Chapter 32

Rosaline wasn’t the crying type.

She hadn’t cried when she realized she had transmigrated into a novel, nor when it had sunk in that she had no way out of it. Was it because it felt too unrealistic? Everything that had happened thus far sometimes felt like a dream to her, which might have been why she wasn’t very greedy.

She was confident that she wouldn’t grieve too much if she lost anything in this world because it wasn’t her reality anyway.

It didn’t matter what she lost; it wasn’t hers to begin with.

But the moment Rosaline thought of Cahir being in danger, she felt dizzy and faint.

Tears welled up and her mind blanked.

Although… Thinking about it, the probability of him being in danger in the middle of the day in the imperial palace was lower than that of Rosaline returning to her original world. He was an excellent swordsman, and while he didn’t have guards surrounding him, there were certainly those on duty to maintain the strict security of the palace.

‘Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know!’

She couldn’t think of anything but the guard’s solemn expression when he said the emperor had drawn his sword. Confirming Cahir’s safety was the only way for her heart to stop beating like a runaway locomotive.

Rosaline sprinted like the last runner of a relay race.

Before she realized it, she could already see the back of the guard’s head. And by the time she saw Cahir, her face and neck were already damp with sweat and tears.

She slowed down.

That golden hair and broad back were just as she had always seen.

“Your Majesty!” she blurted out.

Cahir looked back at her, still holding up his sword. Rosaline didn’t stop moving.

‘His Majesty is safe!’

Her panic turned to relief. Seeing her approach, he dropped the weapon.

He spread his arms and Rosaline ran into them. Cahir seamlessly lifted her and spun around to prevent themselves from falling over. She felt as light as a butterfly as his arms wrapped tightly around her.

“Rosaline…?” He was a little embarrassed at the unfamiliar physical contact, although neither of them let go.

“Your Majesty, are you safe?” She could clearly see that he was, but she wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

Cahir’s eyes narrowed. “I’m always safe, Rosaline… Did you cry?”

Her eyes widened, his mood souring further.

‘She seemed alright at the tea party earlier. What happened? Did the other noblewomen belittle her family? Was she scolded by Mrs. Becky?’

The fact remained that Rosaline had cried.

He let go of her waist, furious. Her feet were now firmly back on the ground.

Cahir picked up his sword. “Rosaline, who made you cry? You didn’t cry when you went three nights without sleep because of work. You didn’t cry when you had a high fever and a swollen throat. You didn’t cry when you worked while you were hungry. Who made you cry?”

All of those scenarios were strange and completely inappropriate to discuss now. She wanted to correct him, but she didn’t even know where to start. And as for the person who made her cry… No! Why was this man pulling out his sword in the middle of the day!?

“Rosaline, you can tell me. Who made you cry?” he growled.

‘What if he finds out why I cried? How would he react?’

“I’m going to kill them.”

“What?” Rosaline’s voice cracked. “You’d kill someone because they made me cry?”

“Rosaline, you never cry. Their crime is unforgivable.” Cahir gripped the hilt of his sword. He didn’t have a good reason to kill anyone yet.

She had no choice but to lie. “I didn’t cry.”

His eyebrow raised. “You’re lying again.”

“It’s really not…”

“You bit your lips too.” His thumb brushed over the teeth marks on her lower lip, making her feel ticklish. “Who was it? Tell me.”

How could she say that it was the thought of him that made her cry?

She gulped.

Cahir closed the distance between them, enough to feel each other’s breath. “Rosaline…” he sighed.

Her hair stood on end.

“Your Majesty!” A shaky voice called out from behind them.

Rosaline looked over Cahir’s shoulder. Only then did she notice Ella, who had weapons pointed at her neck.

“Your Majesty, what just happened?” Rosaline’s voice hardened, her face turning hostile. “Did she do something terrible?”

She was angry. Cahir could feel the heat rising from her body. She was getting angry for him.

Strangely, he felt better, though he still wanted to know who made her cry.

It happened often, actually. He rarely got angry nowadays when it came to work, but she did. Whether he was called a bloody tyrant or praised by the nobles for his concern for the people, it was Rosaline who criticized them or got excited. At those times, his heart always felt… funny, just like now.

“Yes. She tried to kill me,” he exaggerated, wanting to take advantage of this moment.

“No, Your Majesty! I would never dare to do that!” Ella’s words morphed into sobbing.

“Lady Ella, did you try to kill His Majesty?”

Cahir nodded shamelessly. Although he hadn’t killed her, he did feel that murderous aura.

Rosaline looked back at him. He nodded again.

She couldn’t believe Ella had tried to kill him, not when she had always talked about fate and marriage. Did this happen because she was always rejected?

Cahir wouldn’t have drawn his weapon against an unarmed, delicate woman for no reason.

Rosaline couldn’t forgive that. As she had expected, Ella became too greedy. Hands clenched into fists as she approached her.

The emperor became curious about what his secretary would do.

He’d often seen her angry, but never like this. He waved his hand and the guards stepped aside to open the way for Rosaline.

“Lady Ella, I thought you at least respected and valued His Majesty.”

“Rosaline! I have never wanted to harm His Majesty—”

Slap~

Ella’s head turned sharply.

“Ow…” She held her red cheek and glared at Rosaline, whose eyes were cold as she came even closer.

Rosaline grabbed Ella’s shoulder and gently lowered her lips to the other woman’s ear. “Whether you were the original heroine or not doesn’t matter anymore. If you harm His Majesty, I will not forgive you even if you were the author. I’ll save you today because I don’t want to tarnish the garden with your blood. Don’t even look at His Majesty from now on.”

Her voice was only for one person to hear. Rosaline pushed her away, and Ella, whose legs had been trembling, fell onto the grass.

Cahir grinned. He’d repeat the experience a hundred thousand times if he could. He went closer and put a hand on Rosaline’s shoulder.

Ella’s eyes trembled violently. “Your Majesty…” She crawled. Rosaline had humiliated her, but she couldn’t give up on Cahir. She had to resolve the misunderstanding…

‘I wanted to kill Rosaline, that vixen, not you!’

“Stop. I only did this much because you’re Rosaline’s friend. Be thankful that you can go back alive today.”

His cold words were a knife to Ella’s heart, but still, it only stoked her obsession further.

Cahir and Rosaline walked away, leaving her alone and staring at their backs unblinkingly.

‘I will never give up on you! Eventually, I’ll be the one next to you. Not Rosaline, but Ella!’

***

“Oh my, Secretary Rosaline. Where have you been?”

“Nobody has left yet because they’re waiting for you.”

A colorful whirlwind of flower-like ladies rushed toward Rosaline as she and Cahir returned to the hall.

The tea party was almost over. Mrs. Becky, who intuitively sensed that something had happened, was in charge of hosting.

‘Ella had made me feel so unpleasant earlier, but I feel confident now.’

“I apologize. I should have kept my seat.”

“No, Secretary Rosaline! I’m sure you did something to help the empire, right?”

Well, it was more to help Cahir… Wasn’t it?

She smiled and apologized profusely, the young ladies reassured her, and she thanked them for their time.

‘Are the young nobles of Aetheus all so angelic?’

Rosaline smiled at their bright-eyed expressions.

“But it’s true that it was a shame,” said one of the ladies. She was small and still had baby fat on her cheeks and an almost puppy-like face.

‘Did she say she was three years younger than me?’

“I wanted to talk a lot with you since you are my idol!” she exclaimed loudly.

Rosaline’s eyes got bigger and Cahir’s eyebrows went up.

‘What does this mean?’ / ‘What does this mean?’

It had been a while since the two had thought the same thing at the same time.