Chapter 66

After the Grand Duke's visit, Theseus met with numerous heads of noble families to gather public opinion. At the meeting, he announced Elizabeth Ulrich's return to the capital and shared the astonishing events that took place in Veyta. The nobles present clenched their fists and their eyes sparkled. It was as if the noose that Despoina Duke and the Emperor had tightened around the necks of the nobles with the tower and magic finally showed a gap.

"Is it true that the Grand Duke will stand with us?"

"Of course."

The nobles read the letter sent by Lionel over and over again. The head of the Jackal family, who was close to Theseus, spoke loudly.

"On the day Her Majesty the Empress returns, let us all go out to welcome her."

"Agreed!"

＊ ＊ ＊ On the day the Empress returned to the capital, a crowd that resembled a festival gathered between the castle and the palace. On one side were the nobles supporting the Duke of Despoina, and on the other side were the nobles led by Theseus and Elizabeth. The nobles in the Despoina Duke's camp whispered to each other, glancing at Elizabeth, who had elegantly twisted her golden hair.

"It seems the Grand Duke has really returned."

A moment later, the massive hinges of the city gates began to creak.

"Oh! The gates are opening!"

Many eyes turned to the gates. As the gates slowly opened, the crowd erupted in cheers when they saw those returning from Veyta, who had destroyed the tower. The cheers grew louder as the Empress and the Duke of Despoina crossed the gates. The Duke of Despoina and Renox, who approached him, waved their right hands like victorious generals. Adel, who had been watching them with a sneer, untied her hair. The crowd's attention was instantly drawn to her black hair, which cascaded like a waterfall and rippled like waves. Lionel, who understood Adel's intentions, spurred his horse to move beside her. Adel smiled brightly and whispered quickly.

"Smile widely. We can't let those two outshine us, can we?"

Despite the sharp confrontation with the Despoina Duke's group, Lionel burst into laughter at Adel's words. Since it was the Empress's command, Lionel did not hide his laughter but showed it to everyone. Initially, people who were looking at the Duke of Despoina and Renox gradually shifted their gaze to the Empress and Lionel. The Empress, riding her horse with a dignified air, looked delicate yet strong, and Lionel Valdor, the Minister of Defense and a knight among knights, was equally dazzling as he guarded her side.

People stared at the beautiful man and woman who smiled without reserve, their mouths agape.

"Her Majesty the Empress!"

Someone in the crowd mustered the courage to shout, and Adel waved her right hand at him. Soon, cheers erupted from all directions, and people began to chant the Empress's name loudly.

"Her Majesty the Empress!!"

The knights following Lionel and Adel beamed with pride, and the nobles of the Valdor family also joined in the chanting with a smile. In contrast, the Duke of Despoina's expression crumpled. The Duke, with a stiff face, turned his head sharply, and Elizabeth, watching him from a distance, murmured with a smile.

"Our uncle is really angry."

Meanwhile, Theseus's gaze had been fixed on his brother all along. Lionel, who was riding beside the Empress, was smiling brightly, a sight even his brother had never seen before. He looked at the Empress as if she were the only light in the world. Theseus let out a deep, long sigh, as if he had realized something.

"Lionel……"

＊ ＊ ＊ Upon hearing the news of the Empress's return, Karl rushed out in one step. The sound of the crowd shouting the Empress's name made his heart even more anxious. Beyond the completely open palace gates, people were packed like sand. However, his gaze was fixed on only one person. The black hair that flowed like a waterfall, the golden eyes, the pale cheeks, the red lips, Adel. My Adel. My……

Karl's steps gradually slowed as he ran with joy. He stopped and stared at her blankly. Adel was smiling brightly, her eyes curved like a crescent moon and her red lips curled up. It seemed as if her clear laughter could be heard.

"You…… Who are you smiling at……?"

However, her gaze was directed at Lionel Valdor. She was smiling a beauty that had never been shown to the Emperor, a smile that could make one lose their soul. Karl's eyes turned red, and his face twisted as if he were about to cry.

"Lionel Valdor……"

Karl's gaze, filled with hatred, slowly turned to Lionel. Lionel was also smiling brightly at Adel. Seeing the two of them, who looked like a divine pair, made it feel as if a hard, cold stone had been placed near his heart. When Karl, who had been lost in thought, looked at Adel again, their gazes accidentally met. The smile on her face gradually faded and disappeared. A tingling sensation, as if lightning had struck his back, made Karl clench his fists tightly.

'No, Adel. You should be smiling at me! You are my Empress!!'

＊ ＊ ＊ The Emperor greeted those who returned from Veyta with a stern face. Of course, as the Emperor, he looked solemn. He praised the efforts of those who returned and expressed condolences for the casualties. Adel, the Duke of Despoina, and everyone gathered in front of the palace bowed to the Emperor, marking the end of the long journey to Veyta. However, Karl's gaze, burning like the peak of a scorching sun, did not leave Adel's retreating figure. The Duke of Despoina approached him and spoke secretly.

"Your Majesty, I request a private audience."

＊ ＊ ＊ Upon hearing the news of the Empress's return, Lady Gix quickly heated the bathwater, lit her favorite incense in the bedroom, and prepared to welcome the Empress. A moment later, when she saw the Empress from a distance, Lady Gix ran out to greet her.

"Welcome, Your Majesty. You have worked hard."

Adel gently tapped the old lady's shoulder, helping her stand up.

"Have you been well?"

Although she had much to say, Lady Gix smiled with her wrinkled face and nodded. But then, with a worried voice, she said,

"You have lost weight."

The Empress shrugged and moved. Lady Gix scrutinized the Empress, her eyes shining brightly.

"This won't do. I'll tell the chef to prepare snacks……"

"Moderately, please, moderately."

Although the Empress cut her off, Lady Gix's eyes did not dim.

'Goodness, how much must she have suffered to lose weight even on her fingers!'

While Adel soaked in the warm water, the maids Lady Gix called gently massaged her tense muscles. She fell asleep without realizing it and woke up on a soft bed.

"Oh……"

Her body felt heavy like water-soaked cotton. She lifted her heavy eyelids and sat up, trying to clear her drowsy mind. The world was dimly dark. She must have fallen asleep for a few hours. As Adel was about to get up, the door opened cautiously. Lady Gix, who opened the door, quickly approached the Empress, who was sitting on the bed.

"You are awake."

"Is something wrong?"

In response to the Empress's question, Lady Gix leaned in and whispered softly.

"His Majesty the Emperor is here."

Lady Gix watched with a heavy heart as the Empress's eyes turned cold at the word "Emperor." Before Adel, who was in her nightgown, could properly dress, the door suddenly opened.

"His Majesty the Emperor!"

Lady Gix, who was lighting candles around the bedroom, turned in surprise, and Adel, who was tying her hair with the help of a maid, frowned and turned her head. The Emperor, with a darkly gleaming gaze, walked into the room step by step.

"What are you doing now?"

When Adel asked sharply, Karl stopped in his tracks. His face was sterner than ever. He had sent her to realize that his embrace was the most comfortable. But she had achieved something no one could ignore and even won over the knights. When he heard that Lionel Valdor had not left her bedroom, his blood boiled. Unable to bear it, he had come to the Empress's palace without thinking. Karl's gaze slid down Adel's neck and reached her thin nightgown. Her transparent skin was visible through the thin fabric. It was an extremely private moment. Had that man seen this too? The sinister thoughts that kept circling in his mind made him feel like he was going mad. Karl took another step forward and asked in a deeply low voice.

"What if I see you without your makeup?"

His voice trembled slightly.

"Am I not your husband?"

Was that why? He looked as if he were about to cry. Adel's pupils dilated and then quickly contracted. The drowsiness that remained in her mind evaporated completely like morning dew. Adel instinctively realized that the Emperor was desperately yearning for something and had become incredibly weak. She swept her loose hair to one side and ordered Lady Gix.

"Lady, please take the maids and step out for a moment."

Lady Gix, upon receiving Adel's command, carefully placed the lamp she was holding and left the room. The maids followed her quickly, and the door closed cautiously. Adel, who was sitting in an armchair, did not even stand up but leaned back more comfortably. Her eyes still had a fierce look. She neither offered him a seat nor stood up to greet him, a bold and disrespectful posture, but Karl did not notice anything. He just stared at Adel as if he were enchanted, forgetting even to breathe. In her thin nightgown, she looked vulnerable and secretive. Her golden eyes, which held the light of the fire, and her red lips seemed to exude a sensual aura.

"Do you have something to say?"

The shivers ran down his spine at the sound of Adel's voice, which flowed from her ear. He approached her as if drawn by something and stopped a step away. And in the next moment, Adel's eyes widened in surprise.

"!!"

The Emperor, who had approached the chair, slowly bent one knee to match her eye level. His purple eyes, filled with red, focused on Adel blindly. He imprinted her face in his mind, feature by feature. Who could resist being enchanted by her beautiful eyes curved into a crescent moon when she smiled? A sudden urge to lock her away and keep her all to himself surged. The question that had haunted him day and night without her finally escaped his lips. It was a question that deviated from Adel's expectations.

"Did you let Lionel Valdor serve you there?"