Chapter 34

“Where’s Rosaline?” Cahir asked as soon as Derek entered the office, groaning with the weight of the documents.

“Whoa. Secretary Rosaline was attending a meeting, remember?”

Yes, it was a question he had asked over and over again.

“Really? But why is she taking so long?”

“It’s only been about an hour.”

“Only? Do these old people have so much to say to her? Is anything strange happening?”

These days, Cahir had been very sensitive to the people surrounding Rosaline. He’d always been a vigilant person, but that was mostly because of the threat of accidents and assassinations. Basically, it was only for suspicious situations.

This was profoundly different. Everyone around Rosaline was on edge.

It had been like that since the tea party. The air of envy, admiration, and respect that had swirled around the young ladies and Rosaline annoyed Cahir.

Was it a case of disliking him?

No. They probably didn’t dislike him just because they liked Rosaline.

‘There’s no one who hates me.’

He didn’t know where this… problem came from, nor its exact nature.

Cahir’s frown seemed permanent.

Derek spoke again, “Your Majesty, do you know the agenda of today’s meeting?”

“What is it?”

Derek sighed, making the emperor’s eyebrows raise. “Your Majesty, today’s agenda is the empress selection.”

No matter how uninterested he was, he should know that he wouldn’t be able to avoid this discussion even though the process was primarily in the nobles’ hands.

“Are all these meetings really necessary? Is Rosaline not my secretary, but the aristocrats’?”

Vexed, Derek was very close to blurting out that Rosaline was there because she was the emperor’s most loyal and knowledgeable secretary.

Of course, he kept his mouth shut.

“Screw this! Let’s finish this within a week.”

Well. That didn’t make sense, but once Cahir said something, it would inevitably become reality.

‘Hui is going to kill me.’

He’d promised her a hot night. Derek sighed again.

***

“What?”

It was a leisurely afternoon when Derek delivered Cahir’s orders to Rosaline after excusing himself using to go to the bathroom. The emperor had been left in the office, wrestling with documents, while the aide ran into the secretary in the corridor.

Rosaline blinked absently.

“Actually, does His Majesty have a secret lover?”

“No way.”

“Was there a particular person from the tea party who…?” Derek shook his head, his eyes gleaming curiously.

She didn’t seem to have realized it yet, but there were times when Cahir stared at her with a honeyed gaze. Derek had always thought it was merely affection for a competent employee because that was how Rosaline looked at Cahir when he achieved something great.

‘But she doesn’t look at me that way, does she? Come to think of it…’

Five years ago, there was a spark between those two that burned brightly and disappeared just as suddenly.

“Do you know? Who is it? Tell me!” Rosaline noticed the subtle change in Derek’s expression.

“That is…” he mumbled as she clasped her hands together and looked pleadingly at him. “I don’t know either.”

Sigh~

As mercurial as Cahir was, nobody could really say what he was thinking. Derek didn’t dare try to guess at his thoughts, lest he was suddenly sent to the border. Although he was outstanding enough to come back alive, that wasn’t the point.

Besides, even if the emperor’s heart was true, it was kind of unfair, right?

How many times did he have to be nagged by Hui because of Cahir? Each time he was late because of sudden orders, she got angry because he wasn’t able to work more efficiently to finish sooner. Hui didn’t know the extent of what he had to do.

In any case, Derek shut his mouth.

Rosaline’s head started spinning.

‘He doesn’t even have anyone specific in mind but he wants the empress selection to be done within a week? We haven’t even established a clear standard for how to choose. Cahir can’t just marry randomly!’

She hated this. She didn’t know why, but she did.

“I can’t do that,” she said firmly.

***

“Your Majesty!” Rosaline stomped to the office.

Cahir was looking seriously at the report on the construction of the temple. It stated that it was difficult to tell if someone was benefiting from the purchase of the land. This revealed a need to reform the laws on real estate.

However, the administrator in charge was lazy and laughed it off. It seemed that they needed a harsh reprimand soon.

“Rosaline, it’s good that you’re here. Did you see this?” He pushed the report toward her.

She sneaked a look and shook her head. “Your Majesty, the construction is important, but I have something to discuss with you before that.”

“What is it?”

“I heard that you want an empress chosen within the week.”

“Derek must have told you.” Cahir looked at the report again.

“Your Majesty!”

“Rosaline, don’t be noisy. Hasn’t it already been decided? No, even if it’s not yet decided, it’ll be narrowed down to a few families’ daughters anyway. Are you really thinking of handpicking the empress?” He folded the report and put it down, staring at her. “I guess you really don’t know, staying in the palace all the time. They would’ve quarreled with each other endlessly the moment it was rumored that you would choose the empress. There are three finalists, right? It might as well be over.”

“No, Your Majesty. I will ask Berlos to preside over the selection…”

“What’s so important that they need to get involved?”

“What?”

Cahir’s expression hardened. It seemed that he really was not interested in his future empress. He was basically treating this process like a cumbersome assignment.

“Haa, Rosaline,” he sighed, standing up.

Rosaline looked up at him.

“My opinion doesn’t matter anyway. I’m not going to fall in love with the empress, so it’s fine to just pick whoever. The empress’ seat holds no power.”

Only then did she realize that they’d never asked him for his opinion in the first place.

His marriage would be loveless, but so were most noble marriages, right? Divorce would also be an unlikely option.

“So, Rosaline, do whatever the nobles want. I’ll play with them this time.”

Cahir’s face looked… lonely.

An invisible hand squeezed her heart. “Your Majesty, why are you giving up? You’re going to live without love? You’re resigned to marrying an empress who might as well be an ornament to you?”

The emperor’s companion should occupy a larger role than that. Her role was to assist him dutifully, taking the lead when the emperor was hurt and tired.

‘He never meant for the empress to do anything.’

Her heart tingled again. Then who would comfort him, if there was no one on his side?

Tears welled up in Rosaline’s eyes.

“Rosaline!”

“Your Majesty, I swear I’ll think of a way to pick an empress who’s really worthy of the position.”

“Rosaline, are you crying?” Cahir’s expression crumpled. He sighed, wiping his face.

She quickly brushed away her tears. Somehow, it was hilarious to see him sympathize with her tears.

“What kind of person is he?”

“What?”

“People change when they love.”

“What?”

“You’ve been crying a lot recently. Tell me what kind of jerk he is to make you act like that.” He frowned, eyes turning frosty.

He couldn’t have possibly imagined that Rosaline would shed tears because of worry for him. Cahir had always been an object of fear or longing for people.

“Rosaline, tell me. Who’s giving you a hard time? What, you don’t want to tell me? I’ll support you no matter what, so don’t worry and just speak. Why are you so frustrated?”

Cahir was now spinning stories. She wanted to see how far he’d gone with assuming what had happened.

According to him, Rosaline was crying because she had an unrequited crush. Indeed, there was a fool who didn’t like her back. An appropriate punishment would be the amputation of a limb…

“Stop it.”

She trembled as the genre of his novel changed from romance to suspense.

“Why, Rosaline? If you’re not amenable to cutting limbs, then the leash…”

“Leash— Your Majesty! I’m crying because of you!” she screamed.

Cahir froze, mouth hanging open. He didn’t even blink, his stare fixed on her.

“Last time and this time, it’s all because of Your Majesty,” Rosaline whispered, bowing her head.

He wiped his face again, dumbfounded.

“Because of me? Why?”

“That’s right. I’m worried…”

His eyebrows furrowed. Rosaline was worried about him? That hurt his pride a little. She was the one who worried him. Did he seem so unreliable that his secretary shed tears?

“Rosaline, don’t you know what kind of person I am?”

Her eyes grew round.

“I’m not weak enough to warrant being worried about. Do you think you have to take care of me? My pride is a little damaged.”

“Oh no, that’s not it…”

Of course, she wanted to take care of him, but that didn’t mean she thought he was weak. This was a huge misunderstanding.

“Then, is it because of this… Rosaline, is it because of the empress selection?”

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“First of all, that’s technically why, but…”

Cahir’s eyes looked a little different.