The Evil Empress Adores Me-Chapter 79

In fact, I’ve had physical contact with Diamid many times.

I’ve held his hand, helped him change his clothes, and hugged him countless times.

But this way... ... .

‘I don’t think he’s ever hugged me affectionately.’

It’s strange.

My mouth was dry, and my heart was pounding.

A new heat spread across my face, flushed from crying.

I buried my head in Diamid’s arms, feeling confused.

What the heck?

“Every time... ... I feel like I can only apologize to you.”

A soft voice caressed my ear.

The regular sound of his heartbeat calmed my excited heart.

“I’m sorry that I can only tell you not to worry this time, too.”

“... ... Your Highness.”

“But... ... the best I can do in this situation is.”

Diamide concluded his speech calmly.

“I’m leaving quietly.”

“What do you mean... ... !”

“That way, it won’t harm anyone.”

Diamide seemed to have already made up his mind firmly.

“And isn’t it time for me to become independent from you and Your Majesty the Empress?”

“Huh?”

I was so shocked that I forgot to even cry and opened my eyes wide.

Diamide smiled playfully.

“Just wait and see, I’ll come back as a better man.”

“What, a better man?”

“Yeah. Just come back and don’t fall for me.”

Diamide joked.

... ... How could Diamide laugh like that in this situation?

I stared blankly at him and bit my lips to swallow my tears.

If Diamide had already made up his mind... ... .

‘Crying and clinging like this is just my childishness.’

I leaned against him silently.

I didn’t want to make Diamide suffer any longer with my childishness.

* * *

After crying for a while, I got up.

“Take a rest, you’ve cried too much.”

Diamide tried to stop me, but I shook my head.

It was painful to even look at Diamide’s face right now.

I entered the Empress’s palace with feeble steps.

Then.

“... ... Charles?”

I heard the Empress’s voice.

The deep green eyes looking at me were filled with surprise.

“Huh, Your Majesty.”

I called the Empress with a trembling voice.

At the same time, tears flowed down my cheeks.

Even though I cried so much earlier, I guess I still had tears left in my eyes.

As I was sobbing without being able to continue speaking, the Empress urgently bent down.

She met my gaze and asked me a question in a worried voice.

“What’s wrong, Charles? Your face is pale.”

“That, that... ... .”

I couldn’t open my mouth easily.

Because if I said anything, it seemed like the fact that ‘Diamide is leaving’ would become certain.

Even though it was already decided that Diamide was leaving, like an idiot... ... .

“Didn’t I tell you that day when you refused the adoption?”

At that moment, the Empress gently stroked my back and opened her lips.

“If you have any difficult or burdensome issues, tell me everything, discuss them with me, and ask for my help.”

“... ... Your Majesty the Empress.”

“So, tell me first. I might have a solution.”

As soon as I heard the empress’s affectionate voice, words poured out as if a dam had burst.

“H-His Highness the Crown Prince... ... is going to the Kier Plains.”

“Kier? Are you talking about the Kier Plains in the north?”

“Yes. His Majesty the Emperor has given His Highness an imperial order... ... to leave for the Kier Plains.”

Shock spread across the empress’s face.

I grabbed the empress’s collar out of nowhere.

“But, because I’m incompetent... ... I couldn’t take back the imperial order.”

“Why is that because you’re incompetent?”

“Because I couldn’t stop His Highness... ... from leaving for Kier.”

I muttered incoherently, my voice choking with tears.

“It’s not the County of Antes, it’s Kier.”

“Charle.”

“Everyone said that. Kier is only a place of demons, and it’s rare for a soldier to survive there for more than a year... ... .”

“I know you’re emotional, but just calm down a little.”

The Empress tried to calm me down somehow, but it was all in vain.

“If Your Highness goes to that dangerous place... ... what if something happens to you?”

In the end, I burst into tears, barely able to breathe properly.

The Empress hurriedly hugged me into her arms.

I grabbed the Empress’s collar with all my strength.

“Can’t I do something for Your Highness?”

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“... ... that.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I just can’t figure out what to do... ... .”

What on earth should I do?

I hated and loathed myself for being so helpless.

I had decided to stay by Diamid’s side, but in reality, there was nothing I could do.

I bit my lip until it bled, and eventually dropped my head to the floor.

Then, the Empress sighed and spoke.

“You are so sad, so how must Her Majesty the Empress Dowager feel... ... .”

“... ... Yes?”

“That’s right. The Empress Dowager has to send her off without even seeing her grandson’s face.”

At that moment, I froze.

I see.

I was so absorbed in my own sadness that I had not thought about Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s position at all.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

Diamid and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager had not exchanged a single word for nearly five years... ... .

Didn’t they only see each other once during this harvest festival?

The expression Her Majesty the Empress Dowager had made back then was still vivid in my eyes.

In the wrinkled eyes, the look of joy and sorrow.

And Diamid couldn’t take his eyes off the empress dowager for a long time.

After being lost in thought for a moment, I roughly wiped my eyes with my sleeve.

“Charles? Why are you doing that?”

The empress looked at me with a surprised face at my sudden change.

“... ... I can’t just cry like this and send His Highness the Crown Prince away.”

I clenched my teeth tightly.

I hated being so depressed that I couldn’t do anything.

And in this situation, all I could do was... ... .

“Your Majesty the empress.”

“Why are you doing that, Charles?”

“May I ask you a favor?”

The empress smiled brightly at my determined question.

“Didn’t I tell you before?”

The Empress continued, caressing my reddened eyes with her fingers.

“If you ever have a hard time or are burdened, please lean on me and talk to me.”

Ah.

I blinked.

That’s right.

When I refused Rochester’s adoption, the Empress said that to me.

And... ... .

“I always said that I wanted to be your strength, remember?”

Her voice was as warm as the spring breeze.

Unable to overcome my pent-up /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ emotions, I nodded.

“... ... Yes, I remember.”

“So, what can I do for you?”

“I... ... .”

I took a deep breath and spoke with strength.

“Before His Majesty the Crown Prince leaves the palace, I want to let you meet Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

“... ... Is that all?”

After a while.

The Empress tilted her head.

“If you want, you can ask me a little more.”

“... ... a little more?”

“Yes. Like not sending the Crown Prince to the Kier Plains or something like that.”

“... ... .”

After thinking for a moment, I shook my head.

“No.”

The Empress slightly raised her eyebrows after hearing my answer.

Of course, I wanted to do that too.

But.

“I value Her Majesty the Empress just as much as the Crown Prince.”

“... ... Charles.”

“It’s one thing to let the Crown Prince and Her Majesty the Empress meet, and another thing to prevent the Crown Prince from going on an expedition... ... .”

I bit my lips tightly.

“They’re different weights.”

The former could be covered up by saying that it was because of the deep affection between the family.

However, the latter could be taken as a rebellion against the Emperor.

And since Diamide had already said, ‘I don’t want to harm anyone.’

“Your Majesty seems to have already made up his mind.”

“... ... So?”

“Yes. He said... ... that he was leaving.”

Something felt like pounding in my chest, but I tried to hold it back.

“So I just... ... want to give the two of you a chance to say hello.”

“... ... Okay, I understand.”

The Empress, who had been looking at me for a long time, nodded.

* * *

The next day.

After spending the night wide awake, I walked to the Empress Dowager’s Palace as soon as the morning came.

Her Majesty the Empress Dowager greeted me with a gentle face.

“Oh my, Charles. What’s wrong?”

Just looking at that peaceful face, I felt my heart sink.

... ... Could it be that you still don’t know anything?

I moved my lips with difficulty.

“Uh, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”

“Speak.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince... ... will soon be going to the northern Kier Plains.”

“... ... What?”

In an instant, the smiling face of Your Majesty the Empress Dowager hardened.

“What do you mean? Kier Plains?”

“That... ... .”

I explained the whole story.

That Diamide received the order to go on an expedition yesterday.

The Emperor gave a strict order that Diamide must leave within a week after receiving the notice.

So the schedule itself was extremely urgent.

Also, there was no guarantee that he would return from this expedition.

“... ... No, no.”

After hearing the whole story, the Empress Dowager shook her head with a pale expression.