I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

The night continued.

Children’s laughter rang in the marquis’ house.

“Edmund, go to bed.”

Having dismissed the maids, Lizena told Edmund about this.

He put his toys aside and climbed into bed.

He pulled the covers up to his chin and looked at Lizena.

It was Edmund’s favorite time of day — when Lizena read him bedtime stories.

Seeing her son’s enthusiasm, Lizena smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Eddie, you had a lesson in etiquette today, right?”

Edmund rolled his eyes.

“You have a lot to learn, all for the sake of your future.”

“…Okay, Mom,” Edmund said.

Lizena smiled and gently stroked Edmund’s black hair.

“Today, please read me the story of the Demon King and Warrior.”

“And that was the end of it. The demon king fell by the sword…”

After reading the last verse, Lizena quietly closed the book.

Looking up, she saw that Edmund was already asleep.

The child’s face strongly resembled her own.

Although the child’s eyes and hair were pitch black, everything else about him was more like Lizena.

“Lucky you are like me.”

Lizena no longer had that smile on her face.

Her eyes grew cold, as if she remembered someone.

Sighing, she calmed her emotions.

Lizena stroked the sleeping Edmund’s head and leaned over to him.

“You are my child. I will definitely make you Emperor.”

As if it was a spell she had learned by heart.

She looked at his face for a long time, kissed him on the cheek and left the room.

“…What are you doing here?”

Leaving Edmund’s room, Lizena met her brother at the door.

Leon Nasios.

He was her younger brother, and her burden, because he was completely different in character.

Her younger brother was freedom-loving and didn’t want to be bound by his status. He announced that he was giving up his place of successor, and went to travel the world.

Lizena didn’t like her younger brother.

Leon shrugged his shoulders and answered easily:

“What am I doing? I stopped by to look at my nephew. But he seems to have already fallen asleep.”

“Who would have known you were so worried about Eddie. If you were really interested, you would come to his birthday.”

“How was I supposed to get there, in your opinion? I, who doesn’t even know how to behave at a party. I would only tarnish the name of Nasios. After all, I have been assigned such a role – to be the shadow of my elegant and noble sister.”

Lizena narrowed her eyes after such dastardly sarcasm.

“Leave. Eddie is already asleep.”

Lizena no longer wanted to swear, so she tried to walk past him.

If not for the following words of Leon.

“By the way, sis, I wanted to ask you.”

And Leon continued seriously:

“Is Edmund really His Majesty’s?”

“…What?”

“Although I am poorly versed in family matters… In my memory, my sister had a man 7 ago… Ah!”

Leon was unable to finish his speech. Because Lizena grabbed him.

Lizena looked at Leon with her green eyes and said:

“Watch your tongue. How dare you insult me ​​right now?”

Lizena spoke with gritted teeth.

“I made sacrifices for my family while you were struggling to be free. If you try to insult me ​​and Edmund again, you will not blow your head, even if you are my family.”

“…I just don’t want my sister to do something irreparable. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.”

“Then shut up. Everything will be smooth if you shut up.”

Lizena left Leon with a last look of disdain.

* * *

These two days passed very quickly.

I didn’t get to spend time with my dad. The day has come to leave.

“Milady, do you really want to take just this with you?”

Helen, who was carrying several things in her arms, looked at me anxiously.

Clothes, my favorite books, a portrait of my parents and leather shoes.

This was the minimum when it was not a burden to drag.

“Yeah. I only take this. Be that as it may, the Lund Kingdom is different from this place, so you have to buy everything from scratch.”

“But take your jewelry or something like that with you…”

“I’ve already taken care of that.”

I showed Helen a small bag.

“That’s all?”

“Ha. That’s all. This will be enough to buy a small house.”

“House… And you are not going to live there as an aristocrat?”

“Oh, that’s it…”

It was only then that I realized why Helen was so surprised. It was absolutely impossible to live as an aristocrat with such little money.

You will need to buy a large mansion and find servants to work with.

But I wanted to sit there quieter than water below the grass.

To lead the life of a noble lady there, with her revelry and receptions, I will certainly have to receive money from my father.

Then, if Raymond wants to, it will be easier to track me.

And even if not, there is no guarantee that there will be no problems in the Lund Kingdom from the local elite. Therefore, I would have to refrain from a beautiful life.

At least for the sake of my child.

“Helen.”

“Yes Milady.”

“I will live there quietly, like a commoner. You know I’m not going there on a cruise. I must give birth and raise a child, and just in case I must not attract attention.”

“It suits me, but I’m afraid the lady will be hard.”

“Don’t worry about me. I can do everything for my child.”

I was the only caregiver for the child.

So, I was not allowed to have a weak heart. I could do anything for my child.

“I will also try on my part.”

“And I’m grateful to you, Helen.”

“It’s time to go, milady.”

When I heard the servant’s voice, I put on my cloak and left the room with Helen.

My father was waiting for me to go down to the lobby.

“Father.”

My father’s face showed his concern. After all, he is sending his pregnant daughter to a foreign country.

I smiled to ease his worries.

“Don’t worry, I’ll live well. I will write letters.”

“Good. And always wait for help if something happens.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

My father’s voice trembled. When I saw that his eyes were turning red, mine, too, began to water.

My mother died early, and then I was far from my father.

I became an Empress and lived in the imperial palace. But if I wanted to see him, I could go anytime.

Now I didn’t know when we would meet again. When I have a child, it won’t be easy to return to the Empire.

“Father, I love you very much.”

“Me too. You must watch your health.”

My father slowly lowered his hand.

“Time to go.”

“Yes.”

“Bless you, lady.”

“Take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Helen, butler.”

I smiled at the butler and got into the carriage with Helen.

* * *

“Wow, how delicious!”

When Edmund laughed brightly as he covered himself with chocolate chip cookies, Lizena smiled.

“Even if it tastes good, you shouldn’t eat too much. Understood?”

“Yes, yes! But don’t Mom and His Majesty eat cookies?”

Edmund’s gaze turned to Raymond.

“Your Majesty?”

However, deep in thought, Raymond couldn’t hear the voice calling out to him.

Left unanswered, Edmund looked at Raymond’s stubborn face and saw depression in Lizena’s gaze.

Lizena stroked Edmund’s head, as if everything was in order, and said:

“Sire.”

Lizena’s voice was quite loud, and Raymond’s hazy black eyes returned to reality.