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Chapter 28 – Beast? Obsessive?
‘I remember that he was a greedy lord with only pride.’ Gloria thought as she put down the macarons she was eating little by little. A greedy person always reassures his rope to get more.
Diana asked cautiously, taking turns looking at the still-full teacup and Gloria, who, unlike before, had not touched the tea.
“Then, Your Majesty. Is it okay to do this? The Marquis has a tendency to step in, but he’s helpful to Your Majesty and the future of the Empire.”
“That’s right. If you look at what the Marquis does, it’s definitely for the Empire.”
“Then why are you trying to get rid of him?”
At Diana’s question, Gloria tapped the table with her index finger. Baroness Berne and Diana looked even more at a loss when she said she hated it but acknowledged his ability.
Gloria picked up a pretty macaron and took a bite. The fluffy meringue crumbling in her mouth and the cold filling on her tongue delighted her. She said while looking at the macarons dyed with flower water.
“Erun has always been loyal to the people of the Empire as well as the nobles of neighboring countries and half of the central nobility for his own sake. He’s very resourceful, but that’s just a ploy for when he becomes my husband, or when he’s completely cornered.”
“Then, isn’t this dangerous?”
At Gloria’s declaration, Baroness Berne asked anxiously. ‘If it’s as said, it’s power to control the Empire when he becomes your husband or, if not, it’s enough to start a revolt with!’
Diana seemed to be thinking the same thing, as her face turned pale.
When the two women became very anxious, Gloria picked up a new macaron and took another bite. She muttered inwardly that she was not used to the sweet taste that made her throat tingle even before the return, and after wiping her hands with a wet towel, she said,
“What if there were no one in this Empire who could stand up to him? Duke Ludenberg, one of the founders of the Empire, is more capable than Erun. Which kingdom will aim the tip of its sword against the prestigious household that has been maintained since the founding of the country? How many exchanges have we exchanged so far? That’s why the Marquis is grinding his teeth so much.”
“Then Your Majesty will need the Duke.”
“Not just that.”
When Gloria gave a straight answer, Diana and the Baroness, who had mentioned the Duke, looked startled. The Emperor looked down at the cold orange tea and spoke in a firm voice.
“He is absolutely necessary. I will do whatever it takes and I will do anything necessary. The Duke doesn’t need to prepare anything, he just has to come to the ceremony and hold my hand.”
“Wow.”
Diana was truly amazed by Gloria’s attitude, clasping her hands tightly while saying she would definitely hold Kaien.
‘Your Majesty’s appearance now is as an obsessive villainous woman.’
The competent heroine I’ve only seen in novels shows obsession and does not distinguish between means and methods to have the man!
‘Why is she suddenly blushing and looking at me like that?’ Gloria felt a chill running down her spine as she noticed Diana’s sparkling eyes looking at her as if in love.
Gloria quickly realized that it wasn’t a good thing to hear whatever would come out of her mouth twitching strangely, so to deliberately change the subject she asked Diana.
“Didn’t the Duke recently go looking for a groom and even show you a portrait?”
“That idiot brother!”
“Oh my goodness!”
Instantly furious at Gloria’s question, Diana forgot about the ‘obsessive villainess’ that had filled her head moments before and became angry.
Baroness Berne was taken aback by Diana’s full anger, and Gloria couldn’t hold her laughter. Diana was in tears at her laughter and dove behind Gloria to massage her shoulders, speaking as if upset.
“I would rather serve Her Majesty than marry. Of course, I’ll get married someday, but I hate it now!”
“Oh my.”
Gloria smiled awkwardly at Diana’s vow. Her heart throbbed hearing she wanted to be by her side.
Before her return, Diana was pushed down by Countess Adlen to become her lady-in-waiting, so now, to protect her, Gloria did not take her as her lady-in-waiting again. Even when she wasn’t in the Palace anymore, she was framed like that, but if she became her lady-in-waiting…
‘There are things that are safe when they are in your sight.’ Gloria thought as she got up. Since the enthronement, hectic and difficult days have continued, and she had no time to welcome any lady-in-waiting. Originally, it was right for the Grand Chamberlain to be around. However, as she was the first female Emperor of the Empire they made him stay only in the main palace because it was not good for her reputation to have a man around.
‘Let’s think about it after tidying up the surroundings first.’
After the court ladies assisted her in ordering her appearance, Gloria returned to the main palace for state affairs.
Gloria stood next to Diana, patting her soft cheeks with her index finger, and spoke in a friendly tone.
“If you don’t want to get married, you better tell the Duke clearly. He seems to want to marry you off somehow.”
“I think my brother will get married sooner than I do.”
Diana spoke with a smile like a cat, and at the Princess’s sudden words, Gloria was taken aback and walked faster.
‘Why does Kaien slyly smile while asking when will I make him my husband come to mind?! Really. I guess they’re truly siblings!’ Gloria was fiddling with her hot ears. A soft red hue stood on her white skin, and the court ladies chuckled a little at her appearance. Gloria sighed heavily and spoke as if muttering.
“I really want to know if this is the person I knew. In the past, he was a person who knew no greed, but now I’m troubled because he comes at me as if he wouldn’t let go.”
“Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh. Oh, gosh!!”
Diana was about to die of joy while covering her mouth with her hands and shouting at the phrase ‘comes at me’ from the Emperor’s mouth. She asked Gloria, who looked at her with displeasure in front of her twinkling eyes.
“Did my brother become the most beast-like man in the world, right? Right, Your Majesty?”
“…”
“Isn’t it so? Then an obsessive man?”
Diana’s insistence left Gloria at a loss for words.
‘Where the hell did you learn such blatant words!’
Baroness Berne covered her forehead, and the court ladies quickly bent their backs to hide their small, trembling shoulders. As the sound of laughter reached her ears, Gloria shoved Diana, who was sticking to her side and strode away.
“Your Majesty? Where are you going, Your Majesty?”
“I’m going to see to state affairs!”
Thinking that she was being teased, Gloria shouted without looking back. Diana burst into laughter but ran to Gloria, who quickly sprinted away, and caught up her pace. Gloria sighed deeply at Diana’s action as she suddenly followed and walked with her arms folded.
‘Oh my gosh. Beast-like man? Obsessive man? Where the hell did you learn such phrases?’ Suddenly, in Gloria’s imagination, Kaien had black wolf ears on his head and a large tail that fluttered leisurely. That wasn’t enough, she even thought of him as he wrapped his solid arms around her waist and pulled her into his strong arms with a deep smile on his face.
“Your Majesty?”
“…”
Gloria stopped on her way to the main palace and covered her face with both hands. Despite Diana’s calls, she didn’t answer. She felt like crying as her body became hotter and hotter.
‘They are really wicked siblings who don’t help me remain calm.’
Upon arriving at the office, Gloria bit her lip hard as the ‘beast-like obsessed man’ stood there leisurely.
‘I nearly screamed those words at him …! Bad Diana. Wicked Diana. This corrupted Diana!’
When Kaien, with his dark hair neatly tied, found Gloria, he bowed with a light smile. However, Diana’s “Beast Man! Obsessive man!” still echoed in her mind without leaving her alone, so Gloria looked at him and hurriedly entered the office.
“Your Majesty?”
Kaien raised an eyebrow at Gloria’s cold action. With the chill still lingering in the air, she waved her hand instead of answering his call. Then the Grand Chamberlain quickly pulled the courtiers out and left the office. Click~ Only Kaien and Gloria remained in the quiet space where the sound of the door closing echoed.
Gloria hurriedly shouted at Kaien, who strode over to the desk.
“Don’t come near me!”
At her sharp refusal, he stopped. His face turned cold, and his amethyst eyes began to gleam sharply like a predator. Trying to hold back his anger, Kaien asked her, as she covered her face with both hands.
“Why has your attitude suddenly changed?”
“Th, that…”
At Kaien’s question, as if snow was falling and a cold wind was blowing, Gloria was unable to speak. Until earlier, she had really forgotten the ‘beast man’ thing.
Gloria was full of thoughts about whether she could somehow bring back the public sentiment and the support of the nobles that had been lost to Erun.
‘But, as soon as I saw his face, I was suddenly reminded of Diana’s ‘beast ma’’ remarks!’
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‘Do I have some kind of mental illness?’
Gloria gently opened her fingers covering her face and saw Kaien standing in front of her. His face was still cold ice, but why? It looked strange in Gloria’s eyes.
‘The look of an angry wolf with its ears and tail upright… I’m definitely crazy if this image is the one that comes to mind seeing him.’
Gloria nodded, thinking she was obviously crazy, picturing such a cute image like that in her head though the man staring at her had a face as cold as the northern snowfield.
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