How dare you bully the female lead

Chapter 15

The children became inseparable in a day and would spend all their time together. Seeing that they were having fun I let them explore the Palace with Karlene and Alaneo. Persimmon wasn't used to early waking yet and was still asleep therefore leaving me alone. I decided to look around the city and visit my old friends and go back to my favorite places to see what was left of them. I went to the theater, to my favorite cake shop, to the Museum, to the University... I didn't expect everything to still look exactly the same and it felt as if I never left. I touched my belly thinking that maybe I didn't even give birth. Was everything just a dream? But people coming up to me and asking me where I disappeared to for the last few years was proof that I wasn't dreaming.

I met quite a few old friends and everyone invited me for drinks so much that my head started spinning and I started heading out, already dark outside. I never would have thought that I would call the Palace my home but it had to be that way for some time. It was for the children and I couldn't have dreamed of a better place to stay. What I didn't expect was that something big would happen a day after our arrival. In fact as I was walking home, I ran into unfamiliar faces. I had never seen these people in my life but I seemed to know them because they started talking to me with big smiles:

"Nebula! We heard that you were back in town. It's so good to see you.

-You too.

-It's incredible. Everything is calm for years and on the same day you come back to the city and the Empress is getting a divorce."

I frowned:

"Sorry. Could you repeat it please?

-We were very disappointed when you left. We always thought that you would be the one marrying the Empress or that you would launch a coup d'Etat but instead you disappeared soon after the wedding. Are words true? Did you leave because you got mad at the Empress for marrying your sister?"

One of the strangers hit the other in the side.

"Sorry. It's just silly rumors. You know how things are amongst nobles.

-Did people think that I would be the one getting married to the Empress?

-Of course we did! Everyone thought you two would make an amazing couple. I am so glad that the Empress finally asked for a divorce."

Did people talk like this even in front of Imeena? I couldn't forgive her for hurting that child but hearing this every day must have been hard. Was this what deteriorated their relationship with Satin? People really should stop gossiping.

"Where did you hear about the divorce?"

Judging by their unfounded gossip, I had to make sure what they were saying was true.

"Everyone is talking about it. The Empress announced it this afternoon.

-Did she?

-Yes. The placards are everywhere."

I quickly bowed and rushed away to verify. As they said, the placards were everywhere. How did I not notice them before? And why did Satin suddenly announce her divorce? Was it because she found out what Imeena was doing to their child? I could understand why this would lead to a divorce but couldn't understand how Satin didn't see what was going on under her own eyes.

It wasn't my problem. Imeena and I weren't on good terms anymore and I had nothing to say concerning Satin's relationships. I was only in the Palace for my niece and if she wasn't then I would have left this country a long time ago and traveled to a sunny place to live next to the beach for the rest of my life. I loved the beach.

Despite not caring about the Empress's love life, I couldn't stop hearing about it no matter where I went. Everywhere I went, people would ask me about my sister who visibly left the city as soon as the divorce got announced and when I would tell them that I didn't know where she was and didn't care, people would start asking about the wedding date:

"Wedding date? What do you mean?

-Yours and the Empress's wedding.

-Oh, no. You must have misunderstood but I am not planning on marrying the Empress."

In fact I hadn't even seen the Empress since I arrived here. Satin did propose for all of us to eat together but I declined thinking that it could be too early for Lichen. She still needed to rest and therefore I didn't see Satin at all eating with my little family. Lichen did ask once about my sister and when I told her that she left the city she seemed relieved.

"Everyone knows what's going on, Nebula. You come back to the capital and the next second the Empress divorces? People have been betting how long the Empresses would stay married anyway and no one thought it would be this long.

-It's not what you think. I am not marrying anyone and I had nothing to do with their divorce either."

But I could repeat this as much as I wanted, the gossips didn't stop and even Persimmon started asking me about it:

"Are you going to become Empress? I knew that you had some ulterior motive for coming here!"

I had to breathe deeply to calm down. I started getting fed up with these unfounded rumors:

"For the hundredth time: I am not getting married to anyone.

-That's not what the others are saying.

-I don't care what the gossips are saying. What is up with everyone?

-Are you sure? You could become Empress. You could tell everyone what to do and create your own laws.

-Do you have any idea what an Empress is?

-I know that she has all the dresses she wants.

-If you want dresses then go and buy your own.

-I am just looking out for you.

-Persimmon... When did I ever need someone else to buy me dresses?

-I'm just saying it could be easier this way.

-Once again: do you have any idea what an Empress does?"

Persimmon didn't have time to answer because the others came back from their outside journey at the same time. Lichen was crying for some reason and I immediately hugged her:

"Are you okay? What happened?"

She had a hard time talking so Light decided to explain for her:

"She is sad because her dress got dirty in the mud. I told her that it was nothing but she didn't stop crying. What should we do, mom?

-Does this make you sad, Lichen? Why?"

She was still crying and Light wanted to talk again but I shook my head:

"Give her time to express herself, darling. If you always talk instead of her she won't learn to express her feelings.

-Sorry, mom.

-It's okay. You just wanted to help."

Elm came back with a glass of water and handed it to Lichen. It took a few seconds but she finally stopped crying:

"I don't look like a lady..."

Everyone frowned. What was she talking about? Light was the first to break the silence:

"You are not a lady, you are a girl."

This made Lichen cry even more and Light panicked looking at Elm and asking him what he said wrong. I had to hold back my smile and tried explaining:

"What Light meant is that you don't have to look like a lady because you are a child. You can have dirty clothes. That's what happens when people play.

-When we play with my brother, we always come home with dirty hands and mom is never angry. She only tells us to wash up before dinner. It is important to eat with clean hands.

-You are right, darling."

Lichen didn't calm down:

"I have to look like a lady. No one will want me if I don't look like a lady."

I pinched my lips. Was that what she had been taught? Karlene looked more angry than me and she pointed at her pants with a frown:

"Look here Lichen. Do ladies usually wear pants?

-No...

-But I am still a lady and I am not alone. I have all these amazing friends there for me."

Persimmon quickly nodded:

"You don't have to act a certain way to be a lady. Ladies can play, they can work, they can get dirty.

-Really?"

Light frowned:

"Why wouldn't ladies do that? They are just human beings."

Lichen had a hard time understanding what was going on but finally smiled:

"Can I play in the dirt?

-Of course you can, darling. You can do anything you want."

She started crying again and Light grabbed my sleeve:

"Mom, you said something wrong. She is crying again. You should give her a magic hug."

Hearing this, Elm immediately hugged Lichen and the latter continued crying. Light tried pulling Elm away:

"Let her go. Your hug is not magic. She is crying even more."

I stopped Light:

"It's okay, baby. Elm is doing well.

-But she is crying.

-Those are tears of happiness. You should hug her too."

Light seemed very confused hearing that people could cry of happiness but he didn't ask anymore and hugged Lichen too.