Chapter 15
Rashid hesitated for a moment before reluctantly speaking.
“Why… why did you stay silent and just stand there that day?”
Unlike his usual demeanor toward Azelina, Rashid looked slightly tense.
Azelina tilted her head in puzzlement.
“If you’ve come this far and still won’t back down, then there’s no turning back—you know that too, don’t you?”
Why did it have to be that Azelina collapsed while they were talking?
Was he trying to make her feel guilty for no reason?
“I don’t like it when you act like the empress has changed…”
Azelina tried to calmly explain, wondering what kind of misunderstanding Rashid had. But it seemed like he had no intention of listening to her.
“That is…”
“I don’t love you.”
Azelina was taken aback by Rashid’s blunt words.
“…I don’t have the slightest expectation of you either.”
It was already hard enough to understand why he had suddenly barged into Selina Palace in the middle of the night.
Azelina knew Rashid well enough to know he wasn’t the type to repeat strange nonsense like this.
She blinked slowly and spoke.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but I have no expectations of Your Majesty either.”
“…What?”
Rashid widened his eyes in shock at her words.
His bright red eyes were already starting to crack, like shattered pieces of glass scattered chaotically.
Azelina, on the other hand, didn’t react much. For some reason, the image of Rashid she had seen before dying kept flashing before her eyes, but even that didn’t stir any real tension.
“No matter how you treat me, it doesn’t matter to me anymore.”
Perhaps she was forcing a polite expression because she wanted it to be that way.
Love that wouldn’t be reciprocated had long been cut away—emotions that should have been discarded.
“So, the reason I stayed still in the rain at the Ivangelich Marquisate was my choice. Not to keep a promise to Your Majesty, but because I wanted to. So please, don’t misunderstand.”
Azelina gently met Rashid’s red, shaken eyes and continued.
“Oh, and I really appreciate you escorting me from the garden to Selina Palace earlier.”
“….”
Honestly, Rashid had never been this flustered since ascending the throne. Who would have expected Azelina to say something like that?
Especially with her deliberately calm and confident demeanor—it made him uncomfortable.
“…Do you think a few polite words like that are enough to start over? Do you think I’d believe such shallow pretenses?”
“…Well…”
Azelina, feeling both frustrated and bitter at the emotions she’d tried to suppress, clenched her fists and spoke up.
“I no longer wish for Your Majesty to trust me. You… have always been like that, even years ago. You’ve always listened more to others than to me.”
Even without seeing it with his own eyes, Rashid had believed malicious rumors without a shred of doubt.
If only he hadn’t believed all those countless rumors back then, she wouldn’t have been accused of poisoning Princess Shulia II and met her end.
“All talk, yet still blaming others in the end.”
Rashid was determined to finally strip Azelina of the mask she wore today.
It wasn’t just because he found her changed behavior amusing.
Rashid wanted to flee from emotions he neither understood nor wanted to face.
“You always said you loved me… yet you did as you pleased as empress, ignoring others’ feelings, and now suddenly want to live another life for no reason?”
“Well… that’s because Your Majesty wanted it…”
Exactly.
From the start, he had approached her to use her. Even pretending to marry her because of his father’s request, everything had been what Rashid himself desired.
After experiencing death, she finally realized.
Rashid had approached her to use her from the beginning. Perhaps that was why there was no excitement left in her heart.
Azelina wanted to say this aloud, but somehow it felt awkward, so she remained silent.
Instead, she let out a low sigh, and her chaotic thoughts seemed to settle slightly.
“The things I’ve done in the past deserve criticism, and it’s only natural if Your Majesty looks down on me for my past deeds. But… my desire to change is not to evade responsibility. I just don’t want to make any more mistakes.”
She wasn’t trying to erase her past actions or mend her relationship with the emperor out of opportunism.
Nor did she now hope for the emperor’s love.
It wasn’t just Rashid—no matter how hard she tried, she might have to live a life condemned by others forever.
Still, she wanted to live differently from her past life.
Rashid was taken aback by Azelina’s calm composure.
Her words were plainly a scheme to catch the emperor’s attention, yet she delivered them with such confidence. Where did that courage come from?
“…If you’re that confident, why don’t you come stay at the Imperial Palace?”
His tone was slightly casual. His words were enough to make her forget all about the emperor’s authority and other worries.
“…?”
Azelina paused, then looked up at Rashid with wide, startled eyes.
Caught off guard by his unexpected suggestion, Iana let out a sharp gasp.
Even more surprised than Iana, Azelina couldn’t find her voice.
Rashid, in turn, gently looked into her eyes, just as Azelina had earlier, and left Selina Palace.
“…Your Highness?”
Iana, who had been bowing her head, quietly called Azelina.
Azelina was stunned by Rashid’s “suggestion.” It was phrased like advice, but it was practically a unilateral command.
It was understandable that Azelina was confused by her sudden change in demeanor.
But even so… he was not the type to make such impulsive proposals.
Rashid was normally excessively attentive regarding Azelina, but who would have expected him to go this far?
That day, the maids who hadn’t slept and had heard the news assumed she was simply getting closer to the emperor and were happy for her.
They probably thought Azelina was finally receiving the emperor’s attention, even if just a little.
Meanwhile, Azelina felt guilty for causing extra trouble by having the maids pack and rearrange Selina Palace’s belongings for the Imperial Palace.
Moreover, the maids of Selina Palace didn’t get along well with those of the Imperial Palace, which added to her concern.
The next morning
“You did really well!”
Unlike the exhausted Azelina, Iana was beaming with excitement.
Her voice was more lively than when she had praised Azelina for being well-behaved the first time she met Rashid after regressing.
“You didn’t shout in front of His Majesty, nor did you throw anything. Amazing!”
“….”
Azelina, stunned, couldn’t find words and gave a faint smile.
“Oh, right! Your Highness! The birthday banquet invitation from Countess Lankea arrived this morning.”
Iana handed the invitation, which she had placed on the drawer, to Azelina.
Irene Lankea, the daughter of Count Lankea, was one of Azelina’s close friends.
[To Her Majesty the Empress,
Hello, Your Highness. How have you been?
The weather has been clear lately, and the flowers are in full bloom, which makes me think of you often.
My birthday banquet will be held in two weeks…
If possible, could you attend? The banquet will take place in the garden of the Lankea estate. I will do my best to ensure you won’t be disappointed, so please consider it.
If you can come, it would bring me immense joy and honor.
Your friend, Irene Lankea.]**
After reading the letter to the end, Azelina hesitated.
Anyone who invites her should be gladly welcomed, but… but…
Thinking of what happened at the Ivangelich Marquisate, she instinctively kept her mouth shut.
She knew she had to attend to achieve her goal, but making the decision was not easy.
