Episode 36
Instead of going to the secret pub hideout, we headed to the street food stalls.
It was the same place where I had once eaten Hari’s desserts. Like before, small tables were set up, and as soon as we sat down, the maids brought out the food.
It was just after 9 p.m.
Even though it was nighttime, it wasn’t long after dinner, so it felt a bit early to eat a late-night snack. But it seemed like there was no concept of “late-night snack” here anyway.
“You’re probably full, so just eat a little.”
“Okay, I will.”
So the food they served was small in portion and light. One dish stood out the most to me—soft mushrooms.
“Wow, it’s soft mushrooms! It’s been so long. I missed them.”
“I missed them too.”
Raymond smiled as he watched me stab a mushroom with my fork and eat it. I chewed with wide eyes, really enjoying it.
Wait, but couldn’t Raymond eat this whenever he wanted?
Oh, right. He had been away from Furmont for a while, so he couldn’t have had them.
As I wondered and answered my own thoughts, I tasted a bit of everything. Like I noticed before, the Duke’s chefs cooked in a way that brought out the natural flavors, with just a little seasoning. That must be Raymond’s preference. The simple and natural taste suited his calm personality well.
I tried various dishes, but just as I expected, I got full quickly.
The food was great, but I just couldn’t eat more. I had eaten too much at dinner.
“Whew. Thank you for the meal.”
“You didn’t eat much. Probably because it’s not the usual meal time.”
“Yes. I got full really fast.”
It was frustrating to have all this tasty food in front of me and not be able to eat more. I hoped Raymond didn’t misunderstand.
Just as I was thinking that, Raymond also put down his fork and spoke in a serious tone.
“It’s inconvenient that we can only meet at night.”
“It really is.”
I nodded in agreement. Honestly, sneaking out at night always made me nervous. I had to be careful not to get caught, and then act like nothing happened afterward.
“If only you weren’t Kyle’s fiancée…”
Raymond’s expression was full of bitterness as he said that.
He was right. If Eilene weren’t engaged to the emperor, she could meet Raymond freely during the day. Honestly, I wished for that more than anything.
That thought brought back a question I had been pushing aside.
Does the emperor still have no intention of breaking the engagement? Why is he just leaving me alone? He hasn’t called for me lately and has been ignoring me. If that’s the case, I wish he’d just end it already.
As if to change the subject from this frustrating situation, Raymond asked kindly,
“How’s your daily life these days?”
“It’s okay. I sometimes go out too.”
“Really? So they allow it?”
“Yes. I have a friend named Adrien Run. He’s a knight. I’m only allowed to go out with him.”
“Adrien Run…”
Raymond repeated the name and frowned. The way he pronounced each syllable made it seem like he was annoyed.
He seemed to know who Adrien was. Since the Run family is famous for swordsmanship, Raymond must know him. Do they not get along?
Seeing his sour expression, I started to worry. Just then, Raymond began asking more questions.
“Do you go out alone with him?”
“Yes, just the two of us.”
“You must be quite close.”
“Our families know each other well. We’re childhood friends.”
“Childhood friends, huh…”
“My parents treat Adrien like their own son. Haha.”
I explained in a friendly tone, acting like I knew everything. Part of me wanted Raymond to think nicely of Adrien, since he’s my only friend and has helped me a lot.
I also exaggerated a bit so it wouldn’t sound awkward. But for some reason, Raymond’s face kept getting more and more serious.
Did I say something wrong? Was my acting bad?
Thinking I should change the topic quickly, I brought up something new.
“My mother is planning to assign me a new personal guard.”
“Oh? Really?”
That was the perfect topic change. The tension on Raymond’s face instantly disappeared.
To meet Raymond before, I had knocked out two of the mansion’s guards. That caused a huge fuss at home, and my parents, worried for my safety, decided to hire a personal bodyguard.
Phew. I’m still so glad my identity wasn’t discovered that day.
“I think they’ll choose a female guard. There aren’t many strong women in the mansion, so they might post a newspaper ad soon.”
After hearing that, Raymond nodded slowly and made a suggestion.
“If that’s the case, how about making Koa your guard?”
“What? Koa?”
“Yes. That way, we could meet during the day too.”
Oh, that makes sense!
If my bodyguard works for the Grand Duke, I could go see him freely without worrying.
His idea was amazing. I clapped loudly.
“That’s a great idea!”
“Tell me when they put out the ad. I’ll make sure she applies.”
“Okay, I will.”
My fist clenched with determination. If this worked out, I’d have much more freedom.
After the meal, Raymond personally escorted me home. Koa was nearby hiding her presence, but it still felt like it was just the two of us.
The cool night air made me shiver, and Raymond took off his coat and gently placed it over my shoulders.
“Oh, I’m fine.”
“You don’t have a shawl. And I can’t exactly hug you in the middle of the street.”
As I hesitated, Raymond replied casually. It seemed he remembered the time I held onto him when he covered me with a shawl after I was kidnapped.
So you were thinking about that, huh?
You might think I’m shy—but nope, I’m confident!
I suddenly missed those days—when we could spend time together without worrying about others.
“Next time, let’s have dessert together.”
“Yes. Take care.”
Raymond climbed up the terrace and left after dropping me off. I watched his broad back as he walked away from the mansion.
Was it because I kept thinking of the emperor?
After being quiet for a while, he suddenly summoned me to the imperial palace again.
Please… I hope he finally tells me the engagement is over…
Even as I hoped for that, I remembered what I heard at the last tea party, and I got nervous.
The emperor had already started turning dark.
According to Claire, he was no longer acting like the kind and fair ruler he once pretended to be. More and more, he was acting like a spoiled child, doing whatever he pleased.
In stories, power-hungry tyrants often act this way—moody, reckless, and unable to control their emotions. In the original novel, the emperor followed this exact path. So I needed to be ready before I met him.
“I greet the sun of the empire.”
“It’s been a while, Eilene.”
The emperor was sitting on a sofa with a soft smile, gesturing for me to sit across from him. His shiny golden hair glowed as always, and he looked as charming as ever.
We drank tea and ate desserts the maid had brought, chatting about everyday things.
Until then, he seemed completely normal.
So I let my guard down a little—until he suddenly asked me a strange question.
“Eilene. Have you heard the recent rumor spreading in the capital?”
“What rumor do you mean?”
I blinked, pretending not to know. Of course, I knew what rumor he meant, but it was better to play dumb.
“The one from the noble council—about me.”
“Oh, that one? Yes, I heard it.”
“What exactly are people saying about me?”
As soon as I answered, he pushed further.
Why are you asking me this? You could easily find out yourself!
I was getting really annoyed, but he was still the emperor—the most powerful man in the empire. I had to answer carefully.
I held back my irritation and gave what I thought was a safe answer.
“People are just worried about Your Majesty. They wonder if maybe you’ve grown tired from focusing too much on politics.”
“I see. And what do you think?”
At that moment, I had a clear realization.
This is a test…!
What should I say to survive this?
If I sounded too supportive, he’d keep me around. But if I sounded too harsh, he might send me away—maybe even to another country or somewhere worse.
I had to choose something in the middle.
I desperately wished he would finally break the engagement, so I decided to act a little like the original Eilene. I swallowed nervously and replied:
“I think Your Majesty went a bit too far. It might be better to hold back your fiery temper once in a while.”
As I spoke, I clenched my trembling fists tightly.
