Maybe she purposely blocked my carriage? Well, if you looked at my carriage, you’d know what family I belong to at once.
Usually, aristocrats ride fancy wagons, not wagons with a family crest engraved on them, but I rode the wagons of the Duke of Croft.
Now, the wagon was clearly engraved with an emblem symbolizing the Duke of Croft.
I don’t know if it was another young girl but if it was a Cleraine… Needless to say, it must have been intentional.
I sighed inside, looking at the sarcastic eyes of Cleraine Young-ae looking at me. I wanted to go back to the mansion as quietly as possible because I have a lot of eyes in the salon.
Of course, I had no intention of just passing the fight.
I looked at Cleraine Young-ae and raised the corners of my mouth as if nothing had happened.
“That’s a possibility. That’s fine. It’s not been long since we heard it, so it’s a matter of fact. As time goes by, you don’t remember what happened in the past, Cleraine Young-ae.”
Her expression shook a little as if she recalled the warning I told her not to cross the line at the party last time.
“I’m fine, so could you give me some of these wagons, because our wagon can’t move.” But soon she looked at the wagon and smiled slightly.
“Oh, yeah. I’ll get out of the way of the carriage right away. In fact, I was wondering if this was a peacock’s carriage.”
(T/N: peacock symbolizes self-confidence, so I’m guessing that cleraine was trying to say that the carriage looked like it was owned by someone who did not go through something unfortunate)
“What do you want to say? Young-ae.”
“No, well…. Honestly, isn’t it? The unfortunate news of the divorce was announced in the morning, but who would have dared to have imagined that Young-ae would find a relaxing salon.”
Cleraine Young-ae, who was exhausted from the long words, took a small breath and continued to look at me as if she was sorry.
“It’s been a while since I was kicked out of the Imperial Palace.”
“How dare you to insult your lady now?” Helan tried to raise her voice from behind as she couldn’t bear the words and actions of the Young Ae any longer.
I held Helan by the wrist and stop her.
“Stop it”, Helan shut up with a red face. I smiled politely and stared at Cleraine Young-ae with a stiff face.
“Yeong-ae, that’s quite rude.”
“Oh, my. I guess I was being too honest. Young-ae.” Cleraine Chase opened her fan and covered her mouth. But her lips under the fan draw a line.
It was easy to guess. You are very determined and trying to make a fuss with me. Former empress who made a fuss in front of the salon on the day of the divorce news. It was the best way to scratch my honor.
If it were another day, I would have pushed hard, but I didn’t want to make a fuss because today was the day the divorce news was announced.
Already in the salon beyond the window, the ladies looked at us with curious eyes.
I’ve been waiting. How should I press this irascible young girl? I glanced at Cleraine Young-ae.
I wanted to throw away that debt, but it was against the dignity of the aristocracy.
I’m the one leaving anyway, so let’s do something crazy. There was a great uproar between us, who had such thoughts in silence for a moment.
Hu’s horse, which had been tied well, suddenly raised its front feet and caused a disturbance.
Just as the startled Helan stopped in front of me, the horse hoofed over the dirty water, and the dirty water sprang up toward Cleraine Young-ae.
“Ack!” At that time, the young girl of Chase, covered in old dirty water, threw a fan and stomped her feet.
A strange man’s voice was heard.
“Oh, I’m sorry about this,” people focused on the strange man.
I also looked at the man who suddenly appeared in the carriage. The man wearing a dark brown robe was wearing a hat, making it hard to see the face inside the robe.
Who is it ···· It seemed like an ordinary traveler, but there was a big pony tied behind a man’s back.
I felt that the atmosphere felt by Dewa’s man’s appearance was unusual.
Just as I was going to look at the man more closely, Cleraine Young-ae, who was standing next to me, screamed hard.
“What the hell did you dare do to me!” Cleraine Young-ae’s maid rushed to her and wiped the old junk with a handkerchief all over her body, but she couldn’t completely erase the trace. Plus, the dress is already dirty with old fashioned water, and it’s a mess.
Perhaps she lost her mind in her condition, Cleraine Young-ae pointed her finger at the man and raised her voice.
“You, you, you know who I am and do such a thing! I will never let you go!!”
I narrowed my brows as if my ears were hurting at the torn voice, but the man in front of me did not move.
As soon as the man raised his head to Cleraine Young-ae, I saw the sparkling amber eyes inside the hat.
But it was only for a brief moment, and the man lowered his head slightly again and cover his eyes.
“Catch that guy right now!” Cleraine gave an order to her escort.
The escorts went towards the man. The moment the guard’s hand touched the man, a man’s voice was heard.
“I’ve been thinking, Young-ae.”
“No matter how much I think about it, it seems that I have not committed any crimes against Young-ae. So, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can
be caught by Young-ae’s escort.”
The man, who finished his speech in a low voice, gently shook off the hands of the guard.
The embarrassed guard pulled his sword at the man, but the knight failed to pull it out. It was because the man grabbed the knight’s arm and overturned it and knocked it over.
The face of the escort, who had hit his back hard on the floor, was greatly distorted.
“Ugh…!” At the same time as the knight groaned, I heard the sound of Claire Young and her maid swallowing their breath in surprise.
But I was surprised by a man in a different sense. Perfect physical exercise. The Empire, which mainly uses swords, did not develop physical arts. I’ve read a book about gymnastics in the distant East.
There was, but I’ve never seen anyone so perfect. Who the hell is this? I’m sure he’s not an ordinary man.
The man didn’t even look at him, and casually shook his hand.
“It’ll hurt for a couple of days. And practice pulling a knife more from now on. So I’ll die at the enemy’s sword before I can pull it out.”
He turned away from us as if he had seen nothing more.
Cleraine Young-ae, who was staring blankly at the back of the man walking away with a big step, shouted belatedly. “Stop there! Stand there!” But the man was already far away.
As I was looking at the back of a man who was moving away from Cleraine Young-ae, I heard the voice of a maid soothing her.
“Well, that’s… that’s… that’s… that’s it! Fighting without pulling a sword. Lady, this is a dangerous Distinct character, obviously a dirty mercenary floating around. If we get involved for nothing, the marquis may scare you.”
Rumors may circulate that may damage the reputation of the young lady. The maid whispered softly, but I could hear the low voice.
Cleraine Young-ae, who had been screaming at the sound of her honor being tarnished, became quiet. A man completely disappeared from my view and into her sight.
I turned the line. I opened my mouth, pleased to see her still breathing with a red face.
“Oh my God, you don’t look like Young Ae. if you hadn’t stopped the carriage here in the first place, you wouldn’t have suffered this kind of misfortune……. You look like a rat in a cold water.”
“What? What did you just say!?” I opened up my fan as I saw Young-ae screaming with magenta eyes flashing. A smiley mouth like she did to me.
She looked at her with a pitiful frown, hiding her side slightly.
“Oh, my God, I’ve been too honest. I’m sorry, Young-ae. Could you please move the carriage a little faster, it smells too bad ·····.”