I Married the Terminally Ill Emperor - Chapter 34
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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 34
* * *
The Deep Garden where moonlight had crept in.
Emperor Gray quietly gazed at the Princess Palace visible in the distance.
Just then, he sensed someone approaching from behind.
“I greet Your Imperial Majesty.”
When he turned around, the maid Diane was bowing deeply in greeting. With her overall thin features giving her a vague impression, she was a member of Deck assigned to the Princess Palace.
“The reports about the Princess have been delayed lately.”
“There were no particular unusual incidents regarding Her Highness’s safety, so there was nothing to report.”
“That is not for you to judge.”
“I apologize.”
At his low warning, Diane bowed her trembling shoulders even deeper.
“Why did the Princess go to the lakeside alone?”
“Her Highness the Princess has been getting along well with a young maid lately. She went alone to practice because she made a swimming bet with the young maid.”
“Why didn’t you follow her?”
“Lady Silvia assigned me work, so I apologize. Lately, Lady Silvia seems to be suspicious of me, so I haven’t been able to serve Her Highness closely.”
“Silvia?”
Silvia, who had been the Former Empress’s closest maid, took it upon herself to become Viviana’s nanny after Mother passed away.
He knew she usually cared for Viviana, but she was being wary of people? Why?
“From now on, report about Silvia in more detail.”
“Yes.”
After Emperor Gray turned away coldly, Diane coughed up the blood she had been holding back.
She calmly took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth and quietly returned to her original position as if nothing had happened.
* * *
“She’s not here today either.”
“Right. We can’t exactly go directly to the Princess Palace either.”
Dahlia and Annie, who had left the lakeside, chatted quietly as they returned to Crystal Palace.
They had set a time to meet at the lakeside, but they hadn’t been able to meet the child for two days.
Though she didn’t know much about the Princess, she didn’t seem like a child who would unilaterally cancel promises like this, so she was worried.
“But Annie, haven’t you been feeling people’s stares lately?”
Dahlia quickly turned her head toward the direction where she felt piercing gazes.
Then the noble ladies in dresses hurriedly turned away.
“I think it’s because we’re staying at Crystal Palace.”
“Why is that?”
“Crystal Palace was a palace that the Former Empress cherished. After the Former Empress passed away, no one had used that palace.”
“Is it okay for us to be in such a palace?”
“It’s His Majesty’s command, so what can we do?”
Annie shrugged her shoulders and looked at the Princess’s pink hair with troubled eyes.
Actually, there was one more rumor going around.
That the Emperor had carried a young woman with pink hair and disappeared into the Main Palace.
And shortly after, a noble lady with pink hair had moved her lodging to Crystal Palace, which the Former Empress had cherished.
So it was natural in a way that people’s attention was drawn to them.
She hadn’t told the Princess, but it seemed like the Emperor was the one who had saved her.
It was when Annie was sighing and worrying about the future.
“Good day, Lady Ria.”
A large shadow fell in front of them. Both people’s gazes naturally went upward.
“Captain?”
Dahlia immediately recognized him and greeted him.
“…Captain?”
Annie narrowed her eyes and repeated the Princess’s words.
“It’s my first time meeting you. I am Roand Ophirion.”
Roand slightly bowed his head to Annie in greeting.
“God’s Messenger Roand Ophirion…”
Annie muttered with a slightly trembling voice.
But she soon returned to her usual calm expression and offered a greeting.
“It’s my first time meeting you. I am Annie Hudran.”
When their eyes met, a friendly smile formed on his lips.
His gaze quickly fell away and turned to the Princess.
“Lady Ria. I was actually on my way to see you. Did something happen by any chance?”
“Huh? Nothing happened.”
“Then why did you suddenly move your lodging?”
“Oh, there was a problem with the room we were staying in. But did that news reach you too, Captain? The Imperial Palace is so vast, but rumors really spread fast.”
Dahlia naturally gave the excuse she had thought of when moving lodgings.
“Please feel free to call me Roand. I call you by your name too, don’t I?”
His clear blue eyes carefully observed her expression as he cautiously requested.
“Yes, Roand. It’s not a difficult thing.”
“Thank you.”
He smiled with genuine warmth.
The reason he was called God’s Messenger wasn’t actually because he was a Sword Master, but because of his appearance, and that rumor seemed to be true.
“Cap- I mean, Roand. May I ask you a favor?”
“You may ask me anytime.”
“I have a knight friend who greatly respects you, Roand. Could I possibly ask you for one sparring match?”
When Dahlia asked carefully, he readily accepted.
“If it’s Lady Ria’s request, anytime.”
Meanwhile, Annie was carefully observing the two of them.
He was definitely a man she was seeing for the first time, but strangely he looked familiar. Where had she seen him?
“Thank you. Cole will be so happy.”
However, when the name Cole came from the Princess’s mouth, Roand’s face briefly hardened.
“Is the sparring partner someone named Cole?”
“Yes.”
“…I see. It’s difficult for me right now, so I’ll visit next time.”
Roand naturally checked the time and bowed his head.
“Yes. I’ll tell Cole about it too.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
After Roand politely said goodbye, he disappeared from in front of them.
Annie cast her gaze at his retreating figure. She felt strangely uneasy and her eyes kept following him.
Then she soon organized her thoughts.
Whoever he was, he was currently a person of the Hallen Sacred Empire. For now, there was a need to be cautious.
* * *
Late at night when everyone was asleep, Viviana peeked her head through the door crack and looked around.
Only after confirming no one was there did she carefully slip out of her room, holding a candle.
She had waited obediently for two days, but Silvia hadn’t sent Monet back. She already knew where the punishment room was located. So she planned to go find her directly.
Like a cool member of the Imperial Family, just like Elder Brother.
Viviana put strength into her hesitant steps and walked silently like a cat. After slowly climbing the stairs, she arrived in front of the attic room at the top of the palace.
But soon Viviana’s face darkened. There was a large lock hanging on the door.
The nanny must have the key, right?
As she lowered her head with a dejected expression, she noticed a square hole at the bottom of the door that seemed to be for food delivery.
Viviana set the candle down on the floor and stuck her face into the square hole.
Under the dim moonlight, a small figure was lying on the floor.
“Monet…!”
“…Princess?”
A metallic sound came from Monet’s mouth.
“Yes, it’s me. Monet, are you okay?”
Monet, who had been lying on the floor, barely managed to sit up and dragged one leg as she approached the door.
Just then, moonlight that had been hidden by clouds poured into the attic room.
Her eyes and cheeks were swollen purple. Blood was splattered on her maid uniform.
“…”
Viviana’s eyes widened at the devastating sight. Her throat choked up and no words would come out. Did they really need to beat this small child this badly?
“I should be attending to your bedtime, I’m sorry…”
Monet, who had been hiding one leg to keep it from showing, smiled brightly as if she was fine when their eyes met.
At the sight of her forcing a smile for her sake, the tears Viviana had been holding back burst forth.
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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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