Saving The Abandoned Empress

128 “Indifference”

Dalton Residence~

Eleanora happily smiled as she kept eating her strawberry cake, but in her heart, she wasn’t happy at all...

‘I was trapped by father as soon as the young master of Bomir left!’

5 minutes earlier~

“D-Daddy? Why are you here...?”

Eleanora was stunned to find Alexander, who was standing behind her with a serious expression as soon as she turned around.

“Perfect weather to eat cakes in the garden, let’s go.”

“…”

Eleanora, who was stunned by Edmund’s abrupt leaving could somehow guess that her father was behind it.

.....

Who looked normal but she could still feel a little chill coming out from him.

“Okay, let’s eat!!!”

Back to the present~

‘Perfect weather my ass... With his chilly aura, one would think we are in north!! am feeling like i could get frozen because of his chill!!’

Eleanora felt frustrated but she couldn’t complain either.

“Have you found a partner?”

Alexander spoke but his words made Eleanora flinch.

She has just said that she has gotten so many requests that it was hard to choose but here, she was rejected by the first one!

‘If i told him i got rejected... Wouldn’t it just prove that am a homebody for sure? what if he brings a marriage candidate for me this time?’

It was not that Eleanora didn’t trusted her father but as she didn’t knew that her father also came back in time like her, she thought her father just wants to find a suitable candidate to replace the emperor.

She never tended to find out why her father disapproved of the emperor in this life but that doesn’t mean he won’t find anyone else for her.

This is what Eleanora thought, who didn’t knew that her father only agreed to her marriage with the emperor in the past to fulfill her wish.

Because his daughter wanted that.

Eleanora laughed as she faked innocence about the matter to fool her father, who already ‘handled’ everything.

“I haven’t decided on one yet, daddy.”

“I see... But you must inform me immediately if you don’t find one.”

“…”

‘...What do you mean by that, Daddy?’

‘What do you plan on doing if i tell you?...’

Eleanora was thinking about the numerous possibilities of what her father might be thinking, leaving the actual thoughts of his.

‘Don’t tell me...he will select someone personally for me if i fail to get one...’

Eleanora clenched the hem of her dress as she thought that was most likely the possible meaning of her father’s words.

‘No...i don’t want to get married...what should i do?’

Right at that moment, Alexander’s cold voice broke the silence again.

“I will go out for some moment.”

“Why so suddenly?”

“There is a issue.”

“Issue?”

Eleanora asked as she knew there wasn’t even much works in the imperial palace or knights now as everyone is taking a break after returning from the war.

The border is also peaceful and because of the harsh war with the Republic Kingdom, no other kingdom dared to create trouble.

So what was so important?

Alexander had paused for some moment and he stuffed a spoon of cake into Eleanora’s mouth before speaking.

“...To give someone a warning.”

“…”

‘I don’t know who they are, but i pray for them.’

“I understand, please come home safely.”

“Wait for me, we will have dinner together.”

“...”

‘What has gotten into you today, Daddy????’

In the market~

Eleanora was wondering on the road while using a cloak to disguise herself.

Maria and a head knight of the Dalton Duchy, Tylor was following her as she shoped.

She was happily choosing some accessories for her when her eyes suddenly fall on a blonde man with silver eyes.

‘Ain?!’

Eleanora’s blue eyes widened in surprise but soon it become cold as she noticed someone else beside him.

‘Jennifer...’

Her eyes fall on Jennifer’s hands which was holding his upper arm and unconsciously a sneer came out from her mouth.

‘Indeed a match made in heaven. A liar and a schemer looks good together.’

“MY LADY!! YOUR HANDS ARE BLEEDING!!”

Maria yelled as she saw the glass doll that Eleanora was holding was shattered into pieces as she hold them to tightly, crushing it on her hands.

The stinging pain she felt from her hands made Eleanora feel like alive again, remembering her every single hatred she had burried in her heart.

Maria was panicking but Eleanora didn’t seem to hear her.

The ruckus and a piercing gaze on him made Cathain felt a little uncomfortable.

But he froze as soon as he saw Eleanora, who was staring at him with a injured hands.

Eleanora’s eyes once again filled up with disgust and hatred towards them.

Which made Cathain’s heart stop a beat and fearful as he realized her indifference gaze once again.

Both of them kept staring at each other but then Eleanora turned her gaze, which was full of mockery and left.

“EMPRESS!”

Cathain was about to chase after Eleanora but suddenly a hand stopped him.

“If you go now, the whole plan will be messed up!”

Jennifer spoke in a low voice so that no one else except him could hear.

Duke Raven is keeping an eye on them and if Cathain suddenly disappears like this, the duke would be suspicious for sure.

Jennifer was sent to the palace to have some tea with the emperor but she knew what exactly the plan was.

Now that he couldn’t use Jennifer to control Cathain, he must have found some other ways.

This is why she planned to show her father that she is still a little useful, which will prevent the duke from planning something that she doesn’t knows.

So, he couldn’t leave now.

Cathain clenched his fist as he saw her retracting figure, bloods was still dropping from her hands.

‘Ele...’

Seeing them like this, jennifer felt a little hurt.

In the past, it was always Eleanora who used to look at his back view till she could no longer see it.

But now, it’s Cathain who can just only look but can’t approach.

Their roles have reversed.

.....

‘Just a little more... I will return everything that i snatched from you.’

Where, The fear Eleanora felt a few days ago was now replaced with indifference again as she recalled again how pathetic she was in her past life.

Yearning for her father’s love and obsession with a man who didn’t cared about her.

She had everything yet her heart was always empty.

How she kept on holding onto him when it was obvious that he didn’t wanted to stay with her.

He was the oxygen she needed, but yet she couldn’t breathe.

She kept running in circle and circle, chasing after the love that couldn’t be hers.

Which wasn’t hers.

She kept on waiting for him to come and take her hands, show her how it feels like to be loved.

Be the midnight sun of her dark winter nights.

‘But i was such a fool to believe that...’

Because he never came...

She kept on dying because of his indifference and breathing again when he just show a little concern.

She kept on crying silently because of seeing her beloved with another woman, who was supposed to be hers.

But healing again when he would be possessive over her, making her feel special to him.

Eleanora, who always felt overly unsecured liked his possessiveness over her.

That was the only reason why she was always so submissive to him, obsessed with him.

He was everything that she ever wanted, but everything was a lie.

Every warmth he gave her was a lie, it was just a way of him to keep her on a leash.

How easy it was for him to using her own sword to execute her.

The proud and satisfying look on Jennifer, when she was executed.

Now, he wanted to crush her again with the name of affection and love in this life.

‘I am such a fool to feel sympathetic to the current him, but both are him afterall. A devil would never bargain but lure his prey to the trap...’

‘He changed because i changed, he changed because he couldn’t concur me in this life.’

After walking for a long time, Eleanora realised that she had left behind Maria and the knight.

She sighed as she looked at her bleeding hands but she no longer felt pain.

Somehow it bothered Eleanora.

Her heart was hurting so much, she was feeling frustrated.

With her cold eyes gazing at her wounded hands, Eleanora slowly moved her slender fingers and clenched her fist.

The glass piece on her hand pierced into her palm more deeper, but her eyes was still indifferent.

She wasn’t even flinching as bloods started to come out from her hands again.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!”

Suddenly a voice rang as a big hand hold her wrist strongly, making her loosen up her fist and stare at the tall man infront of her surprisingly.

‘Why is he here?’