House has been empty for over 3 years, now almost 4 years.
I vaguely suspected that a lot had changed, but the only thing that was different was the painted ceiling.
Everything else was as it was before I left.
I sighed.
finally.
'The day has come.'
I stood in the doorway of the Duke of Lockhart's office, or rather my father's office.
I was back after nearly four years.
I shuddered to think of his stern face on the other side of that door.
He will be very angry.
Will he be as angry as my grandfather was when my aunt ran away?
I doubt it.
Because I had embarrassed my father, a man of wealth.
I rolled my eyes and knocked on the door!
Knock!
And the door opened.
I slid down to my knees and curled up on my stomach.
I fell down until my ribs touched the ground.
"sorry!"
I got down on my knees first, secretly hoping that he would be lenient with me if I got down on my knees to apologize.
Can't you be less angry?
please?
“…….”
The longer I didn't get an answer from him, the more I felt like I was suffocating to death.
“Get up.
Enya Lockhart.”
"Yes!"
I got up and smiled the most beautiful smile since I was born.
“Haha, haha, it's been a long time, hasn't it, Dad?
I missed you so much, and I hope you're doing well?”
My father gracefully put down his pen and looked at me with bright eyes.
“Wow!
The air in our house is good!
Do you know how much I missed you?”
“Sit down.”
“That's a great idea, I thought so too!”
I remained silent and sat meekly in the chair opposite him.
My father was in his forties, but he was still handsome.
I can tell my parents are partly to blame, because I married Dale because he had a face like that, and eyes like that.
The thought made me shiver less.
“Enya Lockhart”
“Yes, Dad!”
“You used to live in...”
“Well, to tell you the truth.”
“We don't need to talk about it now.”
My father interrupted me harshly.
“If I asked you now, you would tell a simple lie and try to get away with it.”
A sharp pain pierced my heart.
“Tell the butler the details, and he will give me a full report, but for now, I will content myself with the matter of my summoning you.”
"Yes!"
“Are you sick or injured?”
His eyes widened as he looked at me.
His eyes were sharp, but his gaze was warm.
“I want to know if you've had a hard time.”
The warmth in his eyes made me feel strange.
“……I’m sorry, Dad.
I was an unfaithful daughter…….”
“I'm glad to know that.”
“I will never do it again, it was my fault.”
“That's the most abstract and unsubstantiated thing you've ever said.”
Ouch.
“Enya Lockhart, how many times do you have to say that you will never run away again?”
Am I wrong in feeling that I am the wrongdoer and the tormentor in the father-daughter dialogue?
But I'm wrong, so I have nothing to say.
I closed my eyes slowly.
“Enya.”
“You know that I didn't want to marry the Emperor, I told you from the beginning!”
“Aren't you old enough to know that marriage isn't just about love?”
“My parents married for love!”
I shouted, overcome with emotion.
“Why should I marry the Emperor?!”
“Because you are the only one.”
My father answered frankly.
What does he mean, there is only me...!
That's right, I'm the only one in my family who was of the right age and circumstances to marry the Emperor.
But the emperor?
“Why would the Emperor want to marry such a woman, who hates marriage and has been running away from it for years?”
“…….”
“If I were the Emperor, I would think twice about this marriage.”
“You don't dare guess the Emperor's mind.
That shouldn't have happened.”
I was confused when he interrupted me without batting an eyelid.
“Enya.”
Dad looked at me.
“The Emperor did not say that he wanted to annul the marriage, and he forgives you for your impudence.”
“Why is he so tolerant?”
“His Majesty is like this.”
Apparently my father was a great admirer of the Emperor.
No matter what I said, he always said: “Our Emperor is great!”
It didn't work.
“What if I have a problem with him?”
At the same time, my father's eyebrows rose.
“Maybe I'm not the right person to be the Empress.”
"What do you mean?"
My father stared at me.
There were many qualifications to be an empress, and they were thoroughly tested.
First, family.
Secondly, the lineage within that house.
Third, personality.
Fourth, the past.
Fifth, the future.
Sixth, a healthy body.
Seventh, that I be unmarried.
I broke the last one.
“……!”
Just as I was about to say that, Dale's face flashed into my mind.
If I tell him I'm married, he'll find it no matter what.
Poor little Dale was going to be torn to pieces by the dreaded Duke of Lockhart.
“And this?”
“This is because……!”
"impossible."
My father's facial expression changed, as if he realized this.
Did he know?
“Are you wanted?”
My father's thoughts jumped to that.
“…….”
“I don’t know what you did, but if you are wanted, it is against the Empress’ terms.
It is not anyone’s position.”
“Is that what you're saying?”
“But I don’t want you to forget that if it’s not you, the Duke of Hexagon’s daughter will be the Empress.”
His tone was somewhere between pressure and threat.
“When I discovered that you had sold your inheritance, I investigated to see if you had committed any other crimes.
Fortunately, I found nothing.”
“Did you ask the counselor to conduct a background investigation?”
“Enya Lockhart”
My father said, pinching the bridge of his nose and looking at me obliquely, coldly.
“This is a small and insignificant thing.”
A shiver ran up my spine at the suggestion that he could do worse.
Whatever it was, I had to make sure Dad wouldn't find out about Dale.
“You should go.
You have been away for so long, you should be home, resting.
You are such a stranger, and home must be very strange to you.”
في سخريته الخفية غادرت الغرفة بخنوع.
إذا أغضبته أكثر من ذلك، فقد يكتشف وجود ديل.
* * *
“I don't have any free time!”
From morning until evening, I was called by servants every day, and I would talk about my life while I was on the run.
كان الأمر أشبه باستجواب المجرمين.
“Are you okay, miss?”
“Emma…….I feel pain…….”
Emma placed a cake in my mouth with a sympathetic look on her face.
“M, ah.”
“آه، لقد مررتِ بوقت عصيب.”
“Emma, ah!”
“You are very kind, my lady.”
“Emma, thank you, but can you feed me slowly?”
"What?!"
Emma suddenly shouted.
“Look how thin you are, I haven’t seen you for years, my dear.
You were devouring a piece of cake in one bite.
What do you mean slowly?”
Emma looked annoyed as she tapped on my arms.
“انظري إلى الوزن الذي فقدتيه، هل كان زوجكِ يجوعكِ؟”