Chapter 184 (1/2)

Chapter 184: Chapter 184

When I stared at her sharply, she stepped aside, biting her lip. It looked as if she was very much offended because she was higher in rank before my return yet now she was lower than me as I was his fiancee officially.

Smiling at her sarcastically, I passed through the old-fashioned waiting room and opened the emperor’s bedroom.

The emperor’s bedroom, which I saw for the first time in my life, had a very different atmosphere from what I thought. Although there were no windows inside to avoid assassination attempts, there were the portraits of the previous emperors and magenta tapestry hung on the wall in his brightly lit room, and the magenta carpet on the floor was elaborately embroidered with the crest of a roaring golden lion.

As I approached the large bed in the middle of the room, the crown prince sitting by the bed looked around at me. I showed due manners by forcibly moving my body that was trying to harden.

“I, Aristia la Monique, am honored to greet you, the Little Sun of the empire.”

“…It’s been a long time. ”

After welcoming me with a dry voice, he rose from his seat.

“Given the situation, I can’t allow you to meet him alone. I hope you understand. ”

“That’s fine, Your Highness. I’m so grateful to you for granting my request.”

Nodding at me, he moved back a couple of steps. Bowing to him once again, I approached his bedside.

The emperor was so different from what he looked like him nearly three months ago. His gray hair became almost white, and his blue eyes that overwhelmed the people were hidden under his tightly closed eyelids. He was too weak and emaciated, compared with his former self, who was always strong and energetic.

“Your Majesty…”

My heart ached. He was a strong supporter for me along with my father. He kept holding on to me who didn’t want to be tied to the imperial family, but unlike the past, who treated me so kindly, he kept some distance from me perhaps because of my middle name. Nonetheless, he tried to protect me as best he could.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m really sorry …

I found my eyes welled with tears, and soon tears began to drop.

If he hadn’t protected me so strongly, would I have survived until now? The emperor took the measure to protect me by having a security retainer escort me behind the scenes since I was young to protect me from the noble faction’s hostile intentions. During the great famine period, he dispatched royal guards to give me escort service. After hearing that Jiun appeared, he had me stay with him for reasons of sickness for fear I might be ambushed at the summer place where security was not tight. He also gave me a set of silverware that was used only in the royal family. After all, he ended up being in this situation because of my carelessness.

“Just like I recovered thanks to your help, I hope you can fully recover as quickly as possible.”

For fear I might shed more tears uncontrollably, I stood up, wiping my tears. I bowed to the crown prince and tried to move with faltering steps, when I suddenly felt I hit something.

In an instant, I lost my balance.

When I fell all of a sudden, a royal knight on standby quickly apologized.

“Oops, Lady Monique, I’m so sorry. ”

Embarrassed, I hurriedly pushed off the floor with my arms, I couldn’t flex my arms as I wished.

Suddenly, I let out a sigh. I wish he had helped me first raise my body before apologizing. If he were a servant, he could not dare to touch a daughter of a great noble family like me, so I can understand. But wasn’t this man a knight who could?

When I tried to flex my arms again, someone gently grabbed me from behind. I stiffened due to the cool scent of his body.

“Why are you coming in so urgently, Sir Cor?”

“Oh, well…”

Instead of trying to answer something, the royal knight quickly glanced at me.

I tried to step back, thinking I should not overhear their conversation, but couldn’t because he tightened his grip on my arms. I flinched because of the warmth I felt from his body.

“What is it?”

“Duke Jena and his daughter want to see you.”

“I clearly told you I wouldn’t allow anybody to see the emperor because he was in a critical condition. Why did you come here to report to me?”

“Well, the duke strongly protested, saying you granted Lady Monique’s request to see the emperor…”

I opened my eyes wide at his unexpected words. What the heck is he talking about? The crown prince denied all the requests to see the emperor?

At that moment, the crown prince asked coldly, “Sir Cor, are you a knight of the imperial family, or a knight of Duke Jena?”

“…Of course, I belong to the imperial family, Your Highness.”

“But why did you disobey my order and dare to enter the emperor’s bedroom without my permission? Do you know the consequences of your rude actions?”

“Please forgive me for my rudeness, Your Highness!”

The knight, whose face turned white, kneeled before him right away.

As if he let out a sigh, I felt his hot breathing touching my head. I cured up, feeling as if my hair bristled.