Chapter 3
Shan knocked on the door.
“Your Majesty, it is Shan.”
“…Come in…”
Even from her voice, it was clear she had no strength left. The maids looked even more upset.
Before entering, Shan gave the maids a signal. Understanding her meaning, they all lowered their heads and left the hallway.
Only after they were gone did Shan speak again.
“Your Majesty, I will enter now.”
“Come in…”
Shan entered and looked at Amanda.
Her softly curled hair flowed down her back, and the pearl powder on her face had been washed away where tears had fallen.
Amanda spoke in a weak, pitiful voice,
“So… His Majesty… has not come yet…?”
“He said he would go to the concubine today.”
“……I see. So today as well… he goes to the concubine…”
“Your Majesty.”
“Ah… how shameful. As the Empress, I cannot even embrace my own husband…”
“The maids have all left. You may speak freely now.”
“That crazy bastard. If he wasn’t coming, he should’ve just said it earlier. Why make everyone suffer like this?”
Shan held her forehead.
She knew this would happen—that’s why she sent the maids away.
Amanda, who had been acting weak and pure just moments ago, now casually picked at dirt under her nails.
“Aga-ssi, even if the maids are gone, your voice is too loud…”
“Why? I’m right. If he wasn’t coming, he should’ve said so. Then I wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble. I haven’t even slept. I’m exhausted.”
She stretched, and her joints cracked loudly.
“So, he went to the concubine? Good. That’s a good sign.”
She threw her pearl hairpins onto the floor and stretched her legs.
Her knees, which had been bent while waiting, throbbed painfully.
“Aga-ssi, please don’t sleep anywhere just because you’re tired. You don’t know what might happen.”
“Sleep? What are you talking about? I never slept.”
“Then wipe the drool from the left side of your mouth.”
“……”
Amanda blushed and rubbed her face into the blanket.
Shan sighed and helped her change clothes.
Anyone else would think her voice was hoarse from crying.
But Shan knew the truth—
Amanda had simply fallen asleep while kneeling.
“Don’t worry. The Emperor will never come here.”
“But…”
“Shan. If the Emperor comes here, there are only five reasons.”
“First, he’s crazy. Second, he’s lost his mind. Third, he’s not sane. Fourth, he’s being threatened. Fifth, he needs something from me.”
“There’s absolutely no reason for him to come here.”
Amanda smiled and splashed water on her face.
The pearl powder washed away, leaving natural tear-like marks.
She looked in the mirror and smiled with satisfaction.
“I’m going to sleep now. I’m too tired.”
“What? But you haven’t received your birthday meal yet…”
“Say that the Empress is waiting desperately for the Emperor and refuses the meal.”
“If they worry, say I’m too sad… so sad that seeing their bright faces would make me even sadder.”
“I understand. It’s always the same script anyway.”
“As expected of my nanny.”
“I will take my leave.”
“Good night. Oh, and tomorrow I…”
“You will be sick, correct?”
“Exactly! You’re amazing!”
Amanda cheerfully sent Shan a flying kiss.
Shan sighed and left.
When she relayed Amanda’s words, the maids cried out,
“Our poor Empress!”
“The Emperor is too cruel!”
“She’s so pitiful!”
The next day
A rumor spread through the palace—
“The kind and fragile Empress waited all night for the Emperor, and fell ill from exhaustion.”
“This is betrayal.”
“How is that betrayal? You were the one who refused the birthday meal.”
“I didn’t know there would be tomatoes!”
“So you’re saying the Empress, who was abandoned, was thinking about enjoying tomatoes?”
“Then at least you should’ve saved some!”
“Food spoils.”
“But tomato jelly and juice don’t spoil easily!”
“That’s ridiculous…”
“I don’t care. Shan is bad. I decided that.”
“Your Majesty, the medicine is ready.”
Hearing the maids, Amanda immediately lay down weakly.
Shan sat beside her, holding her hand with a worried face.
Amanda sighed dramatically,
“Ah… how shameful this is…”
“If I fall ill like this, the ministers will not speak well of His Majesty…”
“As his partner, I only cause trouble…”
“No, Your Majesty!”
“It’s not your fault!”
“I feel ashamed to face you all…”
“I must have saved a nation in my past life to meet such kind people…”
The maids cried.
Shan watched coldly.
Amanda covered her face and trembled.
The maids cried harder.
Shan, however, was disgusted.
“Enough. Go do your work.”
Reluctantly, the maids left.
The moment the door closed—
Amanda threw off the blanket.
“Ah, it’s hot! I’m going to get heat rash—ah! That hurts!”
“Are you okay?”
“This is all because of that Emperor bastard!”
“Stay still.”
“Ah! That hurts!”
“Here?”
“Higher.”
“If I just slept comfortably after being ignored, would that look like an Empress? Acting needs realism.”
“Yes, of course.”
“An Empress who waits all night and falls sick—this is real romance!”
“…Romance?”
“And I get to pretend to be sick again. Two birds with one stone!”
“……”
“So, what is the Emperor doing?”
“He still doesn’t care. But…”
“What?”
“He ordered all the furniture in the Moonlight Palace to be replaced.”
“…What? My furniture? Why?”
“He said your frequent illness is because of your surroundings.”
“…So first, he’s taking my bed?”
“Yes.”
Shan’s expression hardened.
Even if Amanda didn’t care about the Emperor—
Shan did.
She had raised Amanda like her own child.
‘I raised her like treasure… and he dares treat her like this?’
At that moment, Amanda suddenly jumped up.
“That bastard! I knew it! My shoulder is about to fall off, and instead of apologizing, he’s planning to take my bed?!”
“Well… technically your shoulder pain isn’t because of him…”
“Then he should’ve refused the ministers! Why make everyone suffer?!”
“….”
“Looks like people are starting to look down on me.”
“Shan, I need to go out. Prepare me.”
“What? Why?”
“To mess with that bastard.”
“If this continues, I’ll just become a discarded piece. I need to turn things around.”
“But you are sick—”
Shan couldn’t say “don’t go.”
Amanda turned and smiled.
“That’s exactly why I’m going now.”
