Succeeding the throne (10)
T/N: Thank you for waiting~ Here is 1st release for last week. I’m working on #2 and it should be out tmrw 🙂
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Tarkan’s eyes narrowed. He had seen that glass bottle before.
It was the one that appeared when Nephther collapsed and Aristine was accused of poisoning him.
“That bottle…”
“It’s our wedding gift.”
Aristine gave a wide grin.
“The deposed emperor personally gave them to me when I was leaving for Irugo.”
Aristine’s wedding entourage was filled with all sorts of precious items.
However, those were all demands of Irugo, the winner of the war, or they were merely luxuries meant to show off the empire’s national power.
Only the glass bottle in Aristine’s hand was hand-picked and given to her by her father.
“I have to repay father’s kindness.”
The corners of Aristine’s mouth rose.
“Rineh.”
“Don’t worry. It won’t take long.”
Hearing that, Tarkan wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Their similarly designed coronations robes entangled together.
His breath tickled the back of Aristine’s neck.
“I’m not worried. I know what kind of person you are. Finish this and come back.”
Some people say that people should just let things be, that dwelling on the past only hurts you and that revenge only brings tragedy.
Especially where family is concerned, it is believed that even if you take revenge, you’ll only hurt yourself in the end.
However, for certain things, all loose ends must be tied before you can move forward.
Tarkan gently kissed Aristine’s fair neck.
“When you get back and the coronation is over, let’s go have fun.”
“Is it okay for a newly crowned emperor to do that?”
Aristine giggled and turned around in his arms.
Tarkan looked into his wife’s eyes and smiled mischievously.
“We can just keep it a secret. Father and brother-in-law don’t need to know. Just the two of us.”
“What about Sion?”
“Not even Sion.”
Tarkan lightly pecked Aristine’s lips and moved away.
“In the fall, the leaves are pretty, in the winter, the snow is pretty, in the spring, the greenery is pretty, and, in the summer, the roses are pretty.”
Every time he said the word pretty, a gentle kiss fell on Aristine’s face.
“Whenever it gets like that, let’s go have fun, just the two of us. From now on.”
Tarkan pulled Aristine deeper into his arms. Aristine nodded her head, basking in his warm embrace.
She wanted to live just like Tarkan said.
Watching the seasons change, watching the weather change, whether for good or bad.
She wanted to feel every one of those simple, ordinary things, and share them with the person next to her.
Aristine raised her head and looked into her husband’s eyes.
With him, she felt like she could feel the happiness of everyday life, even while wearing the heavy crown of an emperor.
No, she didn’t just feel like that. She was sure.
When she saw Nephther, she thought a king was a very lonely existence.
But she was not the same.
Because there was someone by her side to share her happiness, her burdens… even her resentment and anger.
“I’ll be back.”
* * *
Alpheus the deposed, who was crouching in the darkness, opened his eyes wide when he saw the door open fully.
It was very rare for the door to open, as even the rations were delivered through a hole in the bottom of the door.
“Please come out.”
And to add to the rarity, this was the first time he had ever been asked to come out.
Alpheus gaped in disbelief.
The servant said nothing more but stood still and waited for him.
After a fumbling effort, Alpheus pushed himself to his feet.
Wary, he took a hesitant step. Then another, towards the door.
Even after he left that dreadful room, nothing happened to him.
The servant was still waiting for him, their gaze cast downward. Their posture was polite as well.
A fresh breeze blew past his frame.
The blue sky seemed to stretch endlessly as the sunlight bore down upon him.
Alpheus couldn’t believe how much he missed such natural things.
‘Instead of thanking me for existing, she has the nerve to lock me up here?’
That emotion soon turned into anger at Aristine for depriving him of this freedom.
The servant slowly lifted their gaze and studied Alpheus.
His hair was completely sparse and gray, and his back was hunched like a shrimp.
He had obviously been curled up inside, pulling at his hair.
Not a single trace of imperial dignity could be found in him.
‘Very different from our princess, indeed.’
Despite being imprisoned almost her entire life, Aristine carried herself well.
The servant was unimpressed with Alpheus’s thrill and excitement at the open air.
‘And yet he deprived the young princess from all of this.’
However, he lowered his head, hiding his anger.
“This way, please. Your carriage awaits.”
This was because Aristine had ordered them to serve Alpheus with the utmost respect.
The carriage was not as good as the ones Alpheus rode when he was emperor, but it was of high quality.
It was a carriage used by high-ranking nobles, not one for transporting criminals.
Throughout his journey, Alpheus was treated very warmly.
The servant continued to make him feel at ease and attended to his needs.
When he got down from the carriage, he saw a table set up in a well-manicured garden.
There was silk awning, draped with several pieces of chiffon bearing the emperor’s emblem, swaying in the wind.
On the platinum table, was a bouquet topped with peonies which did not bloom at this time of year.
Anyone could see that this table had been carefully prepared for the most distinguished guest.
Although he felt very wary when he was leaving his imprisoned room, his wariness slowly relaxed with the polite treatment, and now, he was completely at ease.
His heart skipped a beat.
Alpheus walked up to the table and unconsciously swept his hands over the tableware.
The sensation was disconcertingly polished and smooth.
Enough to make him realize how rough his hands had become.
“Father.”
Alpheus turned around at the voice coming from behind him.
Then he found Aristine getting escorted off a carriage by a knight.
Alpheus’s face, which had been relaxing as if he was mesmerized, suddenly became twisted.
“You, you…!”
“Does it suit me?”
Aristine spun around.
Her coronation robes fluttered majestically, showing off with pride, and her long flowing cloak swayed with a certain heaviness.
On her head glittered the imperial crown.
The carriage she rode in was also embossed with the emblem of the Silvanus Emperor.
“What do you think? I think it suits me very well?”
Alpheus ground his teeth at her shameless question.
She had the audacity to say such a thing when she committed the immoral act of overthrowing her father and usurping the empire’s throne?
Alpheus didn’t care whether God’s chosen emperor was Aristine.
The excitement that had begun to rise in his heart quickly sank into the gutter.
Aristine lightly strolled to a chair and sat down, then she turned to Alpheus.
“Have a seat.”
Her tone was like she was giving him permission.
*.*.*
- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 59 - September 2, 2024
- Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money – Side Story 6.2 - September 2, 2024
- Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money – Side Story 6.1 - September 2, 2024
The frickin father had the audacity to get angry at our FL. I feel like the ending is very near. 😭😭 but it has been the best slow burn novel I ever read. Thank you sooo much Ruby. 🩷🩷🩷