If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Side Story 15

“I heard she grew up in Humblum?”

“If it’s that place…”

“Shh! Watch what you say. To have taken the Vice President’s side in that kind of situation, she must be terribly ruthless.”

“Well, that’s true…”

The finest hotel in the capital was packed with people wanting to catch a glimpse of the Vice President couple from the New World—and second in line to the imperial throne, Georgiana.

However, most were gossipers or those discontented with the New World.

Though the hotel was strictly checking identities and limiting entry for safety, they couldn’t stop whispers like that.

Each time someone hid their mouth with a thin fan and deliberately gossiped in a loud voice, Locke’s expression grew darker.

“I won’t let this slide. How dare they speak that way about you!”

Locke’s face burned with rage as he tried to march over, but Georgiana stopped him.

“Calm down. It’s not even true, and there’s no need to confront people like that one by one.”

Georgiana remained calm.

She had anticipated such situations while crossing the sea.

In the New World, the two of them might be heroes, but here, people would view independence unfavorably, and her origins would surely be scrutinized—she had expected that much.

Her grandfather had warned her that not only the nobles but even the republicans would try to undermine them.

That way, the legitimacy for the next emperor would disappear, and it would naturally lead to a republic.

That was why he had been worried—but Georgiana had already sensed that deep inside, Angus still held affection and longing for the Empire.

Had he not been ousted by the emperor, her grandfather would have fulfilled his duties in the position he was given.

Georgiana had returned to this country to protect the honor of such a grandfather.

Not to flee—but to stand her ground and firmly decline.

The more jeers she heard, the straighter she held her shoulders and the more composed her expression became as she walked past.

And everyone who got a closer look at her gaped in astonishment.

“She looks like a living doll.”

“She’s more beautiful than Madam Natalie, His Majesty’s mistress.”

“Madam Natalie couldn’t even begin to compare.”

“More beautiful than a top actress!”

Eyes wide, the people stared at Georgiana.

Locke’s face hardened more and more.

“Henry went to find a residence, so please bear with it just for today. I didn’t expect the hotel to be this noisy.”

“I’m fine, Locke.”

Georgiana gave Locke a gentle smile and then stepped into the carriage.

From the hotel to the imperial palace, located at the highest point in the capital, it took quite a while by carriage.

The alleyways widened and the houses grew grander the closer they came to the palace, passing through a famous shopping street where the hotel was located.

Just below the palace, stately townhouses lined the streets—homes of long-established noble families.

Though she had lived in the capital until adulthood, this was Georgiana’s first time in this part of town.

She had never even imagined she’d pass through this neighborhood.

But the carriage she rode in continued past even those grand townhouses, heading straight for the palace without stopping.

Her heart, which had been quiet, began to pound as they neared the tall palace walls.

The person she was about to meet—the fact that it was the Emperor—made her nervous.

Noticing her tense posture, Locke reached out and grasped her hand. “No matter who it is—even the Emperor—I won’t forgive anyone who tries to harm you.”

“Thank you, Locke.”

Looking at him, who seemed sturdier than the palace walls themselves, Georgiana managed a slightly more relaxed smile.

Their carriage passed through the palace gates, lined with nobles’ carriages, and entered the inner garden deep within the imperial grounds.

It was a special exception granted only to high-ranking royalty, explained the attendant who came out to greet them.

Leaving their escort guards at the entrance, Georgiana and Locke crossed the palace threshold accompanied only by their aide, Henry.

Seen up close, the palace was the most majestic and luxurious structure Georgiana had ever seen.

From the frescoes on the ceilings to the paintings hanging throughout, even at a glance, they seemed to be works of famous artists.

Even the tiles adorning the walls and floors looked impossibly expensive.

Georgiana focused straight ahead, careful not to let her gaze linger on any of them.

Inside, it seemed even firearms were banned—only soldiers with swords were on patrol.

Locke and Henry, too, had to surrender their guns before entering the inner palace.

It was unsettling, but considering the times, there was no reason for the palace to harm members of the imperial family. So they handed over their weapons and proceeded inward.

“We were supposed to meet in the audience chamber, but due to the situation, we are going directly to where His Majesty is. Fortunately, he has regained consciousness.”

Following the chamberlain of the imperial palace down a long corridor, Georgiana proceeded deeper into the palace.

Perhaps due to the Emperor’s poor health, the area was so silent that even breathing required caution.

Each step echoed loudly across the marble floor.

Locke quietly reached out and held her hand. The warmth from his hand gradually softened her stiff expression.

“His Majesty is inside this door.”

When the chamberlain stopped walking, the guards stationed at the door pushed open the heavy doors.

“Your Majesty, I have brought Lady Rivern, granddaughter of Duke Angus Rossmann.”

“…Come in.”

A voice tinged with steel and weakness responded from within.

The tone alone conveyed just how ill the Emperor was.

Georgiana instinctively took a breath and stepped in carefully.

The room inside was even more lavish than the hallway, but the grave expressions of the physicians and attendants encircling the large bed gave the room a dark atmosphere.

Curtains partially drawn over the tall windows let in only a faint light, and even the lamps were dim.

On a large bed placed in one corner of the room, someone was sitting half-reclined.

It was the Emperor of the Empire.

“Come closer.”

Georgiana slowly approached the bed.

The Emperor, whom she saw for the first time, had a pale face and a thin frame.

It didn’t seem like he had simply lost weight from illness—he looked small and frail by nature.

According to Henry, he had taken after the previous emperor. That might have been why the previous emperor disliked Georgiana’s grandfather, who was large and handsome.

Whether that story was true or not, it was certain he bore no resemblance to her grandfather.

As Georgiana came closer, the Emperor’s gaze slowly swept over her. Despite the pain in his eyes, curiosity flickered within them.

“Was your name Leona?”

His voice was barely more than a whisper.

“Yes. I am Evelyn Leona Rivern.”

Georgiana cautiously lowered herself beside the bed and looked at the Emperor.

“You resemble Freya quite a bit.”

At those words, her eyes widened. “You knew my mother?”

“Of course I did. Back when I was young, there wasn’t a single soul in society who didn’t know Freya.”

Recalling those days, the Emperor tried to smile—but only the corners of his lips lifted faintly.

“If not for being of the same blood, I would’ve tried to make her my empress. Though the Duke would have strongly opposed. When I heard she died just a few years after marrying Marquis Seymour, I was quite saddened. Cough.”

As the Emperor coughed dryly, a waiting maid quickly held out a glass of water.

After moistening his throat, the Emperor continued speaking, his eyes never leaving Georgiana.

“Just having you come here means a great deal to me. Unlike my father, I always liked Duke Rossmann. It wasn’t right to send him away like that.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue in regret.

“You must know why I called you here.”

Georgiana nodded solemnly.

“As you can see, I don’t have much time left. It’s fortunate that I’m conscious now, but I could fall back into a coma at any moment.”

“No, Your Majesty. You will recover.” Georgiana offered words of comfort.

“I hope so too. But I can’t deny that I’ll be seeing my father soon. That’s why I shamelessly reached out to the Duke and summoned you.”

The Emperor reached out his frail hand and took hers. Though it lacked strength due to his condition, his intention was clear.

“Since I regained consciousness, I had thought to find a suitable heir and abdicate quietly… but seeing you, I’ve changed my mind.”

At that moment, the clouded eyes of the Emperor gleamed with light.