SEM 33

Chapter 33

“You’re late. I’m tired, so I’ll be leaving now.”

At the sudden words from Empress Rozella, Eliana and Gredi looked up at her.

“Perhaps we overstayed our welcome, Your Majesty,” Eliana said, quickly standing up. But the Empress’s gaze was fixed on Gredi.

“Duke Cryber. Would you escort me to my chambers?”

The moment Gredi met Rozella’s eyes, he realized it wasn’t a request—it was a command. Instead of replying, he held out his hand.

Rozella naturally linked arms with Gredi and gave Eliana a nod of her chin as a farewell. Throughout all this, Eliana couldn’t raise her head.

“I’ll send the Duchess a separate invitation. It’s important to become acquainted with the noble ladies of the Empire.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Your Majesty.”

Empress Rozella, arms still linked with Gredi, looked down at Eliana who was bowing politely with her knees slightly bent and eyes lowered.

“Well then.”

After sparing a glance at the red mark on Eliana’s neck, the Empress turned coldly away. Her movements made the crimson dress ripple in the air.

Eliana silently watched Gredi and Rozella leave the room side by side.

“If you grip so tightly, even I can feel pain, Your Majesty,” Gredi whispered in her ear with a sigh, as Rozella’s fingernails dug into his arm.

“You were so unwilling to get married, and now that you’ve seen that seductress, have you changed your mind?”

Rozella spat the words bitterly, still clutching his arm. She had already lost all composure after seeing the red mark on Eliana’s neck.

Gredi had recoiled at even the slightest touch from her. No kisses, no closeness—just disgust.

And every time he did, Rozella acted even more cruelly. She made him crawl like a dog and commanded him to kiss her shoes when he refused to kiss her.

Those events had been twisted into a narrative of Gredi’s tragic devotion to Rozella and printed in newspapers.

Each time, Emperor Mateo would fly into a rage. Whenever she used Gredi, Mateo never took his eyes off Rozella.

‘Until that woman appeared, everything was going exactly as I planned.’

Thinking of Eliana, left alone in the drawing room, Rozella bit her lip.

“Are you… jealous, Your Majesty?” Gredi asked, prompting Rozella to halt her steps. The maids were following at a distance, and the flickering lights barely illuminated them.

“You always take things too far,” she said.

“Do I?” Gredi tilted his head with an innocent expression.

“Every time I see that insincerity of yours, I start to understand why Emperor Mateo uses violence on you.”

Rozella continued coldly as Gredi’s face twisted in pain. Watching him suffer brought her peace.

“…”

“Disobedient dogs need the stick.”

Her lips curved into a wicked smile.

Looking back, Rozella had always been behind the violence Mateo inflicted on Gredi.

If he didn’t behave to her liking, she would skillfully manipulate Mateo’s emotions until he lashed out at Gredi. And after the violence ended, it was Rozella who tearfully treated his wounds.

“And where else would you find a dog that barks as well as I do?”

“A dog that barks too much is just noisy.”

Rozella turned away. The rustling of her dress as she walked sent chills down Gredi’s spine.

Like a long-abused child, his back was soaked in cold sweat.

“Be careful. That seductress might devour even you.”

They had known each other for a long time. Just as Gredi understood Rozella, she also understood him.

Seeing Gredi stiffen at her words pleased her, and her steps grew lighter.

“I’m just having a bit of fun. You needn’t worry,” Gredi said.

“You know, sometimes you don’t even realize your clothes are soaked in a light rain—until it’s too late.”

“Are you planning to interfere in even the smallest pleasures of my dull life?”

Even without her orders, Gredi constantly met and parted with women. To Rozella, it felt like he was struggling to escape the shackles she had placed on him. She didn’t like it. But since he always came running at a single word from her, she let it go.

Watching him catch every word and gesture gave her a certain satisfaction.

Just like now.

“Duke Cryber.”

“Claire. You’re late—I thought you went home.”

Claire Raymond, who usually stayed at the palace unless something special happened, rushed over the moment she saw Gredi. She was probably on her way to prepare Rozella’s bedroom.

“Greetings, Your Majesty,” she said belatedly, giving a quick curtsy.

“Oh dear. The newlywed Duke is so popular, I imagine the Duchess must be worried.”

Claire’s gaze rested on Gredi and Rozella’s linked arms.

Rozella raised her chin slightly as she noticed Claire trembling with clenched teeth.

If not for Gredi, the one shaking in anger right now would’ve been Rozella herself.

“If you’d arrived a bit earlier, you could have joined the Duke and Duchess for tea.”

Rozella gently removed her arm from Gredi’s and stepped away.

Claire’s gaze followed Rozella’s hand. The way she had been holding Gredi’s arm and then casually pushed him away made sparks fly in Claire’s eyes.

Ignoring Claire’s furious glare, Rozella spoke to Gredi.

“Thank you, Duke. Your duchess is waiting, so you’d best hurry back.”

“Of course.”

As Gredi bowed slightly and stepped back, Claire stomped her foot in frustration.

“I’m exhausted from all this fuss. Claire, help me change clothes.”

Ignoring Claire’s outstretched hand toward Gredi, Rozella disappeared into her chambers.

Claire bit her lip in frustration, torn between Rozella and Gredi. Her eyes were fixed on Gredi’s retreating back.

“Claire!”

Rozella’s voice called from the slightly open bedroom door, and Claire turned around.

While Gredi was dealing with Rozella’s games, Eliana was anxiously waiting for his return when she received an unexpected guest.

“You’ve been waiting so desperately, and now you’re not even here?”

His languid tone sent chills down her spine.

As his slightly parted lips shimmered with a reddish hue, Mateo licked them with his tongue.

The more he looked at her, the more he wanted her. Now that she belonged to someone else, the desire inside him surged uncontrollably.

“Greetings to His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire.”

Eliana bent her knees and lowered her head slightly.

Mateo’s gaze slid along her slender neckline and stopped at a particular spot.

“I had hoped our first meeting would be more private and intimate. I didn’t expect it to happen like this.”

Mateo strolled casually over and collapsed onto the sofa. Spreading his legs wide, he took the seat of honor and motioned to Eliana with his chin.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Eliana, with her eyes lowered, sat at a considerable distance from him.

“Do you think I’d try to seduce the Duchess here?”

Smirking at his own comment, Mateo watched Eliana force a smile, pressing her lips together to stay composed.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Your Majesty.”

When she lifted her face to look at him, Mateo murmured,

“You’re like a black cat.”

It was nothing like what Duke Lloyd had described to him. Her innocence made him scoff.

“It would’ve been perfect if you wore a black dress.”

“Your Majesty.”

Eliana, regaining her composure, looked at him with a firm expression. But Mateo’s eyes wouldn’t leave her.

“You must know I once considered making you my mistress.”

His blunt statement made Eliana catch her breath. She hadn’t expected him to approach her like this—so shamelessly that it made her want to sigh.

“…”

“You’re the woman who revived her family with just her body, aren’t you? If you bear my child, you’ll become the woman who revived the Empire.”

Mateo drummed his fingers on the armrest as he looked her over. Seeing her sit there alone without Gredi made him lick his lips like a starving man.

“I didn’t expect Your Majesty to show such deep interest in me.”

“It’s more than interest. I even sent Duke Lloyd to show you how serious I was. Tsk.”

Mateo clicked his tongue, but his eyes still didn’t leave Eliana.

“…”

“The night your husband died—you locked eyes with the Duke, didn’t you? If I had known, I would’ve gotten to you first.”

Hoffman laughed mockingly. The words made Eliana think of that rainy night, and she let out a faint chuckle.

“Even if Your Majesty had been there, nothing would have changed.”

“What?”

Eliana raised her head and met Mateo’s gaze.