I Married the Terminally Ill Emperor - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Married a Terminally Ill Emperor

Chapter 101

“Why are you throwing your glove?”

When Dahlia asked with a puzzled look, the Emperor casually changed the subject as if nothing had happened.

“But where are you going now?”

“The Imperial Palace patissier holds a tasting event once a month for newly developed desserts, and I heard many noble women attend. My plan is to have people see Lady Under with Captain Ethan there. Captain Ethan is very popular among the noble ladies. Captain Ethan, could I possibly ask you to-”

“Yes. I’ll do it.”

Ethan answered quickly before she could even finish speaking.

Dahlia’s eyes widened at his unexpectedly quick response, and the Emperor asked with an intrigued tone.

“You’ll cover rumors with rumors?”

“Exactly! If the Viscount hears that Lady Under had a meeting with Captain Ethan, he’ll back off too.”

“Excellent.”

“I think so too.”

As Dahlia straightened her shoulders with a proud expression, the Emperor looked at her as if he found her adorable.

“I’ll make sure the rumors spread properly.”

Ethan spoke in a blunt but sincere voice.

“I didn’t expect Captain Ethan to help so actively, thank you so much.”

As Dahlia expressed her gratitude, Ethan suddenly stopped walking.

Dahlia and the Emperor also stopped and looked at Ethan.

“I like her.”

“Ah, you like her… What?”

Dahlia stared at him with wide eyes in surprise.

Ethan started walking again and looked back.

“Aren’t you coming? You two.”

“If you keep going straight ahead, you’ll find Lady Laura Under. I don’t think I need to interfere anymore. Haha.”

“I’ll stop here too.”

“Then I’ll be going.”

Ethan bowed his head and walked forward energetically like a knight heading to battle.

“Your Majesty! Did you know about Captain Ethan’s feelings?”

“Well.”

Despite the Emperor’s ambiguous answer, Dahlia was full of excitement.

“Captain Ethan liked Lady Under! What should we do since we heard his confession first?”

Dahlia’s face turned red as she bounced in place.

“Why do you seem more excited than him?”

The Emperor looked at her with curious eyes.

“Hearing someone’s sincere feelings makes my heart flutter.”

“Your heart flutters from hearing another person’s sincere feelings?”

“Yes. Liking someone is such a beautiful feeling.”

Dahlia was smiling brightly as she spoke, then paused.

That’s right. Why had she forgotten this fact? Liking someone is a beautiful feeling, so why had she forcibly rejected it?

Even if he came to love another woman, her heart was her own. As long as she didn’t force her feelings on him, wouldn’t it be okay to like him as much as she wanted?

Dahlia looked up at him. Her violet eyes were filled with the Emperor.

“Why?”

“Because I’m happy.”

“…What?”

The Emperor asked back with a stiffly frozen expression.

“I’m happy because I heard Captain Ethan’s confession.”

Dahlia used Ethan as an excuse to reveal a strand of her heart, smiling brightly at the Emperor.

She liked him. She didn’t know since when, but she had come to like him.

After honestly acknowledging the feelings she had turned away from, it felt refreshing as if her blocked chest had burst open.

“Why are you smiling so prettily?”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes.

“I’m naturally pretty.”

At her confident answer, he burst into quiet laughter.

Dahlia found that sight pleasing, so she met his eyes and smiled.

She wished the Emperor could keep laughing like this.

Then, meeting her eyes, he whispered low.

“You’re too pretty, this won’t do. Show that kind of smile only to me.”

At his ridiculous sweet talk, this time Dahlia burst out laughing.

She was too busy laughing to notice that he squinted his eyes because they were dazzled as he looked at her.

* * *

Imperial Palace Outer Garden.

New desserts appeared one after another on the tables lined up in a row.

Banana on melted cheese. Blue lemon preserve on top of bitter green tea chocolate. Wild strawberries floating on white milk.

The noble ladies who saw the pastry chef’s experimental desserts struggled to hide their disgusted expressions while letting out exclamations of admiration.

“How amazing.”

“It looks so delicious.”

Just then, the Head Pastry Chef climbed onto the high platform and looked at the noble ladies.

“I offer my gratitude to everyone who attended. Please taste the new desserts and be sure to answer the survey.”

At this, the garden divided into two groups.

The first was young noble ladies who hadn’t yet had their debutante balls, excitedly running toward the new desserts.

The second was noble ladies who stayed behind, fanning themselves and pretending to be elegant while drinking tea.

A noble lady belonging to the second group spoke to Laura, who was sitting alone at the table right next to them.

“Lady Under, why are you sitting there alone?”

“Oh, I’m waiting for someone.”

Laura answered with a trembling voice.

Would Captain Ethan really come? He would probably come since it was the Princess’s request, but she felt somewhat guilty for making such a request to someone so busy.

“Oh my, it looks like he’s coming!”

“He?”

“I mean Viscount Horeman.”

“Didn’t he get rejected when he proposed to Lady Under?”

“Rumors are rampant that he courts Lady Under every day with bouquets.”

“She became the Imperial Princess’s maid, yet she’s caught up in such gossip. Her Highness must be quite troubled.”

Even though Laura was sitting right at the next table, the noble ladies’ sharp gossip continued endlessly.

“But with rumors like this spreading, Lady Under will have no one left to marry except that viscount. Other young gentlemen won’t approve of Lady Under who’s been rumored with the viscount.”

The lady who spoke last cast her gaze toward Laura and drew a sneer at the corner of her mouth.

At this, Laura set down her teacup with a hard expression, making a sound.

She was now a maid serving the Imperial Princess. She shouldn’t be swayed by the noble ladies’ petty words anymore.

Laura stared directly at the lady who had spoken last.

“Don’t worry, my lady. I’ll live well on my own.”

“Alone? Then you mean you’ll spend your life alone longing only for Captain Ethan?”

The lady asked sarcastically.

“My lady! Why are you bringing Captain Ethan into this now? Don’t speak so carelessly.”

Laura spoke with resolute eyes.

The lady, startled by that spirit, raised her voice higher with an aggrieved expression.

“Everyone knows that Lady Under followed Captain Ethan around, so why are you scolding me?”

Then, a sudden voice interrupted.

“You’re mistaken. I’m the one who admires Lady Under.”

The young ladies enjoying dessert and the ladies drinking tea all froze at Ethan’s single statement.

Everyone looked at each other with confused faces, wondering what they had just heard.

Among them, the most flustered person was Laura.

She knew he had been asked by the Princess, but this was going too far.

Laura bit her lip and rose from her seat, approaching him.

Seeing his disheveled navy blue hair as if he had rushed here and his warm dark blue eyes directed at her, she wanted to accept his words as they were. Her heart ached from being so thrilled by his words.

But she didn’t want him to fabricate lies for her sake. She didn’t want to be a burden to him.

He was someone who should meet a proper, excellent lady, not a ruined lady like herself. He was someone who had sufficient qualifications for that.

“Captain Ethan. You don’t need to go this far. I’m truly sorry. I’ll speak well to the Princess—”

“Lady Under. Why can’t you believe my words?”

A pained heart was buried in his usually blunt voice.

“…Pardon?”

Her surprised eyes widened greatly.

Ethan looked at the brown eyes staring up at him intently and recalled the past.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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