When The Count’s Illegitimate Daughter Gets Married

“…..”

She looked around.
There was no one but the Emperor.

“There’s no improvement even though the doctors keep treating you.”

Oscar—who disappeared—was hiding behind the curtains of the window.

So what happened?

A few minutes before the Empress arrived, the Emperor’s consciousness had returned for a while.

“Father!”

Oscar jumped up when he saw the Emperor’s eyelids tremble.
He watched as his father struggled to lift his thick wrinkled eyelids.
He was worried since it had never happened these days, but it spread a sense of relief in his body.

It was all the more fortunate that Oscar came to his senses while he was here.

“Father, long time no see.
Are you awake?”

Of course, the Emperor could not speak.
It had been months since he became mute, and all he could do was blink a few times.

“Do you have any discomfort?”

He thought the Emperor would lose consciousness on the way.

But the father kept looking at his son.

Oscar noticed that there was something he wanted to say.
So he waited, but the Emperor had no energy to do so.

“Father.
Father.”

At that moment, his father’s eyes shifted to the wall.
It was the window with thick white curtains.
Oscar looked behind the window, but there was nothing.

Does he want me to open the window?

“The doctor prescribed scented candles, so we shouldn’t ventilate the room.”

Oscar was about to return from the window when he heard footsteps approaching the room.

At once, he knew it was the Empress.

‘I heard she embarrassed herself in front of Mrs.
Reinhardt last evening, and she must be displeased.’

He was also told how she was humiliated.

It was hilarious to imagine Laritte responding with a very insensitive expression.

He didn’t know when he was together with her, but now that he thought of it, he deserved to be the Empress’s natural enemy.

Oscar didn’t want to run into her, so he went up to the window frame.
He was able to hide perfectly when he covered himself with curtains from the window.
The Empress’s eyes landed on the Emperor lying in bed without even knowing another presence.

Oscar peeped at her through the curtains.
It was fancy of her to come to see the patient.
He was a little touched.

But she still visited his father.
Such a fact was never reported to Oscar.

It was then that she said something unexpected.

“This tedious time will soon be over, Your Majesty.”

It was bone-chilling.

What does she mean?

Oscar covered his mouth with his hand as he watched everything the Empress did.

She opened the incense burner placed next to the bed.
Then she took out the dried grass in her arms and put it inside the burner.

Everything was crystal clear.

This was all the Empress’s doing for a very long time.

She wanted to be the most powerful person in the Empire.
She married the Emperor to spend the rest of her life as the Empress.
That alone was not satisfactory.
As greed grew, she began to poison the Emperor a few years ago and took control of power.

‘Now everything will be over.’

Soon, the day would arrive to end the Emperor’s breath forever.

She softly brushed the surface of the burner, but then she gripped it tightly.

The Ducal couple came to her mind.

‘They are the worst of all…….’

She didn’t like the pair.

A Duke who is too full of himself and a lowly Duchess.

They were her next obstacles after the Emperor.

‘It will end without much trouble.
It’s annoying that the Duke is in the castle, but how would he know when it’s not his territory?’

With that, the Empress walked out of the room.

There was no one who didn’t like power.
Desire was not a bad thing.

However, the act of recklessly trampling on a person’s life was something she should pay for in return.

“…….”

Oscar waited until she left completely and came down from the window frame.

He opened the lid of the incense burner.

The grass that she had put inside was burning to give off a scent.
It was strangely unpleasant.
Not to mention, smoky.

It was strange for the Empress to manage the burner herself.
Oscar took out a piece of grass she had put in and held it in his hand.

‘I understand what you mean, Father.’

He wanted his son to hide behind the curtains and see everything.

Oscar hid the grass carefully and left the room.

There was only one place he could put his trust.

He recalled Ian and Laritte.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, Ian and Laritte were facing a big problem.

In fact, Ian was the only one who thought it was a problem.

The party held a day before the exchange lasted until dawn.
And it would be like that throughout the exchange.

So of course, they had to stay in the imperial palace even for their sleep.
There was a room prepared for each guest in the annex of the castle.

“The Duke may rest here.
If he should need anything, please call me,” the imperial servant bowed down before him.
With that, the servant left.

“……There’s only one room,” Ian could barely maintain his voice.

The imperial palace, or anywhere else, never intended to give two separate rooms for a couple.

Ian and Laritte were standing in front of the door of a room prepared for them.

“Yes, it’s one.”

Laritte wondered if Ian’s eyes were okay.

Does it look like two?

Worried that her husband had a problem with his eyes, she held out two fingers in front of him.

“How many do you think this is?”

“……Two.
That’s not what I meant…..
Anyway….”

Laritte walked inside without much thought.

As prepared by the imperial family, it was a very colorful room.

Ian realized that this had happened in the past.
A long time ago, when he was traveling to the Capital from the villa, he had to stop to eat and stay the night in the city of Osira.

‘I also remember being this nervous.’

Then it hit him.

I suppose.
I’ve already been harboring feelings for Laritte since then.

He was shy.
It felt like his soul was itching to express the feelings he had.

Laritte sat on a wide bed.
The mattress was comfortable.
The blanket was so soft, she wanted to wrap it around herself.

I’m sleepy……

She tiredly blinked her eyes as she yawned.

Seconds later, her eyes met Ian’s.

Ian struggled to look away from her, focusing his eyes on a vase on the table instead.

What flower is it?

The petals were yellow with blue at the ends.
It was an ordinary flower, but he couldn’t place its name.

Because only one phrase was repeating itself in his head.

My wife is in bed……

My wife is in bed……

My wife is in bed……

He tried to bring up anything to get the thought out of his mind.

“This place has great security.”

All of the foreign guests were also staying at the annex of this castle.

So if there was any mistake, the full blame would be on the imperial family.
Even Ian was able to relax with confidence.

“The employees who accompanied the guests can only enter this floor at sunrise.”

The employees stayed downstairs.

If they needed anything in the evening, they had to go down in person.

Realizing, Laritte muttered casually.

“Oh, I have to change into my nightdress.”

It was impossible for her to change such a cumbersome dress alone.

“……You should go down and change.”

Laritte got up to check the closet.
There were nightdresses and everything she needed.
She just needed help taking her dress off.

“Is that necessary? You can help.
Can you see the string behind my back?”

Laritte turned her head and looked at Ian.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Ian was extremely opposed.

He was still trying hard to hold it in.
Laritte—who knew nothing—was looking so bold.

“Alice and Irene must be sleeping right now.
They will be sad if I wake them up.”

“We’re paying them enough.”

In fact, they were being paid four times as much as other families.

Laritte stared at Ian with a look of disapproval.

How can you wake a person when they’re fast asleep?

You shouldn’t touch people when they are sleeping.
Because sleep is important!

Pouting silently, she plopped back on the bed.

Of course, it was Ian who lost the argument.
Because, how dare he beat Laritte?

He reached out, trying his best to not think about anything.

“Yes.
Near the waistband there.”

Guided by Laritte, he grabbed the waistband that was holding the dress and carefully untied the string.

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