Chapter 2 – Part 1

“How the hell did this happen!”

As soon as the Emperor entered the room, a fierce shout greeted him. An unbelievably beautiful older woman was glaring at Emperor Carlos.

“What do you mean?”

When Carlos asked this question nonchalantly, the Queen Dowager’s heart became more and more prickled. She glared at her son with the same golden eyes as his.

“Your Majesty, the Empress’ candidate selection is ongoing. I don’t know if you’re going to show up there, but to call that girl, that girl and…”

“Sleep with her?”

“Your Majesty!”

He twisted his red lips. It was intentional, but it seems that rumors have spread like that. Carlos had no intention of denying it. Isn’t it the characteristic of disgusting and obscene people to misunderstand and gossip all on their own? His mother was the same.

Shall he just kill her like this?

He looked at his mother. There was no longer any affection for their blood ties.

“Please, it is for Your Majesty’s sake. Please listen to me. That girl…”

“You said that when I grow up, I can change. But even when I grew up, there was nothing that could be changed. My mother told me lies.”

“Your Majesty.”

“You probably didn’t know that my brother would give up the throne like that.”

Carlos smiled brightly. It all started with an interest. After the death of the previous Emperor, Claude, who was the first prince, was set to become the Emperor, but he did not officially inherit the throne, and in the end, he gave the throne to the second prince, his half brother. The second prince, Carlos, who no one paid any mind, became Emperor.

His older brother, Claude, did not need to become Emperor to get what he wanted, and on the other hand, Carlos needed to become Emperor to get what he wanted.

The woman didn’t know about the deal between them.

To these brothers, their mother, the Queen Dowager, was worse than anyone else. She gave Claude a more inhuman education than the current Emperor who was crowned at the time, saying that it was always the duty of the Emperor, and she didn’t even care about Carlos. Didn’t she even conspire with the then Emperor to make Carlos move around the borders when he was young? If it wasn’t for his servant, Sir Leinkel, he would have died already.

Shall I kill her before she makes more noise?

Carlos looked at the older woman. The Queen Dowager returned his gaze with a startled look, perhaps noticing the sharp coldness.

“Five years, no, six years now. It’s been a long time.”

Carlos said this to her with a twisted smile.

“There’s no way I could make up for the loss during that time.”

“…”

“But I will give my all, and she will get back more than what she lost.”

“…”

“That’s the reason why I live and breathe in this disgusting place.”

“If that’s the case, isn’t there a way to give it back through money? It will be simple if you use your wealth.”

“It’s not an equivalent exchange.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“You don’t understand. Didn’t I say I would give her back more than what was lost? Think about what she has lost. She lost a lot of things. Even her fiancé.”

“Don’t tell me…”

“From the beginning, I’ve already chosen my Empress. She will be my wife.”

“No. You couldn’t! Never!”

Seeing the Queen Dowager screaming, the Emperor smiled coldly.

“You will have no choice but to watch.”

“…”

“Because my chronic problem doesn’t work in front of her.”

The Queen Dowager’s face began to turn blue as if she had understood the words.

“Even if you pushed so many women in, Mother never got what she wanted, did she?”

Half a year after Carlos became Emperor, he was supposed to have sired an heir. But he didn’t let any women in. She knew his taste in women, fearing it would change, the Queen Dowager forced women in. And most of the women became corpses on charges of trespassing into the Emperor’s bedroom. Sometimes the Emperor showed mercy.

[ If you excite me, I will spare you. ]

But no woman survived after entering the Emperor’s bedroom.

The Queen Dowager, who had heard the story from the attendant, realized that his son had a problem. But the problem was solved in front of her? The Queen Dowager bit her lip.

“That woman, does she recognize His Majesty?”

“I’ve changed so much like this. How can she recognize me? What a relief, isn’t it?”

“Then what would that girl do if she found out about His Majesty? You’re taking that vixen as your wife? That woman is going to hate it! She will loathe Your Majesty! You’re going to have a wife who hates you for the rest of your life!”

As soon as she said those words, she felt a terrible energy directed at her. Her own son was looking at her with a cold expression. A scorching energy that was likely to kill her when his sword was drawn. An unspoken pressure to dare speak more. The Queen Dowager trembled seeing her own son.

“I don’t think Mother would tell her directly…”

“…”

“Who knows? Right?”

If you talk to her, I will kill you. Carlos’ eyes said so. How could a son be like this! How! She bit her lip.

“Even if she knows, it doesn’t matter. I didn’t intend to let her go from the beginning.”

Carlos said softly.

The Queen Dowager bit her lips and forcedly nodded her head.

This son was a rogue, good for nothing rascal. He was still crazy about what happened 6 years ago.

“What…”

The maids changed Amelia into a soft nightgown and escorted her back to her bedroom politely. It looks like she will be put to bed. She approached the bed with a puzzled expression.

“You mean I can stay here?”

As she spoke to the maid who served her, the maid smiled sweetly and nodded her head.

“Of course.”

“Why…”

She had no reason to refuse.

“Is His Majesty not angry with me? Am I being punished now?”

“Angry? No, Miss.”

The maid just blinked her eyes as if she had heard something strange. Didn’t the Emperor get angry and take her to his bedroom? Why was he treating her all of a sudden?

“His Majesty has commanded us not to lack the slightest bit in serving the Miss.”

“Why?”

“We do not know either.”

Those words made Amelia even more confused. So she lay down on the bed as the maids told her to. The bedsheets that had traces of the previous time were changed, and she lay on the spacious bed with a warm smell, blinking.

‘What just happened?’

She didn’t know. Maybe it was because the Emperor liked her. It might be better if it were like that. It was only natural that the young and handsome Emperor was better than the old count, whose name she couldn’t even remember anymore. She fell asleep while lying on the soft bed. Are you going to sleep? Right here?

Is it because her former blunt personality has returned, or is it because there was a belief that the Emperor would be kind to her with something of hers?

‘Come to think of it, I have seen that person somewhere.’

Right as it was about to come to mind, but she had already fallen asleep.

In her dream she was standing in a meadow, wearing a dress. A place she missed very much so. She often went to her fiancé’s estate. It was a beautiful place with a vast meadow. The smell of grass and flowers from all directions. Sometimes she sneezed at the pollen, but unlike her narrow estate, when she went to that wide field, she felt her chest open.

At that time, it looked like the whole world was beautiful. Because the whole world was mostly kind to her. So she always smiled happily. Cheerful, although her family was poor, she was welcome everywhere. Her fiancé also liked her lively personality. Although, she would occasionally say that it would be better to lose weight because she was a bit chubby.

Playing in the place where such a terrible thing happened, she smiled happily, not knowing what the future had in store.

The pure white dress was dyed in the grass. She turned her back and smiled at the man who followed her.

“How is it? Do you feel good here?”

Amelia woke up startled by the hand stroking her. She was startled and pushed the man next to her. Even with those rough hands, the man did not move a single inch. It was natural. At that time, the man’s body moved by himself and widened the distance from her.

“…Your Majesty.”

She looked at the man lying next to her.

“Sorry, I’m sorry.”

She remembered what she had done. She pushed the Emperor away from her side. She committed a felony so she had nothing to say. The Emperor, seeing Amelia’s face, said,

“You are sinning like this again.”

“Please forgive me.”

Seeing her bewildered expression, the Emperor grinned.

“Then let me punish you.”

“…”

The Emperor moved again and went right next to Amelia. Then he reached out and hugged her back. Then the Emperor and her body were intertwined together.

“Your Majesty.”

She blinked her eyes at the warmth. A firm body could be felt through the thin shirt the Emperor was wearing. As she rubbed her body in discomfort, the force of his arms around her waist grew stronger and it became a tighter hug.

“Stay still, this is your punishment.”

Was it really just a hug? Amelia’s heart was pounding. Her body was pressed too close to his chest. The Emperor raised his large hand and stroked Amelia’s hair. The tension in her body slowly relaxed at the gentle touch.

Why was my heart set on a person I had only met for a day? She doesn’t know. Amelia looked up at him cautiously, and the Emperor smiled and kissed her on the forehead.

“Sleep more.”

She couldn’t possibly sleep more. Even as she thought so, he continued to stroke her hair, causing her body to relax. She wasn’t even a pet loved by its owner. She was tired. She should be nervous, she shouldn’t let her consciousness slip. But was it because of the Emperor’s expression? This man’s eyes had the magic of reassuring people. It felt good because his warm embrace nestled her so perfectly. As she closed her eyes slowly, the Emperor relaxed his arms.

“Your Majesty.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Is this really a punishment?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think it’s a punishment…”

She said so and closed her eyes. It was a good night’s sleep after a long time. As she closed her eyes and fell asleep, a slight smile crept on the corner of the Emperor’s lips.

“How could you be so defenseless when you don’t even recognize me…”

The Emperor tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her face, shaded under the dim candlelight, caught his eye. She had a soft look. It was definitely different from the old days. They have both changed. He suddenly realized that his lower body had swelled up. From the moment he saw her sleeping, he felt a strong urge. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to open her up and put himself inside her. He wanted to reach ecstasy while they were connected. It’s like he really turned into a beast.

He lusted only for her. Realizing that, the man smiled bitterly.

Amelia gave a puzzled look as she watched the maids take her measurements. What was going on? There was only one thing to know, and now they are fitting her clothes.

The old dress she wore at that time had already been torn by the Emperor’s hands and turned into rags, so this was bound to happen. At first, she thought she was going to ask for a ready-made dress, but she was puzzled when she saw the people who continued to put colorful fabrics on her body in earnest after taking simple measurements.

Even if she asked why they were doing this, they only answered ‘Emperor’s order’, so she had no choice but to stay still as they moved around her. Now that even accessories were delivered, she began to fear this situation more and more.

“This…”

“Do you not like it?”

As soon as the maid heard her hesitating, she nodded and put it away. It wasn’t a matter of liking it or not liking it.

It was only natural for her to feel burdened by the sparkling jewels than measuring the clothes that had not yet been fitted. Why the hell did they have this delivered to her?

“No, I’m not saying that, I can’t take this.”

“It is His Majesty’s order.”

“However…”

“You also need several accessories to match the dress.”

“So is the dress. Why all of a sudden…”

“His Majesty’s order.”

They just said it as if it were a fixed answer. Then the door opened. Everyone bowed and greeted him. It was the Emperor.

“What’s going on?”

As the Emperor’s cold voice resounded, the maids looked worried. Amelia, noticing this, also hardened her face in the same way, and looked at the Emperor. Then the Emperor’s expression froze as well.

“It seems you didn’t like what I gave you. Put it all away.”

At the Emperor’s command, everyone left the room. When she saw the ornaments, her mind woke up. She felt that now she should know what kind of situation she was in.

“Why are you giving me these accessories?”

“Don’t you like it?”

“It’s not like that, it’s pretty. It’s pretty but…”