Chapter 40

Chapter 40

She was shocked by his words.

She was the Empress of Larchen. Even without her cumbersome trinkets, it didn’t change that she was the Empress.

Isilis nodded her head when Berthas’ words pointed out what she had forgotten. The Empress’s authority was not reflected in her dress. Meanwhile, Berthas, who had been looking at her who got speechless, asked again.

“Why?”

“You always point out things I’ve forgotten.”

“Point out? No way. Who would dare to point it out to the Empress of Larchen?”

Isilis shook her head to Berthas, who smiled mischievously at her.

“You know it doesn’t mean that.”

“I know. I just said it once.”

He then carefully sat next to Isilis as she lay and stroked her hair. As his fingertips ran down her forehead, his cool fingertips made her forehead cool.

Isilis smiled contentedly, liking his cool touch.

“Feels nice.”

She couldn’t stop those words from coming out. Berthas laughed and put his hand on her forehead.

“Maybe it’s because it’s cold.”

His soft whispered words eased her heart.

“Let me rest for a while.”

As she closed her eyes, Berthas’ scent enveloped her, leading her to the edge of her dreams.

“You slept well.”

Seeing her tired look, Berthas’ expression was not good. Why did she have so many worries?

Still, he carefully looked into Isilis’ face, who was sleeping peacefully next to him. Her face was beautiful. Her face resembled the one who saved him when he was young. Perhaps she would have been as big as this if that child had been alive. Every time he looked at her, he thought of that child.

“…Well, what’s the use of being alive now?”

Berthas watched Isilis’ sleeping face for a long time as the smile did not leave his lips the whole time.

A smooth forehead, a flowing nose, abundant eyelashes, white cheeks, and intelligent red lips. He tried to lower his own lips, slightly loosening the heart that he had been holding back because everything about her was so beautiful.

It was then that her eyelids fluttered like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings.

“I just woke up.”

“…It’s better then.”

Berthas wrapped around Isilis’ shoulders, who raised her body. He finally brought his lips to the corners of her eyes that blinked as if she hadn’t woken up yet.

“What…”

“Excuse me. Because you’re so pretty.”

“….”

Berthas laughed as she looked at her, who blushed as if she didn’t mind his words. The next moment, Isilis whispered as she stared blankly at the smile that formed on his lips.

“She looks like you.”

“What?”

“The Princess looks like you.”

“She’s my child, so it’s obvious.”

“My child.”

“She is also my child.”

He replied as he gazed at her clear eyes, completely woken up now.

She is also my child.

Berthas whispered as he looked at her nodding her head.

“You inserted the requirements of it being a swordmaster with me in mind, right?”

“About that, maybe.”

His eyebrows moved at Isilis’s vague words.

“Do you not like me?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then why?”

“…Are you thinking of not going back to your country?”

“I’ll have to go.”

He replied without hesitation. As he was lost in his thoughts, Berthas did not notice her complexion darkening at his answer.

“…I see.”

“It won’t take long.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

He felt strange as Isilis muttered to herself, but he didn’t ask. Seeing her expression look empty for some reason, Berthas lightly squeezed her shoulders.

“You don’t like it?”

“No. no.”

Seeing her face immediately correcting her expression, he smiled and passed it off as if he was worried for nothing.

“Then, when are you going back?”

“We haven’t even sat down at the negotiating table yet?”

“Negotiation?”

Isilis straightened her body.

“What are you talking about?”

“The reason I came this time from Hillenton was not to celebrate the New Year but to finalize the trade negotiations.”

“Berthas, aren’t you a knight?”

At the question, he nodded as Isillis implied why a knight sit at the table of trade negotiations.

“Right.”

“But why…”

“I was told to do so, so I did it.”

“Who?”

“The Emperor of Hillenton.”

“That’s a short story.”

“Because he is not worthy of respect.”

As he responded casually to her words, Isilis laughed at his shrug.

“It seems you still love Hillenton.”

“Hillenton? Ah… Are you talking about the Empire?”

“Yes.”

“Well, about that, maybe.”

Isilis slowly peered into Berthas’ cynical reply. He opened his mouth when her gaze seemed to search him.

“Is that important to you?”

“Yes.”

Berthas’ gaze added weight to her words.

“Why?”

“….”

“Do you love me?”

“….”

“No?”

“For the Empress, private feelings are just a luxury.”

“Isilis.”

Berthas sighed again, listening to her.

One word was enough. If she asked him to stay by her side, he would give up everything and stay by her side. Why was that so difficult?

“Just one word… You know that, don’t you?”

Despite his words, Isilis said nothing.

How could she say that? She couldn’t tell that person to abandon the country for her. It was clear that he would love Hillenton as much as she loved Larchen, so she couldn’t open her mouth.

…Leave the country and come to me.

Berthas, who had been looking at her with strange eyes, spoke again.

“You really don’t want to?”

“No. No.”

Berthas whispered as he held her outstretched hand affectionately.

“Just one word. Isilis. Then, I’ll give you…”

“You.”

When she called, he raised his head and looked at her. As Isilis looked into his dim eyes, she opened her mouth again.

“I can’t give you any definitive answers.”

“I’m not asking for an answer. I want you…”

“Everything I do is entirely for Larchen. I can give you a piece, but I can’t give you all.”

“Is Larchen… that important?”

“Of course.”

“So what about me?”

“….”

“What about our child?”

“The Princess will follow me…”

“I know that!”

Isilis gazed at Berthas, who was shouting with surprise. Watching him tremble in rage, she couldn’t get her mouth to open.

“Then, I asked what it was? Isilis. What am I to you?”

“That’s…”

“You said it was just for the child? Is all the time you and I spent meaningless? I’m still curious, really. What am I to you?”

“Berthas, that’s…”

“The child’s father… just the father?”

“That…”

She couldn’t say anything. Her feelings for him were not something that could be defined by any single word. The child’s father? If she could have defined him with such simple words, she would have already done so… But, it wasn’t like that.

Isilis couldn’t open her mouth easily as she couldn’t understand her feelings. There was no way to know how Berthas judged her hesitation.

“What about the child?”

“That child is the next Empress.”

“Are you aware that the child is looked down upon by the maids and attendants?”

“Who dares…”

“Everyone said that. They asked if it was possible for her to inherit the throne.”

“How dare!”

Berthas laughed at Isilis’ cold words.

“You’re not saying you didn’t know, are you?”

His words became a dagger and wound her in the chest.

“Isn’t it like that, Isilis? You know about the treatment my child receives because she is not born with magic.”

“The imperial family itself…”

“That’s the story of when you were born with magic properly. In fact, you know that, too, right?”

She knew.

The reason why the blood of the Imperial Family was considered sacred and the Imperial Family was acknowledged as such was because they are endowed with magic. However, her daughter couldn’t be like that… At least until her magic manifested.

Still, Isilis was not giving up hope. The child’s magic would surely manifest. It was a matter of time, she could tell.

But until then, it was a question of whether she would be able to withstand all the checks from the nobles and protect her child.

It was the same as before.

She was an all-powerful Empress, but her child was still a feeble baby. It was easy for her to reach out to the child. There was no time for her, the Empress, to stick by her child’s side and protect the child. She couldn’t have a child by her side watching her work.

Even though Isilis knew it, it hurt her heart to hear Berthas speak in such a sharp tone.

“The manifestation of magic can happen later.”

“You know that, but can you wait until then without setting up a successor?”

“I…”

She knew it was difficult though she was going to try… for her and the child.

“Isilis.”

Berthas continued with a sigh.

“If you had an imperial wedding, would you be able to withstand the demand to have children?”

“That’s something I’ll figure out.”

“Yes, but it won’t be easy. Sleeping with the Empress is a duty.”

Berthas pointed out what she had forgotten again. That was right. The Empress was obliged to have a relationship on set days if there was an empress or consort. It was a system for succession. It was something that had to be done, even if she didn’t like it.

That was the Empress… Even her body was for Larchen, not her own.

Berthas whispered to her, who continued to be speechless.

“Then, what are you going to do? If you have an imperial wedding with someone other than me, will you do all the things you did with me to him?”

“That’s outrageous!”

“No, I have to listen. Isilis. This is not a question to you, the Empress, but to you, who gave birth to my child. Answer me. Are you going to do that?”

Her mouth couldn’t open. After thinking for a while, Isilis chose to evade. How to not have to answer right away.

“I’ve been too easy for you.”

“Is it correct that you’re not answering?”

“No one can ask the Empress that much. Here in Larchen, I am the law.”

“I said I knew. I also said I’m not asking the Empress.”

“You’re not asking the Empress when you ask me, the Empress of Larchen. What irony is this?”

Isilis whispered to him as she rose from the bed.

“If I hadn’t been the Empress in the first place, I wouldn’t have met you. Berthas.”

—