Be Indulged - Chapter 2.3

Upon the Empress Dowager’s entrance, all the noble ladies approached the Empress Dowager and greeted her. Come to think of it, the Empress candidates, including Clara, were also dressed more modestly than the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager greeted the Empress candidates with a gentle smile, and then she looked at Amelia. Then, all at once, all the eyes of the people turned to her.

The Empress Dowager smiled and the expression she had as she looked at Amelia was like saying—

Get the hell out of here.

At that gaze, her breath seemed to get stuck in her throat. She shouldn’t have come here either. Clara approached her.

“I didn’t know you would come here again.”

“…”

“It wasn’t your clothes that I pointed out, but you must have misunderstood.”

“…Clara.”

“I don’t know what the situation is, but it seems that you have been very rude to the Empress Dowager. The public opinion may not be good towards the nobles’ luxury, so today we were told to refrain from dressing up…”

“…”

“Why don’t you stop looking so dirty and just disappear from here?”

“…”

“You don’t even deserve that dress.”

“…”

Clara whispered to her quietly, covering her mouth with a fan. It was time for Amelia to feel the limit as she watched the girl clenching her teeth.

“His Majesty the Emperor is entering!”

At those words, everyone’s eyes turned to the entrance. The Emperor was only expected to participate on the last day of the banquet, but he was suddenly here.

Amelia looked behind her and saw the Emperor making his way with heavy steps. Amelia widened her eyes as she saw the Emperor entering the banquet hall.

“…”

Why? He appeared in colorful clothes that were different from the ones he had worn in the morning. An ivory tailcoat embroidered with gold thread, and a red wine cloak fastened with aquamarine.

The splendor of his clothes matched perfectly with the Emperor’s beautiful appearance. Tall, broad shoulders. The appearance of the Emperor was unrealistic, like a painting. Amelia realized that he was a great man.

People had already forgotten about Amelia and focused on this handsome young man. The Emperor looked around him with a languid expression without saying a word, then looked at the Empress Dowager and raised the corner of his mouth slightly. And as he looked at Amelia with bright yellow gold eyes, he smiled brightly.

“…”

She did not know whether the Emperor was smiling at her or Clara. As Amelia looked around, Clara turned her head to and fro, apparently thinking the same thing. Then she met Amelia’s eyes.

Clara looked at Amelia and muttered, “No way…”

The Emperor approached this way. His gaze was already on her. The eyes of the people alternated between Amelia and the Emperor. It was then that people noticed that something strange was going on.

The clothes of Amelia Laszlo and the Emperor’s were similar, as if they were put together as a set. Clara and Amelia realized it too. The Emperor then stepped right in front of Amelia.

“Lady Laszlo.”

“…”

He politely extended his gloved hand. Amelia hesitated whether to take the hand or not. Obviously, holding that hand would cause a bigger disturbance than this. It’s still not too late.

She could have just left this place without holding his hand. She didn’t know how she’s going to live tomorrow, but wouldn’t it be better to get out of this place with a plan than to suffer here?

She felt the urge to run away. Did he notice her hesitation? The Emperor suddenly reached out and took her hand.

“…”

Deep, sunken golden eyes came into view. He clasped her hands tightly, as if he would not allow any escape. You can’t run away. From the moment she caught the eye of the Emperor and entered the room, it was impossible.

She was led by the Emperor’s hand. People were startled by this situation and their eyes widened. The place where the Emperor took the hand and led it was in front of the Empress Dowager.

Amelia saw the Empress Dowager with a pained smile. And when she looked up at the Emperor, he had a very calm expression compared to the strength of his grip on her hand.

“Greetings, Mother.”

“…”

“Are you ill anywhere?”

“No, Your Majesty. Welcome.”

“Yes, I didn’t really want to participate, but I heard it was very interesting.”

“What do you mean interesting?”

“I heard that Mother took Miss Laszlo, so I came out like this.”

“…”

“Mother is really kind. I can’t believe you gave her a dress that you wore before you got married, and now, you’re dressed simply. I can’t even follow half of your generosity”

“…”

“Is it for this reason that you mentioned that everyone should refrain from dressing up today? There is nothing more powerful than giving the future Empress your dress. Mother, I am so moved.”

The Emperor really said that with such an expression. However, the words of the Emperor were more shocking to people than the expression on the Emperor’s face.

“Your… Majesty.”

The Empress Dowager clenched her teeth and called him. The Emperor smiled brightly. Looking at it, the Empress Dowager realized that she had been beaten.

Pretending not to notice, the Emperor seemed to have watched Amelia Laszlo’s every move. Because all the palaces belonged to the Emperor.

Although the Empress Dowager was dressing Amelia up, it wasn’t because he didn’t notice or the Emperor had no communication, he apparently left her on purpose. It was a big mistake to place Amelia in a corner and give her the dress the Empress Dowager had previously worn before her wedding.

According to the Emperor’s words, it then seemed like Empress Dowager strongly supported Amelia.

“Future Em, Empress…”

All the people looked at Amelia and her Emperor in turn in astonishment. The Emperor placed his hand tenderly on the shoulder of his future Empress and kissed her lips.

But the most astonishing thing was not the nobles who attended this banquet.

It was Amelia, the person involved.

The Empress, he said? She’ll become the Empress of this country?

Now her head was swirling with things that were impossible to comprehend.

* * * 

“Amelia.”

“…”

“Are you mad, Amelia?”

The Emperor carefully asked Amelia as they entered the room. When he looked at her that way, it’s like he became a puppy, but she couldn’t get rid of her stiff face.

“Amelia, don’t do that. Talk to me.”

Then Amelia’s gaze turned to the Emperor.

“How could I be angry with Your Majesty?”

“But right now, you’re not even looking at my face and you’re not talking. Even your face is stiffer…”

“…”

Amelia didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t angry. It’s just that the future she was presented with was too far-fetched.

“Your Majesty, with all due respect, may I ask you one thing?”

“You can ask for ten.”

The Emperor’s face glowed.

“Are you really going to welcome me as Empress?”

“Yes.”

A firm answer without a single lie. She clenched her fists, not knowing what to do.

“Why?”

“That’s because I want to.”

“Why?”

“I want to give you the best treatment. I want to give you everything. I want to give only pretty things, delicious things, and precious things.”

“…”

“Besides me.”

“Why…”

“Because I want to.”

The essence of the question feels out of place. Amelia asked in frustration.

“So, why?”

“Do I have to tell you? Because I fell for you.”

“…”

Hearing his words, her head sank. And she realized that the Emperor no longer wanted to tell the truth.

No matter what she said, the words ‘I fell in love’ would come out of his lips.

If the reason for this inappropriate situation was love, who would believe it? Again, there seems to have been something with her.

“…Then why are you treating me so respectfully?”

As Amelia changed her question, the Emperor widened his eyes.

“Come to think of it, that’s right.”

He looked like he wasn’t even aware of it. Thinking about it, it was strange. Rather, Amelia asked with the word ‘respect’. As an Emperor, it would be natural to hear respect from all over.

The Emperor smiled at Amelia’s gaze.

“Because I just wanted to. Let’s leave it at that.”

“…”

Amelia grabbed the skirt of her dress. Then she slightly bit her lip and opened her mouth to ask.

“Your Majesty, do you know who I am?”

“…”

“I am not a virgin.”

“…”

“Do you know what I am called in the social world? I’m called ‘Dirty Lady’. I’m a lewd prostitute, a promiscuous, dirty woman who likes men’s bodies. Everyone knows that. That’s why my fiance died as well.”

Amelia watched the Emperor’s expression grow increasingly displeased. She spoke almost desperately. Perhaps this poor-looking Emperor didn’t know anything about her. She was afraid he’d get angrier later.

“I am not fit to be Empress.”

At that, the Emperor stretched out his hand. Was he trying to choke her neck? But the Emperor took her by the shoulders. And looking into Amelia’s eyes, he said.

“You put those words in your mouth…”

The Emperor gasped for his breath. He grimaced and looked at Amelia as if pleading for something. Then he quickly lowered his head, took a deep breath and he smiled again. It looked like he was trying to force a smile.

“It’s okay.”

“…”

“What’s so important about that? I’m not a virgin either.”

“…”

“I’m also lustful, and I like women’s bodies. But I’m not dirty. So you are not dirty either.”

It was Amelia’s first time hearing those words. With her eyes wide open, she looked at the Emperor as he spoke those words to her.

It was something she had always wanted to hear. If she had been a little girl, she would have cried when she heard it. But now, she heard it too late. So she didn’t even cry.

“You saw it too. I tried to embrace you out of nowhere, and when I saw you, it stood up, and so on.”

“…”

“Actually, it’s still trying to stand up. No, just by looking at you.”

He took Amelia’s hand and put it onto his crotch. She could feel the bulging pillar of flesh emanating heat. It was just as he said. Startled, Amelia looked at the Emperor.

“You don’t know about it, but I know you well, Amelia Laszlo.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Listen, this is an Imperial order. Don’t ever defile yourself with those words again.”

“…”

“Because you will become my Empress.”

The Emperor looked up at Amelia with a burning gaze. Amelia didn’t know what to do with his gaze filled with anger and subtle sadness.

Why was this person doing this to me? She wanted to believe the Emperor’s sweet words. But she knew the reality. She didn’t want to believe it anymore, because she knew how harsh the world was to her. This uncompromising tenderness was instead raising her suspicions.