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Chapter 55

"Rose, don't look. I don't want you to remember anything that happened here."

Russell's voice was the sweetness that stabilized her chaotic emotions, while calming her pounding heart after witnessing Stanley's violent death.

But her relief didn't last long as she felt Russell's hand, which covered her eyes, subtly tremble.

"Your Majesty?"

Rose took Russell's hand and lowered it from her face.

When she made direct eye contact with her emperor, the corner of Russell's lip raised into a small smile.

He perfectly exuded the composure of the one who ascended to the position of emperor.

His nonchalant expression was the same as Rose had long since come to know.

It would have been a sign that others would not notice the difference, but Rose was different.

It was visible to her as she stood so close. Russell's eyes could not hide his anxiety and fear.

...Your Majesty is afraid---no, is it really fear?

Rose put her hand on Russell's cheek.

In fact, fearlessly putting a hand on the emperor's face was irrefutably disrespectful, no matter what the intention behind the action might have meant.

Unfortunately, Rose didn't have time to worry about the repercussions that could follow.

Just why is this man in front of me trembling with fear?

That was important.

"Your Majesty, what troubles you so?"

"Me? If anyone should be troubled, it's you, Rose. Are you really not hurt? Injuries are not limited to the body alone."

"I'm not badly hurt anywhere, just... I was just surprised and a little scared."

"That's good. Let's get out of here first. Even in the woods, there are roads for carriages leading through, so if we wait there, Wells will pass by soon."

Russell removed the cloak from his shoulders. The thick cloak fluttered and landed on Rose's shoulders.

She urgently tried to take off the cloak again, saying she did not need it, but Russell dodged and walked past her as if he had expected her reaction and made his way to the corpse of Stanley Gardner.

Looking down at the cold corpse, Russell picked up his fallen sword and plunged it into Stanley once more.

He gave strength to the sword stabbing into the dead body, causing the blade to plunge deeper into the flesh.

The body that had already died could not resist the impact of the sword piercing through it, and Russell turned around indifferently.

"Why were you watching?"

A short distance away, Rose stood there, watching Russell's actions.

Russell averted his gaze slightly, avoiding eye contact with her.

When he took another step, the distance between the two quickly narrowed.

"I told you not to look earlier at these things---I don't want you to see them, Rose."

"Ah."

It was only then that Rose realized what Russell meant.

The emperor did not want Rose to remember what she had gone through today and the death she had faced.

"Let's go. You have to walk a bit. Can you manage the distance?"

"Yes, I'll be alright. I'm calmer than before."

"Then let's go. As for the body, I've placed my sword through it so the knights will be able to find it easily."

Russell led the way back. Rose followed, clutching his warm cape around her as it dragged across the ground behind her.

Not far away from them stood the horse Russell was riding.

The emperor apologized to Rose and put her on the horse by wrapping his arms around her in a light hug.

Mounted on the horse, Rose braced herself for balance so she wouldn't fall, and Russell, who was about to get onto the horse, stopped when he heard the sound of horses' hooves in the distance.

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?"

When Russell stared at one place without climbing on his horse, Rose tilted her head and turned her gaze in that direction.

Before long, another horse appeared through the cracks in the bare winter trees.

Rose and Russell spotted the man on the horse, causing their faces to stiffen, but they remained quiet.

However, the face of the other person who received their firm gazes was quite resolute.

He jumped off his horse with a light movement.

Russell didn't take his eyes off the man and called his name with a peculiar expression.

"How did Duke Proud know to come here?"

"I heard that something dangerous happened to Rose. How could I ignore it? I also immediately followed behind Your Majesty."

Russell narrowed his eyes and inspected Elliot.

Today was a day off for many of the nobles working in the Imperial Palace. Among them were Wells and Elliot.

And Russell knew that very well.

...A man who didn't even go to work at the Imperial Palace heard that Rose was kidnapped?

Russell took note that Elliot hadn't even set foot in the Imperial Palace today.

All nobles had to report to the Imperial family unconditionally, even if it was for work.

Russell received reports every day listing the nobles who entered and exited the Imperial Palace, but did not receive a report that Elliot had attended.

Elliott seemed to be well aware of that fact, and so he elaborated.

"I heard the news when I went to the Imperial Palace's private office for business."

[TL/N: Elliot's office in the Imperial Palace.]

"Ah. That's right. Then Duke Proud can fearlessly tie the body of the criminal who kidnapped Lady Honeywell to a horse and bring it to the Imperial Palace."

Russell briefly pointed the tip of his chin at Stanley's body in the back.

Elliott's gaze landed over Russell's shoulder. However, he quickly withdrew his gaze from the discarded, hardening corpse and made eye contact with Russell.

"As you command, I've memorized the location, so I'll do as you've ordered as soon as the knight arrives from Honeywell Manor, so..."

Elliot's eyes turned to Rose, who was on top of the horse, as his words trailed off.

"I hope that Rose will be handed over to me and that His Majesty will return to the Imperial Palace in peace."

Rose quietly listened to the conversation between Russell and Elliot on the horse, and shook her head vigorously inwardly.

Russell wouldn't do that, but she still hoped he wouldn't hand herself over to Elliot if the duke insisted.

She secretly hinted to Russell that she didn't want to go with Elliot.

Russell shook his head, as if Rose's subconscious feelings had reached him.

"I will bring Lady Honeywell back myself. Duke Proud should do his job."

Russell emphatically spoke the last word.

He took no action, but it was easy to tell that he was pointing at Stanley.

Russell jumped onto the horse, straightened the reins, and urged it forward.

Just as he passed Elliot, he stopped at the sound of a voice.

"Rose is my fiancée. Isn't it natural that I should take care of her? I thank you for taking care of Rose, but this is what I have to do."

Russell stuck out his tongue, Elliot Proud was a person who never backed down.

However, if Russell had easily sent Rose with Elliot when he brought up his relationship with Rose, he would not have come all the way out of the capital to find her in the first place.

Rose quietly watched the subtle air currents flowing between Russell and Elliot, and belatedly discovered that Russell was smiling.

"Duke Proud."

Calling out Elliot's name, Russell turned around.

The contrast between Russell's relaxed smile and Elliot's hardened smile was obvious.

"The duke is my servant in front of me, not Rose Honeywell's prospective fiancée. A prospective fiancé or a vassal of the emperor. Isn't the latter the position you are currently following?"

Before Elliot could speak a word against him, Russell drove in one final wedge.

"This is my command, Duke."

"...As you command."

Taking a step back from Elliot, who was commanded by his emperor, Russell carefully led the horse on its way so that Rose would not fall.

After taking a few steps, Russell turned his head and saw that Elliot, as a servant of the emperor, was walking towards Stanley to follow his orders.

...Everyone said that Elliot and Rose look good, but everyone knows that Elliot is not interested in her.

Why did that man suddenly want to take care of Rose?

The question that persisted in a corner of his mind popped up from time to time and complicated his thoughts.

He shook his head from his thoughts and focused on the horse and Rose.

Paved roads for carriages appeared quickly in their line of sight. They were used for people to travel easily through the forest. He stopped his horse and looked in the direction of the capital.

It didn't matter if I went to the capital with Rose, as it is now.

He thought as much, and yet he didn't move.

It was because the road could cross paths with Wells, who was coming his way with his knights.

...There are many ways to get to the capital.

---No. Maybe that's an excuse I make for myself.

Russell smiled self-deprecatingly and looked up.

"Rose, I'll check the situation ahead to see if Wells is coming towards us. I'm not going far, so stay here. Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Russell turned around and left, as if being chased.

Missing the timing to answer, only a short exclamation left Rose's lips before the emperor vanished.

She reached out as if to grab Russell, but she was too far away to grab a single strand of his hair as he passed her horse.

It was Russell who simply moved away to see the situation ahead.

That distance wouldn't be too far, and as he said, it would be a distance where we could check each other's movements just by turning our heads.

But to Rose, Russell's back as it left her behind, step by step, seemed strange.

"Your Majesty!"

Calling for Russell, Rose lowered her gaze to check the height of the horse's saddle.

It's more dizzying than I thought.

...But I even jumped from a running carriage. This child doesn't even move, so I can go down with ease.

Rose stroked the horse's mane and moved slowly.

Moving her hips to the end of the saddle as much as possible, she took a deep breath and jumped without hesitation.

Although the horse's height was high, it was not to the extent that she would break her bones if she jumped down.

However, there was a risk of injuring the soles of her feet as she had not been wearing shoes.

...Even if a stone gets stuck in the bottom of my foot, I shouldn't show pain.

Rose closed her eyes and bit her lip in preparation for the pain she would feel on the soles of her feet.

However, no matter how long she waited, her legs did not touch the ground.

Only when she felt no pain did Rose realize that she was in Russell's arms.

When she opened her tightly closed eyes, she could see Russell's face close up, unable to erase the embarrassed expression on her face, reflected back at her.

"Rose! Why are you suddenly jumping off your horse? If you land incorrectly, you could injure your ankle."

Strong arms hugged around her waist, and the sound of a heartbeat against her cheek was something she could clearly feel, perhaps because she had startled him.

Rose met Russell's eyes for a moment and said the words unconsciously, as if in a daze.

"Don't be afraid, Your Majesty."

"...I shouldn't?"

"Yes. What is it that makes you afraid?"

Russell, who she thought would reply with a low laugh, said nothing.

He carefully lowered Rose into his arms. The soles of Rose's bare feet touched the ground.

Rose's head tilted as her head, which was still so close to his own as she was being held by Russell, rose up as they parted.

"Your Majesty...?"

When Russell didn't say anything, Rose called him once more.

At her call, Russell avoided her gaze. In the same reaction as before, Rose grabbed Russell by the sleeve.

"I am worried about Your Majesty. Why are you like that? What did I do wrong?"

"Rose, what would you be doing wrong?"

"Just like before, I feel like His Majesty is avoiding me!"

"That..."

Russell's mouth opened and closed repeatedly.

His inability to speak so easily was unfamiliar to Rose.

Soon, he took a step back from Rose.

"Rose, I just killed a man, however... Are you okay with me like this?"