DISCLAIMER:

THIS IS NOT MY NOVEL, MY ONLY PURPOSE IS TO SHARE THIS NOVEL!

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL NOVEL, THE AUTHOR, AND THE TRANSLATOR.

ORIGINAL AUTHOR/S: 유이서

He may not have loved her wholeheartedly.

But before they got married, he smiled shyly and said he would do his duty as a husband.

He even took an oath before the portrait of the late Emperor.

But then he–

“Do you know how much my hands trembled as I added the poison to the teapot?”

“What does that–”

“You’re a tough one, so I used poison. I’m glad it worked. Why do you look at me like that?”

At her husband’s words, Gloria forgot to breathe.

‘What is he talking about?’

Gloria’s gruesome face was reflected in Erun’s green eyes.

The one who got rid of the ducal family, a longtime contributor to the founding of the Empire, and even brought down the Emperor himself, turned out to be–

‘I can’t believe it was my husband!’

In such a shock that even the pain was forgotten, Gloria tried her best to focus on him.

Despite his wife’s blue hate-filled gaze, Erun smiled sweetly and spoke as if making a request.

“I executed all the vassals who followed only you and all the bugs that were an eyesore in charge of poisoning the Emperor. It’s all thanks to you.”

“What about Diana– Princess Ludenberg?”

Gloria clenched the quilt at the terrible truth that was belied by his soft smile. Her internal injuries made it painful to spit out every word, but when she heard that her followers were dead, she had to confirm whether the precious princess was dead or alive.

‘It can’t be.’

Her body trembled uncontrollably at the cruel reality. The words were stuck on her throat, almost choking her, and she couldn’t prevent it.

Her vision became hazy as tears flowed nonstop, but she stretched her trembling hands toward her “trusted husband.”

Would he pity such a wife’s hand?

Erun gently wrapped her pale hand with his own, lifting it to his cheek, and replied with his eyes closed.

“All the people of the Ludenberg family are dead, my dear wife.”

“…huukk… hyyuukk!”

“How dare I poison the Emperor? But I couldn’t let you live. How long were you protected by your luck?”

After all, a kindhearted woman would end up being a problem.

Erun’s reply left Gloria dumbfounded as if she were a child.

”Princess, even if everyone leaves you, I’ll be by your side.”

Her mother died a long time ago. She stayed by herself in the Palace because her father was busy with affairs of state. The precious Princess Diana Ludenberg was the only one who hugged her tightly whenever she cried from loneliness.

A devil killed such a lovely princess. Gloria bit her lip, unable to scream.

“Please hurry and die, Darling.”

He spat his words like venom.

Next to him, his lover, Countess Ifrana Adlen, was fanning herself nonchalantly and smiling mischievously.

“Please die quickly, Your Majesty. Only then can the Marquis become Emperor, and I can be his rightful vassal and the closest person next to him.”

Only monsters were reflected in Gloria’s eyes.

Why.

‘Why are you so genuinely happy?’

Gathering her last strength, Gloria made the effort to ask her husband why he had plotted her death.

“Wh, why—”

At least, before she died, she wanted to know why. Why did he do this?

Did he at least think his wife, who breathed out heavily and gasped, looked pitiful?

Erun answered, carefully brushing back Gloria’s hair from her forehead.

“Being the Emperor’s husband, I hated it so much that I wanted to die.”

“What?”

Gloria’s eyes widened at his words, and she began to shake violently.

”I’m proud to be your husband.”

That’s what he said as he kissed her tenderly on their first night.

He clicked his tongue at his wife’s incredulous expression.

“Not only am I trusted by the people of the Empire, but I also have a higher approval rating from the nobles, right? I should have become the Emperor before you who knows nothing.

“So you just have to die and disappear into history, Your Majesty.”

As her husband kissed her forehead tenderly, Gloria’s vision began to dim.

Her soul screamed desperately over the betrayal, but her body barely breathed.

This gentle and capable man was ultimately destined to become the Emperor. That was his goal from the beginning.

‘You destroyed the Duke of Ludenberg, and now even me—!’

Her vision slowly darkened. Covering her eyes with his hand, her husband said,

“Now, please die. That way, you’ll be able to see the late Emperor. It took me so long to send him away, too. Ah, but don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. I’ll put you in a good place next to your loved ones.”

Gloria clenched her fists tightly at her husband’s words, as if it were comforting to hear that father and daughter didn’t die easily.

‘You damn bastard! Wasn’t my life enough!? Why did you kill my father! You filthy devil disguised as a man!’

She wanted to kill her husband somehow. At least spit on his face or slap him.

‘If I had the slightest bit of energy, I’d cut this hand off!’

However, Gloria, who couldn’t move as if her whole body was bound, eventually just shed tears.

Misery. Betrayal and revenge. Tears of blood dotted with anger.

And like that, the 23rd Emperor of the Erant Empire, Gloria Blake Vierant, was erased from the world.

Without mercy, at the hands of Erun Lebossi, Grand Duke of Barund.

Her trusted husband.

* * *

It was unfair.

She burst out laughing, thinking about how she died at the hands of her trusted husband.

‘Is this how it ends?’

It was amazing.

She was speechless and shouted her betrayal at the same time.

But more than that…

A great hatred crushed her soul, and she couldn’t overcome it.

“If I go back to that time, I will take revenge on that man. For sure! I will destroy him by any means and methods!”

Gloria screamed into an empty space as if she was vomiting blood.

‘I’m sure I’ll crush him.’

By. Any. Means.

Flames of hatred burned inside her heart.

In the space where only Gloria’s mind remained, a voice began to stir with the wind like a storm.

—Even if you have to sacrifice your own…?

Vague gender. A voice that sounded like a hundred talking at the same time. No wonder it was terrifying. Gloria, whose soul was engulfed by her hatred for Erun, answered without a single thought.

“If I can get rid of that traitor, I’ll give it to you.”

“If you ask for wealth I can give it to you. If you ask for flesh I can give it, too. I can give you my soul if you want, but even so, I can’t give you–”

A great wind began to blow in the void surrounding Gloria.

The strong wind felt eerie, but Gloria, crushed by the feeling of betrayal, shouted with a bloody heart.

“If I— If I see you again, I will never leave you alone, Erun!!!

‘Just as much as you gave me… No. I’ll do much more than that! Even if you kneel and beg for your life by holding onto my feet, I will cut off your hand and trample on you!’

Against the wind, Gloria reached out and grabbed her husband to strangle him in her memory.

At that moment, she heard the sound of something cracking.

Her eyes widened at the sensation of something breaking in her hand.

* * *

“Ughh!”

Gloria inhaled sharply as her surroundings changed abruptly.

The unseeing void was replaced with a sense of the reality of sunlight streaming through a window and the subtle scent of paper.

The incredible situation amazed her. A wonderful situation. Without realizing it, something rolled off her hand, which was surprisingly weak.

It was a broken pen.

“Why is this…”

“Your Majesty?”

“…!”

Right then.

Before her, she heard a terrible voice calling out to her as she stared at the desk, dumbfounded.

‘Now that I know the truth.’

Hearing the man’s voice she never wanted to hear again, Gloria slowly raised her head. In front of her, there was no one but–

“Erun!”

Gloria jumped from her seat at the sight of her “husband.” She had awakened in a hurry.

Gloria gritted her teeth when she saw the man who, smiling, was holding her hand after having pushed her to death.

‘I will die of rage! Having to see your damn face after death, bastard!’

Her anger soared to the point of making her dizzy, but at the same time, she couldn’t believe the situation.

”Please die, Darling.”

Those words lingered in her ears.

As if concerned by her appearance, Erun asked in a worried voice,

“Have I done anything to offend you, Your Majesty?”

“Something to offend?”

At Erun’s words, Gloria pursed her lips.

She never wanted to see him again. She vowed to twist his neck the moment she saw him again, and now was the opportunity.

‘It doesn’t matter if it’s a dream or reality.’

With a twisted smile, she eyed him as if he were prey, as if she was about to jump and bite his neck.

As if surprised by the sudden hostility, Erun’s face was tinged with bewilderment.

“Your Majesty!”

Was it because she lost her mind due to hatred?

Gloria roughly grabbed Erun’s collar and pulled him closer. His face was distorted in confusion.

“Ha!”

She snorted. Realizing that Gloria had no intention of releasing him, Erun tried to appease her.

“Your Majesty, I don’t know what’s going on, but please calm down first–”

“Erun Lebossi.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

He answered back immediately.

Gloria slowly raised her fist at the murderer caught in her hand.

“Your Majesty…?

‘Don’t tell me–’

As she clenched her fists so hard to the point her knuckles turned white, blood trickled down from Erun’s face.

Gloria smiled at her “ex-husband” who was busy rolling his eyes warily.

“Now. I’ll return those words to you.”

“Pardon?”

“Please die, Darling.”

Note: Gloria is called ‘Emperor’ simply because she’s the one who rose to the throne. If we consider the power is in the hands of male figures, calling her ‘Empress’ would be an understatement as the Emperor has more power since he is the rightful ruler of an Empire. On the other hand, her husband is called ‘Emperor’s husband’, or Grand Duke, since he earned that title by marrying Gloria, but he, originally, was a Marquis.

“Please die, Honey.”

“…!”

Gloria pummeled Erun, who was startled at her words asking him to die and gasped sharply at the word ‘Honey’.

A scream was heard.

“Gasp!”

A loud sound as if bones were being crushed resounded in the State Office.

The force from her small fists must have been considerable enough for Erun to stumble. He unconsciously shook his arm and touched the desk, but it didn’t help him.

He fell to the ground as the shock was considerable.

The courtiers and knights waiting outside the office rushed into the room at the brutal sound that echoed like a harpoon clashing.

“Your Majesty! What’s… aagk!”

“You- Your Majesty?”

They gawked in disbelief, alternating between the fallen Erun and Gloria clenching her hands.

This situation was certainly unrealistic, with the Emperor clasping her hands and showing her anger, as well as the Marquis, who was recognized as a highly valued knight, lying on the floor.

And when the courtiers and knights dared to commit the rudeness of entering the room and gaping at her and Erun, she glared even more.

However, it was just for a moment.

Gloria, feeling a little better after putting her fists on that goofy face, ordered the knight standing in front of her in a cold tone.

“Get this damn thing out of my sight.”

Damn thing?

The knights and courtiers, startled, looked down at Erun, who had fainted on the floor.

He was a man who had held a sword for a long time. Everyone was full of questions about how she had knocked down such a man but,

‘No one is stupid enough to say it out loud in a situation like this!’

They grabbed the senseless Erun and took their leave, keeping their mouths shut as if running away from the office.

The room quieted as if there had been no commotion after they closed the door and removed that “damn thing”.

“Haaa.”

Only then, Gloria relaxed and dropped into the chair.

“What the hell…”

‘I obviously died.’

Gloria muttered in a tone of disbelief, looking at her clear hands.

Her vision blurred as she stared at a soft white hand, not a hand blackened by poison.

She remembered vividly the touch of that damn man’s hand covering her eyes and her weak wheezing until the moment when she finally stopped breathing.

‘What the hell is happening?’

Gloria turned her head to look out the window. Winter, when the bitterly cold wind blew, had gone away and a warm Spring, where the green sprouts bloomed, was taking place. Even the seasons were different, she muttered in disbelief.

“Am I, am I back to life?”

Faced with an unbelievable situation, Gloria pinched her cheek and pulled her hair.

Her cheeks tingled, and she realized it was real as she saw a few red hairs caught between her fingers.

“Oh!”

Gloria was speechless at the shocking situation. She just stared blankly at the red hairs in her fingers.

‘Should I have pulled harder to the point my neck hurt?’

In this illogical situation, Gloria’s face distorted, and she punched the desk with her fist.

“It’s not a dream.”

Gloria covered her eyes with her hand as the tingling pain arose.

It was a world where magic and divine protection weren’t odd, but it was hard to believe that someone could return to life.

Gloria was confused.

“Oh my God! Your Majesty!”

“…!”

Gloria’s heart sank at the sound of the high-pitched but lively lady’s voice.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

“Di…ana?”

“Yes? What did you do to your precious hands, really!”

This should never be a dream.

Gloria’s spirits flagged at the soft touch of her friend and the nagging she had heard every day before she ascended to the throne.

Diana felt something was off with Gloria, who strangely called her name, but the swelling of the Emperor’s hand was more important.

Gloria, staring blankly at her, called out once again the name of the person she had missed.

“…Diana.”

An almost inaudible, very small voice. Diana responded cautiously to the voice cracking as if pained.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Diana is here right before you.”

“Di…ana.”

“Your Majesty?”

It was curious.

Diana’s eyes widened at Gloria’s behavior as she kept calling Diana by name like she had recovered something precious.

What the hell happened in the short time while she was away?

However, as the hand that had hit Erun started to swell, Diana hurriedly called the court lady nearby.

“Hurry up, bring a healer and a doc— aaack!”

“Diana!”

Gloria grabbed Diana and hugged her tightly.

Why was Gloria doing this so suddenly?

Diana staggered as Gloria hugged her body with tremendous force as if she had found the one she had lost and comforted her with an awkward smile.

“Your Majesty, I’m not going anywhere. So just calm down a lit—”

“It’s not a dream, is it?”

“Pardon?”

“It shouldn’t be a dream.”

‘Please. Don’t be a dream.’

Gloria closed her eyes tightly and prayed earnestly. She wished that Diana being alive around this time of her life wasn’t just a dream.

Seeing Gloria slowly bending down and trembling, Diana gave up asking why and decided to focus on soothing her.

As she wrapped her arms around Gloria’s shoulders, the Princess said,

“I don’t know in detail what happened, but the wedding is just around the corner, so you must be careful.”

“…What?”

At Diana’s words, Gloria’s voice seemed to leak out.

Diana said it again with an awkward smile as if she felt pressured by the wide-eyed gaze.

“The wedding is just around the corner. There’s not much time— hakk!”

At the word ‘wedding’, Gloria dropped the arm that was holding Diana.

“Your Majesty!”

At the sudden embrace and now, seeing how Gloria was flipping important documents all over, Diana called her with a shrill voice.

But Gloria did not stop her frantic search.

‘She’s not the kind of person who would act like this.’

Diana looked at Gloria anxiously as the papers fell to the floor.

Gloria quickly glanced at the dates written on the documents, ignoring the Princess’ gaze.

‘I died in the 459th year of the Imperial Calendar.’

A winter day with pure snow scattered on the 459th year. Two months before the celebration for the beginning of the new year.

At what time was she, who had been properly stabbed in the back by Erun and died, standing right now?

Gloria was checking all the documents in her hand and lifted the ones bearing the most recent date.

“…Oh, God!”

“Your Majesty?”

A small voice, as if her soul leaked out, escaped Gloria’s pink lips. She checked the date at the bottom of the paperwork with trembling eyes.

[The 18th day of the third month of the 458th Imperial Year.]

Written in black ink, the date was deeply engraved on Gloria’s mind.

She died in the Winter of the 459 Imperial Year. About a year and three months after she married Erun. She calculated the vicious date.

“The wedding was in the fifth month of 458.”

Gloria was talking to herself, but Diana, who mistook the comment for a question, nodded and answered.

“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s why everyone is happy.”

“…What?”

Gloria’s face turned white at Diana’s answer. A glorious day was coming, Diana couldn’t understand why the Emperor had such a stricken look on her face.

As if she didn’t know anything, Gloria asked Princess Diana Ludenberg in a trembling voice,

“Who is my marriage partner?”

Diana’s face gradually stiffened at her question. Of course it was an issue since she was about to marry without a single scandal, but suddenly she was asking who her fiancé was.

Even Gloria knew it was a stupid question. But she desperately wanted to deny the reality. She wanted to deny it again and again. Since she returned to the past, she prayed that her spouse would be different.

‘Such a pitiful person.’

The Late Emperor was suddenly murdered, and the Seat of Glory was handed to the only one in line to the throne, Gloria Blake.

*Seat of glory refers to the throne.

‘You’ll be fine now.’

Diana slowly pulled Gloria’s hands together.

She was the one who would become the most beautiful and noble bride in the world in a few months. Diana desperately swallowed her tears, fearing that if she showed tears like this prior to a happy event, it might leave a scar in Gloria’s future.

Princess Ludenberg, who was fated to disappear along with her family a few years later at the hands of Marquis Erun Lebossi, replied with a broad smile.

“The Imperial Knight, Marquis Erun Lebossi.”

She answered delightedly.

But with that answer, Gloria’s fragile world collapsed.

* * *

“Your Majesty, where are you going? Your Majesty!”

Diana called Gloria, but she didn’t stop running. Whether her hair ornaments fell off or not, the courtiers hurriedly followed her, surprised by her sudden sprint.

“Your Majesty! Please, calm yourself, Your Majesty!”

“It’s dangerous, Your Majesty! Please stop!”

“Don’t follow me!”

She could hear the urgent calls of the courtiers, but Gloria shut her eyes tightly and shook them off.

Not only the courtiers but also the knights stationed around were startled by the Emperor’s behavior.

“Uuuff. Uuuuff”

Gloria shook everyone off and ran out the first open visible door, breathing heavily.

It wasn’t the same breath that she exhaled while fighting for her life after consuming poison. Her heart pounded rapidly and her body stung, but it was clearly the heavy breathing of a living person.

“Haha… ha!”

‘I’m still alive. I’m breathing out!’

“Am I going to marry Erun Lebossi again?”

Gloria stared at the sky resentfully.

But on second thought.

“Is this an opportunity?”

Gloria clenched her fists tightly, and her blue eyes lit up. At the same time, her normally kind face began to fill with vengeance and rage.

Why, of all possible times, why had she returned to this time, just a few months from the wedding?

“Either way, it’s fine.”

Gloria muttered as she looked up at the sky, which was getting darker. The weather had been sunny a while ago, but clouds were starting to gather. It looked like it might just rain.

Tuk. Tuk Tuk.

As expected, cold raindrops began to fall from the dark gray sky. Tuk. The small drops rapidly turned into heavy rain and struck Gloria’s delicate body like daggers.

Shwaaaaaah.

Gloria began walking slowly, wiping her face with her hand as the sound of the ferocious rain surrounded her.

Warm tears poured out in her delight at feeling the rain hit her shoulders.

“Alive.”

The word escaped from her rain-chilled lips.

Diana’s life was ended by that devil’s cruel schemes.

“Alive!”

The stupid self who trusted her husband.

“I’m alive!”

From now on, she would turn the lives of those who betrayed her into a living hell.

Gloria closed her eyes tightly and screamed with all her might.

A Divine plot? Or a terrible dream just before falling into the afterlife?

‘It doesn’t matter anymore!’

She, who had lost everything and was betrayed by those she trusted, saw an opportunity in the future before her.

What if it was a joke from God, and what if it was a dream? She had the chance to eliminate that sly fox!

When Gloria vowed revenge taken the unexpected new opportunity.

Tap.

Gloria heard footsteps on the wet grass.

When she turned toward the sound, someone other than Erun appeared.

“What are you doing here, Your Majesty?”

Gloria bit her lower lip at the man’s frosty tone.

Black hair that embodied the night sky and contrasting pale skin.

A low-pitched voice that numbs your fingertips.

His elegant dark blue ceremonial uniform fit his well-trained body and indifferent expression perfectly, in opposition to his sharply shining purple eyes. Gloria called out his name before she realized it.

“Kaien Ludenberg.”

Unlike Erun’s bright atmosphere, this man created a somber atmosphere.

Gloria winced at the sight of Duke Kaien Ludenberg, who, like Diana and herself, had been friends with Erun for a long time before betrayal and death.

Gloria looked as if she was swallowing something bitter, but Kaien was indifferent to her and slowly bowed his head to show respect.

“I see the Glory of Erant.”

* * *

The pouring rain had softened somewhat, but the grounds were still wet. Kaien, holding an umbrella, walked beside Gloria.

Gloria clenched her fist at the man’s restrained behavior as he walked with his eyes fixed on her.

‘If it were me before…’

If it was like when they were young.

She staggered backward slightly, recoiling from the disapproval emanating from him.

Even though she had been with him as long as with Diana, she still felt that if she got too close to him, she would be caught and bitten on the neck.

The Duke of Ludenberg, always frowning every time she looked at him, stopped in front of her.

That distinctive scent that belonged only to him— As she neared him, an unfamiliar sensation washed over her.

Gloria stared at Kaien, so close she could feel his breath.

Kaien’s purple eyes filled with interest when he noticed that Gloria, unlike her usual terrified behavior, looked him directly in the eye even as he moved closer.

Even if she was a friend of his only sister, Kaien thought the worst of Gloria.

There was also the big issue that she hadn’t been recognized as Crown Princess and had not received appropriate successor education

‘A cowardly woman who is more emotional than rational and is always scurrying to hide.’

Kaien didn’t like Gloria because she had that fatal flaw as Emperor

Gloria burst into laughter at Kaien’s outright frown.

“…”

He frowned more deeply at her sneering laugh. Gloria covered her mouth with her hand to mask her smile and opened her mouth.

“Right. You were there.”

“Do you have any command, Your Majesty?”

She was the Emperor, and yet she was a woman who couldn’t say a word to him. Kaien’s eyes became sharp as such a woman boldly approached him today.

Gloria looked at him without answering, lost in her thoughts.

‘If it’s really the third month of 458 then… The wedding is around the corner.’

Diana was alive, and she was not yet married. The Late Emperor must have been murdered by that damned Erun, and now it was time for him to get rid of Duke Ludenberg and herself, the remaining obstacles in his rise to the throne.

Thinking so much, Gloria smiled and wrapped her hand around Kaien’s, which gripped the umbrella handle. Her wet fingertips, soft but chilled, reached Kaien, and he fixed a fierce gaze on her.

Kaien’s gaze, known to cause ruthless mercenaries to flee, did not frighten Gloria. She looked directly into his eyes and spoke.

“I, Your Emperor, command you.”

“…”

Kaien was startled. Gloria’s words showed a determination to crush everything under her feet instead of the light-hearted young lady she presented.

Although it lasted for just a second.

He frowned, upset that Gloria, who lacked Imperial qualities, was giving him orders out of the blue.

But he could not refuse her command.

Regardless of her lack of qualification, Gloria was the Empire’s one and only Emperor. Since he was a mere vassal, Kaien bowed his head to hide his displeasure.

Tuk.

“What are you doing?”

He waited for an order. However, rather than the Glorious Emperor’s command, a hand grabbed the tie hanging from his neck.

Whatever her intention, he glared at her ferociously like a beast on a leash.

Gloria flinched and the strength used to pull the tie faltered.

As Kaien tried to stand upright and opened his mouth to say something about Gloria’s ridiculous behavior,

Tok.

He had to crouch again since Gloria not only did not release the tie but pulled it more vigorously.

Their faces were so close they could feel each other’s breath.

Before Kaien snapped at his Emperor’s rudeness, Gloria spoke to him more firmly and clearly than ever before.

“Be my Empress, Duke.”

“What?”

Thunder echoed in the sky.

Did the sound mirror his feelings?

At the unexpected proposal, Kaien looked at Gloria with an idiotic expression for the first time in his life.

Be my Empress, Duke.

He could only look blankly at her. What was she talking about?

He looked at her, his expression clearly asking “did you finally go insane?” Gloria, undaunted by his bloody eyes, repeated her proposition.

“Literally. I need you to be my Wife.”

“You’re cra– hunh. It’s not ‘wife’ but Gukseo, Your Majesty.”

“Whatever.”

He almost blurted out the most pressing question, “Are you insane, Your Majesty?” But he managed to swallow the words.

As a man who had experienced many tough paths, Kaien recovered his equilibrium quickly. Although he prepared to be polite, his cold face showed stony refusal.

Gloria smiled confidently once more, and Kaien frowned even more at that sight.

Did she lose her mind for a moment?

The marriage of Erant’s Emperor is just a few months away, and the only Imperial Princess was hastily installed on the throne upon the late Emperor’s sudden death. It was apparent she had gone crazy from grief and responsibility.

‘Otherwise, there is no way she would behave like this.’

The noble Empress, who had always been doll-like, was soaked with rain and looked a mess.

Her hair was soaking wet and clung to her body, and where did she throw her shoes? She was barefoot, and the hem of her dress was covered with muddy water.

Kaien glowered at Gloria’s undignified appearance, but nonetheless, he removed his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders, sighing heavily.

Gloria’s expression softened, encased as she was in his scent and warmth.

‘Nice scent.’

It was nice to know that the familiar scent from her childhood was still the same. She picked up the sleeve and sniffed absently. At that, Kaien scowled.

A frustrating Emperor who couldn’t even express her thoughts properly. Kaien finally voiced the objection ringing in his head.

“It is not right for someone who is getting married soon to speak like that.”

“That’s right. I was supposed to marry Erun Lebossi soon.”

Kaien was disconcerted at the contempt falling from Gloria’s pretty lips.

He didn’t know the Emperor could make that kind of face. More questions arose inside him.

‘How could the woman who used to run away frightened just by looking at him be the same as the one showing such endless resentment and hatred now?’

Gloria again proposed to Kaien, who was standing still.

“Let me correct myself. Please be my Husband, Duke.”

‘Should I be grateful for changing from Empress to husband?’

“Why are you doing this so suddenly?”

Perhaps he was weary of Gloria’s persistence and determination, however, Kaien answered with the habitual frown on his face.

Satisfied with Kaien’s feral scowl, Gloria smiled.

‘It’s quite refreshing to see you troubled.’

This powerful man, second in authority under the Emperor and head of the Empire-founding Ludenberg Duchy, had a bad temper. He was the sort of man who would thoroughly trample and destroy anyone who committed even the smallest offense against the Duke’s family, and on the other hand, he was the same man who deliberately evaded her daily, even leaving his position to do so.

‘Even then, you avoided me.’

After marrying Erun. It was as if the Duke was waiting to be displaced from his position in the Imperial Palace rather than addressing the situation directly.

As she contemplated the Ludenberg family, she no longer feared Kaien.

Note: Yes, she asked him to be her wife lmao. “Gukseo” is the title granted to the Empress or Queen’s husband who doesn’t have the title nor the rights of a King or Emperor.