Chapter 151 (1/2)

Chapter 151: Chapter 151

I left the empty conference hall. While walking silently, watching the pictures hanging in the hallway, I looked up at him at my side. He looked at me and said, “Do you have anything to say, Lady Monique?”

“Well, if you excuse me, can you tell me what you talked about with my father and Duke Lars a little while ago?”

I was bothered by Duke Lars’s uneasy expression, which was quite unusual. I served him as my boss for about one and a half years, but I’ve never seen him making such a serious look before. After a brief pause, Marquis Enesil smiled awkwardly. It seemed he was embarrassed because he wasn’t ready to leak their conservation yet.

“Well, that was…”

“… ”

“They might not like my telling you, but I think it’s better you know about it as you are directly involved. Even if your father discovers it later, I hope he won’t feel regretful about it.”

“Sure, don’t worry.”

After hesitating a bit, he said calmly, as if he made up his mind.

“Although Duke Lars told your father he should be ready to send you to the imperial family because there was no other choice, your father didn’t agree. So, they had a quarrel.”

“… I see. Thanks for tipping me off.”

I expected the same thing. I already realized that the pro-emperor faction had no other alternative but me to compete with Jiun. I also knew that I could not escape the fate determined through the oath. I knew that no matter how much I hated it, they would try to put me in the position of the crown prince’s wife for their own interests after the year’s grace period.

Can’t I escape this face when I tried so hard? I was consumed by a sense of emptiness that I had forgotten for a moment. An extreme sense of emptiness engulfed me.

“Excuse me. Are you Lady Monique? ”

“… Yes, im. What’s the matter? ”

“The crown prince wants to see you.”

“I see. Got it.”

Why did he ask to see me so earnestly, starting yesterday? What more has he to say when the decision was already made? Do I have to see him? I’m sick and tired of everything right now as my efforts for the past five years almost ended in tears.

‘Well, I have no other choice anyway.’

With a sigh, I walked after the attendant after seeking the marquis’s understanding.

The place where the attendant escorted me was the big lake in the back of the Imperial Palace.

It was the very lake where Jiun was discovered before my return from the past.

The drought drastically reduced its size, but the breeze was still blowing over the lake, which was still very large. Dela flowers blooming in the trees around the lake glowed white in the sunlight.

After bowing to the royal knights standing on guard at the entrance, I stepped in and found a young man with blue hair overlooking the lake.

“I’m honored to see you, the Little Sun of the empire!”

“Oh, hi.”

I paused for a moment, looking at his hand in front of me. I felt awkward as he offered to escort me in a private place like this.

But what does it matter at this point? No matter what I think, I will have no choice but to follow my destiny as already determined.

With my hand on top of his heavy hand, I silently moved as he led. While walking silently along the lake for a while, he stopped suddenly and said coldly, “…Are you okay? ”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I answered blankly with my gaze fixed on the lake.

Was it because I didn’t sleep properly, or was my heart empty? My whole body felt heavy like wet cotton, and my brain was befogged as if I was wandering in a dream.

“Really? I know you have been on edge for the past several days.”

“… I’m sorry. ”

“Well, I didn’t say that to make you feel sorry, but even now you don’t look good. Anyway, I’m glad to know you are okay.”

“… ”

“Come to think of it, it’s the first time I saw you wearing a formal dress. It looks good on you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The sunlight shining on the tranquil water was beautiful. I fixed my gaze on the surface of the dazzling lake.

Suddenly, I felt like I would like to melt away into that bright light. If I was inside that light, I would be able to shine beautifully without any dark darkness or despair.

“I don’t think I expressed gratitude to you properly as I was so busy. Thanks for your caring for the emperor when you were at the summer palace.”

“You’re welcome, Your Majesty.”

“Back then… ”

“… ”

“There was a dispute at the Rose Palace. Jiun, now the duke’s foster daughter, had a quarrel with the duke’s wife.”

“I see.”