I Married the Terminally Ill Emperor - Chapter 38

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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 38

* * *

Hart confirmed that after the ladies went out at dawn, Knight Cole quietly followed them.

Since Cole’s guard was heightened, she judged it dangerous to pursue him, so she hid behind a tree in the Crystal Palace Garden and waited quietly.

And not long after, the ladies returned bringing the Princess with them.

Hart was surprised and looked behind the Princess, but Deck, who should have been attached to the Princess, was nowhere to be seen. Only Cole, who had followed them, silently entered the Palace again.

Why did the Princess come to the Crystal Palace at dawn? And why is Deck not visible?

Rather than eavesdropping on their conversation, reporting seemed to come first, so Hart ran to the Emperor’s Quarters.

But then, a Shadow Figure jumped out from the darkness.

“Hart.”

Though moonlight was obscured by clouds making everything pitch dark, she could tell who it was just from the silhouette and voice.

“Diane?”

“I have, a request. Tell His Majesty, I’m sorry…”

Diane’s voice flowed out so delicately it seemed ready to break at any moment.

“What on earth happened?”

“Last request… Cough.”

At that moment, the pale moonlight that had been hidden by clouds revealed itself.

Hart’s eyes widened at the sight of Diane standing before her. The front of her clothes was soaked with blood.

Diane covered her mouth with a Handkerchief and gave her a desperate look.

“Diane! You, why on earth…”

Hart stared at Diane with a dazed expression, unable to continue her words.

She had never actually seen Diane’s symptom of coughing up blood, but she knew the reason.

To become part of the Emperor’s Direct Secret Unit Deck, one must swear a Magical Loyalty Oath to the Emperor.

If one disobeys the Emperor’s commands or loses loyalty and betrays the Emperor, they will cough up blood and die.

However, no member of Deck feared that loyalty oath. From the moment they chose the life of Deck, everyone had resolved to die for the Emperor.

And among Deck, Diane was someone who followed the Emperor very blindly.

But why Diane?

“Cough.”

Diane, who coughed up blood again, slowly fell to her knees.

“Diane!”

“I’m, sorry… tell him…”

“Why did you do it, why! Damn it, what should I tell him. You tell him yourself!”

Hart immediately lifted Diane, who was continuously coughing up blood, and ran forward.

“Cough.”

Her back became warmly soaked.

“Don’t die. Even if you die, receive forgiveness in front of Emperor Gray and then die. If you die like this, it’ll be a dog’s death.”

“Sorry…”

“Just keep your mouth shut, you traitor!”

Hart gritted her teeth and put strength into her toes, shooting forward as fast as possible.

* * *

Tap. Tap tap. Tap tap tap.

Hart knocked rhythmically on the Emperor’s Room Window.

“Come in.”

Hart, who jumped inside, prostrated herself before the Emperor and carefully set down Diane, whom she had been carrying, beside her.

Diane, with her pale face, knelt and forcibly put strength into her waist to avoid falling forward.

“I greet Emperor Gray.”

The Emperor, who had been looking at Documents at his desk, raised his head.

As if he couldn’t see Diane with her front soaked in blood, his cold gaze was directed only at Hart.

“What’s the matter?”

“Princess has visited the Crystal Palace.”

Hart also focused on the Emperor as she gave her report.

“At this hour?”

“Yes. I ran here as soon as I discovered the Princess, so I don’t know the detailed situation.”

“Cough.”

Diane, who had been struggling, finally collapsed forward and coughed up blood again.

Hart glanced at Diane with pitying eyes and anxiously waited for the Emperor’s words to fall.

Cool wind entered through the open Window, disturbing the smell of blood circulating in the Room.

The Emperor’s emotionless gaze briefly touched Diane before returning to Hart.

“Hart, is there any Deck member currently resting?”

“Chloe is scheduled to return soon after completing her mission.”

“Then you’ll temporarily take charge of the Princess until Chloe arrives. For now, go to the Crystal Palace, assess the situation, and report.”

“Yes. I receive your command.”

Hart bowed deeply and rose from her position.

Though her gaze kept going to Diane, she soon shook off her lingering feelings and quickly exited through the Window.

After Hart closed the Window and left, silence and the fishy smell of blood filled the Room.

The Emperor’s gaze slowly turned toward Diane.

Diane, who had forcibly straightened her body again, met eyes with the Emperor.

Diane bowed her head as if honored, then coughed up blood again. She struggled to lift her eyelids that kept trying to close.

“I’m, sorry… Cough.”

Gray looked indifferently at Diane, who was trembling while apologizing.

Betrayal by Deck… It was an unexpected variable he had never considered.

While living with a terminal illness, he honed his Swordsmanship and built strength to be careful of Assassination.

To avoid poisoning, he deliberately ate small amounts of poison to build immunity against it.

To be wary of people, he lived his entire life never giving his heart to anyone beyond a certain limit.

However, Deck, which he had put his heart and soul into creating, he might have trusted. Because they had made a life-threatening oath that they had no choice but to keep.

But a traitor had emerged.

His sharp gaze turned to Diane’s blood-stained face.

Originally, she should have died immediately upon coughing up blood. However, Diane was still holding on. That meant she was maintaining her loyalty toward him.

One who betrayed while maintaining loyalty.

“Do you have something to say?”

She raised her gaze and looked up at him.

“I, gurgle, didn’t betray, Your Majesty…”

She tried to continue speaking with her blood-boiling voice, struggling with each word.

“It seems so. Judging by the fact that you’re still alive.”

Even at his emotionless tone, relief appeared on Diane’s face.

“Please… know my loyalty…”

“But you’ll die soon.”

Gray coldly cut off her words in the middle.

Diane struggled to lift her eyelids that kept drooping weakly and gazed at the Emperor.

The first place she met the Emperor was in the Back Alley where she had been begging for food. She had been beaten by those who stole bread, for stealing their stolen bread, and was lying collapsed on the ground.

That’s when he appeared. Though the Crown Prince at that time was wearing Plain Clothes, he was so dazzling.

She was the first light he had encountered after being born in the dark back alleys. The only being to whom he could pledge his life-risking loyalty.

He deeply admired the Emperor. He alone was the Empire’s one and only emperor.

Though the burning pain inside his body kept clouding his mind, that thought alone became even clearer.

“Did you notice? That I’m thinking of passing the throne to the Imperial Princess.”

Diane swallowed the blood pooled in her mouth and slowly nodded her head.

It had been over three years since she was assigned to the Princess Palace.

Though the Emperor publicly ignored the Imperial Princess, she knew that he cherished the Imperial Princess more than anyone else.

However, she believed it was merely familial affection.

Until the Emperor began teaching the Imperial Princess Imperial Studies.

The moment she learned of that, the Imperial Princess was no longer the Emperor’s blood relative but an enemy targeting the throne.

How could the Imperial Princess possibly be worthy of Emperor Ruusephon’s position? Thus, in her heart, the Imperial Princess became someone who had to be eliminated.

That’s why she didn’t report it even after Silvia suddenly changed as if she had become a different person. Even knowing she was breaking her loyalty oath, she omitted that part from her reports. Even as her internal organs twisted and she coughed up blood, she believed in her convictions.

Diane’s fading eyes were filled only with obsession toward the Emperor.

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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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