STP 05

Chapter 5

His voice came out heavily, as though he were enduring some kind of pain, and strangely enough, it sounded almost frightened.

However, before Theodora could think too deeply about him, his gaze shifted toward something behind her.

‘Where is he looking?’

Following his gaze, Theodora glanced over her shoulder.

But there was nothing there.

Though puzzled, she opened her mouth to say something—anything—that might calm his anger.

“I, I…….”

“Come with me.”

But by then, Raud’s gaze had already left her.

He grabbed Theodora by the wrist and led her out of the room.

‘Am I going to die this time?’

Even though she had lived in fear of death ever since she was young, she could never get used to that terror.

She trembled all over and lowered her head.

They had not walked very far when a different atmosphere brushed against the tip of her nose.

“Raise your head.”

At Raud’s command, Theodora slowly lifted her head.

He had the air of someone dragging her away to an execution ground, but the place they had entered was simply another clean chamber within the palace.

“This place…….”

“Do you intend to sleep in a room covered in blood?”

“Ah…… No, but…….”

Her trembling eyes turned toward him.

She simply could not figure him out. Perhaps it was because she lacked education, but Raud’s thoughts were far too difficult for her to understand.

At times, he seemed to regard her as insignificant, yet the warmth of his hand was so gentle. At times, he even seemed worried about her.

‘That can’t be.’

She pressed her lips tightly between her teeth at the absurd thought.

“Your lips.”

Raud lightly lifted her chin, looking displeased.

“I told you not to bite them. It’s a habit that reveals a lowly upbringing.”

“……Ah, yes, Your Majesty.”

“And.”

“Yes……?”

“Starting tomorrow, learn some self-defense.”

“Self-defense……?”

“Do you intend to keep getting hurt while crying like that every time?”

Raud’s brow furrowed sharply as their eyes met.

For a moment, it seemed as though he was looking at the smear of blood on Theodora’s cheek.

“Even if I assign you a hundred guards, a thousand guards, I can’t save you every time. Even if it were—!”

His voice rose angrily, as though he were furious about something she could not understand. Then he clenched his fist tightly and muttered,

“……Even if it were me.”

The blue eyes watching Raud blinked rapidly.

She was suddenly so frightened that tears welled up in her eyes, and each time she blinked, they spilled down her cheeks.

Even so, Theodora swallowed hard, wondering if she had heard him incorrectly.

Because, somehow, Raud’s words sounded as though he wanted to protect her.

“Crying won’t solve anything.”

At his words, she hurriedly wiped away her tears.

“If there are people who insult you, grab them by the hair if you have to.”

Even while threatening her, Raud held out a clean handkerchief toward Theodora.

She accepted it with trembling hands. Then she dabbed at the corners of her eyes, wiping away her tears.

A small hope rose within her heart.

Maybe he didn’t actually hate her after all.

“Always stay alert. So you don’t get eaten.”

Yet strangely, his gaze once again turned toward something behind Theodora.

The handkerchief carried a fresh forest scent. Its soothing fragrance seemed to calm her, and her tears gradually stopped.

“Answer me.”

“Yes, yes…….”

Raud’s habit of watching behind her from the moment they first met was suspicious, but she quickly answered him.

“Go wash yourself. There’s blood on you.”

“Yes…….”

She answered, but Theodora hesitated, watching him as though wondering whether she was really allowed to leave. Raud gave a short chuckle and added,

“Shall I wash you myself?”

“Ah, no, Your Majesty……!”

She jumped and hurriedly fled the room. Through the narrowing gap of the closing door, she caught sight of him climbing onto the bed.

‘Is he going to sleep here again today?’

He was still a frightening person—someone who became angry with her and poured out inexplicable fury—but she did not dislike him.

At least he did not seem like someone who would kill her. No, rather…….

‘It feels as though he might protect me.’

Simply knowing that Raud would sleep beside her brought her a strange sense of relief.

As she headed toward the bathhouse, Theodora smiled faintly.

“How shameless. Does she really want to walk around with her head held that high?”

“Exactly. She must think she’s a real secondary consort just because she’s been given the title in name.”

The women of the harem gossiped together.

Today was a charity event hosted by the Imperial Family. The Emperor, Empress, secondary consort, and women of the harem had each put their cherished possessions up for auction, with the proceeds being donated to an almshouse.

Strictly speaking, the women of the harem were not members of the Imperial Family, but they had expressed their desire to participate as a group and had received the Empress’s permission.

They came swarming in like a pack of wolves and immediately took seats at the places of honor.

Then, when Theodora arrived late, they deliberately raised their voices so she could hear them.

“I heard she was locked away at the top of a tower in the Kingdom of Selene, but she certainly gets around well enough here.”

“Perhaps she really believes His Majesty’s favor rests upon her.”

The women’s jealousy had grown even stronger after they heard that the Emperor had stayed at her palace for several days.

The transformation in Theodora’s formerly shabby appearance had also contributed greatly to it.

Thanks to the ointment Raud had given her and Gentle’s attentive care, she was gradually becoming more beautiful than she had been before.

Without responding to any of them, Theodora approached the seat of honor next to the Emperor and Empress.

She finally reached the seat where Immanuel was sitting and spoke while looking directly at her.

“His Majesty said…….”

Immanuel, who had taken Theodora’s seat, wore a resolute expression despite knowing that the seat was not hers, as though she had absolutely no intention of moving.

Looking at Immanuel, Theodora continued slowly.

“If someone insults me, His Majesty told me to grab them by the hair…….”

“W-what are you talking about……!”

At those completely unexpected words, the women began to stir loudly.

Her voice was still trembling as though she were frightened, but there was an inexplicable confidence in her.

“I can’t disobey the Emperor’s command, but whose hair should I grab…… first?”

They had thought her meek first impression would work in their favor again.

But apparently the rumors that she was favored by the Emperor were true, because Theodora was showing a completely different side of herself.

“Ah……! Grab someone’s hair……! Y-you could just say something instead!”

In the end, the woman sitting in the seat of honor even stammered as she got up and moved away.

This was clearly different from insulting her during tea time.

Theodora’s demand was perfectly reasonable, and with so many eyes watching, they could not openly confront a secondary consort.

“……Thank you.”

There was no need for her to thank the woman, but Theodora still could not bring herself to be cruel to the very end.

She sat down with a faint, satisfied smile.

Her heart was pounding like mad, but at the same time she felt a sense of accomplishment and exhilaration from having spoken up instead of allowing someone to disregard her.

That was when it happened.

“Theodora.”

At the soft yet gentle voice, Theodora slowly turned her head.

“Your Majesty! Ah, Your Majesty, the most exalted Empress of the Rasol Empire.”

Her face brightened with pleasure at seeing her, but she quickly composed herself and bowed respectfully.

Secrita gently lifted the corners of her lips, as though she found Theodora’s behavior adorable.

A dark shadow fell over them from behind.

“Does the secondary consort not even see the Emperor?”

“Gasp! I’m, I’m sorry…… The glory of the Rasol Empire…….”

Startled by the voice that sounded like a growling beast, she hurriedly bowed her head again.

The cheeks that had flushed red when she saw the Empress had now gone deathly pale.

“That will do.”

Raud’s brow furrowed deeply, seemingly displeased by Theodora’s frightened appearance.

“The burn marks have faded considerably. They’ll disappear soon.”

“Thanks to the ointment Your Majesty gave me…….”

“You’re still ugly all the same.”

After the compliment and insult came one after another in such an impossible-to-read conversation, Theodora cautiously raised her head.

He had told her to grab the hair of anyone who insulted her. Then, would it be all right to grab the Emperor’s hair too?

If she did that, she might be beheaded. Forcing the chilling thought from her mind, Theodora lowered her head again.

Then, when someone suddenly exclaimed in admiration, her gaze naturally turned in that direction.

“Wow, what a magnificent horse.”

“How is its coat such a vivid red?”

There stood a horse with a red coat, proudly displaying its sleek, muscular body.

“I heard it was presented to His Majesty by the Francitz Ducal Family. He raised it from a young age, and apparently it’s now at the peak of its prime.”

“No wonder it’s His Majesty’s most cherished horse.”

As she listened to the people explaining, Theodora also stared at the horse with curiosity in her eyes.

Strangely, she felt as though the horse was looking at her too.

And at that very moment—

“Gasp, no!”

The horse suddenly became extremely agitated and began violently bucking.

Even the person holding its reins was thrown to the ground by its ferocious movements.

Then the horse began charging wildly toward something.

Its path was aimed with astonishing precision directly at Theodora.

‘My feet…… won’t move.’

Even though the horse was charging toward her at full speed, her body remained frozen and refused to move.

It almost felt as though someone had a tight grip on both her legs from beneath her feet.

“Eek!”

The women fled in panic. The Imperial knights were too busy protecting the Emperor and Empress.

Unable to do anything, Theodora squeezed her eyes shut.

And just as the horse was about to charge into the completely defenseless Theodora—

“Theodora!”

At the moment the horse’s head was about to slam into her, Raud broke through the ranks of the escorting knights and pulled her firmly into his arms.