The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

The Harvest Festival was nearing its end.

 

The fireworks that signaled the end of the festival made a loud noise and embroidered beautiful colors in the sky.
The acrid smell of gunpowder, the sound of people’s exclamations, the lovers holding hands and kissing here and there under the lights all harmonized to create a perfect atmosphere.

 

The street vendors closed their doors one by one and a bustling air lingered around.
After all the flames burnt out, the lights that lit up the streets flickered and faded.

 

Rodelia stood still and looked around, then turned her gaze to Cerdian who was under the night’s light.
Though holding a stuffed toy in one hand, he didn’t look very cute.

 

“… Thank you for spending time with me today.”

 

Breath tickled the tip of his jaw.

 

As she smiled brightly, Rodelia gave off a refreshing aura that was different from her in the past.

 

Her slightly tousled hair and flushed cheeks made her look even more lovely and the fresh breath from her lips, which looked redder that day, was sweeter than ever.

 

“It was a perfect day.”

 

He didn’t know that that ticklish voice, which came with a slightly blushing face, would be so troublesome.
All his nerves focused on her plump lips.
Cerdian looked down at her calmly with deepened eyes and slowly said.

 

“…I don’t think it’s perfect.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Rodelia stared at him with a slightly sullen expression.

 

What didn’t he like? Could it be that she bothered him too much? Did she run around so recklessly?

 

Cerdian, who was looking at Rodelia who had become anxious, let out a laugh. 

 

‘Why do you look so cute when you’re flustered?’

 

Cerdian impulsively pulled her by the waist.

 

“There is a way to make it perfect.”

 

“Ah….”

 

“Will you help me?”

 

His voice, filled with heat, softly subsided.  Rodelia nodded her head slightly, feeling as if a fire was rising wherever his breath touched.

 

Looking at her with eyes filled with affection, Cerdian slowly lowered his head.
Soon, their lips met.

 

It seemed that the shriveled flower buds had started to bloom one by one and were soon in full bloom.
Rodelia’s eyes gently closed.

 

It was a perfect day.

 

*

 

They were on their way back to the Grand Duke’s residence.

 

Someone dressed as a guard from the Bator Mountains hurriedly ran.
Eventually, he stopped in front of Cerdian, gasping for breath, and delivered the news.

 

When Cerdian widened his eyes at him, he contemplated and spat out with difficulty.

 

“Your Highness, you should go right now… It seems that they’ve noticed it.”

 

Cerdian’s brows furrowed.
Peeved, he ran his hand through his hair, then turned his gaze to Rodelia.

 

It seemed that there was some serious problem in which he had to be let go.
Rodelia smiled at him as he looked at her and said she was fine.

 

“I think it’s urgent, so go ahead.
I can go back alone.”

 

But it was dark and most of the people had gone in, so the streets were quiet.
It was worrisome to leave Rodelia alone.

 

The guard who was waiting for him was stomping his feet so Rodelia said it was okay and tried to get him to leave.

 

“No, it’ll only take a moment….
Don’t go anywhere, wait here.”

 

In the end, Cerdian, who thought that he had to go quickly, left her alone and walked ahead.

 

“I’ll be back soon.”

 

He rushed toward the mountain range, asking her to stay still.

 

Left alone, Rodelia went to the statue in the center of the plaza and waited for him.
There was no one around, but it was a very safe place, so she wasn’t afraid.

 

Sitting on the fence in front of the statue, she looked up at the sky and lowered her gaze.

 

“Gasp…!”

 

She almost screamed.
Rodelia took a short breath when she saw an old woman staring up at her in a disgusting way.

 

She stood hunched over in a long black robe that was dragging on the ground.

 

“My lady, you have very pretty eyes….”

 

A cracked voice leaked through the old woman’s wrinkled lips.
Rodelia, frowning at the voice that scratched her ears, trembled.

 

“I think you smell good….”

 

The old woman’s eyes seemed to be distant after inhaling as if she was savoring it.
She came closer to Rodelia and observed her, blinking her blind white eyes.

 

“Oh my…! You might die soon.”

 

“…….”

 

“So those beautiful eyes, don’t you want to give them to me before you die?”

 

Though she seemed to be blind, the white eyes stared exactly at Rodelia.

 

The inside of her mouth became dry and a shiver ran down her spine.
Even in that situation, she continued spouting strange things.

 

“I feel a strange energy from you….”

 

Every time the old woman uttered a word, she giggled and let out a grotesque laugh.
She wanted to leave this place quickly but she couldn’t even lift a finger, her body seemed to have lost its function.

 

The air clung coldly to her skin.
The old woman let out a strange laugh, giggling as if to mock the frightened Rodelia.

 

The laugh, which had been unpleasantly eerie to the point that it gave her a bad feeling, died down in an instant.
What took its place was the old woman’s panting breath.
She sat down on the ground gasping for air with a troubled face.

 

The old woman , who had been panting for a while, raised her head towards Rodelia with widened eyes.

 

“Who the hell are you…?”

 

“…….”

 

“Could the prophecy have been true…”

 

The old woman’s body shook as if she was having a seizure, and muttered something and stood up.
Rodelia still couldn’t lift a finger.
It was almost like something was pressing hard on her.

 

The old woman looked up and stared at the snake statue behind Rodelia.

 

“A thousand years….
In the end, a bride who would inherit that blood was born… What an unfortunate fate….”

 

“What do you mean…? Please tell me properly.
Why is my fate…?”

 

Rodelia opened her stiff lips and was barely able to utter her own words.
The old woman’s gaze which looked at her pitifully, as she said something about a terrible fate or a prophecy, was strangely uncomfortable.

 

“There is only so much I can say.
Lady, watch out for the white knight.”

 

“… White Knight?”

 

“Beware of the man with the red eyes too.
You could really die if you stay next to him.”

 

The old woman took one last step after saying that.

 

“To be destined to die if you don’t drink blood, what a pitiful life….”

 

 *

 

When she came to her senses, she was in her room.

 

‘When did I come back… ?’

 

Her head hurt like it would break.

 

Her hair was messy and her clothes were intact.
Rodelia removed the blanket that wrapped her, then raised her sullen body and looked around her.

 

On her nightstand were soup and chrysanthemum tea, still steaming, and next to them was a small folded note.
She sat with her back at the head of her bed, picked up the note, and read it.

 

When you wake up, please come to my room after eating.>

 

It was Cerdian’s handwriting.
She seemed to have passed out from overexertion last night.
And when he found her collapsed, he must have brought her back…

 

He must have been very surprised since it happened while he was away.
Perhaps he felt guilty about it.
After thinking that she should go see Cerdian, she took a sip of her tea.

 

As the tea traveled down her throat, the throbbing pain eased and her mind began to clear.

 

The first thing she remembered was the old woman’s face.
The creepy voice still lingered in her ears.

 

Rodelia trembled as she recalled the events of the night before.
At that time, she felt like her body was not her own, as if she was possessed by something.

 

“What did the old woman say again…?”

 

She muttered strange words to herself: curses, fate.
With distant eyes, she said that it was Rodelia’s, staring straight at her.

 

It felt like she should tell Cerdian about her meeting with the old woman.
Because she could be a dangerous person.
She got up properly and changed into suitable clothes.
Then she went to her desk and began to go over yesterday’s events.

 

 

The sound of the fountain pen creaking echoed through the quiet room.
Retracing her memory, she jotted down the old woman’s words on a piece of paper, folded them roughly and kept it in her arms.

 

She then emptied the soup that had been placed on the bedside table and left the room in search of Cerdian.