I Won’t Accept Your Regrets
Chapter 4:

By the time I got ready, I had listened to tons of compliments from the maids lavishly.

The maids babbled to me in an agitated tone:

"It's so beautiful. Today's dress suits Your Majesty very much."

"Yes, it really will outshine everyone."

"If the Emperor sees you, he will be amazed at the beauty of Her Majesty."

The maids were so happy, perhaps because they hadn't dressed me so luxuriously for a long time.

When I saw this reaction from the maids, I also laughed happily.

"Yes, you all did a great job. As you said, I hope His Majesty will like that too."

"Of course, Your Majesty. This dress is a gift from His Majesty." Helen told me as if it were a matter of course.

"I can't keep him waiting."

I quickly left the room. As I walked down the steps of the Empress's palace, I saw Raymond's back standing in the lobby of the palace.

"Raymond."

He turned around.

My heart pounded as he looked at me in an impeccable dress with a gold line symbolizing imperial power. Raymond, calmly looking at me with his black eyes, came up to me.

As soon as I saw that his lips parted, I sighed convulsively. I wonder if he will remember this dress?

My heart beat faster with mixed emotions, be it anticipation or anxiety, an innocent low voice poured into my ear.

"Empress, the banquet has already begun, so you'd better hurry." In the end, he held out his hand to me, as if he wanted me to take it quickly.

The expectation from which my heart fluttered fell into the abyss. What carelessness on his part.

I didn't expect much from Raymond, but like a fool, I still hoped for the best.

I would have ignored it if I hadn't tried so hard.

Is it because of her, because of Lisa? I wanted to replace at least some kind of connection between him and me. I looked at him again, but did not replace any response in his gaze.

Not contempt as usual. He just looked at me with a soulless gaze. Ray, you should at least try to have a heart-to-heart talk with me. For the first time, this indifference made me feel like my feelings for him had collapsed.

"Empress? What's the matter?"

When I silently looked at his hand, Raymond called me again. I slowly raised my head and looked at him.

Looking into his eyes, I, as always, smiled softly.

“Nothing, Your Majesty. We have to go.”

I took Raymond's hand. After looking at me for a minute, he soon stepped into the carriage with me.

The Marquis's mansion shone with bright lights under the dark sky. It seemed that this mansion had been so brightly lit for the first time that evening since Lisa had left it seven years ago.

"All you can rise up."

The nobles rose slowly at the emperor's command.

I looked at the blonde in front of me, who shone brighter than the brightest light on the chandelier.

Lisa Nasios.

Her beautiful figure, which has not changed a bit in seven years.

At that moment, Raymond's gaze turned to her.

I clenched my hands tightly as they stared at each other like that. Lisa and Raymond broke up not because they wanted to, but because life circumstances had developed that way.

How do they treat each other after breaking up, when their love was so strong?

I couldn't imagine.

I couldn't watch Raymond staring at her, so I looked down. I stared at the floor, and then I saw the hem of an azure dress approaching us.

"Your Majesty the Emperor, Your Majesty the Empress. Thank you so much for coming to my party."

Lisa's soft voice rang in my ears. I slowly raised my head and looked directly at her.

There was a smile on her face addressed to me. In the past, this gentle smile always appeared when she was with Raymond.

If there was not even a drop of conscience left in me, I would not feel so embarrassed. But she had never been rude to me in the past, and she looked at me and smiled a gentle smile just like she was seven years ago.

Although it was her choice, she went west for her family. Now she has finally returned to her homeland, but she cannot even stand next to her beloved.

So how can you still smile at me?

Everyone present can see how Lisa looks at me with sympathy. I felt it from the moment I entered the hall.

The eyes of many aristocrats were fixed on us. Lisa looked at me intently.

Perhaps, in their opinion, I am a villain right now. Because there was no one in the Empire who did not know about the love of Raymond and Lisa.

When the former crown prince publicly humiliated Raymond, Lisa was the one who always stood up for him. She was a wonderful angel who saved the abandoned prince by all.

The love of Raymond and Lisa was so famous that even a certain poet sang a song about them, dramatizing an excerpt of their sad relationship.

When I faced reality, as if returning to the past, my throat tightened.

Then I heard Raymond's quiet voice addressing her.

"I'm glad you're back."

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."

Now that the Emperor was the first to address her, I, as Empress, had to say my word.

I should have … but I got a lump in my throat.

All eyes were fixed on us, on me, and it seemed to me that they were blocking my throat.

At that moment, silence reigned, and Lisa and Raymond's gazes hung on me.

Raymond opened his mouth first.

"Empress?"

I clenched my will into a fist, and finally opened my mouth.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Are you okay?"

I sensed that something was wrong with Raymond's gaze. I squeezed out a slight smile.

"Everything is fine. And I congratulate you, Lisa, on your safe return to your homeland. I hope that you will forget the past and live a new life." Even if I look like a villain to them, I cannot change the past.

And now I was standing next to Raymond.

Now I had no choice but to check whether her love for Raymond still lives on.

Her eyes stared at me. She slowly opened her mouth, perhaps realizing the hidden meaning in my words.

"…Thank you for your warm welcome, Your Majesty."

Lisa thanked me. Raymond said:

"Lisa, since we have seen you, the Empress and I will return to the palace." But Raymond was staring at her, not wanting to leave.

And soon my red lips parted again.

“Lisa. I sincerely congratulate you on your return.”

Let's hurry up. If you return to the palace now, everything will remain in place.

I was thinking about leaving this place, and just wanted to suppress the sadness that overwhelmed me.

"Empress, let's go back."

As soon as I hurried to put my hand in his, Lisa's voice caught Raymond's attention.

"…And one more thing."

Lisa looked into my eyes. Raymond took the hand that held mine.

"Your Majesty, in fact I’m not back alone."

What does it mean?

I forgot about my grief and turned to Lisa.

I looked at Raymond with a tense face.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Your Majesty, you need to see someone."

A shiver ran all over my body at that moment.

A door opened on the other side of the hall, and a servant walked into the center by the hand with a small child.