The Abandoned Empress Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Chapter 54

I turned while I was getting on the wagon when he called .

When I turned my head, he said, smiling feebly, “Oh, just nothing.”

“Okay. Goodbye, Allen. I’ll write you a letter. ”

“Well…”

I looked back again. He was looking at with an uneasy expression.

“What’s the matter?’ He said as if sothing ca to his mind,

“Oh, that blue llow. I’ll give you it again when you are out of stock. So, drink it as much as you like.”

“Really? Thanks for the tea.”

I brightly smiled at him. I waited a bit more until he spoke, but he said nothing.

So, I said goodbye to him and tried to climb the wagon when he called urgently.

“You know, Tia. Um, let escort you back ho.”

“I like it, but isn’t it a burden to you?”

“Not at all. Let tell them to get ready for my departure. I’ve only just seen you after such a long ti, so I feel a bit sorry as I let you go alone like this.”

“Sure, then. Thanks, Allen. ”

After he disappeared, saying he would prepare a wagon, I told the horseman of my carriage who was waiting for to board to leave.As he knew I was close to Allendis, he nodded without any objection.

Soon a wagon arrived with the sound of a horse’s hoofs. As if it was cold outside, there was puffing up white steam from the horse’s mouth.

“You must have gotten cold while waiting. Let’s get inside. Co on. ”

“Sure.”

It didn’t seem that much ti passed, but it got dark suddenly outside the window.

‘What should I do?’ I think my father has returned already.

As Duke Verita’s manor was not far from mine, we reached our destination shortly after we left. I looked anxiously at the knights guarding the main gate, but fortunately, it seed that I was not late because they didn’t ntion anything special after bowing to .

“Thanks for escorting here, Allen.”

“You’re welco, Tia. I think it’s too late, so go in now.”

“Okay, Allen. Take care.”

When I turned after waiving to him, I heard the clatter of a horse in the distance.

Another wagon approaching the mansion had the crest engraved with the four spears intersecting over the silver shield.

‘Oh my god! Why is he coming back now?’

While I was at a loss what to do, the wagon drove at a high speed and stopped.

Soon the door was opened and a man stepped down. I sighed. Although it was hard to see him because it’s dark, I clearly saw his shiny silver hair.

“Daddy.”

“It’s been a while, sir.”

“Aren’t you Duke Verita’s son? It’s been a long ti,” my father said.

Walking to with great strides, he bluntly nodded at him.

“Oh, you returned after seeing him.”

“…Yes, Daddy.”

“Let’s go in because it’s late. Thanks for escorting my daughter here, young man.”

“You’re welco, sir. Then, I’ll see you again next ti. Goodbye, Tia. See you next ti.”

“Take care, Allendis…” I barely responded while checking my father’s look because I almost called him so naturally by his first na. However, perhaps because of the darkness, I couldn’t read anything from his expression.

“Goodbye, boy. Tia, let’s go in. ”

“…Yes, Dad. ”

My father, who walked silently up the stairs, looked back at halfway through the stairs and said, “It’s late, but would you like to have tea with ?”

“Ah yes, Daddy.”

I felt like I was guilty for so reason when I headed for his study. As I sat facing him in the soft chair, my father said, sighing low, “So, did you have a good ti there?”

“…Yes, I’m sorry. ”

“What do you an?”

“Oh, I am sorry I didn’t tell you in advance before I went to his house.”

Upon hearing my answer, he was silent for a mont. He seed to choose words while I was waiting, and then broke the silence with a low voice, “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but you’re engaged to the crown prince. If you are making friends with boys of other families, you know people will begin to gossip about your relationships.”

“… ”

“Well, the reason I haven’t stopped you from making friends with Duke Verita’s son and Duke Lars’s son was because I saw you were happy while mingling with them.”

After catching his breath for a mont, he said again,”But I heard that Verita’s son visited you on the eve of the crown prince’s coming-of-age ceremony after you passed out. I also heard that you told him not to co back, and that you had a hard ti after that.”

“… ”

“As you know, the crown prince is absent right now, so people will be paying attention to you. If they hurt you rather than giving you peace of mind, I don’t have any reason to allow you to et them, right? I want you to be happy. I really don’t want you to hurt because of them.”

“But you don’t have to stop from corresponding with them by letters…”

I could understand his position, but I grumbled because I thought he went too far when he intercepted Allendis’s letter to the other day. Looking at silently, he said with a sigh,

“Oh, did you already hear about it?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry about that. I did so because I didn’t know what the letter was about. I took it because I was worried you would feel hurt again when you had just begun to feel better.”

“… ”

“I was so happy to see you working hard in a cheerful mood, so I took the letter. I’m sorry for that.”

Suddenly, I felt sorry sohow. He did it because he was worried about . I didn’t feel good when he said he was sorry.

“I’m sorry for throwing a tantrum, Daddy.”

“No, you don’t have to. I left the letter sealed. Would you take it? ”

“No, Daddy. You can give it to later when you think you feel comfortable about it. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know why you did it.”

“… Didn’t you hate for that? ”

“How can I hate you, Daddy? You know that.”

When I smiled bashfully and leaned on him, he sighed and swept my hair.

“So, did you have a good ti?”

“Yeah. By the way, you told you would like to have tea with , right?”

I pulled the string and asked the maid to bring so hot water, and I showed my father the box I received from Allendis.

“What is this?”

“I received a gift from Allendis. He said it’s a very precious plant growing only in the estate of the Verita family. When I brewed it for tea, it was very pretty.”

“Really?” After being silent for a mont, he called as if he recalled sothing.

“Tia.”

“Yes?”

“Well, a little while ago when Verita’s son was here, I heard him calling you by your nickna.”

I smiled awkwardly because I didn’t have anything to say. He heard it, too. I thought he didn’t hear it because he didn’t ntion it until now.

“Well, I believed that I was the only one who could call you by your nickna… ”

“… ”

“Hmmm… I’m a bit sad.”

“Oh, Daddy, that is…”

I was very embarrassed at his sad expression. What should I do? I was thinking of making an excuse sohow, when I heard sobody knocking on the door. I let out a sigh of relief.

‘Am I out of the crisis since he didn’t take any issue with it?’

After the maid brought the teacup and a teapot with hot water, I quickly pulled the teacup before he asked more about my nickna. After adding a spoonful of dried petals and pouring hot water, the vivid blue color gradually spread out. I was a little worried because it was the first ti I made it. But I carefully filtered out the petals and handed the mug to him.

“Isn’t the color pretty?”

“… Yes, it is. ”

“When I added lemon juice, it turned pink. It was amazing. ”

“I see.”

I tilted my head as he silently leaned over the mug.

‘Did I brew it wrong? It’s strange. It looks the sa as when I enjoyed it at Allen’s.’

“How does it taste?”

“Well, the scent is just so-so, but I like it because you brewed it.”

Does he an he liked it or not? When I looked at him curiously, he sipped a cup of tea and said, “Hmmm…I guess you didn’t finish your howork today.”

“Ah yes. I’m sorry, Dad. I’ll definitely finish it by tomorrow morning. ”

“No, you don’t have to stay up all night to do it.”

“But…”

“Fine. I’m afraid I am too hard on you. As it’s too late, go and have a good sleep, but you should make up for what you missed today.”

“Yes, I will.” I nodded lightly and stood up. Now, it was ti to go to bed.