For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 44

“!”

The carriage tilted in an instant. Karl’s eyes snapped open, and he immediately pulled Aura into his arms.

Thump.

His back hit the carriage door. Startled by the impact, Aura recoiled. His grip on her tightened.

-Heeheehee!

The horses neighed outside. The carriage wobbled and came to a stop. Only then did Aura open her eyes. Karl, still holding her, was glaring intently out the window, one hand on the hilt of his sword.

“…Karl?”

“Shh.”

Just then, Josh’s voice was heard from outside.

“Your Majesty! Empress! Are you all right?”

“What’s the matter?” Karl called out.

“We’re sorry, but you’ll have to get out for a moment. One of the carriage wheels is stuck in the mud.”

“Ah, I see. Alright. I’ll bring the Empress out soon.”

“Yes! Understood.”

Karl finally let go of his sword. He said to Aura, “I thought it might be a monster. They sometimes appear on this road.”

“Ah… I see.”

“…”

“You need to let me go… so I can get out.”

But Karl showed no sign of releasing his hold. The carriage was tilted toward his side, making it difficult for her to move without his help.

Karl just stared at her blankly. The carriage was quiet, and their bodies were touching more than necessary. Aura, feeling awkward, forced herself to speak stiffly.

“Don’t… don’t mess around. The knights are waiting outside.”

“Why were you looking at my face earlier?”

“!”

He wasn’t asleep.

“…You were acting so brazenly, I was just curious.”

Aura pretended not to be embarrassed. He let out a soft chuckle and suddenly hugged her tightly.

“Why, what are you doing? Let go.”

Karl buried his face in the nape of Aura’s neck and inhaled, as if a sweet scent came from there.

Aura’s face flushed with heat. She tried to push him away, but it was no use.

“…If you don’t let me go, I’ll scream.”

“The guys outside will just think it’s a different kind of scream.”

“Karl!”

At his crude joke, Aura hit his shoulder hard. He didn’t even flinch.

“I’m sorry, Aura. But I just want to rest like this for a little while.”

“…”

“Just… just for a moment.”

Karl’s hands wrapped around Aura’s back. A familiar warmth spread through her body. This warmth felt more desperate than usual.

He said he felt a sense of security from me because he thought he protected me.

If that was the case, maybe the story about the knight named Prit was true. The problem was that she couldn’t confirm it.

Whether that’s true or not… let’s not think about it. My task is already set.

Nothing was going to change. She would find Finn, and he would try to stop her.

Karl kissed the back of her neck, then hugged her tightly one last time before finally letting her go.

“Let’s go out. Everyone must be waiting.”

He took her with him and stepped out of the carriage. The knights lifted the carriage to pull the wheel out of the mud. Afterward, the two of them got back in.

This time, Karl leaned on Aura and dozed off again. Sunlight streamed onto his face.

Aura gently drew the curtain to block it.

Later That Day

A few hours later, the imperial carriage and the knights arrived in Ansena.

The sudden visit of the Emperor and Empress caused an uproar in Ansena. The Zenia people gathered, controlled by the Vigilance Guard. Soon, as Aura stepped out of the carriage, cheers erupted.

“Princess Aura! Long live the Princess!”

“It’s the Princess! Long live the Princess!”

They still called Aura ‘Princess.’ It seemed they wished for her to be the Princess of Zenia rather than the Empress of Casa.

“My Empress is quite popular.” Although Karl easily ignored their wishes.

While Karl spoke with the Vigilance Guard, Aura looked around at them.

Ruan isn’t here. It’s certain that he’s left Ansena.

Just then, something caught Aura’s eye.

…What’s that?

She saw a pile of wooden boxes among the crowds. Aura discreetly asked one of the Vigilance Guards.

“What are those boxes? Imports?”

“Ah, those are relief supplies for the current drought.”

“Relief supplies?”

The Imperial family never sent any relief supplies. And I haven’t received a report about it from the nobles, either.

“Who sent them?”

The Vigilance Guard answered, “They were sent by Archduke Ryan Casa of Sutra.”

Ryan?

Aura looked at Karl. He was still talking to the Vigilance Guard. It seemed he hadn’t noticed the boxes yet.

He’s already annoyed by Ryan’s interest in me. I hope he doesn’t notice.

The two of them were guided by the Vigilance Guards to inspect the site for the new reservoir. The materials needed for construction were already prepared on-site, which gave Aura a sense of relief.

A little while later, they went to the central headquarters of the Vigilance Guard.

The meeting room was modest but clean. It seemed more organized than when Aura had visited before.

A Vigilance Guard member served tea to the two who sat at the head of the table.

“It’s traditional Zenia tea.”

Aura took a sip. It had a light bitterness, but the aftertaste was sweet. It was the same flavor as the one she used to drink in the royal palace.

“It brings back memories. Thank you.”

Aura smiled.

As the meeting began, Karl asked the Vigilance Guard, “You’ve done an excellent job of preparing to build the reservoir. It’s fortunate there’s a rocky area nearby. Will this solve the water problem for now?”

“Yes. We should be able to get through this drought.”

“Even so, Ansena is not suitable for farming. In the long term, you should consider migrating to a second land.”

A moment of silence passed. The Vigilance Guard leader spoke up, “We don’t need a second land. We want to return to our homeland of Zenia, Your Majesty.”

“What do you mean, ‘return’?”

“We want independence.”

Karl gave a faint smile and took a sip of his tea.

“The tea tastes good.” He then looked around at the Vigilance Guards.

Karl wasn’t the one who had made Zenia the way it was, but he was the one who was preventing its independence. He was also the husband of Aura, their hope.

The Zenia people harbored complicated feelings for Karl. They couldn’t hate or reject him.

“I have a positive view of Zenia’s independence.”

At his words, the Vigilance Guards’ expressions brightened. Karl added, “But it seems the Empress thinks a little differently.”

Clink.

Aura’s hand slipped, causing her cup to hit the table.

The Vigilance Guards looked at Aura in confusion. Princess Aura thought negatively of Zenia’s independence?

Aura gave a calm smile.

“The fundamental issue isn’t independence. It’s whether we have the power to be independent. Let’s say the Imperial family takes the land of Zenia back from the nobles and gives it to you. But how much will the situation improve if you simply move there?”

“But we can farm in Zenia,” the Vigilance Guard leader said. Aura immediately countered, “Since when has Zenia been an agrarian nation?”

She expressed her thoughts simply but surely. Zenia was a country led by magic. As long as that was not recovered, independence was meaningless.

“Then Your Majesty the Empress…” a Vigilance Guard member mumbled. But with Karl present, they couldn’t finish their sentence.

Aura said, “Yes. We should work on restoring the magical power of Zenia’s mages first. The land would be next. Wouldn’t you agree, Your Majesty?”

“I don’t know. I wonder if you’re so caught up in an ideal dream that you’re losing sight of reality.”

“It’s the power of the Imperial family to make that ideal dream a reality.”

“I don’t know. Is it an ideal dream or a blind obsession… I can’t really tell.”

The subtle war of nerves between Aura and Karl continued throughout the meeting. And late in the afternoon, the meeting ended without any notable conclusion.

The Vigilance Guard members showed the Emperor and Empress the back hills of Ansena. Spring flowers were in full bloom on the mountain, but Aura and Karl were silent, a result of the meeting.

The knights, sensing the mood, moved away. When everyone was gone, Aura asked, “Why did you do that back in the meeting room?”

“This is politics, Aura. I have a duty to make my position clear to the Zenia people.”

“You drove a wedge between me and the Vigilance Guard, as if I was the one blocking their independence.”

“That’s also my politics. All the Zenia people only look at you.”

Aura was furious. She felt it was going too far to play with the people. She grabbed Karl’s arm.

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“I told you,” he said.

“…”

“If you take Finn, I will interfere with you.”

Karl gently pushed Aura’s hand away. Her hand fell to her side.

Just then, Josh approached them.

“Your Majesty, you should see this.”

A group of people was carrying boxes. Aura recognized them as the relief supplies from Sutra.

Oh no, of all times…

“What’s this? They’re using a back road.”

Feeling something was off, Karl approached them, and Aura quickly followed.

“Hey. Stop and bring that box over here.”

Karl ordered the lead porter. He quickly set the box down in front of Karl. The box was stamped with a snowflake emblem.

Karl recognized the symbol at a glance.

“Isn’t that the symbol of Sutra?”

“Yes. They are relief supplies sent by Archduke Ryan of Sutra,” the Vigilance Guard leader answered. Karl bit his lip slightly and ordered the porter, “Open it.”

The porter quickly opened the box.

Inside, the box was filled with bottles of what looked like drinking water. On top, there was a letter.

Karl opened the letter and read it. Then he glanced at Aura.

“The Empress should read this.”

Aura took the letter and read it.

“To the Zenia people of Ansena. I send this aid out of my respect for Her Majesty the Empress.”

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