CH 128

Subjugation and Rakain (19)

“Your Highness seems to have been mistaken. Do you still think that I’m the same Princess who had lived in the Separate Palace?”

Lenoff’s face instantly became distorted by Roelin’s words. She then merely turned away as soon as he was just about to say something.

“Empress.”

Lucy slowly approached her once she had left the office. The concerns that contained within her gaze towards Roelin were conveyed perfectly.

Perhaps she had been nervous the whole time when Roelin was talking to Lenoff all alone.

It was actually a funny thing to ponder about. The two of them were having a conversation between a brother and a sister, who both shared the same blood, only for a while yet the person who did not possess a single drop in that mix of blood was being all worried like this.

Nevertheless, her heart gradually warmed up. Roelin nodded as if she appeared to be relieved towards Lucy before she then opened her mouth to the steward.

“I’m going to visit the Queen Mother, so do guide me there.”

“……Oh, yes.”

The steward looked inside the office for just a moment while hesitating to make a move.

* * *

It would soon be shattered!

Lenoff swept all over the desk and clenched his teeth. His tangled hair fluttered across his forehead.

“I think you’ve become very arrogant…… How dare a mere fake—?”

He recalled Roelin who gazed at him straight in the eye and said what she had to say without any signs of hesitation at all.

That was not what he had expected. He never imagined that those ominous twins would change this much in just a few meager months.

“Ha! You got to become the Empress of the Empire, right?”

Lenoff’s blue eyes glinted in response. Then, the corners of his mouth curled themselves. A smile that was displaying his crooked insides eventually spread across his own mouth.

“Okay. Just tell her to enjoy it as much as she wants ……it’s already right around the corner after all.”

The ‘Monster’ was finally removed and the ‘Fake Princess’ had been invited back too, so everything was almost done.

“Ha ha!”

Lenoff was clutching onto his desk before he burst out laughing like a madman.

And his eyes were reeling with such brimming life inside of them.

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Conspiracy (1)

“Are you all right?”

Lucy cautiously asked Roelin on their way to the Palace where the Queen was currently residing. Roelin looked back at her and smiled faintly before she soon nodded.

“Of course, Lucy. Everything’s all right.”

“I’m glad, then……”

Lucy blurted out the end of her sentence. She seemed to be concerned about the meeting between her and Lenoff alone previously. Roelin simply shook her head and responded to the question which Lucy couldn’t dare to ask.

“For the first time in my life, he actually tried imitating a friendly brother, so I told him to stop acting as such.”

“……what?”

Lucy widened her eyes in bewilderment. The Duke of Bönt also seemed to be taken by surprise since the old man’s eyes opened wide as well.

Roelin looked at their faces alternately and just smiled in return. Then, Lucy grinned before bursting into laughter as she soon opened her mouth.

“The Empress is really starting to take after the Emperor. Should I say this is a real pleasure…….”

What Lucy added later was simply a joke. Roelin understood it fully, so she just laughed as well.

However, she soon erased her smile and looked forward. Before she knew it, she had already reached the Inner Palace.

“……”

Roelin slowly moved towards the entrance of the Inner Palace. The maids of the Palace had lined up on both sides and bent downwards as soon as she approached.

When she was a Royal Daughter, this was a courtesy which she had never received before.

“……I greet the Empress.”

The head maid, who served Carolina, approached Roelin and politely showed courtesy. After receiving the greeting, Roelin then asked in a low voice.

“What about Mother?”

“……she’s currently waiting in her bedroom.”

The head maid continued with a stiff expression as if she was very awkward while dealing with Roelin in a polite manner.

Roelin nodded and soon ordered the maid.

“Guide me.”

Her words made the maid’s eyelids tremble in response. It had been because of Roelin’s appearance that was absolutely unfamiliar. However, the maid soon lowered her eyes and guided Roelin quietly.

Roelin eventually proceeded with the guidance of the maid.

‘Come to think of it, it’s my first time over here.’

She burst out laughing at the sudden realization.

‘It has been a place which I’ve been wanting to visit so much.’

A place where her mother had been. The place that little Roelin had always wanted to go.

How envious she had been.

Erita used to bully Roelin in various ways. One of them was to go to their mother’s Palace and talk about how much fun she had.

It was such a dreamy story.

Whenever it was confirmed that her mother, who had driven her away as if she was such a horrible thing, had been a sweet person to her twin sister, her heart immediately broke.

She felt even more lonely when her mother’s Palace, which had never been allowed for her, was always open to Erita.

But now, that was where her foot had been set on.

‘Did she have a change of mind because she was sick?’

Roelin’s face soon turned rather pale. The word that her mother was in critical condition had finally entered her mind.

She stopped walking and stumbled without her even realizing it. Then, Lucy, who was following after Roelin, hurriedly went to her aid.

“Empress, are you feeling sick?”

“No, it’s fine. I just felt dizzy for a moment.”

Roelin tried to smile and moved once more. The Head Maid of the Palace, who was walking ahead as guidance, witnessed the scene and hurried yet again.

Roelin bit her lips hard. She could feel that her hands were already getting cold.