Chapter 39
Avoiding the reporters’ eyes, Yulia returned home and stood before her cello for the first time in a long while.
“It would be better if you rested until the wound heals… Anyway, I’ll step outside. Please call me if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
Lucy, who had followed her into the bedroom and helped her change into her loungewear, left the room, but Yulia continued to stare at the cello for a long time. Even though she had been told from the start that the injury wasn’t serious and just now had been assured it was okay to play, she couldn’t shake the tension that welled up as she unwrapped the bandage and reached for the cello.
She was afraid of unexpected pain or that her hand might not move properly.
“What should I play?”
Still, Yulia didn’t want to back away from that fear. She gathered the sheet music from the piece she hadn’t finished playing at the last party, along with a few other scores by the same composer in case more was requested. Then she sat down and embraced the cello.
Fortunately, although the not-yet-healed wound stung a little as it reopened slightly, her hand was only stiff from a few days of disuse and posed no real hindrance to her playing. Delighted that she could perform again, she sent a letter to her music teacher, who replied late that evening, asking her to reserve time in two days. Judging by how quickly the arrangements were made, it seemed the teacher had truly regretted the opportunity lost due to Yulia’s marriage plans.
Exactly two days later, Yulia carefully brought her cello and headed to the Imperial Palace. Located on the northern outskirts of Laroche, the palace was surrounded by a forest for security reasons. The tall plane trees that had stood for decades lined both sides of the road, shading the sky—a breathtaking sight every time.
“They say the plane trees in front of the palace are amazing, and thanks to you, miss, I get to see them myself.”
As Lucy smiled, they arrived at the grand gate of the palace. At the entrance of the garden, soldiers stood guard in an open area where her music teacher was already waiting. Since Lucy was not permitted entry, Yulia followed an attendant into the palace alone.
“Thanks to you, I get to step inside the palace. You’ve been here once before, right?”
“Yes, but this is my first time going so far in. The last party was held in an annex.”
Even within the same palace, the main building felt very different from the annex. The annex, used mainly for guests and events, had large windows and a bright, open atmosphere. In contrast, the main building, being the emperor’s residence, had heavier and more closed-off interior decor.
Though the hallway they walked down had sunlight streaming in from a row of windows on the left, the mood was oddly subdued, and Yulia couldn’t help but feel more nervous than before.
“Are you nervous?”
“Yes, a little.”
“No need. Just do as you always do.”
The very purpose of the visit made it even more daunting. Meeting the emperor alone was already a difficult situation, and to perform in front of him intentionally—it was nerve-wracking. Even though she hadn’t neglected practice during her wedding preparations and had rehearsed diligently over the past two days, she still wasn’t sure…
“I’m just worried I might disappoint him.”
“If that were likely, would he have invited you? I heard your last performance wasn’t even planned. Since you’ve prepared this time, you’ll likely do even better.”
Soon, they arrived at the drawing room where the emperor was waiting.
“His Majesty is inside. Once I open the door, greet him from that spot and follow his commands afterward. Sir, you will be guided elsewhere.”
“Miss, relax! I’ll see you later!”
It had been easier with the music teacher nearby, but now left alone, her mouth went dry. The cello she received at the door suddenly felt immensely heavy.
“Yulia Ruper, I greet Your Majesty.”
“Welcome, my lady. I’ve been expecting you.”
Thankfully, the reception room where the emperor waited felt more like the annex in atmosphere, helping her breathe a little easier. More than anything, the emperor had personally come to the door to greet her warmly.
“I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you came.”
“The honor is mine, that you remember my performance.”
“It was too good to forget. Please, sit and have some tea first. Nervous? Even though Count Clu and I are to be in-laws, you’re quite different from him. Still, I’m the emperor—yet he never once seems nervous around me.”
“Ah… haha, is that so?”
Even though he was the emperor, it seemed Count Clu didn’t lower his head, just as Yulia remembered. She chuckled, imagining the emperor’s bewilderment when first meeting the ever-defiant Cayente.
“You smile so easily too. I guess it’s because you’re so different that you two make a good match. Count Clu is competent but seems to lack tact when dealing with people. I wonder if I should be saying that about someone’s future husband. But I suppose you’re marrying him with that knowledge, right?”
“Yes.”
With that moment of laughter, her tension finally began to ease. Once she laughed once, it became easier to smile again.
“Well then, since you’ve relaxed, please play for me.”
In this much more comfortable atmosphere than when she entered, Yulia picked up her cello and began to perform the piece she had prepared. As the final notes of what she felt was a successful performance drew near—
“Your Majesty, Count Clu has arrived.”
A page announced Cayente’s arrival from outside.
One hour earlier.
“I asked the physician to check the young lady’s hand today and let me know, but he said she already visited two days ago.”
“Already?”
“Yes. She said she had something important coming up.”
“Really?”
“Anyway, it looks like that guy plans to keep following her around again.”
That same day, a reporter was once again lurking by the office fountain, bothering passersby with questions. While it was fortunate that the reporter wasn’t directly chasing Yulia, Cayente was furious that his peaceful morning tea had been disrupted.
“I should request the emperor to banish that man from the empire. That way, I’ll never have to see his face again.”
Watching the reporter from the third-floor office window with Henry, Cayente made up his mind. It wasn’t enough to keep the man 500 meters away—he needed to be gone completely.
“When you say ‘forever’… do you mean to remain in the empire even after settling down post-marriage?”
“Once the textile business is stable, I plan to establish Clu Trade. For ongoing business, it’s better to be somewhere with a port and good access to other nations, so the empire is the best choice. I’ll entrust the Clu weaving facility in the duchy to Isabella.”
“That makes sense. The Duchy of Esacudia is quite remote. Since you spent over half your childhood here, you won’t need to adjust much… and it would be a good choice for Miss Yulia. I’m sure Lady Isabella will do an excellent job managing the facility.”
Cayente hadn’t considered Yulia even one percent in that decision, but he didn’t bother to deny it.
As long as Henry believed he and Yulia were in love, that was enough. The same applied to outsiders. That way, when Yulia was left alone, grieving with no one’s sympathy, it would break the baron’s heart even more.
“Send a letter to the palace. Tell them I’ll visit in an hour.”
“Yes, Count.”
Cayente had no intention of letting the reporter be. He issued the order, and Henry left the office without asking if it was appropriate to visit the emperor unannounced. This was why money had been spent—to gain influence. Thanks to his generous gifts, Cayente had an audience privilege with the emperor that even dukes lacked.
Whether the emperor shared the duchy’s fondness for gossip or not didn’t matter. If Cayente claimed it was to protect Yulia, the emperor would likely be touched and take his side.
“Pardon the interruption, Count.”
While Henry was gone, Mark entered the office. Unlike Henry, Mark had a suspicious air that made him unfit to be near nobility—which was exactly why Cayente hired him.
A man who got things done by any means, who knew all the rumors. Simply put, Mark worked in the shadows, and Cayente needed a man like that.
“Progress?”
“The worker has been handled to disappear on the scheduled day.”
Still staring out the window, Cayente thought that perhaps he should’ve just let Mark handle the reporter. Why was he pretending to protect the woman he supposedly loved, when it was such a simple problem?
Ever since returning to the empire, he felt like he’d lost some of his coldness. It was mostly Yulia’s fault—how she smiled even in the worst situations. He acted like he didn’t know how things were handled, but the truth was, he didn’t want anyone to get hurt anymore.
“How’s the notarization?”
“It’s scheduled for this afternoon.”
“Was it easy?”
“Seems they didn’t realize that with notarization, the house and land will transfer easily to whoever holds the documents.”
“I see.”
He had always turned a blind eye to others’ pain and was now preparing to deal a final blow to someone’s life. Still, Cayente didn’t change his mind. Once everything was done… he planned to bring his mother back from the island. He hoped that by then, his hands would be a little less stained—for her peace.
“And regarding the lady’s security, I dispatched someone. She had already gone out, so we couldn’t protect her immediately, but I just received word that she’s been found.”
He had assumed she went to a nearby candy shop or something, but no.
“Where is she?”
“At the Imperial Palace.”
“The palace?”
“According to the maid waiting outside, she went to perform a cello piece for the emperor.”
Yulia was at the palace—to play her cello.
Back to the present.
“What brings you here, Count Clu?”
As soon as Cayente entered the reception room, Yulia stopped playing. While she looked surprised, the emperor smiled calmly and asked.
“I sent word that I had something important to discuss, but it seems it wasn’t conveyed yet.”
At a glance, Cayente appeared no different from usual—his tone and gestures betrayed no emotion. But Yulia sensed something in his averted gaze, as if he were deliberately trying not to look at her. He was furious—truly furious.
“Ah yes, I did receive a message earlier, but I forgot while listening to Lady Ruper’s performance. What is this about?”
“Before that… may I ask why Yulia is here?”
Even though he was in front of the emperor, Cayente didn’t hide his words. And in that moment, the emperor’s face hardened as well.
