#091. May Your Health Be Preserved and Your Reign Long
Chapter 4
I heard that His Majesty was going to the northern region just a day before I had to leave the palace to enroll at the academy.
Our weekly tea time continued as usual to prevent rumors of discord from spreading too far, so there must have been countless opportunities for him to mention it beforehand.
In fact, when I once asked if I should prepare an excuse, he shook his head and said it wasn’t necessary.
But it wasn’t something I should presumptuously feel disappointed about, so I let it go. Still, I was curious about one thing.
“The north?”
“Yes. Didn’t I mention before that I have an estate there? I thought I might as well go and pretend to be a lord for a while.”
I remembered that. So that wasn’t what I was really curious about.
“You’re not particularly fond of the cold, though, are you?”
As far as I knew, the northern region of the empire was filled with rugged mountains, and because the sea winds had to pass over the ranges, it was said to be colder than even the northernmost slopes. I clearly remembered Panya throwing a fit the last time His Majesty mentioned going north.
“What if I bring someone from the south to a place where half the year is covered in snow?” she had asked.
True, the climate of the Lamore Kingdom was mild, but I hadn’t lived there long enough to get used to it.
“It’s not that I particularly dislike it,” he said.
“But you buy new furs every year—”
I narrowed my eyes mid-sentence, feeling a sudden realization. Could it be…
As I expected, His Majesty gave me a brazen smile.
“Yes. Since you were so opposed to hunting, I used the excuse of needing furs and went hunting each winter.”
“That wasn’t just once—huh, never mind. After all, you never harmed yourself while hunting.”
Thinking back, I had always wondered why he insisted on going hunting every year, claiming he needed new fur clothing, when animal hides didn’t wear out in just one year.
“But this time, going north isn’t about hunting bears or anything like that.”
No tigers here, so maybe bears instead? Regardless, it was a relief to hear that this wasn’t a hunting trip.
“You said it yourself: facing the harsh northern winds clears your mind.”
He paused mid-sip.
That’s right. After unifying the continent, the only land I had asked him for was the last territory I had conquered—the last region I had forced a small nation to surrender.
A place at the very northern edge of the continent, vast but sparsely populated, frigid and barren.
“You remembered that?” I said.
“Now you ask—was that sincere?”
“It was no lie.”
Better cold than hot, anyway.
“So why didn’t you mention it before?”
He could have guessed, of course. But I knew if I didn’t say it, he might never hear it directly, so I gave up and spoke.
“It was the last territory to be conquered, far from the capital, and I judged it as the place most prone to rebellion. And because the land is harsh, a ruler there must be exceptionally competent. Considering all that, I thought it was best for me to govern it personally.”
“And also—”
See, he’s never satisfied with just one or two plausible reasons. Surely he could read my mind completely.
“—And as I repeatedly advised, Your Majesty’s reward was excessive. Had I accepted the land you offered, I would have inevitably felt discontent.”
Indeed, since he didn’t ask for more reasons this time, it was clear he already knew. Perfectly, neither more nor less.
Though he always knew my innermost thoughts as clearly as if he were looking at my palm, why did he insist on hearing them spoken aloud?
Speaking honestly about feelings I would never have shared in my previous life left my mouth dry. I emptied the half-cooled tea in front of me and added a few unnecessary words.
“That was the reason, but I did like that place.”
It was truly a barren land, but precisely because of that, it was rewarding to develop it.
I couldn’t go often because of administrative work at the capital. More often than not, I had to spend my own money instead of collecting taxes. Yet whenever I visited, I could see it slowly improving.
I think I liked that.
“…You’ll probably like my estate as well.”
I didn’t think so at all. The reason I liked that northern land was because it was mine.
I tend to be obsessed only with what is in my hands. I have no interest in someone else’s property.
“You know I wouldn’t, right?”
“I won’t press you for the reason.”
I just smiled.
Perhaps this was one reason His Majesty would never truly understand. From the moment he dismissed me in my previous life, thinking he could call me back later, my thoughts had flowed in a direction he could never comprehend.
Yet in this life, just as I hadn’t revealed what he already knew, I had no intention of telling him what he truly didn’t know.
Seeing the silence in my smile, His Majesty raised both hands.
“Ah, very well. Do as you wish. How could a precious one like me ever win against you?”
Indeed, my memory was filled only with moments of defeat—but I never pointed it out. Even if I advised him, I would never interfere with his complaints.
“Your Majesty.”
So rather than question when he had ever conceded to me, I simply called to him.
“May Your Majesty preserve your health and reign long.”
These were the words I had wanted to offer before dying in my previous life. Words I could never give, and finally, I spoke them.
His Majesty silently watched me for a long while, without saying a word.
“…And you, too,” he finally said, faintly but enough for me to hear. I smiled quietly.
Still, it was far more peaceful and gentle than our previous farewell.
If we could live our lives like two parallel lines that never intersect again, this life might not be so bad after all.
“May Your Majesty preserve your health and reign long.”
The moment Melchizedek heard those words, even though he had previously been told he would never go to the estate, his throat tightened.
It wasn’t the first time he had heard those words. Always, whenever Baekryeon left, she offered that farewell.
Heading to a battlefield where her life was at stake, as if Cheongneung were in even more danger, she would bow perfectly, expressing concern for his safety.
Hearing that, Cheongneung always felt a chilling anxiety, as if she would never return alive.
Ultimately, she was lost only after the war ended, back at the capital. Yet even though Blanche was now leaving for the extremely mild environment of the academy, Melchizedek still felt an unbearable anxiety, as if he might never see her again.
“…And you, too.”
Enduring the long silence, he finally spoke the sincere words he felt. Yet when she returned his words with a carefree smile, he felt a pang of longing and a sudden desire to choke himself.
The National Sherazad Academy was famous for its flexible admission standards, accepting students based purely on ability regardless of status, and for offering a wide range of minor as well as major fields of study.
Though some noble students criticized the academy for lacking professors in major subjects, preferring aristocratic-only schools, Sherazad consistently ranked among the empire’s top five academies.
But a new breeze was about to blow through Sherazad Academy.
Princess Blanche of the Lamore Kingdom, a quasi-royal and playmate of the Duke, was enrolling.
Her admission was a major opportunity. The royal family promised generous support, and Sherazad, which had struggled to attract noble students, could now appeal to aristocrats through the princess’s name.
If managed well, Sherazad might even secure a stable position among the top three academies during Princess Blanche’s time there.
With all expectations on her, the day of Princess Blanche’s enrollment arrived.
