Chapter 12 – I-I Love That Person!
“My type? A reliable person!”
“Reliable, huh.”
We walked leisurely, but the emperor’s legs were so long that he kept trying to walk ahead of me. As I hurried to keep up, sweating from the brisk pace, he suddenly spoke.
“Why this all of a sudden?”
“…Didn’t I say last time that I wasn’t your type?”
“Could it be… you want to be my type?”
“Of course not. I just said I like reliable people, so I guess I’ll have to lose a little weight in the meantime.”
Some people in life are like that—people you just want to poke at lightly every time you see them. That emperor was exactly that kind of person.
“That’s a good idea.”
“Yeah.”
Silence fell again. Somehow, it felt like I couldn’t stop talking for even a moment.
Ha, I kept saying meaningless things, as if I were being playful with the emperor, as if I were in a submissive role, or as if I were at a blind date discovering a man I liked.
I even reminded myself, “Once I enter the imperial palace, I’ll never behave like this again.”
“This place is a bit shabby, isn’t it?”
“Hmm… I expected a bit more since it’s a count’s residence, but it’s rather plain. Do all nobles live like this?”
“….”
I thought it was decent enough. After all, the countess usually boasts about her hallway’s decorations. I had brought the emperor here deliberately, to show that our family wasn’t the extravagant type either, but his reaction was less than favorable.
“…Well. I suppose that’s how it is.”
“Do you like places like this?”
“Places like this? Ah… not particularly.”
Even if you place something beautiful on top of something already nice, it only clashes. One side has to complement the other, but the countess’s decorations were excessive—almost as if she were trying to show she was superior. The more I looked, the more dizzying it became.
“That’s unexpected.”
“What is?”
“Nothing.”
The emperor seemed like he had something to say but shut his mouth again. Soon, we arrived at the reception room.
The count’s attendants stood at the door, signaling that the count and countess had arrived first.
As we approached, the doors opened automatically, revealing the two of them nervously biting their lips.
“W-Welcome, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“Welcome, Your Majesty. Thank you for coming all the way to this modest place…”
“Modest, indeed.”
Unlike the trembling count, the countess seemed to calm herself slightly and stood in front of the emperor. As expected, she stiffened at his remark that the place was shabby.
“Y-Yes, it’s nothing to compare with the imperial palace. But may I ask the reason for your visit, Your Majesty?”
“I ask the questions here. You two, remain silent.”
“Ah… y-yes…”
“No… Actually, there’s nothing in particular I want to ask. Since you seem curious about why I’ve come, let me explain first. I will marry Isabella.”
At that, their eyes flickered. Could this be correct? Did we hear wrong? Their expressions and gaze betrayed their shock.
So I shook my head and, as if to reinforce the emperor’s words, declared brightly:
“I’m going to marry His Majesty the Emperor!”
“Hah…”
“Th-…that…”
I couldn’t help but grin at the countess’s stunned expression.
To ordinary people, an emperor is like… the CEO of a company. Someone you only watch from afar. You live comfortably because of him but avoid eye contact, fearing you might get caught. If your eyes meet, you feel guilty, wondering if he noticed you gossiping.
For my parents and me, the emperor was that kind of person.
[The emperor must have some flaws. He can’t fulfill his duties as a man. Otherwise, how could the throne be vacant all these years?]
[Yes, yes. He might even be impotent. Daughter, don’t even think about getting involved.]
[Don’t worry.]
[Right. Isabella, since you’re smart, we’re not worried… but your father and I absolutely don’t want you to become empress. That position is dangerous; better to live comfortably as a concubine.]
Back then, Isabella was determined not to look at the emperor—he was just handsome, nothing more. She declared she would marry a wealthy but foolish man.
So I completely understood my parents’ reactions.
“W-Who are you marrying?”
“Who else? His Majesty the Emperor! I’m marrying him.”
“Hah… hahaha… you really…”
Didn’t I say I didn’t want the emperor? Now I’m claiming I’ll marry him? No, that can’t be real.
But I was firm. I knew exactly what my parents wanted me to say, yet I refused to voice it—for anyone’s sake.
The count swayed backward as if about to topple, but the countess quickly regained her composure.
“No.”
Of course. They want things their way. My fiancé would have to bend to them—but the emperor would never allow that.
Which parent would refuse if their child wanted to marry the emperor? Any parent would rejoice, yet these two didn’t.
A lesser family might have tried to extort money or manipulate me, like with Shasha, but the emperor was untouchable. And now, their daughter would become empress, not just a pawn—they had no leverage. So this reaction was exactly what I expected.
“Why? He’s going to be your husband, he’s marrying me, so why reject it? Isn’t that disloyal to His Majesty?”
I wanted them to speak quickly—say it’s disloyal, that they’re refusing the emperor’s command. I glanced subtly at the emperor.
But he remained silent the entire time. Meanwhile, the countess spoke again.
“You already have someone you’re supposed to marry, right?”
Perhaps sensing the conversation would drag on, the emperor remained seated at the main seat, crossing his legs with a hum as if entertained.
“That marriage…!”
At crucial moments, he kept his mouth shut. Upon hearing there’s someone else, he finally spoke slowly.
“I’ve never heard of a lady having someone she’s supposed to marry. Yet here I am, a nation’s emperor, proposing to a woman who already has a fiancé.”
Though his tone sounded angry, in reality, his voice carried amusement.
“Now it looks like I proposed just to avoid marrying him.”
I shook my head quickly, fearing the emperor would misunderstand.
“We haven’t even met properly; my parents arranged it without my consent.”
“Still, it’s no good.”
“Why not? I-I love him.”
Like in a melodrama, I pointed dramatically toward the emperor.
“Didn’t you used to say you didn’t like His Majesty?”
“Rather than dislike, I… just went along with my parents’ wishes. When did I ever truly refuse?”
The emperor’s thinly opened eyes looked at me again.
“You said you disliked him, didn’t you?”
The countess crossed her arms and shrugged.
“Mother…”
“And now you claim to love His Majesty? You’ve become quite the liar. You said you’d never marry him, that he’s handsome but nothing else.”
So this is how it comes out. I had been silent for courtesy, but now I couldn’t just stay quiet.
“That’s not all…!”
“Why deny it? It’s fine to insist otherwise, but which safe lies could you tell?”
I peeked at the emperor; he was watching me with folded arms.
“Surely he won’t let this be undone?”
An uneasy feeling washed over me, and I couldn’t argue against the countess. I feared spoiling everything with extra words. Ha, what am I even doing?
Families without affection… knowing exactly what the emperor could do to me.
Isabella had no deep affection for her parents, and vice versa. They had no feelings of love or attachment. That’s why they could speak so freely.
The emperor was intimidating, yet these parents could speak carelessly in front of him to control Isabella. Truly frightening people.
And Isabella herself, raised under such parents, had emotional quirks.
“Yes… I said those things. Back then, I didn’t know love and just spoke thoughtlessly.”
“Finally admitting it. But I’m not sure the emperor would like someone like that.”
“That’s…!”
I wanted to say no, but my mouth shut on its own. Naturally, he might hesitate to marry a woman who was so harsh on him before.
The countess’s aim was clear—she hoped the marriage discussion would vanish. Even seeing it, I had nothing to say.
“After saying that, claiming you’ll marry the emperor… makes no sense…”
Before she could finish, the emperor’s voice cut between us.
“Do you presume to guess my feelings too?”
The confident countess stiffened.
“N-No, Your Majesty… I merely thought, how could you possibly accept such an incapable child?”
“What does it matter? I don’t care, if it’s Isabella who said it.”
“Excuse me? You’d keep such a lowly, foolish, willful, indiscreet child by your side?”
“Yes.”
“Why…?”
The countess’s composure faltered. A small relief seemed to soothe her frustration slightly.
“Because, no matter what happens, I’ve decided to keep Isabella by my side.”
My heart trembled.
“How much does he intend to use me…?”
Other women might swoon at such a confession, but I did not. I knew the emperor’s very scheming mind.
