The Empress Tames the Tyrant - Chapter 7

Episode 7

As soon as she confirmed that the Emperor’s procession had left the Empress’s Palace, Alicia collapsed onto the sofa without even changing her clothes.

“Haa! I thought I was going to die from the tension.”

Alicia’s sigh was deep. Facing him during the meal, finishing the banquet without pointing out his lacking etiquette, all were difficult, but the conversation between just the two of them was truly exhausting.

“Really? You were so natural that I didn’t notice. Especially, His Imperial Majesty, who is not familiar with the Imperial Palace’s etiquette, seemed very comfortable today.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

It was a very thoughtful and wise measure for an Empress who was only twenty years old to come up with.

“Who would dare to teach His Imperial Majesty the etiquette of the Imperial Palace?”

“Absolutely not.”

Alicia was trying to avoid his anger for even a day, remembering how Cayenne often lost his temper at banquets, but perhaps she had unexpectedly accomplished something, as Anise said.

“But today, Her Imperial Majesty accomplished that difficult task.”

“Me?”

Knowing the past, changing the present, and seeking a different future.

This was a new horizon unfolding before Alicia’s eyes.

“Yes. His Imperial Majesty also seemed very comfortable.”

Cayenne was the only son of the late Emperor, but despite his noble birth, he had been neglected and left to grow up on his own from a young age. The late Emperor led the empire to prosperity during his prime, but he couldn’t take care of his own family, and he was especially indifferent to his son, Cayenne.

“In fact, it’s not reasonable for His Imperial Majesty to learn the etiquette of the Imperial Palace. Originally, the Imperial Palace, both people and places, all exist for His Imperial Majesty.”

Anise nodded at Alicia’s correct words.

“Even during today’s banquet, I was nervous the whole time.”

Even the usually bold Anise seemed afraid of when the Emperor would get angry.

“It’s okay. What Anise taught today wasn’t the Emperor, but me, whose memory is confused due to illness.”

“But, in reality.”

Alicia shook her head as if to say she didn’t need to say more, and Anise nodded, bending down to take off her gloves.

“Today was an adventure for me too. No, maybe it was a test.”

As long as Cayenne was the Emperor, no one could point out his etiquette.

That was always the problem in her past life. No one could mention etiquette to a grown Emperor, let alone teach him.

“Humbly, in my eyes today, His Imperial Majesty seemed to be enjoying his meal very comfortably.”

“If that’s the case, I’m glad. The original purpose of learning etiquette isn’t to boast one’s elegance, but to be comfortable in a fitting place.”

Indeed, it was a statement worthy of Alicia, who had received thorough education in Lucan. Moreover, after experiencing a futile life and death, Alicia could see and feel the world more wisely.

“But today wasn’t a formal banquet, and it’s not something that can be done overnight.”

“Yes. That can’t be helped.”

In the past, she couldn’t understand Cayenne, who had the power of the Emperor but only wandered outside the Imperial Palace. If he wanted, he could have received education again and led the national affairs properly through communication with the nobles.

“It’s only been a year since you got married, and His Imperial Majesty has just returned, so don’t think too deeply about it.”

“I know, His Majesty will be leaving for Rubeo soon anyway.”

“Really? He just came back?”

Anise asked with a flustered look, but Alicia nodded calmly. In the past, Cayenne always stayed in Rubeo unless it was a really important matter.

“The Emperor should naturally be in the Imperial Palace.”

“But for him, Rubeo is home, not here.”

Naturally, the nobles’ barbaric criticisms and sneers intensified day by day, and in the capital and Imperial Palace without the Emperor, the nobles formed factions and exploited the people. Even when voices of discontent rose from various territories and rumors spread that decent people were becoming bandits, he was fighting on the battlefield of Rubeo.

“That’s because he was also the Duke of Rubeo during his Crown Prince days, and it’s different now. Besides, Her Imperial Majesty is here.”

“It’s not different for His Imperial Majesty.”

There was no need to dwell on painful memories. Alicia had never forgotten the nobles’ gazes towards her and Lucan’s pathetic rebukes.

It was obvious what the Empress’s situation would be like in the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor, who was only a figurehead, was off slaughtering and received no attention.

“Anise, I don’t ask for much.”

In Lucan, it was said that everyone’s innate happiness was predetermined from the beginning. But the truth that life taught her was different.

“Even the same person can become happy or unhappy depending on what they want and what path they take.”

Alicia’s original married life was gloomy and desperate.

How many nights did she spend in tears when her husband, who didn’t even give her a glance, let alone consummate their marriage, declared that he would no longer accept private audiences?

“Her Imperial Majesty?”

“Yes, I am the Empress of the Empire. Originally, I am an accessory of this Imperial Palace who should cry and laugh at the Emperor’s glance or a warm word.”

The Empress was a position that didn’t change until death, unless she openly committed adultery or ruined political relations. Once you became Empress, it was safe to say that a woman’s life disappeared.

“His Imperial Majesty seemed happy at today’s banquet, aren’t you even a little happy?”

In her past life, she wouldn’t have been able to hide her excited and happy appearance before Anise even asked. She would have thought that it was worth waiting for a year, that His Imperial Majesty was finally returning to his place.

“The atmosphere was soft, so it wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t happy.”

But the current Alicia was neither naive nor foolish enough to rely on his emotions for her life.

“I’m serious.”

When Alicia spoke honestly, Anise, who was holding the gloves, dropped them with a thud.

“Ah!”

No matter how much she had a high fever and changed, the shy Alicia who had gently watched the Emperor’s every move was nowhere to be seen.

“Don’t worry, Anise. I’m not saying this because I’m still sick, and I haven’t lost my memory like I told His Majesty.”

“Then why are you saying such things.”

“If my happiness is tied to his joy, it will be difficult to find my happiness and even more difficult to avoid unhappiness.”

It didn’t matter who the Emperor loved or how much he ignored the Empress. Looking back, the things that had made Alicia unhappy were truly trivial.

“Still, Her Imperial Majesty.”

“It’s only been a year since we got married, and it’s been a year since I had a private audience with the Emperor, so it’s just the beginning?”

Alicia even wore a relaxed smile as if she knew exactly what Anise was going to say.

“That’s all true. And that I’m only twenty.”

“Yes. I don’t know why you’re saying that when you know everything.”

“I said I wanted to find my happiness.”

The determination in her blue eyes was very firm. Like someone who had been thinking deeply for a long time that Anise didn’t know about.

“In fact, no one can be happy with this marriage.”

When Alicia spat out the conclusion first, Anise bit her lip slightly. The agreement between Lucan and the Imperial Family had made Alicia a sacrifice.

“I will be the unhappiest of all. So I’m going to try to escape from this unhappy fate. Even if it doesn’t fit the laws of the Imperial Family or the principles of Lucan.”

A smile on her pink lips was so calm and elegant that it was hard to believe she was only twenty.

“I am always on Her Imperial Majesty’s side.”

Alicia nodded at Anise’s warm words. If she had even one such reliable person on her side in this harsh life, she would have the energy to challenge anything.

“The plan is simple. His Imperial Majesty will be returning to Rubeo soon, so before that. I need to ask for a divorce somehow.”

Anise still felt heartbroken when she thought of Cayenne leaving without even consummating their marriage. From the beginning, this marriage was doomed.

“My parents have already passed away. My father before I was even born, and my mother not long after giving birth to me.”

Perhaps because she had often heard Anise’s lament in her past life, it felt as if her own parents had died.

Maybe she had been alone before becoming Alicia. That’s why this loneliness was so familiar.

“Anise has taken care of me in place of my mother all this time.”

She gradually forgot who she originally was and what her name was.

She only remembered wanting to raise several animals in a house with a yard. Well, she had already lived and died as Alicia for 10 years and become twenty again, so maybe her original world was far away.

“I believe, she will take care of me until the end.”

In fact, Anise was the only one by Alicia’s side when she faced death. Knowing a little about the past and being able to trust just one person gave her the courage to change her life.

“My goal is to get divorced and abdicated, then go to a quiet place and live by tending to a yard and garden and raising animals.”

Even if she couldn’t return to her original world, she could still fulfill that wish. She could have at least a small house, not just a 10-pyeong house where she could barely lay her tired body.

“I want to watch the garden grow every day, cultivate a small field, and teach the puppies various tricks as they grow up.”

She had forgotten what her name was, but she vividly remembered dragging her tired body back and falling into the shining screen.

She liked the story that there were no bad dogs in the world and that we were all precious babies. Perhaps her original life was also lonely.

“If that is Her Imperial Majesty’s wish, I will be with you anywhere, anytime.”

Anise was about to cry even more, perhaps because she had unknowingly made a lonely expression.

“Thank you.”

This time, Alicia took Anise’s hand first.

Tightly, warmly.