n

nChapter 83 – Sovieshu’s Anger (2)

n

nA serious fight seemed inevitable at this point. I gave a worried glance at Sir Artina, who nodded his head and gently squeezed the hilt of his sword. At that moment—

n

n“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

n

nSomeone came running from a distance and was calling to the prince. I turned around, and saw it was the blue-haired knight that often followed Prince Heinley. Sir McKenna, was it?

n

nHe stopped in front of us, gasping for breath before speaking urgently.

n

n“Your Highness, I think you should go now!”

n

n“What is it?”

n

nSir McKenna hesitated as he looked at Grand Duke Kapmen. The knight seemed unsure whether he should speak in front of him.

n

nI turned to Prince Heinley and nodded at him.

n

n“Go quickly.”

n

nI would rather he hurried, but he stared at me with a regretful look then carefully knelt on one knee. He lightly kissed the back of my hand, keeping his eyes fixed on me the entire time. Sir McKenna shifted in impatience.

n

n“I’ll speak to you later.”

n

nHis voice was soft as he stood up, and when I nodded, he turned around and left with Sir McKenna. Unlike his slow, gentle kiss, the speed of his pace was brisk. I wondered if it had anything to do with the Western King…

n

nI stared at the back of Prince Heinley’s head and sighed.

n

n“Are you friendly that prince?”

n

nI suddenly remembered Grand Duke Kapmen’s presence and quickly turned to him. He was looking at me with a strange expression.

n

n“Are you friendly that prince?”

n

nHe repeated himself.

n

n“I think he’s a great man.”

n

nI couldn’t say I was friendly with him, but I didn’t want to lie, so I gave a moderate answer. However, Kapmen’s face only twisted. I observed him carefully.

n

n“Are you…jealous?”

n

n“It seems so. I was about to grab his throat earlier.”

n

n“You didn’t.”

n

n“Yes, it was hard for me to control my mouth.”

n

nI offered him a sympathetic smile, and he gave a careless shrug.

n

n“It’s incredible how much emotion drives someone.”

n

n“…How do you feel?”

n

n“Have you ever been jealous?”

n

n“Jealous…”

n

nSovieshu pushed me to take care of Rashta. That painful feeling in my heart—was that jealousy?

n

n“Maybe.”

n

nAs soon as I agreed with him, Grand Duke Kapmen gave an unexpected reply.

n

n“You admit it too easily.”

n

n“You were the one who was so frustrated you gave me a love potion.”

n

nHe gave a bellowing laugh, and he put his hands in his pockets and lowered his gaze.

n

n“Did I spoil your mood?”

n

n“Watching the Grand Duke struggle is not so bad… ”

n

n“Do you find me amusing?”

n

n“Do I have to answer?”

n

nGrand Duke Kapmen pursed his lips.

n

n“I don’t think you’ve ever been so intensely jealous, so let me tell you—it’s like something invisible is yelling next to my heart. And I want to listen to that voice.”

n

n” ….What is it saying?”

n

n“I can’t tell you.”

n

n“Why?”

n

n“That invisible something is whispering to me now. We can’t let you learn our intentions.”

n

n

nI laughed thinking it he was joking, but I soon realized he was serious. He looked at me quietly for another moment, then gave a sigh.

n

n“Just looking at one person can be very fulfilling. At the same time, it makes one feel insecure. In many ways…It’s a strong potion.”

n

n“When will the effects—”

n

nI was about to ask when the effects would fade, when I heard the sound of someone else approaching. I looked around and saw Sovieshu. His eyes were cold.

n

n‘Why does he look so grim? Did he overhear the conversation?’

n

n“He wouldn’t have heard it.”

n

nGrand Duke Kapmen murmured a reply as if he read my mind.

n

n“?!”

n

nI was amazed at his timing, and he spoke again in a low voice.

n

n“He wasn’t close enough to hear our words.”

n

nI looked back at Sovieshu. The closer he came, the icier his expression. If he did hear the conversation, it would be a misunderstanding. Sovieshu waved his hands at the servants and knights nearby, and they stepped away.

n

nSovieshu turned towards me.

n

n“Which one?”

n

n“…What do you mean?”

n

n“Grand Duke Kapmen, Prince Heinley. Which one?”

n

n“I don’t understand what you mean.”

n

nSovieshu looked at Grand Duke Kapmen with derision.

n

n“Two foreigners must be an attraction for the Empress.”

n

nHe was here now, but he seemed to have been watching since Prince Heinley was present.

n

n“It’s a misunderstanding.”

n

nI cut off his words. Prince Heinley was only a friend, and although Grand Duke Kapmen had been in love with me for a while now, it was only because of the potion. Sooner or later, that would dissipate. Sovieshu didn’t seem to believe me, however.

n

n“Why can’t you be careful of your behavior at this time?”

n

n“What is ‘this time?’”

n

n“The pregnancy of an emperor’s firstborn. Is this the time to have a scandal with other foreign men?”

n

n“…Why not?”

n

n“Why not?”

n

nSovieshu frowned at me like I didn’t know. I knew. It was the same reason I couldn’t openly be friends with Prince Heinley. It had only been a short time since Rashta became Sovieshu’s concubine, and she became pregnant with the Emperor’s first child. If I had a scandal with another man at this time, salacious gossip would spread about the Imperial family, and there was no dignity involved in that. I understood the need to be careful, but it felt different when Sovieshu pointed it out.

n

n“You want me to be careful of my actions for your first child?”

n

n“My first child? A baby of the Imperial family also means they’re your child.”

n

n“No. Whether there are a hundred or a thousand of them, your concubine’s baby is not my baby.”

n

n“Empress!”

n

n“And as for the birth of your child, it is your happy occasion, not mine.”

n

nSovieshu stared at me with a hostile expression.

n

n“After all, Rashta’s baby can neither be an imperial prince or princess. Everyone knows that.”

n

n“So if they’re neither a prince nor princess, they’re not a baby of the Imperial family?”

n

n“Yes, that’s the law. And no matter how set your mind is, in fifty or one hundred years, everyone won’t even know who those children are.”

n

nSovieshu stared at me incredulously, then gave a hollow smile.

n

n“The Empress truly is selfish.”

n

n“!”

n

n“No matter how much you hate Rashta, are you already wary of her innocent unborn babies?”

n

n“No.”

n

n“I wonder if the Empress even regards me as a husband—”

n

nBut before Sovieshu’s words continued, a fist came out of nowhere and struck him on the face.

n

nIt was Grand Duke Kapmen.

n

n