The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

death on the charge of attempting to assassinate the Crown Prince.

 

Her brothers were also executed and the House of Hart was completely destroyed.

 

It was an extermination.
Only two survived, the Count of Hart’s young grandson and Viscountess Cohen.

 

The whereabouts of the grandson were unknown, but in fact, he should be regarded as dead.

 

“As Your Majesty knows, although I am of Count Hart’s blood, I was able to keep my life as the wife of Viscount Cohen, who had made many contributions.
What those contributions were, only those two know.”

 

“…”

 

“I was grateful to him then.
I didn’t want to die.
I couldn’t forgive him after I found out, but…”

 

The Madam seemed to have a hard time speaking her words, and her voice was becoming more and more choked up.

 

“If it’s difficult to say, it’s okay not to say it.”

 

“No.”

 

She raised her trembling hand, sipped from the teacup and after a while, opened her mouth again.

 

“…My husband begged me for forgiveness, saying he couldn’t help it.
He was thus able to enter the ranks of His Majesty’s entourage while taking possession of the Count’s estate.”

 

“That’s…”

 

She knew Kane was cruel.
She wasn’t too surprised.

 

It was an undeniable fact that the emperor’s power grew because of such a disposition.

 

Perhaps even after she ascended to the position of Empress, this was not uncommon.  However, Rodelia did not try to find out the details.

 

In fact, it was as if she had deliberately avoided it.

 

She thought it had nothing to do with her.
What could she say to Kane just because she knew? She’d rather not know.

 

Besides, Rodelia was not righteous enough to be bitter at Kane and she didn’t want to offend him.
She wanted to remain the perfect empress and beloved wife.

 

She was passive in keeping an eye on Kane, and was busy managing her position.

 

Yet it happened.

 

In the reality that she could do nothing to help, Rodelia’s green eyes darkened with guilt.

 

‘Why are you telling me this?’

 

As the empress, she felt sorry for the Madam and to her family but at the same time, a small resentment grew.  

 

It was even more painful, to hear what she had been ignoring with much effort, from her closest aide.

 

Her jaw stiffened.

 

She felt bad for the Madam, but it was also true that she didn’t want to know any more.
For she didn’t have the courage to face Kane’s true self anymore as she was busy taking care of herself.

 

Cold sweat dripped from her back and her hands were trembling, but the Madam seemed unwilling to stop from speaking.

 

“As time passed, the hatred faded.
I was young back then and I must have loved him a lot.
I believed that he loved me too.”

 

The manner in which the madam spoke was calm.
It must have taken a lot of painful time to say this so casually.

 

“But not long ago, I discovered his bigger secret.”

 

A bigger secret.
Is there something more?

 

Rodelia widened her eyes.

 

Her throat dried up, sweat dripped from her hands and she clenched and opened her fists repeatedly.

 

“My husband had been hiding a lover.
He had been in a relationship with her even before he married me.”

 

“Then…”

 

That being said, it meant that he had no feelings for the Viscountess in the first place.

 

He had planned it with Kane from the beginning, but she couldn’t quite believe it.

 

Viscount Cohen was so friendly, was it all an act? Perhaps Kane was like that too; she felt her heart tightening.

 

“And… It is not yet known publicly, but my husband shamelessly brought the mistress in when I found out that he had a lover.”

 

[T/N: …]

 

She couldn’t say anything, somehow it seems to overlap with her own situation.

 

Come to think of it, Rodelia was unaware of the circumstances of her ladies-in-waiting.
She didn’t even think to ask.
Even though she was her lady-in-waiting who always supported her.

 

Whether she knew how she felt or not, the Madam just raised her hand and tucked her hair behind her ear as if it was nothing.  Rodelia lowered her guilty gaze down to the floor.

 

The Viscountess’ shimmering shadow in the candlelight cast over the table.
Though she pretended to be calm, her insides must be in chaos.

 

“There’s also a child.”

 

“A child…?”

 

“That’s why I did it.”

 

The Viscountess smiled bitterly.

 

There’s even a child.

 

Her heart ached as she thought of the wounds the Madam must have suffered.
She was also heartbroken by the mere presence of Solar… 

 

The wife must have endured hardship that she could not possibly have imagined.

 

But did that really mean she caused Viscount Cohen to lose his leg?

 

She couldn’t have, even if she had intended to.
For everything happened on the hunting grounds.

 

Rodelia dismissed it as a pointless thought and raised her gaze.
The Madam spoke her words calmly again.

 

“I was the one who made my husband lose his leg.”

 

[T/N: she should’ve made him lose his “pillar” too ]