Chapter 96
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Chapter 96
I opened my eyes in The Emperor's arms.
I had completely pinned him down with my body as he fell.
Rather than marveling at how I'd rendered The Emperor helpless, I realized we were in serious trouble.
"Are you alright?"
"Are you unharmed?"
The Emperor and I spoke simultaneously.
I lifted my head to look at him, and his mask had slipped slightly upward. The Emperor's jawline and lips were visible.
His jaw was sharp and smooth. Even without seeing more, the slightly parted corners of his mouth were drawn so beautifully that he was undeniably handsome.
"...Enya."
When The Emperor's voice reached me again, I snapped back to my senses.
I carefully pulled his mask back down to protect his secret.
"!"
"Your mask had slipped up a bit. It's fine now. I didn't see anything at all."
His chest rose in surprise before falling deeply.
"Ah, wait, Your Majesty."
The lace on my dress had caught on a button of The Emperor's clothing.
I couldn't lift myself away from The Emperor and remained pressed against him, struggling.
At this rate, it would look like I was deliberately staying in his embrace and refusing to get up...!
"The fabric is caught! The fabric! It's the fabric! I'm so sorry! Please bear with me for just a moment!"
"...."
The Emperor kept his hand suspended in mid-air, uncertain what to do.
"Let me help...."
"You don't need to look down there!"
The Emperor, who had been lowering his gaze to assist, immediately looked back up. Unfortunately, our upper bodies were pressed against each other, making this all the more awkward.
Why was this so tangled?
No matter what I tried, the caught fabric wouldn't come free.
"...."
The Emperor exhaled a shallow sigh of distress. He too seemed uncomfortable with how long we remained pressed together.
I could feel his heartbeat racing so intensely that we were practically fused.
When he turned his head, I could see the flush deepening across his neck.
'He must be quite angry.'
"Ah, this won't do. I have no choice."
Rip!
I simply tore the lace off.
"There! It's resolved now, Your Majesty!"
I pushed myself up using his body, moving as quickly as I could manage.
"Ha... ha, ha ha..."
While I let out an awkward laugh, The Emperor also rose to sit up. He didn't get up right away as if lost in thought, but remained seated quietly.
His neck appeared flushed.
...Could it be that I had headbutted him?
"Your Majesty, shall I help you?"
The Emperor, who had been staring at me intently, took my offered hand and stood. He remained standing, unable to speak, and simply gazed at me.
"Are you hurt anywhere, perhaps?"
"I'm fine."
The Emperor spoke in a strained voice, and at the same moment, he removed his outer robe and draped it over me.
"?"
"It seems the weather has grown cold, so it would be better for Enya to wear this."
"Ah...? Cold? But we're in the Greenhouse... If you're cold, shouldn't we step outside instead?"
The Emperor fastened each button himself, one by one.
After dressing me and gently grasping my shoulders, The Emperor exhaled a sigh. Then he whispered.
"It would not be a wise choice to show others that Enya's clothes are torn. Everyone already knows that Enya and I were alone together in the Greenhouse."
"Ah..."
I understood The Emperor's words. He had dressed me in his clothes out of consideration for me.
I touched The Emperor's warm robe. I felt a deep gratitude toward him.
"Then it would be right to say that I borrowed The Emperor's clothes because I was cold, wouldn't it?"
The Emperor nodded lightly. We aligned our story that way.
"Let us return now."
"Yes, shall we?"
As The Emperor exited the Greenhouse, he led me back to the Mansion building. Before the door, The Emperor's Aide and knights were waiting.
He gazed at me as a man watching a parting lover would.
The Emperor lifted my hand and left a brief kiss on the back of it.
Though it was merely the cool mask that touched me, my hand trembled.
"I shall await the day we meet again."
* * *
At last, on the day of my debutante ball, I sat before the mirror.
"..."
"Miss, your expression doesn't look well. Are you unwell? Did the refreshments I brought you earlier not agree with you? Is your stomach aching?"
"It's nothing. Nothing at all."
I folded the letter and placed it on the vanity.
It was Dale's reply.
[I wish I could be present for Enya's debutante ball, but I am currently far from the Capital. I apologize that I cannot attend that occasion to offer my congratulations. I hope it will be a joyful day for you.]
His reply seemed curt enough to be called a formal rejection.
Was he surprised that I suddenly mentioned making my debut? It's a shame he's so far away.
I should have told Dale the moment I heard the news.
Even if Dale couldn't stand as my partner, it would have been nice to share this joyful occasion with him.
'Well, he's busy, so there's nothing I can do about it.'
Besides, this request wasn't part of the 'contract' between Dale and me.
'Perhaps because he's so far away, there's grown an emotional distance between Dale and me.'
It might be something I'm feeling alone, but the Dale I know wouldn't be someone who wouldn't come to congratulate me.
"Miss, there's a small problem."
That's when Emma whispered to me.
"A problem? What kind of problem?"
"We need to change the necklace you were going to wear for something else."
"It doesn't matter. That's fine."
"Aren't you going to ask why?"
Looking again, I noticed Emma's cheeks were puffed out round and full.
"Why?"
"His Majesty said it would suit you, and he sent all sorts of jewels!"
"The Emperor himself?"
"Come in!"
As Emma shouted, servants carrying accessories streamed in endlessly.
"All of it was personally prepared by His Majesty for you!"
The jewels sparkled so brilliantly that they hurt the eyes to look at. Each ornament seemed worth tens of millions of Crovats.
Even I, who had grown tired of seeing expensive accessories, was left speechless.
Wasn't this the level of opening the Imperial Family's treasury?
"They're jewels from the Imperial Family! I used to do some thieving work, you know. I even have a tiara I heard about from a fellow thief back then!"
"...."
I stepped closer and gazed at the jewels.
'Why is the Emperor doing this much for me?'
I couldn't quite understand it.
I couldn't pinpoint exactly why, but something felt off.
"This is just a gesture of goodwill, right?"
"I think the scale of money spent is the measure of love! This is love!"
Emma declared firmly.
"But Emma, you know what I think of His Majesty."
"Oh!"
"You said you agreed with my thoughts, didn't you?"
Emma, who had been staring with wide eyes, broke into a grin.
"Hehe, you know how my eyes go wild when it comes to money. I'm sorry. Why is my mouth watering like this?"
Emma quickly brought over a necklace and draped it around my neck.
"...Wow. It suits you so well, our young lady."
Emma admired my appearance with genuine delight, selecting various accessories and adorning me from head to toe.
The moment she placed the tiara upon my head, Emma shook her head and clapped her hands in approval.
"This is it...! I completely agree with Your Majesty's refined taste! You look absolutely stunning!"
At Emma's enthusiastic praise—her hands clapping so rapidly they nearly blurred—I turned to examine myself in the mirror.
I lifted my chin with satisfaction.
'It's a shame Dale can't see me like this.'
After a moment's reflection, I rose from the chair, ready to depart.
"Let's go, Emma."
As we stepped into the mansion's lobby, I spotted the Emperor's Aides waiting for us. I recognized their faces from previous encounters.
The broader-framed one among them was Soho, while the sharp-featured one was Getty.
"We've come to escort you, my lady."
"Thank you for your service."
As they escorted us toward the carriage, I observed that the vehicle awaiting us bore the Imperial Family's insignia, not the Lockhart Family's.
'Is all this attention truly necessary?'
The Emperor's kindness toward me felt almost overwhelming.
I understood his generosity stemmed partly from our business relationship and partly from his desire to remedy the scandal that had arisen because of me. Yet still, somehow...
...wasn't it excessive?
By then, the carriage had arrived at the Imperial Palace.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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