What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 14
Ysaris groaned at the uncomfortable sensation between her legs. Despite all of the man’s seed having dried up, a sticky residue remained.
Enemy’s possession. Just two words, yet they unsettled her greatly. She had thought she was becoming indifferent lately, but after embracing him again for no clear reason, she felt a vague sense of sadness.
When would she be able to escape from this lifestyle? Could she return to Pyrein? And if she did, would anyone welcome her back?
<Perhaps it would be better if things didn’t go well. If you flirt a bit with the Emperor, perhaps Pyrein might extend some favors. Give it a try.>
“…I need to wash.”
Ysaris consciously got up. She made an effort to shake off the endless stream of negative thoughts and lowered her feet to the floor from under the bed.
She couldn’t afford to fall apart just yet. At least while her homeland was in the hands of her husband, she needed to move, even if only as a shell of herself.
That way, she might still have some value as an Empress.
Ysaris forcibly swallowed the venomous emotions rising within her. To divert her attention elsewhere, she clapped her hands twice, activating the magic chandelier.
She momentarily closed her eyes against the brightened surroundings before heading towards the bathroom. As she moved, trying to ignore the tingling sensation in her skin from being rubbed everywhere, not just her muscles, she found herself involuntarily stopping in front of the mirror.
“What on earth…”
Ysaris was at a loss for words as she examined her body. She had expected her condition to be bad, but the reddened state was beyond her imagination.
Come to think of it, she had endured groans from midway through the reception. Rumors must already be spreading about what had happened.
The Empress, who had previously maintained her composure, was now gradually revealing her true colors, engaging in affairs openly? Was the Empress deliberately showing evidence of jealousy to the Consort and flaunting traces of intimacy with the Emperor?
It was an absurd assumption. Yet, despite knowing that, Ysaris was halfway convinced that her expectations were correct.
Unfair treatment, unfounded rumors, unwarranted scrutiny.
Since arriving in the Empire of Uzephia, she had experienced countless such incidents.
<Did you hear? His Majesty has been seen frequenting the Empress’s chambers every day. The one who never paid any attention to women, what’s gotten into him?>
<Exactly! How on earth did she manage to seduce him…>
<It’s obvious, isn’t it? What other way could a woman use to captivate a man?>
<Pyrein is a small kingdom, so maybe the princess was just diligently taught the art of seduction? I wouldn’t be surprised if something like this happened!>
<Oh my, oh my, she didn’t seem like that type at all.>
Ysaris clenched her fist. Just the recollection of the trembling past sent shivers down her spine numerous times.
At first, she had been angry when she heard the murmurs about her. She argued and fought back. Instead of avoiding or hiding, she directly confronted the nobles, doing her best to fight for herself and the honor of her homeland.
But it was futile. The Emperor, the culprit behind all of this, didn’t raise his hand to help her. As an Empress who couldn’t wield any substantial power, there was nothing she could do.
Instead, she lived only to be ridiculed.
<What did they say to make such a fuss?>
<Well… They insulted me, saying I gained Your Majesty’s attention with my body.>
<Not entirely wrong. Your physique is indeed seductive.>
<Your Majesty!>
<Is it worth ruining the atmosphere of the gathering just for that reason, Empress?>
Ysaris bit her lip. No matter how much he was her husband, she had realized then that she shouldn’t expect anything from an enemy.
And that realization still held true.
You could tell just by looking at her tense neck and wrists. Kazhan, who left blatant marks in places hard to hide during the summer days, seemed to have no consideration for how much it would tarnish her reputation.
Or perhaps he did it deliberately, fully aware of the consequences.
“Like a beast…”
Ysaris murmured softly as she traced the remaining bite marks on her skin with her fingertips, almost as if marking her territory. She glanced at the deeply engraved, crimson blemishes in the mirror with a frown before turning away.
It’s as if they unleashed the violence which cannot be revealed to the beloved Empress under the guise of lust.
Thinking of the pristine neck of Runellia only made her feel even more disheartened for no apparent reason. As if avoiding her miserable situation, she passed by the mirror and entered the bathroom, where the lights automatically turned on.
Unlike usual, Ysaris didn’t consider calling a maid for her bath. Instead of enduring the scrutiny of her husband’s people, she preferred to be alone.
“Sigh…”
Ysaris sank into the warm water-filled enchanted bathtub and gazed drowsily at the ceiling. Her thin platinum hair floated on the surface of the water, sticking to her skin.
What should Ysaris do now? If the Empress formally enters the palace, the situation will only worsen from what it is now.
Ysaris closed her eyes. The water sloshing around her neck felt unusually heavy, almost as if her throat was getting drowsy.
Various thoughts about intangible threats came and went before fading away. Amidst the drifting consciousness, a thought suddenly stopped at a certain point.
“If…”
