Chapter 26

Chapter 26

She couldn’t stop Berthas, who was turning his head away. Watching him leave, Isilis stretched out her hand. Sorrow was revealed in her miserable face. Her outstretched fingers clenched the air, pointing towards the disappearing Berthas.

“No.”

Berthas’ figure suddenly disappeared through the grass of the garden.

“Come back.”

He may not be able to hear her as he was already far away, but Isilis uttered aloud.

Nonetheless, she was the Empress of the empire. She couldn’t stop him, and she couldn’t be grounded by anyone. Unable to be played by emotions, she was the Empress. Still, at least once. Maybe just once, she could move according to her greed.

“…Do something stupid.”

The words of disappointment fell under her feet.

Isilis shrugged her shoulders before turning her body back, and moving her steps. However, as soon as she couldn’t take a few steps, she was hugged and hugged tightly by someone. The scent of a man approaching with a heavy hand that strongly gripped her waist enveloped her the next moment.

“Do it once. Something stupid.”

She closed her eyes, listening to the man’s words that were whispered in her ear.

…She couldn’t.

“I am the Empress of the Empire…”

“I know.”

“You can’t stand next to me.”

“I know that, too.”

“I can’t keep you by my side.”

“I know that.”

“You will be disappointed and leave me.”

“….”

He gave no more answers. It was utterly disastrous. Was this the result of being swept away by her emotions?

“Maybe, it’s better for you to let me go like this.”

“…It is up to me to decide.”

The man’s growling voice contained a deep emotion.

Isilis, who turned her body around as she was hugged by Berthas, couldn’t get out of his arms… No, she didn’t want to get out anyway. She wanted to confide everything to the man who held her so strongly.

In fact, she was afraid.

She was terrified of bearing children and the weight of the crown on her head was so heavy, and she wanted to say that it was even more difficult to protect the child who was not born with magical powers.

Leaning on Berthas’ chest, she shut her eyes. Her mind was pounding in confusion.

“I am Berthas Hillenton. What about Lady?”

Isilis lifted her head as the man’s voice rang softly over her head.

“Isilis Larchen.”

“You are a Lady of the Larchen Empire. Take good care of me.”

She couldn’t speak anymore at that smile over her face and smiled faintly as well.

“Please, take good care of me, too.”

She felt the man’s hand circling around her waist. Pulling Isilis strongly, he gazed at her lips though she slowly turned her head away.

“Isilis.”

“Let me go.”

“Why…”

“Because I am the Empress of the Empire.”

She whispered as she glanced up at his face, who did not release the hand holding her waist. There was a complex look on his face as he stared at her, so Isilis waited quietly.

Faylos, who was looking at them happily from afar, murmured.

“You should thank me, Ilis.”

As he snapped his fingers, a faint magic barrier was activated, hiding the two of them.

Sitting on the chair in the corner of the garden, they were facing each other at the table. In the silence of the passing time, Berthas spoke first.

“You look fine.”

“Did I look like that?”

“…Yes.”

“I think so.”

Berthas was bewitched at the faint smile on her lips. It was such a familiar face.

…‘Looking at it like this, she looked exactly like that child when she was young.’

She was the child who gave him the will to live. He would have died on the battlefield if it hadn’t been for the child. He had given up everything.

“Isilis Larchen. I fell in love with a really great woman.”

Even though he had searched for her for a long time, he couldn’t believe she was the Empress. Even if she was the Empress, he couldn’t give up. He fell into the eyes with colors like a piece of the night. How could he turn around after looking at those eyes that were trembling with anxiety…?

The Empress’ place was a lonely place. His own father, and now her. Because of this, he could not turn away from Isilis, although she threw cold words at him.

Her desperate voice calling him to come back caught his footsteps.

“What about the child?”

“I was going to officially introduce today… I’m out here, so they’ll be waiting.”

“Resemble….me?”

“At least, not me.”

“A son or a daughter?”

“A daughter.”

At those words, his hand trembled.

Berthas thought it might be like this. He spent a month with Isilis and even imagined that she might be giving birth to his child and raising them somewhere. Against the will of her family to get her to marry, maybe she was locked up somewhere.

His wings of imagination spread afar, wondering if that was why she couldn’t come to see him.

It was true… A child.

“It’s my child.”

Isilis resolutely uttered, so Berthas raised his head. The unchangingly handsome face. A strange feeling permeated those beautiful picturesque eyes.

“Okay. Your child.”

She was greatly relieved to see him agreeing to her, contrary to her expectations as she had been worried. However, the moment she tried to unravel her stiff expression…

“But, she is also my child.”

Berthas’ eyes gleaming with possessiveness caught Isilis.

“….”

Seeing her, who did not deny but did not affirm, Berthas swallowed a gulp. If he hadn’t been here since he wasn’t in the delegation, she would have never told him.

“Did you not want to tell me until the end?”

“Of course.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“…You cannot be my husband.”

He knew that.

After all, she was the empress of the Larchen Empire. The position of the Empress’ companion was not something anyone could have. It was a position that could not be given to someone like him, especially when he gave up the throne.

Still, the words that came out of her mouth pierced his chest like a dagger.

Seeing his distorted expression, Isilis made a bittersweet smile, but he couldn’t manage his expression.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you don’t have to.”

She didn’t have to apologize to him. If he couldn’t be her husband in the position he was now, then he should rise up to where she was. In an instant, Berthas finished his calculations. He made a new goal other than the fall of the Hillenton Empire.

“Isilis Larchen.”

“….?”

In front of Isilis, who gazed at him with doubts, he knelt down.

“I will be your knight. Will you be my one and only lady?”

“…What?”

“Be my one and only lady.”

Said Berthas, placing his lips on the back of her hand.

An aura flashed from the man’s body who made the once in a lifetime oath of a knight. She could see the aura being limited by Larchen’s barrier, but Isilis was so surprised that she even forgot to use protective magic.

“Berthas!”

Berthas spoke again, feeling his aura enveloping Isilis.

“Will you be my…lady?”

“It’s not going to be that easy to decide! This is…”

“I will protect you and the child.”

Hearing his words, Isilis’ bewildered movements stopped. At the same time, he whispered and stroked her face as she stared at him blankly.

“I will protect you and the child.”

“You… You have to go back to Hillenton.”

“I’ll be right back.”

“You cannot stay here.”

“Even from afar, I will protect you and the child.”

“You…”

“Just say you’ll accept it.”

The knight’s oath was an oath that had already disappeared hundreds of years ago. An oath made by a knight who was a sword master with his aura… An oath of allegiance to his master was an oral tradition passed down through knowledge.

“I just thought it was a… legend.”

“It’s funny that you, the Empress of a magic empire, say that.”

He replied, bringing his lips to the back of her hand once more.

“Isilis. My lady, accept my oath.”

“…No. I can’t.”

Isilis answered while pushing Berthas’ hand away.

“It was a hasty decision.”

“If not?”

“I cannot accept it.”

He stared blankly at Isilis, who stood up.

“I cannot accept it.”

“Why…”

“If there is a chance, I will see you again.”

Throwing a glance at him, she left the place. Berthas could not stop Isilis as she drifted away. This was his relationship with her. She could stop him, but he couldn’t stop her.

“Today is not the only day.”

The period of his stay in the Imperial Palace was long since the trade negotiations with the Hillenton Empire had not yet begun.

“I will wait.”

Uttering so, Berthas’ eyes shone resolutely.

Calming her pounding heart, Isilis left the garden where Berthas was.

“Ilis.”

Then, she saw Faylos’ face.

“Did you know?”

“About the child’s father?”

“Yes, you knew. So, that’s why you said that to me?”

“…Yes.”

“Should I say I’m glad I know now?”

Faylos, who followed her from behind, spoke urgently.

“Iris. Berthas…”

“Were you close enough to call his name?”

He stopped at those words that sounded sharp for some reason.

“You… Do you think it was something I made up?”

“Was it not?”

“You know it’s not right?”

Isilis turned her head at his cold words and she lost her words. She knew Faylos wasn’t insidious enough to do such a thing. It made no sense to call it all a coincidence though she also knew it was a coincidence.

“You are afraid.”

Faylos’ words made her startled, it stabbed her in the right direction as if they had entered and exited her.

“No one has ever expressed their feelings to you like that, so it’s scary… Berthas’ feelings.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Ilis.”

Seeing her shaking her head with a confused face, Faylos spoke affectionately, “It’s your first time doing all of this, so you’re just surprised. You already love him.”

“…Love?”

“Yes, love.”

She couldn’t accept Faylos’ words. The Empress playing around with cheap feelings….

“No.”

Nevertheless, Faylos continued in her denying voice.

“There is nothing wrong with love.”

“I must put the Empire first.”

“It is already late, Iris.”

“Faylos!”

“I want you to accept Berthas’ heart, but he won’t be able to.”

“What?”

“Seeing you still cutting his heart makes me feel sorry for my close friend.”

With his resolute words, Isilis’ face was full of confusion. This was not made up. If Berthas swore an oath to her, he couldn’t get away from her.

“You have to give him a chance.”

“A chance… You want me to give the guy who has already thrown everything another chance?”

Faylos could feel it… Berthas was showing his feelings to Isilis as if it was his last. It was so amazing that he was surprised himself. For him, he rather felt afraid when he saw the man who had always been restrained, acting like that.

His close friend had always lived in moderation on the outside as his appearance seemed too natural to wear a mask. While he did not show his true intentions, when he fulfilled the plan he was hiding in his heart, he lived as if he was someone who would run away from somewhere. Faylos always felt sorry for Berthas, so he wanted him to have some regrets in his life, yet it ended up like this.

…To commit an act as if it was the last time.

Faylos said deliberately coldly.

“Don’t try to judge with his heart, Isilis. He is a stronger man than you think.”

His cousin’s face went lost in thought. Just as he was about to give a happy smile, a disturbance appeared.

“Your Majesty! The Princess is gone…!”

—

Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don’t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot.