What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 10
Runellia wanted those crimson eyes. She wished that what filled them was not Ysaris, but her.
How exhilarating would it be if that disdainful gaze turned into obsession right before her eyes? If this proud man were to yearn for her love. If, after resisting and resisting, he finally surrendered to her and knelt before her.
“I told you not to call me by name. Are you daft?”
“Hah, Your Majesty… Your, Your Ma—!”
Runellia stretched out her body, convulsing. Unconsciously, she played with her hand to meet the climax as his deep voice echoed like a cave.
The lunatic. From Kazhan’s expression, Runellia recognized the exact word, but she didn’t care. To bring down a lunatic, she had to become one herself.
As she rolled her eyes with a dazed look, he turned his head as if annoyed. But it was okay. Even his profile was perfect.
No matter how much he resisted, he would eventually be hers.
The relationship between the Emperor and the Empress already had an irrevocable bond. Once that was completely shattered, Runellia’s world would dawn
She stretched her lips into a smile as she looked at the man of her dreams. It was a smile reminiscent of a viper.
* * *
Ysaris pressed her tired eyes with her fingertips, feeling the exhaustion in her body more acutely in recent times.
It had been barely an hour since she started reading to clear her cluttered mind. Sensing her dwindling concentration, she sighed and rose from her seat.
She thought of taking a walk in the garden or something.
As she made this decision and lightly draped a shawl over herself, a knock sounded at the door.
“Your Majesty, Lady Logiten has sent word and request an audience. Her entourage has been ushered into the reception room. What shall we do?”
“What is the matter?”
“They only mentioned a desire for a brief conversation.”
Ysaris hesitated for a moment. Dealing with an unwelcome guest made her want to come up with some excuse to send them away, but just thinking about how the Emperor might react if she did drain her mental energy.
She decided to handle it gracefully and send them on their way.
Concealing her reluctance, she replied.
“I’ll go now.”
Since she had been planning to go out anyway, she thought of the meeting as a brief stop along the way. She felt somewhat relieved that Kazhan wasn’t accompanying her and proceeded with heavy steps.
Passing through the splendid corridors, Ysaris made her way to the reception room. The journey was brief. Upon entering, she sat down and faced Runellia, who had arrived shortly before her.
Her face, seen after a solid two days, remained unchanged. Runellia greeted her with a challenging gaze and a beautiful smile.
“Lady Runellia.”
“It would be nice if Your Majesty could call me Runellia—”
“Let’s get straight to the point, shall we? Why are you here.”
Ysaris cut through Runellia’s pretense and asked bluntly. She felt that engaging in trivial conversation and prolonging the discussion with her would be less productive than taking a nap.
With an infinitely indifferent and matter-of-fact attitude, Runellia’s lips twitched slightly before returning to their neutral position. Then, with a bright face devoid of any hint of emotion, she replied.
“As you know, I will officially become the Imperial Consort next week.”
Ysaris looked at Runellia silently instead of chiming in with agreement. Though she didn’t know why, she had a premonition that Runellia was about to say something absurd.
Sure enough, Runellia came up with a cheeky request, her face beaming with a mischievous smile.
“It’s my day, so wouldn’t it be nice if Empress Ysaris gave a special speech just for me?”
she said with a grin.
“Hah.”
Ysaris couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. It was not an ordinary wedding, and now she was being asked to deliver a special speech at the Imperial Consort’s coronation ceremony. And from the Empress, no less.
Each time, it was Ysaris who overlooked it, but how Runellia chose to accept it was her own business. And now, seeing her, she could guess how she had been viewing Ysaris all along. How lightly she must have regarded her.
The cold, steely demeanor formed a rigid expression. Just as she was about to speak, Runellia interjected with her lively tone.
“Most people would think there’s a problem with the existing marriage if a man welcomes a second wife, wouldn’t they? But I don’t want Your Majesty the Empress to be treated like that. We’re going to be a family now. So…”
“Lady.”
Ysaris calmly interrupted. It was Kazhan who was welcoming this woman into the household, not Runellia. It meant there was no reason to indulge in excessive nonsense.
“Firstly, you’re not special enough for me to give a speech. Secondly, judging my marriage is your business. Thirdly, whatever treatment I receive has nothing to do with you, so don’t expect anything from me.”
“How can you say such things!”
“Let me put it differently. Don’t come looking for me, don’t provoke me. Just spend time with my husband, whom you seem to adore so much. Let’s not waste our lives on such pointless matters.”
With that, Ysaris stood up from her seat.
A clear dismissal.
Despite waiting for her to leave first as a final courtesy, Runellia’s actions once again defied common sense.
“I thought of you as family, Your Majesty… This is truly too much.”
Her lips pressed tightly together as her eyes, filled with wounded affection, met Ysaris’s gaze.
“Do you have any idea how much I admire and respect you, Your Majesty?”
