Chapter 108
Ysaris felt both comfort and unease in her quiet life. Though she was the Empress, she couldn’t shake the nagging guilt of idling her days away, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise.
And so came the third luncheon.
At the appointed time, Ysaris and Mikael left the Empress’ quarters and headed to the Imperial Dining Hall of the Emperor’s palace. Following a maid whose movements were as silent as a shadow, they entered to find Kazhan waiting for them, impeccably dressed.
“You’re here. Come, sit.”
Kazhan gestured with his chin to the seat beside him at the head of the grand table. Ysaris guided Mikael, whose attention was enraptured by the exquisite spread of delicacies, to the indicated spot.
“Are you all right? You look tired.”
“I’m fine. Seeing you makes life bearable.”
“You must really be fine, then. I guess that means you can work even harder.”
“Trying to work me to death, are you?”
“Of course not. Think of it as encouraging the breadwinner of the family, darling.”
Playful banter passed between them. Kazhan, whose complexion indeed seemed to improve, picked up his utensils.
“Well, I’d better eat quickly and get back to work. After all, I have an adorable wife and son to support.”
“You always say such things…”
“Mama, that one. That oneee.”
“Yes, Mikael. Do you want this?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Ysaris focused on tending to Mikael, completely missing the maids’ ghostly pale expressions. One even hiccupped and fled the room, covering her mouth in distress.
The background murmurs quickly gave way to a dead silence under Kazhan’s crimson gaze, which swept over the room.
“Do you like Uzephia? It must still feel unfamiliar to you.”
“Yes, it’s comfortable and pleasant. I’m surprised at how much I enjoy the food.”
“That’s good to hear. How about Mikael?”
“He’s been eating well too. He keeps saying how tasty everything is these days.”
“Taystee!”
“You hear that? Haha.”
Kazhan couldn’t tell if Mikael was trying to say tasty or something else entirely, but he nodded because Ysaris laughed.
Winning Mikael’s affection was proving to be a sound strategy. The more he endeared himself to the child, the more tethered Ysaris became to him. That alone justified the effort he poured into his awkward attempts at fatherhood.
“I heard Mikael has been staying in your quarters lately. Is there something wrong with the Crown Prince’s residence?”
“I wanted to stay with him, so I suggested it. He’s still young, so there’s no need to separate yet.”
“If that’s what you want.”
Kazhan spoke with apparent support, as if her decision aligned with his expectations. He had provided Mikael his own quarters from the start to create the appearance of generosity, only for Ysaris to refuse, leaving her with an implicit debt of gratitude.
As expected, she hesitated momentarily before speaking carefully.
“I’m sorry to make the place you prepared for Mikael go to waste. Still, I’d like to keep him in the Empress’ quarters until he’s older.”
“There’s no need to apologize. Your happiness is my happiness, so do as you please here. Anything you want.”
Kazhan caught the relief and gratitude in Ysaris’ eyes. This was precisely what he intended—allowing her to mistake her gilded cage for freedom.
Still, questions likely lingered.
As he calmly cut into his steak, Kazhan waited for Ysaris to voice them. After serving Mikael more food and addressing his small requests, she finally spoke.
“So, is there nothing I need to do as Empress?”
Her unspoken question lingered between the lines: Was it always like this? Did the Empress have no duties at all?
It was exactly as Kazhan had predicted.
Naturally, he had an answer prepared.
“You need only enjoy your privileges without bearing any obligations. Your presence by my side is enough. I brought you here because I wanted to see you, not to assign you tasks.”
He began with a gentle confession, setting down his knife neatly after cutting his steak into precise portions. His crimson eyes met hers with quiet earnestness.
“Besides, you’re still unfamiliar with how things operate here. Until you grow accustomed to Uzephia’s political landscape, there’s no need to force yourself into the role of Empress. If you wish, I can entrust you with duties when the time comes. But considering your memory loss, I believe it’s better to give you more time.”
Ysaris nodded at the clear and logical explanation. It was true; even if she wanted to take on responsibilities immediately, she would struggle without proper preparation. She knew she’d work hard if assigned tasks, but the timing wasn’t right yet.
“Then, why restrict my access to information?”
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