The Abandoned Empress Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Chapter 74

When I saw his trembling eyes, I suddenly recalled sothing to say, but I didn’t have the nerve to get it out of my mouth.

Allendis, who looked at silently with his lips closed, sighed deeply and stood up.

“Well, if you choose the path of a knight, I still have a chance, right?”

“… ”

“When the day cos when I can confidently co forward…”

Instead of finishing his words, he smiled at and helped up. His smile was the sa, as usual, but his bitter feelings in it broke my heart because I felt sorry and guilty.

“Whew!…” Allendis sighed long and said, “I am sorry, Tia. I did that while asleep.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s fine, Allen.”

Alendis, who smiled feebly at when I responded hesitantly, walked toward the window.

He stood with his back toward and seed to refuse any further conversation with .

I was about to leave the room silently, but stopped suddenly. I was bothered by his lonely figure, with his dishevelled hair around his shoulders.

After hesitating several tis, I approached him. I raised my hand to release the hair strap on my head, and put it in his hand, who fixed his gaze outside the window.

“Tia?”

“I didn’t need it because I was just on my way back ho. I know I will be uncomfortable if you keep standing here like this,” I said, glancing away from him, who looked at blankly.

After remaining silent for so ti, he replied in a subdued voice, “… Thanks.”

“…You’re welco. Let leave now.”

I ca out and stood with my back leaning against the door. I felt sorry and guilty, along with other mixed feelings lingering in my heart. I could not forget his wet eyes and his sad touch.

While I was standing aghast like that, I suddenly heard sobody chatting loudly at the end of the hallway. Only then did I co to my senses. I forgot that this was a governnt building where many anti-emperor nobles were coming and going.

‘Who knows sobody notices standing here and spreads rumors? Let get out of this place first. ‘

Although I felt like sothing was pulling back, I walked down the hallway, biting my lip without looking back.

Today was the day when the crown prince’s birthday banquet would take place.

When I caught my breath after finishing preparations, my house was turned upside down because today’s hero, the crown prince, made an abrupt visit.

I rushed downstairs to greet him. Why did he co here? He must be very busy preparing for his birthday banquet.

“I’m honored to see you, the Little Sun of the empire.”

“It’s been a long ti.”

“You must be busy preparing for the banquet… ”

“The palace affairs office is busy, not . Are you preparing now?”

“No, Your Majesty. I was just done, so I was taking a break.”

“Sounds good. I’m glad to hear that.”

After exchanging pleasantries, we moved to the reception room. He was silent.

After pondering over sothing, he asked , breaking silence, “Have you noticed anything unusual around you these days?”

“Pardon? I don’t know what you an…”

“Oh, that’s fine. It’s not a big deal, so don’t worry. ”

He remained silent again. I looked at him with a puzzled expression, who was knocking on the chair in a pensive mood.

‘Did he have such a habit? I don’t think so. ‘

I was thinking about asking him what was going on, but he said, staring into the air, “Can you give a cup of tea?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I will call sobody right away. ”

“Well, I want to drink the tea you brew for .”

“… Pardon?”

My eyes popped up at his unexpected request. Just like he did last ti, his repeated eccentric actions embarrassed very much.

“What’s wrong? Can’t you serve tea?”

“Oh no, Your Majesty. I can.”

I urgently pulled the string and called the butler. While the butler was bringing the best tea leaves and tea set, I took a deep breath and cald down. As far as food and tea were concerned, he is very picky, so I had to make sure he wouldn’t find fault with .

Shortly afterwards, the butler returned, putting down all kinds of tea leaf boxes. I picked chamomile and mint, mixed them according to a given proportion, and poured water. Then, I, counting ti inside as I was so nervous, carefully poured water.

I gave him a cup of tea to him anxiously, hoping I brewed it well.

After sipping tea without a word, he said, “…This tastes different.”

“Pardon, Your Majesty?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It tastes good.”

I felt relaxed now. I smiled before I knew it. In fact, I felt like he appreciated my efforts because I practiced brewing tea over and over again in case he, who was very picky in his taste, ca to my house. He was different from the old him in my mory, but his picky taste was still the sa.

“I thought you were very tired after preparing for the banquet, so I prepared tea that is good for your quick recovery from fatigue.”

“Really? Thank you.”

Watching him tilting the mug silently, I placed my cup to my lips.

While I was drinking tea with him with tea aroma wafting into the reception room, I wanted to ask him so questions that I kept to myself because I was so busy.

What does he know about my mother? And what happened between him and when I was a child?

Normally, I would not have dared to ask, but I felt I could today.

After hesitating for a long ti, I got up my nerve to speak to him.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“I heard that you were close to my mother.”

“… Yes, I was.”

“What was my mother like?”

He was silent for a long ti. I beca nervous as his silence beca longer.

When I was more and more restless, regretting asking him such a question, he broke the silence and said with a cold voice, “She was a beautiful woman. She looked a lot like you. ”

“… ”

“Her hair glowed red in the sun and her golden eyes were like yours. I rember the ti when she first entered the palace, carrying a newborn baby on her back.”

He put down the teacup and said, staring into the distant air.

“As she was in poor health, she didn’t go out often and she knew few people knew, but everyone liked her.”

“… ”

“Even the queen, who was heartless and cold-hearted, liked to keep her on her side.

Sotis when she ca to the palace with you, my father took with him, and we spent ti together at the queen’s palace.”

I wanted to ask sothing while he was talking, but I decided to focus on listening to him.

“Co to think of it, you’ve got one more thing that resembles your mother. Not only my father, but also my mother and your mother loved you very much. ”

“… ”

“Yes, she loved you so much.”

There was a sigh in his voice that I would never know. When I saw him, I wanted to ask sothing. The emperor and he seed to know when I was younger than ten years old, but why did the emperor treat as if he saw for the first ti when I made the case for luxury tax? And why did he treat like a stranger on the day he bumped into at the Imperial Palace?

As if he was waking up from his mories, he lifted the mug again. While looking at him, I hesitated for a long ti before opening my mouth, “Your Majesty.”

“Um.”

“Well, then, do you know my childhood? I heard from my family mber a while ago that you visited my house often..”

“Oh, I’m done talking about it,” he said coldly, putting down the mug.

I hurriedly shut up because of his chilly reaction. I was very embarrassed by his sudden change in attitude. Did I say wrong? Why did he suddenly change his attitude?

“Your Majesty, did I make a mistake?”

“No, it is not your fault.”

“… ”

“Oh, ti is up. If you are ready, let’s start. ”

Rising from his seat, he went outside without looking back. When he ordered the royal guards to get ready for heading to the palace with a cold voice, they looked at sharply, but I could not understand his actions.