Translator and Editor: Nana and Elnie
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Chapter 36
Natalie vaguely remembered Ayla.
Hannah’s face turned pale after hearing their conversation. The Empress clearly said she would meet Lady Ayla in person. It made Hannah feel even more scared. She gripped her apron nervously.
“Hannah, will you go and deliver the message to her? Should we have a cup of tea by the lake?”
Rose, who held the wolf cub tightly, smiled at Hannah and said.
When Hannah reacted strangely, Rose looked at her questioningly.
“Ah…”
“Hannah, is there something wrong?”
“Oh no. I’ll do it now.”
Hannah bent her knees slightly, curtseyed to Rose, and quickly left.
***
Sitting in front of the dressing table, Ayla combed her silky golden hair. As per the order of the Empress, Hannah approached her and looked at her through the mirror.
“T-the empress… asked… to have tea in the… afternoon by the lake.”
Ayla looked at Hannah with frustration.
“So the Empress asked me to meet her by the lake for tea?”
Hannah nodded instead of answering.
“Tell her alright.”
Ayla said she would go, but she looked very unhappy. She was still annoyed that the woman took the seat next to His Majesty Maxim out of nowhere. She was annoyed at Rose, but when Ayla is recognized as an empress, Rose would be thrown out anyway, so it’s all good.
She was thinking about it, and realised that the maid was still staring at her in the mirror. Ayla furrowed her eyebrows and shouted, because it felt as if the maid had read her mind.
“What are you doing?”
Hannah came to her senses at Ayla’s yell.
“Huh? Ah, th-then I’ll go now!”
Hannah quickly left the room, as if she were running away.
Ayla walked to the white bench by the lake. She wore the best dress and worked hard on her hair.
Empress Rose Lancert.
Thinking of it as a formal meeting with the Empress for the first time, she was encouraged to look her best.
Ayla was convinced that her looks were superior to Rose’s.
Well, to be honest, it wasn’t that the people from Stern couldn’t see the Empress’s beauty at all. Many people said she’s beautiful, but Ayla didn’t think the Empress’s beauty was up to par with hers.
‘Just why did His Majesty Maxim marry her!’
Rose Lancert sat on the bench, her red hair fluttering in the wind.
Staring at her back, Ayla approached her slowly. At that moment, there was something soft near her feet.
Yip-!
A gray wolf cub was playing with the bottom of her dress.
“Go away, you filthy thing!”
Ayla kicked it away as it was annoying her.
“Yipp…”
Rose looked back at the sound of the wolf cub whimpering.
Masking her cold face, Ayla greeted Rose with a soft smile. Rose nodded at Ayla.
‘Ayla… Mrs. Katrina’s niece…’
In fact, Rose wasn’t happy to meet Ayla, Mrs. Katrina’s niece. There were many times where Rose heard that Ayla liked Maxim, and meeting in person like this could lead to misunderstandings.
However, it was also ridiculous that Rose hadn’t met her yet, even though she was the Empress, the hostess of the castle.
Ayla didn’t do anything particularly offensive to Rose.
She heard that Ayla had left her family and came to the castle when she was young. It was rather pitiful to hear that a little girl had to leave her parents.
However, she didn’t expect the both of them to get along. The reason Rose came here in the first place was not to become sisters with Ayla.
On the other hand, there’s also no reason why they couldn’t have a cup of tea with each other.
That’s why she decided to meet Ayla.
Ayla stood just around the corner.
“Your Majesty.”
Rose smiled as she bowed gracefully.
“Come and sit down.”
Rose said softly and pointed to the seat next to her.
***
It was around sunset.
Jansen, who was organizing the rest of the documents, paused after seeing the person in front of him.
It was the first time a maid came to his room to meet him in person. He looked at the maid with wonder and curiosity.
“What’s the matter?”
“I-I have… something to say… to the administrator.”
Her face was bright red.
Jansen tried to look her in the eye, but the maid kept looking down, avoiding him.
“……?”
Jansen stood up and approached her.
“Ah! I was wondering why you looked so familiar.”
The maid was a child whom he often saw in the Empress’s room.
Every time he approached, Hannah stepped back stiffly.
“Does Her Majesty have a message for me?”
“Oh, no…”
She took a breath and gathered her courage.
Jansen kindly pulled out a chair for her.
“Sit down and talk slowly. You don’t have to be so nervous.”
As soon as she sat down, Hannah stood up again abruptly and surprised Jansen.
“This!”
Jansen waited for her to finish her words.
“L-look at this!”
His gaze moved from her pale face to the object in her hand.
“Hmm.”
He took a quick look at it, wondering what it was, and he suddenly became serious.
“Where did you get this?”
Unlike his usual gentle voice, Jansen sounded as if he was interrogating a sinner.
Hannah started speaking more clearly after mustering her courage.
“It-it’s what Miss Ayla was trying to burn. I saw it for sure!”
Jansen stared at the maid.
She clasped her hands tightly so as to not tremble, and her green eyes, which resembled the forest, looked straight into his bright brown eyes for the first time. Her eyes were pure and honest, and she looked as if she wanted him to believe her.
Jansen’s expression, which had been scary until just now, loosened up slightly.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“I-I’m worried about the Empress… Sir Jansen looks scary, but I know you’re reliable.”
Hannah’s face was so red that she was about to collapse.
However, her clear eyes that were looking up at him contained some unexplained feelings and her strong faith in him.
This time, Jansen avoided her eyes first without realizing it. It felt as if he’d be sucked into them if they continued making eye contact.
He re-examined what was in his hand and sat back in his chair.
“Thank you for trusting me. I’ll take care of it now, so you don’t have to worry.”
“W-will the Empress be alright?”
“Of course.”
“Th-then, I’ll trust Sir Jansen and go.”
He didn’t look at her.
Hannah bowed and left his room.
After she left, Jansen walked slowly to the window.
He glanced at the maid who had just left.
She was breathing heavily as she touched a wooden post with one hand and patted her chest with the other. She looked relieved, as if she had survived a shocking event.
When he saw it, he broke out into a smile.
He returned to his desk with a serious face and clasped what she had given him in his palm.
***
Hidden behind a big tree, Ayla stared at the lake.
Even though the weather had turned quite chilly, Maxim was spending time alone, leisurely swimming against the current of the lake.
In the winter, as long as the lake didn’t freeze, he would usually take off his clothes and soak in the cold water.
Ayla knew that Maxim came out here alone to swim.
It was also the only time she could meet him.
“Maxim…”
When she first saw him, he was still a young boy, but he was a grown man now.
Whenever his strong shoulders and long arms cut through the current, his body moved forward.
Ayla had to calm her racing heart.
“Come here~ You can’t go that way.”
From somewhere in the forest, she could hear a woman’s voice. Ayla turned her head in surprise.
She looked at the lake Maxim was swimming in again, feeling desperate for fear that she might be discovered.
He had gone far into the lake and was swimming back this way again.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem to hear anything.
“Puppy!”
She saw the wolf cub she had kicked yesterday. After that, she knew who the owner of that voice was.
Ayla hesitated about what to do, and then walked to the shore of the lake where Maxim was swimming.
Before the Empress found Maxim, she had to approach him first. She was in a hurry.
As he came out of the water, Ayla handed him a towel as she waited.
“……?”
Maxim took the towel and gave her a questioning glance.
“Why are you here?”
Translator and Editor: Nana and Elnie
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 36
Natalie vaguely remembered Ayla.
Hannah’s face turned pale after hearing their conversation. The Empress clearly said she would meet Lady Ayla in person. It made Hannah feel even more scared. She gripped her apron nervously.
“Hannah, will you go and deliver the message to her? Should we have a cup of tea by the lake?”
Rose, who held the wolf cub tightly, smiled at Hannah and said.
When Hannah reacted strangely, Rose looked at her questioningly.
“Ah…”
“Hannah, is there something wrong?”
“Oh no. I’ll do it now.”
Hannah bent her knees slightly, curtseyed to Rose, and quickly left.
***
Sitting in front of the dressing table, Ayla combed her silky golden hair. As per the order of the Empress, Hannah approached her and looked at her through the mirror.
“T-the empress… asked… to have tea in the… afternoon by the lake.”
Ayla looked at Hannah with frustration.
“So the Empress asked me to meet her by the lake for tea?”
Hannah nodded instead of answering.
“Tell her alright.”
Ayla said she would go, but she looked very unhappy. She was still annoyed that the woman took the seat next to His Majesty Maxim out of nowhere. She was annoyed at Rose, but when Ayla is recognized as an empress, Rose would be thrown out anyway, so it’s all good.
She was thinking about it, and realised that the maid was still staring at her in the mirror. Ayla furrowed her eyebrows and shouted, because it felt as if the maid had read her mind.
“What are you doing?”
Hannah came to her senses at Ayla’s yell.
“Huh? Ah, th-then I’ll go now!”
Hannah quickly left the room, as if she were running away.
Ayla walked to the white bench by the lake. She wore the best dress and worked hard on her hair.
Empress Rose Lancert.
Thinking of it as a formal meeting with the Empress for the first time, she was encouraged to look her best.
Ayla was convinced that her looks were superior to Rose’s.
Well, to be honest, it wasn’t that the people from Stern couldn’t see the Empress’s beauty at all. Many people said she’s beautiful, but Ayla didn’t think the Empress’s beauty was up to par with hers.
‘Just why did His Majesty Maxim marry her!’
Rose Lancert sat on the bench, her red hair fluttering in the wind.
Staring at her back, Ayla approached her slowly. At that moment, there was something soft near her feet.
Yip-!
A gray wolf cub was playing with the bottom of her dress.
“Go away, you filthy thing!”
Ayla kicked it away as it was annoying her.
“Yipp…”
Rose looked back at the sound of the wolf cub whimpering.
Masking her cold face, Ayla greeted Rose with a soft smile. Rose nodded at Ayla.
‘Ayla… Mrs. Katrina’s niece…’
In fact, Rose wasn’t happy to meet Ayla, Mrs. Katrina’s niece. There were many times where Rose heard that Ayla liked Maxim, and meeting in person like this could lead to misunderstandings.
However, it was also ridiculous that Rose hadn’t met her yet, even though she was the Empress, the hostess of the castle.
Ayla didn’t do anything particularly offensive to Rose.
She heard that Ayla had left her family and came to the castle when she was young. It was rather pitiful to hear that a little girl had to leave her parents.
However, she didn’t expect the both of them to get along. The reason Rose came here in the first place was not to become sisters with Ayla.
On the other hand, there’s also no reason why they couldn’t have a cup of tea with each other.
That’s why she decided to meet Ayla.
Ayla stood just around the corner.
“Your Majesty.”
Rose smiled as she bowed gracefully.
“Come and sit down.”
Rose said softly and pointed to the seat next to her.
***
It was around sunset.
Jansen, who was organizing the rest of the documents, paused after seeing the person in front of him.
It was the first time a maid came to his room to meet him in person. He looked at the maid with wonder and curiosity.
“What’s the matter?”
“I-I have… something to say… to the administrator.”
Her face was bright red.
Jansen tried to look her in the eye, but the maid kept looking down, avoiding him.
“……?”
Jansen stood up and approached her.
“Ah! I was wondering why you looked so familiar.”
The maid was a child whom he often saw in the Empress’s room.
Every time he approached, Hannah stepped back stiffly.
“Does Her Majesty have a message for me?”
“Oh, no…”
She took a breath and gathered her courage.
Jansen kindly pulled out a chair for her.
“Sit down and talk slowly. You don’t have to be so nervous.”
As soon as she sat down, Hannah stood up again abruptly and surprised Jansen.
“This!”
Jansen waited for her to finish her words.
“L-look at this!”
His gaze moved from her pale face to the object in her hand.
“Hmm.”
He took a quick look at it, wondering what it was, and he suddenly became serious.
“Where did you get this?”
Unlike his usual gentle voice, Jansen sounded as if he was interrogating a sinner.
Hannah started speaking more clearly after mustering her courage.
“It-it’s what Miss Ayla was trying to burn. I saw it for sure!”
Jansen stared at the maid.
She clasped her hands tightly so as to not tremble, and her green eyes, which resembled the forest, looked straight into his bright brown eyes for the first time. Her eyes were pure and honest, and she looked as if she wanted him to believe her.
Jansen’s expression, which had been scary until just now, loosened up slightly.
“Why are you showing me this?”
“I-I’m worried about the Empress… Sir Jansen looks scary, but I know you’re reliable.”
Hannah’s face was so red that she was about to collapse.
However, her clear eyes that were looking up at him contained some unexplained feelings and her strong faith in him.
This time, Jansen avoided her eyes first without realizing it. It felt as if he’d be sucked into them if they continued making eye contact.
He re-examined what was in his hand and sat back in his chair.
“Thank you for trusting me. I’ll take care of it now, so you don’t have to worry.”
“W-will the Empress be alright?”
“Of course.”
“Th-then, I’ll trust Sir Jansen and go.”
He didn’t look at her.
Hannah bowed and left his room.
After she left, Jansen walked slowly to the window.
He glanced at the maid who had just left.
She was breathing heavily as she touched a wooden post with one hand and patted her chest with the other. She looked relieved, as if she had survived a shocking event.
When he saw it, he broke out into a smile.
He returned to his desk with a serious face and clasped what she had given him in his palm.
***
Hidden behind a big tree, Ayla stared at the lake.
Even though the weather had turned quite chilly, Maxim was spending time alone, leisurely swimming against the current of the lake.
In the winter, as long as the lake didn’t freeze, he would usually take off his clothes and soak in the cold water.
Ayla knew that Maxim came out here alone to swim.
It was also the only time she could meet him.
“Maxim…”
When she first saw him, he was still a young boy, but he was a grown man now.
Whenever his strong shoulders and long arms cut through the current, his body moved forward.
Ayla had to calm her racing heart.
“Come here~ You can’t go that way.”
From somewhere in the forest, she could hear a woman’s voice. Ayla turned her head in surprise.
She looked at the lake Maxim was swimming in again, feeling desperate for fear that she might be discovered.
He had gone far into the lake and was swimming back this way again.
Fortunately, he didn’t seem to hear anything.
“Puppy!”
She saw the wolf cub she had kicked yesterday. After that, she knew who the owner of that voice was.
Ayla hesitated about what to do, and then walked to the shore of the lake where Maxim was swimming.
Before the Empress found Maxim, she had to approach him first. She was in a hurry.
As he came out of the water, Ayla handed him a towel as she waited.
“……?”
Maxim took the towel and gave her a questioning glance.
“Why are you here?”
