I Met the Male Lead in Prison

The chapters lately has been quite long, so i'm splitting it into two >.< this chapter is literally twice the usual chapters!

The Empress correctly called my name, but I bowed my head without panic. I kept my eyes on the floor. I have already met the Empress. Probably because I had an audience at a banquet I had previously attended. Of course, I was wearing a mask at that time, but I couldn't wear it in front of the Empress.

Since then, only Chaser has been called closely and I haven't seen her up close, but she's nevertheless seen my face. Although my hair and eyes were different, it wouldn't be a problem.

She must have become an Empress with a keen eye, even though I also knew that the transformation at that time was at a level of blindfolding. But recognizing that I was the Blue Rose was another thing. She may have said it was a joke, but I don't think there's something an Empress could just say. Or, did she already know on the day she greeted Chaser?

I didn't know which one it was.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Usually, when a nobleman greeted, praise for the Empress was required, but when it was a Duke-level greeting, the simplified greeting was not rude.

As if the Empress didn't care, I continued to raise my head.

"Hmm, Duke Domulit is certainly unpleasant. I didn't know he was hiding this beautiful family member. Moreover, to the point of identity."

By saying that she didn't recognize me even in front of her nose, I knew that the worries I had a while ago were closer to the former. It seemed that she had guessed my identity whatever Chaser said. Or there was some reason why she didn't recognize me.

"What do you do while Domulit's Treasure greets me? Hernim?"

It meant why was he standing still without saying his greetings? Ricdorian only looked at the Empress with a cold expression on his face.

"Hernim knows how to convey loyalty to the imperial family even if it is not formal."

"Hmm, you only lived with your mouth."

Despite Ricdorian's attitude, the Empress only smiled.

'…… Wasn't the relationship between Hernim and the imperial family on good terms?'

Originally that was how it was In the book with the former Grand Duke Hernim. So, the setting was that Ricdorian would continue the loyalty that Ricdorian's father had built up. He hated his father, but he was also a loyal follower of his father, who was suddenly murdered. This coincided with the path of the Red Rose, which had long been loyal to the imperial family.

But judging by Ricdorian's attitude, it seemed that he did not like this position.

'Even when I asked to go to the imperial family, he didn't seem so happy.'

Ricdorian also accepted that there was no way, but he was not willing to give permission. Was it actually difficult? Judging from the fact that he was allowed to accompany me, it would seem that they were not in a hostile relationship.….

"I do not like this kind of reaction."

The corner of the Empress's lips rises. She tilted her head loosely. Contrary to that she said that she was not happy, her face didn't feel that way at all.

"I didn't mean to offend, I'd like to ask you."

"How can I stop Your Majesty's question?"

Ricdorian took a step back.

"Hmm, the Blue Rose that appeared at this moment. Then there's Duke Domulit's younger sister."

Her gaze swept me away.

He saw me there only once and felt me ​​as the Blue Rose. If the Empress was a rose like Francia or Ricdorian, it wouldn't be strange, but it was strange on the other hand. The rose family I saw on the stone slate was five in total, four except for the Blue Rose family that had already disappeared. But there was no royal family in it. I've never even heard of the Empress being a rose with special powers.

But how did she recognize the connection between me and Pudding at once?

"What would I think of the fact that you, the Red Rose, brought a legendary being?"

"How can I guess what Your Majesty's thoughts are?"

Ricdorian was more courteous than before, but he was still not in an attitude of attending to the Empress. I could feel it clearly.

"You wouldn't think that I didn't know. You wouldn't be ignorant of my 'seeing eye'. And yet, you know that to remain silent at this moment and spare no words is to deceive me."

An intangible aura swayed from the Empress. It was a familiar haze I had seen in Ricdorian and Francia except that it was purple in color.

I got goosebumps.

Why does the Empress show such energy? There was no purple in the roses on the slate, but I felt something was going wrong.

"Or are you laughing at my inability to come and feel the energy of the Blue Rose from Lady Domulit?"

Was my body changing to match the rose? Or, maybe I just realized what I was feeling from the beginning, but the strange feeling seems to suggest something ominous.

Why does the Empress have the power of a rose? It was simple when you think about it. Each of the roses was a family, and she was the master of the Empire that ruled all the families.

So it's not unusual to have that much power. The slate kept coming to mind. I only saw 5 roses in Kambrakam……. This is the afterimage of the painting I saw all the time. The thought that there are only five roses.

There, the purple rose carved on the Empress's back stood out even more.

"Tell me, Master of Hernim."

The Empress was silent.

"Did you dare to despise the master of the Empire?"

Then, an energy that could never be ignored flowed from the Empress. Accordingly, Ricdorian also did not stand still. It was an instantaneous situation.

"How can you not recognize my loyalty?"

"Loyalty?"

A bat sitting on the Empress's armrest spread its wings. The Empress moved her lips slowly and gracefully as if licking her lips, then bit her lip. It was ferocious, but it was so oppressive that it even looked elegant.

"I am not happy with the appearance of the long gone Blue Rose. The existence of a miracle that reappeared in an era when miracles were cut out is good to cause chaos. Isn't that so?"

She clenched her cheeks and narrowed her eyes.

"If I had found it first, she wouldn't have been left with this. I remember all the past. What was the result of the appearance of the Blue Rose?"

And the words continued slowly.

"Like the 'Rose Festival' in the past."

Rose Festival. It was the first time I had heard it, but from the Empress's nuances, it didn't seem like a good thing.

"My role is to protect the peace of the Empire. Even at this moment, I can cut off that slender flower that hasn't bloomed and swallow the seed."

In an instant, a bloody atmosphere overwhelmed the not-so-small room. As if knowing that this was going to happen, Ricdorian was calm. I felt anxious.

There was no one in the room except the three of us.

"How can I add one word to Your Majesty's decision? If you do, your Majesty. You know I'm not going to watch."

"……."

"You're not a wise man, are you?"

There's no way I didn't know that Her Majesty's words meant that she would wipe me out in front of him. She smiled, but she looked at me with eyes full of intimidation, how can I not know? A little while ago, my attention was focused on that purple light, a mixture of purple and blue that shimmered strangely in her eyes.

It kept causing anxiety. Even though I am originally indifferent to most things. At first, when Pudding asked me to leave, I should have turned around.

'That's why Pudding can say I'm stupid. I have nothing to say.'

A long arm stretched out in front of me in an instant situation. It was Ricdorian's. In an emergency, his chin was tightly shut as if he was ready to engage in a serious situation or a fight.

"Well, good."

The Empress chuckled.

"Actually, the young girl behind you right now is a problem even if she's not the Blue Rose. Hernim."