The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 98

“Where have you been?”

From the moment a carriage stopped in front of the Empress’s Palace, Lydian, who had been leaning against the door, waiting for someone to emerge, immediately intercepted the person he had been waiting for as they stepped out of the carriage and walked towards him.

“Your Majesty?”

Midienna’s eyes widened in utter bewilderment at the unexpected encounter. Her feet stopped, and the knight and Yeharah, who had been following behind, also halted.

“I will go in first.”

The knight, whose duty was only to escort her to the door, retreated at this point, and Yeharah bowed deeply to the Emperor from behind before slowly backing away. Only after the carriage had completely disappeared into the distance did Lydian’s eyebrows raise slightly.

“I told you this morning. I mentioned that I was planning to take a trip to the capital today and wouldn’t be able to have lunch with you.”

Once everyone was gone, Midienna’s voice came out a bit curtly. Lydian, who had been quietly observing her reaction, raised his eyes and met Midienna’s gaze directly.

She flinched slightly, but quickly feigned composure. Perhaps only he could notice the slight trembling in her eyes.

“Yes, you did.”

Because Lydian didn’t follow up with another question after his nonchalant reply, Midienna had to take five steps to stand before him, trying to hide her nervousness as she looked at his face.

The Empress’s outings were not common, so she was actually quite nervous. She had steeled herself for days, leaving a nonchalant and brazen notification before leaving without a chance to meet him.

But now, he was standing there to greet her upon her perfectly timed return, so she couldn’t help but feel nervous. How did he know her return time like a ghost, or had he been waiting for her to come back?

“How are you here? Did you know I was coming back now?”

Midienna looked even more closely at his face. Determined to be assertive, she didn’t avoid his gaze as she usually did.

Lydian silently looked down at her again. The usual smile on his face was gone, but even so, his expression wasn’t particularly negative.

Looking into his inscrutable eyes, she felt her fingertips begin to tremble. She was unnerved by his expression, which was usually so gentle in front of her. Was this the charisma of an Emperor? The thought crossed her mind so naturally.

“How? I was waiting for you to come.”

He didn’t specify whether he meant here or in the Emperor’s Palace, but Midienna heard her heart drop at the words that he had been waiting for her.

“Ah! I didn’t say when I would be back, did you wait long?”

It was a reproach for waiting long for someone who didn’t even say when they would return. He often acted this way, whether to put subtle pressure on her or not.

Waiting aimlessly, waiting silently. It seemed like he was doing it out of concern for her, but it was quite a burden for her.

She felt like she couldn’t easily escape his gaze as he stared intently at her.

Wasn’t this almost the first time she had looked at him like this? He was the Emperor she feared and wished wasn’t there, and he was someone who always did so much for her, but she had always tried to keep her distance, thinking that she couldn’t easily accept another or leave.

So she had never taken the time to carefully examine Lydian’s face, a classic beauty with blonde hair and blue eyes. The face she thought she knew best was Kyler’s, but Lydian’s aura was completely different. His skin was fair, and the colors of his hair and eyes were so different that they were almost dazzling.

If Kyler had a rough, wild look, Lydian had a face like a finely crafted sculpture.

Only now did Midienna realize why the women she had met in the capital were so obsessed with the Duke and the Emperor.

Lydian was known as the eccentric Emperor, the Emperor who enjoyed nightlife, but all the stories that circulated didn’t really represent him.

Lydian was as handsome as Kyler, and with the charisma of an Emperor, the terrifying nature of a tyrant, and the added bonus of a gentle eccentricity, he was truly the Emperor of the Derma Empire. He had never been criticized, even in his absence.

While Midienna was briefly lost in thought about herself, he slowly blinked his eyes and began to move again.

“Come in. I’ve told them to prepare dinner, so let’s eat slowly and talk some more.”

He didn’t say anything else, but carefully watched her face, which seemed to be sensing a crisis. She felt her hesitate for a moment, seemingly flustered, before quickly following behind him.

Lydian’s back, which seemed to be striding away, didn’t disappear as quickly as she thought. He seemed to be moving away, but he was right in front of her, and they were almost walking side by side, barely avoiding touching hands.

It wasn’t the Empress’s dining room, but the glass greenhouse again. And the man she had met at night still had an air of sophistication and a presence that suited the glass greenhouse so well.

On the table was a large chicken dish to replenish her strength. The delicious food, with its glistening, hearty meat and accompanying salad, seemed to reflect the Medilan Duchy’s preference for chicken dishes.

“It’s late, but let’s eat together.”

Lydian reached out and pulled out the chair for her to sit in. Only after watching her settle into the chair and pull it closer did Lydian look at her.

Perhaps he thought that finishing this conversation first would be a more comfortable way to rest.

“Enjoy your meal.”

Midienna hesitated for a moment, looking at the simply yet lavishly set table. Everything was something she enjoyed.

She finally made up her mind and took a small piece of chicken and put it in her mouth. The slightly sweet seasoning was similar to what she had eaten in Medilan, and she felt a slight twinge.

“The food is very delicious. Did you enjoy your time outside?”

Midienna snapped out of her reverie at Lydian’s question.

Was he asking because he knew something, or was he just throwing it out there? She had no intention of taking the bait. Midienna smiled slightly and replied.

“Perhaps it’s because it’s been a while, but I feel good even without doing anything special.”

Lydian looked at her and raised one side of his lips in a smile. Sometimes when she saw his smile, she strangely felt like he was genuinely relieved.

Was he really worried about her and waiting for her? Was he anxious because he didn’t know where she had gone after simply telling him and leaving, wondering if there would be any news about her schedule?

“So, I’m thinking of going out more often. I’ll make sure to have a knight accompany me. So it’s not dangerous.”

However, Midienna, who had been about to get emotional, steeled herself and said that she would take care of herself in her life, where she didn’t know what kind of supporting character she was.

“Refrain from going out as much as possible. Because I’m not always by your side.”

But he trampled on her plans. His tone wasn’t harsh. A strange confusion came over her at Lydian, who couldn’t let go of her and was holding on to her.

He hadn’t done anything particularly special for her. He always made sure she had meals, and he talked to her while making eye contact. He never got angry at her impulsive behavior, and he was curious about how her trip went and what she was thinking, and he didn’t forget to give her advice when she talked about the future.

“Why?”

Lydian looked up at her at her dreamy voice, lost in thought.

“Recently, monsters have been rampant. The situation is serious enough that Kyler and the mages are going back and forth, and there’s a high possibility that it will escalate.”

The eyes of the person who had been cutting the chicken widened at the word “monster.”

“I was just in the capital.”

“Yes. It hasn’t come this far yet, and it’s said to be appearing in the Uhalin Forest. But, do you understand what I mean? If it’s teeming beyond the mountain range that was like a barrier, and if it’s not Geranel’s doing, then it’s best not to go outside.”

He was right. Who knew how far down they would come and where they would be lurking. Monsters didn’t discriminate when attacking people, so it made her imagine them flying through the air and snatching someone away.

She didn’t know how long it had been since she had looked forward to the next meal. The important thing was that when Midienna, who had filled her stomach with the warm food he gave her, got up from the table, she lived the rest of the day with warmth.

Unlike what she had thought, that he was trying to build a friendship with her through this lunch, sometimes he didn’t say anything, and sometimes he nagged her like he was worried.

But she never felt bad when she ate and left the glass greenhouse. It felt good to leave with a stomach full of warm food, feeling like she was completely full without any gaps.

“Is it that dangerous?”

Midienna couldn’t help but think about what she had talked about today. Now, her job was to secretly take out some of Lydian’s assets and send them to them, avoiding Lydian’s eyes.

Even so, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“Yes, it’s that dangerous, so it’s best to be careful.”

At Lydian’s words, she lowered her head and nodded slightly, starting to eat the remaining meat.

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