The Male Lead Knelt Before Me - Chapter 86

“…… so it seems you really like Lady Oreu’s song, Duke.”

“Yes. I like it.”

The return answer was firm.

“I am kind of looking forward to it since you said so, Duke. I sincerely look forward to it.”

Vivian spoke as if she was reciting.

Her green eyes, glancing back at the place where Elena passed, were sinking low.

* * * * *

“You come in time.”

Of course I am. I mean, after he sent someone to come and find me like that, there’s no way I could be late.

I looked at the Crown Prince’s cheeky face.

But that was it.

In the first place, I didn’t even dare to protest him, and the conversation I just overheard was shocking to me.

‘He said he likes her.’

Caleb told Vivian that he liked her……

But I am sure that in the original story, they were just supposed to simply introduce themselves to each other today.

“Now, we’re ready to greet His Majesty.”

The Crown Prince, sitting next to me, rose from his seat and reached out his hand to me.

Thanks to that, I was able to come to my senses a little bit.

“…….Do we have to hold hands again?”

“Then should we go separately? That would be pretty ridiculous to look at.”

Is that so?

I don’t like to, but hearing him say that, I took the Crown Prince’s hand.

Even before the third song was over, we headed to the seat where The Emperor and The Empress were.

“Enosh Le Elphida greets Your Majesty and Her Majesty.”

“Oh, Crown Prince.”

The Emperor and The Empress who were sitting with a slightly bored expression, changed their faces.

As their expression turned quite happy, I guess the Crown Prince doesn’t have a bad relationship with The Emperor and The Empress.

“Happy birthday, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Crown Prince. But who is the lady next to you?”

“I don’t know if you’ve already heard about her, but this lady is the one who was chosen as Kitara this year.”

The Crown Prince winked at me.

Don’t tell me, is he asking me to introduce myself in front of the Emperor and The Empress?

In the moment of confusion, I bowed my head.

“I greet The Emperor and The Empress. My name is Elena Oreu. Even if it’s humble, I prepared a song to wish you a happy birthday, Your Majesty.”

“Ah, Lady must be that rumored Kitara.”

It was the Empress who said that.

She looked at me curiously as if she already knew about me.

“Are you the lady who Count Van Der claims as your guardian?”

“It’s an honor for you to know, Your Majesty.”

“You said Kitara prepared a song for me? perhaps, is it the song that you sang at the Solenia Festival?”

“That’s true, Your Majesty.”

“The present The Crown Prince prepared for this year is quite fresh. I will have to hear since you’ve prepared it for me. Can I ask you to sing the song here?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

I smiled as brightly as I could, pretended that I was fine and it was nothing, and stepped back a little with a leisurely pace.

‘I have to do this well.’

The fate of the theater industry depended on this chance.

As the musician played the pre-arranged song, a familiar melody penetrated my ears.

I listened to the melody with my eyes closed, then slowly opened my eyes and my mouth.

The song that I practiced over and over, since I decided to attend this banquet party, came out of my mouth.

“I think of you as the stars surround us. You who look at me with your starry eyes, and I who always fall in love with them.”

When I glanced at The Emperor and The Empress and checked their reaction, it didn’t seem bad.

Rather, they showed their willingness to appreciate the song as they closed their eyes and nodded their heads.

I closed my eyes once again and sang more earnestly and with more emotion than I had ever done before.

As a matter of fact, I couldn’t put my emotion perfectly in this song.

The song was originally a lullaby sung by a mother to her daughter who was about to get married. But I never had a daughter before nor gave birth.

‘However, there’s something I could put in this song.’

The true essence of this song stems from regret that our precious person left us, but at the same time, hope for their future will be full of blessings.

Obviously I couldn’t imitate a mother’s emotion to send her grown-up children away.

Yet such, I was able to better manage the emotion of losing a loved one while blessing his future than anybody else.

“Like the lights that shine on you tenderly, mother of spring, bless my child’s future.”

In no time, the song reached the climax.

As I sang, I didn’t even look at the reaction of the Emperor and the Empress.

And before I knew it, the last verse was over, and I opened my eyes.

“Your Majesty?”

At the same time, I was very surprised at the unexpected sight.

The Emperor’s eyes welled in tears.

To the point where I could see it clearly.

The Empress and The Crown Prince looked at The Emperor in bewilderment.

But, even though The Emperor could feel their gazes, he still looked at me.

“……What was your name again, Lady?”

“Elena Oreu, Your Majesty.”

“Right. Lady Oreu.”

The Emperor gave his dignified look.

Before I knew it, the tears that had welled up in his eyes already disappeared.

If it had not been for his eyes that were still red, I could have believed that what I just saw was an illusion.

“So you said that the song you just sang is the song you sang at the Solenia Festival?”

“That’s right, Your Majesty.”

“So that means, in the Solenia Festival, instead of a chant, you sang a song that came out from a play?”

For a moment, I was frozen.

“Your Majesty, that’s……”

“Stand back, Crown Prince. I didn’t ask this question to you, Crown Prince. I asked this question to Lady Oreu.”

Then The Emperor looked at me again.

“Answer me. Is this really the song you sang at the Solenia Festival?”

At the thought I might get caught, my neck bar moved suddenly.

However, I was convinced that The Emperor was already aware of this fact, and it made my neck bar move stronger.

There were many plays in the world, and in each play there were many songs that came out. The song I sang titled ‘Goddess’ came out from an old play which the copyright had expired and the script already came out.

‘What should I do?’

If I tell the truth, I was concerned because I knew that The Emperor hates plays.

But if I tell lies, it could be considered contempt to The Emperor.

“Lady, I wouldn’t like it if I had to ask for the third time.”

“……That’s right, Your Majesty.”

I gave an answer with resignation.

It was certainly a deception to sing a play song even though I knew that The Emperor despised the plays.

But it was clearly better than having to lie and deceive the Emperor.

‘Above all, the Crown Prince has promised to protect me.’

Although it was not reliable enough as the Crown Prince just stepped down when the Emperor told him to, but now the only thing I could trust was that promise.

“Do you know the reason why I banned the play in the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes. I know, Your Majesty.”

“And even though you knew, you still sang it? Even if you are Kitara, how dare you to sing a song from a play in front of me. I don’t know whether you are brave or simply stupid.”

I hid my trembling hands between my skirts.

I couldn’t guess the Emperor’s intentions.

His facial expression and tone were gentle, but the way I heard his words just now made me think that he would punish me right away.

In that moment, the silence continued and weighed me as the Emperor didn’t say anything

There I was just standing still and sweating coldly.

“However.”

“……”

“I just realized that I don’t hate brave people.”

“Your Majesty, are you saying that…”

“I mean I will forgive you. If I need someone to blame for this, I should blame the Crown Prince as he is the one who prepared it for my birthday.”

The Emperor’s eyes turned to the Crown Prince.

And at that the Crown Prince shivered and avoided the Emperor’s gaze.

When I saw him like that, I realized that even if the Emperor was really angry, the Crown Prince couldn’t save me.

‘He acted like he could save me from this.’

But it was not really shocking.

Maybe because for me the Crown Prince’s reliability originally was close to the bottom.

“Lady, I have more questions for you, so can I ask you a few questions?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“How do you know ‘Goddess’, Lady?”

I was a little surprised.

I didn’t expect that the Emperor, who hated anything about plays, would properly point out the title of the song.

‘So he figured it out since he already knows the song.’

Only then did I understand how The Emperor realized it was a song from a play.

“My hobby is collecting scripts of plays since I am interested in plays. And I happened to know this song from the script.”

“I see. Where are your parents, Lady? Did you come together with them today?”

“No, Your Majesty. My parents have already passed away.”

“So that’s the reason the Empress said earlier that Count Van Der claimed to be our guardian.”

The Emperor nodded, touching his chin.

“Anyway, it was an impressive song. To the point where I am reminded of the old days. I think this will be the most memorable present from The Crown Prince.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“I am delighted if you’re satisfied with my present this time, Your Majesty. Then can we leave now?”

“Yes. You could leave now.”

The Emperor’s permission was granted.

Then I took the Crown Prince’s hand again and came down.

As I went down the stairs, my legs were shaking.

It was the aftereffect of being nervous, without me realizing, because of The Emperor’s unusual expression earlier.

“Your Highness, I… can I go and get some fresh air? Facing His Majesty made me really nervous…….”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t nervous before?”

“I wasn’t nervous about singing in front of His Majesty. I was nervous about His Majesty;s reaction afterwards……”

“I get what you mean. But, don’t you think it’s better to just sit down instead of walking around?”

I shook my head.

“I want to get some cold air.”

“Well, since your duty is over, it’s all up to you. But make sure you go as quietly as possible so you don’t catch anyone’s attention. Because, although I am finished giving my present, there are nobles who haven’t given their presents to His Majesty.”

“Yes, I will.”

Come to think of it, The Crown Prince was not the only one who offered the presents to The Emperor.

Since The Crown Prince stated that the nobles, who at least Marquis, will offer their presents to The Emperor, it was clear that there would be several people left.

‘I would catch attention if I walk in a hurry, right? Then I should quitely turn behind the people and go out.’

I repeated the Crown Prince’s advice in my head and mingled among the crowd.

I went to the entrance and asked the attendant there to open the door, saying I want to get some fresh air, and they were willing to open the entrance.

Click-

The door to the banquet hall was closed behind me.

And at the same time. I could feel the cold wind swept through my hair.

I took a deep breath and felt better.

‘I am going to walk for a while then go back.’

I wanted to go home like this, but I couldn’t.

Because I knew what kind of fuss the Crown Prince would have when he found out.

‘It is not darker than I thought it would.’

Even though it was already night, as the sun had set, there were lanterns that were set up as street lights around.

Thanks to that, I could walk around without difficulty.

It didn’t seem like I was the only one who wanted to walk outside.

Since I could see some people around.

There’s a present giving ceremony in the banquet hall, but can they come out like that?

Eum, well, that’s something I shouldn’t be saying. Since I was outside too.

‘Everyone looks happy.’

Especially those who looked like lovers.

When I looked at them like that, I was reminded of the conversation between Caleb and Vivian, which I had forgotten for a moment when I sang.

‘No. Let’s not think about it.’

Because I already knew…… that something like that was going to happen anyway.

I shook my head once, then I let myself absorbed in the scenery around.

Because I came in through the inner hallway when entering the banquet hall with The Crown Prince before, I couldn’t see this, but the scenery near the banquet hall was quite beautiful.

The surroundings was not a simple garden where various plants were planted, but there was also a pond, and I could see a bridge arched over the pond.

As I climbed straight up the bridge, I looked down at the pond with my arms up on the railing.

Perhaps because it was a dark night, I couldn’t estimate the depth of the pond.

‘Well, it won’t be that deep anyway.’

That was a pond inside the Imperial garden, so it must be artificially made.

Then there’s no way such a pond can be deep.

Suddenly, my body trembled with the sudden chill.

Only then did I realize that the weather was in winter.

‘I should go in now. I might freeze to death if I stay.’

I pulled myself off the railing. No, I mean I was going to pull myself off.

I would have pulled myself if my body hadn’t been pushed by the strong force behind my back.

“Huh?”

My hand, which was holding the railing slipped, and I leaned forward.

Even before I realized the situation.