Chapter 99
‘……There’s no way I can say something that embarrassing.’
I must have gotten too used to sitting at the table with you.
Just thinking about it made her face feel like it would turn beet red. Too embarrassing.
“……No, it’s just…… When I was on the battlefield, there were times I fought people and monsters all day without even having time to eat.”
In the end, Riana deflected, finishing her answer with something that dodged the heart of the question.
Ianheart noticed she was deliberately avoiding the subject, but he didn’t press.
He didn’t want to pry into something she didn’t want to share and risk earning her resentment.
“Still, you should eat well. Those two are by your side to serve you, which means they’re doing their job properly.”
Instead, he coaxed her gently with his soft voice.
Since it was a remark born out of concern for her, Riana eventually gave a belated nod in agreement.
After that, they walked for another five minutes or so.
Riana looked delighted as she watched the shop lights begin to flicker on one by one.
It wasn’t like there was a festival, and the shops here weren’t all that different from those in Roun.
‘……Could I be part of the reason she’s so happy right now?’
The unspoken question lingered only in Ianheart’s chest.
Just then, a cold droplet landed on her face and bare nape.
“Ah! That’s cold.”
Riana, too, hadn’t managed to escape the attack of the water drops.
The source that had sprinkled both of them—and the crowd entering the plaza—was just ahead.
“Wow! That fountain is as big as a building! Oh my goodness!”
Before Ianheart could call her name, Riana, lifting her gaze, spotted the fountain ahead and exclaimed loudly.
She looked thrilled by its massive size, visible even from afar.
“Come on, let’s go!”
Grabbing Ianheart’s wrist, Riana marched eagerly toward the fountain.
Around the fountain, people were already gathered—some enjoying the cool air drifting from the water, others simply watching.
But the crowd wasn’t too large, so there was no trouble for the two of them approaching.
“Wow……”
The fountain, as tall as a two-story building, was certainly worthy of admiration.
Jets of water shot high into the air, carried by the wind to sprinkle the surroundings.
“It’s so beautiful……”
Riana, staring blankly for a moment, broke into a radiant smile.
That smile, breaking apart in the glow of twilight, seized Ianheart’s heart completely.
The greedy grip that had already taken a portion of it now demanded even more.
“……”
Ianheart, who had never lost to anyone before, surrendered his entire being to that formless emotion and offered up his heart.
And he didn’t regret it in the slightest.
Riana, watching the dancing streams of water up close, drifted back toward his side.
“Hey, young master, why are you spacing out like that?”
Her voice was playful, teasing.
Young master.
That was what Riana had called him the very first time they met, when neither of them knew who the other was.
Back then, her tone had been shorter, rougher.
Now, looking back, it felt almost cute.
From that very first meeting, Riana’s presence had etched itself into Ianheart’s memory as something special.
Recalling it now, Ianheart chuckled.
“Well, maybe because you’re beautiful?”
“Pfft! What’s that? You sound like such a player.”
Her refreshing laugh tickled his ears.
How many times had he been called a player by this same person?
Sometimes, he didn’t mind—it made him seem less clumsy. But at other times, it felt like his first love was being dismissed, and that sat uncomfortably with him.
Today was one of those uncomfortable times.
“If you call this being a player, then you must’ve never met a real one.”
His sunken mood made him speak without realizing, his words carrying a faint edge.
If Vernian or Kion had heard him, they would have been horrified, swearing their lord had finally lost his mind—because it was a childish display beyond belief.
But emotions never moved according to reason.
Even a man with the power to command everything couldn’t control his heart as he pleased.
Unaware of his feelings, Riana only shrugged and agreed lightly.
“Of course I haven’t. Everyone around me has always been like family…… Honestly, even if it’s just pretend, this is my first time doing something like dating.”
“……”
Ianheart was struck speechless.
In truth, he had taken the hit instead.
He already knew Riana had no experience with romance.
It had been in the background check before their contract, and she herself had said so before.
He knew it.
But hearing her say, you’re my first—even if in different words—melted away his earlier discomfort like snow in midsummer.
What replaced it was a heavy surge of possessiveness, desire, and affection.
“From now on, I’ll be the only one who can be your lover.”
“Oh, please…… I don’t have even the slightest thought of cheating, so don’t worry.”
Trying to brush it off lightly, Riana answered without much thought, as though he were saying something silly.
If she had realized the depth of emotion in his words, perhaps she would have answered more carefully.
……Or maybe, even knowing, she would’ve just laughed and given the same reply.
The two of them returned to the palace the same way they had left—by vaulting over the wall.
By then, the sun had already set, leaving only a faint trace along the horizon.
“Hmhm~”
Riana clasped her hands behind her back and hummed as she walked, then suddenly spun around.
And when she did, her eyes met Ianheart’s, who was following a step behind.
Her eyes curved into pretty half-moons.
“Today was really fun.”
She meant it.
She’d always enjoyed going out and exploring, but today had been especially delightful.
Hearing her honest feelings, Ianheart gave a faint smile in return.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“The palace was fun too, but outside has its own charm. And there were things different from Roun, so it felt fresh.”
“We’ll go out again next time. Maybe the Risin district—that wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“Ooh, sounds good! But next time, let’s bring Leon along too.”
“……Leon?”
Ianheart’s voice carried a trace of displeasure, but the excited Riana didn’t notice.
“Yes. Remember, in Roun, we went out together before? I heard not long ago that he said it was really fun.”
“I see……”
“Hm, if he finds out we went out today without him, won’t he get sulky? Maybe I should make him his favorite steak to cheer him up.”
Riana chattered happily about taking Leon for a night stroll when he came back later.
The conversation had started about how fun today was, but before long, her focus had shifted completely to Leon.
‘Sulky? Him? He’s always preferred being alone.’
Ianheart, who couldn’t exactly reveal the truth about Leon—his divine beast who monopolized Riana’s affection and cuteness—could only stew in silence.
“Oh, by the way—if the weather gets nice, can I go swimming at that lake we saw before with Leon? He said it’s super clean since there aren’t any living creatures there.”
Enticed……
Ianheart frowned at both her choice of words and the unchanging topic.
Only to realize, with a bitter sigh, how much it made him feel like he was actually jealous of Leon.
“……I’ll come too.”
In the end, he allowed it—but insisted on joining.
Of course, he wasn’t against her being close to Leon.
But he also wanted to share those experiences with her himself.
“Oh, really? But Leon said Your Majesty probably wouldn’t enjoy it.”
That wretched bastard.
Sure, swimming wasn’t really his thing. He preferred just lying around nearby.
But from the look in Leon’s eyes, Ianheart knew the beast had already guessed his feelings.
And yet, the creature had the nerve to say that behind his back?
Outrageous.
“Ridiculous. I’ll join because I want to.”
His voice was oddly stern, almost sulky, even petulant.
“…Oh. Alright, then.”
Riana tilted her head, then nodded.
So Leon must have been mistaken after all.
“Great. Maybe around next month—it should be warm enough by then.”
Having secured more time with Riana, Ianheart finally allowed himself a small smile again.
But that didn’t erase the sting from Leon’s underhanded remark, so the next outing would definitely be just the two of them.
Not that he had ever really planned to bring Leon along anyway.
A thought crossed his mind.
‘……Isn’t it strange to keep saying I won’t tell her?’
That old belief—that there was no need to add feelings on top of their contract-bound relationship—was blurring more and more.
No, more than half of it had already blurred away. And tonight had erased the rest.
Since realizing the name of his feelings, the affection that grew day by day was like an eraser, wiping away his resolve.
“Your Majesty.”
“……Yes.”
“What are you thinking about?”
That I want to be honest and tell you—I’ve put you in my heart.
That’s what I want to say.
But not yet.
