Chapter 122
“What does that mean?”
“……It doesn’t mean anything.”
“Mm, okay.”
“Ugh, seriously!”
When Ianheart kept repeating her earlier words, Liana gave a small pout.
“Are you going to keep copying me?”
Ianheart swallowed a laugh at her sharp little glare.
He had only been teasing her a little because she seemed lost in thought beside him, but her reaction was unbearably cute.
Of course, Ianheart wasn’t so tactless as to say that out loud.
“Mm, no. I won’t do it anymore.”
“……Really, stop teasing me.”
Thankfully, Liana quickly softened at his obedient attitude.
So gentle, as always.
Ianheart quietly chuckled again, pulling out a word no one else had ever used to describe Liana.
In his eyes, she was kind and gentle, but more than that—she was truly tender-hearted.
She pitied the weak and unfortunate, and could never bring herself to genuinely hate anyone.
Especially when it came to those she allowed into her heart—she was endlessly warm and affectionate.
That was a blessing for Ianheart.
“I’ll walk you back.”
“It’s fine. It’s not far at all… You’re busy, don’t trouble yourself.”
“I’m not busy.”
“Hmm, but I saw the mountain of papers on your desk earlier.”
“……I can finish them in an hour. So let me go with you.”
His slightly delayed answer made Liana laugh out bright and clear.
Then, shaking her head as if she couldn’t stop him, she nodded.
“Alright then. I’d like that.”
Unfortunately—for both of them—the Ruby Palace and the Emerald Palace weren’t very far apart.
Even though they walked half as slowly as usual, the Emerald Palace gates were already in sight.
“I should’ve built the Emerald Palace farther away.”
At Ianheart’s grumbling, clear dissatisfaction on his face, Liana blinked.
She, too, was reluctant to part, but hearing him complain about the location of a palace built over three hundred years ago was amusing.
And though it felt strange to admit it…
‘……He’s cute.’
Very cute, in fact.
This tall, imposing man who had insisted on walking her back was now sulking because the palace was too close.
Now that she had acknowledged her feelings, even this ridiculous side of him looked adorable and endearing.
‘Is something wrong with my eyes……?’
For a moment she wondered, but quickly concluded: no, her vision was fine. Handsome men being sulky simply looked cute.
“At lunch you said it was nice because it’s close. Easy to come over quickly.”
Liana tried teasing him.
And yes, he had said that earlier.
“That’s true. When I’m coming to see you, being close is good. But when I’m walking you back, being close feels too short.”
Instead of looking embarrassed, Ianheart admitted it smoothly, then flashed a sly grin.
“Wouldn’t it be best if we just lived in the same palace?”
……What did he just say?
Caught off guard, Liana froze, stunned.
Was he really coming at her like that, out of nowhere?
If this were a duel, it was undoubtedly her loss by judgment.
She had known he was good with words, but he also knew how to strike directly.
Thank goodness it was evening, with the sun gone.
If it were daytime, even with her hair draped down, her flushed ears would have been plain to see.
“If we lived together, we wouldn’t have to feel this regret when parting, right?”
“……Forget it. My mistake for thinking I could win against Your Majesty in words.”
Liana’s curt reply, meant to hide her embarrassment, made Ianheart chuckle lowly.
In truth, there was no contest he could ever truly win against her—but he didn’t say that aloud.
And so, a little more time passed.
Sadly, for both of them, their short walk in the cool spring breeze soon ended.
No matter how slow the pace, as long as the direction was right, one always reached the destination.
“We’re here.”
“Yeah.”
Standing before the Emerald Palace gates, Liana pointed out their arrival. But Ianheart, though he agreed, didn’t release her hand.
“……We can’t walk just a little farther?”
His sigh, heavy with reluctance, wasn’t something a man with unfinished work waiting on him should be saying.
And yet, in Liana’s eyes, it looked terribly cute and pitiful.
“We’ll see each other tomorrow anyway.”
She tapped the back of his hand lightly, smiling.
She, too, didn’t want to part. Only a few days had passed since she had realized her feelings, and partings already felt painful.
But Ianheart had piles of documents requiring his signature, and Liana still had her nearly finished gift to prepare.
“If you don’t go soon, Duke Delcaron might clutch his neck in despair again.”
At her playful warning, Ianheart swallowed his regret and nodded.
Not out of pity for Vernian’s poor neck, though.
“Go in safely.”
“You have a longer way back than I do.”
“Then why don’t you worry for me?”
“……Pft. Ahem, fine. You be careful too. And don’t stay up too late.”
She gently squeezed his arm, then let go and waved her hand lightly.
Knowing they’d see each other tomorrow made this brief parting easier.
The unexpected happened the next morning.
Having stayed up nearly all night to finish the dagger, Liana had only managed about an hour of sleep. After early training, she ate breakfast.
While reviewing a few documents needing approval for the founding festival, Kyle came to see her.
And the words from his mouth made her expression stiffen.
“……A strange monster appeared on the outskirts of the capital?”
“I don’t know its exact form, but based on the witnesses’ descriptions, it seems to be a type of monster no one has seen before. I myself have no memory of such a creature.”
A monster of unknown origin showing up—never good news.
“How did they respond?”
“The report came about an hour ago. His Majesty went there himself. He asked me to inform you that he took Ail and a few Reteum with him.”
Liana tapped the table with her fingernail.
Around 1 a.m., there had been a small commotion near a forest by a village on the capital’s outskirts.
Some unknown monster had wandered near.
Even in the capital, monsters weren’t completely absent. Since there had been no casualties or property damage, it could have been brushed aside as minor.
But the problem was the witnesses’ condition.
They had turned pale, stammered, vomited, and shaken uncontrollably—like people facing a terror far beyond what they could endure.
“Hmm……”
Even in the capital, rare as monster sightings were, it seemed unlikely that seven people would be reduced to such a state just by seeing one.
That meant it was highly likely the monster’s ability itself caused such fear.
“No definite information yet? Nothing unusual in the Forest of Death?”
“I heard nothing has happened there, at least.”
Kyle’s calm answer made Liana sigh heavily.
The Forest of Death being quiet was a relief, but who knew how long that calm would last.
“Let’s hope this is nothing serious……”
Her eyes turned toward the direction of the Ruby Palace.
Its master was currently at the very site where the incident occurred.
Normally, he would have entrusted the investigation to his nobles and knights. But with the founding festival preparations at their peak, he had gone himself.
‘Leon seems to be away too……’
Normally, if nothing urgent was happening, Leon would be by her side after training. But today, he wasn’t.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“……I’ll come with you.”
At Kyle’s words, Liana blinked, then stood, as if making a decision.
“Pardon?”
“I was thinking I should check on the trainees.”
She was dressed in riding clothes, planning to visit Rune anyway, so it was suitable for watching over the Reteum’s training too.
“They’ll be glad.”
Kyle, who had been serious until now, let out a faint smile at her words.
“I haven’t supervised them as much lately.”
“That’s not it… It’s just that they enjoy being with you, my lady. Even the new recruits are the same.”
“Hmm, is that so? Then I should spar with them today.”
“They won’t like that.”
“I know.”
“……You’re mischievous.”
“You’re only realizing that now?”
With a playful grin, Liana made Kyle laugh like a sigh.
“Come on, let’s go. I should see if they’ve grown complacent since coming to the Empire.”
“……Please go easy on them. It’s hard to comfort them once they get discouraged.”
“Mm, I’ll try.”
As she patted Kyle’s shoulder and stepped out of the room, her eyes briefly fell on the small box by the bed.
Inside was the dagger she had finished just before dawn.
It seemed its delivery to its rightful owner would have to wait.
‘……I’ll see him at lunch anyway.’
The investigation wouldn’t take that long.
At least, that’s what Liana thought.
She had no idea the day ahead would unravel so completely against her expectations.
