Chapter 44: 44

***

***

As Remil approached, Ellea looked at the happy looking children and replied.

“I was playing with the children.”

“You don’t have to do the laundry, Miss El. I know you had a lot of work to do today teaching them their studies.”

“No, not too much today, and I received a lot of help from the one who came with me.”

Remil was just grateful that they were able to take care of the children and even help with the other work while she was out of the office.

“Thank you for everything. You can leave now. It’s been quite a long time.”

“That’s right. The time flies when I’m here. Then I guess we’ll be going now.”

At Ramil’s words, Ellea also felt that time had passed and decided to go back. Terban couldn’t leave the palace for too long.

Sparing the children at the mention of the two leaving, Ellea grabbed Terban by the side and spoke.

“We have to leave now. We can’t play much longer if we want to.”

“Uncle, let’s play some more. Yes?”

“Guys, don’t make them feel bad. Let’s call it a day today and you can meet again next time.”

When Remil said that, the children had no choice but to let Terban go. Ellea also felt disappointed this time.

“Don’t be sorry, I’ll be back.”

“Are you coming too, Uncle?

“Huh?”

When the children asked Terban, Ellea answered instead.

“He’s very busy, so I don’t think he can come anymore.”

“Really ?”

“Is Uncle really not going to come anymore?”

There was nothing Terban could do, even under the desperate gaze of the children. He had already learned the hard way not to make promises so easily.

He had to tell them that he couldn’t come, but he couldn’t say anything.

He was able to forget for a while that he was the emperor, as they were very friendly to him even though they had never met before.

He had lived his whole life in the Imperial Palace with a tremendous amount of tension, so these few hours here today felt really peaceful.

As the children continued to grow stubborn, Ellea was determined and showed an unusual cold appearance.

“No, he will not come again.”

Then, making eye contact with the children, she said seriously.

“He……. He lives very far from here, and he only came today to keep his promise to you. I’ll come instead, yes?”

The children nodded with regretful eyes, as they understood Ellea’s words. She was heartbroken at their appearance, but she couldn’t help it.

“Okay.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Ellea patted the children on the head and stood up. For a moment, her eyes met Terban’s, but she deliberately turned away and spoke to Remil.

“Director, we’ll be on our way now.”

“Thank you both very much for your time today.”

“Goodbye. Miss El, uncle Ban.”

Thus the two of them walked out of the nursery, with Remil and the children seeing them off. But Terban’s gaze lingered a little longer on the children who looked at him and waved.

As they exited the nursery, she saw the horse that Terban had ridden in on. Ellea was about to tell him to go ahead, but his words came first.

“Why did you say that?”

Realizing what Terban meant, Ellea answered calmly, as she had earlier.

“I don’t think I’ve said anything wrong, have I?”

“But to that extent…”

“Then can Your Majesty come here again? Can you delay your busy work?”

In response to Ellea’s question, Terban tried to say something, but eventually fell silent. She honestly brought up what she wanted to say.

“It is the children who will be hurt in the end if you show ambiguity. I couldn’t help but to tell them the truth. I think the best way to help the children is to say no for sure from the beginning.”

“The way I see it, the princess is hoping that I won’t come.”

This time, Ellea couldn’t answer. For, as Telvan had said, there were some things she did not want. She didn’t want to see him if she could.

Earlier, when she explained to the children why Terban couldn’t come, the moment she understood El, she felt as if she was saying it to herself.

Because even when she was the closest to Terban as his knight, she still felt far away from him. It was as if he was unreachable no matter how much she reached out.

At that moment, Ellea was able to come back to herself as if she was splashed with cold water. She realized who she was originally, who she was now, and that she should not be so close to Terban.

This was for Terban’s sake, too. If people knew who she was. Ellea shook her head, not wanting to imagine the situation.

‘So don’t make any more contacts.’

Ellea once again remembered the resolution she had made when she came to Rubain. No matter what happens, she was going back safely to where her family was. With that determination, she spoke without avoiding Terban’s eyes. Fortunately, she didn’t tremble.

“It’s just for the sake of the children. I think it would be better if you left first, Your Majesty. Before the carriage comes for me.”

“Right.”

Terban hesitated for a moment, then mounted his horse and rode away. Ellea deliberately did not look in the direction of his disappearance.

***

When Ellea returned to the palace feeling restless, Jane welcomed her with an uneasy mind.

“You’re here? You’re later than usual today.”

“Somehow… What happened while I was away? “

“That’s…”

Jane was about to say, but Borence spoke first.

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

Realizing that something had happened when she heard Borence’s words, Ellea came into her room with the two maids.

As Ellea sat down in her chair, Borence held out Shanil’s invitation.

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“What is this?”

“When you were away, Lady Shanil came here.”

“Who? Lady Shanil?”

Ellea thought for a moment that she had misheard. How could it be Shanil and not someone else?

“She wanted the Princess to have the invitation.”

Ellea received the invitation and before she could check the contents, she was convinced that it wasn’t very good news for her.

They weren’t on the best of terms, so it was obvious even without looking at her intentions.

Ellea opened the envelope and checked the contents of the letter. Then, after a quick read, she quickly asked Borence.

“When she gave this to you, did she say what it was about?”

“Yes. She said she wanted to invite the Princess to meet with the other ladies.”

“She also said that she would be happy if the Princess attends.”

“Isn’t that right?”

What Ellea had read was not much different from what the two had said.

The question was why Shanil would dare to invite her (Ellea ) when she (Shanil) should have clearly sensed the rejected atmosphere that she (Ellea) had pushed her (Shanil) away from the first meeting.

“Did she say anything else?”

Ellea asked, and Borence told her exactly what Shenil had said.

“She also invited Lady Heris, whom the Princess had befriended at the banquet hall.”

“Heris?”

It was now completely certain that it was a suspicious invitation.

When she heard that Shanil had even invited Heris, whom Shanil usually didn’t get along with, Ellea immediately understood what Shanil’s purpose was.

‘It’s definitely a trap for me.’

Originally, it was a good idea to avoid such a tiring meeting, but if Heris attended the story would change.

‘I’m sure Heris would attend.’

Ellea recalled the story Heris told her about Shanil at the banquet for a brief moment.

More than anything, Ellea was worried about Heris going alone into enemy territory, so Ellea made a decision after much thought.

“Let her know that I’m going to attend.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? There’s no need to push yourself.”

Borence asked with concern, to which Ellea replied rather comfortably.

“She came all the way here and invited me personally, so it’s not polite to refuse. And it’s a meeting I shouldn’t Miss.”

“I understand. I’ll let them know that.”

When Borence and Jane went out, Ellea looked at the invitation and immediately put it on her desk.

‘Yes, it is not in my nature to avoid it if the opponent starts the fight first.’

Ellea decided to willingly enter the trap that Shenil had created.

***

Arriving at the Imperial Palace before Ellea, Terban returned to his office, took off his robe, sat down, and breathed for a while. Then he felt that the work he had done earlier at the nursery had vanished without a trace, like a dream on a midsummer night, and that he was back in reality.

He was in the familiar office, with a desk full of papers.

He knew that there were things that needed to be taken care of in a hurry, but oddly enough, he couldn’t get around to it.

“Yes, the Princess is right.”

This was indeed the position that Terban had to protect. He knew that very well himself, but why?

“What is the point of those few hours?”

He brushed off his useless thoughts and reached for the papers, but then his eyes caught sight of his rolled-up sleeves. At the same time, he saw the image of Ellea as she rolled up his sleeves.

“When is the last time you approached me? As soon as our eyes meet, you panic.”

However, Ellea appeared calm when she reminded him that he was the emperor. She said he shouldn’t be there.

Turning away from the lingering afterimage and roughly lowering his sleeves, Terban began to process the documents one by one.

A few moments later, his aide walked in with a knock.

“Was there anything special while I was away?”

“No, everything was fine.”

“I was excused from my seat.”

“I’m the only one who knows, Your Majesty.”

Terban nodded and the aide placed a document in front of him.

“It’s about the noble meeting in a few days.”

“The date is already here. Things like that come very quickly.”

Hearing the voices of the nobles at the meeting had already given him a headache.

How much noise they’re going to make again this time for their own benefit?

“Who will attend?”

“I’ve been informed that everyone will attend.”

“Okay.”

After all the reports, the aide left. When Terban looked at the papers again, the soft expression he had shown the children was nowhere to be seen.

Terban finished all his business and finally left the office for the night. He spotted someone after walking a little, and his stiff expression loosened slightly.

“What’s going on here?”

“Of course I came to see you. But I’m glad to meet you like this.”

As if contagious by Shanil’s laughter, Terban also seemed to feel a little better than before. The look on his face also made her feel better, and she asked.

“It’s better to welcome you like this. Are you done with your work?”

“I was going to ask you to have a meal with me tomorrow, since we couldn’t get together today…”

Perhaps happy hearing those words, Shanil naturally took Terban by the arm and walked out of the palace with him.

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