The Empress Tames the Tyrant - Chapter 12

Cayenne’s feelings after today’s council banquet were quite subtle.

During today’s luncheon, he could hardly feel the gazes of the nobles who had always looked down on him. As a result, there was naturally nothing to upset him, so voices weren’t raised, and no disputes arose.

“Isn’t it funny? It’s just a few changes in behavior.”

Cayenne, who was sitting with his legs dangling out the window, spat out as if complaining. The palace people passing below would have been shocked to death at the sight, but Glenn calmly looked at Cayenne.

“Pathetic lot.”

Cayenne still despised the nobles.

“Rubeo is in a state where even food is scarce, but what’s the deal with how to wash hands?”

A year ago, Cayenne, who was forced to attend the banquet after the wedding, couldn’t forget their astonished expressions.

-What’s the problem?

When he asked with dissatisfaction after the banquet, the chief chamberlain lowered his head respectfully and gave a few examples.

He didn’t even chuckle at the trivial reasons, such as dipping his entire hand into the hand-washing basin, using only one piece of cutlery, and grabbing food as he pleased before the servant could serve it.

-Your Majesty, the nobles of the capital value etiquette above all else. Now that you have become the master of the empire, you must lead them on the right path.

After the banquet, Duke Nigel cautiously advised, but it only fueled Cayenne’s antipathy.

The right path is to stop the extravagant behavior and pay attention to the plight of the people.

After that, Duke Nigel never advised the Emperor on etiquette again.

“After all, the capital nobles can’t escape their own world.”

Glenn also despised the capital nobles. Perhaps it was because his father, Count Higher, volunteered to take the prince to Rubéo, and he grew up in the vast wilderness at the same age as Cayenne.

“Even at today’s council, there were only flattering words, and no one reported on how the empire’s affairs were actually going. They’re all useless.”

If there were such negligent people in the Rubéo battlefield barracks, they would have been hung upside down from a tree as an example, but there were even worse people occupying seats in the council.

“It would all be over if I just cut them down with my sword, frustrating.”

It was the right method on the battlefield, but in the council, not even Cayenne could wield his sword.

“It would be nice, but killing them would only create more work.”

“I know. That’s why their heads are still attached.”

In the first place, it had been a full 17 years since the capital nobles, led by Duke Nigel, had taken over everything in the empire because the late Emperor had abandoned state affairs after his wife’s death.

“It’s at least refreshing not to hear Lucan’s nagging this time.”

Glenn nodded in agreement.

“After Her Majesty the Empress fell ill, we reconfirmed that there has been no contact with Lucan at all. Even now, letters still come from Lucan…”

“I know.”

Cayenne had just seen the mountain of letters from Lucan with his own eyes. He didn’t know when they started piling up, but the height was considerable.

“At first, I suspected some trickery from Lucan again, but the Empress didn’t lie.”

His jet-black eyes shone with conviction.

“The Empress said she felt inadequate due to the high fever, but I like the current Empress better.”

Since the wedding, Cayenne hadn’t mentioned the Empress, but a lot had changed in just a few days.

“The Empress’s Palace also has its own unique gentle atmosphere.”

“Is it as good as the Rubeo barracks?”

Glenn threw out his own joke, but Cayenne shook his head without a smile.

“No, the council or my chambers are worse than the barracks.”

Cayenne wore a bored expression. Etiquette aside, the splendid and imposing atmosphere of the place where the Emperor stayed didn’t make him feel like resting at all.

“So, I’ve decided to have dinner at the Empress’s Palace again today.”

Glenn didn’t quite understand the situation, but he thought it was fortunate if Cayenne could feel even a little comfort in the Imperial Palace.

However, Glenn and Cayenne were at a similar level of ignorance when it came to affection between men and women.

“Your Majesty.”

Chief Chamberlain Miller approached and paid his respects.

“I have something urgent to report.”

“What is it?”

“A message has come from the Empress’s Palace, saying that Her Majesty the Empress has a fever and will not be able to attend dinner tonight.”

Cayenne frowned without realizing it, and Miller bowed even lower with a fearful look.

“If you command, I will have the food prepared by the Empress’s Palace brought here.”

“The Empress has a fever? I saw her looking fine earlier with my own eyes.”

Contrary to Miller’s expectations, Cayenne was interested in the Empress’s condition, not the meal.

“It seems to be sudden. There is a physician, so Your Majesty doesn’t need to worry too much.”

Cayenne, who had been precariously perched on the windowsill, jumped back into the room.

“I should go see.”

Glenn and Miller were both surprised by those words. Therefore, it was obvious how surprised Alicia would be when she heard the news soon after.

❖ ❖ ❖

Alicia, who had gone to bed early, was enjoying a rare moment of leisure. Perhaps because she had a hearty snack instead of dinner, she was feeling drowsy and sleepy.

“Oh my goodness.”

That was until Agnes, who was drawing the curtains, let out a surprised sound.

“Y-Your Majesty is coming?”

Alicia, who had been dozing off, slowly opened her eyes.

“Huh? What?”

“T-The Emperor is in the Empress’s Palace courtyard right now… No! He’s almost at the entrance…!”

As much as Agnes, who was usually calm, was agitated, Alicia’s sleep was completely gone.

“What should I do? First, keep him from entering the chambers.”

“But, if the Emperor commands it, we can’t completely stop him.”

Alicia widened her eyes and quickly racked her brain.

She was only twenty years old, but she had already accumulated life experiences, so she thought she could easily overcome the twenty-five-year-old Cayenne, but that was a miscalculation.

“Just in case, prepare a hot towel and a lukewarm towel. So I can hide them by my pillow!”

“Yes? Yes!”

While she was hurriedly preparing an excuse, the Emperor’s steps, which were too fast, arrived at the Empress’s Palace.

“The Emperor is entering!”

Alicia, who was lying in bed, pressed a hot towel to her forehead and quickly gestured to Agnes. Then, Agnes nodded and quickly went out of the chamber door, bowed her head, and greeted the Emperor.

“I greet Your Majesty the Emperor. I am sorry, but Her Majesty the Empress has a slight fever and has gone to bed early.”

Alicia in bed pricked up her ears and focused all her attention on the outside of the door.

“I will see.”

“I am afraid that Her Majesty the Empress has already gone to bed.”

As soon as Cayenne’s angry words were heard, the door opened.

Alicia quickly hid the hot towel, put a lukewarm towel on her forehead, and pretended to be woken up from sleep.

“…Y-Your Majesty…?”

As she was trying to do something she had never done before, her heart was pounding like crazy, and she felt Cayenne approaching her bedside.

“I am sorry, but I am feeling…”

As Alicia tried to raise her upper body, the impatient Cayenne stopped her slender shoulder with his hand. That unexpected contact gave both of them a moment of silence.

“Hmm.”

Cayenne’s clearing of his throat barely broke the awkwardness.

“You had a high fever not long ago, why are you sick again?”

“Just, I caught a cold from the autumn breeze. It’s different from before, so don’t worry.”

It was such an ordeal to lie down when Cayenne was clearly sitting next to her. As his gaze swept over Alicia’s defenselessly lying face, she felt like she was really going to have a hot flash this time.

“You were fine during the day.”

Seeing her fair cheeks turning red, Cayenne frowned. Alicia braced herself for his familiar, ruthless scolding and tightly closed her eyes, but Cayenne turned his head away from her.

“How on earth are the palace people of the Empress’s Palace serving the Empress!”

Unlike before, his anger was directed at the palace people.

“I am sorry.”

Seeing Agnes and Howard bowing their heads and apologizing, she felt more uncomfortable than being scolded herself.

“Your Majesty, it’s not their fault… I insisted on opening the window and sleeping.”

Alicia, who had raised her upper body before Cayenne could stop her, said with her head half-bowed. Then, Cayenne’s frowning brow smoothed out very slightly.

“How old is the Empress this year?”

Alicia, whose eyes widened at the sudden question, opened her pink lips.

“Twenty years old.”

As she raised her head straight, the towel she had placed on her forehead fell off with a thud.

“Ah!”

Cayenne, with an indifferent expression, reached out his large hand and touched Alicia’s forehead, then touched his own forehead again. His actions were so fast that Alicia didn’t even have time to be embarrassed.

“A slight fever.”

Alicia nodded with a flushed face.

“Twenty is not a child, so be careful not to catch a cold.”

Cayenne looked at Alicia’s flushed face as if demanding an answer.

“Do you understand?”

It was hard to believe, but Cayenne was now concerned about Alicia’s health. And in a very gentle manner.

“…Yes.”

“Get some rest and get well soon.”

Cayenne, who spat out what he had to say, stood up and turned his steps. Could people really change? Or was it that the Alicia of the past was unnecessarily afraid of him?

“Also, if this happens again, I will cut off your heads.”

However, everyone’s hearts froze at his murderous voice that followed immediately. It wasn’t just a threat, but a calm tone as if it were a matter of course, and it was completely sincere.

Cold black eyes swept over the palace people who were bowing their heads, and then quickly left the chambers.

Even the experienced Agnes and Howard were frozen by the murderous intent and couldn’t even offer a farewell greeting, and only after a long time did, they let out a sigh of relief. That was the same for Alicia.

“Everyone, I’m sorry…”

Alicia’s complexion was not good for a different reason than before.

“I think I was wrong.”

Cayenne was still a ruthless and cruel man. His calm tone conveyed the ease with which he could draw his sword and cut off Agnes’s head and walk away coolly at any moment. Perhaps that was his daily life.

“I forgot for a moment how frightening Your Majesty is…”

The only thing that had changed was his attitude towards Alicia.

But it was unknown how long that change would last, and the smell of slaughter ingrained in his body was still thick. To lie about being sick to him was reckless, too reckless.

“I must have been crazy for a moment.”

If she had told him about the divorce just because Cayenne’s attitude had become a little gentler, she didn’t even want to imagine the result.

He was still a beast, and he had no intention of hiding his cruelty.

In the end, nothing had changed from her past life.