I believe he is loyal to me because I am his master. Iâm sure if he was chosen by someone else, he would show the same loyalty as he does now.
I then realized that I would be sad if this were true. Even more so, if he tells me that I wasnât as important to him as he was to meâŠ
The human heart is not a formula, so I know that I shouldnât expect to get paid for the effort I put in. Yet still⊠I want this person I have a crush on to love me as much as I did.
âDonât tell me to look back.â
Anakin said in a low voice. At his words, I looked up at him. He was looking ahead, instead of me.
âDonât even ask me what Iâm going to do in the future, I can only do one thing at a time because I have a simple mind and can only take on one thing at a time.â
âWhat is that?â
âFor now⊠Iâm helping the master to go back.â
âŠYes. For this reason, I like him. I couldnât blame him for my sharpness. Anakin watches over me, who is capricious.
I think I will remember him for quite a long time even when I return to Korea. So I want him to remember me as much as I remember him, even though I know itâs selfish.
When I go back, I must plant a lily-of-the-valley. And until the flower fadesâŠâŠ
*
*
*
As soon as I arrived at the mansion, the maids and attendants violently rushed at me with half screams As I entered the mansion, I could hear their voices that contained both reassurance and anger.
Also, it was the marquis who was the first person to confront me. Still on the stairwell, he looked down at me coldly.
âCome into my room⊠and no one will enter until !
call.â
I gave a worried Emma the gemstone I had purchased from Rundol and followed the marquis to his room. When I entered, he turned away from me.
âDid you need me for something?â
âWhy did you do that?â
âI donât know what you are talking about.â
When I pretended to be innocent, the marquis quickly turned around and thundered.
âDonât think you can avoid my eyes! Why didnât you go straight to the Rundol region!?â
ââŠâŠ.It wasnât that important. Do I have to tell you?â
âYouâve ruined everything! What are you going to do with this loss? Donât you really see why I asked you to take a knight? To avoid the eyes of others and deal with dirty and nasty things on your behalf!â
Pacing around, he didnât seem to be able to find out what caused me to derail or where the derailment
was.
He sighed inside and deliberately switched to a completely odd point.
âYouâre saying strange things. It wasnât you who chose Anakin, it was me.â
âYou?â
I crossed my arms and tilted my head, pondering. It was the first thing I noticed. There was really nothing to be done to undo the damage.
The marquis wonât be able to accuse me. And it was even better if the marquis got angry and forgot why! escaped to a place other than the Rundol region.
âYeah, well. Iâm not your daughter anyway. You knew that, didnât you? Since you know, you donât have to keep up with the facade anymore.â
âHow dare youâŠ.â
âIâm telling you, if you donât want me to die, youâd better not say the same old saying. Because Iâm crazy about dying.â
âHa! Thereâs something nasty and vulgar about my daughter.â
While looking at my nails, I was speechless and snorted.
âYou didnât really love your daughter anyway.â
If you really love a child, you canât hit or scold him or her. Youâll raise him or her unconditionally.
However, the marquis did whatever Eris wanted. More precisely, the marquis made Eris want things that benefit him.
âIf you loved her, you should have broken up her marriage. Instead, you were pretending not to know because of the power you would gain, you didnât really know that a woman with a good eye was festering because of the crown prince?â
âShut up! What do you know! I loved her! I wanted her to be at the top!â
âThe best position doesnât mean happiness.â
I approached the marquis, who made a ridiculous excuse, and looked up at him.
âLook at the so-called âbestâ people around you. Look at the faces of the ones in the palace. Did she really look happy?â
The marquis shut his mouth. Indeed, even if oneâs mouth is torn, one wonât say that he is happy with the political arena thatâs full of slander.
ââŠWhat are you going to do?â
âIf I tell you, will you help me?â
âIt depends.â
âForget it. I already have a better helper than you.â
âIf he hears of my plan to die, the marquis will try to block my plan, which will never be good. The marquis is burning now. Because he doesnât know meâ.
He was scared because he couldnât get over it. Neither fear nor conciliation works. Itâs a waste to throw away, but itâs dangerous to hold.
As soon as the marquis tried to open his mouth, a knock was heard on the door.
âWhat? I told you not to disturb me.â
âMarquis, a servant, has come from the Imperial Palace.
âHe came here under the orders of the Empress, so I will go in now.â
It was customary to not be able to refuse an imperial servant, so whatever the marquis was doing now, he had to stop, while I needed to greet the servant who came to deliver the empressâ message.
The marquis withdrew, still trembling with angry expression as the distinguished royal servant entered in an expressionless face.
I didnât look good because it came directly from Rundol province. Even clothes were rustic and comfortable two-piece dresses that ordinary people would wear. Having just come directly from the Rundol province, my attire was lacking. The clothing was rustic and designed as a comfortable two-piece dress worn only by ordinary people.
The servant stopped for a moment, thinking this was not the case, but soon gave up and continued.
âItâs a great shame, but Iâm sure the Empress will forgive you, too.â
âWe donât dare to keep her waiting.â
I bowed slightly to the marquis with a sneaky smile.
âThen Iâll be back, Father.â
ââŠYes.â
I could feel the marquisâ stinging gaze, but I didnât care. I currently have the upper hand anyways.
As I entered the palace and walked along the courthouse, everyone around me stared at me. Upon moving further in, many stopped and whispered to each other.
The lady who dominated the social world came back as a beggar, so she deserved it.
Regardless of their gossip, I knew I would not be allowed to rest the moment I arrived so I didnât have the heart to pay them any heed.
I knew the empress, who didnât even like me, had called me to say something but my focus was to reply promptly and return home quickly to rest.
When the door opened, I was greeted by the empress who stood there looking flawless. She smiled with a friendly expression and greeted me as if she was apologetic.
âIâm sorry for calling you so quickly that you canât even take a break.â
âNo, itâs a glorious afternoon, Your Majesty. I donât know if youâre calling me about the rumors.â
âI have something to tell you, you guys stay out for a while.â
All the maids in the room escaped at the order of the empress. When I tilted my head slightly in wonder, the empress calmly extended her hand and offered a teacupâŠâŠâŠ. This country enjoys drinking black tea, but somehow the color of this black tea was really dark.
âItâs tea from West Station. I heard itâs good for itâs scent and rejuvenation properties.â
When I picked up the cup and smelled it, it smelled similar yet different to coffee. The empress was not foolish enough to recommend poisoned teas.
In the first place, drinking poisoned tea was not enough to kill me. If that was possible, I would have escaped from this world already.
âAre you worried that you might be poisoned?â
âHow could that be? Iâm hesitant because I canât drink hot items very well, so I needed the tea to cool down a little.â
I laughed it off, but itâs getting uncomfortable. The timing was a bit off. There was no reason for the empress to call me. Was the Magic Train a project run by the empress? No, it wasnât. I breathed in the scent of exotic tea, not having any idea how to describe it.
âI thought you wouldnât come out of the room. Arenât you that kind of child? Rebelling so you get enough attention.â
âIâm just a silly girl so I canât even begin to guess what Your Majesty is telling me. If you donât mind, can you help me understand?â
âYouâve become quite clever. Since the coming-of-age ceremony, orâŠâŠ Has that mind of yours changed?â
At the coming-of-age ceremony, I knew the empress had done it to humiliate me, but I didnât expect her to tell me this directly. The empress folded her eyes and laughed at my silence.
âYou knew I had given that child the same dress as yours. Right?â
Now, what are we going to do at this confession?
The empress came out openly so it was no good for me to lie.
If you lie and get caught, youâll only get in trouble. replied with the most harmless smile possible.
âI really didnât know until I met Lady Antebellum. But.â,
âBut?â
âI knew Madame always had an extra set just in case, Lady Antebellum, who was a commoner, who had no chance to meet the Madame, would not be able to get those clothes without the consideration of the Empress Dowager. Itâs just this silly girlâs guess.â
The empress clapped her hands and laughed. She said, nodding admirably and gently.
She confessed the truth of that day in a calm tone, Her expression and tone were so nonchalant that I didnât even get angry. Honestly, Iâm not even curious about the reason, but at this point, I think itâs only polite to ask.
âWhy did you do that to the girl?â
At my question, she drank tea quietly before answering with an unusual expression.