Chapter 36

"It's okay thanks to your concern, Your Majesty."

I answered quietly, but Yehwa still responded in a worried voice.

"A sore leg in the hot sun can't just disappear from my concerns. Maybe I should just build one corridor."

Well, that's true.

…Corridor?

Isn't that the big roofed hallway in the palace? I can't get used to this damn scale. The emperor then turned her head as she sighed in vain. I opened my mouth without any hesitation because I thought she was about to order someone to build a corridor right away.

"Your Majesty."

"Hmm?"

"My legs don't hurt, and the sun isn't too hot, so there's no need."

"Is that so…?"

Yehwa then nodded her head with a grim look on her face. I became anxious as her expression wasn't trustworthy. However, she quickly gestured to a court lady behind her. The familiarity of her figure gave me goosebumps.

…What's going to happen now?

"I have something for you today."

Yehwa said confidently. It sounds like it would be something quite extraordinary, but I wasn't surprised. There's always a limit when it comes to chatting, so Yehwa always held something in her hand since day one. One day it would be food, the next day it would be accessories, and it's usually like that.

However, the problem lies in the fact that the value of the things she brings goes up every time. I'm not kidding, but I was afraid that one day she would give me a small country.

As expected, Yehwa took the box from the court lady with an excited look.

"Look at this."

I don't know why she was more excited than the person who's receiving the gift, but I was too busy trying to figure out what's in the box. While thinking with cold sweat coming down my back, the emperor opened the box with a face full of excitement.

"Here!"

As soon as the lid came off, there was a strong smell. Unknowingly frowning, I sighed quietly when I saw what was in there.

'It's a flower this time.'

The box was full of yellow freesias. In the western continent, those flowers stay fresh even after it has been plucked for a long time. I'm just glad it wasn't anything big.

"It's a vaporized herb from the West."

I heard the voice of the expected Yehwa. In fact, I really like it but I have nothing to do with it. Most of the things I have in my palace are from the East, but the gifts she always gave me were from the West, and I have mostly seen them from my previous life.

Freesias are very pretty though.

"It's pretty in my eyes."

'Sanya. Look at this, this is mom's favorite flower.'

…Huh?

"Do you like it?"

Her question brought me back to my senses. I looked around as if I had been rescued from cold water, took a couple of breaths, and lifted my head while smiling.

"Yes, I'm impressed, Your Majesty. You always take care of me, and I could feel the grace."

A fairly familiar compliment flowed out from my mouth. I reached out to her and took the box and handed it over to the woman standing behind me. I don't think I'll be touching it again. Yehwa would always give me a present while bragging about it, but for some reason, I'm a little nervous today.

'…I'm afraid I'll be late.'

Mirina wouldn't be happy, however, I'm not in the position where I could just ignore the emperor. Instead of sighing, I took a breath and looked up again. Perhaps it was because I didn't say anything, for she chatted quietly.

"Don't you like it?"

Her proud head fell with her eyes sinking. It was the first time I had seen such an expression on Yehwa's face. I was so embarrassed that my mouth was open.

"You…"

Yehwa spoke calmly in a drooping voice. It was awkward, for I felt distant from her.

"It's difficult for me to hate it."

Only after I said that, the emperor grinned. However, her eyes still looked sad.

"Where were you going?"

"I was on my way to see His Highness Mirina."

"Have a safe trip."

She said while stroking my hair, and then turned her back and disappeared. It was the emperor's usual departure, but this time, I was watching her back.

***

I couldn't remember why I came to this palace after that. I walked where I was led, sat where I was guided, and drank what was given. I can understand if the emperor were angry at my actions, but I don't get why she was sad instead.

Is it because of my acting?

"Sanya."

Why was she like that earlier?

"Sanya."

What's the point…

"Miss, are you okay?"

"Miss!"

I was frightened by the hand that was on my shoulder. I looked up and saw a pair of worried sky-blue eyes. Only then did I remember the voice I had heard earlier, and I lowered my head.

"…I apologize."

I said quietly in advance. I feel depressed.

Mirina no longer took an issue with it and instead brought up another topic.

"I heard you met Her Majesty the Emperor."

At his anxious voice, I let out a sigh that I had held back.

Yes, that's right.

The emperor. The one who made me lost in my thoughts for the longest time just now.

He hesitated for a while and then asked.

"Sanya, did Her Majesty do anything wrong to you?"

"…No?"

She didn't do anything wrong. It was something I could answer without having additional worries. However, Mirina's gloomy expression still lingered.

"Her Majesty is clumsy, but she really cares about you."

Uh, well. I swallowed.

"I don't know what Her Majesty did, but please consider. Okay?"

In Mirina's eyes, I seemed to be very pitiful. Well, it's not like he knows what's going on, but it's still difficult for me to accept the favors sincerely. No, more precisely, it was impossible as long as I knew the secrets of this world.

"Your Highness, do you love Her Majesty the Emperor?"

Instead of answering him, I asked a question. He smiled shyly for a moment, and that alone was enough for me to know his reply. I feel uncomfortable now. I'm not jealous, just worried.

The seven founding families were all blessed by dragons, but it was the Aryun dragon that had the power to surpass the other ones.

After reading the original novel, I know the secret of the imperial family. It was something that could not be named, and it filled the subtle holes in the novel.

To be loved by everyone in the world, but not love anyone at the same time. That was the secret of Yehwa. That's why she was able to use the concubines freely. But why does no one try to bring down the imperial family?

Yehwa, like the heroine, was loved by everyone for her ability. Therefore, the concubines were satisfied with her love, and the head of the Yeorans never tried to bring her down. The ancestors of Aryun knew their own virtues and educated them to not let it be seen by others. They, who do not care for anyone, ironically became the most perfect emperors through that education.

All of their actions were focused on what was for the people, and there was no bias. Those concubins loved her to death. It was really like a novel, but they're alive, here, in front of me. I knew that fact beforehand.

I wonder how Mirina will react once he finds out that he was really not loved by Yehwa.

'I don't get it.'

I had an experience of liking someone, but to risk my life for love was something I never understood.

I like someone but that person doesn't like me back and now I want to die? That sounds like mental illness to me.

But, I'm still worried about Mirina. When I asked him if he had loved the emperor, he smiled shyly and didn't look at me.

I wanted to laugh. It feels like just yesterday I felt hated and scared, and now I'm worried about this person.

I feel sorry I couldn't do you the only favor.