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Chapter 10

* ‌‌‌* *

"Have you arrived?"
The Imperial Palace's office chamber.
The man who stepped into the ‌‌‌office after treading upon the crimson carpet removed his mask.
"Your Majesty, you're a bit late today, aren't you?"
"I was preparing breakfast."
"Ah, you were preparing breakfast.... Breakfast?"
Soho, The Emperor's chief advisor, widened his eyes in astonishment.
Had he ‌‌‌‌misheard?
His Majesty The Emperor had prepared breakfast himself?
The sharp-eyed man seated at the desk tapped the table ‌‌slowly.
He appeared to be wrestling with a serious concern.
Soho knew that The Emperor had established a household with the young lady of the Lockhart Family.
He was the captain of Zeta Team among the advisory staff, and Zeta ‌‌‌Team was the closest to The Emperor, managing his personal affairs.
Soho's ‌‌‌intelligence network had played a significant ‌‌role in bringing about this marriage.
'But what troubles him?'
All the advisors tensed.
"If she dislikes cucumbers, what else might ‌‌‌she dislike?" ‌‌
"...Pardon?"
"Cucumbers. The young lady dislikes them."
Dale sighed and scribbled across documents. Contrary to his ‌‌sharp, predatory gaze that seemed capable of devouring men, ‌‌‌what he studied with utmost seriousness was none other than a cooking recipe.
"I've read that those who dislike cucumbers tend to dislike most varieties of gourds as well."
Were you researching such things?
...he wanted to ask, but The Emperor appeared far too earnest.
"From what I understand, the probability of her disliking watermelons and melons also increases significantly." ‌‌
"I see."
"The young lady's palate is quite particular...."
The moment a young ‌‌‌advisor began to speak, ‌he received a piercing glare.
"Ah-ha, how remarkably refined her tastes are! Truly exquisite!"
The Emperor nodded lightly and commenced his official duties in ‌earnest.
Watching him, the advisors arrayed throughout his office chamber heaved sighs of relief.
'That was a close call.'
Among the advisors, there existed an unspoken rule.

1. Never speak ill of the Lockhart Lady!
2. Even if she abandoned The Emperor and fled, never resent her!

It was a famous tale ‌‌‌‌among The Emperor's advisors. The first rule one ‌‌‌‌‌had to remember and remember again.
The Lockhart ‌Lady was a name both fearsome and worthy of gratitude.
She was like magic—the only one ‌‌who could lift The Emperor's perpetually gloomy spirits.
In other words, those three years without her had been pure torment.
How could she hide her tracks so completely? The Emperor suspected the Information Guild might be backing her, and ultimately... ‌‌‌‌
'He bought out the Information Guild.'
The Information Guild, which would reveal anything for enough coin, handed itself over ‌entirely when presented with an astronomical sum.
But when he learned she had never commissioned them, his feelings shifted.
Next came the Mercenary Guild.
The Mercenary Guild, headquartered ‌‌in the Northern Region, also moved for money.
When The Emperor, who had stripped the corrupt old Nobility Faction of their wealth upon ascending the throne, decided to buy out the Mercenary Guild, he squeezed every last drop from the old faction's coffers to amass a staggering fortune.
The Mercenary Guild was a prime victim of the Nobility Faction's long extortion.
The Northern Commander overseeing the Mercenary Guild, rather than betray them, forged a bond ‌‌of friendship with The Emperor.
Thus ‌‌they investigated whether the Mercenary Guild knew of the Lady's whereabouts, but again, nothing surfaced.
Yet unexpected fortune arrived.
"Soho."
"Ah, yes, Your Majesty!"
Soho approached The Emperor at his summons.
"Procure more magical scrolls."
"Your Majesty. Forgive me, but how much longer do you ‌‌intend to continue this rural life with the Lady?"
"How much longer?"
Dale raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp as a honed blade.
Dale ‌‌‌‌was not a kind man at all.
He regarded his subordinate with cold indifference.
Yet Soho was his chief advisor.
Having served him for so many years, he had grown immune to that piercing gaze.
"Surely Your Majesty is aware of your own physical condition."
"...."
"The magical scrolls were a compromise at best, not the optimal solution, Your Majesty."
At his words, Dale's brow furrowed.
His handsome face, like cut glass, grew sharper still. ‌
"Tell the Lockhart Lady the truth and seek her aid, Your Majesty. Only she can cure your illness."
"Not a favorable answer."
Dale rejected the suggestion.
"Magical scrolls will inevitably damage your body. You must refrain from using them in your current state."
"Even if this is the life I desire?"
Dale ‌‌‌‌set down his pen and spoke coldly.
"Someday, we'll need to inform the Lady of Lockhart Family about this matter."
"...."
At the mention of the lady's name, his demeanor softened noticeably.
The other aides besides Soho began chiming in one by one.
"Why not reveal it sooner and hold a grand wedding ceremony officially?"
"We could have a beautiful dress made for ‌‌‌the lady—something she'd surely adore."
"Should we perhaps kidnap a few designers to ensure perfection?"
Then Dale turned his head away.
It was a clear signal that he would hear no more opinions.
Throb.
In that ‌instant, Dale's body ‌‌‌burned with searing heat. He clenched his fists, enduring the sharp pain in silence.
"Everyone, leave."
He issued the command curtly and would not repeat himself.
At his resolute dismissal, all the aides ‌vanished from ‌‌his office.
The pain was brief and fleeting. Dale took a moment to compose himself, running a hand across his face. ‌‌‌‌
"...."
A ‌‌‌ring gleamed on his fourth finger.
It was a ‌‌‌‌cheap band, hastily purchased and exchanged for the marriage registration.
"This wasn't how I intended for us to meet."
Dale slowly brought the ring to his lips.

* * *

"Dale, are you hurt somewhere?"
Clang.
Startled, he dropped his plate.
"Dale! Are you injured?"
"...Why are you suddenly asking about my health?" ‌‌‌‌
"Oh, there's a cold going around lately. Even ‌‌Neighbor Maji next door caught ‌‌‌it. They say it's a nasty strain, so I'm just being careful."
"...."
"You've been out and about for long hours lately."
"There are no issues with completing my commissions."
"So you haven't caught it? That's a relief. But your hand—is it alright? Let me see."
I gently took hold of Dale's slightly cut finger and made a distressed face.
'On such beautiful hands...'
I couldn't let ‌‌‌it scar. I applied ‌‌medicine to his finger and wrapped it generously with bandages. ‌‌‌‌
"With that injury, an outing today would be too much. Let's go another time."
"An outing?"
Dale's voice brightened considerably.
He looked at me with wide, round eyes.
"Were you planning an outing?"
"Yes, there are things I need to buy."
Dale sprang to his feet and rushed off somewhere, slamming the door behind him.
I tilted my head, wondering if his finger hurt more than I thought. Then the door burst open again.
"Let's go."
Dale stood ‌before me, dressed impeccably.
His golden eyes sparkled like ‌‌‌‌stars.
"Aren't you coming?"

* * * ‌‌‌

We arrived at the Shopping District in a territory not far from Grunvalt. ‌‌‌‌
"There are so many ingredients here!"
"This district borders the Harbor, so goods from all over arrive here."
"Have you been here before, Dale?"
"I visit occasionally."
Just then, a carriage rushed past us at alarming speed.
"Oh!"
"...."
Dale shielded me with a slightly irritated expression.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Dale."
I'd nearly ‌‌‌ended this life not because of The Emperor, but ‌‌trampled beneath a horse's hooves.
But where was that pleasant fragrance coming from?
I glanced around. The source was Dale's chest.
"Dale, did you apply cologne?"
"I don't care for fragrances." ‌‌‌
Dale, who had been staring at me intently, ‌‌sniffed his own clothes with embarrassment.
"Is there perhaps an odor coming from me?"
"No, it's a wonderful scent."
Dale followed suit and sniffed his clothes. But he tilted his head, seemingly unable to detect anything. ‌‌
"Is it a pleasant fragrance to you, Enya?"
"Yes. It smells really wonderful. You can't smell it, Dale?"
"Then I'll take your word ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌for it."
Dale smiled faintly and led me forward.
I watched him from ‌a step behind, my thoughts drifting.
'He seems to be radiating charm without even realizing it.'
That's what makes handsome men so dangerous.
They captivate people without knowing it.
But Dale is even more frightening.
Because he's not only handsome and kind, but also considerate.
'He must have committed countless sins without ‌‌even knowing it.'
I found myself thinking that if we ‌‌‌‌hadn't met under these circumstances, I might have fallen for Dale.

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Brought ‌to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, ‌please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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