Chapter 133
A meeting didn’t mean that any clear solution had come out of it.
The Forest of Death was sustained by supernatural phenomena that lay beyond human understanding.
What happened inside it couldn’t all be known by humans, nor was it confined to human common sense.
“Haa…”
Riana let out a deep sigh as she was the first to leave the council chamber alongside Ian Hart.
There was only one thing certain in this strangely unfolding situation—
none of it was a good sign.
Something was clearly happening inside the Forest of Death…
But the frustrating part was that all this had started right after Riana had left her post on the border.
If she had remained there, the losses among the border troops wouldn’t have tripled.
‘…Though that’s impossible now.’
At that moment, a warm hand closed gently around hers.
Looking up, she met his red eyes, indifferent yet somehow tender.
“Are you worried?”
The question was short, but it struck right at the heart of her feelings.
“…A little. It’s frustrating not knowing exactly what’s happening.”
Riana didn’t bother denying it.
Ian Hart simply walked beside her in silence, matching his pace to hers, as though he understood her unease.
“I’m thinking of sending a reconnaissance team deep into the forest, made up of only the strongest.”
When her heart had steadied a little, Ian Hart spoke softly.
Reconnaissance.
The Empire already sent scouts into the Forest every few days.
But never into the depths—that place was riddled with countless dangers.
“…That’s going to be dangerous.”
“Dangerous or not, it has to be done. We need at least a rough picture of what’s going on in there before we can prepare for it.”
He was right.
Facing something with even a little knowledge was entirely different from facing it blind.
“We’ll need to prepare thoroughly, then.”
“Exactly.”
Silence fell again.
But it wasn’t awkward.
Only the sound of her low-heeled shoes and his boots echoed alternately against the stone floor.
Following his lead, Riana tilted her head slightly to glance at him.
“Your Majesty.”
They had agreed to have lunch together, so she knew where they were headed, more or less… but she was curious about the destination.
Yet Ian Hart didn’t answer.
“…Your Majesty?”
She tried again, but he only looked at her with an oddly dissatisfied gaze, giving no reply.
Wait—was he serious?
A suspicion flickered through her mind.
Could it be…
“…Ian?”
“Yes, Riana.”
Ha.
The answer came instantly this time, and Riana let out a disbelieving laugh.
Ian Hart’s face, full of mischief and satisfaction, was telling enough.
So, he’d ignored her because she hadn’t called his name.
“…That’s childish.”
She couldn’t stop the laughter spilling out.
What kind of emperor ignored people just because they called him by his title?
It was ridiculous—and unbearably endearing.
“People become childish when they’re in love.”
Ian Hart’s retort was shameless.
Unbelievable. And funny.
“Who says that?”
“Everyone.”
“And by everyone, you mean who exactly?”
“Why ask so much? Everyone’s like that.”
The way he stubbornly insisted only made him more adorable.
How could such a pointless back-and-forth feel so fun?
‘Maybe I’ve become childish too.’
Reluctantly, Riana had to agree with his words.
This time, her laughter rang out louder, freer than before.
Ian Hart moved closer to her side.
“I told you before—my name belongs to you. So treasure it and call it often.”
The affectionate murmur was the final touch.
Riana couldn’t help but think that if he were an animal, Ian Hart would definitely be a fox.
“If I use it too much, isn’t that the opposite of treasuring it?”
“That’s not treasuring—it’s locking it away.”
“…Good grief.”
He wasn’t exactly wrong, so she only nodded in resignation.
“Anyway, where are we going now? You said lunch.”
“Today, we’re heading to one of the side palaces. I think you’ll like it.”
“One I haven’t seen before?”
“Mm.”
“Just how many palaces are there…”
Even the smaller royal palace of Rowen had several separate buildings. To Riana, the Imperial Palace felt endlessly vast.
She muttered under her breath, and Ian Hart chuckled in agreement.
“Too many, that’s for sure.”
They walked a few more minutes.
This was an area Riana hadn’t often visited, so everything felt new.
“…Maybe I should start exploring the palace more. There are still so many places I don’t know.”
At her quiet musing, Ian Hart frowned slightly.
“You’ll learn them in time. If you don’t know a place, others will show you eventually.”
“…That’s true.”
His words, so kind and matter-of-fact, swept away her idle thoughts.
He had a knack for sensing her impatience almost instantly, then soothing it with gentle reassurance.
For someone who had never slowed down anywhere, Riana found that beside Ian Hart, she could finally walk at her own unhurried pace.
“There it is.”
Just as she was quietly smiling to herself, his voice drew her attention forward.
Ahead stood a palace, shaped a little differently from the others she’d seen.
“Wow…”
Riana couldn’t hold back her awe.
Up close, the side palace looked as if summer had settled there early.
It was round in shape, surrounded on all sides by shallowly dug channels lined with polished marble, filled with water.
Floating atop the water were blossoms that grew only in aquatic gardens.
The water rose only to ankle height, but tiny magic stones glittered beneath, catching the sunlight so that the entire surface shimmered.
“Pretty nice, isn’t it?”
Ian Hart had let her admire in silence, only speaking after a while.
Riana slowly nodded.
“It feels like summer’s already here.”
“Summer, huh… you’re not wrong. It’s modeled after palaces in a country where it’s summer all year round.”
“Really?”
He nodded, leading her inside.
“My grandfather, the late emperor, studied abroad there. He was so impressed that he ordered one built here.”
“The late emperor? Wow… It’s beautiful.”
Her reaction made Ian Hart’s face glow with satisfaction.
“I knew you’d like it.”
Sometimes she wondered if he knew her better than she knew herself.
At least when it came to her taste in clothes, he certainly did.
“Ian.”
“Mm.”
“I think you might know me better than I know myself. What am I supposed to do?”
She whispered playfully, laughter lacing her voice. Ian Hart chuckled low.
Even as they walked, his eyes on her were filled with sweetness.
“That’s good news. I’ll just try harder.”
“How could you possibly try harder than this?”
“Hmm… by learning more about you, not just your taste, but everything else.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
She pressed for clarification.
But Ian Hart only smirked slyly, leaning down to whisper in her ear.
“For example… how you like to cling to me when we kiss.”
“…!”
“Or how you actually enjoy it when things get a little rough…”
“Stop!”
Her face flamed red as she clamped a hand over his mouth.
She glared at him for spouting indecent nonsense in broad daylight, but he only laughed with his eyes.
What on earth could he find so amusing!
“We’re outside, you know.”
His look clearly said, So what?
Or maybe, There’s no one here but us.
Unbelievable. This man had no shame.
“From now on, no talking like that outside. Got it?”
His lips were still covered, so he couldn’t reply.
Just as she started to pull her hand away, thinking he understood, something soft pressed against her palm.
He had kissed it.
Blinking in surprise, she looked up, only for him to slip an arm around her waist with a smile.
“Fine. I’ll save it for when it’s just the two of us.”
That was his answer.
Even though it was exactly what she’d wanted to hear, an odd unease lingered in her chest.
“…Honestly.”
Unable to place the feeling, she sighed deeply and let him have his way.
After all, no matter what, her lover was still unbearably dear to her.
As for the flaw in his promise… she would only notice that later.
