Emperor's office.
The man who walked the red carpet took off his mask as soon as he entered the office.
“Your Majesty, I assume you are a little late today?”
“I was making breakfast.”
“Aha, you were making breakfast...for breakfast?”
Suho, the emperor's assistant, widened his eyes.
Did he hear wrong?
Did His Majesty the Emperor prepare breakfast?
The sharp-eyed man sitting at the table slowly tapped his fingers on the table.
He looked like he was very disturbed.
Suhu knew that the Emperor had married Duke Lockhart's daughter.
He was the leader of Team Zeta, the team closest to the Emperor.
Suho's intelligence played a major role in this marriage.
'But what's happening?'
The assistants were all nervous.
“If she hates cucumbers, what else does she hate?”
“……?”
"Cucumber.
She hates it."
Dale sighed, and unlike his sharp eyes that looked as if they could eat several people, he was actually looking at the recipe seriously.
“I read somewhere that if a person doesn't like cucumbers, he doesn't like most squash.”
His Majesty the Emperor looked very serious..
“You're also likely to hate watermelon and cantaloupe.”
"correct."
“The princess has picky taste...”
One of the young assistants was about to speak, but was met with a fierce look.
The Emperor sighed and began to work seriously.
Seeing the Emperor in this way, the aides lined up in his office sighed.
There are unspoken rules among assistants.
1.
Never speak ill of Princess Lockhart!
2.
Even if she abandons His Majesty the Emperor and runs away, never blame her!
Princess Lockhart's name was fearsome, but it was also something to be appreciated.
She was a witch who could raise the Emperor's morale, which was always low.
In other words, the three years that the princess disappeared were like death.
How could she hide her whereabouts so well?
His Majesty the Emperor, who suspected that there might be an information guild helping the princess did so.
“I bought the Information Guild.”
But His Majesty changed his mind when he realized that the princess had never assigned them any request.
Next was the Mercenary Guild.
The mercenary guild based in the north also operates with money.
The Emperor, who had seized the fortunes of the old, corrupt aristocracy upon his ascension to the throne, was determined to buy them out.
The Mercenary Guild had long been a victim of blackmail by the ancient aristocracy.
Instead of selling, the Guild Master befriended the Emperor.
He investigated whether the Mercenary Guild knew of the princess's whereabouts, but as expected, nothing happened.
“Soho.”
“Oh yes!”
Suhu, who had been summoned, approached the Emperor.
“I need more magic scrolls.”
“Your Majesty, I beg your pardon, but how long do you intend to continue living in the countryside with the princess?”
“For how long?”
Dale raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a sharp look.
Dale was not a good man at all.
He looked at Suho coldly.
But Suho is his main assistant.
There was a tolerance in those eyes that came after years of his service.
“Your Majesty, you are aware of your physical condition, right?”
“…….”
Dale furrowed his eyebrows.
His handsome, glassy face became sharper.
“Tell Princess Lockhart the truth and ask for her help.
Only she can cure Your Majesty’s illness.”
“That's not a good answer.”
“Magic scrolls affect your body.
You should refrain from using them.”
“Even if I wanted to live as I am?”
Dale put down his pen and said coldly.
“That's a story you'll have to tell Princess Lockhart someday.”
“…….”
Dale calmed down at the mention of the princess's name.
The other assistants besides Suho started speaking.
“Why don’t you just come clean and have a big formal wedding?”
“I will make a beautiful dress that the princess will love.”
“Maybe we could even kidnap some designers?”
Then Dale turned his head.
This means he won't listen anymore.
to throb.
At that moment, Dale's body became hot as if it was burning.
“Go.”
He gave the order briefly.
On his firm order, all the assistants disappeared from the office.
The pain was short, not long.
Dale relaxed and rubbed his face.
“…….”
A ring shined on his fourth finger.
It was a cheap ring he had bought in a hurry to get married.
“I didn't mean to meet you like this.”
Dale accepted the ring slowly.
* * *
“Dale, are you sick?”
clink.
He was momentarily startled and dropped his plate.
"Dale!
Are you hurt?"
“Why did you suddenly get sick?”
“It's a common cold.
Mrs Marge said she had it too.”
“…….”
“Dale also spends a lot of time outside.”
“I have no problem fulfilling requests.”
“Is your hand okay, let me see.”
I raised Dale's severed finger slightly.
‘Beautiful ‘handsome man’ finger…….’
He should not have a scar.
I put the medicine on Dale's finger and wrapped a bunch of bandages around it.
“You're too sick to go out today, so we'll go next time.”
“Getting out?”
Dale's voice became brighter.
He looked at me with puppy eyes.
“Were you going for a walk?”
“Yes, I had to buy something.”
Dale stood up, walked over, and tried to open the door.
I shook my head, wondering if his finger hurt, and then Dale opened the door.
“Let's go.”
Dale looked at me, impeccably dressed.
His golden eyes were sparkling like stars.
“Aren't you coming?”
* * *
The place we arrived at was a market in an area not too far from Grunwald.
“There's so much food!”
“This place is close to the port, so a lot of goods come from everywhere.”
“Is Dale coming here?”
“Sometimes.”
Just then a speeding car passed us.
“Here.”
“…….”
Dale protected me, looking a little angry.
“Are you okay?”
“Ah, yes.
Thanks, Dale.”
My life was about to end, not because of the Emperor, but because I was nearly run over by a horse.
But I smelled a good scent coming from somewhere.
I looked around.
The smell was coming from Dale's chest.
“Dale, did you spray perfume?”
“I don't like perfume.”
He looked at me, then sniffed at his clothes in embarrassment.
“Do you smell anything on me?”
“No, you smell nice.”
Dale followed my lead and sniffed his clothes.
But he shook his head as if he didn't smell anything.
“Does it smell nice Enya?”
"Yes.
You smell really nice.
Can't you smell it, Dale?"
“Then I will take it as such.”
Dale smiled and walked away.
I looked at him from a distance and thought.
'I think I'm passing on my magic without realizing it.'
This is why handsome men are scary.
They attract people without even realizing it.
But Dale is scarier.
He is handsome and kind.
I think I may have committed a lot of sins without realizing it.'
It occurred to me that perhaps I would have loved Dale if we had not met in this relationship.