It’s Been 500 Years as an Extra, and the Original Story Still Hasn’t Begun - Chapter 131
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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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500 Years as Just an Extra,
The Original Story Still Won’t Begin
Episode 131
The Emperor was slowly walking through somewhere in the Imperial Palace shrouded in darkness.
Ever since Iolene’s visit a few days ago, his mind had remained in a state of turmoil.
“Even without the last will of the late Empress Dowager, I have always wished for nothing more than for the child I protected with my own hands to become a wise ruler!”
“An Emperor who should look down upon and care for all his people is merely busy protecting his consort. He doesn’t even know that this is like swallowing poison himself.”
‘Aunt…’
Iolene had not vented her anger simply to protect her family.
Her sincere concern for him as Emperor and her warning about the First Imperial Consort’s tyranny were deeply embedded in her words.
Despite raising her voice so much, she hadn’t made a single demand about what should be done directly to the First Imperial Consort.
She had merely warned him to find his center.
In contrast, the First Imperial Consort had shown an anxious demeanor throughout the past few days. Every time they met, she would read his mood and cleverly engage only in words and actions that stirred sympathy.
‘Ravienosha, weren’t you a wise woman?’
Lost in thought as he walked, he saw a familiar building. The Emperor glanced at the Knights and attendants following behind him and continued walking in silence.
“We greet the Sun of the Empire!”
The Knights guarding the main gate of the First Imperial Consort’s Palace performed a crisp military salute.
When the Emperor lightly raised his hand and gestured, the main gate opened silently.
“Go ahead and announce my arrival.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The attendant disappeared with quick steps, and soon someone appeared with bustling sounds.
“Your, Your Majesty.”
“…I hope I’m not disturbing your rest.”
“Not at all. Would you like to… come inside?”
The First Imperial Consort’s voice was trembling considerably. Unless it was a special occasion, it was extremely rare for the Emperor to visit at such an hour.
“I was thinking of having a cup of tea before leaving. Would you serve me some?”
“Of course.”
The First Imperial Consort smiled brightly and approached the Emperor, lightly linking arms with him. Her face, illuminated by the entrance lighting, even had a subtle blush.
‘…How puzzling indeed.’
Though it had been well over ten years since he had taken her as his consort, Ravienosha was still a woman who confused the Emperor.
Originally, she was a consort brought in through a political marriage to stabilize imperial power. Naturally, there could be no ordinary affection between man and woman.
However, the First Imperial Consort always devoted herself wholeheartedly to the Emperor. Even if all her actions were calculated performances, it wasn’t easy to dismiss even the tender emotions that occasionally showed through, like now, as mere acting.
“What kind of tea would you like?”
“Hmm…”
The First Imperial Consort had no intention of hiding her expectations as she led the Emperor not to the reception room but to her own room. Thanks to this, he found himself entering the First Imperial Consort’s bedroom after a long time.
“Were you reading?”
The Emperor asked, noticing a thick book lying face-down on the table. At those words, the First Imperial Consort was startled and, uncharacteristically for her, blushed as she cleared away the book.
“When I heard Your Majesty had arrived, I forgot to tidy up.”
“You seem to have a lot on your mind lately.”
“Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean so suddenly…”
“It’s your habit, isn’t it? Always reading the legal case collection when you can’t sleep.”
“…Oh, you knew?”
The Emperor let out a soft sigh at her reaction, embarrassed like a young girl.
This was exactly why he couldn’t be harsh with the First Imperial Consort.
“Instead of tea, I’d like to have a drink.”
“I’ll prepare it right away.”
The First Imperial Consort didn’t even call for a maid and personally prepared the drinks herself.
She prepared cheese and biscuits as accompaniments, and placed a glass carved entirely from crystal before the Emperor.
After putting round ice in the glass, the First Imperial Consort carefully opened a beautifully crafted glass vial.
“This is Rembil Region’s fine wine. I’ve been saving it to present to Your Majesty someday, and finally I feel the wait was worthwhile.”
With a gentle splashing sound, clear amber liquid filled the glass. The rich wine aroma that rose immediately upon pouring stimulated the Emperor’s nose.
“The fragrance is excellent.”
“It’s said to be completed by brewing wine from grapes harvested at the end of the year, aging it for 20 years, then distilling that wine and aging it for another 20 years.”
“Full of dedication. A total of 40 years.”
The Emperor lifted the glass and slowly brought it to his lips. After deeply inhaling the aroma, he lightly moistened his lips, then gently swallowed about half a sip.
“Oh…”
After letting out a low exclamation, he drained the entire glass at once. The deep grape aroma that rose smoothly through his tingling throat wrapped around his breath like silk.
“You were right to be confident.”
“I’m glad it pleased you. Would you like another glass?”
When the Emperor silently extended his glass, the First Imperial Consort filled it with a much more relaxed expression.
“Speaking of 40 years, it reminds me. I believe it was about 40 years ago when I first saw outside the Imperial Palace.”
“Is that so? How was your first experience leaving the palace?”
The First Imperial Consort replied in a gentle voice while sitting a little closer to the Emperor’s side.
The Emperor rarely spoke about the past. The fact that he brought up old stories meant he was in a particularly good mood.
“It was terrifying. Desperate and horrible. I still sometimes dream of those times.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
“I had to flee day and night, avoiding assassins rushing at me from all directions. I slept on horseback and smelled blood instead of bread. The Empress Dowager, who held young me while gripping the reins, had swollen hands and feet and suffered from constant muscle pain.”
“…”
“Even that was better compared to the Grand Duchess Dowager. She protected us mother and child without sleeping a wink for about five days. Even while coughing up blood, she fought off the assassins with all kinds of magic.”
“Such a thing… happened?”
It was a secret history that even the First Imperial Consort, who terribly disliked Iolene, could only hold her breath at.
The First Imperial Consort hadn’t even been born at that time, and among the palace people, only the story that ‘Grand Duchess Retis escaped the palace with the Empress Dowager and Emperor’ was passed down.
Excluding the dead Empress, the First Imperial Consort was the first to hear the full account of that day directly from the Emperor’s mouth.
“Is that all? On the third day, a public notice was posted in the city where we secretly hid. It declared that Baron Diana House had been exterminated for treason.”
“…”
“I still can’t forget the face of the Grand Duchess Dowager, who tried to smile at me even while shedding tears of blood and biting her lips. She definitely said this in a trembling voice: ‘Remark, are you very hungry? Aunt will go buy bread right away.'”
The Emperor stared at the glass in his hand with regretful eyes. Soon he drained the alcohol in one gulp and set the glass down on the table almost as if throwing it.
Thunk!
“Ravienosha.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
“A few days ago, I heard that Countess Sergel made a disgraceful scene toward the Grand Duchess. The Grand Duke sent a complaint letter directly. To me, no less.”
“….”
“Whatever you have been doing until now, whatever thoughts you may have, I don’t care. I won’t reproach you for any of it. Not about the Countess’s affair, nor about the Second Prince’s matter.”
The First Imperial Consort’s body trembled as she cautiously raised her head, but the Emperor kept his gaze fixed on the empty glass.
“When a father has neglected his child through indifference, how can I blame only you? It’s all due to my own lack of virtue. If I were to blame you, I would first have to beg the Second Prince’s forgiveness. However.”
The Emperor’s expression was rigidly hardened as he looked directly into the First Imperial Consort’s eyes.
In his indifferently sunken pupils, blazing flames seemed frozen in place.
“Do not provoke the Grand Duchess Dowager or House of Retis. The same goes for the Second Prince. I will not say this twice.”
“…I will keep that in mind.”
“There’s no need to see me out. The night is deep, so rest.”
The Emperor rose from his seat and left the room without looking back.
The First Imperial Consort watched his figure intently, then poured alcohol into the glass the Emperor had used until it overflowed.
Whether the hastily gulped liquor spilled from the corners of her mouth or not, she emptied the glass in one go.
Crash!
The crystal glass thrown to the floor shattered into pieces. And one flying shard sharply grazed the First Imperial Consort’s cheek as it passed.
Trickle.
“Ah….”
The First Imperial Consort wiped the blood flowing with her fingertips and gently parted her lips.
Savoring the metallic taste on her tongue, she leaned back against the sofa.
“I should go see Father.”
The ominous voice muttering alone was steeped with the rich scent of grapes.
* * *
The training ground of the Grand Duke’s castle where snow still hadn’t melted.
Green aura beautifully embroidered the air following the trajectory of the great sword wielded by the purple-haired knight.
Two children and one woman watched with sparkling eyes. Beside them, two giant wolves sat with their bellies to the ground, wagging their tails.
‘They’re completely entranced.’
Rebecca is quite popular with the children. She does adore children herself.
A smile crossed Ailesia’s lips as she watched the scene from the terrace.
“Well then….”
Her expression quickly hardened as she stared intently at the paper in her hand.
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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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