Episode 123

Rose stared at the Emperor while holding her breath. An icy chill ran down her spine as an overwhelming tension made her fingertips go cold.

Could the young man mentioned by the Emperor be Jasper? 

‘How does she know about Jasper and me?’

Rose couldn’t fathom the Emperor’s intentions. 

While the Emperor’s expression was gentle as she looked at her, the aura she emitted was anything but. It had a gentle yet powerful presence, befitting the ruler of the empire.

Amidst her confusion, Rose politely lowered her gaze and maintained her silence. When she didn’t know what to say, she believed that silence was the best course of action.

After a moment, the Emperor spoke again.

“I truly wanted to meet you, Rose. At first, it was just curiosity. An ordinary girl who captured the heart of the second prince and could potentially become a scandal, stirring up the empire.”

Rose felt her throat going dry.

It had only been a short time since she and Jasper had promised to keep their relationship a secret. 

That the Emperor of all people had found out was unbelievable. It seemed that the rumors about the Emperor having ears and eyes everywhere in the empire were indeed true.

Rose never imagined that Jasper himself would confess their relationship to the Emperor. She had been chastising herself for getting caught and wondering who had betrayed her.

“The era of the Emperor wielding power as she pleases is over. Just like our neighboring country of Baskirk, there’s a chance that a furious mob might storm the imperial palace. Who knows, I might be the one with a noose around my neck soon.”

The Emperor said with a playful smile, a statement that, if uttered by anyone else, would be considered a defiance of the imperial family and a blasphemous act.

Rose was too frozen to speak. Whatever she said seemed to carry a potential danger. She was astonished and bewildered that the Emperor herself was addressing her in this manner.

“The era of public opinion has become more critical than ever. That’s why we needed you. A love that transcends social status. There’s no one more suitable than you two to become the stars that will advance the new era.”

“Your Majesty, I…”

Rose managed to squeeze out her trembling voice. She didn’t want to get caught up in political propaganda or scandals. She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it.

All Rose wanted was to study magic engineering to her heart’s content and find a good job in the capital. But the Emperor, as if knowing exactly what she was about to say, interrupted her.

“Your story will make a big impact. Public opinion will change, and it might even help the passage of reformative bills like the Noble Law Amendment in the future.”

“But, Your Majesty, I do not know politics at all.”

“You don’t need to do anything. Just keep living as you are. Try not to break up with Jasper, and maybe even get married. I’ll help you.”

Rose’s eyes blinked rapidly. The fact that the Emperor was becoming an advocate for her relationship with Jasper left her uncertain about how she should feel.

She also felt a subtle sense of melancholy. 

It seemed that the Emperor’s interest in her was not primarily because of her invention at the contest, but rather because of Jasper. Could her defiance of the Emperor, the conversation they were having now, and even the possibility of entering the Imperial Research Institute be thanks to her relationship with Jasper? 

Would she forever be in a position where she could only receive help from Jasper?

The Emperor gazed silently at Rose’s lowered eyes, which had dimmed, and then spoke.

“You don’t seem eager. Is there a more suitable proposal? Perhaps not going as far as marriage with Jasper? Of course, marriage is a matter to be considered carefully.”

“Oh, no, Your Majesty, I just…”

When Rose hesitated to add more to her words, the Emperor asked.

“Just?”

“Just… I was concerned. I never thought that Your Majesty would know about my relationship with Jasper, and originally, I’m not even supposed to be able to present myself to you like this in the first place…”

Her thoughts were jumbled, making it hard for her to articulate, but the Emperor seemed to understand what Rose was trying to convey.

“Even if you weren’t Jasper’s lover, you would have ended up in the palace. The position at the Imperial Research Institute would have been reserved for you. It seems you underestimated your abilities.”

“Ah…”

“If Jasper’s lover were just a pretty girl, it wouldn’t make much of a painting. People would brush it off as gossip. But Rose Bell, you might be different. Make your name known with your abilities and gain recognition.”

The Emperor’s voice was solemn and weighty, but to Rose, it felt like a soothing melody.

“What kind of newspaper article should we have? ‘Conway’s Second Prince’s Escapade: Falling in Love with a Commoner Girl’ or ‘Innovative Magic Engineer Rose Bell Brings Innovation to Life, Admits to a Romance with Conway’s Second Prince.’ Which one do you prefer?”

“The latter… please.”

“Very well.”

The confusion on Rose’s face gradually subsided. The heartbeat that had slowed down suddenly accelerated again.

“Jasper said you like a quiet life. But from now on, it might get a bit noisy.”

Rose swallowed dryly. The Emperor spoke with a tone tinged with amusement.

“But, for geniuses, trials always come, regardless of the era.”

Rose felt her vision of post-graduation life becoming clearer. She recalled her determination when she had decided to decline Theo’s proposal. 

She had vowed to prove herself here, to make a name for herself.

What had been a vague resolution was now taking on a more detailed form. She realized that success and the positive influence she could have on people were worth the tumultuous life that might follow.

She will become like Rose Bell. If she can become a person worth aiming for…

Certainly, her life would become noisy, but she was willing to bear that confusion. Living quietly in the shadows would change nothing.

Rose realized that she was not meant to live a quiet life, and she could navigate through the turmoil.

‘Geniuses are always accompanied by trials…’

The Emperor’s casually spoken words strangely became a source of strength. Whenever life felt unfair and challenging, it seemed comforting to think of everything as a price paid for talent. Childish but almost magical words.

Rose spoke with a small but firm voice.

“I will do my best to meet Your Majesty’s expectations.”

The Emperor smiled lightly.

“Good. You’re even more to my liking than I expected.”

“Th-Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Jasper must be quite taken with you.”

Rose’s cheeks turned slightly pink, and the Emperor said with a playful expression.

“As far as I can tell from my not-so-short life, Jasper is a good man, though he does seem a bit dull and uninteresting.”

“Well, that’s not true, he’s very sweet….”

“Let’s keep him out of your face, shall we? He didn’t tell you about his dealings with me.”

“Uh…?”

“From the look on your face, it seems you didn’t know.”

The Emperor chuckled with apparent amusement. 

Rose looked puzzled as she gazed at the Emperor, who, despite her previous solemn and dignified demeanor, now appeared quite approachable.

“I can’t believe I’m even pretending not to be so desperate in front of you. This is very funny. Let’s walk again, I have some more stories to tell.”

Rose quickly followed the Emperor as they walked.

‘Deal?’

Jasper made a deal with none other than the Emperor herself. The whole situation felt like a mystery to Rose, leaving her mind filled with question marks.

* * *

When the question mark in Rose’s mind turned into an exclamation mark, Jasper sat anxiously in the carriage.

“Darn it.”

The hastily boarded carriage raced toward the main gate of the imperial palace. Jasper chewed his lip and held onto his knees tightly.

After finishing the practical exam and leaving the training ground, Jasper was looking for Rose. He wanted to have a chat with her after the exam was over.

However, Rose had already left the Berkley Academy. The people gathered in the main lobby were whispering only about Rose Bell.

As soon as the contest winners were announced, the lobby became noisy with the story that Rose received an imperial summons and went. There were quite a few people who saw Rose getting on the carriage with the imperial seal.

Jasper rushed out to the main gate without changing his training clothes. 

The announcement of the contest results was surprisingly fast, and Rose’s visit to the imperial palace right after that was also strange. Was the Emperor calling Rose just to congratulate her on the victory?

Jasper ran his slightly sweaty hair through his fingers.

‘Her Majesty… probably didn’t say everything.’

Jasper felt uneasy. He had made a deal with the Emperor to be with Rose Bell, and he had tried to kill someone. Moreover, that mission was still ongoing.

If the kind and tender Rose were to find out about these things, she might think of him strangely. She might accuse him of dealing behind her back.

Jasper’s imagination was gradually veering towards the worst scenarios. Just the thought of Rose being disappointed in him made him feel dreadful.

Jasper was unshakable in the face of sharp knife edges, but when it came to matters concerning Rose, his confidence tended to wane. 

Rose Bell had always been a challenging presence for Jasper, and perhaps she would continue to be so in the future.