Chapter 9
There was a reason Ivan had been so busy.
The war personally led by the Emperor was taking place on the western border near the Kingdom of Tarant.
In truth, the Emperor didn’t need to fight himself.
But ever since he was Crown Prince, he had loved war.
Even now, he still personally joined battles from time to time.
Surprisingly…
Whenever he fought, he always returned victorious.
Because of that, no one disliked the Emperor going to war.
Well…
Except for one person.
The Crown Prince, Ivan, who had to handle all the work while the Emperor was gone.
“Your Highness.”
“You said you’re a demon.”
“Doesn’t that mean you don’t need sleep?”
I had heard the palace servants stayed up all night preparing for the sudden victory celebration.
Apparently…
Ivan hadn’t slept either.
The exhaustion from working all night was clearly written across his face.
Even compared to me…
Who had been dragged out of bed at dawn and forced to try on dozens of dresses…
He looked much worse.
“You seem to have forgotten.”
“I’m still human.”
“Rine.”
…Rine?
I flinched when he suddenly called my name so casually.
I looked at him in confusion.
Ivan smiled mischievously.
“If you keep calling me so formally…”
“The whole Empire will realize our engagement is fake.”
In other words…
He wanted us to act like lovers.
Yesterday he didn’t seem to care.
I guess today’s official event changes things.
“I was actually planning to call you by your name.”
“Lying to a demon.”
“How brave.”
“Well…”
“I did agree to marry a demon.”
I shamelessly answered back.
Ivan covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.
For some reason…
He looked quite pleased.
“So…”
“You’re really not afraid of me anymore.”
“Well…”
“At least for now.”
“For a demon…”
“You’re surprisingly human.”
“What kind of demon gets dark circles under his eyes?”
“I told you.”
“I’m human…”
Now that we were engaged…
I wasn’t nearly as afraid of him as before.
Well…
I was still a little scared.
But my hands no longer shook around him.
Besides…
I could tell he genuinely viewed me favorably.
“Ivan.”
“By the way—”
I was about to ask what he’d written to the Emperor.
Just then…
The loud voices of the Imperial Knights echoed through the palace.
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!”
Three hours before the victory celebration…
The Emperor’s carriage arrived at the Diamond Palace.
The nobles would meet him later during the celebration.
Right now…
Only Ivan, me, and the palace staff were present.
“Ate said he wasn’t feeling well.”
“If I have time later, I should go visit him.”
Normally…
Ate should have been here too.
But a servant had told me he was too sick to come.
He seemed to admire the Emperor a lot.
He must be disappointed.
“Rine.”
“What were you saying?”
Luckily…
Ivan had heard me before the announcement interrupted us.
“Oh.”
“I was wondering…”
“What exactly did you write to His Majesty?”
“His return wasn’t supposed to be for another week.”
The moment he heard my question…
Ivan’s expression relaxed.
“Ah.”
“That.”
…Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?
I don’t think I’m going to like this answer.
“You’ll find out soon.”
The instant he finished speaking…
A large shadow appeared at the entrance.
Then…
A booming voice shook the hall.
“Ivan!!”
No…
He didn’t enter.
He charged inside.
The Emperor stormed into the hall with overwhelming energy.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
“You can’t just rush in like this!”
“We still need the official victory ceremony!”
“Your Majesty!”
“You have to observe protocol!”
Several attendants desperately chased after him.
None of them managed to stop him.
Ignoring everyone…
The Emperor marched straight toward Ivan.
Then shouted,
“Where is it?!”
…Where is what?
“My grandchild!”
…Huh?
“Didn’t your letter say I was going to have a grandchild?!”
“You little brat!”
“The moment I read that letter, I practically ran here from the cliffs!”
“You have no idea how fast I came!”
After shouting…
The Emperor sighed deeply.
“The cold wind gave me a headache.”
“…A child?”
I have a child?
That I don’t know about?
Wait…
Did Ivan get another woman pregnant while being engaged to me?
“Ivan…”
“I never expected this from you…”
…No.
Wait.
He’s a demon.
Maybe that’s perfectly normal for a demon.
“…Rine.”
“That look hurts my feelings.”
Apparently my thoughts were written all over my face.
Ivan laughed helplessly.
Then…
He gently wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“Once we’re officially married…”
“You’ll naturally meet our child.”
…What is he talking about now?
Completely confused…
I stared at him.
Then the Emperor finally noticed me.
His blazing green eyes were the same color as Ivan’s.
Yet completely different.
Ivan’s eyes reminded me of fresh green forests in early summer.
The Emperor’s looked like the deep green of life struggling against the coming winter.
“It’s been a while since I met someone whose eyes literally scream ‘PASSION.'”
No wonder he loves going to war.
Honestly…
I’d expected him to be terrifying.
Instead…
He felt like an energetic neighborhood uncle who loved getting involved in everything.
“…So.”
“Now I understand.”
“I heard you shamelessly chased after some young lady.”
Shamelessly…?
He’s still the Crown Prince!
…Though…
That’s actually a pretty accurate description.
“I greet Your Majesty.”
“I-I’m Rine Astell.”
Facing the war-loving Emperor made my heart pound.
How did someone as calm as Ivan grow up under a father like this?
“Astell?”
“That family had a daughter?”
“Anyway.”
“You poor girl.”
“You’ve really suffered after getting involved with this fool.”
“Now that I’m back…”
“We should hold the engagement ceremony immediately.”
“It should happen before the Founding Festival.”
“We’d better hurry.”
…Wait.
The Founding Festival?
Something suddenly clicked.
I looked toward Ivan.
He smiled.
A look that clearly said,
“You finally figured it out.”
The Empire’s Founding Festival was only a short time away.
During the festival…
No new official ceremonies could be held.
Unless it involved something enormous…
Like the Emperor’s death.
Everything else was postponed or moved earlier.
An engagement…
Unlike a marriage…
Wasn’t considered important enough.
If they didn’t hold it now…
It would be delayed for a very long time.
“So that’s why he called the Emperor back.”
“If he simply asked him to return…”
“The Emperor probably wouldn’t have bothered.”
“So he invented a grandchild instead.”
Seriously?
He lied about having a grandchild?!
If I were the Emperor, I’d rush back too!
Who on earth gave Ivan the title of “angel”?
…
Wait.
Was it me?
“Rine, was it?”
“Come here, child.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor ordered the servants to bring several boxes inside.
Then he picked up one himself and handed it to me.
“I brought all sorts of things back from the western frontier.”
“They were supposed to be for my grandchild.”
“But…”
“I figured it was probably another one of Ivan’s tricks.”
“So there isn’t much a child could use.”
“You should keep them instead.”
The western territories were famous for producing rare treasures.
Their goods were incredibly expensive.
After receiving the entire box…
I looked inside.
“Wow…”
Among the many jewels and accessories…
One artifact immediately caught my eye.
It was a diamond pendant necklace.
A powerful one-time defensive spell had been enchanted into it.
“Your Majesty.”
“I think Prince Ate would really like this.”
“May I give it to him?”
“Ate?”
“Speaking of him…”
“Where is that boy?”
One of the Emperor’s attendants quietly whispered into his ear.
The Emperor’s expression darkened.
Apparently…
He’d just learned Ate was sick.
“…I see.”
“I remember hearing he likes magic.”
“Go ahead.”
“Give it to him.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m sure he’ll love it.”
“Hmph.”
“That boy is just too weak…”
Although he sounded as if he were complaining…
His face was full of worry.
“That’s a relief.”
“At least this family doesn’t neglect their children emotionally.”
Romance fantasy stories were full of parents who ignored their kids.
I’d secretly worried this family would be the same.
But…
It wasn’t that they neglected Ate.
The Emperor simply left for war every other day…
Which meant he basically neglected the entire Empire equally.
“Equal-opportunity neglect…”
…Is this Empire really going to be okay?
