Chapter 101
“Wait a moment.”
When we returned to the mansion, Amelia grabbed my hand and led me into an empty room. Raymond also wanted me, but he missed his turn. Once we were alone, Amelia looked at me and asked without any preamble.
“Your Highness. You’re not trying to find the Emperor’s weakness, are you?”
“Huh?”
I was taken aback by the sudden question and could only be surprised, unable to respond. After a moment, I chose my words carefully, smiled, and patted the back of my head.
“Of course not. Haha.”
“You’re not very good at lying. It’s written all over your face.”
“….”
I think I heard the same thing from Niyan before…
So, it wasn’t a question but more of a test, huh?
I turned my head with a bitter expression. What’s the point of lying to someone who’s already convinced?
Since I’d been caught, I offered a half-hearted excuse that contained some truth.
“Actually, I was planning to use a honey trap.”
“I knew it. But a honey trap? I don’t think I’m suited for that.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not that beautiful, nor am I attractive?”
“…Huh?”
Excuse me, what did you just say?
That was the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard since I took over this body.
And yet, while saying she wasn’t attractive, Amelia puckered her lips in a way that was irresistibly enchanting. The gap between her words and her expression made me even more incredulous.
“That’s impossible. Amelia, you’re dazzlingly beautiful!”
“Thank you for saying that.”
She smiled bashfully, though there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. It seemed like she didn’t quite believe me, even though I wasn’t joking.
“Really. Don’t you hear that often?”
“Well, yes, but I saw the Emperor earlier, and he’s really handsome.”
Amelia’s cheeks flushed a bright red as she spoke of the Emperor. It seemed like she had the Emperor on her mind.
It looked like she was drawn to his appearance.
After all, the female protagonist loves the male protagonist.
I thought to myself that they must truly be fated for each other as I looked on with curiosity.
“That… doesn’t mean my resolve about the revolution has changed though. Ahem.”
Did Amelia misinterpret my gaze? She cleared her throat, making a clear distinction between work and personal feelings. She seemed embarrassed, but honestly, knowing what I did about her relationship with the Emperor, it didn’t bother me much. Instead, another question began to surface in my mind.
Why was the Emperor not reacting to Amelia, even though she liked him?
In the original novel, Kyle falls for Amelia at first sight. The moment he sees her, he’s so mesmerized that he almost loses his mind, chasing after her as though he would give her everything.
Yet, in this case, even after seeing her face, he walked away from the terrace without hesitation, which was certainly far from the reaction in the novel.
Could it be that the timing wasn’t right for the two of them to fall for each other, or was it the location?
If we compare to the original novel, their first meeting happens “months later” in the “Golden Garden.”
But with war looming, we couldn’t afford to wait for the right moment. The last alternative that might work was location.
I made a vow to try once more.
If this didn’t work, I would truly have to give up.
Meanwhile, I thought I understood why Amelia had asked Raymond for a dance at the banquet. It seemed it was because Raymond was pretending to be the Emperor. The female protagonist had fallen for Kyle, but she needed a temporary stand-in.
Perhaps because she had fallen so deeply? Once I revealed my excuse for using a honey trap, Amelia became much more proactive in supporting my plan.
“Let’s try one last time. We’ll sneak into the Emperor’s private garden, the Golden Garden.”
“Alright.”
She agreed to my proposal without hesitation.
It seemed she had fallen for Kyle and was determined to do her best. A sense of stubbornness appeared to have taken hold of her.
According to the information from the Night Watch, Kyle had recently become more inclined to spend time alone. Apparently, he visited his garden every evening just before sunset. This was information I had obtained by avoiding Raymond’s watch.
Amelia and I headed towards the Golden Garden, where we had previously raided the Emperor’s secret warehouse. We easily passed through a secret side door and changed into dresses we had obtained earlier.
It was fortunate that the Emperor spent time in his garden during sunset. It would be difficult for him to recognize us in the dark. He was likely trying to enjoy the most beautiful time in his garden. If we made it inside safely, we would soon witness the stunning scenery that matched the name “Golden Garden.”
It wasn’t nighttime yet, so there were still people wandering inside the palace, though the number was limited due to the ongoing war. Those who could fight were likely being trained with the military. We, like the other maids, hurried along with feigned busy movements towards our destination.
“There.”
I pointed ahead. We had finally arrived at the Golden Garden.
At sunset, the sun was casting its last rays brilliantly. The trees, bathed in visible light, shimmered in gold, and in the midst of it all, Kyle’s golden hair danced in the wind. He appeared to be standing there, enjoying the moment.
Amelia straightened her dress and approached him. I hid behind a large tree where I could see them clearly.
Amelia, who had been walking briskly, slowed down and hesitated at the entrance. It seemed she was too shy to intrude upon the Emperor’s private garden, but she seemed genuinely embarrassed.
Kyle, who had been facing the breeze with a neutral expression, brushed his hair aside. As he turned his head, he spotted Amelia. At the same time, Amelia turned her head in his direction, and the two of them locked eyes amid the golden light.
The scene was so beautiful and magical that it almost felt like it had been described in the novel. I wondered how much effort the author had put into depicting the moment of their first meeting and falling in love.
Kyle’s expression shifted emotionally. His previously neutral face gradually gained a livelier, warmer look.
“You’re the one from earlier…”
“Your Majesty.”
Amelia looked at him. The breeze caused her to momentarily squint, but as her eyelids fluttered open, a wistful expression appeared.
Oh, he recognizes her. This might actually work!
The historic moment of the male and female protagonists meeting for the first time and falling in love had finally arrived.
As the two of them’s emotions shifted, I momentarily forgot my objective, lost in the scene. A wave of excitement washed over me.
But perhaps I had gotten too caught up in the emotion. I took a step forward, only to step on a twig, causing a loud crunching sound that echoed through the stillness like thunder.
The Emperor turned his head in my direction.
Gasp. I felt like an extra with no sense of timing.
I used to wonder when watching dramas whether such small sounds were even audible, and why anyone would be so clumsy as to make them. Now, I was the one creating that disruption in the scene.
“Eileen…?”
The Emperor furrowed his brows as he tried to get a better look. With a sweeping gesture of his hand, guards appeared from behind and bound me tightly.
They immediately dragged me before the Emperor, removing the maid’s headscarf from my head, revealing my pink hair that I had carefully kept hidden. It swayed freely, now completely exposed.
“So it’s you.”
Kyle’s voice had turned cold, like the chill of autumn rain the day after it fell. The loving expression he had just moments ago had vanished, replaced by one filled with anger, as if he were holding a sword.
“To think you would walk right into the palace. Truly, welcome.”
A smirk tugged at one corner of his mouth.
His face said it all: “You really messed up now.”
The Emperor immediately separated Amelia and me, giving orders for us to be locked in different rooms. Fortunately, the place wasn’t a prison, but it was still far from ideal.
My final attempt at swaying the Emperor had become our downfall. I hadn’t imagined such a dismal outcome. I had been so sure of my success that I hadn’t considered this possibility.
Why did it fail?
When Kyle saw Amelia in the Golden Garden, his face clearly showed the emotions of someone falling in love, yet I still didn’t understand why it had failed.
Niyan, help me!
If only he would appear in this crisis, swoop me and Amelia away to safety.
But instead of answering my call, Niyan had been summoned by the Emperor and was now fulfilling his role as a spy.
“Lord Oliverts. Please come.”
“You called for me, Your Majesty?”
Kyle’s bright voice was followed by a calm one.
The sound of footsteps grew louder as they approached me. When I turned my head, it was Niyan entering.
The moment he saw me, his pupils shook as if struck by an earthquake, but he kept his poker face intact.
“Is this the Lady Cowett? How did she come to be here…?”
“He asked to enter the palace without hesitation. I found her in front of the Golden Garden.”
What was the reason? His gaze reprimanded me, but he didn’t speak the words aloud.
“Lord, you mentioned before that the barrier in Russ had made it impossible to use the shield. Please use magic to enable the sphere once again.”
“Understood.”
Just as before, Niyan cast a shield spell on me. Light radiated from his hand and spread across my body, absorbing into every corner. He then withdrew his hand and bowed his head respectfully.
“It’s done.”
“Good.”
Kyle, who had been watching the magic closely, turned to the head servant.
“Head Servant.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Take the Lady to a new room. Make sure she is comfortable.”
As he gave the command, Kyle wore a wicked smile.
