The Solitude of an Emperor [TO BE UNPUBLISHED]

33 : The Regrets

When the meeting was done, Crown Princess Darya and the Emperor did not leave the meeting room. In the end, no one can stop Darya from her imperative and they have approved of her having concubines. Duke Esteban was pretty shocked about it but in the end, he just nodded his head and approved of just being her consort.

"Sometimes, I have no idea who is more mature, my granddaughter or the nobles."

Yes. Since the day his granddaughter started making moves for the better of the Empire, he started realizing how unreasonable and childish the nobles are. He started looking down on himself as a ruler that was unable to do something better because he thought that his subjects were on his side.

"They said that what makes you today were the experiences you have gone through. I wonder how much my granddaughter suffered to have become this strong willed and brave. Did Prince Harrique make you like this?"

Darya was not able to speak for a few seconds. She knows that she is becoming more and more like a woman who had lived for too many years to have such a kind of thinking as her. She knows that the Emperor is getting confused by her actions that do not justify her age and her current life.

"If I tell grandpa about the truth, would you ever believe that I had gone through such a life that you would not imagine?"

Hearing what his granddaughter said, he somehow felt like he would be hearing something unbelievable that he thought he would not comprehend. However, he had this belief that there was always something incomprehensible that happens once in a lifetime. Just like how he suddenly became well after suffering from old age within two years.

"I will believe everything that my granddaughter says."

Darya looked at the Emperor, not as a Crown Princess but a granddaughter who had gone through pain and suffering. "This is my... fifteenth life, grandpa."

That moment, she told everything to her grandfather. Everything she remembers. Everything she had gone through. The suffering. The betrayal. The pain. The chaos. The disgust. The future. It left the Emperor unable to hold his tears to have heard such life his granddaughter had. He felt pathetic as a grandfather for being unable to protect his grandchild. It suddenly felt like he almost lost someone precious to him again.

Days have passed and Duke Esteban finally passed a marriage proposal to the Emperor after talking to Crown Princess Darya. It was then announced that the Crown Princess had Duke Esteban de Garrett as her consort.

This news shook the whole noble social circle and they have come to criticize the Dukedom for having agreed to such ridiculous request. However, Duke Esteban had no problem with this. For him, as long as he can be by her side, he had enough.

Slap. Again, the painful slap echoed all over the Duke's office. Duke Esteban did not move from where he was standing and just stayed looking at his father's raging eyes.

"How could you become just a consort?! Where is your sense of pride as a Duke, Esteban?!" His father's exclamation rang in his ears and to his personal aid.

His collar was then grabbed. "You... when did you start not listening to my commands?!" He was then pushed by his father. "I raised you to become a standard! A standard that no one can surpass! I raised you to become the Emperor!"

He still did not move from where he is standing after receiving a full-force punch on his face. Blood started running down his swollen lip. He did not spill a single tear to his father.

Seeing his reaction, his father got even more annoyed. "You will marry Count Morata's daughter." He demanded, making his eyes widen.

"What?"