Chapter 85
Rose’s blatant I don’t want to date you vibe only stoked Arteon’s competitive spirit.
Developing an intense interest in a woman who showed zero interest in him? Classic male instinct, perhaps.
“Whatever it is, I have no business meeting the company head on a weekend.”
She extended her palm, demanding the note.
“So hand it over nicely while I’m asking politely.”
“What, you’ll snatch it if I don’t?”
“You think I can’t?”
Rose’s eyes flashed dangerously. Arteon swallowed hard.
Do all Northerners learn to wield killing intent as a hobby?
Recalling an old trauma, Arteon silently handed over the note.
“…Here.”
“If you pull this again, I’ll report you to Madam.”
With her warning delivered, Rose tucked the note into her reticule and stood.
Arteon rose with her.
“There’s still business left.”
He offered a box. It looked like it held jewelry. Rose frowned.
“I don’t need it.”
She clearly assumed this was a gift offensive following the date rejection.
Arteon smirked.
“It’s not for you. It’s from the Holy Kingdom.”
At the mention of the Holy Kingdom, Rose’s face said oh, crap.
Looking embarrassed, she primly accepted the box.
“You could’ve said that sooner.”
“You were about to leave without giving me a chance to speak.”
“Because you keep saying weird things.”
“So, are you free this weekend?”
When Arteon teased again, Rose scowled and stormed out.
SLAM—!
The door expressed her displeasure. Arteon burst into laughter, then flopped onto the sofa.
“Ah, what do I do? I think I’m falling for her.”
* * *
Just a few hours earlier.
The Grand Nobles’ Assembly was always a razor-thin ice rink of clashing interests.
With new and old nobility debating the empire’s future, meetings were long and tedious.
This time, with Kaiden Crensia, Guardian of the North, in attendance, everyone had already abandoned hope of an early end.
Normally, the emperor nitpicked the duke, and the duke pointlessly resisted, riling His Majesty.
Yet today—
“It is a pleasure to see the duke again.”
Has the emperor lost his mind?
The emperor, who usually pounced on any excuse to fault Crensia, was smiling and welcoming him.
And the strangeness wasn’t limited to the emperor.
“I had no reason to refuse when Your Majesty personally sent a letter. As your subject, of course I came.”
The duke was unusually polite today.
The nobles’ minds raced at this sudden shift.
Crensia, who had belonged to neither the emperor’s nor the aristocratic faction, was changing course.
He married the princess… Is he joining the emperor’s faction?
All eyes fixed on the emperor and the duke.
Kaiden, too, was baffled by the emperor’s attitude but saw no reason to reject the olive branch.
If the emperor hadn’t constantly meddled in Northern affairs, Kaiden wouldn’t have butted heads in the first place.
Thus, the assembly ended faster than any since the current emperor’s ascension.
“Ah, Duke.”
The emperor called out to Kaiden as he left the hall.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Have you been receiving the gifts I sent? I never get much of a response.”
Kaiden’s face hardened.
For the past year, the emperor had incessantly sent tonics and potions good for vitality.
Every single one was ideal for conception. Reina had murmured,
“The emperor wants a child between you and me.”
“Why?”
“Because it would be useful. A life bearing both Mernie and Crensia blood.”
Her eyes had been ice-cold.
Kaiden instantly grasped that “useful” was not a good thing.
The emperor likely planned to erase their child the way he had erased Jeffery.
The greedy old man dared to covet his child.
Kaiden swallowed the urge to behead him on the spot and feigned ignorance.
“…Did you not receive replies? I believe Reina sent them every time.”
Feigning confusion, Kaiden watched the emperor grin.
“I received replies, yes. But not the response I wanted.”
“…”
“If your marriage isn’t strained, there should be news by now. Or does Reina not please you?”
“Of course not.”
Kaiden forced a smile. The emperor’s sly grin made it hard to tell if he saw through the lie.
It would be nice to use his power, but unfortunately, it didn’t work on Crensia.
There was only one way to confirm.
“I’ll invite you and Reina to a banquet soon. You are now, in name and reality, my son-in-law who bears the Mernie name, are you not?”
Kaiden swallowed a bitter laugh at the mention of Reina.
He already knew from her what the emperor’s power was; he saw the impurity of the intent.
“It would be an honor, Your Majesty.”
* * *
“So the emperor says he’ll invite you and me to a banquet soon.”
Kaiden, having recounted the assembly, didn’t hide his discomfort.
Reina’s face paled at the word banquet.
Her obvious reluctance prompted Kaiden to continue.
“If you really don’t want to, I’ll go alone. Say you’re ill.”
“No. He’s the type to drag me in front of you by any means if I refuse.”
Yes. Refusing the emperor’s summons would only give the madman an excuse.
She had to pretend to comply and strike from behind.
Besides, there was something she needed to confirm by meeting the emperor.
“Let’s go together.”
“But what if he tries to use his power on you?”
Kaiden’s face showed reluctance at her agreement.
He didn’t want her to face even the slightest risk. But Reina was firm.
“The current emperor has no interest in my power. And what he’s curious about is something else. He’ll definitely want to check if we’re properly spending our nights together.”
“…Then it’s even more dangerous. If he finds out we haven’t even had our wedding night—”
“That’s why, Kaiden.”
Reina grasped Kaiden’s hand with a resolute face. Sensing trouble, Kaiden stammered,
“W-Why that face again?”
Whenever she made that face, she always blindsided him with outrageous statements.
And sure enough—Reina’s words were shocking.
“While we’re in the capital, I want us to share one bed.”
“Share what?”
“One bed. Let’s sleep together.”
THUD.
Kaiden’s brain short-circuited at the sudden proposal.
He hadn’t even confessed yet, and she wanted to sleep together?
Of course, as a married couple, it wasn’t unnatural.
But ever since her let’s have a baby comment, Reina kept skipping steps and flustering him.
“R-Reina, I—”
As he struggled to speak, Reina added,
“I mean literally just sharing the bed. So don’t be so nervous.”
“…Huh?”
What kind of new torture is this?
Kaiden stared blankly at the angelic-faced Reina who only said devilish things.
Whether she knew or not, Reina was serious.
“I already know you don’t want a child yet. So you don’t have to worry about me pouncing on you.”
“Wait, what does that mean?”
“You think I’m suggesting this because I want a baby.”
“Ha.”
Unbelievable.
Who was worrying about whom here?
