Chapter 98 - Come Here (2) (1/2)

Elena took Mirabelle back to the room where Carlisle was standing statuesque by the window. Elena was still struggling with the fact that he was the child that she had met when she was young.

Carlisle slowly turned his head as he sensed their approached, and his blue eyes landed on the two. Mirabelle’s face turned bright.

“Hello, brother-in-law.”

Elena let out a small gasp as her eyes widened at those words. Carlisle looked surprised for a moment as well, but his expression soon relaxed.

“Thank you. How are you?”

Mirabelle went to the comfortable sofa and sat down, and Carlisle didn’t seem to mind the way she familiarly treated him. Only Elena was still frozen at the situation.

‘I knew Mirabelle was charming, but…’

This was beyond what she expected. Maybe Mirabelle was doing this because she thought Carlisle was the man Elena loved, but Elena couldn’t hide her embarrassment nonetheless.

“I asked your sister what snacks you liked. Should I bring them in now?”

“Aaah, thank you, brother-in-law.”

Elena was surprised to see them talk in a friendly way, but she eventually relaxed. Watching them like this made them really feel like a family.

“Come and sit down, too.”

Mirabelle beckoned to Elena, and she approached. Naturally, she tried to sit next to Mirabelle, but her sister blocked her and pointed to Carlisle with her eyes.

“You should sit over there.”

“Ah…”

Elena needed to say something. Carlisle shifted slightly to make room for her.

“Come here.”

Her face burned. Elena repeated to herself several times in her mind,

‘This is just an act.’

It was all the more embarrassing to do this in front of her dear Mirabelle. From now on she had to show that her and Carlisle were madly in love, on both in public and private. She schooled her feelings and sat down next to Carlisle with a calm expression. This was still awkward to her, but this was her place now.

There was the sound of knocking at the door, and when she turned her head saw Zenard entering with a tray.

“Please enjoy.”

He placed the dainty cookies and hot chocolate on the table and left.

“I have prepared a puppet play for you to enjoy in the evening, so you can come back at the Imperial Palace at any time.”

“Wow, really?”

Mirabelle looked at him in admiration, and Elena was surprised by the unexpected consideration. Puppet plays were an expensive pastime that only a few people enjoyed. Elena was about to deliver her thanks to Carlisle when–

Bulkag!

Zenard rushed back into the room with an urgent expression on his face.

‘What’s going on?’

Carlisle’s brow furrowed in concern at Zenard’s unexpected intrusion. Zenard quickly approached the prince and whispered in his ear.

“The whereabouts of Kuhn, who infiltrated the Empress’ Palace, are unknown.”

At that moment Carlisle’s expression turned serious.

*

*

*

Helen had been crying so much these days that her eyes were swollen.

Then, when she had lost all motivation and was deep in her grief, something unexpected happened. The Empress asked to meet her in person.

Helen rushed to the palace at the unexpected invitation. She had wanted to meet the Empress when she first arrived at the capital, but was denied under the pretext that the Empress was too busy. It was a mystery why she wanted to see Helen now after her reputation was in tatters, but Helen had no reason to refuse.