Empress of Another World

Ninety Eight

Samantha was surprised at my order.

“Pardon? You want me to set an official schedule for you starting tomorrow?”

I nodded. “Yes. I have already discussed this with the emperor. The major event is over, so I should have the time to carry out my duties again.”

Luis seemed concerned.

She agreed with Samantha, “But your highness, you are too overworked. You also fell from a horse just before the celebration. You got sick on the second day of the ball as well. I think you should take a little break for now.”

Elza nodded emphatically. Yulia didn’t say anything, but she seemed like she was thinking the same. I wondered how Agnes would have reacted, but she wasn’t here in the room at the moment.

I was thankful for their concerns, but I replied to them simply, “Soon, the dowager empress will return.”

“…”

A heavy silence fell.

My maids looked tense. They knew very well what my situation was like.

The dowager empress was planned to return in four days. She was not a young woman, but she planned on going back to work only three weeks after giving birth.

It was obvious why. She needed to be in action to maintain and gain more power. It had already been a month since she left the main castle.

I could still constantly feel the threat of assassination despite the dowager empress’ absence.

The last time she attempted my murder was through the Aeal family. It ended with me almost dying and the entire Bonafit family being burned to death. Even after such a gruesome and cruel deed, the dowager empress was planning to return like she did nothing wrong.

I was in fear when she wasn’t even around, so what would I do when she returned?

This was why I felt the need to act fast first.

For the past two weeks, Lowson had very well taken care of me. I felt good, and it was time to go back to work.

“Phew…”

I still didn’t know if I would be able to return home. I expected that I would have to wait a very long time until I got an answer from the priestess.

If it turned out I couldn’t go back home… I had to live in this world forever.

If that was the case, perhaps it wasn’t so bad to be with Lucretius.

After the first day of the ball when I cried in his arms, I began to think this way. Lucretius kept his promise to me. He arranged the meeting for me with the priestess and didn’t interfere at all.

His behavior made me fall for him, at least just a little.

Initially, I planned on escaping this castle even if I couldn’t return home. This was what I asked of Lucretius at the beginning.

At the time, I wanted him to help me run away.

Now, if I had to live in this world… I was beginning to think staying with Lucretius could be a good thing.

I didn’t plan on letting him know how I felt. What I needed to concentrate on was establishing myself as a powerful figure in this castle.

If I would live in this world, I figured I should learn more about it first.

I knew this world had very different political and social systems than 21st-century Korea. However, my knowledge of this kingdom was minimal. I had lived here well over a year, yet I was only just beginning to learn and understand the system.