I’ve Decided to Let You Go - Chapter 31

“The Emperor?”

“Yes, yes. He said there’s an urgent matter he needs to resolve.”

The butler, clearly flustered, barely managed a reply. It was likely because he knew about Natasha’s history with the imperial family and didn’t know how to break the news properly.

Still, the way he spoke made it clear the Emperor had barged in without warning, and there was nothing the staff could do to stop him.

At first, Natasha’s eyes widened in shock. But she quickly composed herself. Adjusting the pen she had been holding loosely, she continued writing where she had left off.

“What is his purpose?”

“Pardon?”

“If it was so urgent that His Majesty came without notice, then there must be a reason. I want to know what purpose drove him here in such haste.”

“He only said he needed to speak with you…”

“No clear reason. He came without a scheduled appointment, and now his intentions are vague. That’s not how meetings are held. Inform His Majesty that if he wishes to speak with me, he must formally request a meeting and return another time.”

As Natasha stood and removed her glasses, the butler nervously lifted his own and placed them squarely on the bridge of his nose. He added quickly, his expression full of concern.

“That would be the proper course of action. However, considering the Emperor came all this way in the cold, wouldn’t it seem rather harsh to turn him away at the door? Of course, I completely understand why you might wish to do so…”

It was a polite suggestion, hinting that perhaps she should reconsider.

He clearly didn’t want to pressure Natasha, given her past. But he also feared what might happen if the Emperor were rejected outright. In his position, arguing that turning away the Emperor might breach formal etiquette was the best logic he had.

“Jenkins, it’s fine to be courteous to a ruler, but the safety and security of the ducal house must come first.”

“Yes, of course.”

“As the one holding authority here, I’ve decided that meeting with His Majesty could pose a threat to both. That is why I’ve chosen to refuse.”

“Your words are entirely right. I will carry out your decision as you see fit.”

Faced with her firm resolve, the butler realized he could no longer protest and accepted her choice with respect.

“How long has he been waiting?”

“A little over fifteen minutes.”

“Then we should move quickly. Lead the way.”

Natasha followed him, but stopped in front of the drawing room door.

She had put on a calm act earlier, joking that she would deliver the rejection herself. But now that she stood before the door, she realized she had overestimated her composure.

He’s in there.

Kail Letius.

With his sudden appearance, she immediately realized that the monster outbreak in the western duchy had been orchestrated. The purpose was clear: to leave the Duchess of Aschart alone in the estate.

His desire to meet her was no mystery. There was no way he had come to apologize out of some sudden guilty conscience. His intentions were, without question, impure.

He’s here to torment me again. Just like before. To humiliate me, to make me crawl, to call me his new pet and speak nonsense like he used to…

Natasha could vividly recall everything about the man who had tormented her so relentlessly in her past life. His face, his voice, his gestures. It all came flooding back in an instant.

But not this time.

She began to breathe slowly, trying to steady her panic. Her chest rose and fell in a calm rhythm. Once she felt steady, she opened the door.

“Hello, Duchess.”

Kail Letius stood up the moment he saw her. He had been sitting with one leg crossed, leaning back with a smug posture.

The grin he wore, exposing his white teeth, dripped with ill-natured mischief.

“Or should I call you Princess?”

His eyes, sharp as a serpent’s, scanned her from head to toe. Not a single part of her body escaped his gaze.

Natasha stared at the air blankly, pretending not to notice. She tightened her legs beneath her dress, letting the trembling transfer downward. Thankfully, her full skirt helped hide her weakness.

Be bold.

She had to stay strong. She couldn’t show any vulnerability like before. If Kail saw a crack in her armor, he would lunge for it, tearing her apart with glee.

She closed her eyes slowly and thought of one of her returns. Was it the second? Or maybe the third? The time she cut out Kail’s tongue and pierced his heart.

That wasn’t just a memory. That was her past life. The man Natasha had killed was Kail Letius himself. The one who had called her hands filthy, only to die by those very hands in the end.

He’s nothing. Just a man who feared death more than anyone. A coward, even more frightened than I was.

With that thought, the man in front of her suddenly seemed small. The arrogant emperor sitting on the sofa disappeared, replaced in her mind by the pitiful figure of a man who once clung to the hem of her dress, crying out in pain.

“Welcome, Your Majesty. It must’ve been difficult making the journey through the rough northern roads. And I’m perfectly fine being addressed as Duchess.”

Natasha gave a polite bow.

But Kail didn’t return the courtesy. He remained lounging, one leg crossed, his chin resting on his hand in a smug, lazy posture.

He clearly wanted to get under her skin, to see if she’d lose her temper. But Natasha didn’t take the bait. In fact, she was grateful for his arrogance—it meant she didn’t have to waste energy being overly polite.

She walked to the sitting area but didn’t sit across from him. Instead, she remained standing, giving the impression she was looking down on him as she spoke.

“Unfortunately, the Duke isn’t here at the moment. A large number of monsters invaded the western territory, so he’s gone to take care of the situation.”

“How busy the Duke must be, even in this brutal winter.”

“Yes. So as much as I’m sure Your Majesty hoped to see him, I’m afraid that meeting will have to wait. I’m happy to make conversation with you, but I doubt I can offer the help you’re looking for.”

Kail didn’t respond right away. His sharp blue eyes narrowed, his expression hard to read.

“You’re very considerate.”

Then suddenly, his face relaxed. The tense atmosphere disappeared, replaced by a more playful smirk and softer gaze.

“But you don’t need to go that far. I came to speak with you, Duchess—not the Duke.”

“”

“We have so much to talk about, don’t we?”

“Talk… I can’t think of anything I need to say. If Your Majesty has something to discuss, perhaps we can arrange it for another time. I have a lot of work left to do today.”

Natasha had no intention of wasting her time. She cut him off clearly and cleanly.

Kail’s face twisted, as if he thought he must have misheard her. His expression changed completely from the teasing look he had earlier.

“What, you’re not even curious about how your parents died?”

When nothing else worked, Kail resorted to his sharpest weapon. He clearly thought this would hit her where it hurt—and that it would finally get her to acknowledge him.

Natasha, who had been calmly standing with one hand placed neatly over her chest, flinched. Her eyes, which had been wandering elsewhere, finally settled on him.

Kail caught the shift and smiled. He looked pleased, like he had just won a game.

“So, you haven’t forgotten that tragedy either, have you?”

“How could I? I lost everything because of it.”

Her calm voice carried the weight of pain, but her words were steady. Still, Kail looked like he thought he had her exactly where he wanted.

Natasha’s expression hardened.

“I’m glad to hear that you still remember, Your Majesty. That’ll make what I’m about to say a bit easier.”

Her disgust toward Kail grew. He spoke about the past as if it were his personal victory, and it made her skin crawl. She hadn’t planned to show her feelings—but now she couldn’t hold back.

“Since Your Majesty was kind enough to spare my life back then, allow me to ask one more thing. If you know how difficult this meeting is for me, please don’t ever come back here again.”

She stepped forward and leaned down just slightly—enough to look him directly in the eye from above.

“I’ve lost everything. I have nothing left to lose. So I can’t promise I won’t snap and draw a sword on you.”

Her tone was cool and measured, but her eyes burned with quiet threat. She didn’t look like someone bluffing. She looked like someone already thinking it through.

Though Kail didn’t seem to fully understand what had just happened, there was something about the way Natasha stared at him that reminded others of Duke Sieghart—firm, sharp, and unwavering.

“You seem a bit… agitated, Duchess.”

“”

“Very well. You’re clearly not in the best state of mind today, so I’ll take my leave.”

Her crimson eyes flared with heat. The woman he expected to shrink back was staring at him like a predator ready to strike.

Seeing her fierce resistance, Kail backed down and stood from the sofa.

“I’ll be sure to send an official request for a future visit. Hopefully, next time I’ll be treated more like a guest.”

“Feel free to send a letter to House Aschart. If the meeting is approved, I’ll see you then, Your Majesty.”

She followed him out of the room as he stormed through the door. In the hallway, the butler and maids were waiting anxiously.

Jenkins, who had clearly been holding his breath the whole time, rushed to her side.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

Natasha responded with a professional smile. It wasn’t warm, but it wasn’t cold either. It was the only expression that could accurately show how she truly felt—neither fine nor unwell.

It had been ten days since the Duke and his knights had left. On the afternoon of the tenth day, they returned to the estate.

When Sieghart heard the Emperor had visited during his absence, he was visibly furious. He came straight to Natasha to demand an explanation.

“I heard the Emperor was here.”

The visit was shocking enough. His investigation was even more abrupt.

“Yes. He stopped by briefly while you were away. It was an unannounced visit, and I didn’t see any reason to entertain him, so I declined the meeting. I was simply acting according to the terms of our agreement. There shouldn’t be any problem with that, should there?”

Natasha spoke firmly, subtly reminding him of the contract, just in case he had thoughts of blaming her for being impolite.

But Sieghart’s expression only darkened.

“Do I seem like the kind of man who’d question you over something like that?”

His voice was sharp as he threw the question back at her.

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