The Sub Male Lead is Burning with Jealousy - Chapter 5 Part 5
“Just because I’ve been rejected before doesn’t mean it’s okay to keep getting rejected! I’m human too!”
“If only you had acted sensibly from the start. Had you not forced a marriage with someone who disliked you, you wouldn’t have been hated…”
“Ugh…”
“Fortunately, there are rumors that Her Majesty has kept all your letters, not tearing or crumpling any of them.”
“Rumors?”
Whether it was true or not, the word ‘rumor’ puzzled Rahil. Looking at Sion for an answer, Sion replied.
“Her Majesty sends people away before opening your letters. Since the maids return with no letters, they can’t tell if she burned them or kept them somewhere.”
“So, she might not have read my letters?”
“Considering her improved mood, it seems likely she has read them…”
Since there was no evidence of the letters being burned inside the room, the latter must be true. Even if the paper were gone, the wax seal used to close the letters would leave a trace.
However, Sion felt it unnecessary to elaborate on this to Rahil, as the Emperor needed to feel a sense of crisis right now.
“Now that the festival is over, the nobles are returning to their daily lives. Invitations desiring your and the Empress’s attendance are already arriving.”
The invitations were merely a formality, and it was rare for nobles to actually expect the Emperor or Empress to attend. However, there was always the chance that their mood might change, and they would decide to come. Conversely, many were eager to make their names known to the Imperial family, even if just through an invitation, so the palace was always accumulating invitations.
Anais had just become Empress and had returned early from a honeymoon cut short. So in a sense, she might be potentially open to attending a noble’s invitation for a change of scenery, though unlikely given her prudent nature.
“The Empress might attend the party as a change of pace and might even find a suitable consort there.”
“Haha… Sion, you seem to think that just by mentioning the consort, I would rush to Anais like a colt with its tail on fire. Wrong! I’m not that shallow!”
Despite his confident declaration, Rahil’s eyes wavered slightly. Sion almost snorted but then he remembered the person in question was the Emperor and coughed to cover it up.
“Of course, Your Majesty isn’t shallow. But with rumors of discord between you and the Empress reaching the city’s outskirts… I’m concerned about reckless individuals approaching Her Majesty.”
The spread of rumors about the discord between the Emperor and Empress was true. Although it was excused that the Empress had returned due to ill health, there were rumors suggesting her illness was due to the Emperor’s cold treatment.
The theory was that the scene at the wedding banquet with the Duchess Calix was a staged play by the Emperor, and the real issue was the ruined honeymoon. The speculation arose because there seemed to be no benefit for the Emperor and Empress to return early from their honeymoon.
“Who dares!”
While Rahil was angry, Sion did not specifically list those who might attempt to approach the Empress. Power lay with the Emperor, but as long as a portion of it resided with the Empress, there would be those seeking to approach her.
Of course, it was uncertain what kind of power Anais would hold in the future. She could end up powerless and dethroned if their relationship worsened.
Yet, her potential made her valuable. She might become the mother of the next Emperor.
The pitiful Empress, ignored by the Emperor yet beautiful, attracted those wanting to exploit her.
Rahil wasn’t naïve enough not to realize this. His ineptitude lay in romance, not politics. Aware that Anais was unfamiliar with the political arena of the nobility, he felt a duty to protect her.
“Therefore, you must help the Empress to come closer to Your Majesty. The Empress is likely unfamiliar with the affairs of the royal court or the capital, having spent most of her time in her own territory.”
“Hmm…”
“It would also be good to open the wedding gifts together. I’ve just received reports that over half of them have been inspected already.”
With that, Rahil seemed persuaded to visit Anais. Yet, he appeared to lack the courage as he briefly avoided Sion’s gaze.
“What if I’m turned away at the door?”
Having experienced worse humiliation from his mother, Euphira, Rahil’s anxiety seemed almost quaint.
“It’s unusual for you to worry about that.”
“Of course, I worry! Being rejected by Anais feels like a knife to the heart! I’ve never felt this way before…”
‘…Maybe it’s different when you’re in love with the person?’ he muttered.
Sion refrained from mentioning Angelica, who had now become the Duchess of Calix. The fact that Rahil was showing such a reaction indicated it was different from his time with Angelica.
‘It seems he hasn’t thought that far yet.’
“We’ll go with freesias for the bouquet. It’s the only flower Her Majesty praised for its scent.”
It might be that when roses and other flowers were sent, her anger was not yet appeased to mention it, but it was clear she had reacted well to the freesias.
“Even so… wouldn’t it be better to have a gift as well?”
“With the bridal jewelry and gifts from nobles, ordinary items won’t do. Do you have something in mind?”
Rahil shook his head. It had only been a few days since they returned from their honeymoon; it was unlikely he had anything prepared. Moreover, the nobles had practically swept clean the auction houses of any valuable art or jewels in their rush to present gifts to the emperor, making it difficult even for him to acquire something unique.
“Then… what about the wedding gift from the Tower Master? It was received separately, so it may not be easy to say it was from you, but it’s something worth looking at together.”
According to the mages who inspected it, the gift was a set of couple rings inlaid with densely packed black diamonds, speculated to have been brought from a dragon’s ruins. Given the recent investigations of the Tower Master into dragon ruins, this seemed certain.
