[DISCONTINUED] I was reincarnated in The Abandoned Empress as a minor character

.20. Audience 5

E S T E L L E

The silent room was embraced with Aristia's voice in attempt to answer the emperor

"I don't know what you mean."

"You are smart enough to foresee a massive famine that no one expected and propose an excellent tax proposal. Then, are you going to insist you still don't know that your middle name that you received from God actually means the succession right of the throne?"

his dark look was then averted to me who had suddenly kept quite

"Your Majesty!"

"Do not interrupt me. I asked her" the emperor, with his eyes fixed on me, spoke coldly.

he wasn't looking at me as a reflex, he was expecting to hear something from me, should i answer him? or should i feign innocence?

"Lady Castillo you remarkably foreseen and solved a major civil war with brilliance, are you also going to feign ignorance" oh well.

"but your majesty this was a test was it not? lady monique had probably caught that on spot and preferred to feign ignorance but I think she couldn't pretend not to know for her own safety even if she can prevent the people from being impoverished."

the emperor smiled at my response knowing I was right

"... Yes, that's right."

"then that proves that Lady Monique as well as i are not cut out to be emperor am i right?" 

"...correct, the emperor must lead all the people in this empire. Of course, the absence or change of the emperor does not make the empire disappear, but the empire will be very confused unless there is a normal succession change. If that happens, it's the people who will end up suffering the most. Therefore, the emperor needs to take care of himself more. my, my, lady Castillo impresses me once again"

The emperor smiled altogether taking a cup of tea, composing himself, ready to ask another question to me, oblivious to the Lady, he paid such attention to in the first place.

"then what do you presume i would have done in your position" he asked urging me to continue, but i already knew the answer, and better to speak than keep mute.

"As you know, it takes a long time to implement a policy. If I were you, I would pretend I didn't know, but I would have informed the duke behind my back that there was a sign of famine...

There are lots of ways to do so."

the emperor laughed again, rather warmly this time as though he was enjoying.

"Yet again I'm impressed! i feel like we can connect Lady Castillo" 

And we did in the past. remember?

"I'm flattered your majesty"

"Therefore that proves you are not cut out to be emperor but an ideal empress. your warm consideration for people as well as smart brains are the perfect qualifications don't you think? but that might be quite regrettable,"

"Why?" Veritas cut in carefully.

"You know already. I've done a bad job raising my son."

"What are you talking about, Your Majesty?"

"Well, my son thinks he should be the best in every field as he was elevated as the only successor to my throne. Just because he is in the top position, it doesn't mean he has to be the best in every field. But he doesn't know that. How stupid! If he meets this lady here, how will he react?" He said with a deep sigh.

He continued, "She was raised as his partner, and was given a name by God on an equal footing to lady Castillo, Besides, they are smart and intelligent. If they are admired so much, how will my arrogant son react? I'm just worried."

"Oh my... "

"i am even more troubled that there has been another prophecy yet again, and since the lady Castillo has been gifted a name i can't simply ignore her."

the emperor smiled looking at my face "but i don't despise the idea of lady Estelle receiving right to the throne as Empress,"

"Your majesty!" my father who had kept a neutral expression made an outburst, the Emperor ignoring him,

He continued "I can't send you to another country. It makes me worried to promote you as the empress as scheduled, and I can't marry you off to a noble family..."

"so tell me what do you think?" 

out of the two of us lady Aristia was first to respond, i already know what she's going to say 

"Your Majesty... I don't want to be the crown prince's concubine."

"Did you notice that?"

"As I have the succession right, you can't send me off to another noble family. As I have received my middle name from God, I can't give it up. You said that you were worried if I could be the next empress. If that's the case, you want to have your son take me as his concubine, right?" Aristia making her statement clear,

"Yes, that's right."

"Please forgive my disloyal remarks. But I have to tell you this. I don't want to be entangled with the crown prince in any way." Aristia was now bowing showing her sincere apologies to the Emperor who admired her, 

But as i looked at the Emperor's reaction he didn't seem disappointed rather his expression was static as though any other different perceptive would've made him more wary.

"Then how about you lady Castillo" the emperor seemed to be eager about my answer than Aristia's, his straight mouth was curved into a grin, Did he think i  would accept his proposal?

How pathetic, who in her right mind-

"do not be rush take your time," he was quite confident as he said those words, but i couldn't care less.

"I don't wish to be concubine as well"

-would return to that man?! 

I won't get caught in this game of fate Vita!

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P L E A S E  L E A V E  A  C O M M E N T .