For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 49

“So, what do you want, Elise?”

“My father’s will. Please help me find it.”

“I was under the impression that the late Duke did not leave a will.”

Elise shook her head. “That’s not true. When his health started to decline, he often told me that he had written a will. But one morning… he died suddenly, and the will’s whereabouts are unknown.”

Sudden death. Perhaps Duke Tein had something to do with it. The Crown Prince would have helped him destroy any evidence.

“What do you believe is in the will?”

“I believe he named his successor.”

“You seem certain.”

“There’s no one who knew my father better than I did.”

“Do you have… any idea about the will’s whereabouts?”

“On the day my father passed, the butler who had worked for our family his entire life disappeared. I believe he might have taken it with him.”

“That’s a relief. It’s easier to find a person than a will.”

“That butler was also my father’s closest friend. I suspect he learned that my uncle planned to destroy the will and fled with it, but something happened that prevented him from returning.”

“Or he might be dead.”

“…That’s possible, too.”

Karl propped his chin on his hand and looked at Elise. Her fingertips were white. Though she didn’t show it, she seemed very nervous.

“I tried to find the butler secretly, without my uncle knowing, but I didn’t get any results. My own capabilities are limited, so I came here…”

…to ask for your help. Elise was about to say that but changed her words. “If Your Majesty helps me, I will offer you something in return.”

Karl gave a slight smile. But it was not something to laugh off. If things went well… the Dukedom would be in its rightful place, and he might even get Finn.

“Do you know what I want?”

Elise swallowed hard. The Emperor was subtly revealing that he wanted something from her. “Is there something you want?”

“Duke Tein has a small crystal shard called Finn. Are you aware of it?”

At the mention of Finn, Elise’s eyes widened. She held up two fingers, indicating its size. “Are you… talking about a shard this big?”

Karl nodded. The Finn he had seen was exactly that size. “It seems so. Can you bring it to me?”

“…”

“If you do, the Imperial family will do its best to help you inherit the Dukedom.”

“That…”

Elise looked away, flustered. Her plan seemed to have hit an unexpected snag.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“I… I already promised to give it to Empress Aura.”

“…What?”

“In exchange for her helping me get an audience with you.”

An Hour Earlier

Aura took Elise to the garden. The garden, full of spring flowers, was beautiful.

Elise looked at Aura’s back as she walked ahead. Her straight posture, her head held slightly high, and her calm, downward gaze. She looked proper and unshakable.

“The weather has gotten so much better, hasn’t it? This winter was unusually harsh.”

Elise chose her words carefully, thinking about how Aura had spent the entire winter in the tower. “Yes. It’s a joy that spring has come.”

Aura smiled inwardly. I asked about the winter, and she answered about the spring.

It was a considerate answer that didn’t make a big deal out of things. It was a reply that only a clever person could make. If she were to be introduced to high society, her social skills would be impressive.

“Lady Elise. So, what’s the reason you need to see Karl so urgently?” Aura stopped and ran her fingertips over a white lily. “Be honest. That’s the only way I can help you.”

Elise had never told her story to anyone. But for some reason, it felt like she could tell Aura.

The story of the Dukedom’s will and the butler lingered in the lily garden before disappearing.

“…That’s it.”

“…”

Aura, who had been listening quietly, plucked the lily. The sound of the stem snapping sent shivers down Elise’s spine.

“It seems like a fight you have no chance of winning. Wouldn’t it be better to just become a consort and live a comfortable life?”

“That is not what I want.”

“Why? A consort isn’t enough for you? Would it have been different if you were the Empress?” Aura smelled the lily. She smiled faintly, as if the scent was pleasant.

Aura’s questions sounded like she was testing her. But to Elise, they sounded different.

Aura seemed to be the one who wasn’t fixated on the title of Empress. It was as if she would accept it if Elise were to take her place. And as if she could leave at any time.

Elise suddenly felt a sense of loneliness from Aura. And because of that, she wanted to be honest with her from the bottom of her heart.

“My father, as Duke Tein, did his best for his domain for over 40 years.”

“And?”

“I am his only blood relative. Therefore, I have a duty to continue the family business.”

“Duty.”

“Because… that is why I was born and raised in the Tein family.”

Elise gave a bright smile. Aura let go of the hand holding the lily.

Try as she might, Aura kept seeing her old self in Elise. Her own self when she had willingly accepted a political marriage for the sake of Zenia. Like Aura back then, Elise was innocent and brave.

Aura felt a strange sense of loss. It was a feeling of regret and longing for a time she could never go back to.

After a moment of silence, Aura spoke. “I will help you.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll help you meet Karl. And I’ll make sure you do it before Duke Tein.”

“Your Majesty… thank you.”

“But on one condition.”

Elise tensed up. “What is it?”

“There’s a crystal orb called Finn. The orb is in three pieces. I believe one of them is in the Tein Dukedom. Do you know of it? It’s probably in the shape of a fan.”

“Ah, yes. My uncle keeps it in his safe.”

So it was with Duke Tein after all.

“I see. Do you know what kind of object it is?”

“No. I do not.”

Her eyes weren’t lying. She also didn’t seem like the kind of person who would lie.

Aura wanted to tell her to steal it tonight. Once she helped her meet Karl, she didn’t care about anything else.

But that would put Elise in a very difficult position. The moment she stole Finn, she would be in an all-out war with Duke Tein.

“When you leave the Dukedom or inherit the title, give it to me. By any means necessary.”

Elise hesitated. That crystal shard was Duke Tein’s personal property. Could she really use it as collateral?

But she quickly made up her mind. She, too, had nowhere left to retreat.

“I will do so.”

“Elise, this is…” Aura took Elise’s hand. “A promise.”

Elise slowly nodded as if in a trance. Aura let go of her hand and walked toward the garden exit.

“Follow me. Now we must go meet Karl.”

“Your Majesty… is that one crystal shard really enough?” To Elise, the shard was small and insignificant. It wasn’t something an Empress would covet.

Aura, who had been walking, turned around. “Right now, that crystal shard is my everything.”

Later That Night

Karl was heading to the Empress’s room. Just as he did every night since he got his shoulder injured.

“Ha.”

A bitter laugh escaped him as he thought about what happened today.

So she knew Finn was at the Tein Dukedom.

He had a feeling there was a reason Aura was helping Elise. But it turned out she had just been trying to get to Elise before him.

It was as if she was competing with Karl. No, she was probably doing it on purpose to show him.

“Let’s see who gets it first,” is that it? He muttered under his breath.

Of course, Karl hadn’t let Elise go so easily.

In the audience hall, Karl and Elise looked at each other for a moment.

“Elise. You promised the shard of Finn to the Empress?”

“Yes. And since she has given me this opportunity to meet with Your Majesty… I must give it to her.”

“I also want it. So give it to me, and we’ll solve the Empress’s problem together.”

“That… is not possible.” Elise shook her head. “It is a promise, and I have a duty to keep it.”

Elise, as she said that, had eyes similar to Aura’s. And Karl knew that he had never won against that look of Aura’s.

“Then I cannot help you. You may leave.” Karl hit the armrest of his throne. Elise said urgently, “Your Majesty…!”

“I said you may leave.”

“Please, please just listen to the proposal I have prepared.”

“…A proposal?”

Elise nodded. “In addition to that crystal shard, I have something else I can offer you.”

Afterward, the audience with Duke Tein was canceled.

Soon, Karl arrived in front of the Empress’s room. He walked down the hallway and opened the bedroom door.

“Welcome, Karl.”

Aura was sitting on the sofa, reading a book. Her calm tone, her expression, her neat posture—they all got on Karl’s nerves, one by one.

He was angry. At her for ruining his plans. At this woman who was reading a book, not knowing she was heading toward her own death. At this pretentious princess who would gladly sacrifice her life, even if she knew the truth.

And so, Karl hated Aura. He hated her for making him feel so anxious and twisted. He wanted to break that calm facade of hers, just once.

Thump, thump.

Karl slowly walked over and stood in front of her. Aura, still looking at her book, said, “I’ll let you sleep after I finish this. You can go to bed first.”

Karl took a step closer and placed his hand on the book. Aura’s eyes widened, and she looked up at him.

“You’re finally looking at me.” He knelt down on one knee in front of her. At eye level, her teal eyes were very clear. “I met with Elise. I tried to get Finn from her, but she said she already promised it to you.”

“Oh, dear.”

Aura closed the book. Her eyes narrowed into a smile. “I had no idea. That you would want it.”

“…”

“What should we do?”

“…There’s nothing we can do. She already made a promise.”

Karl gently ran his fingers through Aura’s hair. He lightly brushed his thumb against her earlobe.

“So I told her I couldn’t help her.”

Aura’s expression hardened for a moment. “You rejected Elise?”

“No. I didn’t reject her.”

“…”

“I was thinking of taking her as a consort. If I’m going to side with Duke Tein, after all.”

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