The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

Sola’s humming echoed gently in the Stella Palace.

 

Due to Sola, who was full of complaints all the time, the courtiers always had to be on their toes, but today, she was not irritable and did not bother the servants by making ridiculous demands.

 

She watered flowers that she didn’t care about and even smiled at them.

 

“What’s wrong with her today?”

 

“I don’t know, don’t ruin her mood for no reason and let’s go.”

 

The courtiers could not hide their anxiety over Sola’s sudden change in attitude and quickly avoided her.

 

The palace was disturbed by the matter of slave traders, but Sola seemed to have nothing to do with it.
In fact, it was right to be irrelevant to her, as it was strange to have such an attitude as the emperor’s open mistress.

 

“The wine that came in as a gift tastes good.”

 

Sola, who was sitting on the sofa tilting a wine glass, spun the glass and laughed delightedly.
Red-cheeked, she reached for a maid standing in front of the door.

 

“Do you want to try it?”

 

“Yes…?”

 

“No, I can’t give this precious thing to a maid like you.”

 

“…….”

 

“Is there anyone I can enjoy this with?”

 

Sola, who was muttering, closed her eyes softly and opened them.
Her lips went up in an arc.

 

“Let’s give it to Her Majesty.
We’re almost like a family, so we should get closer now.
I’d been too neglectful.”

 

After putting down the wine glass, she slowly raised herself up the sofa, threw off her thin chemise and began to choose a dress.
Sometimes, her behavior deviated a lot from how nobles were, but no one faulted her.

 

It was also because she only does what she pleases, and everyone knew what the ending would be should they go against what Sola wanted.

 

Humming, her body swayed lightly, and then wore a black Empire dress.
She then stood in front of the mirror and smiled.

 

“Our kind Empress seems to be crestfallen about the slave trade, so we should drink wine together.”

 

Even though her adornment wasn’t complete yet, she was outrageously beautiful.

 

While the maids admired her internally, Sola, who looked in the mirror satisfactorily, turned to them.

 

‘Don’t tell me she intends to curse at us again.’

 

They swallowed their saliva and prepared to face the upcoming rude remarks, but it was a more friendly tone than usual that returned.

 

“You, take care of my hair and you there.
Yes, you with the bobbed hair.
Don’t just stand there and contact the Empress Palace.”

 

The maids quickly moved their bodies, sighing in relief inside.

 

***

 

All the work related to the slave traders was done.

 

As she tried to lie down, a letter arrived from Stella Palace.
It was about Sola wanting to visit her.
Did she have something to say to her?

 

‘I want to say no, but there’s no helping it because she already left.’

 

After changing from her comfortable clothes and dressing up in a moderately formal dress, Rodelia greeted Sola.

 

“Welcome, princess.”

 

“Your Majesty, thank you for welcoming me despite my abrupt visit.”

 

Although Sola being particularly kind was suspicious, it was not polite to suddenly suspect a person, so she didn’t show it.
She handed the bottle of wine she was holding to a maid and told her to prepare glasses.

 

“I had some good wine, so I brought it.”

 

“So suddenly?”

 

“I think I’ve been neglectful of Your Majesty too much.
Even if you don’t like me, we see each other often, so we should get closer now.”

 

“…Well, is that necessary?”

 

Saying that they see each other often didn’t hurt that much anymore, but so what? They were already at odds with each other, and she didn’t want to go to great lengths to fix their relationship.

 

“If it’s not important, I’m tired, so go back…….”

 

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t like me, but there are many eyes on you, so please accept my sincerity.”

 

She was about to decline and send Sola back, but she interrupted her with a rather amiable smile.

 

Rodelia’s brows narrowed.
When she looked around furtively, eyes filled with interest were focused on them.

 

‘If I send her back like this, exaggerated rumors will spread.’

 

As the empress, she couldn’t just coldly treat a high-ranking aristocrat who was at her door, so she had no choice but to bring in Sola who was saying reasonable things.

 

“Come on in.”

 

With a small sigh, Rodelia guided Sola to the table.
There was a suffocating silence as no one spoke first between the wine placed in the middle of the table.

 

A maid served the wine bottle given by Sola in glasses.
She didn’t enjoy wine, but she had to drink a glass to show her sincerity.

 

However, she couldn’t escape the intrusive thoughts ahead.

 

What was in there? Sola won’t be so evil, but she was her rival anyway.
There was no harm in being careful.

 

“Do you think it’s poisoned?”

 

“……it’s true that I’m worried.
There’s no reason for you to suddenly be affable to me.”

 

When Rodelia looked at her with suspecting eyes, Sola laughed boisterously and took a sip of the wine first.
The lips that parted from the glass glistened like blood.

 

“Would I do such a horrendous thing, Your Majesty?”

 

“The Empress’ seat should always be vigilant.”

 

Rodelia glanced at Sola’s glass.
Her glass had been emptied clean.

 

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be poisoned.

 

When the relieved Rodelia was about to take a sip of wine, a small suspicion flared up in her mind.

 

‘If it’s the glass that was poisoned.….’

 

The glass in Rodelia’s hand fell to the floor.
Fortunately, the glass did not break because it was carpeted, but the dirty cup could not be used as it was.

 

She naturally asked Lady Aden to serve a new glass, staring at her wet feet and the beige carpet that had turned red.

 

“My apologies, Princess.
My hand slipped and I wasted precious wine.”

 

“That’s alright.
We have plenty of wine.”

 

When Rodelia cleared her expression and apologized, Sola, who answered casually, emptied her wine glass that had been filled again.

 

After a while, Lady Aden came back with a glass and poured the wine again.
Only then did Rodelia relax and drink the wine, smiling lightly.

 

“It’s a very flavorful wine.”

 

“Right?”

 

“Thank you for allowing me to taste such a good wine, Princess.”

 

Although Sola had almost emptied the bottle and she only drank once, it didn’t matter because she didn’t plan to exchange drinks with her in the first place.

 

It’s just that this incident will ease her thorns a little bit, and the slave trade matter has been concluded quite satisfactorily, that’s it.

 

***

 

Maybe because she was relaxed that day, she had a fever all night.

 

The imperial physician went in and out of her room several times, but Rodelia’s fever showed no signs of abating.

 

“Try some soup.”

 

Viscountess Cohen brought some thin soup, but even that was too much that vomit started to rise.
The news went into Kane’s ears, and soon afterwards into Cerdian’s.

 

Not long after, Kane who arrived at the Empress Palace with a hurried gait, rushed in without knocking.
Looking at Rodelia, whose face had gone pale, he asked the courtier.

 

“Is it a fever?”

 

“It’s…… we don’t know the cause.
Even though I prescribed an antipyretic, the fever is not subsiding, but even going up…….”

 

As if he was also frustrated, the imperial physician sighed deeply.
Kane didn’t like his answer and lashed out.

 

“Do you think it makes sense to be an imperial physician and spit out such irresponsible remarks now? How much money did the imperial family spend on you!”

 

The doctor quickly bowed his head.

 

Kane suppressed his anger and closed his mouth.
This is because he could not raise his voice next to the patient.

 

Kane shifted his gaze slowly.
On the table next to Rodelia’s bed were numerous medicine bowls.
They were proof of her struggles overnight due to the unknown fever.

 

Kane, who was watching the pale Rodelia, asked quietly.

 

“If you don’t know the cause.”

 

“…….”

 

“You’re saying you don’t know what could happen.”

 

“I’m ashamed, but yes.
Although a slight alcohol content was detected, it was a small amount and Her Majesty didn’t show any allergic reactions…….”

 

“Alcohol? Do you mean the empress drank alcohol? Is there a possibility that there was poison in it?”

 

“That’s… Princess Aizen also drank the wine, but she showed no symptoms, and we checked the wine glasses to see if there was poison on them, but nothing was detected.”

 

Kane pondered deeply.
He put the back of his hand on Rodelia’s forehead and removed it in surprise.
The fever was too high.

 

If it went on like this, it could be life-threatening.

 

“We cannot rule out the possibility of stress.
We’ll have to wait and see how this goes, but I don’t think there’s any chance of getting better at this point.”

 

The doctor added briefly.

 

Kane’s jaw hardened, suddenly frightened by those words.
By any chance, if something goes wrong with the Empress, someone might try to damage his steadfast reputation.

 

That should never happen.
A trembling voice leaked from Kane’s mouth.

 

“No matter what happens, you have to fix her.
This is an order from the Emperor.”

 

***

 

Contrary to everyone’s wishes, Rodelia’s fever did not go down for two days.
However, there were no rumors that the Empress was ill anywhere.

 

The palace was as peaceful as ever, and the palace’s servants seemed to be unaware of anything.

 

The absence of the Empress was something that could be moderately covered up.
Externally, Rodelia was at Delta, a resort west of Thebes.

 

It was simply a perfect cover-up.

 

The Empress’ health was confidential, so it wasn’t unreasonable to hide it this much, but…….

 

What Kane said kept coming into her head, so the feeling of fear could not go away.

 

[No matter what happens, you have to fix her.]

 

Kane’s voice ordering the imperial physician was firm.
He was afraid.
He was not worried about her, it’s about what’s going to happen to his reputation.

 

If she heard it without knowing anything, she might have thought a little differently.
However, Kane’s face, which she could see faintly, did not show any concern.
He was just worried about losing power.

 

‘So, Kane has never had feelings for Rodelia Florence for a moment.’

 

She had already sorted out her feelings for him yet her heart ached again.
It wasn’t a lingering attachment to Kane.
It’s just…

 

‘If I had known this, I would have lived for myself a little more.’

 

The fever of unknown origins kept boiling, no medicine that the imperial physician used worked.
All kinds of negative thoughts ate into her mind.

 

‘Will I really disappear like this?’

 

Like her own mother.
An unbearable fear of death crept in.

 

Rodelia recalled the day when her mother, the Marquise, died.

 

She died of a fever, but even in her last moments she made a request, that was not hers, to the young Rodelia.
The Marquise’s dying wish.

 

Perhaps it was because she was too young, or that she had been crying all day long? No matter how much she looked through her memories, she couldn’t remember what it was.

 

Tears streamed from Rodelia’s hazy eyes.
All kinds of sorrowful thoughts interfered with her normal thinking.

 

If someone were to ask her what she wanted most right now, she won’t answer that she wants wealth or honor or anything like that.
All she wanted right now is…….

 

“I want to live.”

 

She didn’t want to continue her life like this.

 

Until now, if she had lived for the honor of the Marquis of Florence and for Kane’s happiness.
Now, she wanted to live for herself more than anyone else.

 

Rodelia, looking at the ceiling with a blurred vision, slowly closed her eyes.