The Abandoned Empress Will Not Return

“Please, Rodelia.
Come back please.
How can I make you believe me? All I need is you.
I’m telling you.”

 

She didn’t think she’d ever hear a plea like this from Kane.

 

A bitter laugh broke out as she watched his pitiful figure, hoping only for her forgiveness.

 

However…

 

You were tricked, is that it?

 

By whom? For what?

 

Wasn’t it purely based on Kane’s own reckless judgment? More laughter burst out as he pitifully passed the blame onto someone without a shape.

 

Until the end, Kane only made his excuses and never apologized.
She thought that the noble emperor would be on his knees by now since he had crossed the rugged mountains and reached the far-off grand duchy.

 

If he did, perhaps her emotions laying underneath may have wavered a little.
But even in this situation, he stiffly raised his chin and refused to lower his head.

 

Kane has always been this kind of man.
A noble emperor who never bowed his head and put his dignity first.

 

He used to be everything to her, but now, there was no love, no hatred, no little feelings left.
She had tried so hard not to step down from her position as empress, and yet all of this happened in the end.

 

Rodelia lowered her gaze, staring down at the faint imprint of their wedding ring on her finger.

 

‘Someday this will disappear too.’

 

It was the only trace left of him now.
When she realized that fact, she let out a hollow laugh and struggled to hide her bitter smile.
She didn’t want to show this man anything good.

 

The gaze Rodelia took off of Kane returned.
Then she uttered words that she would never have imagined not too long ago.

 

“Then kneel down.”

 

[T/N: applause for 10 minutes straight] 

 

Perhaps the secret thoughts she had been hiding in her heart for so long came out, and her mouth moved on its own.

 

Kane’s body trembled.

 

Making the emperor kneel.
It was a truly impudent remark where one could lose their life for lèse-majesté.

 

He’d rather use this as an excuse to take her to Thebes as a criminal.

 

These thoughts came to his mind, but they were all things that would only make the situation worse, so he decided to hold it in for a little while longer.

 

Is this the only way after all?

 

After hesitating for a moment, Kane’s body slowly descended.
His eyes were still on Rodelia.

 

In time, his legs, which must have been upright all his life, fell to the floor with a thud.
Not to anyone else, but to Rodelia Florence, who had only ever been used by him.

 

Although she was a little taken aback by the sight….

 

It was already too late.

 

Rodelia didn’t even flinch as he caved into submission.
With cold eyes and a frigid voice, she said.

 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t go back.”

 

“Why? I… I even got down on my knees.”

 

Rodelia answered proudly while staring down at Kane.

 

“I guess I’m a narrow-minded person.”

 

Kane’s expression crumpled.
He clenched his hands on the floor and gritted his teeth.

 

“Then tell me the exact reason.
It’s a lie that you have no feelings left, right? You said that just to hurt me.”

 

It was like a cry at his last desperate attempt to deny reality.
However, as if she wouldn’t allow even a moment for him to appeal, Rodelia delivered her words like thunder out of a blue sky.

 

“Because I don’t love you anymore.”

 

Don’t love… Don’t love him… She didn’t love Kane Bayard anymore.

 

She already knew it but the words had a bigger impact because she had never said them out loud.
Rodelia felt a strange feeling of ecs**sy welling up from the inside of her chest as she contemplated on her own words.

 

“You… You promised to be by my side no matter what, Rodelia.
Even if everyone turns their backs on me, you promised to be my light!”

 

She did.
And there was a time when she foolishly thought that her promise would never be broken.

 

“So please…… Say that you will.”

 

But she didn’t.

 

Kane said in a tearful voice that made him seem pitiful.
However, it no longer mattered as she had no feelings left for him.
Rodelia maintained her cold tone as she answered.

 

“That was under the premise that you wouldn’t betray me.
All the promises between us have already been broken.”

 

Her calm heart started beating as loudly as before when she faced him again.

 

She never imagined the day would come when she would say something like this.
She finally felt free, like she had been completely released from him.

 

At Rodelia’s calm tone, Kane opened his eyes wide as if doubting his ears.

 

“… You said you love me!”

 

“I loved you.”

 

“……”

 

“However, it was only a little.”

 

Kane’s blue eyes rippled like rough waves.
But she did not feel guilty of hurting him because she was only returning what she received.

 

“Don’t lie!”

 

“Don’t raise your voice at me.”

 

She was no longer swayed by him.
This completely freed Rodelia from Kane’s chains, which remained weak.
At the end of her cold words, only meaningless glances were exchanged, and the faint sound of steps could be heard.

 

At the end of the long hallway, a man with slow steps in the dark stood next to Rodelia.
Before long, the man wrapped his hands around her waist and laughed.

 

After confirming the man’s identity, Kane’s eyes widened wildly.
Then, with a despondent expression, he slowly lifted his bent knees and raised his body.

 

“Rodelia, don’t tell me…!”

 

Dismissing his expression of disbelief, Rodelia slowly raised her gaze to the man standing next to her.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she slowly opened her lips.

 

“Kane, as I said earlier, I have no regrets anymore.
I really conveyed my honest feelings without any lies.”

 

At Rodelia’s relieved attitude, Kane’s expression began to contort beyond description.

 

“So…..”

 

“……”

 

“I will never go back to you, now, or in the future.”

 

She smiled brighter than anyone else and held the man’s large hand tightly.

 

She had a realization when she met Kane again.

 

 … Cerdian Aizen.

 

He was the only savior who brought her out of the endless and distant nightmare.

 

 *

 

Kane’s expression grew pale.

 

He couldn’t comprehend what Rodelia was saying to him at all.
He obviously thought it would be easy to bring her back.
But it was an illusion caused by arrogance.

 

Rodelia’s gaze at Cerdian was not normal.
He knew right away because he had also received that kind of gaze from her.
The affectionate eyes that were directed at his old self were now directed at him.

 

His hands and feet trembled at the maddening sense of betrayal.

 

“Rodelia, how could you…!”

 

Kane muttered her name in a subdued voice, trying to draw Rodelia’s gaze back to himself.
And as she stared at him with indifferent eyes, he realized that something was wrong.

 

“You, you wouldn’t be with this b*st*rd if you knew what he did.”

 

“What did he do?”

 

“That’s…!”

 

He tried to immediately tell her that the person who poisoned him as well as the one who framed her was Cerdian, but he still had no proof.
For now, it would only breed more distrust.
Kane could only open and close his lips.
Eventually he said something else.

 

“… I don’t believe you’ve fallen for that b*st*rd.
You couldn’t have.”

 

He tried not to look at Cerdian.
His impatient gaze turned to her lips then landed on her toes. Please don’t let Rodelia give an affirmative answer.

 

“I don’t think I am obliged to answer.”

 

When she finally replied with a sharp response, Kane’s face contorted with despair.

 

It was the same as an affirmative answer.
The Rodelia he knew wasn’t the type to spin her words around in this way if it was a denial.

 

He asked his last question with a devastated face.
He never wanted to ask or had the courage to hear the answer, but he needed to know.

 

Kane then slowly opened his mouth pathetically and hoped for a denial from Rodelia’s lips.

 

“Then have you slept with that b*st*rd…?”

 

“No! How could you ask such a disrespectful question?”

 

Rodelia’s voice was a little angry.
Seeing her flushed cheeks and quivering lips, it seemed that nothing had really happened between them.

 

Kane said in a voice mixed with relief.

 

“That’s fine then.”

 

“What are you saying?”

 

“If nothing has happened then I can take you back to Thebes as Rodelia Florence.
You are still officially a citizen of Thebes.”

 

Kane looked like a madman when he said that.

 

Do you really want me to suffer?

 

Rodelia couldn’t understand why he was doing this.
He had been so sure that she was the one who poisoned him.
Wasn’t that why it was not enough that she was dethroned, she was even demoted to a commoner?

 

Therefore, Kane coming to Luvenia and enduring all those hardships, and his intention to bring her back to Thebes… It was all incomprehensible to her.

 

Rodelia turned her gaze to Cerdian who remained silent.
Once again, she wanted to get his confirmation.

 

Fortunately, he answered her with a smile as always, and she was able to answer with confidence that she would stay.

 

“As I said earlier, I have no intention of going back.
If I go back to Thebes anyway, I’ll be restricted from moving again.
Your Majesty knows that best.”