Published at 22nd of November 2019 01:30:06 PM
Chapter 91: 91
Chapter 91 – The Grand Duke’s Proposal (2)
I couldn’t believe my ears for a moment . I almost laughed, but when I saw Grand Duke Kapmen’s eyes, it died on my lips . His eyes spoke plainly of his anxiety . A man who I knew for his blunt speech and his confidence was now afraid of my rejection . Perhaps it was because of the potion, but at this moment he was sincere . A feeling of regret welled up in me .
However…I shook my head .
“No ”
“Your Majesty . ”
“Grand Duke Kapmen . Think rationally . You’re doing this because of the potion . ”
“I know . I know…I’m alright . ”
Was he? I drew my brows together in a frown .
“No . You’re not alright . ”
“It’s my emotions . It’s up to you to reject it, but please don’t treat my feelings callously . ”
“Grand Duke Kapmen . I know you . You’re only proposing this because of the potion . ”
“You will feel guilty about it when it wears off . ”
I deliberately spoke with a smile, but Grand Duke Kapmen’s expression did not lighten . I sighed .
“Don’t bet your life with me in what you feel at the moment, Grand Duke . ”
“When this drug wears away, how can you be sure that my emotions will go back to normal? ”
“You didn’t like me at first, remember?”
“It’s my enemies I don’t like . ”
“I just felt frustrated . ”
Grand Duke Kapmen’s face was carefully blank, but something about him was pitiable . His offer, however, was not something to be decided by sympathy and impulse . I deliberately looked away .
“Grand Duke Kapmen . You may find what I’m doing is frustrating, but…this burden is not difficult for me to carry . ”
“I admit it is painful for the Emperor to love another woman while he is cold to me . But I am the empress . ”
I let out a small, unintelligible sound and I turned my head back .
“I have lived and learned to become an empress all my life . This is my dream and reality . I don’t want to lose my life simply because of the suffering my husband is putting me through . ”
When Grand Duke Kapmen spoke, his voice was heavy with regret .
“It’s a great belief, but a dangerous one . ”
“How is it dangerous?”
“What will you do if your husband asks you for a divorce first?”
That wouldn’t happen, but he continued before I could reply .
“You have such a strong identity as an empress . But if you divorce the Emperor, you will not longer be the empress . I’m afraid you will fall apart then . ”
I flatly denied his words .
“That won’t happen . The Emperor is not a fool . ”
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I was serious . Sovieshu wasn’t completely devoid of reasonable judgment . However, Grand Duke Kapmen coldly refuted me .
“He was already a fool the moment he turned away from you . People addicted to love are likely to act on impulse and do things they would never ordinarily do . Such as the way I punched your husband . ”
He heaved a sigh . It seemed like there was more he wanted to say, but he didn’t . Instead, he carefully asked a question .
“Before I go, can we hug?”
A light embrace was common among the nobles, so I agreed . As soon as I gave permission, he stepped forward and pulled me in . But it wasn’t the hug I had in mind . Where had his calm and heavy attitude gone? His hug was impatient and intense . I was short on breath as I was locked tightly in his arms . His forehead touched my shoulder .
This…this was not a simple embrace .
“Grand Duke . ”
“Grand Duke Kapmen . ”
I didn’t think this was a good idea, and I called his name carefully . Fortunately, he retreated . When he released me from his grip, I saw his expression was carefully smoothed over . He gave a calm and polite bow, placed his hat on his head, and walked towards the door . He gave one last backwards glance, then left .
I collapsed onto the couch as soon as he was gone . Could it be the aftermath of his emotional whirlwind? I felt numb, but I didn’t have the luxury to stay that way for long .
“Your Majesty, Lord Koshar is here . ”
Within fifteen minutes of Grand Duke Kapmen’s departure, my older brother, Koshar, came to see me .
“Navier!”
As soon as Countess Eliza opened the door for me, my brother bounded into the room and embraced me . He was just as strong as Grand Duke Kapmen, but his arms were more comfortable . When I sat still, my brother buried his forehead in my shoulder like Grand Duke Kapmen as well . Was it natural for tall people to position themselves like this?
“Navier . Your shoulders are damp . ”
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I looked at him confusedly .
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s some water on your shoulder . ”
As soon as my brother pulled away, I touched my hand to the spot where Grand Duke Kapmen placed his forehead . It really was damp .
“Ah…”
Did the Grand Duke…cry? He cried and then left with a blank face like that? I put down my hand as my heart sank with regret, while my brother watched me closely .
“You look somber, Navier . Is it because of your husband and that woman?”
“Huh?”
“How dare he make you so miserable . ”
I looked up at my brother in surprise, and saw that he was grinding his teeth as he clenched his fists .
“All the commoners are talking about your husband and the concubine . ”
“Ah…”
So Koshar must have heard everything . I looked downward, feeling unsure of myself . I didn’t want to hear my brother talk about my husband being in love with another woman . Of course, I knew it would come up someday, but…
As soon as I dropped my gaze, I saw shopping bags near my brother’s feet . I deliberately changed the subject .
“What are those?”
“Gifts . ”
My brother delicately held out the shopping bags to me like he was giving me a bomb, and I leaned from the couch to accept them .
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“Can I open them?”
However, my brother didn’t say yes .
“Check them later . I’m not going to run away with the gifts . ”
He stood in front of me .
“Where is that woman staying, Navier?”
“What woman?”
“Oh my clever sister . Where are you pretending you don’t know? The woman with the bastard child . Along with that damn asshole . ”
“Brother!”
I quickly stood up and covered Koshar’s mouth .
“Watch your language . It’s dangerous . ”
The palace had many ears and eyes . Everyone here was my aide, but I remembered that Viscountess Verdi had once been close to me . Even my own ladies-in-waiting could betray me depending on the circumstances . My brother’s eyes flashed and he pulled away my hand .
“Everyone knows that my personality is garbage anyway . Where are they, Navier?”
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m gonna kill those two bastards . ”
My hand flew to cover my brother’s mouth again . I gave a harried glance towards Countess Eliza, she sent all the ladies-in-waiting out of the room . After they were all gone I locked the door securely, then pushed my brother onto the sofa and hissed at him in a low voice .
“Be careful, brother . People will find fault in any small thing you say . ”
“I meant it . ”
He answered firmly, and his eyes were sharp . I was worried . He really did seem serious . I was afraid that my brother would do something that I wouldn’t be able to control .