The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 150
Dunnn.
The air grew heavy.
As Roxelyn felt it becoming difficult to breathe, someone gently embraced her.
It was Arma.
“Shhh— It’s alright, Roxelyn. If you calm down, you’ll be able to breathe.”
At his gentle voice, Roxelyn realized she had been holding her breath.
She slowly exhaled and widened her eyes at the sight over her shoulder.
Aximus was rolling on the floor, clutching his neck, seemingly unable to even make a sound.
His body alternately shrank and expanded.
Seeing the burst capillaries and his bulging eyes, Roxelyn closed her mouth.
She now understood the emperor’s abyss.
While Roxelyn stood frozen, the emperor looked at her with a strangely pleased expression.
“What’s the matter, Ducal Lady?”
Roxelyn was about to say it was nothing.
“…I’m not your daughter-in-law.”
If it weren’t for the words that slipped out because she was too tense.
“…Ah.”
A heavy silence fell.
* * *
“Are you alright, Lady Bellion?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Roxelyn nodded briefly at the concern of the captain of the imperial guard, who had been entrusted to escort her to the carriage by the emperor and the Third Prince.
Arma had told her that if she had any questions, he would handle them, so she should go ahead.
Had it not been for him, the atmosphere would have been even more awkward.
Arma had apologized for not being able to accompany her due to a conversation with the emperor, seeming quite shocked.
‘…I should have explained more.’
Like how she wouldn’t be the emperor’s daughter-in-law because the engagement was going to be called off anyway.
Roxelyn belatedly realized her mistake.
The emperor had used his Abyss to relieve his own stress, but officially, he had done it ‘for Roxelyn’s sake’.
Denying that could pose a problem.
“There’s a lot of talk about you within the imperial capital these days.”
“Is that so?”
Roxelyn looked at the captain of the imperial guard, who spoke amiably.
He was known to be the strongest among the emperor’s guards and had served the emperor since childhood, almost like a brother.
Although he was in his late forties, he could easily be mistaken for someone in his early forties based on appearance alone.
‘He doesn’t seem to age.’
Aside from a few light wrinkles on his face and a beard on his chin, he didn’t look like someone in his late forties.
The numerous scars on his cheeks and hands showed how fiercely he had lived.
The fact that he hadn’t stepped down as the captain of the imperial guard even at his age was proof of his unwavering skill.
“Yes, they say the you have achieved many accomplishments in various ways, Ducal Lady.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“Especially because of the herbs you brought from Kaluta, the plague that had been rampant in the empire was quelled much faster than expected. Many now have a favorable view of Kaluta because of that.”
“That’s also fortunate.”
The captain smiled as he watched Roxelyn’s unchanged expression despite his praise.
“It seems an old man like me has been babbling unnecessarily.”
“I’m just not very talkative, so don’t worry about it.”
Roxelyn replied calmly.
“You seem quite different from the Young Duke of Bellion.”
“I’m not that socially inept, at least.”
“Oh, in that regard, you’re similar…”
Roxelyn paused at the captain’s words.
Realizing his mistake, the captain quickly laughed and shook his head, adding,
“Not quite… It seems you are a bit better.”
Roxelyn frowned.
“Yes, I know.”
Satisfied with her nod, the captain looked at Roxelyn with a subtle smile.
“But how did you know? That those particular herbs from Kaluta would be effective against the plague?”
The captain asked as he cautiously escorted Roxelyn.