The Empress Tames the Tyrant - Chapter 51

The Chief Attendant immediately promulgated the Imperial Decree, and Glenn dispatched an urgent missive to the County of Hyer.

“Your Majesty, you summoned me?”

Emma approached Cayenne and offered a polite bow.

“It seems I will be attending to many official duties for the time being. Prepare attire suitable for the circumstances.”

“Yes, Sire.”

The Cayenne of the past would never have given a thought to how he appeared to others. However, through his interactions with Alicia, he had realized that outward appearance was just as important as one’s inner character.

“And… I would like a simple summary of palace etiquette,” Cayenne added awkwardly.

Emma was quite surprised but did her best not to show it.

“I shall prepare and present it to you immediately.”

He no longer wished to provide the capital nobles with more ammunition. To achieve that, he had to speak within the framework of their protocols. He had already experienced more than enough how even the best intentions could lead to terrible misunderstandings when the form was wrong.

“Ah, I should ask for assistance from the Empress’s Palace. Such records are usually kept there.”

Emma deliberately mentioned Alicia. Hearing the decree, she knew the situation was turning serious.

“I suppose so.”

“As it happens, you have no immediate schedule. Why not stop by the Empress’s Palace?”

It was obvious that Cayenne was inwardly worried about Alicia. Part of the Head Maid’s role was to mention the Empress’s Palace and provide him with an excuse to go.

“Well… I was planning to take a walk anyway because I felt restless, so that wouldn’t be bad.”

“Yes, Sire. I shall send a maid to the Empress’s Palace at once to inform them.”

Cayenne did not answer Emma, but he did not stop her either. His intent was written in his steps as he already began to leave his quarters.

“By the way, tea time at the Empress’s Palace is at three o’clock.”

Cayenne paused and checked the clock. The remaining twenty minutes felt somewhat spiteful.

“The timing is perfect, so it would be good to arrive for tea.”

“…I see.”

Fortunately, a quick-witted maid had already run ahead. If Emma could stall him for just a moment, Alicia would have time to prepare before he arrived.

The Empress’s Palace became a hive of activity the moment the news of the Emperor’s visit arrived. Under Agnes’s direction, the maids set a perfect refreshment table in the parlor, which was bathed in warm sunlight.

“Why is His Majesty visiting so suddenly?” Alicia asked, bewildered. Agnes looked equally puzzled.

“The maid sent by Madame Emma arrived in such a hurry that I do not know the details.”

“Then, I don’t particularly wish to see him.”

Agnes quickly shook her head. “The maid mentioned the situation is serious… so refusing him would not be a good idea.”

“What does ‘the situation is serious’ mean?”

“She left as soon as she delivered the news, so I did not hear.”

Alicia nodded. Things between the two of them were already serious enough, but she had a premonition that something else was the issue today.

“More importantly, am I… alright like this?”

Agnes searched for the intent behind the question for a moment.

“I slept so late yesterday that my face feels swollen, and my clothes are too…”

Hearing her tone—trying to sound nonchalant while hiding her shyness—Alicia felt every bit like a woman in love. She could no longer ignore the way Cayenne looked at her as a man. She had previously cut Agnes off whenever she suggested dressing up, but now she was reaching for the mirror first. That was proof enough.

“You are wearing your new winter dress, and you are as beautiful as always.”

There was no time to change clothes. Agnes hurriedly neatened Alicia’s shimmering platinum hair and pinned a platinum clip near her ear to create an elegant look.

“Nancy, bring the gloves.”

“No. It’s just tea… I don’t need gloves.”

Thinking of the previous night, wearing gloves today felt like she was drawing a hard line between herself and Cayenne, which felt awkward. However, she wasn’t sure if that was the only reason.

“It’s not good to look too pale, so I’ll just apply a bit of rouge.”

Fearing her inner thoughts might be discovered, Alicia turned quickly, picked up the rouge on the vanity herself, and applied it to her lips. Had she not heard the Emperor’s side was “serious,” Agnes would have cheered at this change.

“Your Majesty, shall I summon the musician scheduled for tea time tomorrow instead?”

“Yes.”

They didn’t need background music to talk alone. To fulfill her role as Head Maid, Agnes had recently done her best to dismiss the staff whenever the Emperor visited, creating private time for the two of them.

“Oh, it seems he has arrived.”

The entrance to the Empress’s Palace was already bustling. Alicia hurried to the entrance, lifting her skirt slightly, and offered her respects.

“I greet the Sun of the Empire.”

She was a bit out of breath from hurrying, but the atmosphere felt surprisingly natural when she took Cayenne’s warm, reaching hand to stand.

“Am I too early?”

“N-no, Sire,” Alicia replied, her cheeks flushing slightly. Cayenne did not ask further and followed the maid’s guidance without letting go of her hand. It was common knowledge that he disliked wearing gloves, but holding Alicia’s bare hand was an unexpected pleasure that softened his expression.

“We shall withdraw now.”

Once the two were seated opposite each other in the parlor where the refreshments were prepared, the doors were firmly closed. Before even picking up a teacup, Cayenne was preoccupied with staring at Alicia’s face.

“Um… I heard there is a serious matter at hand.”

When Alicia carefully broached the subject, Cayenne nodded with a bitter expression.

“Are you returning to Rubeo?”

The first thing that had come to mind when she heard the maid’s news was Cayenne leaving for Rubeo. Since the marriage deadline had passed and it had not been finalized, it wouldn’t be strange for him to return to the way things were.

“I might have to.”

For a split second, Alicia could not control her expression. Seeing her blue eyes fill with disappointment as she bit her lip, Cayenne instinctively reached across the table and grasped her fair hand.

“Not right now.”

Alicia’s eyes widened, whether from the sudden touch or his answer. A look of relief appeared on her honest face—a face Cayenne had grown to love dearly.

“Will you tell me… that you are glad I am not leaving?”

Cayenne’s dark eyes searched hers with conviction. Her eyes and face told her heart’s story better than a hundred words.

“I don’t know why, but… yes.”

“That is enough for me.”

Alicia nodded slightly as she watched Cayenne’s satisfied smile.

“No. It’s more than enough. It makes me very… happy.”

She couldn’t fully define her feelings for him yet, but there was no need to deny the heart that had begun to bloom.

“However, the words I must speak to you today are not happy ones.”

Cayenne spoke while stroking Alicia’s fingers, sounding regretful.

“There is evidence that Duke Nigel is plotting treason.”

Alicia’s eyes widened at the sudden revelation. She remembered that toward the end of her previous life, the Empire was plagued by war due to Duke Nigel’s rebellion, but this was happening too early, and she never expected to hear it directly from Cayenne.

“It is still a secret. The evidence isn’t enough to put him on trial yet.”

Duke Nigel’s ambition was the throne. Alicia had heard of this in her past life. Although she didn’t know the details while bedridden, she clearly remembered that the Duke had plunged the world into war by claiming he would install a collateral descendant of the Darius line as the new Emperor.

“They have crossed the line of humanity, and I cannot tolerate it.”

Cayenne’s dark eyes were resolute.

“I want to take his head this instant, but I know that would only leave me with the reputation of a tyrant.”

His words were calm, which made them sound even more bitter.

“In the past, such things didn’t matter to me, but now, everything is different. More precisely, it has to be different because you are here.”

“Because of me?”

Cayenne nodded.

“We were married a year ago, but I only truly began to know you recently. I… I want to change for your sake.”

Cayenne’s calm statement of fact touched her heart more than any confession wrapped in flowery language.

“And for the first time, I am feeling what it means to care for another person.”

Cayenne had been born a prince and became an Emperor. From the moment of his birth, his life and destiny prevented him from living as an individual.

“Alicia, I want to protect your present. No… I will protect it, no matter the cost.”

This was not a strategy, nor was it a mere sense of duty toward his subjects. For the first time in his life, he felt like a single man who wanted to protect someone.

“It is not because this is the palace, nor because I am the Emperor, nor because you are the Empress.”

“Then… why?”

Sometimes, even when you know the answer from a look, you want to hear the words. This was such a moment for Alicia.

“Because the version of you that exists right now is so precious to me.”

Cayenne firmly grasped the hand he had been toyed with. The gentle warmth from his large hand had already seeped into Alicia’s chest.

“If even a tiny piece of you were to be hurt, I don’t think I could bear it.”

He was sincere. His eyes were pleading with Alicia with desperate intensity.

“Even if I am not a perfect husband, you have already become a wife who is too beautiful and more than I deserve.”

“Even if our marriage was not finalized?”

“Even so.”

Cayenne gazed into Alicia’s eyes for a long moment.

“In my heart, you are my only wife.”

Alicia never knew that such an ordinary word as wife could make her heart tremble so much. Even though the wedding had been a mess and it had happened a year ago.

“It is already engraved there.”

It was a vow that would not vanish even if his heart stopped and turned to ash and dust.