Chapter 82
Yes, even if one of the three reasons I had thought of applied, there was no way they would kill me.
The Christener family behind me was powerful, and Empress Selena also seemed to take a subtle liking to me…
As I continued my thoughts absentmindedly, I suddenly thought of a man whose face looked exactly like Empress Selena’s.
At the same time, memories of Rixion Luhanes, whom I had coincidentally encountered at the festival, came flooding back, leaving me flustered.
I shook my head vigorously, trying to push those thoughts aside and think of something else.
But then another thought popped up, and my expression hardened.
Could it be that the Emperor expects me to marry Rixion Luhanes?
Knowing how much Emperor Alexis loved his wife, Empress Selena, and how flustered he got around her younger brother, Rixion Luhanes, it was natural for me to feel uneasy.
“No way… Surely something that absurd wouldn’t actually happen.”
When I had received the artifact, I had been grossly misunderstood once already. Scolding myself for such needless thoughts, I shook my head again.
No matter what the matter was, they were probably just bringing me here to have a conversation.
I tried to think optimistically and looked at my older brother, Michael.
Michael’s expression was tense, worried about what kind of accident his younger sister had gotten herself into, and what trouble she might cause next.
“I’ll be fine on my own, so you don’t have to worry, Brother. Just go to work.”
I spoke in an intentionally light tone to reassure him, though Michael’s expression didn’t soften even a little.
He stared at me silently for a long while, perhaps lost in thought, before finally speaking.
“Are you really sure about this?”
“Yes, I’m fine. If the Emperor had any intention of doing something to me, the Imperial Knights would have barged in and dragged me away already.”
It was a casual remark, but it sounded convincing as soon as I said it.
If I had actually committed some serious offense, the Imperial Knights would already have stormed in to seize me.
If the invitation had come through the family, it probably meant there was something to discuss or something the Emperor wanted to hear from me.
“That’s true.”
That seemed to have some effect on Michael as well. His expression lightened, and he even rose from his chair. As usual, he had come to my room in the middle of a busy day, probably to scold me.
“Alright. Just don’t make mistakes and be careful. And remember to behave politely.”
“Got it, got it.”
Michael seemed much busier than I had thought. After pressing my head lightly with his hand, he hurriedly left the room.
I waved to him lazily and then got busy myself.
With Melitta and Ann’s help, I washed up, chose a modestly elegant dress, and dressed just enough to appear proper.
Then, I boarded the carriage bearing our family crest and headed to the Imperial Palace.
The difference today was that my escort had significantly increased, beyond just Sir Rachel. Seven soldiers from our family followed, along with several others who appeared to be mages.
Having over ten people accompany me was somewhat overwhelming, but given previous incidents, I accepted the overprotection without complaint this time.
Before long, the carriage reached the palace gates. Perhaps they had been informed beforehand, the gatekeepers glanced once at our family crest, once at my face inside the carriage, and opened the gates without question.
Looking out at the palace, which was no different from when I had attended the ball, I cast a disdainful glance. The carriage finally stopped after a long ride through the palace grounds.
“Unnecessarily huge… All maintained with the kingdom’s money, I bet.”
As I stepped down from the carriage with Sir Rachel, I cast an annoyed look at the massive palace.
“Miss, you should manage your expression.”
My expression must have been quite noticeable, as Sir Rachel whispered this into my ear. I quickly adjusted my expression.
From afar, a man who appeared to be the steward was approaching. I waited politely, but someone was running faster toward me than the steward.
Hmm… The silhouette seemed oddly familiar. To my surprise—
It was Ji Eunha.
“Miss Christener!”
“Ji Eunha?”
Startled, I called her name as she dashed toward me.
Ji Eunha ran up and hugged me tightly.
Since she was smaller than me, it felt as if she had been cradled in my arms.
Frozen in shock, I glanced helplessly at the steward approaching from across, silently asking for help.
The steward looked equally perplexed, and at the same time, Ji Eunha began crying aloud.
Seeing her sob like a little child, I was even more flustered.
I glanced at the steward and Sir Rachel for help, but neither knew what to do.
“Miss Christener, huuuuh…”
Frozen like a stone, I awkwardly moved my hands and patted Ji Eunha’s back, who was crying so bitterly.
Her crying seemed to get even louder, but there was nothing I could do.
“Ah, my fate…”
In the original story, the male lead suddenly confessed his feelings, and the original female lead hugged me and cried. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
Having comforted the original heroine, I looked up at the sky in frustration.
“Part of this is my fault, so whom can I even blame…”
I swallowed a sigh I couldn’t let out, thinking how I, an extra numbered around 126, had somehow ended up being elevated to a supporting role among the main characters.
Finally prying Ji Eunha off me, I followed the steward to meet Emperor Alexis.
“I pay my respects to the Sun of the Empire. I am Elizabeth Christener. I sincerely thank Your Majesty for inviting me today.”
The audience chamber was as lavish as the exterior of the palace, and the young Emperor, sitting on a more splendid throne, appeared visibly anxious as he welcomed me.
Why was the Emperor acting like that? I wondered, and just as I bowed according to proper etiquette, he spoke.
“I spoke with the Duke beforehand, but I thought you should also know, so I called you here.”
Hearing Rixion Luhanes’ name immediately made me stiffen. Could it be that he was actually going to talk about marrying me off to that person? My anxiety surged.
If it really were about that, I’d be worrying about how to refuse, but the Emperor hurriedly continued.
“I heard you already know about the Saintess. A few days ago, she even left the palace to meet you.”
Ah, that’s what this was about.
I felt relieved that the Emperor brought up Ji Eunha. Talking about her was far easier.
“Apparently, at the festival, the Duke made a careless remark, and you found out about the Saintess. I was told that Miss Christener would keep it a secret, but I am still anxious.”
It seemed that the Emperor already knew about Ji Eunha secretly leaving the palace to come to our mansion.
It also seemed that Rixion Luhanes had actively defended me in the middle of all this.
“Saintess Ji Eunha is more important to us than anything else. Very few know of her existence, including Duke Luhanes. I am extremely careful to ensure this information doesn’t get out.”
Understanding what the Emperor was worried about, I replied obediently.
“I will not speak of the Saintess to anyone. I haven’t even told my brother, so there’s no need to worry.”
“Yes, as the Marquess Christener’s younger sister, I can trust you, but I still have many concerns these days.”
“I understand completely.”
I engaged carefully, as if the survival of my family depended on my every word and action. My experience from catering to college seniors had actually helped. Compared to having freshmen woken at 3 a.m. for ridiculous drills and absurd punishments, dealing with the Emperor was nothing.
“And there is another reason I called you today.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
Hmm? Isn’t this the main point?
Before I could think further, I responded promptly, then tilted my head in curiosity.
“I know this question may be awkward, but it is quite important.”
