The Obsessive Male Lead Is Obsessed With Me! - Chapter 127

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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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Episode 127

“Still, wouldn’t it be possible to leave behind an heir? There’s the oracle, after all.”

“But that oracle belongs to the Empress, not to His Majesty the Emperor, doesn’t it?”

“Uh… That means.”

“The one who will become a future sage ruler could be the child of His Majesty the Emperor who will newly ascend to the throne.”

When you think about it, it wasn’t as if there were no other imperial family members who could ascend to the throne instead of Cayen in the current Empire.

“No, but His Highness the Second Prince is already married.”

“Wouldn’t divorce solve that? It’s not just an ordinary child, but a future sage ruler. If one could bear such a child, even someone like me would… Ahem.”

Gossipmongers would chatter about such things whenever they gathered, but the Former Empress couldn’t bring herself to strictly control them.

More precisely, she didn’t have the luxury to do so. It was because of the Emperor, whose condition was getting worse day by day.

“How is it? Do you know anything about the Emperor’s illness?”

“Hmm…”

All the court physicians as well as renowned doctors from the capital had already been summoned to examine the Emperor’s pulse.

However, everyone just shook their heads saying they didn’t know. Not a single person had provided a satisfactory answer about the Emperor’s symptoms.

Until now.

“First, there’s something I’d like to clarify.”

“What is it?”

The Former Empress looked at Cayen, who lay sprawled on the bed like a corpse, while pressing her hand to her pounding heart.

Lately, he slept longer than he stayed awake. When he was awake, he would scream about headaches and throw everything within reach, so they had to force him to take sleeping pills to put him to sleep.

But continuously giving sleeping pills to someone who was already in poor health couldn’t be good.

Seeing Cayen, who had become noticeably gaunt, the Former Empress finally made a decision.

She summoned one of the alchemists she had expelled from the Empire 23 years ago, after she had given premature birth to Cayen due to an alchemist’s poison.

“His Majesty the Emperor’s physical condition has been ruined by poison used by an alchemist. However, this poison’s recipe belongs to the individual alchemist, so it cannot be treated without knowing the recipe.”

“I know that too.”

That was also why she had mercilessly expelled all the alchemists from the Empire without regret.

If there had been even the slightest hope that they could treat Cayen, the Former Empress wouldn’t have cast them out so heartlessly at that time.

“Empress, so the Emperor’s physical condition had improved greatly after receiving treatment from the Bishop. But suddenly his condition deteriorated and he began complaining of headaches that weren’t there before…”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

“What?”

“His Majesty the Emperor’s headaches are side effects from medicine made by some alchemist.”

“…What?”

“By any chance, hasn’t His Majesty the Emperor been coughing up blood?”

“That’s… That’s right, yes.”

I haven’t mentioned that the Emperor has been coughing up blood yet?

The Former Empress’s heart beat irregularly. It was a pounding caused by sharp anxiety.

“Recently… I don’t know exactly when. But it seems like it hasn’t been more than a year. The side effects occurred because the medicine he took then clashed with the poison remaining in his body.”

“What are you talking about? The Emperor took medicine made by an alchemist within the past year? When exactly!”

“I wouldn’t know that. But it’s certain that he took something.”

As evidence, the alchemist pricked Cayen’s finger with a needle, obtained blood, poured some solution into it, and began explaining.

But the Former Empress couldn’t hear anything. The only thing circling in her mind was that the Emperor had consumed medicine made by an alchemist within the past year.

‘When exactly… Who? How? For what purpose?’

More than that, an alchemist entered this Imperial Palace? Completely deceiving my eyes?

“But this is rather strange.”

“Strange, what else now!”

“I heard that divine power doesn’t work well on His Majesty the Emperor. Is that correct?”

“That’s right. Why?”

“But that Bishop… I’m wondering how Her Majesty the Empress managed to restore His Majesty the Emperor’s body, even temporarily.”

“That’s because the holy medium she uses is herbs…”

Medi… cine?

…Herbs! Herbs!

“You there! Go immediately and bring the Empress here! Hurry!”

“What? But, but…”

“The Empress! That woman is the alchemist who gave medicine to the Emperor. I’m certain! Arrest her immediately! Hurry!”

Even so, how could they arrest and drag the Empress here?

The Former Empress’s icy command fell upon the Imperial Guards who were hesitating while watching each other’s reactions.

“If you don’t go immediately, I’ll throw you all in prison first!”

“…We will obey your command, Your Majesty the Former Empress.”

What choice did they have? Now that the Emperor was bedridden, they had no choice but to follow the Former Empress’s orders.

The Imperial Guards headed toward the Empress’s Palace with reluctant steps. Although they were following orders because it was the Former Empress’s instruction and they had no choice, they really didn’t want to carry out the order to drag the Empress.

That was understandable since their target was the Empress, who had previously been a Bishop of the Temple. Moreover, wasn’t she the one for whom God had given an oracle that she would bear a future sage ruler?

“We… We seek an audience with Your Majesty the Empress.”

“What brings you here?”

Nicole, who greeted them, was not in good condition. Her complexion was haggard, her eyes were sunken, and she appeared to have no strength in her body.

Although the Empress always looked like this at official events, this was the first time the Imperial Guards had seen her face this close, and they couldn’t help but feel sorry for her inwardly.

‘I heard rumors that she was suffering from the Former Empress’s harassment, but…’

Recently, Cayen’s physical condition had indeed deteriorated rapidly. But hadn’t Nicole been trying to treat him for nearly four years?

To call such a woman an alchemist. To say she secretly gave the Emperor strange medicine.

No matter how they thought about it, this was too harsh. The Former Empress had either made a mistake, or was definitely finding fault with nonsensical accusations to vent her anger.

Therefore, the Imperial Guards spoke politely to Nicole.

“Her Majesty the Former Empress summons you. Please come with us.”

“…Is His Majesty the Emperor’s condition poor again?”

“Well…”

“Sigh…”

Nicole let out a sigh in an exasperated tone and buried her face in her hands while sitting at her desk.

The two Imperial Guards didn’t know what to do and just watched each other’s reactions as she remained motionless as if crying.

“Your Majesty the Empress…”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Nicole, who had wiped her face several times, rose from her seat.

The two Imperial Guards, who had come here with orders to ‘drag’ Nicole, quickly followed behind her and poked each other’s ribs with their elbows.

‘You tell her in advance.’

‘I can’t do it. You do it.’

‘I can’t do it either…!’

The Imperial Guards couldn’t bring themselves to tell Nicole, who looked extremely exhausted, that the Former Empress suspected her of being an alchemist.

But for Nicole, it would have been much better if they had told her.

Then she could have prepared herself mentally and thought of excuses.

“You damned thing! You all, make that woman kneel on the floor immediately!”

“What?”

“Hurry!”

At the Former Empress’s angry shout, the Imperial Guards stood there with bewildered faces before finally making the Empress kneel.

“We’re, we’re sorry, Your Majesty the Empress…”

Nicole, who had no strength, could only helplessly kneel on the floor.

However, her exhausted eyes exploded like an active volcano and glared at the Former Empress with fierce intensity.

“Why, has His Majesty the Emperor collapsed again because of me? Is it my fault again that he cannot open his eyes?”

“It is your fault, of course it’s your fault!”

“How far exactly do I have to…”

“Do you still think I don’t know that you’re an alchemist!”

“…!”

Nicole’s eyes, which had been facing the Former Empress, widened greatly.

Her reaction of being startled and unable to say anything was clearly the reaction of someone who had something to hide.

Since no one except the Former Empress had thought that Nicole could really be an alchemist, an atmosphere of shock spread among the people.

“Y-Your Majesty the Empress. Really…?”

“You were an alchemist? No, but you were a Bishop of the Temple…!”

It was the alchemist brought by the Former Empress who answered the confused voice of someone.

“There’s nothing stopping a Bishop from being an alchemist. If you have recipe notes, it’s not difficult to play the role of an alchemist.”

“Search! Search the Empress’s body! No, search the entire Empress’s Palace!”

The Former Empress’s maids immediately searched Nicole’s body. But nothing was found on her.

However, a maid who had gone to the Empress’s Palace returned carrying a basket filled with various herbs.

Along with notes that seemed to show attempts at making some kind of medicine by adjusting the amounts of various herbs.

This was undeniable physical evidence that Nicole was an alchemist.

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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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