I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

"Mom!"

I heard Carlisle somewhere among the bushes.

"Your Majesty, you will fall…!”

I wasn’t agitated by the alarming shouts of the servants.

Through the greenery, I saw an outstretched hand and moved there.

In an instant, passing the bushes, I clung to Carlisle and hugged him.

"Ugh. Mom! I can’t breathe!"

But how long can I beg him not to go anywhere without asking?

Upon awakening, I found that Carlisle's seat was empty.

When even the servant said that they didn’t know about the prince's plans, I was struck by another fear.

Couldn't he have escaped from the palace just because he wanted to go home?

Or maybe my baby was kidnapped?

All the worst fantasies popped into my mind.

I only loosened my grip when I was relieved.

Then, taking the child by the hands, I chided him:

"What did your mother tell you?"

"She told me not to go anywhere and sit in the room."

I raised my voice without realizing it.

"But where did you go all alone? If you wanted to go for a walk, you had to tell your mom. If you continue to run away secretly, avoiding the eyes of the maids…"

At that time, I felt a hand gripping my shoulder.

"Ellie."

The low and dry voice right under my ear made me involuntarily shudder.

Raymond and his antics…

"We are now seen by many eyes. And Carlisle… He seems to be very embarrassed now. So why don't you let go of his wrong this time," he whispered to me softly.

And behind him was a detachment of servants, maids and knights. All, with faces covered with despair.

My invasion of the garden was so swift that I didn’t even notice the entire retinue of the Emperor around.

I looked at Carlisle again.

And she saw Carlisle's eyes begin to water.

I also saw how dirt accumulated on my shoes and that my clothes were all worn out.

"Sorry… I got bored, so I went out to look at the flower garden… and wandered a bit far. I won't be anymore, mom…" Carlisle said with a sob.

"Don’t cry. I'm sorry your mom was angry. From now on you will not run away, okay? No matter how busy your mom is, you have to tell her. And go out in the presence of the maids and others. Okay?"

"I promise."

Carlisle was the first to give me his pinky.

"You made a promise, so keep it now."

Carlisle looked at me with sparkling eyes and hesitated. Seeing his tears, my heart again began to rush in anxiety.

I stroked Carlisle's cheeks and brushed the blades of grass from his hair.

"Let's go back to mom's house.”

I smiled, and Carlisle stopped sulking too. When I was about to walk back hand in hand with Carlisle, I suddenly faltered from a sudden attack of dizziness.

"Uh-um."

"Ellie!"

"Your Majesty!"

The surprised exclamations of Raymond and the servants merged into one.

"Mom?"

"It’s nothing," I tried to reassure Carlisle.

Raymond also held out his arms when he saw Carlisle's petrified face. And before I could react, he had already caught and hugged Carlisle.

"Looks like you have something wrong with your head. That is why I’m sitting with my son today."

"Your Majesty, I would prefer another nanny…"

"I'll sit with him. Carlisle, do you think we'll give mom a day off today?"

"Um… yes."

I couldn’t wait to say that Carlisle didn’t like this either, but the surprisingly gentle response that came in threw me to the point of speechlessness.

Even before yesterday he was a kid who avoided even looking Ray in the face.

Of course, even now he didn’t feel truly calm.

Carlisle's expression was his quiet reluctance.

But not rejecting your father loudly and openly, that was already a significant event.

What happened between these two while I was running around the garden?

Judging by the environment, it can be assumed that Raymond was the first to find the lost Carlisle.

"Then go. It's going to get colder soon," said Raymond. "And look after the Empress."

After giving a short order to the servants, he took Carlisle and leaved.

Upon returning to the palace, I sent a maid to wash Carlisle and went to the bedroom to talk to Raymond.

"You're still tight, you better not overwork," Raymond said as he watched me drink Harpen's bitter medicine.

I was so embarrassed by his languid tone.

"I’m perfectly aware of my responsibility as an Empress."

He looked at me and opened his mouth:

"You know I didn't mean that."

Of course I know.

That he truly cares for me.

It was now extremely embarrassing to accept his care, sitting in this palace.

That had never bothered him before.

"But what suddenly changed in Carlisle's mind? It looks like his rejection has diminished."

It was inconvenient to once again procrastinate with him the old days, so I smoothly switched to a new conversation.

He looked at me intently, sighed and opened his lips.

"He remembered our chance meeting in the market. I thought he had already forgotten."

"Ah…"

Ray made a good impression that time.

"But he is still uncomfortable. It will take much longer for him to get used to calling me father."

He looked displeased. Carlisle's refusal seemed to him very offensive.

"That was my choice to protect the child. But it's my fault that I parted Your Majesty with Carlisle… I'm sorry."

"The fault is not yours. If you look at it now, it all started with me."

He opened his lips and closed immediately, as if he wanted to insert something else. Then a voice full of certainty was heard:

"That day… I'm sorry that I was yelling at you like that."

In those black eyes, there was a sense of guilt in front of me.

It was a sincere apology.

Confused by the unexpected turn, I slowly replied:

"Yeah."

I felt terribly uncomfortable.

I didn't want to talk about the two of us anymore.

I may have returned to the palace, but my target was Marquis Sios.

I didn't want to start over with him.

I spoke up, avoiding Raymond's tenacious gaze.

"Those articles about Marquis Sios… Is there really going to be a general meeting of the noble?"

"Quite possible. After all, the next meeting is soon anyway. I would also need to introduce them to Carlisle, so I’m considering rescheduling my regular meeting early. There is already a lot of talk in the palace… I think it is better to first deal with Marquis Sios."

"It's for the best. Nothing good will shine for us from delay."

"Okay. And by the way… Well, when is our wedding?"

"I tried to tell you everything. I think it's better not to cook anything."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"We had so many things, and now… I would prefer to limit myself to a banquet in the palace instead of a ceremony."

"If it suits you."

The wedding was a romantic affair for a young bride. Now I no longer dreamed of an affair with Raymond.

"Just great. Our marriage will be as calculated," his eyes flashed with lightning, and he spoke roughly. Soon he dropped his gaze and continued: "Then I'll replace the celebration with a banquet, as you said. Today I’m very tired, so it's time to end it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Raymond turned to the exit, hiding the emotions from his face, and left without looking back.

"I'm tired, then."

In recent days, he has really added extra work. It was the end of a long day and the first night in the Empress's palace.

At this time, I heard the sound of a door opening.

Carlisle has now washed and changed into his pajamas.

"Mom, can we sleep together?"

A separate room for Carlisle was arranged in the palace until the Regulus Palace was adapted for a new owner.

But the new spacious room seemed uncomfortable to him, and he came to me.

I smiled and patted the place next to me.

"Of course, come here."

Digging in the blanket, Carlisle put his arms around my waist and pressed his face to me.

"Mom, are we really going to live in the Imperial Palace?"

His expression subtly hinted to me that he still dreamed of returning everything as it was.

But, unfortunately, those times can’t be returned.

"Now we have to live here. I will tell you the story of how I once stayed here. Then Carlisle will surely like this place."

I hoped that at least Carlisle would have some pleasant memories of this palace.

"Okay."

* * *

Two days later.

Lisa looked over and over all the morning papers.

For two days, her puffy eyes still sparkled with anger.

The content of all articles was like a carbon copy.

Doubtful news that the Drua houses and Sios were intriguing and even plotting murder together.

And then the title of one article caught special attention.

[The second prince occupies the Regulus Palace. Will the crown prince be punished for his grandfather's sins?]

"Regulus Palace! They give a palace to a boy who has been a prince for not even a week! Our Emperor is crazy!"

Seeing another article with his name, Marquis Sios shouted sharply.

He even threw the newspaper against the wall to see if it would stand up to his anger.

Regulus Palace, where the crown princes have stayed from generation to generation.

He wouldn’t have been given to the second prince just like that.

Raymond had already decided who to name his successor.

Of course, he would be expected to love the second prince more, because his heart was with Ellie. But who would have known that he would forget Edmund so quickly.

A child raised for six years as the sole prince of the Empire.

Whatever the Empress's privileges, how could he abandon the first prince so indifferently?

Lisa clenched her hands into fists that the bones protruded outward, and said, barely calming her anger:

"Father, the trouble now lies elsewhere.”