Chapter 9 – It’s Only The Beginning
After Diana finally calmed down. As the promised return time approached, Gloria immediately got into the wagon. Kaien closed the door, again pointing out Gloria’s thoughtless behavior.
“Next time, please refrain from this kind of action. What were you thinking? Coming out of nowhere without an escort.”
“If I didn’t do this, you wouldn’t agree to see me.”
Gloria glanced at him and answered in a dissatisfied tone.
‘Even if we meet at the Imperial Palace, you’ll just say hello and pass by!’
Seeing her disgruntled expression, Kaien forgot his previous hostility and considered her with a strange look. She, who used to hide like a small animal, was showing so many different emotions unknown to Kaien.
Gloria, pouting, reached out the back of her hand to him, and out of courtesy, he tried to kiss it politely. But then, clasp! She held Kaien’s hand tightly and locked fingers as if not letting him escape.
“What are you doing all of a sudden?”
‘I was going to hold your hand and kiss you!’ He showed his teeth at Gloria, who was suddenly pulling with all her might.
She smiled, her eyes sparkling, and said to Kaien.
“I hope for a positive reply.”
“You’re hoping for too much, Your Majesty.”
“I don’t have time, so I expect an answer within four days.”
Rather than retreating at her sudden attack, Kaien raised a corner of his mouth and kissed the back of her hand softly, asking in a subtle tone.
“Then, are you going to give me what I want?”
“…”
Gloria flinched as her body suddenly heated upon Kaien’s soft lips tickling the back of her hand.
Where was that confident and dignified woman from before, and who was this shy girl blushing at such things in front of him?
When Kaien saw that familiar behavior that he used to know, a strange smile spread across his mouth.
“…!”
Kaien moved his fingers slowly, gently touching the inside of her soft, delicate wrist with his fingertips. Gloria bit her lips as she quailed at the stimulating touch.
He didn’t miss any of Gloria’s bewildered expressions as she looked at him while feeling rattled.
“Stop–!”
When Gloria realized she was being teased, she withdrew her hand with a ferocious look. Not wanting to look like a meek, shy woman in Kaien’s eyes, she turned her head away. Obediently letting her go, Kaien smiled as if it was fun. He spoke politely to Gloria, who was avoiding his gaze.
“I’ll send Diana to the Imperial Palace as soon as the sun rises.”
“…”
“Then please go back safely.”
Tap, tap. Listening to his final words, Gloria lightly tapped the carriage. The coachman slowly began to drive, but after a while, the wagon began to shake wildly.
Wondering what was going on, the coachman glanced inside.
“Die! Die, Gloria Blake!! Insane, you’re insane! No matter that you came back, you’ve gone crazy! Crazy!!”
She was so embarrassed that she slammed her feet on the floor and started smashing the cushioned seat with her fists.
‘Uhk!’ She thought she heard a sound in the chair, but she couldn’t even think about it because she was feeling shamed by Kaien’s bewitching appearance and his straightforward words and actions.
After checking the inside of the carriage with anxious eyes, the coachman quickly turned his head.
‘I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anything!’
Even though she was dressed as a doctor, anyone in the Palace knew immediately who that red-haired woman was.
Gloria sighed loudly, unaware that her coachman vowed to take to his grave the sight of the Red Glory of the Erant Empire struggling that way.
“I’m crazy.”
Gloria bowed her head and screamed silently, feeling her chagrin grow inside.
She was excited to know they both returned in time. In this ridiculous situation, Kaien was like a blessing given by God. Thus, she didn’t want to miss the opportunity.
“Be my empress, Duke.”
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!”
She didn’t want to miss that opportunity, so much so that she even pushed Kaien against a wall in a way she had never done before. She even clung to him and asked him for marriage several times.
As she recalled her behavior, Gloria slammed the carriage seat like a madwoman. Even through the closed door, the Emperor’s screams and struggle could be heard, and the coachman silently closed his eyes at the sound of the seat being hammered by her hands.
‘I didn’t see anything, Your Majesty.’
The next morning, Gloria was drinking cold black tea to wake up and asked the court lady waiting next to her.
“Can you bring me today’s newspaper?”
“The… newspaper…?”
“That’s right.”
The court lady was in agony at the moment Gloria told her to bring the newspaper because she once heard Erun say to Gloria.
“I don’t want you to see such low-level stories. Reports from the Imperial Family are more accurate than those contrived by someone who would say anything with a pen.”
Erun didn’t let Gloria read the newspaper.
“What are you doing?”
She had given the court lady an order, but seeing her stand still without going out, Gloria snapped sharply at her. Only then did the court lady, noticing her behavior, urgently bow deeply and reply.
“I- I apologize, Your Majesty! I’ll get it right away!”
“Berne. What is today’s schedule?”
Taking her eyes off the court lady, Gloria asked Baroness Berne. She replied with an odd smile as if she was happy that Gloria had asked for the schedule as soon as she woke up.
“You don’t have any morning schedule. In the afternoon, there is tea time with Marquis Lebossi and a wedding dress check.”
“Cancel everything.”
“Yes, I’ll do th— Pardon?!”
Baroness Berne, automatically trying to be polite, stared blankly at the Emperor’s unexpected order. Gloria lowered the teacup and said while looking at the Baroness standing awkwardly before her.
“I have a lot of personal matters to attend to today. Tell the Marquis and the designer to come next time because I’m not feeling well.”
“But, Your Majesty!”
“Why are you still here?”
Gloria ignored Berne’s bewildered objection and spoke to the court lady who was watching. Her face turned pale at Gloria’s eyes questioning why she was still there when she had clearly given a command.
‘The Marquis told me not to give anything other than the report.’ Not long after she was assigned to the Palace Erun had asked her not to bring the newspaper to Gloria, and now she did not know what to do. Following the Emperor’s authority was the right thing to do, but everyone knew the strong influence of Marquis Lebossi!
The court lady bit her lips unconsciously as she looked at Berne, who was in charge of the general management of the Palace. Baroness Berne was engaged on Erun’s positive recommendation and would definitely pass Gloria’s actions to him.
The court lady carefully spoke to Gloria, feeling her palms dampen.
“Yo- Your Majesty… Actually… The Marquis repeatedly told us not to bring you newspapers or magazines… Your Majesty who has a kind heart will be easily bothered by low-level gossip and miscellaneous articles…”
‘Ha. Look at this.’
Gloria’s fine eyebrows furrowed. She was well aware of Erun’s strong influence. However, her hands shook at the sight of the two women who disobeyed the Emperor’s orders and opened their mouths recklessly.
She was neither a Princess nor a Lady from a noble family. She was the sole Emperor of Erant. And as the Emperor who ruled the Erant Empire, she had to know everything that was happening within her land, whether provocative or explicit.
‘Especially now that I must examine the nobles and bureaucrats one by one and decide whether they are enemies or not, I can’t call them carelessly, so I thought I’d start by reading the newspaper lightly. By the way… Is this court lady listening to Erun’s orders instead of mine?’
How presumptuous!
She was already annoyed at the realization that she was in Erun’s palm, but now even her own court ladies refused her commands.
Unable to bear the humiliation any longer, Gloria picked up the teacup in front of her and threw it at the court lady.
“Kyaaa!”
“Your Majesty!”
At Gloria’s sudden action, Berne shouted, her face ghostly pale, and the court lady began to tremble while covered in tea. Gloria smiled at the court lady and spoke again.
“It seems that the Marquis and the Baroness are more important than I, the Emperor of this country. Did the Emperor of the Erant Empire change without my knowledge?
“Pl- Please kill me, Your Majesty!!”
“We deserve to die!”
At Gloria’s pointed remarks, the court lady quickly knelt down on the floor and bowed her head. The court ladies behind them also hurriedly bowed their heads and shouted, and Berne knelt, sweating profusely.
Gloria asked Berne, kneeling with her head pressed on the floor, with an ice-cold smile.
“What should I do with a baroness who is greater than me?”
“I will cancel the schedule immediately, Your Majesty.”
At Gloria’s implied threat, Berne replied in a firm voice.
‘She used to be so gentle, but suddenly why…?’ This Gloria was a completely different person, unfamiliar to everyone.
Of course, the court lady’s behavior was clearly uncommon and out of line, but Gloria shouldn’t have been this angry. She, who was sweet to everyone, was now exuding a suffocating and intimidating aura, and Berne shook in fear with her head down.
Gloria spoke again to the trembling court lady.
“Bring all newspapers from the day I ascended to the throne until today within the hour. If you are late, you will be severely punished.”
“Y, Yes, Your Majesty!”
‘An hour will pass until you manage to leave the bedroom…’
The court lady could barely give strength to her trembling legs and quickly retreated from her spot. Baroness Berne looked at Gloria with a complicated gaze as she calmly drank water.
‘Until yesterday morning, she wasn’t like this at all.’
Noticing Berne’s contemplation, Gloria waved her hand and said,
“Don’t let anyone come in until I call you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As Gloria gave her instructions in a cool voice without giving a single glance, Baroness Berne bowed deeply and quietly left the bedroom.
“Everyone, stop what you are doing and leave!”
At the Emperor’s stern dismissal, the women in the bedroom quickly cleaned up their surroundings and retired.