The Obsession of the Tyrant Sub-Male Lead is Unnecessary

Episode 28

“It’s not that I don’t want a gift; I just don’t need anything right now.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“But it’s true. I already have everything I need, so what more could I possibly want?”

“There must be *something* you’d like.”

“Carlos, you’re just asking because you can’t think of anything, right?”

“…”

Verona laughed as she finished her jelly.

“You really don’t have to give me anything. I already have more than enough from last time. I might not even be able to use it all in my lifetime.”

“No, that’s unacceptable.”

Carlos spoke with unwavering determination.

“It’s unthinkable for the Empress to go without a birthday gift.”

“I’m not the Empress yet…”

“Imagine how shocked our child would be if they found out later.”

“Maybe our child will also say they don’t want a birthday gift one day. What will you do then?”

“If they don’t want anything, they can just accept whatever I decide to give them.”

“Huh?”

“Since I can’t decide, I’ll just give you everything I’ve thought of.”

“…”

So, he’s saying the decision is already made, and I should just accept it? What a straightforward person. Verona shook her head, thinking that agreeing might lead to some extravagant surprise.

“Actually, there is one thing I want.”

“What is it?” Carlos’s eyes lit up with interest.

“But I’m hesitant to say it because I don’t think you’ll give it to me.”

“There’s no way I would refuse. Tell me.”

“Free time.”

“…Free time?”

Verona nodded.

“I want some free time outside the palace. Clarence Palace is vast and beautiful, but… it’s not my usual environment, so sometimes it feels a bit confining.”

And she held back the words, “And you’ve restricted me from going anywhere other than the separate palace.”

The place where Verona stayed, though called a separate palace, was large and magnificent. It wasn’t quite as grand as the Emperor’s palace, but it was bigger than Waterfall Castle.

But staying in one place for so long could still become monotonous.

For a mermaid who used to swim through vast oceans, breathing in the fresh air and meeting new coral reefs and dolphins, the palace felt a bit suffocating.

Even swimming in the garden’s lake now made her self-conscious. Mary and Luigi never left her side, making it nearly impossible to transform into a mermaid without being noticed.

“Just a half-day of freedom would be enough.”

“But outside the palace is dangerous. Everyone knows of your existence now. What if you’re attacked while you’re out?”

“See? I knew you wouldn’t allow it.”

Verona had never had high hopes in the first place. She picked up another jelly, unfazed. After all, it was just a passing thought.

While Verona enjoyed her dessert, Carlos seemed lost in thought.

“Carlos, what are you thinking about?”

Even in bed, he looked deep in thought, so Verona couldn’t help but ask. Carlos finally spoke, as if he had made up his mind.

“Verona, how about we go together?”

“Go where?”

“Outside the palace.”

“Really?” Verona quickly tried to sit up, but Carlos gently pushed her back down.

“Don’t get up so quickly.”

“Oh, right.”

She remembered she had to be careful for the baby’s sake, but she had been so surprised she forgot.

“Can we really go out together? But Carlos, you’re so busy.”

“I’m not so heartless that I can’t spare half a day.”

Carlos replied simply.

“On the day before your birthday, I’ll just wake up a bit earlier and go to bed a bit later.”

“But you already wake up before dawn, and you leave again after I fall asleep.”

“You knew? Have you been losing sleep because of me leaving? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Carlos asked anxiously. Verona shook her head.

“No, I heard it from Retrius. These days, I sleep so soundly I wouldn’t notice even if someone carried me off.”

“That fool, saying things he shouldn’t.”

“Anyway, there’s no need for you to go out of your way to accommodate me. Being Emperor is a demanding job…”

“I don’t want to be the kind of man who can’t even pay attention to his woman.”

Carlos cut her off firmly, surprising Verona.

She had expected him to say something about not wanting to be an inattentive father.

It was unexpected.

Regardless, Carlos reiterated his point.

“Let’s plan to step out for a little while in the early evening.”

“But is that really possible? If we disappear together, everyone will be suspicious.”

“Retrius is there for that.”

Carlos replied with a simple plan.

“I’ll have him disguised as me. And you can ask Mary to pretend to be you.”

“That’s a clever idea.”

Verona was impressed. He really did have a knack for strategy. Suddenly, she found herself looking forward to her birthday.

“This is the first time I’ve ever felt this excited for a birthday!”

With a rare sense of anticipation, Verona fell asleep in a great mood.

And in her dreams, she saw that child again. The child with black hair and deep green eyes was smiling calmly in her arms.

The only thing that still bothered her was that she couldn’t tell if the child was a boy or a girl.

“Maybe it’s because they’re still so little, all wrapped in swaddling clothes.”

She couldn’t hide her disappointment when she woke up the next morning.

Carlos, noticing her downcast expression, pressed her repeatedly until she finally told him the truth. His jaw dropped in surprise.

“That’s a prenatal dream, isn’t it?”

“What? Does that count as one?”

Shouldn’t it have been something like picking ripe peaches from a tree or a dragon soaring into the sky?

“Maybe the baby is showing you what they look like in advance. From the description, it sounds just like my child.”

“Well, I guess that makes sense.”

“I was really curious whether it would be a daughter or a son.”

Carlos rubbed his hands together anxiously, but he looked overjoyed by Verona’s words.

“I wish I could have a dream like that too. I want to see our child’s face.”

He already seemed to love the child so much. Carlos tenderly caressed Verona’s belly several times before heading off to begin his day’s work.

“Carlos really is a model emperor.”

Verona went down to the garden for the first time in a while and settled into a rocking chair. As she basked in the sunlight and listened to the warbling of the orioles, she quietly pondered.

The Carlos she knew from the story was ruthless and merciless. He scorched small nations like Waterfall and crushed the upper classes of foreign lands thoroughly.

It had been so severe that she initially thought of him as a tyrant, comparable to something from a horror story.

Yet, from the perspective of Clarence, there was no better ruler.

“He’s expanded the territory with precision, hasn’t indulged in excess, and doesn’t waste time with frivolous pursuits. He’s diligent every single day.”

Except for his visits to see her at the separate palace, he was always engrossed in work. Seeing him up close had given her a new perspective.

“Your Highness, here you are.”

Luigi rushed over, her face flushed. Verona, wrapped in a blanket with her eyes closed, turned her head to look. Luigi was carrying a large box in her arms.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. The breeze is chilly—why aren’t you inside?”

“I just needed some fresh air. But why? What’s going on?”

“His Majesty sent this.”

Luigi handed over a box wrapped in luxurious velvet. Verona accepted it with a puzzled expression, placing it on her lap.

“Please open it right away. It’s an early gift from His Majesty.”

“Oh… it’s a birthday present.”

Did he think that just the promise of free time wasn’t enough? She hadn’t expected him to prepare something else. Although she’d said she didn’t need anything, she wasn’t about to turn down a gift.

With careful hands, Verona lifted the lid.

“Wow.”

She couldn’t help but gasp.

Nestled gently atop a soft fabric was a pearl necklace. A large, milk-white drop-shaped pearl dangled elegantly from a finely crafted platinum chain.

In Waterfall, there were many pearl oysters, so Verona owned quite a few pearl accessories. But she had never seen such a unique and large pearl before.

“It’s so beautiful, Your Highness! You should try it on.”

Mary exclaimed, fussing over Verona’s hair as she clasped the necklace around her neck, then handed her a mirror. The necklace glowed softly, showcasing its refined elegance.

“It suits your pale neck perfectly, Your Highness!”

“It’s a lucky pearl, they say. It was the only one harvested this year from the southern seas, offered as tribute, and yet he had it crafted into a gift already! His Majesty is truly remarkable.”

The other maids chimed in with admiration.

Olivia, who had been standing quietly, smiled softly and added, “No wonder there were rumors that the royal jeweler was working tirelessly. It looks wonderful on you, Your Highness.”

She then excused herself, saying she needed to help with the evening preparations.

But Verona couldn’t dwell on Olivia’s words for long, as the other maids kept peppering her with questions about her upcoming birthday celebration.

It wasn’t until later, just before Carlos’s evening visit, that Olivia’s earlier comment came back to surprise her.

“I’d like to resign from my position as your personal maid, Your Highness.”

“What? So suddenly?”

“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t give up my dream of joining the Academy.”

Tears welled up in Olivia’s violet eyes.

“I am grateful beyond words for the kindness you have shown me, but I realize now that I made a mistake in my thinking. I had forgotten my dream for a while. If I am to repay the Grand Duke for helping me graduate from the academy, I believe I must join the Academy and achieve some research results.”

Olivia spoke calmly, laying out her thoughts. In short, she wished to quit her role as a personal maid immediately and join the Academy to build her reputation.

Verona thought to herself, “I thought Olivia would be more interested in the prestige that comes with being a personal maid.”

For the daughters of lower noble families, the salary of a personal maid was considerable. It wasn’t unusual for those originally set to enter the Academy to temporarily take on such roles and then abandon their studies to stay in the palace.

Since it was a position of higher status than that of an ordinary maid, many personal maids often ended up building connections with other noble heirs and even marrying them.

Maybe Olivia had grown tired of having to serve under Verona’s authority.

In the end, she was asking to leave the separate palace and give up her position as a personal maid.

“Could you speak to His Majesty about it on my behalf, Your Highness?”

“…Alright.”

Though Olivia’s request to resign was surprising, Verona didn’t feel particularly disappointed.

“Maybe this is the best outcome for everyone.”

It crossed her mind that perhaps Olivia, after realizing that winning Carlos’s favor was impossible, had decided to focus on becoming the Grand Duke’s wife instead.

“I’ll speak to His Majesty for you. As for the resignation process, I’m not entirely sure of the details, so you can ask Luigi about that.”

“I apologize for causing trouble by not adjusting well to palace life.”

Olivia’s voice trembled as she continued.

“I do understand how valuable the role of a personal maid is, given my status. But… I just couldn’t endure it any longer.”