The Abandoned Empress Chapter 138

Chapter 138: Chapter 138

Hearing that, I smiled bitterly. Of course, I heard him calling like that often in the past, but unlike in the past when he called it out of pure affection for , this ti he said it for political reasons.

The crown prince, who fixed his gaze on the emperor, turned his eyes to finally. He spoke while looking at with his eyes that seed more hollow for the past several months while I was away at the sumr palace.

“Thank you for taking good care of the emperor.”

“You’re welco, Your Majesty. I just did what I had to do. ”

“Can you take ti out for ? I want to express gratitude to you. I might be late, but if you don’t mind, can you wait for at my palace? ”

“Sure, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you soon. Please co inside, Your Majesty. As it’s so hot outside, it’s not good for your health if you keep standing here.”

He turned with his father after taking his eyes off . The palace people who returned from the sumr palace and the welcoming party followed them.

After watching Duchess Lars, with her light blue hair let down, lead the noble won to the won’s palace, I made eye contact with my knight colleagues, then headed for the crown prince’s palace.

“Welco, Lady Monique, let escort you.”

When I arrived, I was escorted by the chief attendant, who was familiar to as I visited before several tis.

When I opened the massive door, I saw his magnificent study. I hadn’t been inside in a year. Because of the intense sunlight, the inside of the study was very bright despite the white curtains on the front window. A huge collection of books was still there and seed to have grown.

I thought of waiting for him quietly in a seat, but I changed my mind and approached the endless bookshelves. As he would be telling the emperor what happened while he was away, he’d take so ti to co back.

So, I browsed through the books that I wanted to read so much, but couldn’t.

My eyes opened wide at the vast collection.

‘It’s so amazing. How can he collect such a large number of books in his study?’

I was surprised because he could have kept those books he didn’t read in the library of the Imperial Palace.

‘If then, did he read all the books here?’

I slowly examined the bookshelves. Even though I had a quick glance before, I saw several rare books I hadn’t read before. I picked one among them that drew my interest most.

‘I wonder if he will be here by the ti I finish reading this.’

But he didn’t appear when I finished reading the book, so I picked another.

‘I expected he would be late, but it is taking him too long.’

I let out a small sigh after closing the second book after reading its last page. My eyes were dry because I was reading for so long. I blinked my dry eyes and put the two books back on the bookshelf.

While I was walking inside the study slowly, looking for sothing else to read, I suddenly noticed a collection of books covered with black leather and gilded letters. The title of the glittering books caught my eye.

< The Directory of the Empire's Nobles>

Co to think of it, around last year when I was very curious about my mother’s family tree, I tried to read the sa book, but failed.

I hesitated for a mont. The emperor said that my mother was not a woman of low birth, but an educated and cheerful noblewoman. I couldn’t take him at face value because I was bothered by what Duke Jena told before.

‘Can I just quickly browse through it?’

I unconsciously looked around once and approached the bookshelf with the nobles’ directory.

If I wanted to find a clue on my mother’s identity, now was the ti.

I chose the fifth directory from the right, which was published about 20 years ago. Then, I opened the back of the directory and looked at the family trees of barons.

‘So, Sona, Sonia! Here it is!’

My heart sank.

‘Yes, the emperor is right.’

Given that her na was in the directory of the nobles, she was clearly a noble woman with a middle na, even if she was a daughter of a re baron married into a marquis family.

Then, why did Duke Jenna say that? Apparently his claim that he knew my weakness was related to my mother. I put the directory back with a sigh.

‘I think I wasted ti. I wish I had chosen another book. ‘

Then I was going to find the first edition of , which I observed carefully a mont ago, but sothing suddenly ca to my mind. I stopped walking in spite of myself. ‘No way.’

This ti I pulled out a nobles’ directory published 25 years ago and checked the section on barons.

< Baron Sonia: As the vassal of the Marquis Monique family, he runs a small village on the family-owned estate. The family consists of Baron Sonia and his daughter, Jeremiah lo Sonia.>

Still the sa.

I chose the seventh directory from the right, which was published 30 years ago.

< Baron Sonia: As the vassal of the Marquis Monique family, he runs a small village on the family-owned estate. The family consists of Baron Sonia. As he has no close relatives, his title will be retrieved after the baron's death.>

‘What?’

In a hurry, I pulled out the directory published 35 years ago.

It was the sa as the previous directory.

“What the heck…”

I am currently 15 years old.

I heard that my weak mother barely gave birth to seven years into her marriage. If she had survived, she would have been at least in her late thirties. Why didn’t her na exist in the directory published 30 years ago?

Of course, I could put aside the directory published 35 years ago, she would have been about ten years old back then. If Baron Sonia had had no close relatives, she would certainly have succeeded his family as his legitimate daughter. Why was her na missing from the directory that was famous for its thorough recording and description? It was impossible.

I felt so depressed, and my whole body felt frozen as if cold blood was flowing through every corner of my body.

“What are you looking at?”

I was standing blankly at the surprising fact, when I ca to my senses when he called suddenly. He looked at curiously, then turned his eyes at the book I was holding. I hid the directory from his eyes and quickly put it back on the shelf.

“I’m honored to see you, the Little Sun of the empire. Please forgive for my belated greetings.”

“That’s fine. Just sit instead of standing like that.”

I quietly followed him to the table in the middle of the study. When I sat across him, carefully adjusting the hem of my skirt, he said with a distinctly cold voice, “I have heard from the emperor that you were on hand to help him a lot.”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything particular. His Majesty gave a generous credit for my work. ”

‘Anyway it’s important that the emperor was satisfied with your help. I think you must have handled lots of stuff. I would like to express my gratitude to you,” he said calmly.

“You’re welco, Your Majesty.”

Although I couldn’t pinpoint what it was, I felt sowhat strange about his change in attitude.

When I was looking down at my neatly folded fingers, I heard a small knock on the door.

Shortly afterwards, an attendant ca in, gasping for breath.

“Sorry, Your Majesty. I’ve got an urgent ssage for you.”

“No problem. What is going on? ”

“An urgent ssage from Rose Palace. As for the details…” The attendant squinted at and suddenly stopped talking.

‘Can’t he talk in my presence?’