For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 57

A summer rain was pouring down. The continuous rain for days seemed to have finally broken the summer heat.

The crossbow Aura I had ordered a few days ago arrived yesterday. When she received the small, lightweight crossbow, she realized that the day she would leave the palace was not far off.

Aura looked out the window at the rain. The rain has to stop for me to practice with the crossbow at the training grounds.

Just then, Minah rushed into Aura’s office.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Something terrible has happened. There’s trouble in Ansena.”

Aura’s face hardened. “Tell me. Calmly.”

“I heard that an epidemic is spreading in Ansena.”

“What?! What kind of epidemic?”

“I heard that people are suffering from severe stomachaches and chills. More than a dozen elderly people have already died.”

“People are dying?” Aura stood up abruptly. Minah bit her lip and nodded.

“What’s the cause?”

“I heard that there was a problem with the water in the reservoir. The situation is so serious that Ansena has voluntarily sealed itself off.”

Aura looked at the rain outside the window. It was natural for the infection to spread quickly with the high humidity. On top of that, Ansena lacked medical facilities.

She calmly asked, “How did you find out about this?”

“A close servant told me. It hasn’t been reported in the newspaper yet.”

“Alright. Thank you for the information.”

Aura left the room. Ruan, who was standing by the door, naturally followed her.

She told Ruan about the situation in Ansena. Ruan calmly said, “Shall I go and check on Ansena?”

“No. I need to talk to Karl. An epidemic is a national issue. We need to gather doctors and send them there right away.”

Aura was calm. But Ruan couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy about her.

She must be so anxious. But she’s strangely calm. What is this feeling?

Ruan followed Aura, a worried look on his face.

At the same time.

Karl was receiving the same report from Theo in his office. He ran his hand over his face, looking tired. He was in bad shape from the lack of sleep and stress.

“Of all places… Ansena.”

“It’s a place where the number and level of medical facilities are very low. You need to have the Imperial Physician gather doctors and send them to Ansena immediately. Since you’ll need people to empty the reservoir, it would be good to send them along as well.”

“Do that. Right away.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Theo quickly left the office.

Just as the office door was flung open, Karl saw Aura and Ruan standing in the doorway.

Seeing the two of them made Karl’s stomach churn. He had been so careful to avoid them, and yet here they were, coming together.

Aura entered the office alone. “Karl.”

“It’s been a while.” Karl greeted her with a smile. Aura walked over to his desk in one stride.

“We need to talk, Karl.”

He could tell by her hurried steps and expression that she had come because of the situation in Ansena.

“I heard you’ve been spending a very busy time with your lover. Do you need another conversation partner?”

“This isn’t the time for bickering. An epidemic has broken out in Ansena. I’m sure you’ve already received the report.”

“Yes, I have.”

Aura was a little flustered by his nonchalant attitude. But she calmly continued.

“We need to send doctors. And clean water, too.”

“You can send them. You’ve always been sending a lot of things to Ansena.”

“You know it’s not about the money. Everything will happen faster if the Imperial family gets involved. An epidemic is a matter of urgency.”

“Aura,” Karl called her name softly. “You ignored my attempts to stop you and took Finn. You also ignored my pleas and took a lover.”

“…”

“On top of that, you can’t even remember the promise we made. But you find it so easy to ask for my help.”

“…What?”

“Leave. You’re so capable, I’m sure you can solve it on your own.”

Karl picked up his quill and opened a document. Aura stood there in silence for a long time.

He knew it, too. Her request was logical, rational, and fitting for an Empress. But that’s what bothered him even more.

Her natural attitude, which no longer showed any hint of discomfort. And the presence of Emile standing by the door. It was as if she was telling Karl that he was nothing more than a colleague to her.

Bang!

Aura suddenly slammed her hand on Karl’s desk.

Karl raised his head and looked at Aura. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. She held back her anger and spoke clearly.

“This is not a request. This is my duty, and it’s your duty. Just as I work for the people of Casa, they, too, deserve to be taken care of as your people.”

“…”

“You gave me Finn as an apology. Our forgotten promise is just between us. Why should the people suffer because of that? And a lover?”

Aura laughed softly. “I haven’t even properly held his hand since the ball.”

Tears slowly welled up in her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She slowly stepped back and said, “You’re always like this, Karl. You act like you want me so much… but in the most important moments for me…” Sadness and resignation filled her expression. “When I actually need you… you’re not there for me.”

Karl stood up from his chair. “Aura, let’s talk for a minute.”

“No. I have nothing more to say to you. I’ll handle this myself.”

Aura flung the door open. Ruan, who was standing outside, was surprised to see the look on her face.

She spoke calmly. “Emile, follow me.”

She left in a hurry, with Ruan following her, a worried look on his face.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty. Are you alright?”

“I have a lot of work to do. Just follow me.”

Ruan saw the look on Aura’s face. It seemed like she was about to cry at any moment.

“…Understood.” The two of them walked down the hallway toward the Empress’s room.

And a moment later, Karl walked down the same path, his strides long and purposeful.

Bang!

Aura violently opened her bedroom door. The maids inside were startled.

“Get my bag. Now.”

“Yes? Ah, yes.” Minah and the other maids quickly went through the side door. The Empress seemed to be in a terrible mood.

“Come in, Emile.”

Ruan, who was standing in the inner hallway, hesitated. He shouldn’t even be there according to palace etiquette.

“I can’t go in.”

“Come in.”

“Your Majesty, I…”

“Now.”

Aura’s voice trembled. Ruan finally sighed and went into the room.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

She didn’t say anything and just pulled a jewelry box from a console drawer. She began to sweep the jewels into a velvet pouch.

“There are some gold coins in the last drawer of the bedside table. Get them.”

Ruan did as he was told. Aura poured the gold coins into the pouch, too.

“There’s a clinic called ‘Ilan’ attached to a medical academy on the west side of the capital. We’ll buy doctors and nurses there.”

“Yes.”

“In the northeast, there’s a health center called ‘Esta.’ We have to buy medical supplies there. I’ll go to Esta, and you go to Ilan.”

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

“We don’t have time. If you understand, you should also go and pack and get a horse ready.”

Ruan was surprised. “No. You can’t go to a place where an epidemic is raging.”

“Why not?” Aura dropped the velvet pouch on the table.

“It’s dangerous.”

Aura let out a small laugh. But her eyes were getting redder. “If they all die, there’s no meaning for me to be here. So why should I be careful?”

Ruan paused. Something must have happened with the Emperor. Aura often lost her composure when she was with him.

“Aura,” he called her by her name, not Emile. And for a moment, she seemed to snap back to her senses.

Ruan went to Aura and hugged her.

“Everything will be okay.”

At his words, the tears Aura had been holding back finally fell. As she trembled while trying to hold back her sobs, Ruan stroked her back gently.

Aura hated herself. She hated that in an emergency, the first person she thought of was Karl. And she hated that she was crying when she should be pulling herself together.

“Don’t cry. I’ll go to Ansena for you.”

“They… they only trust me…”

“…”

“I couldn’t even convince Karl. I’m… I’m really nothing.”

“You are not nothing.” Ruan met her eyes. “At least to me, you’re not nothing.”

Aura grabbed Ruan’s clothes tightly. Ruan swallowed a pained sigh. “I’ll go for you. I’ll find doctors and buy medical supplies and go to Ansena, so please wait here.”

“No. We’ll go together.”

“I can’t send you to a place with an epidemic.”

“Then what about you?”

Ruan gently wiped her cheek and smiled faintly. “As you know, I’m quite tough.”

Still, Aura looked worried. Ruan whispered in a very low voice, “Please just trust me, Aura.”

“…When do you think you’ll be back?”

“I’ll be back by noon tomorrow, I promise.”

Aura hesitated for a moment. But in the end, she handed the velvet pouch to Ruan.

“Please… be careful.”

“Yes. I’ll be going now.”

Ruan bowed and left the room. He was startled to see Karl in the inner hallway.

Did he hear everything?

Ruan calmly closed the door, hoping Aura wouldn’t hear him. Only then did he bow to Karl.

“That’s enough.” Karl said. “Don’t get any closer.”

He was clearly talking about Aura. Ruan found his words laughable. “I believe I have a reason to get closer.”

“…”

“The situation is urgent, so I must go immediately. My apologies.”

Ruan brushed past Karl and walked quickly.

It was not something a mere knight should say or do to the Emperor. Yet Karl couldn’t stop him. Because his words were true.

Karl grabbed the doorknob.

He suddenly remembered the conversation between the two of them. Ruan’s sincere voice, comforting her. His confidence to ask her to trust him. The comfort to show her a weak side.

Those were things that could only come from a relationship that had given and received emotional wounds.

“…”

Karl finally let go of the doorknob.

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