- Chapter 40

Chapter 40

‘This punk again!’

Phil’s deeds were widely known in social circles, and the ladies went so far as to avoid the Third Empress. The noble ladies of social circles are gradually joining the first and second concubines while keeping their distance from the third.

She knew about the daughter of Montague, who had recently become the Duchess of Cardian. She’s only seen her once, but it was at a party.

She was a girl with the beauty of a full-blooming lily or a pale pink rose.

Phil admired all types of beautiful women, but she knew he couldn’t use his four legs [1], especially for a girl with such an aura.

‘Even so, since the Emperor gave him the space, wouldn’t the Prince react that way too! The Emperor only blamed the Prince for that…’

He was a child who would inevitably become Emperor, so she wondered if it would be acceptable to increase the number of concubines. Her neck ached just thinking about the Duke of Cardian.

“His Majesty was too much….Isn’t she already married? Are you planning on taking all the servants’ wives?”

Phil only gave a resentful look when the Third Empress rebuked him. She sighed deeply, clearly upset.

“You’d rather tempt her and turn her into a mistress….Why do you always use obvious methods to cause trouble?”

She didn’t realize she was the only one who thought her son was nice and handsome. The servants did not dare to speak and averted their eyes.

Even after the doctor had finished his treatment, the Third Empress’s utterly ridiculous advice continued.

✦ ✦ ✦

Leonis had calmed down to some extent by the time it was late at night. A doctor arrived in the middle to check Celia’s condition and bring her food, but Leonis continued to hug her. It didn’t matter whether the servants or his aides looked at them or not.

‘Is it really that surprising?’

Celia had even seen him trembling and crying, so she left him alone. However, they were not allowed to follow them to the bathroom. She let Leonis hug her again after leaving the bathroom.

She was now lying on the bed in his arms. Leonis seemed to have fallen asleep when Celia looked at him.

‘I must have been exhausted. I rushed through breakfast and ate it in a flurry….’

Celia ate everything that he fed to her, but she didn’t seem to have an appetite. She considered it fortunate that her pale complexion had returned.

‘What was that pendant?’

At the very least, she hoped for something like a note with a hidden method in it, but he had a secret pendant to meet the Goddess!

Leonis was so preoccupied that he didn’t even inquire as to what had happened to the pendant. If she said she’d try the pendant again, he’d be upset.

‘But I might have some questions later.’

Even if the ancient language was memorized again, there was no guarantee that the same reaction would occur. It would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because it was a first-hand experience.

‘Leonis confessed to plotting treason with his own mouth. As a result, the curse will be lifted at some point in the future.’

According to the original novel, Leonis would have already surpassed the Emperor’s military power. The curse was the only reason the Emperor doubted Leonis’ treason. People also thought that because of the curse, he would never be recognized as Emperor.

Furthermore, the Emperor’s three sons were all inferior and as bad as their father. As a result, there was no reason for Leonis to rebel to set them up.

‘However…. There’s one more. The question is whether I can tell Leonis about it now.’

Furthermore, his aides would not want one of the Emperor’s children to succeed him. Approximately half of the forces taking part in Leonis had been negatively affected by the Emperor or princes.

They would never allow the current Emperor’s child to become Emperor. They believed that if they could break the curse, Leonis would ascend to the throne.

Of course, Celia had no intention of supporting one of them to become Emperor. Many victims have suffered as a result of the current Emperor and his sons.

There was also the issue of his identity, which he was now showing. Even if he revealed his true identity now, there were more people who would not believe him.

‘But you’ll be able to use it. I know his weaknesses…..Because he wouldn’t want to be Emperor either.’

He was also a desperate person who had lost his loved one in the original story.

Celia didn’t want everyone to be happy, but at the very least, she wanted good people to be happy.

✦ ✦ ✦

Leonis looked at Celia with a slightly awakened expression as the day began to dawn. He still appeared hesitant to let her go, but there was much more work to be done for her and their future.

Sanctions against the second prince were believed to have been imposed after he threatened the Emperor about attending the ball. Although he didn’t know what kind of sanction would be imposed.

“Are you planning on going out today?”

Leonis took Celia’s hand in his and inquired. Leonis had an appointment with a nobleman and was ready to go to work after dinner.

“I don’t have any plans…. Do you want me to stay home?”

“I wrote to the Emperor, explaining that due to the madness of the curse, it was difficult for me to attend the ball. Giving the Second Prince’s behavior as an excuse….It wouldn’t be good to see both of them out there.”

“Are you sure you’re not going to the ball?”

“For the time being, I’ll just pretend to go back to the duchy. Depending on the situation, we might actually go back.”

While speaking to her, Leonis stroked Celia’s head.

“Don’t make that expression. It’s not urgent to lift the curse right away. You’re also by my side…. There are plenty of opportunities.”

“But….”

Celia was debating whether it would be fine if they did not appear in the ball scene, which appears at the beginning of the original novel.

The plot of the original story had changed dramatically since its beginning.

‘When I asked if what I thought was a novel was actually the future, the answer was a resounding no. What exactly is this world?’

She initially recognized that the world of her previous life was real and that this was the world of a novel. And after meeting the goddess, she thought those two facts were contradictory, but neither was it.

If both this and that world are real….. What was the novel I read in my previous life? Was it simply a high possibility that ‘it might happen’?

“I’ll be back before dinner.”

Leonis leaned in and kissed Celia on the lips. Because they had been hugging each other all day since yesterday, their kiss was even sweeter.

Chu– Celia’s cheeks flushed slightly as his lips landed with a sweet sound. Then Leonis stood up and stroked her cheek with satisfaction.

Celia got out of bed as well and waved him off.

“Haaa…..”

It felt like a storm had passed as she watched Leonis’ carriage move away. She had figured out the most important method, so she considered herself to have done her part.

‘She said they’d vomit a piece of divine beast heart after being fed that flower.’

Giving them something to eat Penina flower powder was simple, but getting the heart fragments spit out by the princes or princesses without them questioning it would be difficult.

For the Emperor, the most dangerous opponent….. Wasn’t that a form of taking it forcibly after a rebellion? You could feed him by putting it in water.

‘Leonis will find a way to get through it. Let us consider how to be careful to avoid disaster.’

Celia tried to turn around, but a man who appeared to be the gatekeeper of the Duke’s mansion rushed in. The butler was informed by the gatekeeper.

“Did the Countess Clayton bring a present from the Third Empress? How should I proceed?”

It was a visit in which she had to wait for Leonis to leave first. The butler had a calm expression on his face as he looked at Celia. The current attire she wore was inappropriate for welcoming guests, even those sent by the empress. Celia called up her maids to change her clothes and said to the butler.

“Let her in and take her into the living room.”

“I understand, Madam.”

The gatekeeper who had been told to leave the mansion was seen doing so. Celia climbed the stairs to her room with the maids.

‘The Third Empress…’

She could guess what the Third Empress was up to, but she was curious about the intention of sending her subordinates.

✦ ✦ ✦

Countess Clayton was a beautiful woman who wore a wide-brimmed hat. Her servants could easily recognize her because she wore a dress that exposed her shoulders and collarbones.

‘The Third Empress stated that she avoids women who are likely to cause her son an accident…’

She seemed to be the exception. Or was she already having an affair with the Second Prince?

Countess Clayton strode forward, her gaze piercing the entrance hall. Several servants formed a line, but Celia Cardian, the owner, was nowhere to be seen.

‘The Duke of Cardian won’t return soon, right?’

The Third Empress had ordered her to come and scare Celia. She didn’t want to do it, but there was nothing else she could do. Her husband was placing all of his bets on Phil, the Second Prince.

“The Second Prince will become the Emperor!”

Surely. Who else could possibly be the Emperor? Although he had significant flaws in his personality, none of the successive Emperors were without flaws.

There had recently been a sense that it had become a little excessive in recent years, but as long as he was of imperial blood, it was something that must be endured in the end.

“…Where is the Duchess?”

Although Celia has a high status of being a Duchess, Countess Clayton thought she was just a young lady who had just left her status as a young girl. Following her, there was a perception that Celia’s status was higher by birth than hers (Countess Clayton), and as a result, Countess Clayton despised Celia even more.

A young girl with a high rank and a beautiful appearance….Such injustice should not occur!

When she learned that Celia was marrying a monster because of her beauty, she laughed and said, ‘served her right.’ However, recent rumors have been disconcerting.

She couldn’t believe Celia had grabbed the monster’s heart.

She pretended to be naive and trembled, swearing that her true nature had been revealed, but Count Clayton also wondered how she did it.

TL/N:

[1] Four legs means to get stuck in something because you are in love with someone.