The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 110
Conversely, the Emperor was aware that Roxelyn Bellion was the precious gem of the ducal house.
The love of the young duke was clumsily inept.
Conversely, that was what Severus’s love was like.
He was the Emperor and the supreme ruler, the sole sun of the empire.
If he revealed who and what he’s partial to, everyone would target and exploit them. If he showed what he disliked, they would use it as a weakness.
Thus, Severus never revealed his likes or dislikes to anyone.
He had lived his life this way, and it applied mercilessly to people as well.
Therefore, the one person he truly loved could not be proudly displayed in the world.
Further, he had never sincerely embraced the son born of his love.
Thus, Severus acknowledged that everything he did to protect what was his had left scars on Arma.
That is why he did not raise Arma as a Crown Prince.
As an emperor, his capacity was clear. Ironically, Arma, the youngest, was the one who most strongly inherited his blood, and the Emperor also had ambitions for him.
But he did not force the throne on a child who did not love the country.
He did not educate him to be an emperor, and he stood by no matter how he chose to live his life. He taught the ways of governance only to the First and Second Princes and supported them.
Yet, the reason he had not yet appointed a Crown Prince was one.
It was to give Arma the opportunity and time to choose.
If Arma wanted it, Severus was prepared to hand over the throne to him.
But after a long wait, Arma Diyanitas still had no interest in the throne.
‘…No, I thought he wasn’t interested.’
The Emperor, frowning and clearly frustrated, looked at Roxelyn.
It was evident that she wanted to storm out of her seat, but she couldn’t move because he was the Emperor.
The Emperor had loved before. It was a very twisted love.
There had been times when he had long denied the love that came to him.
Days created by his pride, thinking he could never truly love someone.
He had caged a free spirit in a giant cage and couldn’t even look inside often…
The pitiful one who had accepted the love he offered.
Severus’s love was in the form of a shackle.
And Arma was very much like him.
In his perspective, Arma already had feelings for Roxelyn.
Roxelyn’s existence would keep Arma in this empire.
The youngest, who resented the empire, would be the reason to care for this empire.
As long as Roxelyn belonged to this empire, Arma would comfortably maintain the empire, this giant cage.
Just as he had.
‘So, sorry to say, but I can’t easily let you go.’
The Emperor slowly rubbed his chin.
“Is there anything else you want besides the annulment?”
“No.”
Roxelyn answered firmly.
“I hate to say it, but my youngest is quite exceptional. There’s more to him than meets the eye.”
“I know.”
Roxelyn answered calmly.
The sincerity in her dry voice made the Emperor pause.
“But the Third Prince is not someone I can handle. Above all, he doesn’t want to be Emperor.”
“His mind might have changed.”
“If the reason for that change is me, that would be a problem.”
Roxelyn’s voice was firm.
The Emperor looked at Roxelyn with a smile and tilted his head.
“Why do you think so?”
Roxelyn looked at the Emperor silently.
“Because the one I loved was the mask of the Third Prince.”
“The mask…?”
“The Third Prince is very much like Your Majesty.”
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.
“The fact that one can hold their breath and hide their claws for nearly a decade for a single moment, that for a purpose they wouldn’t hesitate to do anything, or wouldn’t hesitate to abandon anyone…”
“…”
The Emperor’s smile deepened.
Even seeing that, Roxelyn continued to speak.
“I understand that you want to keep me at bay because you think I can be of help, but I really don’t want to be helpful.”
Roxelyn paused for a beat and then added,
“Above all, I dislike people who are two-faced. I’ve already been stabbed in the back before.”
At Roxelyn’s words, the Emperor burst into riotous laughter.
His laughter was so boisterous that even the usually expressionless Roxelyn’s face showed a hint of annoyance.
But soon enough, the Emperor stopped laughing.