I Married the Terminally Ill Emperor - Chapter 124

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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 124

 

“How did you know I was going outside?”

 

When Dahlia asked curiously, Princess Tiara’s gaze turned toward the back of Dahlia. There stood Annie with a detached expression.

 

She hadn’t expected her to come all the way to her quarters.

 

“Princess says she’s going outside. Outside is dangerous, but I’m just a burden so I can’t follow. But Your Imperial Highness is a mage, so you would be helpful. Please help Princess. I beg you.”

 

“What’s in it for me if I go?”

 

“I’ll give up my position as Princess’s best friend.”

 

Annie waited anxiously for an answer with an expression that said ‘I wonder if this will work.’

 

“Good!”

 

It worked.

 

Tiara’s gaze returned to Dahlia.

 

Though she had playfully accepted Annie’s proposal, she was equally worried about Dahlia.

 

Demon beast hide was thick and tough, making attack magic not very effective, but actually her specialty was protective magic.

 

If an urgent situation arose, she would be able to protect both Dahlia and herself.

 

* * *

 

Dahlia, Tiara, Hart, and Monet traveled in a carriage, while Cole and Roand rode horses as escorts.

 

An awkward silence filled the moving carriage.

 

As Dahlia kept staring intently at Monet, Monet’s head hung lower and lower.

 

“…I’m sorry, Princess.”

 

Monet had been hiding in the supply wagon bound for the orphanage.

 

If they hadn’t done one last check, they would have almost taken Monet along with the supplies in the wagon.

 

“Monet, secretly following like that was dangerous.”

 

“…I’m sorry. When I heard the Director was sick, I was so worried I wanted to follow somehow. The Director is like a mother to me.”

 

Dahlia relaxed her stern gaze and looked at Monet with pity.

 

It was understandable for an orphaned child to worry when someone she followed like a mother was sick, but it was too reckless.

 

“You must never do that again.”

 

“Yes…”

 

When Monet answered weakly with a dejected face, Dahlia stroked Monet’s head.

 

Only then did Monet slowly lift her head and meet her eyes.

 

“It shouldn’t happen, but if a demon beast appears, you must hide well.”

 

“I’m really good at hiding!”

 

“You say that after getting caught hiding?”

 

When Tiara, who was sitting next to Dahlia, said teasingly, Monet became dejected again.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

“Why are you crushing the child’s spirit?”

 

“I only said one thing? You’re the one who’s been scolding that kid this whole time.”

 

Just as they were about to bicker, Hart pulled out cocoa.

 

“Anyone want cocoa?”

 

Then everyone raised their hands at once and the carriage finally became quiet.

 

The imperial carriage and supply wagon arrived in front of the orphanage’s main gate.

 

As Dahlia was about to get off the carriage last, someone extended their hand.

 

She naturally thought it would be Cole, but Roand was standing there with his hand extended. When she looked at him with a puzzled expression, he looked down.

 

“The carriage step is high.”

 

At his words, which meant to be careful getting down, Dahlia gently placed her hand on his.

 

“Thank you.”

 

As she took his hand and got off the carriage, a middle-aged woman with a pale complexion approached.

 

“Cough, cough. Welcome. I’m Jeinna, the Orphanage Director.”

 

“Nice to meet you. I heard you’re not feeling well, you must be having a hard time.”

 

“Not at all. Now that Princess has personally visited the orphanage like this, I don’t seem to be sick anymore. As Princess mentioned beforehand, the children are inside their rooms.”

 

“Good. There’s no need for the children to come outside dangerously just to hold some welcome ceremony.”

 

“Thank you for your consideration.”

 

Jeinna bowed deeply to express her gratitude.

 

Dahlia turned her gaze to the side to look at Monet. She could see Monet holding back her desire to greet the director.

 

“Monet, it’s your turn.”

 

At Dahlia’s kind encouragement, Monet bowed and ran to the director.

 

“Director!!”

 

“Monet, have you been well?”

 

The director’s image filled Monet’s orange eyes completely.

 

How bad the Imperial Princess’s nanny had been. How kind the Imperial Princess was. How she now dreamed of becoming a knight, and even the story of meeting Princess Dahlia who was standing behind her.

 

There were endless things to talk about.

 

However, she pressed all those stories down in her heart and brought out what she most wanted to say upon seeing the director.

 

“Yes! Director, are you very sick?”

 

“No. Seeing our Monet made it all better, didn’t it?”

 

“Director always said it’s bad to lie.”

 

“Our Monet has really grown up.”

 

Jeinna laughed out loud and looked at Monet with warm eyes.

 

Dahlia looked at them fondly, then gave a meaningful look to the Royal Physician who had gotten off the supply wagon.

 

The Royal Physician quickly approached the director.

 

“Let’s start with an examination first.”

 

“Director. This is a physician from the Imperial Palace.”

 

When Monet quickly introduced him, the director looked at Dahlia with a surprised face.

 

“Thank you, Princess.”

 

Dahlia acknowledged the thanks with a nod, then headed toward the people unloading supplies from the wagon to help them.

 

Before they knew it, the sun was setting and dusk was falling.

 

Dahlia, who had worked all day going around various parts of the orphanage, finally headed to the kitchen.

 

Hart was diligently stirring potato soup in the kitchen. On one side were freshly baked bread and golden roasted chicken.

 

“Almost done?”

 

“Yes. We’ll be able to eat soon.”

 

“Good, thanks for your hard work.”

 

In the food storage room inside the kitchen, the supplies that had been loaded full in the supply wagon were neatly stacked.

 

She had heard that after the existence of demon beasts was announced, many donations were cut off, making the children’s meals very poor, but they wouldn’t have to worry about food for a while.

 

When she left the kitchen and went to the orphanage backyard, she could see Cole fixing a broken chair. Roand was also repairing a dining table.

 

Since people who came to volunteer at the orphanage had also disappeared, there were many places that needed repair.

 

When she passed them and entered the orphanage, she saw the exhausted Royal Physician.

 

Bringing the Royal Physician had been an excellent choice. From the director to the children, there were many minor ailments.

 

The Royal Physician, who had been resting after examining all the sick children without exception, quickly stood up when their eyes met.

 

“How is the director’s condition?”

 

“It’s pneumonia. Fortunately, among the medicine I brought, there’s something that will help, so I prescribed plenty.”

 

“Thank you. We’ll be leaving soon, so rest until then.”

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

As she left the royal physician’s greeting behind and started walking again, she heard a cute voice from behind.

 

“Princess.”

 

When Dahlia turned around, a girl and boy who appeared to be around six or seven years old were standing there. The two children, who had similar round eyes, were holding each other’s hands tightly, seemingly siblings.

 

“Are you a real princess?”

 

The girl asked carefully while watching her reaction.

 

Dahlia lowered herself to match the children’s eye level and nodded.

 

“Yes. I’m a princess.”

 

“See. Brother was right, wasn’t he?”

 

The boy lifted his chin and spoke proudly to the girl.

 

“Wow! This is my first time seeing a princess. Princess, you’re really pretty.”

 

“Thank you for the compliment.”

 

“Princess is going to make our director feel better, right? And give us food. And live with sister Monet.”

 

As the boy chattered away, the girl beside him looked at her with wide eyes as if asking if it was really true.

 

“You’re so smart, but why did you come out of your room without listening to the director? She must have told you not to come out until the guests left, right?”

 

Dahlia asked playfully.

 

“Ah. Well, we wanted to say thank you, so we snuck out. Thank you for treating our director. We’re sorry for coming out, Princess.”

 

Following the boy, the girl bowed her head deeply.

 

Both Monet and these children – all the orphanage children were kind and adorable.

 

They didn’t need to sneak out just to say thank you.

 

They must have been that happy to feel the warmth of people visiting after such a long time.

 

Dahlia smiled warmly while looking at the children.

 

“Alright, but promise me just one thing from now on. It’s dangerous, so don’t come out of your rooms at night.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Both children answered simultaneously, then giggled and ran toward their room.

 

After confirming that the children safely entered their room, Dahlia came outside to prepare for departure.

 

She spotted Princess Tiara, who seemed the most idle among those who came to the orphanage today.

 

The princess, whose eyes met hers, spoke coldly.

 

“It’s getting dark soon. We need to leave quickly.”

 

“Yes. I was planning to leave as soon as I finish making all the food for the children.”

 

“Tsk, everyone’s so slow. We should have brought more people to work.”

 

“It’s dangerous outside.”

 

“Right, it’s dangerous. So let’s go back quickly. I saw some strange mass earlier too.”

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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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