Chapter 62
Within Ten Steps
Their lips were just about to touch when
“Pii! Piiit!”
Out of nowhere, Pipi came flying in.
“Pii!”
Reskal flinched with a scowl, and in that instant, Rasilia pushed him away.
“You just woke up? Done with your nap?”
“Pii!”
Pipi clung tightly to Rasilia’s shoulder, looking furious, flapping his wings wildly at Reskal.
“You stunted little brat…”
Reskal ground his teeth.
It wasn’t unusual for the two of them to fight, so Rasilia quickly picked up Pipi and stood up.
“Well then, please make yourself at home in the next room. I’ll be going—”
“Wait.”
Reskal grabbed her hand.
“When you say make myself at home, do you mean I can come anytime?”
Rasilia averted her gaze, clearly uncomfortable. Reskal leaned in, following her line of sight insistently.
“Answer me. Is that what you meant?”
“Well… Your Majesty might need your consort at certain times. I don’t know when that will be, so… ah—”
Reskal pulled her into a firm embrace.
“Pii! Piiit!”
Pipi screamed, pecking at Reskal’s hands and pulling at his hair, but Reskal ignored him completely.
“Your Majesty, Pipi is really upset…”
“He’s too underdeveloped to do any damage.”
“That’s not the issue—”
“Piiit!”
Offended by being called underdeveloped, Pipi opened his beak and let out a small flame.
A circular patch of Reskal’s sleeve singed. Only then did he turn his head and brush the flame away with his hand—so casually, it looked like he was brushing off dust, not fire.
“Didn’t that burn?”
Rasilia asked, wide-eyed.
Reskal chuckled softly and cupped her face.
“That look—you’re surprised.”
“Well, yes. You touched fire with your bare hands.”
“Were you worried?”
“Anyone would be.”
“This level of fire is nothing. It’s so small, I wouldn’t even call it fire.”
“Pii!”
As expected, Pipi screamed again. Reskal didn’t even snort this time.
In the end, Rasilia had to calm Pipi down.
“Please let go, Your Majesty. When Pipi gets mad, he gets upset with me.”
“…And I hate it when you’re upset.”
“Still, it’s not good to provoke him on purpose.”
Reskal frowned slightly but finally let her go.
“Then at least… let me have this.”
With lightning speed, his lips brushed against hers and pulled away.
Rasilia’s eyes widened in shock as Reskal quickly stepped back.
“I’ll be going now. …I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Pii!”
Pipi’s loud protest, demanding he not return, was completely ignored.
“Just for a while.”
Leaving a trail of lingering regret, Reskal finally departed.
“Huu…”
Once he was gone, Rasilia exhaled deeply.
She honestly wasn’t sure if she’d even been breathing properly while he was there.
“Pii?”
Pipi hopped onto her palm.
“Hmm? Oh no, I’m not hurt. I’m fine.”
“Pii.”
“You think I look feverish? No way.”
“Piiiii.”
“I said I’m fine.”
To hide her expression, Rasilia stroked Pipi gently.
Pipi started chattering away, listing all the reasons he didn’t like Reskal.
“Hmm… But he’s not that bad, is he?”
“Pii!”
“He hasn’t really done anything wrong, has he?”
“Pii!”
“You can tell even if he hasn’t? That’s not fair.”
“Pii!”
“Don’t say I’m siding with him… I’m just stating facts.”
“Piiiiit!”
“No, really, I’m not.”
Just then, Yvette entered the room.
Behind her came Sir Serben, arms full with over a dozen thick books.
“I’m back, Your Majesty. Where would you like the books?”
Rasilia, her face still slightly flushed, pointed to the table.
“Just there. That’s quite a lot of books.”
“Oh, is it too many? I only selected the essential ones. There are so many records about the First Consort, and a lot of them are mixed with unrelated things. Huh? But why is the table over there?”
Rasilia’s face turned even redder.
She couldn’t stop herself from remembering how Reskal had shoved that table aside earlier, and the look on his face when he did.
Feeling awkward, she waved her fingers in front of her face like a fan.
“It just… ended up there. Thanks for bringing them. You too, Sir Sigres.”
“I am honored, Your Majesty. But, if I may—His Majesty doesn’t know that I brought these.”
Serben added quietly after setting down the books.
“Ah, so he mustn’t find out?”
“Yes… I was ordered to stay at least ten steps away from Your Majesty. I’ve been counting, and I was getting dangerously close just now.”
“Ten steps? Can you explain?”
“I wish I could understand it myself…”
Serben looked crestfallen.
“I must’ve done something wrong, but His Majesty wouldn’t tell me what. Just gave the order.”
The reason was simple: Serben had held Rasilia’s hand for a little too long when helping her down from the carriage.
But revealing that would make Reskal look petty, so he had no intention of ever explaining himself.
Serben was simply going to suffer in confusion for a while.
“I won’t tell His Majesty. You may go now.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty. Please have a peaceful evening.”
With a deep bow, Serben exited.
“Start with this one, Your Majesty.”
Yvette selected one book from the pile and handed it to Rasilia.
“It’s said to be a record of the First Consort’s time as a shaman. I can’t guarantee it’s all true, but it includes personal accounts supposedly written by the Consort themselves. At the very least, those parts should be genuine.”
“Thank you.”
As Rasilia accepted the book, Yvette blushed.
“Oh, I’m honored, Your Majesty.”
Yvette bowed shyly, smiling. She always seemed like someone who didn’t know how to lie. Her expressions were easy to read.
“Pii.”
Pipi flew over, curious about the book.
“It’s a record written by the First Consort. Want to read it with me?”
“Pii?”
Pipi tilted his head. He seemed to know of the First Consort, but wasn’t particularly interested.
“Hmm… That’s odd. Weren’t you born for that person?”
“Piiiii.”
“You don’t need to care about the past? Why not?”
“Pii.”
“Ah… Because now you were born for me?”
“Pii.”
“……”
Rasilia’s chest ached, though she didn’t know why.
She pulled Pipi close and rested her cheek against his tiny head.
“You’ve been saying that from the beginning, haven’t you?”
“Pii!”
This place was new, but it didn’t feel unfamiliar. Just like Pipi, there were others who had been waiting for her. She was the one who tried to believe she didn’t belong.
But now, she could no longer deny it—she truly was a Consort.
“Thank you. For welcoming me.”
“Piiiii…”
Pipi rubbed his forehead against her like he understood every word.
At that moment, Rasilia caught a glimpse of Yvette’s thoughts.
—Ah… Her Majesty looks happy. Then maybe she’s no longer thinking of leaving the palace.
Yvette, kind as she was, could be surprisingly perceptive. She must’ve suspected that Rasilia had been planning to use the upcoming trial as an excuse to leave.
—Yes. Since His Majesty rejected the trial, the temple won’t try anything again. Oh, right—didn’t the Temple of Harrios shut down? Then the only problem left is the young Marquis of Piellion. But he ran away alone, didn’t he? No matter how much they loved each other, Her Majesty would never keep loving such a man…
Yvette still didn’t know the truth about Rasilia.
—But… did she really love him? She never even asked me to deliver a letter, not once. He never came to visit, either. That’s so strange… It’s a terrible thing to think, but honestly, the Marquis of Piellion feels more like an excuse. Like he was just a way to leave.
Yvette wasn’t wrong.
And if she already sensed that much, it would soon be impossible to hide anything.
Now that the Emperor knew the truth, it didn’t make sense to keep Yvette in the dark.
Now might be the time.
Thump.
Rasilia closed the book she had just opened and looked at Yvette.
“…Yes, Your Majesty? Is there something you need?”
Yvette, deep in thought, immediately noticed Rasilia’s gaze.
Rasilia spoke.
“I need to change clothes.”
“Oh, already? Of course. Shall I bring your nightgown?”
“Yes. And I’d like you to help me dress.”
“M-me? Me?”
Knowing how Rasilia had always been careful not to be seen in her undergarments, Yvette’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
“Y-you really want me to?”
“I’d like you to, yes.”
It was time to confirm whether the mark of a true Consort was on her.
“Ah, yes. I’ll prepare right away, Your Majesty.”
Yvette quickly jumped up.
Rasilia followed her into the bedroom.
“…?”
Riyan turned his head slightly.
There was a faint sound—so soft that he had to strain his hearing to catch it. But it was definitely there.
At first, he thought a bird had flown in. The palace birds were practically attendants to the Empress.
But the more he listened, the more certain he became.
It was coming from inside the Emperor’s office.
Riyan focused harder on the sound.
“…No way.”
Now he could tell.
That was clearly Reskal’s voice.
His Majesty… is humming?
Stunned, Riyan swung his arms at empty air in disbelief.
Just then—
“…Should we not enter?”
Dekan had appeared out of nowhere, looking unimpressed.
Riyan quickly held up a finger, signaling him to lower his voice.
“Shh.”
“…What’s going on?”
Dekan asked quietly, catching on quickly.
Riyan nodded and whispered directly into Dekan’s ear.
“His Majesty is in an unbelievably good mood right now. Maybe let him be for a bit? Unless it’s urgent?”
“…I don’t know if it’s urgent. His Majesty summoned me.”
“Oh. Well then—”
At that moment, Reskal’s voice came from inside the room.
“In that case, come in.”
“Ah.”
Riyan’s face twisted awkwardly, realizing there was no fooling Reskal in the first place.
“Then, if I may, Your Majesty…”
