Love You To Death

Chapter 23

"I need to bring that child back. Only that child can bring my beauty back. This way, Raphael would look back at me."

Emma was silent on the sidelines, still fearing that the empress would hurt her.  She didn't get why the empress' obsession grew bigger as years passed by.

"What are you doing? Leave now." Odette glared at her.

"Y-Yes, your majesty." Emma straightened herself and left the room.

*Clack*

Odette was all alone in the room, still looking at her appearance.

"Ash." She called out to someone.

"Yes, your majesty." A man appeared behind her.

"Bring that child back. Don't forget to use magic restraints- and, the scent of wolfsbane. He can't stand wolfbane so use it on him well."

"As you wish, your majesty."

The man disappeared after hearing the order.

"Hahh.. you shouldn't have chosen that woman, Raphael." She sighed.

With that, Odette's plan was plainly perfect.

Or is it?

..

***

The nex day...

"Emma?" Carla called out to her.

"Yes, madame." Emma bowed in response.

"Here." Carla gave her a box.

"...What is this, madame?"

"I bought you a extra dress for work and for your day offs as well. And I noticed that you liked reading books whenever Rina visited the library so I got you one too."

"Thank you so much, madame." Emma expressed her thanks.

"It's nothing. Then, I'll get ahead first." Carla smiled as she patted on her head.

"..."

Emma watched as Carla's sight slowly started walking away from her.

"One drop a day. Simple right?"

*Gulp*

"Madame! Wait!" Emma ran towards her as she stopped her steps.

"Hm? Is there a problem?"

"I- Can I serve you tea? I want to know how you think about it.. it's- it's for my lady." Emma stuttered as she looked for excuses.

"Oh, sure." Carla gave her a smile as an answer.

"Thank you." Emma bowed once again, feeling a bit of guilt inside.

..

Inside the drawing room, Emma was preparing the tea sets.

"Hmm the scent is nice." Carla mumbled.

"It's a pleasure, madame."

"Rina prefers her tea with milk. She loves flower milktea in specific, added with a bit of honey."

"I see." Emma answered solemnly. She was standing beside the sofa where Carla is sitting.

Carla was facing Emma's back, so she couldn't see anything what Emma was doing.

Emma reached for her pocket and cautiously took out the tiny bottle.

She stared at it with hesitance, but she opened the tiny lid anyway.

*Drop*

Just like the empress said, she only poured one drop on the tea.

"Mother?" Catherina's voice was heard in the room.

Catherina just arrived at the exact time.

"Rina? Ah, perfect. Emma is making tea right now. How about we taste her tea together?"

"Okay." Catherina softly replied as she sat on the opposite sofa.

"Kindly prepare a cup for us each, Emma." Carla ordered.

"....Y-Yes, madame."

Emma poured another tea on a cup. With this, there were two cups on her tray.

One for Carla, and one for Catherina. The cup for Carla had a drop of Blue Dragon's Tears in it while on Catherina's, it didn't.

She carried the tray with shaky hands.

"Emma, are you alright?" Catherina asked.

"Ah, yes, my lady."

Emma placed the each of the cups on the table according to their owners.

Carla held the teacup and was about to drink it.

*Thump* *Thump*

"Ah! Madame! That one is for my lady." Emma bowed.

"Oh, you must've mixed it up. Rina, take this." Carla exchanged their cups.

Catherina sniffed on the exchanged teacup and noticed something.

"Ah, you added honey on it. That must be the reason." She smiled.

"Y-yes, that one has honey in it." Emma replied.

The mother and daughter drank their teas whilst Emma was fidgeting her hands in the sidelines.

"Thank you for the tea, Emma. It was great." Carla complimented.

"Thank you, madame." Emma bowed.

"It tasted lovely. I love how Emma added honey on my tea." Catherina chuckled.

"T-Thank you, my lady." Emma's voice shook.

'I'm so sorry, my lady....'