Chapter 13
Alesto looked at the Emperor, who was waiting only for his response, and asked lightly,
“Is there somewhere you would like to go?”
The Emperor, who had been anxious moments before, immediately brightened.
“I was thinking… maybe I should go to the temple to pray… Lately, I don’t feel as strong as I used to, and I keep having weak thoughts…”
“I see,” Alesto clicked his tongue softly.
“Then go with your mother. I’ll contact the Grand Minister in advance.”
He then shifted his gaze toward the Empress.
For a brief moment, a deep look of disgust flashed across her face, but she made no objection.
“Very well.”
The Emperor, seemingly oblivious to the Empress’s expression, simply looked elated as he took a single bite of the well-prepared snail dish, then set down his fork.
“Well then… I’ll go…”
“Yes, go ahead.”
After a brief pause, and receiving Alesto’s approval, the Emperor rose from his seat.
Whenever there was a meal at the Forest Palace, the Emperor would always stand first. The Crown Prince would sit at the highest seat, looking down on him, while the Empress would glare with obvious disdain. Being in the same space as them must have been grueling.
Once the Emperor left and the door closed, the Empress set down the wine glass with a clink and asked,
“Why did you allow him to go to the temple?”
Her tone implied that she was certain there had to be a reason.
“What reason would someone have to go to the temple? Likely, he’s looking for a way to survive. Perhaps to beg for help.”
Hearing Alesto’s nonchalant reply, the Empress roughly sketched the scene in her mind: he struggles to survive, finds a tiny hole in the wall, only to realize it’s useless. What expression would the Emperor wear then? Would he tear his hair out in despair?
She chuckled slightly, feeling a bit better, and changed the topic.
“By the way, I heard you signed a marriage contract with the Herman family?”
Alesto nodded without any particular expression. The Empress, receiving no further reply, added a hint of frustration to her voice.
“Do I have to hear news of my own son’s marriage from someone else?”
Alesto shook off the heavy atmosphere lightly.
“Indeed. Mother, how do you always know my news before I even speak of it? Sometimes you know my news even faster than I do, don’t you?”
The Empress didn’t touch her food, sipping wine instead while pretending to be distracted.
“What kind of child is she?”
When the question about the saintly girl came up, Alesto rinsed his mouth with water, seeming to have lost his appetite.
“She is frail,” he answered briefly.
After Alesto tidied his mouth with a napkin, the Empress could not hide her disappointment.
“You’re not marrying her just because she’s frail, are you? Are you planning to go already? Even as her mother, isn’t it natural for me to ask about my future daughter-in-law?”
Alesto met her gaze and spoke quietly, warningly.
“Be careful. Lately, the owls are all focused on catching badgers.”
If the Crown Prince’s “hands” were owls, then the Empress’s people were badgers.
“I already heard news of Lady Sheila. She was someone I cherished,” the Empress muttered.
“That’s why you keep sending those you cherish to Blossom. How about I let a few owls loose at Rose Palace for you as well?”
At her son’s provocation, the Empress slammed her wine glass down and raised her voice.
“I’m frustrated because the snake-catching isn’t progressing!”
Alesto sighed.
“You said there’s much to gain from his death, didn’t you? If we wait a little longer, we could sell it at a high price, but because of your impatience, you’ll have to let it go cheaply. Haven’t you learned patience despite all these years at the palace?”
“You don’t understand my feelings. What do I do at the palace? I only wait for when you’ll catch the snake. There’s no news, so I’m frustrated!”
“If you’re so frustrated, why don’t you catch it yourself?”
For a moment, the Empress’s eyes narrowed sharply. Catch it herself?
“If I had the guts, do you think I’d still be here…? I want to, but I can’t. What else can I do?”
Her sharp eyes glistened with moisture, and Alesto’s momentum softened. Though not an extremely devoted son, he couldn’t ignore his mother’s tears.
“Then occupy yourself with flower arranging while you wait,” he suggested.
“Flower arranging for a day or two…? That’s been going on for over twenty years now. How can it be fun?”
Seeing no way to argue, Alesto began speaking bluntly.
“Why not try dating or something?”
Immediately, the Empress’s expression changed to a pout.
“There is no one except your late father. You know that,” she snapped.
“I meant that you could turn your attention elsewhere.”
“For example? You mean I should be interested in some frail young lady from the Herman family?”
Alesto shook his head, unable to stop himself from smiling.
He wiped his hands with a handkerchief and stood from his seat, leaving the dining room after reminding her,
“Just remember she is the one I chose because I like her.”
Once Alesto left, the Empress, left alone, leisurely refilled her wine glass and murmured,
“What can I do… to worry…”
Alesto left the Forest Palace and got into the waiting carriage. He did not announce his destination, but as usual, the carriage headed toward Blossom.
He opened the carriage window.
A pleasant breeze brushed his cheek, and suddenly, a scruffy little girl came to mind. Her wide, frightened eyes, staring at him as the Almond Palace doors closed, swirled in his thoughts.
Day 1 of confinement.
Asha lay sprawled on the sofa in the living room, staring at the sky outside.
The sky is still blue today.
Could she just live her life thinking frivolous thoughts like this?
It wasn’t that she disliked being confined. It was just that being limited to Almond Palace felt a little disappointing.
When will trust even form?
If she were allowed a little more—occasional walks or brief outings—she could truly live happily.
She waved off Ruby, who had come to straighten her crumpled skirt.
“It’s fine, just leave it. I’ll just be lying here, so it will get wrinkled again anyway.”
Ruby smiled warmly, showing a friendly grin.
“You’ll be lying here all the time? Are you skipping the ball?”
“The ball?”
“Yes!”
Ruby had no idea about Asha’s current situation, yet her eyes shone brightly, nodding enthusiastically.
There was a reason for her enthusiasm. Typically, the owls were ranked in several grades. Higher-grade owls could access more and better-quality information, and were assigned more important missions. High-grade owls were rare and treated accordingly.
But Ruby? She was a low-grade gray owl.
To level up, an owl had to complete missions marked with difficulty [관]. Yet such missions rarely went to gray owls, and if they did, most didn’t survive.
Until this mission, Ruby essentially had no way to advance.
Now, however, a new hope had arisen for her.
Her goal: to become a maid that perfectly matched Asha’s heart, staying faithfully by her side.
Of course, even after Asha became Empress, Ruby planned to continue her service.
Fortunately, Asha becoming Empress didn’t seem impossible. The Crown Prince seemed utterly captivated by her.
But maintaining that position was another matter entirely.
Historically, many women became Empress due to the Emperor’s love.
Yet, the fatal flaw they often shared was weak support from their natal family.
In fact, the Emperor’s former wife, Camilla, was probably divorced for that very reason.
