NOVEL NEXT Episode 3
Episode 3
“Yeah. It was a mistake.”
“Originally, we shouldn’t even be facing each other like this.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s not uncommon for there to be escapades at night dances.”
“I know.”
“So let’s just pretend we don’t know each other.”
“What?”
Suddenly, the man’s face stiffened coldly. Verona shrank back at the sudden change in attitude.
‘What’s with the sudden change of heart?’
His green eyes glaring at her seemed angry.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“What else can I say, then, and why do you keep talking informally with me? If you don’t know, you said you know who I am now.”
Even if he was a high-ranking noble of the empire, it was outrageous for him to condescend to a princess so frequently.
That day, she had concealed her identity, so she let it slide. But now, shouldn’t both sides show respect?
“Why do I have to be a formally to the princess?”
“I said it was a mistake, so it’s only natural…”
“What I meant was letting the princess escape was my mistake.”
The man said firmly, crossing his arms.
“Originally, we shouldn’t have met in the conference room of Waterfall Castle. The princess should have come with me.”
He stood up. Even when sitting down, he was much taller than Verona’s eye level, but now that he was standing, Verona had to crane her neck to look up at him.
“In escapades at night dances, you might find a lifelong connection.”
“No, a lifelong connection, what’s that?”
“And I have no intention of letting go of the woman who took my first night.”
First, what?
Verona’s lips closed like clams.
She was bewildered.
When she thought about the libertine social circles of the empire, where freedom was limited compared to Waterfall, she never thought that a nobleman of that age group would be experiencing something like this for the first time.
She started to feel a little sorry. If she had known, she should have cleanly negotiated and left.
“Lastly.”
The man said quietly.
“Why is it uncomfortable for you when I speak informally?”
“I’m a princess.”
Verona answered simply. Even if she didn’t know anything else, this was a problem she could demand confidently.
“Even if you were the Duke of the Empire, you should rformally to me. You must know the etiquette.”
“Then it doesn’t matter.”
“What?”
“I’m the only one who can speak informlly to the princess.”
What’s that supposed to mean?
She started to feel increasingly uneasy. While her mind was racing, the man dropped a bombshell.
“According to etiquette, if you become empress later, then I’ll speak fomally.”
“What did you say?!”
Verona involuntarily let out a scream. The man, or rather, the Emperor, seemed pleased with her reaction, smiling as if satisfied.
“Carlos Gruenwaldt Clarence.”
As if pronouncing a death sentence, the Emperor uttered his full name.
“That’s my name.”
Verona finally recalled that the sub male lead’s hair color was black.
Could that man really be that crazy sub male lead? Why did the author give such a common hair color even to the sub male lead? Were only the main characters supposed to have unusual colors?
Verona felt like crying. She wondered why that man was so unreasonable, only to realize that he was the crazy Emperor himself. Her hands and feet turned cold, and her body trembled.
Verona quickly got up from her seat.
“Y-Your Majesty. I apologize for not recognizing you and being rude…”
“I told you not to get up in a hurry.”
The Emperor grabbed her arm as she tried to kneel in haste.
“It’s not good for the child.”
Wait, what child?
What unexpected words! Verona’s mouth hung open. She was utterly bewildered by the surrealness of what she heard. She felt like her legs were about to give out.
“Now, be careful. Hold on to me and get up.”
Verona followed his lead and stood up.
The Emperor carefully and tenderly helped her back into her seat. It was a touch as if handling a precious patient.
Verona had never experienced such a careful touch even when supporting her father.
The Emperor spoke kindly to her, who was too bewildered to speak properly.
“In the future, don’t strain yourself.”
“I was just trying to kneel…”
“The floor is cold. We should lay a cushion. Something very soft and gentle.”
“A cushion? Where… is it here?”
“No. In the palace where the princess stays.”
“The palace?”
Verona’s mouth gaped open. She had no idea what this man was talking about.
“Why are you saying that I’m staying in a palace?”
“Where did you hear what I said? Of course, the princess should come with me.”
“What? No, why would I go with you?”
“Obviously, to the royal palace. I’ve cleared my schedule and come in person to take the princess.”
“…”
“Did you think I would ignore a woman who has my child?”
He didn’t laugh and spoke with such a serious expression that it was clearly not a joke.
Of course, the Emperor of Clarence could not joke, but…
Really, he meant it.
The moment Verona realized this, she was engulfed in shock as if she had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.
Verona tremblingly opened her lips and managed to speak.
“So… what Your Majesty just said…”
“Carlos.”
“Ye-yes?”
Verona was in a panic, unable to properly understand what the Emperor was demanding of her. Looking down at her, the Emperor kindly repeated himself.
“Call me Carlos.”
“H-How could I dare address Your Majesty like that?”
“You don’t have to act so formal just because you’ll be the mother of my child. I have that level of tolerance.”
Watching the Emperor confidently demand to be called by his name, Verona became certain. This man believed she was pregnant!
‘How can someone educated in imperial studies lack such basic common sense…?’
Verona hastily reconsidered the dates, fearing she had miscalculated the time. But even so, it couldn’t possibly be the case.
It had been only a week since she spent that night with him.
Unless the Emperor had divine or near-divine powers, there was absolutely no way he could know if she was pregnant or not.
So what? He’s handsome, tall, and strong, so what? Just because we spent one night together, he believes a child has been conceived!
‘Didn’t the previous emperors and empresses provide proper sex education when their sons were young?’
Of course, judging from the memory of that night, she wasn’t entirely ignorant, but it could have just been instinct.
Verona swallowed hard. Anyway, she had to immediately dispel this significant misunderstanding. If not, Waterfall wouldn’t be destroyed next year but right now.
This was the same person who waged war and destroyed a kingdom just because the heroine chose another man.
What would happen if he became angry over a pregnancy that didn’t even happen? His rage might surpass that of being rejected by the heroine and cloud his judgment.
He wouldn’t just stop at subjugating Waterfall to the empire. He might turn the entire land and its people into ruins.
Just thinking about it made her dizzy. The beautiful emerald sea turned into a cesspool, soldiers’ dirty footprints marked the once-white sandy beach.
‘I absolutely cannot let it happen!’
Although she was considering fleeing to another country, she didn’t want to destroy the people and the land. So Verona quickly resolved to rectify this absurd situation.
“Your Majesty, no, Lord Carlos.”
“Yes?”
“I think there’s a misunderstanding…”
Verona felt a dizzying sensation as she wondered if she really had to say such words.
“What is it?”
“Well, you see, a child doesn’t just come into being because a man and a woman did… that thing once but…”
“But?”
His eyes, much deeper green than hers, seemed to question what the problem was. Then he answered very confidently.
“I know that having a child isn’t so easy.”
“Ah, you do? Then what did you mean by saying I was pregnant?”
“It wasn’t just once, was it?”
“Wha-a-a-at?!”
Verona’s pale face flushed red as if it would burst.
“We… It was definitely not once on that night…”
“Th-th-th-that’s enough! Stop it!”
Verona unexpectedly stood up and blocked his mouth. She couldn’t bear to hear the embarrassing words coming out of it. Despite knowing that obstructing the Emperor’s actions was disrespectful, she couldn’t bear to listen anymore.
“Verona?”
But then, an unfamiliar voice came from behind. It was the last person who should be in this place right now. Verona turned around like lightning.
“Father?”
“Why are you acting like this?”
The king stood without being supported by his bodyguards as he entered the chamber. His gaze was fixed on Verona’s hand, which was covering the Emperor’s mouth.
“Haha, it’s nothing.”
Verona forced a smile and tried to step back, but suddenly something moist and warm touched her hand.
“Eek!”
Sensitive to tickling, Verona unintentionally made a strange noise and withdrew her hand, taking a step back.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen you, Your Highness.”
The one who made Verona’s palm damp and trembling stood up casually and greeted the king.
“I’ve come as an envoy from the Clarence Empire.”
“It is a pleasure, Marquis of Elota.”
What? Elota? Whose family name is that? I’ve never heard of it before. Why did he come with that name? Seeing the Emperor shaking hands naturally with him, Verona was stunned.
‘Is he not revealing himself as the Emperor?’
It was clear that they hastily concocted the story when they noticed the lack of guards. It couldn’t be a sane Emperor.
“I asked the princess to entertain the you in my place due to my discomfort, but she haven’t even offered you tea yet. Please forgive the rudeness.”
“No, it’s not necessary. Talking with the princess was more enjoyable than tea.”
He didn’t know he could act so naturally. Verona rolled her eyes.
‘He’s really insane. He’s not an ordinary person. Acting even when talking to a king of a small country!’
However, the king seemed interested in his words and started asking questions to the Emperor.
“Oh, really? Now I’m curious about what you talked about with the princess.”
“Your Majesty what princess told me was…”
“Father!”
Verona hurriedly interrupted the Emperor’s words.