What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 30
Ysaris asked as she took her seat, observing Temisian. The man, with a prominent scar crossing his face, was the head of a family that had pledged unwavering loyalty to the Tennilath royal family for generations.
The Emperor’s dog.
A man who could never be her ally.
“I heard that Your Majesty was unwell, so I came to visit.”
Ysaris did not immediately understand Temisian’s words. She pondered the connection between her illness and his visit, then realized a beat later.
“A get-well visit…?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I also brought some fruits believed to be good for your recovery.”
He was sincere. Ysaris looked down at the fruit basket placed in the center of the table with a speechless expression.
It was the first get-well gift she had received here.
“Why?”
The abrupt question made Temisian blink.
“How could I not be concerned when the Empress of the Empire is unwell? It is only right for a subject to be worried.”
Of course. That’s the normal reaction.
It’s my treatment that has been abnormal.
Ysaris was shocked by how accustomed she had become to abnormality. The fact that one year as an Empress had overshadowed her entire life as a princess struck her anew, and she spoke in a sharp tone.
“No one else has shown concern for my well-being.”
“The Empire’s sun would be greatly troubled to hear such words. You know how much he cherishes Your Majesty.”
“Cherishes… Even if that’s true, isn’t it a bit late for a get-well visit?”
“I intended to visit earlier, but visits were prohibited for a week. I thought Your Majesty was gravely ill, but I’m relieved that’s not the case.”
So that’s why no one had come.
Ysaris closed her mouth at Temisian’s straightforward response. She hadn’t expected any noble in Uzephia to respect her as a person, let alone that it would be the Emperor’s right-hand man.
Because he only held a banquet for the Consort, Ysaris naturally thought he disliked her.
“…Did you plan to hold a banquet for my wedding as well?”
“How did you know? Although it was canceled due to lack of approval, the preparations were made.”
Ysaris let out a short breath. In the end, it all circled back to that damn Emperor.
There are good people like this.
No, he must be neutral. His actions were likely for Tennilath rather than for me.
Quickly correcting her thoughts, Ysaris nodded and slightly pulled the fruit basket towards herself. There was no reason to refuse a gift from one of the rare people who didn’t dislike her.
“Then I will gratefully accept it.”
“It is I who should be grateful for you accepting it.”
Temisian, smiling broadly, pulled out a small pouch from his pocket. The packaging was charming, quite unlike his rugged appearance.
“Actually, I was planning to eat this alone, but in the hope of Your Majesty’s quick recovery, I will share it.”
“What is it?”
“Cookies made by my wife. They’re very healthy and taste great. They might even surpass the most famous bakery in the capital.”
“…I see. The Duchess has quite a productive hobby.”
“Haha, I actually proposed to her because I fell in love with her cooking. I’ve never regretted this marriage.”
Ysaris felt her tension dissipate. Although she didn’t know everything about Temisian yet, she understood that he was harmless. He seemed straightforward enough to proudly mention that his wife cooks, a humble trait among the nobles.
For the first time in the Uzephia Empire, Ysaris had a relaxed conversation with someone. Caught up in the surprisingly chatty and quirky Duke’s stories, she found herself faced with a proposal that was hard to respond to.
“The new restaurant has been rumored to be quite delicious, so my wife and I visited, and it was indeed excellent. Now that Your Majesty is feeling better, how about having lunch there sometime?”
“…Duke, I…”
Ysaris hesitated for a moment, studying Temisian.
One thing she realized during their conversation was that this man was more oblivious than she had thought. He only paid attention to areas of interest to him and was rather dull regarding other information.
For example, he didn’t know that Ysaris lived a life close to imprisonment. Such trivial things were unknown to him. These were things he could have known if he paid a bit of attention.
“If His Majesty the Emperor allows it… I shall go.”
Ysaris didn’t want to reveal her entire situation to Temisian, so she deflected as much as possible. She planned to indefinitely postpone the visit and later pretend to forget about it.
Not actually seeking permission from Kazhan.
“Your wish to share good food with your husband truly shows the motherly nature of the Empire.”
“That’s a misunderstanding. It’s not like that…”
“Then shall we go now?”
“Pardon?”
“It’s almost lunchtime. Let’s ask His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Wait, Duke.”
“I’ll cover the cost of the date. It’s been a while since I’ve done something nice. Haha!”
Was he not just eccentric but actually insane?
Ysaris tried to stop Temisian with a stunned expression, but at the worst possible moment, the worst person appeared.
Slam.
“Who is dating whom?”
