The Evil Empress Adores Me

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“…….mind your manners, Your Majesty, Empress.” 

The Duke who seemed to have a buzzing headache, pressed his temple with his index finger to numb the second hand embarrassment.  

Then.
Damian took a step forward, greeting the Duke with caution. 

“Thank you so much for celebrating with me, Your Grace.
And…..”

Damian took a deep breath and spoke clearly. 

“It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Duke of Rochester.” 

The Duke who looked down at Damian with an intense gaze, politely greeted him as he bowed. 

“It is a pleasure for me as well, crown prince.” 

“I didn’t expect for Your Grace to come all the way here.
I’m really happy.”

“Well, that’s because I could and did too.
That’s why he’s here,” I said internally.

I casually nodded my head till my eyes locked gazes with the Duke’s.

The Duke scrunched his eyebrows.

“Kid, why are you staring at me?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

No, what’s the point of me making eye contact? 

The Empress then shook her head and scolded the Duke. 

“My brother, the Duke, also came all the way here because he felt sorry for Charlize.
Don’t you think should be nicer to her?”

“No, when did I say that?!” the Duke exclaimed. 

“Is that so? When you two first met, you felt you were mean to Charlize…..”

“Your Majesty, Empress!”

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The Duke further raised his voice. 

Wow, is the Duke’s face….it’s like a ripe tomato?

Was it really true? Did the Duke feel bad?

Puzzled, I paused and waited for him to say something.

The Duke instead turned his attention away from me, speaking to Damian. 

“Happy birthday, Your Highness, crown prince.
Please take a seat.”

“Ah, okay…..”

Damian nodded with an awkward look. 

And that’s how Damian’s surprise birthday started. 

* * *

All the food served from one of end of the table to the other looked appetizing.

My mouth was starting to water!

“Your Highness, come here and sit down!” 

I pulled out a chair and pulled Damian onto his seat. 

Damian tried to control his expressions as much as possible. 

However, he couldn’t completely hide his boyish excitement in front of everyone present at the birthday table. 

“What’s wrong with you? You’re really that impressed…..”

Startled by my mean question, Damian shot back at me with a retort. 

“I-It’s not like that!” 

“Really? Then what is it like?” I said with a smug smile. 

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My smirk caused Damian’s cheeks to redden. 

Oh my, dear Damian! He’s so cute!

But I still have one more secret weapon left!

I placed the beautifully wrapped cake box on the table. 

“Voila!”

“…..what’s this?”

“It’s a birthday cake!”

Damian upon hearing my answer, wasted no time and began examining the cake box with curious intent. 

I added to my words in a proud voice. 

“This is what Her Majesty, the Empress dowager, and I baked together.”

“……grandma?”

For a brief moment, Damian’s shoulders stiffened. 

‘Grandma….this is from her.’

I smiled brightly. 

I could see how much this meant for him.
It was the first gift he had received from his grandmother in ages.

“Yes.
Her Majesty asked me to deliver it to you, Your Highness.”

Damian bit his lips.

With trembling fingertips, he caressed the surface of the box and undid the loosely tied ribbon bow.  

Seeing his reaction and expression almost drove me to tears, I felt pity.

‘Do I dare? It’s been so long…’

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Sensing his hesitation, I encouraged him.

“Open it.”

“……um, yes.
I should.”

Damian listened to me and slowly opened the cake box. 

The cake was covered in whipped cream, topped with fruits and chocolate decorations that weren’t particularly pretty. 

But…..

“…..thank you.”

Damian who didn’t take his eyes off off the cake muttered in a soft but strained voice. 

It was fortunate that Damian liked the cake. 

But then. 

“Lize.”

“Yes?”

“Come to think of it, I’ve never baked a cake with you……”

The Empress murmured with gloomy expression. 

‘Oh no.’

I’m at a loss for words to answer her.

Think, think.
What should I say?

……what response should I give?

“Well, let’s bake a cake together next time.”

“‘Next time’, let’s not use vague words like that.”

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The Empress resolutely shook her head at the simple answer I desperately squeezed out and supplemented her own. 

“Tomorrow.”

“Pardon?”

“Bake.
With me.
Tomorrow.”

“O-Okay….”

Well, if that’s what the Empress wants…..

I nodded my head, trembling. 

My gaze subsequently fell onto the Duke standing across from me. 

The Duke was staring at the Empress with an astonished expression. 

With a sigh, he spoke. 

“My sister is so childish…..”

……It seemed like any impression or image of the Empress the Duke had of her initially, shattered before him. 

Instead of meddling in the affairs of those two siblings, I decided to pay more attention to Damian. 

“You get first serve, Your Highness.”

I cut a large piece from the cake and placed it in front of Damian. 

“Also, there.
Strawberry for your cake.
It’s the best part, trust me.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Damian followed my advice, stuck his fork into the strawberry. 

Mmmm.

With that, the strawberry had entered his mouth.