The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

“Someone brought you in without my permission.”

 

Cerdian’s voice sounded unusually cold.
Rodelia swallowed dry saliva at the tension.

 

“How should I dispose of that fellow?”

 

“…….”

 

“Will the Empress tell me?”

 

Her body stiffened at the heartless voice.

 

It was as if his friendly appearance were all lies, as if his actions that always prioritized her safety were just her imagination.

 

Cerdian was like a completely different person.

 

The oppressive air weighed down on her whole body.
Her body froze in fear and her breath choked, but she managed to squeeze her voice out.

 

“I thought something had happened….”

 

“If something had happened.”

 

“…….”

 

“Can you solve the problem?”

 

Cerdian twisted his lips.

 

“……I’ll solve it for you.”

 

“How?”

 

“By all means possible.”

 

Her green eyes unknowingly became calm and stared straight at Cerdian.

 

There was no tremor in her voice in the midst of fear.
She truly wanted to solve it even if it was beyond her ability.

 

She has always been helped by him.

 

“I promise.”

 

Perhaps quite pleased with her answer, Cerdian slowly opened his mouth.

 

“You must keep that promise.”

 

As Rodelia nodded slowly, Cerdian, who seemed to have relaxed a little, smiled.

 

“Alright.”

 

She felt relieved.
Only then was the tension released and her body felt lighter.

 

That’s why she acted impulsively.

 

Rodelia took a step forward.
She reached out slowly and lightly touched both sides of Cerdian’s cheeks.

 

“I was worried.”

 

Her calm gaze became entangled with his.
Clear eyes that seemed to contain a forest.

 

Cerdian narrowed his brows to the fullest, trying to gauge whether Rodelia’s words were sincere.
It wasn’t long before she looked surprised even to herself.

 

She pretended to be calm, but the touch on his cheeks was hot.
Cerdian, who was staring at her, pulled the corners of his lips up charmingly.

 

“No, not like…….”

 

At that moment, Rodelia became flustered from his gaze that seemed to sink into her, and tried to pull her hands away.

 

“You were worried?”

 

Cerdian’s low voice tickled her ears.
Her slender wrist was seized without having a chance to resist.
His strong left arm pulled Rodelia’s waist close.

 

Silence followed and only hot breaths came and went.

 

She couldn’t make eye contact with him.
Her eyes kept wandering here and there not knowing what to do, then finally settled at Cerdian’s shoulders.

 

‘Where the hell did the bold Rodelia Florence from earlier go?’

 

The corners of Cerdian’s mouth curled up.
The scent of her body wafting from her slender neckline was maddeningly stimulating.

 

Her long trembling eyelashes, red lips that showed anxiety, and the voice that worried about him.

 

Everything was enough to make him go crazy.
He had this deep-seated urge to kiss every inch of her body and immediately make the woman his.

 

‘Is this possessive desire?’

 

Is this a simple cheap s*x*al desire, nothing more than a fleeting impulse digging into his disturbed mind because he was drunk with pain?

 

Heat transmitted throughout his entire body.
The arm firmly supporting Rodelia’s slender waist gained more strength.

 

“Grand Duke.”

 

A trembling voice calling for him stimulated his ears.
His gaze deepened.

 

I guess I should have this woman.

 

***

 

“Grand Duke, what is this…….”

 

All her senses stood on edge.
Her wrapped waist was burning hot, and her body which was closely pressed up against Cerdian gradually became numb.

 

The sensation of touching his bare skin was so vivid and it was truly an embarrassing situation.
Rodelia said slowly, trying to keep her composure.

 

“What is this, what are you doing?”

 

Cerdian laughed and twisted his mouth.

 

“Well, what do you think I’m doing?”

 

“……Please let go.”

 

She couldn’t even grasp what the situation was because of her dazed mind.
Rodelia bit her lower lip.

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

As if he was chanting it, his deep voice sounded exceptionally obscene.

 

His large hand holding her wrist then lifted her chin.
Rodelia, who only raised her eyes then, had a disheveled appearance that he had never seen before.

 

Lowering his gaze to her lips, Cerdian’s mouth twisted noticeably.

 

How hard did she chew on her lower lip for there to be a small pool of blood? Looking at her lips that had turned red, he gently wiped off the blood with his long finger.

 

‘Did you hate it that much?’

 

Cerdian did not have a crude hobby of forcing a woman to kiss him if she didn’t want to.
Staring at Rodelia, who was still looking down, Cerdian pushed her away lightly.

 

“It’s no fun.”

 

“Yes……?”

 

Rodelia narrowed her brows, trying to make sense of the situation.

 

She thought that their lips would definitely touch.
He behaved ferociously, as if he would do whatever he wanted, and then pulled away as if he had no regrets.

 

‘What in the world is this…?’

 

For her, men were no different from a coercive and violent animal.
Both in her relationship with the Marquis of Florence, and then with Kane, they were selfish.

 

They didn’t stop just because she didn’t want to.
That may be why she struggled to adapt to Cerdian’s behavior.

 

‘Anyway, it’s a good thing…….’

 

Only then did Rodelia, who let out her breath, look at him with a feverish gaze.

 

“You shouldn’t have come here.”

 

“…….”

 

“There’s a reason why they were stopping you.”

 

Although he said this coldly, his actions were for her sake.
He took a step back and showed his palms, just in case it’s threatening.

 

She knew that his condition was not the same as usual.
For some reason, it must have had something to do with her not being able to reach him.

 

He wouldn’t tell her even if she asked.

 

After thinking, Rodelia stared at Cerdian with calm wave-like eyes.
Did that gaze make him go against his will?

 

“You have no fear.”

 

Cerdian ridiculed and continued.

 

“Didn’t you come by yourself on both feet?”

 

“…….”

 

“You’d better go for today.”

 

***

 

She had a nightmare the day she came back from meeting Cerdian.

 

A familiar strange feeling crept up from under her feet.

 

Is it just a coincidence? If that’s not the case…….

 

‘Useless thoughts.’

 

Rodelia shook her head after shaking off her bad thoughts.
Solving the slave trade case was her first priority now.
Just in time, a letter arrived from the Marquis of Florence saying that he had succeeded in approaching the slave trader.

 

They had overcome the largest hurdle.

 

Now, she just needed to get back in touch with Cerdian.
As she was taking a rest organizing her thoughts, Viscountess Cohen approached and said something unexpected.

 

“I…… Your Majesty.”

 

“Yes, Madam.
Do you have anything to say?”

 

“……if this is successfully concluded, I intend to divorce my husband.”

 

With a startled expression, Rodelia straightened up her leaning body.

 

“With Viscount Cohen……?”

 

She had expected this to happen one day, but it was faster than she thought.

 

The decision seemed to have already been made.
The lady continued calmly, regardless of Rodelia’s reaction.

 

“Yes.
The mistress has left him, and even the servants are reluctant to take care of him.
Now, I’m the only one left next to him.”

 

“But isn’t it too soon to decide? Why don’t you think about it a little more?”

 

“No, His Majesty keeps away from him these days, so this is the right time.”

 

Rodelia’s expression said that it was incomprehensible.

 

“That can’t be.
To plan such a terrible thing…… His Majesty and Viscount Cohen have a deep relationship.
His Majesty is likely to help him.
It’s not the time yet, Madam.”

 

“There is a man His Majesty has around these days.”

 

“A man?”

 

“Yes, I think Ferna made a huge mistake.
Since he hadn’t been looking for him lately, he’s probably trying to make him the new Head Chamberlain.”

 

“Then…”

 

She hasn’t been interested in Kane at all these days so she didn’t even know this important thing.

 

Of course, it didn’t matter who he had next to him.
For her, wiping out the slave trade was more important than anything else.

 

While Rodelia frowned, the madam hesitated and continued.

 

“In the near future, I am planning to file a divorce suit after collecting various evidences of his faults.
There’s a good chance of winning the case.
If that happens, all the property will be handed over to me, and all he would have left is a humble title.
He lost his leg, so he might die soon.”

 

Perhaps this is the best revenge for Viscountess Cohen.
The fall of the house of Viscount Cohen and its disastrous end.

 

Despite saying frightening things, she didn’t feel like criticizing her.
She couldn’t possibly fathom her sadness, having to live with her enemy as her benefactor.

 

The Madam added cautiously, looking at Rodelia with a mixed expression.

 

“That’s why…… perhaps I will have to quit being Her Majesty’s lady-in-waiting too.”