My Wife the Empress is Becoming Frightening

27. Living in pitch black

Episode 27

Haria looked in the mirror. Standing there was not the usual Haria dressed as a court maid, but a beautiful young lady who could only be thought of as a noble lady.

“good.”

Haria, who had decorated herself to the fullest using the money she robbed from Fabian Jericho in the name of necessary activities, smiled with satisfaction.

There were some difficulties in wearing it because it was a life without accessories, let alone dresses, but with the help of Isadora Jericho, the current Duchess, she was able to dress it up perfectly.

“It’s really a precious wife and daughter to the duke.”

Isadora Jericho married Fabian according to a political ploy that was understandably common in aristocratic society. In other words, she is also originally from a fairly high-ranking family.

Nevertheless, unlike other aristocratic women, Isadora was a woman with a very weak temper.

I hadn’t talked too deeply about it, but it was easy to see that she was an introvert and was not good at expressing emotions.

But is it because of that? As with Bianca, Haria liked the quiet woman in her own way.

“It was because I was clumsy with expressions, but it wasn’t because I lacked determination. To be honest, I envy her for having a softness that I don’t have.”

I don’t know if this is the right expression, but I have to say that I was born with motherhood. Haria’s assessment of Isadora was that she was a woman who made her feel nostalgic and warm.

“Well, the duke doesn’t seem to be very interested in his wife either.”

Haria shook her head, feeling exactly the same pity she had when she saw Bianca. The duke’s family situation was not something he had to worry about.

His opponent is that empress. It was hard enough with my own problems, but I couldn’t afford to worry about others.

“At this rate, the captain will have no choice but to see me again.”

Haria took a deep breath after reconfirming the outfit she had checked over and over again. Today is the day of a dinner party hosted by Guard Harris Imperial Army Marshal.

He came to attend as if he had been invited by the duke’s daughter, whom he had recently become close with. Of course, I would tell Isaac that I approached him to investigate and monitor the ducal family.

Did you expect that you would have finished your preparations by this point? Someone knocked on the door and came inside.

“Haria. The preparations are over… … Wow.”

When Bianca opened the door and saw Haria’s changed appearance, she exclaimed involuntarily. It means that the gap from usual was huge.

Thinking it wasn’t too bad, Haria bowed gracefully at Bianca and said,

“yes. Sorry to keep you waiting, Bianca.”

“huh?… … oh no it’s okay Then let’s go.”

Bianca, who came to her senses and felt ashamed of her foolish surprise, turned around in a swish.

Suppressing the urge to stroke the head of the little girl who was speeding ahead, Haria and Bianca went down to the main gate of the mansion, when the Duke and Isadora came out first and saw them waiting.

“You are late.”

“sorry. It took a while because it was an outfit I wasn’t used to.”

Contrary to what he said, the duke, who had rolled his eyes at Haria, who did not show any remorse for his reprimand, instead of continuing his questioning, got on the carriage first.

He seemed to realize that it was pointless to say more.

Isadora, who looked at the duke with anxious eyes, whispered to Haria before going to the carriage.

“It suits you very well, Haria.”

“Thank you, madam. Still, your wife is much more beautiful than me.”

“oh.”

It wasn’t just to flatter. Haria thought Isadora was really beautiful, like a pitiful flower that was about to be cut at any moment.

After giving a sincere apology to the shy Isadora for keeping her waiting, Haria got into the carriage as well.

It wasn’t that they rode in the same carriage as the duchess. Haria rides another wagon set aside behind their wagon.

It wasn’t a relationship where we sat face-to-face and smiled at each other, so it was comfortable for Haria to be on this side.

Above all, I would have died of suffocation if I had been facing the duke, who doubted that his expression muscles had been lost, and Isadora, who was sitting beside him, not knowing what to do.

“Why doesn’t Bianca go with her parents?”

“… … Riding in the wagon with my father makes it stuffy and hard to breathe.”

It was Bianca who forgot about acting and inadvertently brought out her true feelings.

“By the way, isn’t Isaac coming with His Majesty at the dinner party?”

“Impossible.”

“why?”

The carriage has just started. It will take some time until we reach Guard Harris’ mansion. If that’s the case, it’s okay to pass the time with a decent chat.

To relieve tension, Haria opened her mouth.

—

“damn. “I’m nervous about this.”

Since I was attending a dinner party, the clothes I wore to be polite felt very stuffy. I wanted to untie the nape of my neck right away, but I couldn’t.

On my way to Guard Harris’ mansion in one of the emperor’s carriages Marianne gave me, I opened the curtains on the window to see if the stuffiness would be relieved by looking outside.

“Not very helpful.”

I closed the curtain again and sighed. Regret came over me, wondering if I had just rushed to attend.

Strictly speaking, the dinner party itself was not awkward.

I have spent more time on the battlefield than in the palace, but I am still a prince of a country.

Whenever he returned to the royal capital from the battlefield, he attended various events according to his duties as a member of the royal family. In particular, in the case of the once-a-year festival, I had to come forward unconditionally to show the royal family’s health.

“But I don’t know anything about politics.”

Every time a festival or event was held in Meyer Kingdom, all I did was simple things like telling the stories of the different races on the battlefield.

Like all places where people live, Meyer Kingdom also has a complicated political situation in which various interests are intertwined.

But all of that was taken on by the second, future kingpin, or the third, who was seriously infirm by nature, but did not neglect his efforts to be of help to his brothers.

That meant I knew nothing about politics myself.

“I was relieved to think that Guard Harris is a person who draws a line from imperial politics… … .”

It was certainly true that the Imperial Army Marshal did not intervene in Imperial politics. The problem was that his friends weren’t like that.

Since the host of the dinner party was not ordinary, the faces of the attendees were also unusual.

No matter how much Guard Harris has no political intentions, as long as those who control the empire gather, their words and actions cannot help but be based on political calculations.

I was able to realize it only after listening to Marianne belatedly, so I wondered if it would be okay if I went with my wife, the emperor.

It was originally a shallow hope, but her words shattered it to the extent that it could no longer be called hope.

“The moment the emperor himself moves, the balance that was precariously maintained between the empire’s power classes will be shaken drastically, Rani.”

If Marianne had ascended the throne normally, she would not have had to worry about this.

However, she rebelled and usurped the throne. Due to the tyranny of the previous emperor and the justification that she was also a member of the royal family, the cause was not lacking.

However, Marianne alone could not make the rebellion successful, and in order to turn the powerful at the time to her side, she had to promise not only a great cause but also practical benefits.

If the rebellion had succeeded and the promise had not been kept, Marianne would have suffered the same fate as the previous emperor.

Because of this, Marianne kept her promise. fair to all. It was well balanced to the point of being a little overdone.

“What can I do?”

It’s not like the tension is gone. I feel like vomiting right now when I think of the impact that a single word I casually threw could have on the empire and my wife.

It was the first time I was so nervous since I was still immature and young, when I was defeated by the Queen of the Elves, captured, dragged, attacked, and lost my virginity.

But now I am the emperor’s husband. From the moment it was decided to do so, the Empire became my second home.

It is an obligation to do everything in our power to help Marianne lead this country properly and peacefully.

Even I myself wish for it.

“Then let’s go.”

If you don’t want to do anything, you can pretend you don’t know anything and just eat and leave.

After arriving at Guard Harris’ mansion, it took less than an hour before I got off the carriage and realized how complacent I was with that idea.

—

Arriving at Guard Harris’ mansion where the dinner party was held, Haria looked for Isaac, ignoring all those who flirted with her.

After finding Isaac, I circled around from a distance and kept an eye on the situation.

As soon as he entered the banquet hall of the mansion, not only Guard Harris, but also the nobles and high-ranking officials of the empire rushed to him.

Haria thought that the scene was like a group of hungry demon beasts finding an appetizing piece of meat.

She knew that Isaac, despite what he said, was quite smart. If you observe from a third party perspective, you will be able to demonstrate your own insight even in political situations.

‘But then again, does it not suit my natural constitution?’

I couldn’t help but feel painful just listening to the stories of politicians who were different from each other even if they said a word to Isaac, who shows candidness in almost everything.

As a result, Isaac, feeling half-running, was separated from the crowd that was charging at him, and was sitting on a chair at a table in a corner, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He may be saying that he hides on his own, but at a banquet hall as bright and open as broad daylight with a lighting magic tool, if that’s a person like Isaac, you can’t hide even if you try to hide.

Haria, who confirmed that the others were only measuring the timing to speak again, thought that now is the right time to step out.

“Captain?”

“Ah, Haria.”

Feigning the feeling of discovering it by chance, I spoke to him, and Isaac, who had turned to white ashes, returned his gaze to him with a faint smile.

Haria almost forgot about acting, but fortunately, Isaac spoke first.

“I saw you coming with the Duke Jericho’s family earlier. There is always a lot of trouble.”

I also thought it was for research. It was clear that he was happy to think as he guided him. But what made her even happier was that he acknowledged her efforts.

Even if that effort was different from reality, Haria couldn’t suppress the excitement that came over her.

‘Dangerous. no. If I give in to the impulse and act differently from the plan, I will make the captain difficult.’

For what purpose did he deliberately go through cumbersome and cumbersome processes to create this place?

Wasn’t it because of the fact that Isaac wouldn’t accept him from the front, and because he didn’t want to embarrass him by doing whatever he wanted.

I knew it. I knew it, but I couldn’t think of anything to say or do that I had thoroughly prepared. The only thing that fills her mind now is the desire for her captain.

Isaac, who was probably not even thinking about such a fact, blurted out the words he had forgotten.

“Oh, and I wanted to tell you from the moment I first found it, the dress and accessories match well, Haria. For a moment, I didn’t even know who it was.”

It was so thorough that I thought it was too much. He didn’t tell me that I was beautiful or pretty like before.

However, those words, which were light compliments that could be given out of courtesy to an acquaintance, were accepted as an irresistible temptation to Haria now.

‘It’s not my fault. So what happens from now on is not my fault.’

Finally consumed by desire, she took a step forward to surrender to the urge.

No, I was going to. Even in the midst of violently fluctuating emotions, if it were not for the blackness of life to harden the whole body.

“uh?”

“… … Nonsense.”

Isaac, who felt something, and Haria, who muttered involuntarily, both looked at the same place at the same time.

It’s not just the two of them. Everyone in the dinner hall was looking in one direction at about the same moment.

The door to the banquet hall, which had been closed after all the attendees had arrived, was thrown wide open at once by the urgent hands of the mansion attendants.

The door opens and a woman enters. There was a person who proudly entered wearing a black dress that resembled the killing spree she had just fired.

Only one person was able to speak the proper language after seeing that figure.

“Marianne?”

Isaac, consort of the Empress.

There was only