The disturbed assistant, who had just finished cleaning the vase, hurried over.
Normally, this task would be assigned to the maids, but due to security concerns, none of them were present at that moment.
I continued politely,
“Thank you for reminding me of an old promise, but it was just a naive answer from my childish personality.”
The echo of the assistant removing the shards of the broken teacup was unnecessarily loud.
Kiaros frowned, then asked quietly:
“...what?”
huh?
I expected him to say something like, "I see.
So do you want anything?"
But Kiaros looked really confused.
This was the first time he showed his firm behavior, which seemed irreversible, or weak.
“…….”
“…….”
There was permanent silence.
Even the previously loud Empress remained silent, her mouth open but no words came out.
I couldn't help but raise my eyes slightly before adding,
“Um, marrying the Crown Prince… I’m saying I don’t want to.”
There was no clearer way to say it.
Then Kiaros nodded slowly and asked in a low voice,
“...why?”
huh?
Was he really that shocked?
I felt confused, and hesitated for a moment before answering.
“Um…because I want to marry someone I love?”
The shock remained on Kiaros' face.
He looked to the side in disbelief, then asked again in an even more broken voice,
"...Suddenly?
I mean, why...?"
Chiaros could not continue talking any further.
It was as if the Emperor covered his mouth, but whispered loud enough for everyone to hear,
“Maybe it would be best if you stopped, Kiaros.
Honestly, you look a little desperate.”
“No, this is…”
“She doesn’t love you at all.
So, no matter how great you are and how prestigious your position as Crown Prince is, she doesn’t want to marry you.
Don’t look for reasons with someone who doesn’t love you.”
Well, it's not that I don't like him that much...
It was then.
The door suddenly opened, and the Magic Tower Master entered alone; Maybe he had deposited the Minister of Justice somewhere.
Then he attacked me.
“Minister Namia Rawabi!”
“Oh yes?”
“Come with me for a moment!
It's about the manuscripts!
Since these people will be bored anyway, let's talk in private!”
"naturally."
I responded to the Magic Tower Master and asked the Imperial Family members politely,
“Is there anything else you would like to say to me...?”
The three remained silent.
The Magic Tower Master laughed before shouting,
"Nothing!
Nothing at all!
Everything is settled!
Let's go, Minister!"
Without having any time to think twice about the imperial family, I was quickly picked up and taken out of the room by the Magic Tower Master.
✧✧✧✧✧✧
After the Magic Tower Master took Namiye, only four people remained in the Empress's room: the Emperor, the Empress, Kiaros, and his assistant.
Kiaros frowned silently, unable to understand where or what had gone wrong.
Just before, during the trial, she said that she would marry the Crown Prince, right?
“Kiaros.”
The Emperor said, looking at him warily before asking,
“I thought… you seemed so confident… I naturally assumed… that you would make… hearts and everything...”
“This...”
Kiaros hesitated.
"I know you didn't make it for me, of course.
I'm not that stupid… I was just trying to make a fuss, because I'm afraid Namiya might get embarrassed or something…"
The Emperor sighed deeply, looking lost.
"That's right.
It was a little weird."
"What?
What's strange?"
"Is it reasonable to still like a girl you don't even know her face?
Honestly, it would be pretty disgusting."
With a face of distress, he added weakly.
“Is it my fault?
Did she talk a lot about dragons being obsessed with their wives for no reason...
Was it scary?
Maybe she was the type who hated being restricted, and talked nonsense...”
“No, Your Majesty, please do not worry.”
Kiaros quickly intervened.
“Actually, I was just trying to reassure you...
I didn't like her.”
“Huh?”
"I'm an ordinary person too.
Would I still like a girl whose face I don't even know?
As I heard earlier, she made a promise to fulfill her wish to marry a rich man.
That's all."
The Emperor and Empress looked puzzled.
Kiaros continued after taking a deep breath.
"So, it was just to keep the promise I made.
I never, ever, ever liked her.
When I realized it was Miss Namiya, it didn't affect me at all."
“Mmm…but why do you look so disturbed then?”
At that moment.
The assistant who carefully cleaned the messy room intervened.
"Excuse me…?"
“Why?”
“Can I come out for a moment?”
Chiaros's assistant was very diligent and loyal.
So there was no reason for him to leave suddenly without a reason.
So, in his slight confusion, Chiaros asked the assistant,
"Why?
What's wrong?
Is it urgent?"
“Mmm...”
The assistant looked to the side before responding,
“I need to cancel my wedding venue reservation.”
There was a moment of silence.
The assistant bowed his head and added:
“She ordered me to cancel the order immediately if Miss Namiya decides not to marry you.”
The Empress shuddered, and put both hands to her mouth.
The Emperor was also visibly stunned.
“I'll go right away.
The staff will be leaving work soon.”
The assistant apologized with a bow and left.
As he left, he muttered to himself, “I won’t discuss this matter in front of Miss Namiya… I’m really quick to understand.”
The sound of the door closing was echoing.
“Ki Kiaros...”
The Emperor stammered, his voice trembling.
“I've already booked the wedding venue...unbelievable.”
“Your Majesty, this is…”
The Empress also looked at him with sympathetic eyes, her pupils trembling.
“You must have been really happy that Namiya was that girl... but go ahead and reserve the place...”
“No, it's not like that...”
“It is so bold to casually say ‘I will marry you’ as if you are offering a favor...
If your feelings were that deep, you should have begged her for her hand in marriage.”
For the first time in his life, Chiaros began to sweat coldly.
He raised his hand and said:
“I just… I reserved it in case Miss Namiya wants to get married.
It's hard to get reservations… I really didn't like Miss Namiya that much.”
“…….”
“…….”
"I'm serious.
I'm really not affected by this."
“…….”
“…….”
The Emperor and Empress exchanged helpless glances, then began to look at Kiaros with eyes of pity.
In the end, Kiaros sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead.
“Of all times, why did the assistant have to...”
It seems that the misunderstanding will never be resolved.
Finally, he decided to change the subject, overcoming his pride.
“By the way, Your Majesty, is your special ability teleportation?”
“Oh.”
“If not, there would be no way it would come so quickly.”
Others thought that the Emperor's sudden appearance was part of a grand plan hatched by him and the Empress.
But Chiaros and the Empress knew the truth – there was no plan at all.
“Well, Kiaros, these are my special abilities.
Now that it has come to this, there is no point in hiding them.”
The Emperor laughed softly.
“It was revealed to almost everyone, but thanks to the Empress who sold my name, we were able to hide it well.
No one in the West knows the exact date of my departure.”
It was a mess, but it was skillfully salvaged somehow.
Kiaros lowered his gaze.
“I will do my best.” As Namiya promised, she somehow managed to deliver.