Chapter 103

“I’ve checked all of this, so pass it to the housekeeper.”

Astelle handed over the document to Hannah.

It was about a harvest festival that would be two months later.

There was a lot of time left until the day of the event, but since it was such a big event, she started preparing early.

From the first day Astelle became Empress, she gained authority to manage the Imperial Palace.

Some would be concerned that the daughter of the Duke of Reston, who opposed the Emperor, took over the household of the Imperial Palace.

Without hesitation, Kaizen entrusted Astelle with all the imperial households.

It wasn’t too difficult. Because even when she lived as the prince’s fiancée, she also helped with the affairs of the imperial palace.

After all, Astelle was familiar with it.

“Where is His Majesty?”

“He is in the bedroom with the prince.”

Astelle got up and went to the bedroom.

Kaizen has not missed a single day to sleep in the Empress palace since the first night of the wedding.

That way, the nobles considered the emperor and empress as a good married couple.

‘Though everything is completely different from gossip.’

Kaizen came every day to have dinner with Astelle and Theor but slept on the sofa outside the empress’ bedroom.

Others will shock if they find out about this.

The Empress sleeps comfortably in her bed but His Majesty the Emperor sleeps on the sofa.

Astelle didn’t want Kaizen to sleep on a sofa either.

She repeatedly offered, “You can use the bed, I’ll sleep on the sofa,” but Kaizen flatly refused.

He insisted on saying that the sofa was comfortable.

‘But it looked very uncomfortable……’

How long is he going to continue like this?

After some time, she had to tell him not to come.

It would be better if rumors spread that the imperial couple split rooms instead of putting the emperor on the sofa every night.

***

Kaizen and Theor were sitting by the window in the living room attached to the bedroom.

A black and white chessboard was placed on the table in front of the two of them.

“Mom, I learned how to do this!”

Said Theor who was sitting across from Kaizen holding a chess piece in his hand.

“I was teaching Theor how to play chess. He’s pretty good.”

Black and white chess pieces are scattered on the chessboard.

‘Looks like you both had fun.’

As before, Theor and Kaizen got along very well.

Astelle hugged Theor and kissed him lightly on his forehead.

“It’s getting late Theor, go to your room and sleep.”

“Yes.”

Theor got down to the floor and looked at the two of them.

“Good night, Your Majesty, Mom.”

Kaizen looked calmly at Theor, who was led by the maid.

He seemed to have gotten used to the title of His Majesty by now.

Astelle and Kaizen were the only two left in the room.

Astelle inadvertently turned her gaze to the chessboard on the table.

Seeing that, Kaizen suggested, “Would you like to play after a long time?”

“Aren’t you tired?”

You must have been working on government affairs all day.

While Astelle is a little tired even though she had only worked with the household affairs of the Imperial Palace, Kaizen doesn’t look tired at all.

“I can’t sleep.”

Astelle contemplated for a moment before she sat down.

It was too early for her to fall asleep anyway.

While Kaizen was arranging the chess pieces himself, Astelle turned her gaze to the maid.

The quick-witted maid immediately brought fruit desserts and cold wine.

Astelle held a chess piece carved from ivory in her hand.

‘I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve tried this.’

“Theor is smart. He quickly learned the rules.”

There was a faint sense of pride in Kaizen’s voice.

Theor has a better understanding and concentration than other children his age.

Even when he was acting, he was quick to understand, so he quickly learned the rules.

‘But it ended up like this.’

Kaizen saw Astelle put the chess piece down on the chessboard and said again, “You had a hard time doing this when you were young.”

Astelle was thinking about it too.

When she was young, she sometimes played chess with Kaizen.

Thinking of those old days, Kaizen laughed softly.

“Your skills were really bad.”

Kaizen was used to chess, but Astelle had just learned it, so her skills were poor.

She lost to Kaizen every time.

Kaizen looked at the chessboard and said, “I’ve let you win a few times in case you’re too disappointed.”

“I knew.”

Kaizen raised his head at Astelle’s calm reply.

“I knew that Your Majesty deliberately lost for me,” she said.

She didn’t find out on her own, but because her brother Fritz told her.

After watching the two of them play, he said, “His Highness lost the game for you.”

It seemed that Fritz, who was older than the two of them, could see it clearly.

At that time, Astelle was moved by Kaizen’s consideration.

‘After all, the Crown Prince is a kind person.’

She thought so.

A few years later, Astelle became proficient at the game of chess and was able to beat Kaizen.

But she never once beat Kaizen.

Because she purposely lost to Kaizen, who hates losing.

“Did you lose on purpose too?”

Kaizen couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, I did.”

“I never imagined it.”

He seems to have never guessed that Astelle was better than him.

But she wasn’t offended.

He raised a glass of wine and made a strange proposal.

“Well, let’s do it properly this time.”

Sipping some cold wine in the glass, Astelle replied, “Okay.”

After that, the two focused on the game without saying a word.

The game was fast-paced and came to an end quickly.

There were a few tense moments, but Astelle successfully captured Kaizen’s King.

“I won.”

Astelle put down the last chess piece.

Kaizen chuckled as he looked at the chessboard where he had been completely defeated.

“You played pretty well.”

“I apologize if you offended.”

“No, that’s good. Now I feel like I’m sitting face to face with the real you.”

Astelle agreed with that statement.

During her engagement, she couldn’t say what she wanted in order to remain polite to the Crown Prince.

She lied that she was happy even when she was sad, and laughed without showing any sign of hardship and suffering.

It was the same with Kaizen.

He hated Astelle, but pretended to be a friendly crown prince on the outside.

But now, both of them showed their true feelings.

Red eyes filled with deep light looked directly at Astelle.

He asked in a light tone as if joking, “What else were you hiding during our engagement?”

“……”

Astelle looked into those familiar red eyes.

Kaizen had not yet noticed that Astelle had loved him in the past.

But now she didn’t want to say something like ‘In fact, I really loved Your Majesty.’

“I have nothing to hide anymore.”

Astelle put the chess pieces together and stood up.

“I’m tired, so I’m going to my bedroom. May your Majesty sleep well too.”

Astelle politely bowed and entered her bedroom.

***

Even the moonlight did not enter the dark prison.

Marchioness Croychen, leaning against the cold stone wall, forced herself to sleep.

The Marchioness had been in prison for several days in a miserable condition.

Neither her daughter nor her husband came to visit her.

She wanted to contact them, but she had no way.

‘They will definitely save me.’

She held on to that belief, but she wasn’t sure either.

She confessed everything the moment she witnessed the maid being whipped.

Because if she didn’t, she would end up in the same situation as her.

Although she is not from a high-ranking aristocratic family, she has lived a prosperous life.

She could not have imagined that she would be tortured by the lowly.

She had confessed, but in return, she was now unable to get out of prison.

‘But he’ll save me. I am his wife.’

The Marchioness reassured herself with such hope.

Although her biological daughter, Florin was unlikely to help her.

***

“Who?”

Astelle, who was checking the budget of the Empress Palace, raised her head when she heard the maid’s words.

“Lady Florin is here.”

“Lady Florin?”

Florin was still an unmarried lady, so she couldn’t enter the Empress Palace unless she had special business.

‘Is it because of her mother?’

Astelle didn’t expect her to come here.

She had no reason to come.

“Tell her to come in.”

After a while, Florin came inside.

Florin was dressed as cutely as she had ever seen before.

She wore a lavender dress embellished with lace and ribbon, like a cute doll used as a decoration on a cake.

Florin said in a soft voice, “It’s late, but congratulations on your marriage, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Thank you, Lady Florin.”

Astelle hasn’t held any social events yet.

This was her first time meeting a noble lady after becoming the Empress.

After the maids had left on Astelle’s orders, she asked Florin, “What did you come here for?”

“I would like to make a deal with Your Majesty.”

Florin brought it up before she could even sit down.

‘A deal?’

“Are you here to save your mother?”

“No, I am not. I don’t care what happens to her.”

Her voice was soft but firm.

“I want my father to keep his position as Minister of State, and I want our family to be protected. I want Your Majesty to help make it happen.”

“Why should I help you?”

A young lady, who had just become an adult, unhesitatingly said she would abandon her biological mother for herself and her family.

She was offended by the fact that her mother was a terribly stupid woman.

“You’d better make a deal with me. I have evidence of the Duke, Your Majesty’s father.”

“Evidence?”

“While His Majesty the Emperor was on a tour, the Duke prepared for rebellion by communicating with the lord of the west.”

“My father prepared a rebellion?”

Astelle was genuinely surprised.

But she didn’t show it on her face. While Kaizen went east, her father had sent an assassin to kill him. At the same time, he was also prepared to rebel.

It was surprising that her careful father prepared such a huge task at once.