Being a Villainess is No Joke

39. Where is She?

Raashid's POV

I knocked on the huge double door before entering, "Father, "

Father doesn't look up from the papers and said, "Son, what brings you here?"

I can tell by his tone that he is busy so I get straight to the point.

"I don't want an Empress."

I get no reaction from him, not that I was expecting anything. I tell him I lost a leg and he still wouldn't bother looking up from his papers.

"Too bad you're getting one anyway." He replied simply and signs another document.

"Father, " I said sternly, making him look up at me, "I'll manage both, my own as well as the Empress' paperwork on my own, you don't need to help, if that's what you are worried about. But I don't want an Empress right now."

He sighed and looked back to the papers in his hand, "Do you have someone in your mind?" He asked.

I hesitated for a second before answering, "No."

"So that's a yes." Father said signing another document, "If that's the case, then I'll give you two months after your 19th birthday to announce your fiancee and the future Empress of this Empire. But if you fail, I'll choose the Empress myself and you'll have to deal with it."

"Thank you, father." I said and left.

This much time will be enough.

I was mentally prepared all year to get married to the person who will win the contest. That's how Emperors in Obelia without a lover gets their Empress. But now, I can't do that.

Not when I know I love another girl.

I met Mari just outside the door, "I bought what you told me to." He said as I took the papers he handed me down.

I felt a pang of disappointment when I read what she wrote, 'I don't want to be the Empress'.

"Do you really think we have time for all this shit? Why do you care what she does?" Mari grumbled as he checked his pocket watch.

I sighed and started walking towards my study to complete the reports I had stacked up on the table, regarding international guests who were visiting the Empire next week.

"She is Rose, isn't she?"

I froze and looked at Mari, completely shocked.

Then Mari's eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Wait, Really? Damn! My guess was correct."

"You knew?" I asked Mari.

"Oh well, you were really restless after the last time we met Rose and since you loved her, I-", " You knew that too?!" I cut him off. I never told Mari anything about me liking Rose. When I left that night to confess, I just told him that I had something confidential to talk to her.

That obviously outed me.

"Huh? Were you trying to hide it?" Mari asked and then snorted, "Well, you did a terrible job. I could see hearts in your eyes every time you looked at her." I felt heat creeping up to my face.

Or maybe not....his smartass knew everything from the start.

"Anyway, what were you saying?" I quickly tried to divert the topic.

"Ah- I was saying that you were restless after we met Rose last time. Then you stopped going to the Academy altogether and started avoiding Adailia, which was strange since you guys were on good terms the last time I checked."