The Evil Empress Adores Me-Chapter 78

Diamid answered in a firm tone.

"Of course."

"Outside the imperial palace... I can hardly imagine it."

"Charl, why are you saying that? Do you not want to go with me?"

Diamid cautiously asked me.

What? That couldn't be further from the truth.

I quickly shook my head.

"Of course not."

"Really?"

"Of course. As I’ve said before, I like Your Highness very much."

As I firmly reassured him once more, Diamid’s expression finally brightened.

He seemed to want to say something for a moment, but in the end, he quietly averted his eyes.

His pale nape turned so red it looked as though it would stain my fingers if I touched it.

I barely resisted the urge to tease him and instead smiled sweetly.

That night, I had a dream.

—Karpel.

A low voice echoed.

Under a night sky studded with countless brilliant stars, a man and a woman sat side by side.

The woman had long, flowing silver hair, and the man had deep blue hair, the color of the dawn’s darkness.

The man rested his head on the woman's shoulder, his eyes closed as if asleep.

Their expressions were in stark contrast.

The woman's beautiful face was pale, soaked in tears, while the man's face was serene.

—I will keep my promise to you.

The woman whispered as she slightly lifted her head.

As if she didn’t want him to see her tears.

—So you must...

The woman spoke quietly.

Her voice was filled with a mix of emotions—grief, rage, and many more.

But above all, the most distinct emotion was boundless affection for the man.

—...keep the promise you made to me.

At that whisper, my eyes snapped open.

"......Ah."

The velvet-dark night sky, scattered with tiny stars, was still vivid in my mind.

The swaying fields in the wind, the clusters of wildflowers, the fresh scent of grass.

And even the weight of the man resting on my shoulder...

It was an oddly vivid dream.

As if I had actually been there, experiencing it all myself.

"What the hell."

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What a strange dream.

Thinking that, I raised my hand and rubbed my face.

And then, my eyes widened.

"What... is this?"

My fingertips, which had brushed under my eyes, were damp.

As if I had been sobbing the entire time I was dreaming.

Why was I crying?

I squinted and looked outside the window.

Beyond the deserted garden, the bluish darkness of dawn quietly settled.

That darkness reminded me of the man in my dream.

And that man...

"Ugh, forget it. Stop thinking nonsense and just go back to sleep."

Frowning, I pulled the blanket over my head and lay down again.

But for some reason, my heart felt restless, and I ended up staying awake until dawn.

And a few days later.

I was running toward the Crown Prince’s quarters, brimming with excitement.

Today, the Empress's head chef had prepared a special duck dish, and it was absolutely divine!

I was dying to let Diamid try it, and in the end, the Empress, though reluctant, told me to go bring him.

‘Our Empress is truly an angel!’

Imagining Diamid enjoying the meal, I grinned to myself.

Come to think of it, the first time I fed Diamid white bread with jam, he had been so cute.

I could still clearly remember the way his eyes widened in surprise at the sweetness, and now he had grown so much.

Then, I suddenly stopped in my tracks.

Huh? Why is the Crown Prince’s gate open?

And the guards are gone too?

"......."

A bad feeling crept over me.

Stepping into the open gates of the Crown Prince’s quarters, I spotted a man in luxurious attire standing in the distance.

That man...?

My face hardened.

Of course, I recognized him.

He was dressed in the robes of an official delivering an imperial decree.

Uncle Emperor, what kind of nonsense are you pulling this time to torment Diamid?

I bit my lip.

“Crown Prince Diamid Karpel de Windsor, receive His Majesty’s decree!”

At those words, Diamid knelt without expression.

The official raised his voice for all to hear.

“As the rightful heir of the imperial bloodline and the awakened wielder of the Divine Beast’s power, you must bear a burden equal to your nobility.”

...What kind of nonsense is that? A burden equal to his nobility?

Anger sparked in my eyes.

Don’t make me laugh. As if words alone could make it true!

No one had ever treated Diamid nobly, not even once!

“Henceforth, you are bestowed with the glorious duty of protecting Windsor.”

“What is this duty?” Diamid asked calmly.

“The Crown Prince shall immediately depart for the northern Kierre Plains, where he will purify the beasts and defend the empire.”

At the official’s matter-of-fact answer, Diamid remained silent.

The northern Kierre Plains?!

My eyes widened.

The Kierre Plains bordered the territory of the Margrave of Antes and were a stronghold of demonic beasts.

A land the empire had never managed to claim, dominated entirely by those monsters.

‘But Diamid is only thirteen! ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Sending him there is no different from sending him to his death...!’

I clenched my fists.

My nails dug painfully into my palms, but my head was too hot with anger to feel the pain properly.

And Diamid...

"I accept the decree."

...merely bowed his head in silence.

My vision turned stark white.

Diamid, what did you just say?

You’re actually agreeing to go to that hellish place? Are you out of your mind?!

Before I knew it, I was already blocking Diamid’s path.

“T-that’s not possible!”

“Charl?!”

Diamid looked at me in shock.

But I had no time to respond to him.

I immediately knelt and pressed my forehead to the ground.

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"Please reconsider! His Highness is only thirteen years old!"

Desperately, I bowed my head again and again.

I felt Diamid’s bewildered gaze on my back, but I couldn’t lift my head.

"How can such a young prince survive in such a harsh land?"

My breath came in ragged gasps.

Ah, this isn’t good.

I need to speak clearly.

If I cry now, they’ll only see me as weak...

I bit my lip so hard it bled, trying to hold back my tears.

But the hot tears flowed uncontrollably.

"Charl, stop."

"But...!"

Just as I was about to raise my voice again, Diamid shook his head.

He reached out and embraced me.

"Please forgive this child’s rudeness."

Diamid looked up at the official with desperate eyes.

His grip on my shoulders tightened.

"She is still young. And besides, she is dearly treasured by Her Majesty the Empress."

"Even so, interfering in His Majesty’s decree—"

"This is a minor issue. Punishing her would only displease the Empress."

The official glanced between us, looking displeased.

Diamid remained calm.

"If Her Majesty is displeased, then surely House Rochester will also be offended."

"......Hmm."

At the mention of the Empress’s noble house, the official finally hesitated.

Diamid pressed on.

"I will make a promise instead."

"A promise?"

"Yes. I swear that I will fulfill the decree."

Diamid!

I spun around to look at him.

Was he seriously agreeing to this absurd order?

Was he really going to obey it?!

But Diamid’s expression remained unwavering.

My face contorted with despair.

"...Understood. However, you must leave within a week."

"I will keep that in mind."

Only after repeating the warning multiple times did the official finally turn to leave.

I grabbed Diamid’s sleeve.

"Your Highness, what does this mean?!"

"Charl, calm down."

"A week?! You have to leave in a week?!"

I roughly wiped my tears with my sleeve.

But they kept flowing, blurring my vision.

I tightened my grip on Diamid.

As if letting go would mean losing him forever.

"How... How could His Majesty do this to you?!"

"Don’t worry too much...."

Diamid gently wiped my tears.

His fingertips were damp from the endless stream.

I knew crying wouldn’t change anything.

That it wasn’t Diamid’s fault.

That the Emperor was the one forcing this upon him.

But as I looked at Diamid, only bitter words came out.

"How can I not worry about you in a situation like this?!"

Diamid chuckled softly at my outburst.

"That’s true."

How could he laugh right now?!

I glared at him in disbelief.

He wiped away the redness around my eyes and whispered in a low voice.

"But still, I like it... that you care about me this much."

"...After making me worry countless times, you have the audacity to say that?"

"You saying that makes me feel guilty."

Diamid furrowed his brows slightly but smiled nonetheless.

Just as I was about to scold him again—

Diamid suddenly reached out and pulled me into a tight embrace.

...What is this?

Eyes still wet with tears, I blinked in surprise.