The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 75

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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 75】

 

Rianel rolled her eyes while lying down.

 

Before she could even open her mouth, her throat felt parched.

 

Asil was certainly quick to notice.

 

Seeing how he helped Rianel sit up and handed her the water cup from the side table.

 

Only after the lukewarm water went down her throat did her voice finally come out.

 

“Have you been waiting long?”

 

“Waiting for Master is my duty.”

 

Despite having dark circles under his eyes as if he’d stayed up all night, he still managed to act cheeky.

 

Instead of pointing out his complexion, Rianel asked something more important.

 

“Did you do the same that day?”

 

When the orphanage was engulfed in flames.

 

After putting you, a young child, in the carriage and sending you away.

 

“I’m asking if you came back to the orphanage and waited.”

 

Asil’s pupils shook greatly, as if he’d heard an unexpected question.

 

Soon his eyes curved into crescents, and a slow arc formed at the corners of his mouth.

 

“You remembered.”

 

Knowing that was joy made her feel both absurd and pitiful.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

If he could make such an expression the moment he realized she remembered, it meant he’d been quite hurt all along.

 

“Well, it’s not a good memory.”

 

“….”

 

“If you had forgotten, I thought it might be better to leave it that way.”

 

Of course, there was another reason too.

 

“I also failed to keep my promise….”

 

Asil witnessing the orphanage fire was purely by chance.

 

House Novantium, which had been in an uproar after discovering their precious son had suddenly disappeared, was completely turned upside down when the son said he’d witnessed the orphanage fire.

 

And for any normal family house.

 

Preventing the family heir from returning to a fire site was only natural.

 

“When Mother found out I had secretly gone to the orphanage, she was furious. After that, knights watched me, making it even more impossible to sneak out.”

 

Asil was only four or five years old at the time, so he couldn’t evade the knights’ eyes.

 

“Still, I could endure it. I could hear news about Master even within the family house.”

 

Asil closed his eyes as if searching through distant memories.

 

“You were truly amazing. Just as you promised, you became famous before even reaching adulthood.”

 

You, who had beaten all the noble children receiving family support, seized the top position with your own ability.

 

Everyone coveted your talent.

 

“Our family house was no different. All the retainers clamored together that we had to tie you to the ducal house before other families could steal you away.”

 

At least House Novantium was slightly ahead of other families.

 

Because they had written a letter of recommendation for Ensilen to enter the Academy.

 

But Asil knew that such things were merely shallow connections that could be severed at any time.

 

The genius Ensilen, coveted by all.

 

As she had said herself, she was someone who could choose where to stay on her own.

 

“What could I do? Knowing we were in the position of being chosen, I had no choice but to make myself as appealing as possible to Master.”

 

Asil threw himself into heir studies to be chosen by Ensilen.

 

Thinking that if he became Duke Novantium, he might be able to hold onto her.

 

Few parents disliked their children studying. Especially if that child was the heir who would carry the family’s future.

 

Asil received the ducal house’s full support and rapidly acquired knowledge.

 

He believed everything was proceeding smoothly.

 

Until his parents suddenly died, that is.

 

“Uncle caused trouble. After openly muttering in private that he would have inherited the family house if he had been the eldest son, he finally killed my parents and stole everything from the family house.”

 

Though the previous Duke would break his seclusion and personally punish his second son, that was later.

 

Asil could do nothing but flee while watching his parents die right before his eyes.

 

“Having lost everything, I had nowhere to go. All my relatives had turned to Uncle’s side, and the maids were afraid of suffering misfortune for hiding me.”

 

When the situation became like that, as if by magic….

 

“I thought of you.”

 

Even though you were also an orphan who had nothing.

 

Your face, who had saved me without expecting anything in return, flickered before me.

 

“I didn’t go expecting anything. I just wanted to see your face… Since things had come to this, I decided to at least see the face I hadn’t seen all this time.”

 

Asil walked the long distance without a single coin, without anyone’s care.

 

When he arrived at his destination.

 

His appearance must have been terrible. Having no travel money, he slept rough the entire way, and was chased away multiple times after being mistaken for a beggar.

 

“But even so, you let me into your house.”

 

Me, who was neither a Duke’s son nor anything else.

 

“You alone treated me consistently.”

 

Melting again from that kindness, Asil hid the truth even more.

 

Whether you remembered or not, we had met.

 

“I thought that was enough.”

 

Because my wish wasn’t to become a Duke, but to meet you again.

 

Hearing up to that point, Rianel couldn’t bear it. A quiet sigh escaped through her nose.

 

“How foolish.”

 

“Yes. I am a foolish man.”

 

He wrapped Rianel’s hand with both of his and gently rested his chin against it.

 

“So please take pity on me and care for me like a flower that would wither without you.”

 

“I didn’t tell you to take advantage of the opportunity to make moves.”

 

Really. The moment she let her guard down, this was what happened.

 

Rianel clicked her tongue while reflecting on her own past.

 

Rianel as a student had been a person overflowing with passion.

 

She strived not to lose the top position each semester and was also interested in becoming wealthy or raising her honor.

 

At the time, she didn’t look for reasons behind her passion.

 

‘Perhaps I became even more obsessed with honor to fill the void of forgetting Asil.’

 

She had thought the reason for her success was her own excellence, but thinking that memories of you might have led me this far….

 

It seemed inappropriate to push Asil away.

 

“I will positively consider a future with you.”

 

Though it took a really long time to reach this conclusion after going round and round.

 

Once she realized how much of her life Asil occupied, making the decision wasn’t difficult.

 

Asil’s eyes slowly widened.

 

“Those words mean….”

 

Frozen in that state for a while, he slowly turned his head to stare at Rianel.

 

“Do you mean you’ll develop our relationship? From a master-disciple relationship to a romantic one?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I cannot be satisfied with just dating. I’ll understand it as you considering marriage with me as a premise.”

 

“Do that.”

 

The corners of Asil’s mouth trembled.

 

His mouth, curved up as if distorted, made it unclear whether he was trying to express joy or burst into tears.

 

“May I… hold your hand?”

 

“You’re already holding it.”

 

Ah.

 

Only then did Asil realize he had been holding Rianel’s hand all along.

 

As if startled by the unexpected fact, he quickly let go of her hand, then surprised again, hastily grabbed it back in a somewhat amusing manner.

 

“Then where would be a good wedding venue?”

 

“I didn’t tell you to talk nonsense.”

 

Really. His skill at making moves whenever there was an opening was exceptional.

 

However, Asil’s antics weren’t over yet.

 

“I want to kiss you.”

 

Kiss what?

 

Before the words that entered through her eardrums could even be interpreted in her mind, Asil slowly lowered his head.

 

Rianel felt the body temperature touching the back of her hand and furrowed her brow.

 

Asil, who had finally extracted what he wanted, smiled contentedly.

 

“I thought forgiveness would be easier than permission for you.”

 

In the end, Rianel’s walls crumbled.

 

“You cunning rascal.”

 

The fact that she didn’t find him detestable despite his complete selfishness probably wasn’t just due to guilt over his memory loss.

 

“I’ll forgive you.”

 

But that was only for a moment.

 

Rianel discovered something strange.

 

‘I couldn’t notice it until now because I wasn’t fully awake.’

 

When he handed her water, and just now when he kissed her hand.

 

Asil had been standing perfectly fine on both legs.

 

“Your legs…”

 

Oh no.

 

Only then realizing his mistake, Asil hastily added.

 

“I recovered completely while Master was sleeping.”

 

Of course, it was a story that made no sense at all.

 

“Forgiveness! Forgiveness!”

 

“You damn rascal!”

 

Rianel became greatly angry upon realizing she had been fooled by her student’s tricks.

 

Still, since the ending concluded with forgiveness.

 

‘This is a satisfying conclusion.’

 

Asil was content.

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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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