What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 62
“If you’re not here to help, then why have you returned?”
After the meeting ended early, Temisian had blended into the crowd of nobles and left, seemingly in high spirits. But now that he’d slipped back, Jeviken wanted to know the reason. Temisian cleared his throat.
“I heard something strange on my way out. Someone said they were going to visit the Imperial Consort and stop His Majesty’s tyranny this time. Since you once supported the Imperial Consort, Duke Barillio, I thought I should give you a heads-up before things get out of hand.”
“Well…”
Jeviken paused, considering his words. He started to phrase it diplomatically but then realized who he was speaking to and bluntly stated the truth.
“It’s a foolish plan. How long has it been since the Imperial Consort last had any influence over His Majesty?”
Bang!
“I said I’m not doing it!”
As Runellia slammed the table and stood up, the group sitting across from her naturally followed suit.
“Your Highness!”
“Count Takeon, was this your idea? Are you trying to get rid of me?”
“W-what are you talking about?!”
“How could I possibly manipulate the search teams for the Empress? If I so much as utter a word, His Majesty would swing his sword without hesitation!”
With a shout filled with frustration, Count Takeon began to sweat profusely. While he had considered that the Imperial Consort might refuse, he hadn’t anticipated such an intense reaction.
“I wasn’t suggesting we smuggle anyone away. I just thought it might be beneficial to reduce the number of people involved in the search and use them elsewhere…”
“That’s the same thing! If you’re too scared to say it yourselves and are pushing it onto me, isn’t that just another assassination attempt?”
“Still, His Majesty seems to care more for you than for us, Your Highness.”
At those words, Runellia burst out as if a hidden sore spot had been struck.
“When are you talking about?! Don’t you realize His Majesty is doing all this because he’s obsessed with the Empress, not me?! I can’t even stand to look at you all, so get out!”
“My apologies, then.”
The group, including Count Takeon, quickly left, almost tripping over themselves as they exited, sensing she might actually throw something at them. As soon as the door closed behind them, a teacup shattered against the wall.
“Honestly, how can such clueless people even call themselves nobles?!”
Left alone in the drawing room, Runellia fumed, taking her anger out on nearby objects. Having to state out loud why she couldn’t take action herself had bruised her pride deeply, and her fury didn’t subside easily.
If it were the Empress, she would have stepped forward without hesitation and come out unscathed. Wasn’t it because of her that the Emperor continued his madness?
Runellia hated Ysaris, even after death, for continually making her feel inferior. Now, she could no longer even mock her to relieve her stress, leaving her rage swirling inside with nowhere to go.
“He should have been mine…”
The Emperor should have been hers.
Runellia ground her teeth. She couldn’t understand how she had ended up in this situation.
When the Emperor returned from his journey in a terrible state, alone without the Empress, she had thought her opportunity had finally come. She imagined that if she cared for him and comforted him, he would soon open his heart to her. She indulged in those blissful fantasies.
But her plans started to fall apart the moment Kazhan recovered within a day of his return. Potions made by the mages were supposed to accelerate healing, but they couldn’t possibly cure injuries that would leave one crippled. She had no idea what he had done to recover so quickly.
“Is he even human?”
Runellia muttered thoughtlessly and then quickly covered her mouth in shock. She knew too well how many people had recently been executed for careless words. Glancing around the empty room with caution, she let out a sigh.
‘Why do I have to be this afraid?’
“So frustrating.”
She kicked the chair hard. Though her title as the Imperial Consort, her domain, and her people remained unchanged, too much had shifted.
It was all because the Emperor had gone mad. Not only had he completely annihilated the Kingdom of Hertie, but he also laid waste to the borderlands, making them uninhabitable.
And even after over a year since the Empress’s disappearance, he continued to act as if she were still alive. The massive deployment of skilled personnel for the ongoing search was proof of that.
Voices of concern had naturally risen, but those who voiced them were all beheaded. The only one who had managed to stop the Emperor and survive was Duke Barilio.
Runellia had also narrowly escaped death once and dared not approach him carelessly anymore. Her fingers trembled as they traced the scar on her neck, hidden beneath layers of makeup.
