Chapter 85 – Desires (1)
Translator: Lunarise
Editor: Larkspur
“I don’t like the thought of allowing such a girl to be with Lustian.”
The empress immediately summoned Lustian to her palace. She had to check whether her son was already aware of this truth. Soon, the man appeared before her.
“Did you know?”
“……!”
Lustian’s lips twisted unpleasantly. The empress felt a strange emotion wash over her. That expression, that kind of look… It was creepy because that was exactly what the emperor himself had looked like when he had seen that woman.
“Ho-how could you know that she was only half-royal and not question it? Tell me! Are you saying you’re in love with a girl with the blood of a slave, just like His Majesty?”
She threw the parchment at him with all her might. The heavy parchment hit his face before falling to the floor and rolling away. It was then that she noticed the wound on his face. She grabbed her son’s face and swept his matted black hair away from it.
“This… What is this wound? What is it! On your face—”
“It’s nothing.”
“Stay still. Unless you want to see your mother die of worry.”
The empress wiped his face with a handkerchief. When the makeup was cleared, a large wound, from his forehead to cheek, was revealed. Her face turned white. The long scar left upon the beautiful face was terribly shocking. She trembled.
“Who did this? Was this her doing, too? How dare she… How dare a mere hostage wound the crown prince’s face?”
“That’s not it. While hunting, I—”
“‘That’s not it’, my foot! You think I don’t know your level of skill? Why would you, who has already surpassed the Master level, ever suffer a cut to your face?”
The empress couldn’t hide her devastation. Her entire life, she had filled the emptiness of not being loved by her husband with caring for her son, and now everything seemed like it was being taken away from her in an instant.
The wound was definitely the girl’s doing, she was certain. It was a declaration of war, left on the crown prince’s face to avenge her own flesh and blood killed by the Blood Army… She was definitely a threat to Lustian’s future.
There was no crown prince in the Kingdom of Koronis. If this half-royal girl regained her status and became princess, she would be first in line for the throne. There was no way to guarantee that she wouldn’t become King, herself!
“Lustian, look at me. Listen carefully to your mother. This is the situation right now. That girl tricked you from the beginning in order to enter the palace. She wants something else, other than you. So kick her out, right now!” The empress urged.
“No. I can’t do that.”
“Why! Why can’t you? Since you’ve already slept together, hasn’t it already been proven that she isn’t God’s Companion? So kick her out now!”
“I need her.”
“What? Wh-what?” The empress was flabbergasted and fumbled for words. “You, why… What did you just say?!” She trembled. Her son, who had never once disobeyed her, was now showing an obsession with this woman… her world felt like it was ending.
Lustian’s eyes darkened. Tiny goosebumps burgeoned along the empress’s skin. To an outsider, the situation would seem calm, but in fact, an overwhelming pressure had fallen over her. He was obsessed with Viola, enough to reveal his emotions in front of his mother. The pressure was released.
Lustian took his mother’s hand and made her sit down on the sofa. Then, holding both of her hands in his said, “I have never wanted anything before. Until now. I will be sure to achieve what you desire, Mother, so let me have what I want.”
The empress bit her lip hard. Lustian did not become Crown Prince because he wanted to. He was carrying out her will, not his, and thus inherited his mission from the Gods. Her dream was for him to ascend the throne. In order to make that happen, she had struck a deal with the emperor and made Ivan her child. The empress realized that it was too late for her to do anything.
Lustian was already too deep in his feelings for her to forcefully kick that girl out. She felt as if her heart was burning away into ashes. Whether it was just lust, or he had fallen in love with that beautiful face hidden behind the makeup… It had only been two months, so it was difficult to judge.
“All right… If you like her so much, I’ll take one step back. But keep her in the Concubines’ Palace. Absolutely not as a Crown Princess.”
Lustian did not assent. He only kissed the back of her hand, and, knowing that she hadn’t been able to calm her anger, ordered a servant to bring medicine. Once she had taken the medicine, the anger that had been seething violently within her was able to abate a little.
The empress could see right through Lustian. He was her own son. Her one and only son… She knew his personality very well, so she could predict that he would not be satisfied with merely keeping Viola as a concubine.
You won’t get what you want. Lustian… The seat of Crown Princess is not for her.
♛
Viola had been told that Lustian would be late, so she had dinner with the princesses and enjoyed a light banquet. It was a small banquet, and only one member of the imperial family was in attendance- Grand Duke Ivan.
After the last time, when the Third Prince’s fingers had been broken, there weren’t any more parties. There were no princesses that endeavored to host a party, so there were no imperial family members either – they wouldn’t come without justification. Of course, it was uncertain how long they would remain silent, but a party hadn’t been held in nearly a week.