I Married the Terminally Ill Emperor - Chapter 27
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
I Married a Terminally Ill Emperor
Chapter 27
* * *
Fluttering her long eyelashes, Dahlia slowly opened her eyes.
Why does my body feel so heavy today?
“Ria!”
“Lady Ria!”
At Annie and Cole’s tearful voices, Dahlia turned her head toward the sound.
Annie’s eyes were brimming with tears, and Cole was hanging his head low.
Behind them, she could see Hart stretching her neck out with a curious expression, staring at her.
“Annie, Cole. Why do you look like that?”
A hoarse sound came out as if she hadn’t spoken for a long time.
“Drink some water first.”
Annie naturally helped her sit up and brought water to her lips.
As she slowly drank the water, her foggy mind began to clear like emerging from a haze.
Blue water surface. A child who fell into the water. Tree branches.
Her heart dropped with a thud.
Dahlia stared at Annie with anxious eyes.
“…The child?”
Her voice trembled involuntarily.
Annie nodded as if she knew that would be the first question.
“We saved him.”
Dahlia’s purple eyes widened in disbelief.
“Really? Is the child really alive?”
“Yes.”
“Haa… Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness…”
Tears welled up in Dahlia’s large eyes.
Even after coming to the Empire, she had been half-doubtful about whether she could truly change the future.
But the future had changed.
The child was alive. Just seeing this small hope made her heart swell with emotion.
“Ria. You can’t even swim, so why did you go into that place?”
Unlike the gentle touch wiping her tears with a handkerchief, Annie’s voice was stern.
“I’m good at swimming. I swam a lot with Cole when we were young. Right?”
Dahlia quickly turned her gaze to Cole to avoid Annie’s scolding.
Cole nodded with a gloomy face and spoke in a dejected voice.
“I should have been by your side. You’re afraid of water, aren’t you?”
Dahlia’s eyes trembled slightly.
They were formidable opponents indeed. Annie attacked with nagging, and Cole evoked guilt with his remorseful expression.
“No. I thought so too, but when I saw the child in danger, I could swim. I don’t think I’m afraid of water anymore!”
Dahlia looked back and forth between the two, speaking brightly as if telling them not to worry.
Just thinking about rivers or lakes used to make her whole body freeze, yet she had saved a child!
She saved the child and overcame her trauma. Yes, she could do it!
Dahlia smiled proudly but awkwardly lowered the corners of her mouth at the sharp glare.
Annie was glowering at her with fierce eyes.
“Don’t ever do that again.”
“Mm, my throat is dry again?”
“I know you’re changing the subject right now.”
Annie grumbled while still helping her drink from the water cup.
“But what happened? I can’t remember from the middle.”
After drinking water like a baby bird, Dahlia asked with a puzzled expression.
She remembered up to the child grabbing the tree branch, but had no memory after that.
“Emperor Gray’s party rescued you.”
“Huh?”
Dahlia’s eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled brightly.
It seemed Lemon had succeeded in bringing them. Good job, Lemon!
“Who from His Majesty’s party saved me? The Captain of the Guard? The Secretary? Surely… it wasn’t His Majesty?”
“I don’t know who saved you. His Majesty did specially provide this room though.”
Only then did Dahlia look around the room.
The room, which seemed five times larger than their previous lodging, was furnished with ornate gold leaf decorated furniture. The bed was wide enough for several people to lie on.
“Mm, I should know exactly who saved me to thank them properly. But why did he provide this room?”
“Who knows.”
Annie also shrugged as if she didn’t understand.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Hart, who had quietly left, opened the door and came in, then held it wide open for the person behind her.
“Ho ho ho. Good day, Lady Hudran.”
An elderly man with white hair and a bent back entered, leaning on a black walking stick.
As everyone looked puzzled, Hart, standing by the door, quickly introduced him.
“This is Chief Chamberlain Rosen Cookdan. He told us to contact him as soon as you woke up.”
Tap. Tap.
Rosen entered the room leaning on his walking stick, then suddenly stopped and looked back.
“Who is slower than this old man?”
“Yes, yes, I’m coming.”
Oreon entered pushing a tray.
“Secretary?”
Dahlia’s eyes widened upon seeing the familiar face.
“Hello, go- the air is nice, Lady. Are you feeling alright?”
Dahlia, Annie, and Cole quickly exchanged glances.
Why is his greeting so strange?
As Dahlia looked at Oreon with suspicious eyes, he smiled nonchalantly.
“I’m fine.”
“His Majesty is very worried.”
“His Majesty is?”
“Yes. He was just frowning deeply-“
“You foolish boy! How dare you speak so carelessly of Emperor Gray.”
Chief Chamberlain Rosen’s walking stick struck Oreon’s bottom forcefully.
Oreon jumped after being hit on the bottom.
“Ouch! Grandfather!”
Rosen’s walking stick rose up again.
“You rascal! I told you not to call me that in the Imperial Palace!”
“Excuse me, Chief Chamberlain, what brings you here?”
Dahlia quickly intervened before the Chief Chamberlain could swing his walking stick again.
“Ho ho ho. Lady, have you had your meal?”
As if he hadn’t been angry at all, the Chief Chamberlain smiled kindly.
“No. Not yet.”
“His Imperial Majesty sent this personally.”
Oreon lifted the gleaming silver lid in accordance with his words.
On the tray, food was arranged on an elegant serving plate.
Coq au vin with chicken deliciously braised in a red wine color, roast chicken generously coated with fragrant herbs and olive oil, and diavola baked in the oven.
“Is this… a challenge?”
Annie’s eyes glinted sharply as she examined the dishes carefully.
The appetizing dishes were arranged on a large serving plate in bite-sized portions like finger food.
“Pfft.”
Oreon, who was holding the silver lid, pressed his lips together to suppress his laughter.
“Since you haven’t been able to eat anything for a while, it would be difficult to consume such stimulating foods right away. So please have the soup first, and if you feel your stomach can handle it, then you can try these.”
The Chief Chamberlain took out a warm soup with steam rising from the bottom of the tray.
Hart approached quickly to receive it, but Annie took the soup first.
“Thank you. Without the soup, I might have suspected His Majesty’s intentions.”
At Annie’s sharp tone, Dahlia gently grabbed her arm.
“No, Annie. His Majesty must have remembered the foods I like.”
Dahlia smiled faintly as she looked at the food cut into bite-sized portions like finger food.
He had accurately remembered her food preferences that she had listed when trying to gauge the Emperor’s tastes.
Was he unexpectedly considerate?
She felt like she had learned something new about the Emperor.
“You’re right. These are all foods that Ria likes.”
Annie nodded as if finding it fascinating.
“Lady Hudran.”
The Chief Chamberlain’s warm gaze reached her.
Dahlia looked away from the food and gazed at him.
“Yes?”
“Thank you. For saving Her Imperial Highness the Princess.”
The Chief Chamberlain moved his cane slightly to the side and bowed deeply at the waist.
“Thank you so much.”
Oreon also bowed following suit.
“Her Imperial Highness the Princess?”
Dahlia asked back with a surprised expression.
Annie, who had been listening to the conversation from the side, also seemed surprised as her eyes widened.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————