Chapter 66
Adele was evidently flustered at his sudden question. She couldn’t reply so easily because she herself didn’t even know how she really felt.
‘Do you love him?’
She slowly recalled all the time she spent with Noah. Two years ago, Noah had always acted roughly towards Adele. But now, he held onto her with tender eyes.
I don’t…
I really don’t know.
As Adele became motionless, lost in her own thoughts, the emperor whispered to her.
“I am in process of abolishing the law compelling the unmarried man to marry their sister-in-law in the course of their brother’s death.”
“Huh?”
Adele didn’t understand what he was talking about. As she was about to ask him, her eyes met with his. When she stared at those mesmerizing orbs, she lost her words and couldn’t speak.
“By then, you will no longer be Lady Maktus, but Adellia Liliand.”
The emperor’s emerald eyes contained a sincere and mournful gaze.
She realized that, perhaps, he had placed an interest on her. But isn’t the man in front of her an emperor who ruled this country and didn’t need to be envious of anything? Why would he even deign to spare some attention for someone like her?
Adele struggled to deny it and shook her head.
He softly kissed the back of her pale white hand, “I will definitely succeed in putting an end to that nonsensical law, even if it goes against the fate of the dukes that had been handed down throughout the generations.”
A confused expression flitted across her face, “The fate of the dukes?”
“Haven’t you heard about it?”
Adele innocently stared at him.
Blinking in disbelief, he touched his forehead, “I thought Enon would have told you about it. At least, the former Lady Maktus should have.”
“Hm?” Piqued, she started to question, “Why? What does it mean?”
As the emperor was about to respond, the chaplain waved his hand and walked towards him.
After listening to his words, the emperor nodded in acknowledgment. “It seems that the messengers of Tellen have arrived. Apologies, I am needed elsewhere.”
“Mm.”
The emperor put her hand down.
After hearing a story she hadn’t known before—one that seemed to be of great significance— she stared at him with curious eyes.
The emperor stopped himself from leaving and pondered for a moment. He wanted to tell her to visit him in his garden a week from now if she wanted to know more about it. But as he gazed into her glossy eyes that was looking at him inquiringly, he sighed in defeat and had no choice but to tell the truth.
“There is a book in the castle that contains everything related with the dukes. As to what I’ve been told by my father before he died, the book’s cover is red in color.” Then he examined her closely, “There’s a possibility that the duke doesn’t know about this.”
“T-thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Do you want to see it?”
“Uh… Yes?” She replied unsurely with a small laugh.
“Then, come inspect the lilies in the castle gardens next week.”
Adele smiled unknowingly at the emperor’s clever remarks.
If you approached her seriously, she would be scared and might walk away from you. Therefore, the emperor had no choice but to approach her lightheartedly. Looking at her with a bitter expression, he smiled and waved his hand.
“I really need to go.”
He greeted Adele in a formal manner and bade farewell, she also grabbed the hem of her dress and curtsied. She then saw the back of the emperor walking in haste.
Adele was left alone. She speculated about what she heard and murmured softly, “The duke’s fate…?”
Adele bit her lip. Could it be that it had something to do with Enon’s death?
She had a lot of unanswered questions, including what the shipbuilders were talking about the other day when she followed them into the alley.
She eyed Noah from afar who was talking calmly with the financial advisors. He had to be away for her to be able to go and see the book.
Adele gauged the expressions of every noble inside the banquet hall. Unsurprisingly, they were either fawning on powerful individuals or making polite and meaningless conversations.
This party is such as drag.
Adele stealthily sneaked out the hall.
***
“Wow, everything looks so delicious! What day is it today?”
Lina was resting after she had escorted her mistress to the dinner gathering. When she looked over the food on the long table, she drooled unceremoniously. The other maid carrying food from the kitchen answered her with a smile.
“Well, don’t you think we should also hold our own little dinner party?”
In this empire, the people celebrate through a feast to commemorate the harvest.
“But what if the lord and lady suddenly return?” Lina furtively looked around. Nevertheless, she still picked up a chicken leg and ate heartily.
The maid sniggered, “Most nobles who attended the banquet will return after midnight. In the meantime, we make our own feast from the leftover ingredients!”
“Really? Sounds too good to be true! But have you gotten permission from the butler—”
“Finish up by eleven.”
“Ah!” Badly startled by the voice, Lina almost dropped the chicken leg.
Aha! Good save! She inwardly thought and gnawed on it with even more gusto.
Butler James, upon seeing this scene, clicked his tongue and walked towards the opposite castle.
Low-ranking employees could take a break from simple labor, but the same couldn’t be said for him. As the family head butler, he had too many tasks to accomplish on a day-to-day basis. Even if it was just his regular work, it was already enough to leave him occupied for the whole day. If there were newer and more urgent tasks assigned to him…
Suffice to say, if he was to say he was the second busiest man in the castle, no one would dare say they were the first. On that note, he was reminded that he had to deliver a report by tomorrow.
He silently arrived at the lord’s office and opened the door.