Chapter 11: 11

***

***

Carius strode closer, his red cape fluttering in the air. Then he put out his thick hand and pulled Liv closer to him.

With that wind, Liv was hugged tightly to his chest.

“What’s going on here?”

Edgar finally bowed his head to Carius, a look of embarrassment on his face, but not a trace of guilt was seen.

“How dare you touch the Empress’s body?”

Carius’s scrutiny was confusing to Liv. She looked up into his steely gaze as if trying to cover up the situation.

“Your Majesty, I’m fine…………”

But rather, Carius gripped Liv’s waist more tightly. His gruesome gaze remained fixed on Edgar, and Edgar didn’t avoid it, either, as they faced each other.

Carius gave Edgar a stern warning.

“If you touch the Empress’s body again, your head will fly off.”

Edgar furrowed his brow at the words biting into his ear. Then he opened his mouth involuntarily.

Even though he knew that every word he spat out would bother Carius.

“………Do I have to swear?” (Edgar)

Unexpectedly, Carius turned red as if he couldn’t stand it anymore.

Immediately his eyes gradually descended to the sword he was carrying on his waist. At any moment, his deadly gaze seemed to show that he could pull out the sword and cut off Edgar’s head. Empress Dowager Patricia, who was in the audience chamber, stepped to the window due to the commotion she heard from outside.

Then she saw the situation. It was that scene where Carius was giving Edgar a deadly gaze.

She rushed to the garden to help Edgar, her son. When she saw them from afar, her expression changed quickly. Then she blurted out to Carius.

“Carius, how long has it been?”

At Patricia’s voice, Liv panicked and separated herself from Carius. Patricia stared at Liv.

However, she immediately became aware of Carius, and quickly raised her lips as best she could.

“While you’re here, let’s have a cup of tea, it’s been a long time since the Grand Duke is here at the same time.”

Carius finally let go of his fierce stare.

“No, there’s someone else I’ve been looking for.” (Carius)

Carius looked at Liv with a different kindness in his eyes than before.

“Mother Empress, from now on, when you call for my Empress, please call for me as well.” (Carius)

“Oh my, you mean I can’t call the Empress separately? I’m disappointed.” (Patricia)

“I can not leave my seat, so I must see the Empress at that time.” (Carius)

Carius examined Liv slowly and grabbed her chin gently.

“It makes me uneasy to be away from her even for a moment.” (Carius)

The Empress Dowager was perplexed by the awkward scene, but she could only gasp.

“I’ll have tea next time. I’ll leave with the Empress now.” (Carius)

Carius, who had greeted the Empress Dowager briefly, immediately turned his head away. He then sent a warning signal to Edgar, who was standing facing him.

He squeezed Liv’s hand more tightly as if to show it. Carius didn’t let go of her hand even after he left the Empress Dowager’s palace.

How endlessly they walked with endless silence. Carius’ powerful grip made Liv’s hand more and more numb.

Eventually, Liv called out to him cautiously.

“Your Majesty…………..”

Carius remained silent, and Liv raised her voice a little more.

“Your Majesty.”

Only then did Carius stop in place and let go of Liv’s hand, and he turned around and made eye contact with her again.

“Did you miss his touch? Why couldn’t you push him away?” (Carius)

“That’s……”

Liv had no better excuses. Because she was already disappointed with herself, who was shaken by Edgar’s gaze.

Carius looked at her with a sad look in his eyes and muttered lowly.

“…Have you ever looked at me like that?” (Carius)

Carius’s sudden words left Liv with mixed feelings.

For it was she who had chosen Carius for revenge. What kind of eyes must she look at him with to plead for such love of her?

“Your Majesty…”

Liv instinctively backed away as Carius approached closer to her. He grabbed her hand to keep her from escaping.

“Keep in mind that you’re mine, no matter what, as long as you’re married to me.”

Liv hung her head as if to avoid his gaze. He saw her avoiding him and only sighed, feeling sorry for himself.

“I ask you to love me, it must be hard for you…”

When Carius finally got to his feet and went to his office, Liv froze in her original position, unable to think.

The confused look in her eyes remained focused only on Carius’s distant back.

****

The Empress’s study, across from her bedroom.

Liv was seated in a round-backed chair, looking at the financial documents on the table. Her mind, however, was complicated by tens of thousands of thoughts.

“Is it so hard to pretend to love me?”

Liv’s concentration was disturbed by the thoughts of that day that kept coming back to her.

‘Why does it bother me?’

Liv breathed in deeply, thinking of Carius in her mind. Meanwhile, Jane, who was outside, came in.

”I have prepared a simple meal for you.”

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Jane’s words finally woke Liv from her reverie, and as she removed the pile of documents with her hand, she noticed a document.

The annual budget for the tower remains unchanged, although the budget for the annual Easter celebration was substantial. What is it, it’s taking up half of the tower’s budget?

Liv felt there was something strange.

There was something that didn’t sit well with Liv. She began to re-open and contrast the documents that had been hurriedly removed.

‘Foreign medicinal herbs? It can only enter through foreign traders…’

A suspicion passed through her head. And the Empress Dowager’s seal approved that trade.

After a few days of looking only at the document, before she knew it, Liv memorized even the small sentences written in the corner. Perhaps that was why she was able to find something strange right away on a page of the document that passed by at first glance.

Liv looked at that page again.

‘If this is why they couldn’t move against the Empress Dowager…………?’

Liv seemed to have forgotten her earlier thoughts and only began to immerse herself in the document. Soon Jane had a tray of freshly boiled strawberry potage on the table.

Liv scooped a spoonful and took a rough sip. Then she turned to Jane and said,

“Bring the herbal courier here at once, secretly.”

“The herbal courier……….?”

“Yes. No one should know.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The testimony of the herb courier was needed to complete her puzzle.

Liv looked down at the document again, her face full of meaning.

‘I must not forget. If I don’t change everything now, I will die again.’

***

Liv got dressed early the next morning, for she had to see Carius urgently.

She hurried to the Emperor’s palace in the carriage she had prepared.

Last night, while she went to the herbal room, she designed a plan to lay out a tough chessboard. She needed Carius’ help with the plan.

When Liv entered the office, she saw Carius standing in front of the mirror. Carius had just returned from attending the knights’ sword training and was changing his clothes.

His appearance, neatly dressed in a black uniform over a white shirt, was absolutely flawless.

Carius stopped looking in the mirror at Liv’s presence and turned his head away. His vision was filled with Liv, who was beautifully dressed in a red frilly dress.

Carius barely stopped looking at her and walked to the audience room and sat down. At this, Liv also naturally moved her steps and sat across from him.

There was only an awkward silence between them as the maid of honor who had entered later poured the tea.

It was only after the maid had left that Liv managed to speak first.

“I have a favor to ask, Your Majesty.”

At the word request, Carius stopped his hand from going to his teacup. He averted his gaze from his teacup and stared at her.

“Please, I’m kind of nervous about this.”

Liv had her mouth agape with bated breath, probably because she hadn’t properly unraveled their cold relationship until now.

When Liv hesitated, Carius looked dissatisfied as if he knew what she would ask.

“You’re going to the pagoda again.”

“Your Majesty.”

“I can’t allow it.”

It was Carius who cut it off without hearing any more. Liv was instantly taken aback by his action.

However, she had been practicing this situation in her mind since yesterday, so Liv spoke with determination.

“Tomorrow, please lend me the imperial guard.”

Carius stared at Liv in wonder at her words.

“Now…..did you say imperial guard?”

Looking at the surprised Carius, Liv said in a firmer voice.

“Yes, lend me the Imperial Guard. For I cannot use them at my disposal without Your Majesty’s permission.”

Carius’ eyebrows were raised to the fullest by Liv’s unknown intention.

“Why do you need the Imperial Guard?”

“That’s …………………….. I cannot tell you in depth.”

“You want me to approve a tremendous matter without knowing the reason?”

It was the reaction Liv had expected from him anyway. However, she must somehow get permission. Because without the Imperial Guard, all her plans will go down the drain.

Carius silently glanced at Liv, but eventually sighed as he patted his chest.

“It must be related to Theodore.”

Liv nodded silently. Carius bit down on his lip to hide his uneasiness. Then he muttered in a heavy voice.

“Then I absolutely cannot allow it.”

At his firm answer, Liv couldn’t stand it anymore and spoke out.

“Why don’t you allow me to do anything?”

“Is it because you don’t understand?” (Carius)

“Ugh….”

Eventually, Liv stood up, clenching her innocent skirt.

“Can’t you just help me once without any rejection? Do you know how hard I am working for you and the Prince?”

“Liv!”

Carius looked at Liv again with a determined look in his eyes. The gaze seemed difficult to persuade with any words.

In the end, Liv only opened her red lips slightly and sighed.

She was angry at Carius, but….

Knowing that it would not work out the way she wanted, Liv walked out without saying anything more.

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