I Married the Terminally Ill Emperor - Chapter 13
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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 13
“But Hart. Who assigned you to this place?”
“The Head Maid of the Imperial Palace, of course.”
“Why would the Head Maid suddenly?”
“Orders came from above to serve the young ladies from each country with utmost care.”
“Why?”
At Dahlia’s curious gaze, Hart smiled brightly and lowered her voice as if she was about to reveal a secret.
“This is just my opinion, but I think they arranged it hoping there might be someone among the young ladies who could form a connection with Emperor Gray.”
“What a forward-thinking person! Is there any princess or noble lady that the higher-ups have their eye on?”
Dahlia responded with passionate eyes and asked with an expectant expression.
“How would a mere maid like me know such things?”
Hart grinned mischievously.
“I see.”
Dahlia’s expression immediately deflated.
“Do you perhaps like our Emperor Gray as well, miss?”
Hart’s eyes flashed momentarily.
“No, not at all. Why does everyone have such misunderstandings?”
Dahlia let out a sigh mixed with frustration as if she found it exasperating.
“Everyone who?”
“Who else, Emperor Gray.”
“Oh my. You met His Majesty directly? Is this how romance begins!”
Hart clasped her hands together and twisted her body.
“No.”
At her disgusted expression, Hart drooped her shoulders and made a pitiful face.
“Do you dislike Emperor Gray? Our Emperor Gray is a dazzling handsome man, excellent at swordsmanship, and has wonderful character, d-doesn’t he.”
Hart stammered at the character part, but no one paid attention.
“It’s not a matter of liking or disliking, it’s that there won’t be any connection between him and me.”
“Why not? The founding festival is just an excuse, and it’s a well-known fact that countless young ladies came to the Empire because of Emperor Gray.”
“Leave me out of that.”
“Me too.”
Annie, who had been listening to their conversation from behind, added her voice.
Hart looked back and forth between the two with an uncomprehending expression.
“If Emperor Gray isn’t your purpose, why did you two come to the Empire?”
“To see the Empire.”
Annie spoke with an indifferent expression.
“Me too! Plus, to see the world!”
Dahlia added with an excited face.
When Hart looked at the two with a strange expression, Annie sighed deeply from behind.
“Ria, you look tired, shall we wash up and sleep now? Hart, could you prepare bath water?”
“Yes, understood!”
Hart bowed and left the room.
Just as Dahlia was about to open her mouth, Annie placed her index finger over her lips.
“Shh?”
Annie didn’t answer but just nodded, then pressed her ear to the door for a while.
Only after the sound of footsteps faded away did Annie come close to Dahlia and whisper.
“It’s strange. A maid suddenly coming.”
“It’s definitely strange. They had no interest in us at all.”
Dahlia also whispered along.
“Hart suddenly barged in so I haven’t been able to confirm with Elder Brother if what she said is true. And I think I’ll have to speak casually to you for a while. I’m sorry.”
“We agreed to do that before coming here. Don’t worry. It actually feels more like close friends, which is nice.”
When Dahlia smiled brightly, Annie smiled back as if she couldn’t help it.
“But why do you have tree leaves stuck in your hair? Your dress too. Anyone would think you rolled on the ground.”
Dahlia shook her head with a surprised expression.
“I can fool ghosts but I can’t fool Annie.”
Annie looked at Dahlia with horrified eyes.
“You really did roll around?!”
“Yeah. I tripped on a stone and used breakfall technique. I even got applause.”
“You must have performed the breakfall so perfectly to get applause! Do you have any awareness that you’re a mmm-mmm-mmm? Where is there a mmm-mmm-mmm who rolls around as an adult!”
Annie was clearly saying ‘mmm-mmm-mmm’, but it sounded like she was shouting ‘princess’ in her ear.
Under her nagging attack, Dahlia tried to resist with a pitiful expression.
“Annie, should I just fall flat on my face from now on?”
“A typical noble lady just falls normally.”
Annie said firmly with eyes that wondered what to do about their princess’s social skills.
“My knees would get completely scraped. My palms might get scraped too? Would Annie be happy if I got hurt like that?”
Annie weighed the princess’s dignity against the princess’s injuries with a serious expression.
“…You did well.”
Finally Annie surrendered.
“Right?”
Dahlia immediately giggled and celebrated her small victory.
“However, next time you fall, you can only roll when no one’s around!”
“Okay! I’ll be careful.”
Neither of them considered the assumption that she wouldn’t fall again.
Just as they finished their agreement, there was a knock.
“Come in.”
Annie moved slightly away from Dahlia, but contrary to expectations, Cole entered.
“Did you call for me? Prin- It’s a night with good air, Lady Ria.”
“I didn’t call you though?”
“Mis-“
Annie rushed over like the wind and covered his mouth despite their 30-centimeter height difference.
Cole’s eyes widened.
Annie slammed the door shut with her foot, pushed Cole against the wall, then slammed her hand against the wall.
Dahlia gasped in admiration at Annie’s perfect wall slam.
Annie furrowed her brow and whispered firmly.
“Never call me that way again. From now on, I’m ‘Annie.’ If you understand, nod your head.”
Cole, overwhelmed by Annie’s intensity, obediently nodded.
“A maid has been assigned to our room. You understand what this means, right?”
Cole’s deep amber eyes became serious.
Confirming this, Annie removed her hand from his lips.
“I’ll be careful from now on. Lady Annie. And Lady Ria.”
“I had Cole stay with the diplomatic corps because it seemed like he’d draw attention, but it looks like that won’t work. Please guard in front of our room from now on. So the maid can’t eavesdrop.”
“Understood.”
The always easygoing and carefree knight Cole and the strict and meticulous maid Annie often had disagreements, but there was one exception.
Both of them simultaneously looked at the princess, who was that exception.
‘Protect the princess.’
The two always agreed when faced with this proposition.
“You know, when I see you two like this, you’re incredibly well-matched, right?”
Dahlia, who had made eye contact with them, said playfully.
Unlike Cole, who smiled warmly without saying a word, Annie made a disgusted expression as if asking what nonsense that was and declared firmly.
“We don’t match.”
Dahlia laughed and pretended not to notice Annie’s earlobes turning red after giving that answer.
* * *
The door to the waiting room, located away from the Emperor’s audience chamber, opened.
As the adjutant entered, he saw his superior with a sturdy build standing by the window, looking outside.
“Commander Roand.”
Holy Knights Order Commander Roand Ophirion turned around.
The bright sunlight streaming through the window settled on his golden hair, making it sparkle. His refreshing blue eyes, reminiscent of the blue sky, were firm with strong resolve, and his captivating red lips and jaw line that seemed carved with divine care were masculine.
“It’s time to go for your audience with Emperor Gray.”
Roand nodded slightly in response and followed behind the adjutant.
Walking slowly across the white marble floor, Roand recalled the conversation he had with the Pope.
Prayer room of the Hallen Sacred Empire.
In a place filled with sacred light of various colors filtering through stained glass windows stood a benevolent 3-meter-tall goddess statue.
“Your Holiness.”
The elderly man who had been kneeling in prayer before the goddess statue raised his head.
The Pope looked at him with benevolent eyes.
“Roand.”
“I apologize. I failed in the task of finding the Saint.”
“It’s been a matter spanning decades, so don’t be impatient. The Goddess will surely show us the way.”
“Yes.”
The Pope rose from his position and sat at the table, pouring tea.
The Pope moistened his dry lips with tea and cast his gaze toward Roand.
“You must have received the report as well?”
Roand raised his head slightly to meet the Pope’s eyes.
“At the border between Hallen and Ruusephon Empires, ‘things’ that were neither animals nor humans with completely black bodies appeared. In the Sacred Scripture left by the Goddess, these are called ‘demons.'”
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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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