The Empress Returns - Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Translator: Lunarise

Editor: Larkspur

After they crossed the Kingdom of  Luanna and arrived at the Kingdom of Koronis, it was evening. As Viola’s carriage headed to the castle, all the subjects opened the windows and tossed flowers at her.

“Wahhhh!”

“It is Princess Viola!”

“She has brought peace to the Kingdom of Koronis by becoming the Empress of the Arpen Empire!”

Viola was shocked at the overwhelming greeting. Unlike the royal family that was ashamed of disclosing their identity, the subjects sincerely welcomed her after becoming the empress. Flabbergasted, she looked out of the window. Next to her was an excited Rosha.

“You have become a hero! You have achieved peace without holding a single sword.”

“Is this… what I have become?”

“Of course! You have no idea how relieved we all are. After all, there will no longer be war.”

“…That is true. Who would dare point a sword at my mother country?”

“It almost seems like a dream.”

“I feel the same way.”

This was definitely different from how she pictured it in her head. She was overwhelmed with joy and felt relieved.

Viola inhaled the scent of her mother country coming in through the window. She felt an immense sense of catharsis. Her heavy heart was finally satiated.

“This scent… I missed it. It’s been eight years….”

“You can say that again. I also want the food from my hometown. I miss my parents as well.”

“When you come to the palace, stay for a few days.”

“No! I mustn’t… What should I do….”

“It’s alright. This is a special vacation.”

Rosha’s face lit up. She had been through a lot and deserved a break. Just then, the children outside of the carriage handed flowers to Viola.

“Stop the carriage.”

As soon as she gave out the command, the carriage stopped. Viola came down from the carriage and accepted the children’s flowers with her own hands.

“Kiss me! Empress!”

“Me too!”

The sight of the children running over in a crowd for a kiss on the forehead was much too adorable. Since most of them were around Wendy’s age, she planted a kiss on their foreheads one by one. Just then, the children smiled widely with a certain happiness that was unrivaled.

“Bless you! May you be blessed by God!”

“Blessings….”

“Thank you. May all of you also be blessed.”

The happy smiles of the children touched her to the core.

The last child came up to Viola and handed her a flower. After receiving the flower, she went up to the child’s forehead to kiss it.

The child whispered quietly in her ear while holding something in her hand, “I merely did the errands.”

“…?”

The child wouldn’t accept the kiss and instead ran into the crowd. Viola felt the texture of parchment in her hand.

‘Who… on earth?’

Then, when she turned her head in the direction where the child disappeared, she saw a man wearing a robe at the end of the crowd. Suddenly, Viola’s eyes went wide.

I remember who that man was…!!

When Viola was about to go up to that man, the troops sent from the castle went out to meet her. Unable to do anything about it, she went back to the carriage. Then, she stared at a man that she made eye contact with through the window. Since he was a middle-aged man at the time, his face had changed a lot through the years.

Viola’s heart was beating.

“Empress… What is that?”

“Somebody sent me a message.”

“Is that so? Let me have a look….”

Viola opened the parchment. On it, there were a few letters.

[I know the secrets of the Kingdom of Camelon. I shall wait at midnight at the place we last met.]

“If it’s the Kingdom of Camelo…. Is that not the kingdom Father unified twenty years ago?!”

♛♛♛

It had been a while since Viola came back to her hometown, but her heart felt heavy. First of all, she had to face the cold expression of the Queen of Koronis, and then hear the king’s scolding. The jealousy of the princesses was almost attractive.

“The military? Are you telling me to bring out the military? Are you out of your mind? If you just wait quietly, the Arpen Empire will surely come crawling back in one piece, and you’re just going to brush that off?”

“Father… I love you.”

“Love? Were you not that type of child that did not believe in such a thing? How could a child like you dare to become King?!”

The king’s voice rang throughout the room. His bellowing voice at the dinner table made her feel like the meat was stuck in her throat. In a rage, he drank up and threw the empty bottle on top of the table. The cutlery fell to the ground in a cacophony.

“I do not intend to bring out the military myself, so don’t get any ideas.”

“We’ll just need 50,000 soldiers.”

“Viola!”

“If the Arpen Imperial Family and the kingdoms associated with them sent just 20,000 soldiers like any other kingdom, you would practically be tarnishing your reputation.”

“Ha, you are just a thief without a knife. I will not be sending a single soldier. Either you go back or stay here forever.”

“Father!”

“I will not have it any other way. I shall leave.”

The king got up and stormed out.

Viola placed her fork on the plates and sighed deeply. Then, Paul quietly came by her side and looked at her worriedly. She grinned and shook her head.

“The first compromise. Was that not expected? It’s alright. I intend to do a second and third compromise. These kingdoms have a responsibility to make up for what they did… This compromise is very important to me.”

“Please rest.”

“Alright. I have to leave at night after a short rest… Ah…!”

Suddenly she felt a wave of dizziness. When she started faltering, Paul grabbed her arm in a state of shock.

“What has been happening to you?”

“I don’t know. I must be exhausted. You sent Rosha home, correct?”

“Yes, the other maids will serve you.”

“Alright….”

Trying to ignore her headache, she headed to her room. She laid down on her bed and was deep in thought by herself. Just then, she took out the parchment hidden under the bed to check on it once again.