There Were Times When I Wished You Were Dead - Chapter 3
Translator and Editor: Effe and Fujo
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 3
Joint meals weren’t held that often, but it was always filled with silence. About four months after their wedding, Yvonne finally managed to strike up a conversation.
“Your Majesty, how about sleeping in my bedroom today?”
Yvonne asked in a modest way as if she would only ask once.
“Why should I do that, Empress?”
“I think it might be a good idea to sleep together at least once.”
It was a dull and boring reason.
“Why, does your father compel you to do so?”
The Emperor grumbled as he answered her question with another. Karloi was well aware that the Duke’s visit to the Empress’ palace had increased rapidly.
The Empress replied after a long period of silence.
“…My father is just worried about his child.”
“The Empress knows better than anyone that I don’t want to relieve that worry.”
“I’m also saying this for you, Your Majesty. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I mean it.”
The Empress’ tone came off as a warning to Karloi, ‘If you don’t listen to me, you will be seriously hurt.’
“I know best what’s good for me.”
“…..Your Majesty.”
“If you don’t intend to spoil the food, you should stop.”
The atmosphere sank further by the sarcastic tone that didn’t hide signs of irritation.
Even the handmaidens and servants who were far away from the cold atmosphere began to tremble.
Yvonne continued to eat quietly for a while, as if to accept the Emperor’s response, but soon opened her mouth again.
“What do I have to do to get you to my palace?”
Her whispering voice was too soft to be heard. It was then that Karloi saw Yvonne’s face properly for the first time.
There was a subtle emotion on the face he hated because of her usual arrogant expression, but it was difficult to read exactly what it was.
However, her eyes remained the same. A deep, unpleasant green with a resolute gaze that resembles the Duke’s. In those eyes, Karloi felt something familiar. It was an unpleasant…. familiarity.
“…..Well, if the Empress were to disappear, I would probably go.”
TL/N: Insert sound of my heart breaking 3 Karloi’s tone put the ice around them to shame with how cold it was. Several servants gasped at his response. "Well, but..." Despite the raging blizzard that enveloped them, Yvonne did not give up and opened her mouth again. He was usually indifferent to everything, so she couldn't figure out why he was suddenly like that. Karloi ended up hitting the table, unable to hold his irritation in. "Stop it, Empress!" Then he left without finishing his meal. At meals served a few times since then, Yvonne never again spoke to the Emperor, nor did Karloi say a word to Yvonne. Time passed and Karloi consistently brought other girls to parties, while Yvonne continued to ignore Karloi's presence. **** A week had passed after the anniversary ceremony party, in which the Emperor brought a woman and declared that he would make her the queen. They were supposed to have lunch together. In the patronage of the Empress' Palace, where lunch was scheduled to be held, the usual coldness flowed. If there was anything different, that would be the surprised look that painted everyone's faces. "I believe you’ll be fine, Empress, and I’m sure the Queen will be able to help you with your burden. So it would be nice if you can have a good meal with her.” (T/N: In this case, the empress (황후) is the first wife of the emperor, queen(황비) is his second.) Next to the emperor, who smiled and spoke, stood Keana Roden, who was the main spotlight at the anniversary ceremony. But Keana didn't look as good as the Emperor. The handmaidens were amazed at the Emperor's cruelty and forgot to close their mouths. He didn’t say anything in advance, and that woman isn't even the queen yet! ‘To relieve her burden,’ you say. Have you ever put any on Yvonne in the first place? Yvonne was unable to do anything as an empress. Thus, Yvonne couldn’t supervise the procedures related to the queen, which should have been one of the empress' affairs. Instead, the general ministers handled them. Even Yvonne, who always maintained a strong expressionless expression, could not conceal her dumbfounded expression. Strangely enough, Karloi felt a subtle pleasure in the look. She had no expression or emotion, so she didn’t seem like a person. But he had a point. It was the first time that such a reaction was drawn from Yvonne. "There's no answer from you, Empress. If you're a professional, you should say kind words to the Queen first. I guess you don't learn that kind of etiquette from the Duke. Well, when you think of the Duke of Delois, that’s to be expected." The Emperor was so disrespectful that the handmaidens looked at the Empress' eyes, wondering if she would lose her temper and throw anything at the Emperor. Fortunately, Yvonne, famous for being cool, returned to her expressionless face. She looked at the Emperor with a blank look and opened her mouth. "I'm sorry to say this, but Lady Roden is not yet queen, Your Majesty." Yvonne's voice was quiet but quite firm. Also, she didn’t look sorry at all. "I was told that his Majesty suddenly asked for me to meet the Lady as Empress and is in a hurry to process the procedure, but less than a day has still passed. Besides, it is worth noting that this is reviving a missing law." It was the first time Yvonne said something so long. Karloi looked at Yvonne with a puzzled look, but Yvonne lightly turned her gaze to Keana. "Lady Roden, I’m not saying this because I have a grudge against you, so please understand. This could harm His Majesty’s name since it is something that hasn’t been confirmed yet." She seemed to be saying that ‘he might go down in history as the emperor who’s crazy about women and ignores procedures’. The servants were surprised and looked at Karloi’s expression, but he didn’t seem angry. His eyebrows were just slightly knitted. Yvonne looked and talked to Keana as if she didn't care about Karloi. "For today, it would be appropriate to think of this as a meal with His Majesty, the Emperor, and me as the Empress. How about it?" Keana Roden was quick on the uptake. Lady Keana, a tall lady who was stuck in the middle of the couple, took a modest attitude as soon as Yvonne finished speaking. "If there’s anything, Your Majesty, my greetings are late. I am Keana, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Roden. Please forgive my rudeness." As the situation seemed to have cleared up, the attendants quickly began arranging the seats next to them with dishes and decorations suitable for the position of the noble lady, not the empress. Although it has been a long time since there was tableware suitable for the empress anyway. Before long, the three people in question were seated in their respective seats. With the unexpected couple's tight atmosphere, the attendants looked at the emperor as a habit, but he did not look angry. Rather, Karloi had a picturesque smile. "Oh, I'm sorry, Empress. I was so absorbed in the feeling of love that I'm experiencing for the first time that I couldn't think." When Karloi looked at Keana affectionately, Keana went and bowed her head. “Oh my, Your Majesty…” A murmur came from Keana. As usual, Yvonne only moved the knife, but at that moment, the sound of the plate seemed to be ringing, so the maids looked at the Empress's plate where there was nothing. "But the Empress can't blame me either. When you became the empress, the Duke ignored all the procedures, so I knew the Empress would be able to do the same." Karloi spoke without taking his eyes off Keana's face for a single moment. "Why were you, the Empress, treated as empress even before going through the formal procedure? I don’t know. That’s why the Empress should understand." Although Karloi's tone was friendly, the content was no different from insults hurled in the face of the Empress. In a flash, Yvonne became generous to herself and fussy only to the lower ones. She also ignored all the procedures and was forced by others. It was also by her husband, the Emperor. Yvonne's hand seemed to tremble. "Keana will take care of your job anyway, so please be nice to her." "......Did I have a job?" "Ah, no? I’m not interested, so stop." ‘Now I feel like hurling cutleries at Karloi too ……..’ Yvonne lifted her head and made eye contact with Karloi. Karloi’s lips were drawing a line, but his eyes were indifferent. The couple's conversations gradually flowed in an uncontrollable direction and only the rumbling sound of the dishes hitting each other was heard. An inconsistent bright sound intervened between the sharp noises. "Oh, Your Majesty! How about leaving the queen’s procedure to the Empress?" It was Keana Roden. It was difficult to tell whether her bright smiling face was intentional or not. Keana looked at Karloi as he forgot to answer back due to surprise. Keana laughed and put her hand on Karloi’s hand. "Ah, Your Majesty. It is rumored that Her Majesty is smart, so will she not handle it faster than the ministers? If I get a formal notice quickly, your Majesty will be more comfortable too." She had never heard of such a rumor. A clinking sound was heard, perhaps it was even the first time everyone heard it. Yvonne had dropped the knife she was holding on the floor. As the attendants moved in a hurry, Karloi looked at Yvonne. Yvonne was staring at a single place, but as he followed that gaze, Keana’s folded arm came out. It was that look again. Precise, mystifying. Karloi slightly bit on his lips at the unknown discomfort. He felt sick and tired of it. There’s no way he’s used to it, but then he’ll feel familiar with it and he felt ridiculous. It was as if he did something wrong. Well, it was really strange. No matter how much he hated the Duke, Karloi never thought he would despise his daughter. But Yvonne had something that got on his nerves. In a different way than the Duke did. "Your Majesty?" Keana pressed her hand and asked again. ".....Yes. Do that, Empress. I thought you liked comfortable things, but since you're pretty upset that you have no work, you can do this." Yvonne raised her head as if she had come to her senses by his words. Then, like a habit, she stared at Karloi without answering back. ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Greetings! For some reason, the whole chapter didn't appear on the site, so here's a re-upload.
Rate the novel on Novel Updates.
Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!
Comments for chapter "Chapter 3"
MANGA DISCUSSION
What Are Pilot Novels?
Pilot novels are novels that will only have a few chapters released from our group. We hope that someone else can continue these novels for the enjoyment of everyone!