The Abandoned Empress

The Abandoned Empress - Chapter 70

But as the years passed, I realized that he was different from the old him in the past, which seemed to change my attitude toward him. I still wanted to break off my engagement to him, but I was a bit hesitant when I found that I wasn’t as scared as I used to be anymore.

“Your Majesty, I brought a ladder.”

“Good job.”

The attendant put it under the tree.

When I hesitated for a moment, looking at the ladder, he smiled again at me and reached out.

I looked at his hand blankly. ‘What does this mean?’

“You really wanted to see the silvery buds, right? Let me hold the ladder, so climb it and take a look.”

“Oh, no. How can I be so rude…”

“That’s why I brought a ladder here. So, don’t worry.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Your Majesty.” Hesitantly, I took his hand. Then, I climbed the ladder step by step, carefully. I looked at him for a while. He held me a little more tightly, before I turned my attention to the silvery buds.

‘Ah!’

Silver buds as long as my index finger were all over the tree. I examined them to see if there was anything blooming, but the buds were all closed tightly.

‘When will you show me the flowers? I saved you from being burned to ashes, but have you not overcome the shock of the fire yet? Is that why you’re not blooming yet?’

I sighed a little and came down the ladder. Whenever I took a step down, I felt he tightened his grip on my hand. As I felt uncomfortable, I carefully pulled my hand out of his hand the moment I hit the ground with both feet. When I bowed to express gratitude, he silently nodded.

“So, how was it?”

“Not much different from what I saw last time.”

“Really? It’s definitely weird. Is it because of the shock of the fire? ”

“I think so.”

“But it will bloom someday as long as the buds are on its branches. Since you are so curious, I will come back with you next time if I’m free.”

When I looked at him in surprise, he turned calmly and said, “Let’s go back.”

“… Sure, Your Majesty. ”

His blue hair that seemed black and fluttered in the sunset. The uniforms of the guards, who greeted when he suddenly returned, turned red with varicolored autumn leaves. Unusually, the red sunset was shining on his back today.

As I was having breakfast with my father, the butler brought a bunch of invitations and handed them to me. Since I made a debut at his coming-of-age ceremony, I received miscellaneous invitations, but it was the first time I received so many invitations.

‘Did he give me the invitations addressed to my father?’

It was possible. As my father refused most of the invitations, the senders didn’t invite him.

Nonetheless, he received dozens of invitations because he was the emperor’s most trusted man, the Captain of the 2nd Knights Division, his position almost identical as that of a duke and his status as a bachelor.

However, all the invitations were addressed to me.

‘What a surprise!’

I turned over the invitations casually one by one, but there was one that drew my interest.

The lady who came to the garden party at Duke Verita’s mansion was Lady Nuen. She was the woman who first told me about the rumors about Carsein and me. She had to go back home after she spilled tea on her dress. I opened the envelope and read.

I traced my memories for a moment and asked my father, “Dad?”

“Why?”

“Isn’t Viscount Nuen’s estate a famous place for ruby and diamond?”

“Yes. It is a very wealthy place in the empire.”

I see. In fact, I was looking for the proper social circle. I thought it’s good occasion for me in terms of the timing, status and situation of the party.

“Why are you asking me that suddenly?”

“Oh, somebody sent me an invitation. The party takes place five days later. I think I’m going to attend it.”

“Viscount Nuen. Not bad. ”

“Right? Not bad.”

When I answered with a slight smile, my father looked at me as if he felt sorry and said, “Even though I wanted you to stay away from politics as much as possible, you can’t avoid fate as long as you were born as a noble. So, who is going to be your partner?

“Well…” I smiled awkwardly. I have only Allendis and Carsein who could come as my partner, but I felt it was awkward to take one of them with me in this situation.

“Then, are you going to go there with me?”

“Pardon? Are you serious? ”

“Yes. Come to think of it, I’ve never attended a party with my daughter. ”

“Thank you very much, Dad!”