Chapter 40

****

‘Oh, I should have said she should be one of the final candidates.’

Well, semantics. Cahir had already said it, and Rosaline would be the empress anyway. No need to retract his statement.

He looked at her. She blinked. He wiggled his brows slightly.

Rosaline’s reaction was… inscrutable.

Wasn’t the position of empress something highly coveted?

“Do I need to say it again? Be the empress, Rosaline. The pinnacle of womenfolk, the center of power and society… Rosaline?”

She remained unmoved.

Was something wrong? Derek’s words about proposing to Hui came to mind, but how could that compare with the gravity of being the empress? Still, it wasn’t too unlikely that most women had fantasies of how they would be proposed to.

‘If that’s the case, then I’m confident I can make this grand.’

Cahir swept his golden hair back with a smile. “Rosaline, don’t worry. The actual proposal will be great enough to make its mark on history.”

“What? A proposal?”

‘That’s not it, Your Majesty!’

***

Late at night, two dark figures entered Azela’s bedroom. In the hallway remained only the most loyal of servants.

It was a quiet night.

“I’m here, Mother-in-law, may the light of the goddess Eteusis shine on you for a long time. It’s been a while… How have you been?” Ella lowered her hood, revealing the small face and long neck that stimulated a desire to conquer.

“The Duke of Magnis greets the empress dowager,” said the other figure.

“Welcome, I’m very sorry for making you walk all the way to this shabby place.” Azela smiled brightly at the two.

Though, of course, her quarters were far from being shabby. It practically shone during the daytime, adorned with gold and stained glass. Splendor and luxury were her companions.

“It’s a beautiful place. Mother-in-law’s eyes are truly discerning.”

“You have a special talent for recognizing value, Ella.” Azela covered her mouth and smiled pretentiously.

The three sat down at a round table. There was not much time left before the empress selection, and the empress dowager had rejected all of Duke Magnis’s suggestions. She wanted Ella.

“Do you still have Cahir in your heart, Ella?”

Ella blushed, lowering her head and looking positively cute and naive.

It was truly a sight to see an innocent person fall in love.

‘Besides, she doesn’t look like an airhead.’

Azela remembered how she had looked at Rosaline and Cahir at the banquet. She hadn’t even seemed offended, rather, Ella had tried to relieve Azela’s mood.

‘You’re a smart one. If you want to be by his side for a long time, that’s a given.’

Even if her son, Karon, got married and had a child quickly, it would still take a long time for the emperor’s seat to become within grasp. What she really needed was someone who could fool Cahir while listening to her orders.

She needed an empress, and she had found her.

Azela smiled meaningfully. “Ella, I really like you.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“The palace is such a lonely place. Furthermore, Cahir is…” She pulled out a lace handkerchief to wipe her tears. “Can you be that child’s strength?” Azela asked, smiling kindly and stroking Ella’s hand on the table.

“I’ll be happy to do it if I can.”

“Sir Magnis, I recommend Lady Ella to be Cahir’s empress. What do you think?”

“I am at your service, Your Highness.”

Azela smiled, satisfied. Ella looked down and turned away, the figure of a pure girl who was embarrassed talking about her beloved.

However, despite her appearance, her thoughts were much less innocent.

‘I’ll be the empress anyway. What was Rosaline even thinking? Even if she’s also a transmigrator, we naturally have different roles. She dares to show off in front of me? The day I become empress, she’ll be thrown out immediately.’

Her smile was soft.

Duke Magnis just looked at the two women.

‘Since I’ve chosen the empress dowager, I’ll have to be willing to do anything even if it’s beyond my capabilities. I just hope this helps my son.’

***

Rosaline may have been in the palace, but she wasn’t working as a secretary. To be precise, Cahir had forbidden her from working.

‘Then why on earth did you have to bring me back early?’

“Secretary Rosaline, today I’m going to massage you with a cream mixed with honey, lemon, and pearl powder.” Uena, a maid of the palace, laid an obedient Rosaline on a fluffy blanket.

She stared blankly at the ceiling.

‘Why am I here?’

Cold cream was applied to her face.

“I didn’t know His Majesty was such a romantic! I mean, he always had you in his heart all along, Secre—no, Rosaline. Was it all because of this that either of you refused to get married before? Kya~!”

Her voice felt like a distant dream, and so were the matching squeals of the other maids.

“Oh my, oh my, and now you will be Empress Rosa—no… We apologize, Sec—no, that’s not it either…”

“It’s okay, just speak as you are used to. That’s more comfortable for me too”

Rosaline’s words opened the floodgates of Uena’s excited chatter about romance and envy.

She had become the main character of a dramatic play, so all the women in the imperial palace let their imaginations run wild. Whenever she passed by, maids blushed and held hands to their chests.

‘This is all because of His Majesty…’

“Relax, Secretary Rosaline. When you’re tense, the muscles in your neck and shoulders turn stiff. We all want you to be the most beautiful bride at the big wedding.”

Thinking of Cahir worsened her condition.

Rosaline smiled awkwardly and sighed. “Uena, I’m not the empress yet.”

A hand pressed down firmly on her muscles. “You mustn’t say that! You mustn’t trample on His Majesty’s pure feelings!”

“Uena… aren’t you kneading too hard?”

“Of course, not.”

On the day she returned to the palace, Cahir had asked her to be his empress. It wasn’t a true proposal, it was no different from when he hired her as secretary.

‘And now I need to be the empress?’

She still choked in disbelief whenever she remembered it. How could he just pick her so haphazardly? There was so much at stake!

Maybe this was the effect of her teaching him the value of having talented people by his side.

‘Should I have taught him the importance of love first? But in the original, His Majesty found love on his own…’

“Secretary Rosaline? Are you uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Uena paused and looked at her. When Rosaline smiled and raised her hand, the maid moved again, this time targeting the muscles in her neck until her jaw ached.

‘This pain is all because of His Majesty!’

The day after he had proposed out of nowhere, Cahir finally informed Derek of the latest development.

By that time, the rumors had already snowballed into an avalanche in the imperial palace.

From a simple order, the gossip had evolved from him falling in love with Rosaline at first sight, then to him pining after her all these years, then to him being willing to throw away everything he had for her.

People’s imaginations often went too far. Perhaps the only difference between humans and animals was the ability to spin stories.

Cahir’s plan was evident, really. He wouldn’t have said it near a hallway with many maids otherwise. This was all part of his scheme to prevent Rosaline from escaping.

She frowned. Uena noticed and began rubbing her forehead.

“Secretary Rosaline, I heard that His Majesty sends flowers every morning. Is that true?”

“Haaaah…”

Uena hurriedly apologized and focused only on her work.

***

Rosaline freaked out as soon as she opened her bedroom door. There was no space left for her to step on; the floor was teeming with flower baskets.

She picked one up and handed it to the guard assigned to her room. “Take it with you on your way home.”

“I can’t do that, Secretary Rosaline! These are flowers that His Majesty gave… My head will surely fly if I take them!”

“…Look over there.” She pointed towards the wide-open bedroom door.

***