Chapter 4

It was a blatant act of rudeness, but Adel didn't care. Dean had been the one to start it, and most importantly, she was to become the empress.

"Taste... taste."

Adel chuckled and released Dean's hair. She turned and walked to a comfortable armchair, sitting down. She lazily opened and closed her eyes but didn't offer Dean a seat. Adel tilted her head and crossed her legs.

"Why?"

"..."

"Why are you giving me this unsolicited advice? You took the trouble to give it so earnestly."

Her tone was dry, but the underlying meaning was sharp. In response to her question, Dean curled her red lips and smiled.

"Since Your Majesty doesn't know about His Majesty's tastes, I thought I should tell you..."

But Adel cut her off sharply.

"So, why?"

"..."

"Are you the type who goes around telling people about tastes?"

After saying this, Adel chuckled. The eerie laughter echoed in the dim bedroom, creating a chilling atmosphere. Adel spoke softly to the maid who was watching her.

"I've heard that the Echmont mountain moonshine is quite famous. I'm curious. Bring me a glass."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, bring me a glass of alcohol. I want to drink one glass and sleep soundly."

"Oh, yes. I understand."

As the maid hurriedly turned and left, Adel closed her eyes and leaned into the sofa, saying,

"Didn't you say you would dry my hair? Do it quickly."

"..."

In response to Adel's command, Dean held her breath, exhaled, and picked up a towel. Because Adel was leaning completely against the sofa, drying her hair was not easy. Dean had only managed to roughly dry the ends of Adel's hair when Adel, who had her eyes closed, suddenly spoke.

"Could you pass on my tastes to His Majesty?"

"..."

"What kind of..."

"I like a man who can speak his mind directly."

Adel, sitting with her legs crossed in a relaxed posture, whispered this with a smirk. Dean was silent for a moment, blinking, then replied with a cold expression.

"Yes, I understand."

"And one more thing."

"Please, what is it?"

Adel, who had been leaning back in the chair with her eyes closed, slowly opened them. Her long eyelashes fluttered, revealing her golden eyes. Adel's gaze pinned Dean down as she whispered,

"I've never once tried to adjust myself to someone else's tastes. So, you don't need to share His Majesty's tastes with me. Keep them to yourself. I find it hard enough to understand my own tastes, let alone someone else's."

A crack appeared on Dean's usually soft smile. Adel leaned in, smiling.

"Then, you may leave now."

At Adel's command, Dean took a deep breath and stepped back. She turned and composed her expression. After a long, deep breath to calm herself, she had regained her composure by the time she put down the towel. Turning back to Adel, Dean smiled gently and bowed respectfully.

"I came to see the princess, but I ended up being rude. Please forgive me."

"Forgiveness, indeed."

"Then, I hope you rest well. If you need anything, please call me. I will ensure that you are well taken care of."

"..."

"Then."

She spoke politely and left the room. However, as Dean Poitiers left, Adel's gaze turned fierce. Was this the kind of greeting a host should give to a guest? Adel, running her hand through her hair, muttered with a sneer.

"Coming here to greet the emperor's mistress? It's unbelievable."

The thought of her betrothed, the emperor, whom she had never met, made her feel uneasy. Adel muttered in a chilling voice.

"Karl Ulrich Echmont..."

＊＊＊

As the future empress arrived in the Echmont capital, the wedding preparations began in earnest. Adel was busy all day with the maids' attentions. From massages to relax her muscles, to skin and hair care, the treatments seemed endless. Feeling the pleasant sensation of her body becoming relaxed, Adel decided to entrust her entire body to them.

"Next is nail care."

"Do as you please."

"Next is foot care."

"Do as you like."

Whether the emperor came or not, whether the emperor's mistress had irritated her, the first priority was to relax her body. After two months of traveling by carriage and ship, even a good night's sleep hadn't fully restored her.

"How long until the wedding?"

"Yes, it's one week away."

"Hmm. One week is enough."

"For what?"

"To recover my body."

"?"

"What's for lunch?"

"As you requested, we are preparing a well-cooked meat dish."

"Good. Finish it quickly. I need to eat something."

＊＊＊

A week passed quickly. The emperor did not visit the future empress even once during the week, and the rumor spread throughout the palace.

"You've got a lover."

Adel commented on the situation.

"You've got a romantic."

She also noticed that Dean Poitiers was managing everything in the palace. Before receiving the title of empress, Adel could only guess this from her observations.

"So, I'm the new stone in the pond."

Adel muttered, looking at the delicate sleeve of her wedding dress. The pure white wedding dress was adorned with gold thread. At that moment, a maid brought a crown to place on her head.

"You will wear this to enter."

The maid opened the box to reveal a platinum crown that shone silver. The maid carefully placed it on Adel's head and held up a mirror. Adel gazed at her reflection for a moment, then slightly frowned.

"Do you not like it?"

"Is there no gold crown?"

"Gold crown, you mean?"

"I prefer gold to silver. There's still time before the ceremony, so I want to change the crown. Go and bring a gold crown."

The maid hesitated, so Adel ruthlessly removed the crown herself. The maids eventually put the crown chosen by Dean back and rushed to the royal treasury to find a gold crown.

＊＊＊

Meanwhile, Karl was also getting dressed in his formal attire, with Dean attending to him. Karl's formal attire, from the fabric to the design, had been chosen by Dean. As Dean's slender hands trembled while buttoning his jacket, Karl took her hand.

"Dean."

He called her with a rare gentle voice. Dean's blue eyes shimmered, and tears began to fall.

"I'm sorry."

She gently rested her forehead on the emperor's chest. She thought about pushing him away, but as expected, he remained still.

Karl looked down at her round, golden head. The touch was so light that he worried it might break if he nudged her. She reminded him of someone small and fragile. Someone he wanted to protect from the title of empress but also wanted to avoid. When he heard that a new mistress had entered the long-empty empress's quarters, he became so sensitive that he couldn't sleep. Despite the servants' cautious suggestions to meet the future empress, Karl refused them all. Thinking of the empress made his stomach churn. Then, Dean, who had been resting her forehead on Karl's chest, slowly lifted her head to look at him. She was crying.

"Don't cry."

Dean shuddered at his low voice.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I really... I'm really sorry. I shouldn't cry, but I promised myself I wouldn't. The tears just come."

Dean kissed the emperor's lips, who was in his formal attire. He remained still. Her lips tasted of salty tears.

"The empress is beautiful."

When the emperor didn't respond, Dean said something to provoke a reaction.

"She asked me if I was a maid."

Karl's body stiffened. Dean, who was touching him, quickly noticed the change. She rested her forehead on Karl's chest and took a deep breath. Karl grabbed Dean's shoulders and pulled her away, looking at her with a cold, harsh expression.

"That day, when you went to greet her, you said nothing happened, didn't you?"

"Nothing happened. Asking if I was a maid was a natural question."

"You heard that."

"No, Your Majesty. I just... I just..."

Tears welled up in Dean's eyes again, spilling onto the emperor's formal attire.

"I couldn't answer that question. I couldn't give any answer to her."

Dean slowly stroked Karl's face with her hand.

"I only need Your Majesty... Is that possible? I... I only need Your Majesty... Maybe my desire is too much."

After saying this, Dean's breathing became rapid. Karl Ulrich reacted most dramatically at such moments. Surprised, he quickly grabbed her shoulders. She often fainted due to her weak constitution, which reminded him of his mother.

"Dean. Breathe slowly, slowly."

"Huff, huff."

Dean clung to Karl's arm, panting, but soon felt dizzy and collapsed.

"Is anyone outside?! Quickly, call a doctor, quickly!!!"

The emperor's urgent cry caused a commotion outside the door. Dean, with a fading voice, clung to him with a spell.

"Don't abandon me. ...Don't abandon me, Your Majesty..."

With those words, Dean fainted.

＊＊＊

'Are you trying to make a fool of me?'

Adel, dressed in her wedding attire, thought coldly as she stared straight ahead. The murmurs grew louder as time passed, but there was no one to ask what was happening, and no one to tell her. She missed the people she had left behind in Gotrope. The nobles scrutinized the foreign princess who had crossed the sea alone. The emperor's absence, without any prior notice, added mockery to their gazes. It felt like being thrown into the middle of an enemy camp, unarmed.

'The more this happens, the more I need to keep my composure, Adel.'

As laughter from the nobles reached her, Adel clenched her teeth, tightened her abdomen, and straightened her back.

'Princess. Remember, the only person you can trust there is yourself. Your honor and dignity are yours to protect.'

The nanny, holding her hand as she left, had cried and said this. Adel took a deep breath, exhaled, and turned to a nearby servant. The sudden movement of the poised princess-to-be silenced the nobles. With a sharp golden gaze, she commanded firmly,

"I need to sit until the emperor arrives, so bring me a comfortable chair."

'Why stand alone when the nobles attending the wedding are seated? It's embarrassing.'

Adel spoke with authority, and the servants quickly ran to fetch a chair. The princess-to-be showed no curiosity about why the emperor was late or when he would arrive. Instead, she ordered the chair to be placed in front of the minister, not at the entrance. Sitting in a position that faced the entrance, the relationship between the empress and the nobles was instantly reversed. As her clear golden gaze swept over the seated nobles, the noisy minister's hall fell into a heavy silence. Her gaze lingered on one spot. A deep blue, like a moonlit night sea, stood out among the people. Lionel, noticing Adel's gaze, gave a slight bow. Adel nodded lightly in return and turned her gaze. At that moment, his brother Theseus, sitting next to him, whispered,

"She's turned the situation around like turning a palm."

Behind Lionel, the suppressed voices of the nobles could be heard.

"Goodness, she's captivating."

"She has a strong presence."

The princess-to-be smiled softly and spoke lightly.

"Sorry to keep such distinguished guests waiting."

Her nonchalant attitude, as if this was no big deal, made the nobles who had been mocking her exchange glances and clear their throats.