For You, Who Hates Me - Chapter 2

 

Aura has been dreaming every day for three years. Of the moment, she would plunge the sword into Karl.

Stabbing the new emperor would undoubtedly raise a commotion. They would push her to her knees and hold a blade to her throat. They may even execute her on the spot.

But Aura wasn’t afraid. She had nearly died three years ago.

However, Karl hid his stabbed side with a black cloak as if nothing had happened.

“Princess Aura-“

Aura flinched. His voice sounded considerably lower and heavier than she remembered. A whole man’s voice, free of the boy’s imprint.

“It seems that your long confinement has left your mind unsteady.”

He moved lightly. Knights swiftly surrounded Aura.

“The princess’ room is located on the fourth story of the main palace, near the end of the west hallway. Take her there.”

Karl remembered Aura’s room precisely. He continued, gazing straight at Aura, as if to ensure she understood.

“Treat her with utmost care, as she is to become the Empress of the Casa Empire.”

Aura believed she misheard.

‘Empress? Is he expecting me to perform the role of wife now?’

“Hah!”

She let out a disbelieving laugh. Her rage erupted into a blast of laughing.

“Ahahaha!”

Aura’s fragile body shook. Her unkempt hair had fallen apart. Her loud laughter filled the entire room.

The knights exchanged looks. It was hard to think this mad woman would be the new empress.

Aura eventually managed to control her laughing. She brushed her hair back and mumbled.

“Which one of us has really lost their mind?”

Her emerald eyes cast a keen look at Karl.

“I’d rather die than be your empress.”

“Why?”

He asked gently. His attitude enraged Aura even more, and she vowed to deliver the most humiliating response.

“Because you are a bastard by birth.”

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The knights drew their swords instantly.

“Your Majesty! Give us the orders!”

“How could she say such a thing…? This is unforgiveable!”

Karl spoke.

“Sheathe your swords immediately.”

“But, Your Majesty!”

“Immediately!”

At his harsh demand, the knights hesitated before reluctantly putting their weapons away.

Karl approached Aura. His look and stride were filled with confidence. The dagger in his flesh and the insult to his mother seemed insignificant to him.

He gripped Aura’s shoulder and murmured quietly.

“You’re correct. I’m a bastard.”

Karl’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

“That’s why I need someone as noble as you, Aura.”

Aura was at a loss for words.

Karl said he would utilize Aura to pick up a tossed object.

Something surged within her at that precise instant.

“Ugh.”

Aura covered her lips and fell. The world spun around her, and it felt as if something was crushing her entire being.

She kept retching, but there was nothing to throw up.

Aura collapsed to the ground, feeling her consciousness fade away.

She thought,

If only this was only a nightmare in the tower.

***

Several days have passed.

Only ten days remained till the empress’s coronation.

Aura stayed trapped in the princess’s room the entire time. None of this seemed real. She still felt stuck in the tower, dazed.

She refused any essential food and medical treatment. Eating and receiving treatment meant she’d have to wear the dress and shoes next. Following that, she would be led to the coronation.

She despised it more than dying. The prospect of spending the rest of her life beside Karl was terrible.

Knock, knock.

Someone entered after a knock. The woman was middle-aged and had greying hair. A gaggle of maids trailed behind her.

“Princess Aura, it’s been a long time.”

The woman bent her waist slightly. Tasha was the palace’s headmaid and Karl’s attendant. She had reared Karl in lieu of his late mother.

Aura previously attempted to get along well with Tasha. Despite Tasha’s status as a fallen aristocrat, Aura treated her with respect and care. Karl regarded her as a mother figure.

But it was Tasha who maintained her distance. She always glanced at Aura with contempt.

Aura later discovered why. She happened to overhear a chat between Tasha and a maid.

‘To marry a dirty Xeneian woman when there are so many noble females in Casa. What a disgrace.’

Tasha appeared unchanged. The same obstinate face and arrogant look. Now that Karl was emperor, everything made sense.

“Your highness. I heard you hadn’t been eating, so I came to see you.”

“Did Karl send you?”

Tasha’s expression showed resentment. Aura was being disrespectful to both Tasha and Karl.

“As I heard, your intellect is jumbled. Given the circumstances, let’s begin with a lunch.”

She looked willing to force-feed her if necessary.

Aura was infuriated—not just at Tasha but particularly at Karl. He must have been apprised of her condition but just dispatched a maid.

She wasn’t screaming for him to come and soothe her. Karl’s indifferent treatment of her was unbearable to her.

Aura’s lips formed a slight smile. She rose from her seat.

“Since Tasha has arrived, I should eat something. But first, I’ll clean up. I feel too filthy.”

“Start with the meal,”

“I said I’ll wash first, Tasha.”

“…Very well, I’ll prepare it.”

They went to the bathroom shortly after.

Aura undressed without thinking twice. She was a princess, specifically the crown princess. Maids often saw her naked.

The servants were shocked when they saw her body. Her ribcage was completely exposed, and her arms were as slender as sticks.

“You should eat a lot. You look like a corpse.”

Aura ignored Tasha’s comment and entered the bath.

The water was moderately warm. However, Aura, who had been using cold water for a long period, found it ineffective.

“It is too hot. Add more cold water.”

A maid softly poured cold water into the bathtub.

“More. It is still hot.”

The maid added additional cold water till the vapor dissipated. Nonetheless, Aura felt overheated and stifled.

“More.”

“I will check the temperature.”

Tasha sat near the bathtub, dipping her wrinkled hand in the water.

“Any more cold water, and it will be too cold.”

“I am still hot.”

“If you catch a cold, how will you attend the coronation?”

Aura locked her gaze on Tasha.

‘Was this woman always so ignorant of her surroundings?’

Regardless of how she felt, she had been overly kind. Groveling to a woman in this manner.

“A maid should care about the water temperature, not the coronation.”

“Princess, I am the Emperor’s nanny.”

“I am talking about your rank, Tasha.”

Tasha squeezed her small lips together. She was the head maid, and the head maid remained a maid. Tasha sighed as if she was unwilling to cope with Aura.

“You are truly broken in many ways.”

“Broken?”

Aura grasped Tasha’s arm. Then she yanked her hard into the bath.

“Ah, ahh!”

Splash!

The maids shouted, covering their lips.

“Head Maid!”

“Head maid! Wh-What shall we do?”

Aura grabbed Tasha’s collar as she flailed.

“Cough, cough! Cough!”

Tasha choked on the water, her face pale and hair dangling like seaweed.

“Well, it seems you look more like a corpse than I do.”

“H-hieek…”

“You think I’m broken? Bring your master here immediately. Let him decide for himself if this water is hot or cold.”

“Uh…”

“I have something to tell your Master. Now, go.”

Aura let grasp of Tasha’s collar and pushed her away.

“Aagh!”

Tasha fell into the water again. She floundered before eventually getting out of the tub. She appeared sad as she tugged her drenched skirt and fled.

The bathroom went silent. The maids stood still in their corners. Aura laid her head on the bathtub wall.

“What are you doing? More cold water.”

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

One maid swiftly retrieved cold water. Her hands trembled as she poured it into the bathtub. Aura looked at her hands and asked quietly,

“Are you scared?”

The maid flinched and promptly knelt, imploring,

“I—I’m sorry! Your Highness, I am deeply sorry…”

Aura didn’t comprehend.

‘How could they be scared of something like this?’

When was the last time she experienced fear? Fear was the first thing she lost inside the tower. When the darkness persists, terror grows boring.

Aura carefully immersed herself in the bath. Her stiff muscles started to relax. A proper bath felt great.

“Whew…”

Aura took out a long sigh. Her cloudy thoughts started to clear.

An unexpected question came.

‘Why doesn’t Karl leave me?’

She was the wife who wished him dead. Furthermore, she had stabbed him, but rather than murdering or deposing her, he insisted on proclaiming her empress.

‘That’s why I need someone as noble as you, Aura.’

Noble.

Aura saw a hint in that word.

‘Karl need ‘True Blood.’’

True Blood denoted legitimate members of the imperial or royal bloodline. Their very presence motivates the masses. Aura was once like this.

Karl was far from a true blood. Furthermore, he came to the throne via insurrection. He needed people’s help more than ever.

‘Having a True Blood wife would help him maintain his power. But whatever royal family would give its legitimate daughter to a rebel? So he has decided to use me.’

Calculating. Which term suited Karl better?

He’d always been like that. Hiding his keen intellect and superb swordsmanship. His patience in working harder than others. Taking precautions to avoid the Crown Prince’s jealousy.

“Leaving for Devlar was also part of his calculations.”

He hid till he had enough power for the uprising. He did not care about his wife’s misery.

And his calculation was correct. He had ascended the throne.

Aura chewed her lip silently.

‘I will not let things go your way anymore.’

Aura exited the bathroom a little time later. Just taking a bath had enhanced her complexion. Her hair sparkled after being cleansed with good soap. She almost resembled her former attractive self.

Aura returned to the princess’ room. A man dressed in a shirt with his hair nicely slicked back, showing his smooth forehead, waited for her at the window.

It was Karl.

He asked in a chilly tone,

“Did you try to drown my nanny?”