For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 27

Aura was having a tea party in the garden. Tea, pastries, and a book. It was a perfect afternoon break. Her brows were slightly furrowed as she concentrated on her magic book. She occasionally wrote something down on a blank piece of paper.

Rustle.

Aura tucked the paper between the pages of her book, hearing footsteps on the grass. She closed the cap of her fountain pen, and a shadow fell over her. She looked up and saw Karl looking down at her. Judging by his attire, he must have been working and decided to take a walk.

“…” Aura went back to her book.

Karl asked, “You see someone and you don’t even say hello?”

“Hello, Karl.”

Karl let out a small, helpless laugh. He sat in the chair across from Aura. Mina quickly brought him a new cup. Karl waved his hand, and Mina took the cup away. Karl rested his elbows on the table and propped his chin on his hands, staring at Aura. Aura, however, paid him no mind and continued to read her book. She even took a leisurely sip of her tea.

Whether Aura was listening or not, Karl began to speak.

“The imperial physician told me something.”

“…”

“He said that a person is able to sleep well when they are with someone who gives them a sense of security.”

Rustle, a page turned. Aura’s eyelashes were particularly noticeable as she read the words with her eyes half-closed.

“I’ve been thinking about why I feel a sense of security from the person who is dying to torment me…”

“…”

“I think it’s because I believe I protected that person. I know you’re going to say that’s a ridiculous thing to say, but… I can’t control my subconscious.”

“…”

“I wondered how you knew about my condition and came to my room yesterday, but Josh told me he went to see you last night.”

Aura snapped her book shut and tilted her head. “Karl, what are you talking about?”

“I don’t know, a thank you?”

“I didn’t go to your room yesterday.”

“…What?”

Karl laughed in disbelief. Aura, without blinking, said, “I told Josh clearly that I wouldn’t go because there was nothing I could do to help.”

“Aura, don’t play with me.”

“Did Josh see me go into your room?”

No, he hadn’t. When Karl asked Josh, he said, ‘I knew Your Majesty would do that. She refused my request. It seems she came secretly.’

“At this point, I’m getting worried. The emperor of the empire can’t even distinguish between dreams and reality.” Aura gathered her books and stood up. Karl’s eyes followed her. The same persistent gaze he had when he was trying to figure out her intentions.

She walked past Karl and gave him a small laugh. “Why would I go all the way to your room just to help you sleep?” Thump, her hand landed on Karl’s shoulder. “You should see a doctor about something else. Like, your delusions.”

With a playful tap on his shoulder, Aura gracefully left the garden.

“Hah.” Karl, who was left alone, let out a hollow laugh. It was true that he was confused. The insults, the indifference, the mockery disguised as concern—her perfect contempt was all he had received.

Was it when he was falling asleep last night? He had felt a hand stroking his hair. A clumsy touch that hesitated for a moment. And the bold hand that had just patted his shoulder. If he were to be asked if those two hands belonged to the same person… he couldn’t say for sure.

‘…Was it all a dream?’

Karl was in his office, working. His quill, which had been moving over the documents, stopped. “Hmm…”

Theo, who was sitting in his aide’s seat, looked at Karl. Karl was lost in thought, his head tilted. ‘He’s doing that again. This is the umpteenth time.’ Theo had asked him if anything was bothering him, but Karl had only shaken his head. Theo was at a loss as to what was going on.

“…This is strange,” Karl muttered.

“What is, Your Majesty?”

Karl suddenly stood up. He walked toward the small door, leaving the wide-eyed Theo behind. When he burst open the door, “Y-Your Majesty?” a maid who was changing the bedsheets looked back in shock. It wasn’t Karl’s time to be there at all.

“Don’t mind me. Continue.”

“Ah, yes… Your Majesty.” Karl leaned against the doorframe and stared at the bed. The maid, feeling a bit nervous, took off the sheets. He was certain that Aura had been sitting there. He was also sure he had reached out and touched her face.

‘Delusion? Am I really going crazy?’

Just then, something on the bed shimmered. “Wait.”

“Yes, yes?”

“Put the sheets down and step back.”

“Ah… yes.” The maid, not knowing what was going on, stepped back. Karl’s hand felt the bedsheets, and something wrapped around his finger. It was a long strand of ivory-blonde hair.

“Hah.” A knowing smile appeared on his lips. He stared at the hair and asked the maid, “When was the last time these sheets were changed?”

“Yesterday afternoon, around this time.”

“I see. Thank you for your hard work.”

Karl returned to his office with a satisfied smile. He slumped into his chair and turned to face the window. The hair was luminous in the sunlight. Karl began to play with it. It felt nice to have it wrapped tightly around his fingers. The tension that made it feel like it would snap at any moment. The feeling that drove a person crazy.

And that wasn’t all that was good. The way Aura had feigned ignorance, how she had insulted and mocked him. The effort she had put into pretending that last night had never happened.

“Hahaha.” He couldn’t help but laugh.

Karl leaned his head back on his chair and stared at the hair shining between his fingers. ‘I must look like a crazy person. To be so obsessed with something like this.’

The problem was what to do now. What should he do with this hair? After a moment of thought, Karl stood up.

“…This is the better way.” He left the office.

“…” Theo, who had been watching the entire time, just blinked. He had no idea what was going on.

The next day, a small tea party was held in the imperial garden. Hosting tea parties was one of the empress’s duties. Countess Yona and Viscountess Helen, among other noblewomen, had all gathered. Aura, who was sitting in the head seat, listened to them talk.

Most of the noblewomen were friendly toward Aura. They still talked about the coronation whenever they saw her.

“The thought of it still gives me goosebumps. The moment Her Majesty the Empress put on the crown and stood up.”

“I agree. How did she manage to calm the rioters with just her presence?”

“I heard Tasha was behind those rioters?” one woman said, and a few others were surprised.

“Oh my! The emperor’s wet nurse?”

“Yes. Didn’t you know? She was caught letting the pure-blood supremacists into the palace and was executed in a summary court.”

“My goodness… I had no idea.” The noblewomen’s gazes naturally turned to Aura. “You must have been so worried, Your Majesty. To think that a pure-blood supremacist was the emperor’s wet nurse.”

Aura smiled and drank her tea without saying a word. ‘This isn’t comfortable. I wish they wouldn’t constantly remind me that I’m a foreigner.’

“Still, the fact that I was able to get married shows that Tasha wasn’t that influential.” Aura’s words made the women agree.

“That’s true. The emperor’s decision to banish Tasha proves that.”

“I agree. I think that action showed the emperor’s stance on the matter.”

“His stance?” Aura asked.

“Yes. It’s a declaration that he won’t tolerate extremists like the pure-blood supremacists, isn’t it?”

Just as she said, the pure-blood supremacists had disappeared. It was also proof that Tasha was one of their important leaders.

“But some conservative newspapers say the punishment was too harsh. I just don’t understand it.” one woman said with a worried expression.

Aura asked, “In what way was it too harsh?”

“They’re saying the royal family is taking better care of the Zenia people than the Kasa people… It’s just the conservative newspapers trying to appeal to their readers.”

Aura nodded. It was a plausible reaction. Many people had opposed the idea of making the Zenia people regular citizens. The noblewomen might not be saying it out loud, but the public opinion about a foreign empress must be complicated.

Aura decided to change the subject. She asked Countess Yona, “Is there anything new with the noble families? I heard the council meetings are frequent these days.”

“The new emperor has been crowned, so everyone is busy showing their faces. If only that was all they were doing. Duke Thane, for example…” Countess Yona paused and covered her mouth. Aura could guess why. ‘It’s about the rumors of Elise becoming a concubine.’

The rumor about a concubine was already spreading like wildfire among the nobles. But Karl hadn’t given her any hints about it.

“Please, tell me, Countess. What about Duke Thane?” Countess Yona was flustered and just drank her tea.

“Pardon? Go on.”

“Hmm… well…” Her question was innocent, but Countess Yona’s face went pale.

Viscountess Helen, who had seen enough, stepped in. “It’s just a rumor we heard and guessed about among ourselves. Please don’t be offended.”

“You mean the rumor about Lady Elise becoming a concubine?” The atmosphere at the tea party instantly became cold. Viscountess Helen said, “…Yes, Your Majesty. This is not a topic for this occasion. We were being thoughtless.”

Countess Yona quickly added her apology. “It was my slip of the tongue. I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“It’s alright, ladies. Isn’t a tea party a place to share all sorts of rumors?” Aura took a sip of her tea and asked calmly, “I just haven’t heard anything myself. If the rumor is true…” Clink, the teacup hit the saucer. “…I am curious about how far along the process is.”

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