Chapter 130
‘…This man has no shame!’
Liana pressed her flushed face with her hands, trying desperately to cool the heat that threatened to spread all the way down her neck.
To worry about her lips in a letter—how could he write something so boldly?
And what was worse—at those very words, her mind immediately replayed last night’s kisses.
Their soft, sweet first kiss.
The ones that followed—deeper, rougher, more urgent.
Each memory returned in vivid detail, making her efforts to calm down utterly useless.
Thank goodness he has the body of a knight, she thought. Otherwise, with lips as swollen as mine last night, any ordinary man would still be suffering this morning.
Letting out a small sigh, Liana steadied herself and continued reading the rest of his letter.
The tone remained gentle and affectionate, yet the contents were simple:
In two hours, there would be a meeting concerning the previous day’s events, as well as other matters. Even envoys from other nations would be attending—would she come?
The next lines explained that the clothes sent with the maid were a gift, and that after the meeting, he wished to share lunch with her.
Finally, he wrote that if she sent her reply with the maid, he would personally come to escort her.
Below those words, his signature sprawled elegantly across the page.
Ianheart Lu Belnerum.
Seeing his full name written in his own strong hand stirred an odd feeling in her chest.
A little embarrassing, a little flustering—but not unpleasant.
After a moment of thought, Liana asked the maid to wait a little longer for her reply.
Then, the quiet scratch of her fountain pen filled the room as she began writing.
“Your Majesty, the maid you sent to Emerald Palace has returned.”
“Let her in.”
Ianheart, who had been reviewing documents, lifted his head at once. His reaction was quicker than usual.
The maid entered politely and approached him with careful steps, offering something with both hands.
“…This is?”
“A reply from Her Highness. She spoke no words to me directly.”
The pale blue envelope felt strangely warm in his hand.
For a moment, Ianheart said nothing. Then, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his palm, he let out a small, helpless laugh.
A faint blush crept across his neck.
“You’ve done well. You may go.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maid—whom he had deliberately sent because he refused to entrust Liana’s letter to any man—bowed and slipped out of the office.
And then, it was only Ianheart, the quiet study, and the envelope in his hand.
<Oh heavens! A letter! A letter! From Liana herself!>
The one more excited than even Ianheart was a certain noisy divine beast.
“…Leon, be quiet.”
His brow twitched as the black panther bounded around, yowling in glee.
<Finally! Finally that idiot Lu got a letter from Liana!>
The unfortunate victim of Leon’s joy was the poor sofa, shredded under his massive paws.
<Lu, you better be grateful. Someone like Liana is one of a kind. Meanwhile, pretty-faced men like you? They’re everywhere!>
“That’s unnecessary worry. Liana likes my face.”
<Which is why you should take care of it! Stop scowling all the time. Humans get wrinkles if they frown too much.>
The conversation was utterly childish for an emperor and his divine beast, but neither seemed to mind.
“Enough. If you want to chatter, go bother Kion instead.”
<I can’t talk to him right now! Besides, I want to see the letter too!>
But Ianheart had no intention of showing even Leon the contents of Liana’s reply. Not a chance.
Sulking, Leon leapt out the window with a final grumble of <Stingy Lu!>.
Ianheart chuckled despite himself.
“…Anyone overhearing us would think I’m courting her.”
Shaking his head, he shoved the stack of documents aside and set the pale blue envelope on the desk.
Its wax seal shimmered with a violet tint, glittering faintly like silver dust—exactly the same color as the ribbon tied around the gift box resting nearby.
It was so distinctly her.
“…Adorable.”
He thought back to the envelope he had sent earlier, sealed with a bold red mark, and laughed under his breath.
With a small flourish of aura, his paper knife sliced neatly under the seal without leaving a trace.
Had Kion seen it, he would have been impressed by the precision.
Shhhk.
Unfolding the letter, Ianheart’s lips curved in an unconscious smile.
[I’ll attend the meeting. Thank you for the clothes.]
She had ignored the flowery prelude he had written and gotten straight to business, yet the very bluntness was endearing.
He knew her well enough to understand—Liana was easily embarrassed.
The letter wasn’t long, and soon he reached the last lines:
[And please don’t write such things in your letters. You need to learn a little shame! …Still, aside from that, I suppose it was a good letter. Write me again, from time to time.]
At the bottom, her name was scrawled in graceful, hurried strokes.
He hadn’t expected a reply. But here it was, and it lit him up inside.
“…At this rate, I’ll turn into a fool.”
Who would have thought a single sheet of paper could make him this happy?
Chuckling softly, he read it once more before folding it neatly and tucking it back into its envelope.
Then, he carefully placed it inside the pale-violet box on his desk—where he would surely revisit it several more times.
All he wanted now was for the hours to fly until he could go and fetch her.
“Wow!”
“My goodness, Your Highness, it’s stunning! I don’t even know what fabric this is—just that it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It suits you perfectly!”
Betty and Daisy’s excited exclamations filled the room.
The gift Ianheart had sent was a set of clothes: a flowing white silk blouse with wide sleeves, loose black trousers that draped elegantly, and a long robe-like jacket to layer over them.
The robe was made of deep navy silk, embroidered with delicate silver patterns that shimmered like starlight.
Though her maids were the ones squealing, even Liana herself couldn’t deny the clothes were breathtaking.
If I had opened the gift earlier, I would have written my thanks in the letter too, she thought.
“It’s Juran silk,” Laura observed calmly, her gaze lingering on the robe.
The name was unfamiliar.
“Juran?”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
Laura’s lips curved in a faint smile as she explained, “It’s a small kingdom in the Eastern Continent. Though their land is tiny, the silk they produce is unmatched in quality and beauty. It’s what makes them wealthy.”
“I see… I didn’t know that.”
“Most don’t, unless they take an interest in clothing or fabrics. It’s hardly common knowledge.”
Laura then fetched a mannequin and draped the garments over it, arranging the folds to see how the outfit would fall.
“…Juran silk,” Daisy breathed, starry-eyed.
Betty clasped her hands dramatically. “Mother, your daughter has truly risen in the world. Even my grandfather, who worked all his life, could never have dreamed of touching such fabric!”
The way they stared at the garments, one would think they were beholding treasure. And perhaps they were.
The silk flowed like water, its fit both elegant and imposing, exuding a cool, regal air.
“It will suit Your Highness perfectly,” Laura remarked. “His Majesty clearly has an eye for these things.”
“Absolutely! He’s always sending the best—sometimes even trousers and uniforms, which look like they were made just for you.” Daisy’s voice was high with excitement.
Surprisingly, Laura nodded in agreement.
Compared to the daughters of noble houses, Liana’s wardrobe truly was unique—filled with variety, practicality, and taste.
“All thanks to His Majesty…” Liana murmured, unable to hold back her smile.
Ianheart understood her better than anyone. As both swordswoman and princess, he gave her not only his love but also thoughtful consideration.
Naturally, she owed him a proper response.
Turning to her attendants, Liana’s smile deepened.
“Today, I want you to style me to match these clothes as perfectly as possible.”
“…Without restrictions?”
“Yes. Do as you please.”
At her approval, Betty and Daisy let out shrieks of joy, while Laura sighed heavily at their antics.
