Villainous Husband, the One You’re Obsessed With Is Over There - Chapter 9

Chapter 5

As the ‘memories of Angelica’ slowly came up in my mind, I realized.

Common sense… There was no way that the Empress had nothing to do. The lady’s maid was supposed to guide me to the Empress’s Palace and hand over the materials of the previous year, so I can review them and start working… Does she want me to ask first? It’s supposed to be the aides to come and initiate things like this first.

Approval of the budget in the Palace, inspecting various departments, socializing with the ladies, meeting with outside figures…

Along with more minor things that I had just listed — It all included the Empress.

The Empress raises her own importance within the Imperial Family by taking charge of the important affairs within the Palace. Not only that, the topic of ‘friendliness with ladies’ was surprisingly important. This was because an empress from a foreign country like me proves belonging and solidarity by building friendships with indigenous peoples.

But, now…?

‘I’m completely treated as a foreign guest.’

The same goes for the professional-looking attitude of the handmaids. They were acting politely so as not to cause any chafe. That meant that If I raised a problem, I would only be sensitive and a bad person. Nevertheless, they thoroughly excluded me from their league and treated me like an outsider. There was never meant to be any emotional exchange between us, and serving with an expressionless face was probably part of that.

‘Well, it’s refreshing to see this kind of noble bullying after only dealing with direct harassment.’

It took me a week to notice since the bullying was so subtle.

If Angelica’s memories had been absorbed a little earlier, I might have noticed all of this sooner. When I found the answer, the maids in front of me now looked different. Come to think of it, they didn’t even make eye contact with me except for the esteemed Madam of Marquis Jacques, who is the chief maid. The person talking to me was always represented by her as well.

Angelica was just coming of age.

Meanwhile, the esteemed Madam of Marquis Jacques’s hair was all gray. No matter how much of an empress I was, it would be difficult to be comfortable in front of a noble esteemed Madam who was several times older than me. There was no way to feel friendly. The reason why she always spoke up to me was so that she could stop the words of the other maids of my age, with whom I could be treated relatively comfortably.

Regardless, even though I knew all this, it didn’t hurt my pride or feelings at all. Truthfully, I was rather amazed by her.

‘If I hadn’t noticed it, would she still be doing this?’

It was bullying that came back round and round because I was in pursuit of nobility.

And, to be honest…

‘Even though it’s bullying… It’s so comfortable!’

No, wasn’t this totally a real benefit?

If I had been Angelica, the noble Princess of Unro Kingdom, I might have resented this as ‘being treated as a useless person.’ However, I am different. I didn’t even want to be friends with the ladies in the first place, and I’ve been dull to loneliness from the beginning — to the extent that if someone told me if I didn’t leave this room for six months, I would get five hundred million won, I would casually think, ‘Why not?’

Besides, I was worried that the Empress’s work would be murderous even though I didn’t know what it was yet. She decided to exclude me for that, but still listened to me like this? Wasn’t this the life everyone dreams of, right?

…A rich, unemployed person.

‘Raniero shouldn’t be a bad person to blame me for being unemployed like this.’

If things in the Palace went well, he wouldn’t even know if I was working or not, right? Since they are the servants, if they don’t want to see the Emperor angry, they would have to handle it all on their own. So, in the end, although they were the ones who were bullying me, they would be the ones who would have a hard time.

How could there be such victim-friendly harassment?

‘However…’

This situation would be beneficial to me and not to Cisen. I’m not happy without her either. The refusal to keep her by my side is a part of ostracism by trying to get her out of my mind.

“I can’t believe the Princess is getting married to the Actilus Empire ruled by the mad Emperor. You can’t agree to that!”

She was so loyal to me that she risked her life and told the truth. Though that wasn’t all. Having her by my side would be rather useful because she was of lower status than me, meaning that she would receive less attention. Therefore, it would be faster and more convenient to send Cisen if I ever had to sneak around.

‘But, where is Cisen?’

Well, couldn’t I just ask them?

Even though I’m being ‘bullied,’ I’m still the Empress of Actilus. Aren’t they superficially assisting me so that they wouldn’t get caught? So, there would be no problem if I asked about Cisen’s whereabouts.

“The esteemed Madam. I have a question…”

“Ask me.”

The esteemed Madam of Marquis Jacques bent down before I could even finish my words. Now knowing that this was bullying, her polite manners seemed exaggerated.

“There’s a maid from my home country.”

“I know.”

“Where is the child now? She’s nowhere to be seen.”

At the question, a small smile appeared on the lips of the esteemed Madam as if she was waiting for me to ask this question.

“Your Majesty, you’re no longer the Second Princess of Unro, but the Empress of the Actilus Empire. Therefore, changes are required in the surrounding environment. I apologize if my direct words sounded rude. However…”

Oh?

She wouldn’t dare use the word ‘however’ to the Emperor. Was the Empress amusing to the esteemed Madam now… so much so that she could torment and make ridicule out of me?

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