I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

That night.

Wearing a black cloak, with Carlisle sleeping in the Empress Palace, I left the Palace with Helen alone and got into the carriage that was parked.

As I got into the carriage, Edmund, who was waiting inside, looked at me with surprised eyes.

It was I who secretly ordered Edmund to be in that carriage. Edmund had to leave the Imperial Palace tonight.

I sat across from Edmund with a strange face.

Soon after the carriage left, Edmund carefully asked.

"Your Majesty… Where are you taking me?"

"Didn't I tell you? I will help you settle in a foreign country. And you need to leave today."

"Like this… Is it that simple? I didn't even see my mother…"

It looks like he wanted to see Lisa for the last time.

As evil as Lisa was, she was Edmund's mother, so I understood Edmund's longing. But it would have been better if Edmund hadn't seen Lisa now.

His last memory of his mother shouldn't be so ugly.

"We have to go immediately."

"Ah…"

My persistence left him no room for hesitation.

So, the carriage hastily passed the gates of the Imperial Palace.

“Your Majesty, we have arrived.”

Helen, who was driving outside with the coachman, opened the door for me and said. I got out first, Edmund followed me.

In the middle of the forest on the outskirts, my eyes were drawn by the golden hair, slicked back.

"Carter.”

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."

"Did you bring him?"

"Yes, Your Majesty.”

Carter responded and backed off. Leon Sios appeared from behind him.

His green eyes twinkled with light as he spotted the person behind me.

"Edmund…!”

“Who…?” Edmund, who couldn’t understand the moment, took a step back.

"Edmund, this is your uncle, Leon Sios."

"Yes?" Leon's voice trembled as if his emotions were overwhelming.

When I saw Edmund in the prison, his eyes that seemed to have given up everything were completely different.

"Uncle…"

Edmund also seemed unable to believe Leon's existence.

Leon and Edmund looked at each other with complex emotions.

They probably had a lot to discuss.

But two of them will have to leave before dawn.

"You have a lot to talk about, but talk when you are alone one by one. Leon Sios."

"Yes, Empress."

"You took poison and committed suicide tonight."

"…"

Leon's face trembled immediately.

I looked at Helen. Helen pulled out a pre-prepared ID and handed it to Leon.

"This is the name under which you will live in the future. Don't forget, Leon Sios died today."

"I will keep it in mind. And thank you, Your Majesty," Leon bowed his head and spoke.

Now it was Edmund's turn. He looked completely confused.

I gently took his hand.

"Edmund."

"Yes."

“That's all I can do for you. You also have to leave Agrita Castle from now on. You will also have to bury your mother in your heart."

"Yes."

“And again… You can't go back to the Empire. Everyone can be happy only when you forget the empire and the empire forgets you."

In the distant future, when Raymond and I would have died, if Edmund had changed his mind and returned to the Empire, rivers of blood would have flowed.

Be that as it may, Edmund was of imperial bloodline.

But he was a smart kid, so he quickly realized what I was talking about.

"Never… I won’t return. Thank you for your kindness. Your Majesty."

"…Good."

I let go of Edmund's hand.

"Get out of the capital completely before dawn."

Carter brought two horses and handed the reins to Leon and Edmund.

The two bowed their heads once more and mounted their horses.

And without looking back, they immediately left this place.

"Should I check that they're leaving the border?"

"You don't have to do that. Leon and Edmund, they're not idiots either."

They know better than anyone that they can only survive by leaving this place.

And so we kept our promise not to kill Edmund.

All I could do, I did. Their future life is none of my business.

With a sense of relief, I turned to the carriage.

"Let's go back to the Imperial Palace.”

* * *

"Your Majesty, Lisa's death sentence has been carried out."

"…Yes."

Hearing the news from Helen, I closed the carriage door.

When I returned to the palace, the sky was already flooded with bright light.

The sunny blue sky seemed to reflect my own feelings.

‘Now it's really over.’

I heard poisonous words around, and the aftertaste remained bitter, but in the future only light awaits me.

After all, Lisa Sios ended up leaving this world.

While looking at the peaceful panoramic view of the Imperial Palace, my gaze suddenly touched the carriage standing in front of the palace.

"…Raymond.”

None other than the Emperor got out of the carriage.

It hasn't been a day since he drew a line and I go back to the Empress Palace yesterday, what's going on?

The corners of his mouth crept upward. Looks like he was glad to see me.

‘You are crazy.'

I put pressure on the corners of my mouth to keep from turning them up and left the room to greet him. As I was going down the hall, I ran into Raymond, who had just entered the Palace.

"Your Majesty."

" Empress. I was worried about the prince. Has he already woken up?"

"Yes, he's awake. Let's go to the room."

"Ah. Your presence is unnecessary. Never mind, I came without an invitation."

Someone else’s ears would have thought that this was how he showed me a favor. But when I thought about it, it seemed to me that he didn’t need exactly my company.

His tone was the same as yesterday. When he ushered me out of his palace.

What's going on in this strange head?

I checked his face.

The face was calm.

It seems there is nothing bad or strange.

In this situation, it would be strange for me to follow him to Carlisle's room.

I said, taking a step back:

"Then I'll take my leave."

"Okay."

He just passed in front of me and climbed the stairs.

Thrown so carelessly, I flushed with embarrassment.

I just stood there and watched him, and Raymond, meanwhile, had already got up the stairs.

I felt that not only I was embarrassed, but all the servants were now looking at me.

Raymond didn't even look back.

"Your Majesty, are you okay?"

Helen came over and asked carefully.

That look of hers, she kind of asked if Raymond was spoiling my life like before?

I was extremely embarrassed, but I didn’t feel resentment or anger.

Rather, Raymond's sudden change was suspicious.

I feel like there's something I don't know, but I couldn't figure out what it was.

"I’m okay."

"Will you go to the office?"

"No. Let's leave the palace for a while, so that His Majesty can spend time calmly with the Crown Prince."

Although I didn’t know exactly what was happening here, I could see that Raymond seemed uncomfortable being with me now.

So today I am considering leaving him without my company.

In any case, I will have a meeting.

"Get the carriage ready. We are going to the Phoenix Organization."

* * *

No one came out to meet me in front of the entrance, because I hadn’t informed Jed in advance.

The lobby worker, who saw the imperial carriage, widened his eyes and bowed his head.

"I'll tell the boss right now."

"No. Let it be a surprise."

Since becoming Empress, I have never been able to speak comfortably with Jed.

Since today is a free day, it would be nice to meet him in a relaxed atmosphere.

When I reached the top floor, I froze when I saw a man who had just left the office.

"…Jeremy?"

"Your Majesty."

Jed also left the office with that voice.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."

"Get up, both of you."

Jeremy and Jed stood up, and I looked at them one by one with puzzled eyes.

"What did you two do?"

Jeremy answered when he saw my eyes on them.

"Oh, I came to ask for help in the work in the mines. Duke's current position is too stressful, it is too much to manage the mines again."

"Ah… you came here on business."

Now, it's no surprise that the two have met on several occasions.

"Your Majesty… But are you okay?" Jeremy asked anxiously.

From the poisoning of Carlisle to the death of Lisa.

It can be assumed that I was worried about a lot of things that have fallen on my shoulders.

"I'm fine. Carlisle has already recovered. And as you heard, Lisa was executed today, so there's nothing else I need to worry about…."

As I continued talking with a smile, Raymond's face came to mind and I stopped talking.

‘Is there really nothing to worry about?'

His sudden change in attitude annoyed me.

"Your Majesty…?"

Jeremy noticed how my wandering gaze suddenly froze, and anxiously called out to me.