Chapter 17
Rashid, still misinterpreting the situation, faced Azelina once more.
Suddenly, Azelina’s calm expression struck him as brazen and arrogant. It was strange—just moments ago, she hadn’t seemed like that.
Perhaps that was why Rashid, seeing Azelina attempting to rise, spoke words that were somewhat absurd.
“…I haven’t said you may get up yet.”
If there was any reason behind this childish behavior, it was that Rashid wanted to test Azelina—to see if she could really hide her temper.
Maria and Iana looked at the emperor with startled eyes.
Rashid had never been one for formalities. Even when busy servants overlooked greeting the emperor, he hadn’t minded…
So why was he saying something like this now?
Together with Maria and Iana, Azelina looked at Rashid with a flustered expression.
But even if she didn’t like it, there was nothing she could do.
Azelina bit her lower lip slightly and knelt again.
It wasn’t out of respect for his rank or status.
The room was full of servants, and if she caused a scene, all the effort she had invested until now could be ruined.
Instead of rising, she lifted her head and looked at the emperor with a sullen glare.
Rashid felt a spark of stubbornness in himself at her defiance.
‘So, you want to play that game, huh?’
Today, he would uncover every hidden thought Azelina had. Determined, he spoke.
“Seems my decision displeased you.”
“Of course it did. Why do you even ask?”
“…….”
Even while kneeling, she spoke her mind—it was infuriatingly insolent.
Azelina stayed kneeling for a long time, while Rashid merely watched.
Iana, uneasy from behind, eventually knelt quietly alongside Azelina.
“You don’t need to kneel, Madam Chief Lady-in-Waiting,” he said, his tone now completely different—gentle and soft.
Iana glanced at the emperor, sensing the kindness in his voice.
“B-but…”
Yet she couldn’t just stand there while the empress knelt.
Iana hesitated, but in the end, she didn’t rise.
“Your Majesty, she is still kneeling.”
“…I know.”
Maria, noticing the tension, gently spoke up, but Rashid didn’t even blink in response.
He understood exactly what Maria meant. But today, he had no intention of backing down.
Not until Azelina finally revealed her true colors.
“Does my kneeling trouble you, Empress?”
The Azelina he knew would have knelt obediently if the emperor wished, but if it had been someone she loved, she would have scolded him for treating her this way.
But now? Her face was full of pouting, yet she kept her back straight, maintaining her composed and dignified demeanor.
Rashid didn’t like this unexpected version of Azelina.
“Even if I have to do this…”
Azelina took a deep breath and exhaled.
“If Your Majesty can trust me and stop worrying about me, it’s something I can easily do.”
Her voice was composed, orderly, without a trace of flattery. Even her tone was calm.
If she had truly changed, Rashid could have ignored it.
But he knew Azelina hadn’t changed; her calm demeanor was all an act. The thought made him increasingly irritable.
“So you mean it’s fine if I make you kneel until I’m satisfied?”
Perhaps because of that, the words that left his mouth sounded childish and shameless, even though he hadn’t intended them to.
Azelina raised her head again, her expression still calm and serene. Rashid didn’t like even that gaze.
“You want me to do as You wish, so what can I do?”
Her seemingly emotionless gaze and composed words kept clouding his thoughts.
Truthfully, Rashid was unhappy with the entire situation.
“…I don’t have time to keep making the Empress kneel unnecessarily.”
Even looking at her had become uncomfortable.
Finally, Rashid turned away with Maria following him.
“….”
Still, on the way back from Selina Palace yesterday, Rashid had gone through countless thoughts, even regretting his sudden decision to change Azelina’s residence.
That unusually clear moonlight… and her words about not liking him… What could she have possibly meant?
Rashid sighed abruptly as he reached for the office door handle.
He had thought it would be easy to uncover her intentions now that she was in the imperial palace, but it seemed even harder than before.
Meanwhile, Iana was restless until Rashid disappeared into the distance.
“Your Highness! Let me help you up.”
Iana hurriedly supported Azelina, whose legs were weak from kneeling.
But Azelina shook her head as if to say she was fine and quickly returned to her room.
‘What a humiliating moment… I was kneeling in front of all the servants.’
Still, she didn’t regret kneeling earlier. Better to endure some humiliation than let all her efforts go to waste.
Once inside, Iana was surprised by Azelina’s complexion and asked:
“Your Highness, you don’t look well. Are you alright?”
Iana had been worried about her health ever since Azelina had been soaked in the rain and collapsed a few days ago.
“I’m fine.”
Azelina smiled softly, shaking her head.
“I’m a little tired, but it’s nothing to worry about.”
Though she said she was fine, Azelina had felt uneasy since earlier.
She could have dismissed it as mere fatigue, her body still recovering…
But enduring the memories that kept surfacing was difficult.
Rashid’s indifferent expression earlier was something she had seen before.
Yet the situation just now reminded her too vividly of the emperor’s cold face as if facing death.
She didn’t try to recall it; it simply came to her.
“Why am I like this….”
Azelina murmured with a trembling voice, as if she might cry.
After the longsword struck her neck and the dagger pierced her chest, her body had gone weak. The pain that had flooded her chest since then was overwhelming.
She covered her face with her hands, struggling to hold back her tears.
Her vision spun; darkness crept in, and her breathing became shallow.
Iana, unaware of what was happening, panicked beside her.
Azelina wanted to reassure her, but she couldn’t form the words.
Her body collapsed, and the tears she had held back streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
Imperial Palace, Office
“Your Majesty.”
Maria rushed into the office.
Rashid slowly looked up at her.
“It’s… Empress Azelina…”
“The Empress?”
At the mention of “Empress,” Rashid’s eyes sharpened. He had thought Maria would overreact about nothing… but the word alone commanded all his attention.
Despite his slight urgency, Maria hesitated for a long moment.
“She is… feeling very unwell, Your Majesty.”
“…So it’s chaos since that day.”
That day was when Azelina had completely changed.
Maria was surprised at how calm Rashid appeared. She had expected him to show some concern.
After all, Azelina’s collapse could be seen as partially his own fault, having kept her kneeling for so long.
“Still… I think it’s best if you go see her.”
“Why go to such lengths…”
Rashid’s response made Maria nod knowingly.
“Being unwell is self-inflicted… isn’t it?”
Azelina’s intentions were always obvious.
She had been angry at the emperor for making her kneel for so long, but she couldn’t cause a scene due to her earlier promise, so this was her way of taking revenge.
If she intended to keep her promise, fine; if not, fine—why take revenge in this way?
It only made him uneasy and distracted…
In short, she was infuriating in every way.
Azelina’s feverish body alarmed Iana, who, forgetting to alert the other maids, ran outside alone to fetch Taeui.
Thankfully, by evening, Azelina’s condition had improved.
“You really scared me,” Iana said, her face full of concern.
Azelina smiled reassuringly.
“There’s nothing to be scared of.”
“Why did Your Highness insist on kneeling for so long when you were feeling weak…?”
Lately, Iana felt increasingly anxious. She didn’t understand why Azelina had changed so drastically. No matter how carefully she cared for her, it seemed meaningless, and it troubled her.
“I… Your Highness, I will always stay by your side.”
Iana grabbed Azelina’s hand and said this earnestly, hoping someday Azelina would explain the change in her heart.
Azelina frowned slightly at the words but smiled faintly.
“People would think I’m tormenting you again.”
“W-who would think that…!”
‘…Well, someone might.’
Iana had joked, but thinking it over, it wasn’t impossible. Even if the Selina Palace maids trusted the empress, not all the other servants might.
Azelina nodded subtly, acknowledging the thought.
“I… um, Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
Iana hesitated, then looked at Azelina and asked,
“So… Your Highness… do you really… not like the emperor anymore?”
