The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 150

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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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【Chapter 150】

“Ju, just you wait!”

When I become Empress, I won’t let any of you get away with this!

Though she had stormed out making threats, once Yuna left the Special Tax Bureau building and faced the silence, she was consumed by anxiety and bit her lower lip.

The fact that most people knew Rianel’s identity meant they regarded Rianel as the ‘protagonist.’

‘What if my position gets taken away?’

What if Rianel becomes the protagonist again?

Unable to overcome her impatience, Yuna had been walking aimlessly when she suddenly stopped.

‘No, not everyone knows, right?’

The ordinary masses, who weren’t even extras, knew nothing.

‘What if I expose Rianel’s identity to those people? Tell them that the dead Empress stole the body of an innocent noble woman… No, no.’

Yuna frantically chased away the thought and shook her head.

‘What if everyone starts treating Rianel as the protagonist after that?’

After the financial report, the Empire’s citizens were practically worshipping Ensilen like a saint.

Stories were spreading about how thorough she had been during her time as Empress, and how she had even held a modest wedding ceremony to prevent wasteful spending from the national treasury.

Every time Yuna heard tales of Ensilen’s good deeds, she felt like she was being pushed out of this world.

‘If I expose her wrongly, people might regard Ensilen not as a villainess who stole someone else’s body, but as a being resurrected by divine will.’

Moreover, the Emperor was someone who would use anything for the sake of his own image.

‘That selfish bastard with nothing but political calculations in his head.’

The anxiety that the Emperor might choose Rianel instead of her gnawed at Yuna like rising water from her toes.

Yuna shuddered, wanting to avoid the quagmire, then stopped in her tracks.

‘Could it be.’

She recalled how the Emperor had repeatedly demanded the soul detection stone.

‘Was that because of this?’

To confirm whether Rianel was the former Empress?

Then does the Emperor already know Rianel’s identity?

“Aaaah!”

Yuna clutched her head and screamed.

‘Did I wish for something so grand?’

Yuna had simply wanted to become someone who could never be replaced.

A secure place of her own.

She had only wanted to have what she could never possess in her original world.

“Why did it turn out like this.”

Her hands that had been clutching her head slid down her cheeks. Even her hoarse voice was powerless.

Her mind was a tangled mess.

Then the words that flowed out like a lament were filled with regret.

“Would it have been better to go back then.”

The Pope and Cardinal Oben had always threatened Yuna.

‘They said they could send me back to my original world if I didn’t obey.’

But now that things had turned out this way, she wondered if her original world wouldn’t have been better.

‘At least there I had a room to hide in, but if I get kicked out of the Imperial Palace, I have nothing.’

Besides that, she thought about what it would have been like if she had remained a faithful saint, or what would have happened if she hadn’t killed Susan, and so on. Various unchosen futures came to mind.

Though it was too late now.

The bitter hypotheticals formed a bitter smile on Yuna’s lips.

Yuna suddenly felt a cool breeze brush her shoulder and looked up.

Walking wherever her feet took her, she had somehow ended up in front of the Temple.

“…Habit, indeed.”

How frightening it is.

It had already been five years since Yuna came to this world. No matter how much she had turned her back on the Temple, those years didn’t just disappear.

‘Only the people here ever said they needed me.’

The people who used to call her Saint were no longer here.

On the day the Temple fell to the hands of rioters, the clergy were swept away by the knights who came to restore order.

Currently, they were imprisoned in the Imperial dungeons.

The Imperial Palace had ransacked the Temple, claiming they would check for evidence of human experimentation. Those traces remained throughout the Temple.

“It’s quiet.”

A space that would normally be filled with believers. The cathedral, cut off from mass and prayer, was desolate.

Yuna entered the residential quarters.

Since Yuna belonged to the high-ranking clergy within the religious order, her room was located deep within the Temple.

“At least it’s better here.”

All the household items remained in their places, as if a novice priest carrying wash water might emerge from the adjacent room at any moment to attend to her.

‘Though that’s impossible.’

Yuna entered the room she used to use.

As if nothing had happened, she locked the door and lay down on the bed.

‘When I first came to this world, I was only happy.’

Because it felt like I had become someone special.

Filled with nothing but anticipation for the future, I used to fall asleep happily every day.

‘Now I can never go back to those times.’

Because I ruined everything.

The more she reflected on the past, the only thing that remained was regret. Yuna let out a long sigh and sat up.

Then.

“What’s this?”

She caught the sound of rustling in her ears.

There was a note tucked under the pillow.

-If the Saint has discovered this letter, it must be because I safely escaped the Temple, and you too are facing difficulties in your endeavors.

“…?”

Confused, Yuna recognized it as the Pope’s handwriting.

‘When did that runaway leave something like this?’

-At first, I was hurt that the Saint revealed the internal affairs of our order. I felt resentful as we went through difficult times. But this too must be God’s will, so I will forgive the Saint.

-I remembered the place where we first welcomed the Saint. That place was truly a quiet and extraordinary space. I have left the key to restore everything in that place. Only the Saint can save this twisted world…

The Pope’s message was simple.

I will forgive you.

So let’s go back.

Yuna held the Pope’s note in her hand, but couldn’t quite believe it and looked at it several times.

“Could it be true?”

Since she had been the first to stab the religious order in the back, she suspected this might be the Pope’s trap.

But she couldn’t pretend not to see the paper and put it down.

‘I can go back.’

Because it contained the word “return,” which made her heart race just thinking about the possibility.

She still couldn’t trust the Pope. His intentions seemed suspicious.

But.

‘If only I could erase this time filled with mistakes.’

If I could erase all the choices where I don’t know where I went wrong, and return to before anything happened.

“This time I could really become the protagonist.”

I could live the life I want, couldn’t I?

Yuna’s mouth was already curving upward before she could even process the emotion.

Her breath came in short gasps following her heart that was pounding with anticipation.

‘If it’s true, how could I give this up?’

When a second chance has come into my hands.

Yuna gripped the paper tightly.

* * *

The Emperor maintained an appropriate distance from Rianel even after learning her true identity.

On the surface, ordinary daily life continued, but Rianel and Asil knew it was an intentional calm.

‘Right, he probably wants us to attend today’s royal wedding.’

Asil sneered.

However, since there was no way to avoid attending, the two were together in the dressing room to prepare.

Dressing Rianel was originally the maids’ job, but now Asil was taking on that role.

“Does it hurt?”

The two pretended to have intimate lovers’ conversation while sending others away, taking time to ease their tension.

Rianel’s eyes gradually relaxed as she actually received the brushing.

Meanwhile, Asil’s forearms trembled slightly as he tried to relax his grip, and cold sweat formed on his forehead.

“It’s at an appropriate level. More importantly, I heard the clergy were released today.”

“There’s no reason to keep prisoners whose interrogation is finished on such a joyous day, is there.”

The investigation into the Temple had concluded a week ago. The Imperial Family released clergy with relatively minor crimes.

Those deeply involved in human experimentation would never see sunlight again, but it could be considered light punishment compared to what they had done.

“I suppose so. Would you tie up my hair?”

When Rianel pointed to a blue ribbon, Asil hesitated before confessing weakly like admitting guilt.

“I can’t create various styles like the maids do.”

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with movement, I don’t mind any style. Speaking of which, how is President Rikel doing?”

“He seems to be busy lately but healthy.”

Although the minting rights were cancelled, there was apparently commotion with quick-witted people taking loans to buy and resell land.

“These days he seems busy traveling between various territories.”

Thanks to this, Asil could also confirm through Norman that his grandfather was doing well and healthy.

“What shall we do for the necklace?”

“Please choose the lightest one possible.”

It needed to be something that wasn’t too plain to look shabby, yet simple and light for easy movement.

For earrings too, she chose ones with pointed decorations at the ends that looked light.

When the preparations were roughly finished.

“I wish we didn’t have to go to the Imperial Palace today.”

Asil embraced her from behind.

“But you’ll go anyway.”

He buried his face in Rianel’s nape.

‘You made me into someone who can’t do without you.’

Rianel’s answer was as expected.

“I will.”

Rianel’s purpose was clear.

To become bait herself in order to destroy the Emperor’s plan.

I know I have to let you go.

‘Because what you want isn’t a clinging lover, but a reliable ally.’

Yes, I know all that.

“Am I still just a student to you?”

Seeing Rianel trying not to rely on him, disappointment and anxiety rose up, making him blurt out his inner thoughts.

‘Because it seems like you could live well without me.’

But he couldn’t voice that anxiety.

‘That would be admitting I’m still an immature kid.’

It was embarrassing and shameful, and his expression wouldn’t settle.

Asil lowered his head, wanting to hide his expression.

“….”

Rianel watched Asil through the mirror, then stood up when he turned away.

Facing Asil again, Rianel asked.

“Are you anxious?”

A bitter smile formed at the corner of Asil’s lips.

“Even at this moment, Professor, you’re trying to diagnose me.”

Asil disliked her putting names to his emotions.

‘It feels like you’re specifying that only I am anxious.’

“Does that upset you?”

Rianel, who had been staring at Asil, clicked her tongue.

“I’ll admit it. I have a habit of trying to solve most things alone.”

Rianel believed that shouldering everything alone was both consideration and love.

“You probably want us to change. As future time accumulates, the past will become blurry. But that doesn’t mean our previous relationship disappears.”

The time he was Ensilen’s student was still longer than the time they’d been lovers.

“But I’ll say this much.”

Rianel roughly grabbed Asil’s collar.

“I love you.”

I’ve become immersed in this irrational emotion that I thought would never happen again in my life.

Sharing rest time, thinking of each other, giving and receiving affection in every moment.

That time of accumulating inefficiency might be what love is.

“….”

Asil stared blankly at Rianel.

With what he wanted suddenly falling into his hands, he couldn’t tell if this was a hallucination or reality.

He stood there dazed, then followed the hand that had grabbed his collar with his gaze as it fell away.

“I’m just taking a short journey.”

One with a predetermined path of return.

“Can’t you think of it that way?”

Asil’s lips twitched, then he muttered like sighing.

“…Please don’t get hurt.”

“Something beyond my control might happen.”

Since there were planned events, it was difficult to give assurance.

“Then.”

“Then?”

“I’ll just burst into tears.”

Rianel stared at him quietly.

Soon a small smile spread across her lips.

“That would be a rare sight. It seems quite worth seeing.”

Asil’s lips jutted out, creating a walnut shape on his chin.

“….”

“I’m joking.”

Still, Rianel had changed a lot. She could feel the change in herself too.

In front of Asil, she’d even started saying such silly things.

“Let’s go.”

She extended her hand, and Asil took it.

Today was her ex-husband’s wedding day.

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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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