SELTP 73

Chapter 73

There were three famous “iron walls” in the Zendal Imperial Palace.

One was Captain Henkel.
Another was Chancellor Ebon.
And the other one was us—

‘His Majesty Allend Khan Leodius.’

To the point that I couldn’t understand my past self, who had fallen hook, line, and sinker for Hufferson’s “net” remark, His Majesty’s iron wall was no joke.
He blocked people who came and didn’t stop people who left.

And yet that His Majesty said he wanted to receive chocolate with that kind of meaning from me—!

This, this is—

‘Your Majesty, do you like me……?!’

Gasp. Hyperventilation again.

I pressed the paper bag I was holding to my mouth and kept breathing in and out.

Why a paper bag, you ask?

Today.

I’d been alone in my room, chewing over the meaning of His Majesty’s “Valentine chocolate” remark from the carriage, and I kept hyperventilating at random, so I had one beside me to use.

‘Get a grip. There must’ve been some communication issue I don’t know about.’

How many times have I been fooled by my own delusions before?

‘This is one hundred percent a misunderstanding.’

Hoo. Hoo.

I scolded myself like I was brainwashing myself.

As my breathing calmed down, it felt like my heart calmed down too—
as if.

“Heehee…….”

Just listening to the laughter leaking out between the paper bag told me I was done for.

The rose-colored glasses that wouldn’t fall off my eyes had clearly gotten stuck to my head too.

‘These stupid rose-colored glasses. They won’t come off…….’

I take back what I once said—that my feelings for His Majesty would end someday.

Looks like this is……

a feeling with no expiration date. Sob.

Day by day, my feelings just keep growing stronger—what am I supposed to do about that…….

But His Majesty doesn’t like me, right? So a few weeks ago, I resolved to give up on romance for the rest of my life.

I told myself…… I could live on while watching His Majesty be happy with someone else, from afar……

But now there’s a chance it’s mutual……!

His Majesty, chocolate, my feelings……!

Urgh. Breathing again.

‘It can’t be.’

Hoo. Hoo.

Like the paper bag swelling and deflating over and over, my premature excitement grew and shrank all night long.

And then, the next day.

As expected, it was all pointless digging.

“They say the new dessert we sampled at the last tea party has been released?”

After breakfast, I’d gotten a bit of time to chat and was talking with Siana and the other maids.

“Chocolate! Saintess, did you hear? The capital’s in an uproar over that these days! They say if you collect His Majesty’s portraits from the chocolate, they’ll give you another chocolate called Valentine’s or something?”

“I heard that too. They say if you get it, you can receive the Saintess’s blessing? But Saintess…… is it okay for Antoine’s Patisserie to say things like that?”

“Ah, yeah. I gave permission.”

“Really? I thought so. I went to the main branch to buy bread, and they had your letter granting permission and even your hair framed and displayed.”

Ugh. Olivia.

Displaying my hair…….

Anyway, riding that momentum, the conversation drifted to the chocolate from Antoine’s Patisserie.

But there was something strange.

All the talk about Valentine chocolate was focused entirely on ‘the Saintess’s blessing.’

“Um…… hey. Was there anything else said about Valentine chocolate besides the blessing? Like, giving it to someone else or something.”

One maid waved her hand lightly with a laugh.

“No way. It’s a chance to receive the Saintess’s blessing. Why would anyone give it to someone else?”

Then the other maids, as if they felt a duty to answer my question too, chimed in one by one.

Putting it all together, it went something like this.

At first, everyone thought it was just a marketing phrase from Antoine’s Patisserie and took it as a joke.

But the hair of mine displayed at the main branch massively boosted its credibility.

And the part I wanted to emphasize—‘to the person you love’—completely disappeared, leaving only ‘maybe you can receive the Saintess’s blessing?’ behind…….

As a result,

[If you eat Valentine chocolate, you can receive the Saintess’s blessing.]

—that rumor spread through the empire like a superstition.

It’s not some buff item or anything—!

‘His Majesty too……!’

His Majesty must have wanted that buff item as well.

“The meaning of Valentine chocolate? I’ve heard about it, so I know.”

He said he’d ‘heard about it.’

Kgh. No wonder it felt off!

No wonder it didn’t seem right!

“Heehee…….”

Just in case, I put down the paper bag I was holding today as well.

‘Mutual feelings. Not a chance.’

When I got up from the sofa, Siana, who was sitting beside me, asked,

“Saintess, where are you going?”

“To Helly…….”

Helly was busy preparing lunch.

Since my original purpose was to borrow an empty auxiliary kitchen, it wasn’t a problem—but!

It was a problem that Dune was my escort today.

The only person in the Imperial Guard who knew that I was Lili was up to Cadien, the unit commander.

Dune didn’t know.

“I want to practice the recipe I got from Helly on my own. I think I’d be embarrassed if I fail, so could Sir Dune wait outside the door? I’ll report that I’m alive every ten minutes.”

“……Understood.”

After safely chasing Dune out into the hallway, I began making the chocolate for His Majesty in the auxiliary kitchen.

“Oh, it smells good.”

Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape.

I was grinding cacao nibs, sugar, and other ingredients together in a mortar.

I’d planned to melt pre-made chocolate using a double boiler, but there was no stock.

It was more labor-intensive than the dalgona I’d made by stirring 400 times before, but it was manageable.

“Feels like my head’s clearing up too.”

Doing simple work made me think—my life goal was to look at His Majesty’s face for the rest of my life anyway.

The plan to make His Majesty happy was still ongoing.

What use was romance, really?

“Is this the first time His Majesty said he wanted something……? Come to think of it, he hasn’t been attacking me with his face asking me to do things lately.”

Heehee. I’ve gained plenty of experience now, so I don’t just get overwhelmed like before!

……No, I probably still would. I should practice looking at His Majesty’s brow some more.

Anyway, since it had been a while since His Majesty said he wanted something.

I poured every ingredient and bit of know-how I had into making the chocolate for him.

“Ohhh.”

And when I finally saw the finished chocolate, I couldn’t help but admire it.

Who would’ve thought my training carving stone would pay off here……!

The side profile of His Majesty carved into the disc-shaped chocolate looked pretty convincing.

Capturing his beauty perfectly was impossible.

But the forehead, nose bridge, lips, and jawline were all there—wasn’t that good enough?

Good job, my hands.

But.

“This isn’t enough.”

Since I’d gone this far, I wanted to decorate it properly too.

I searched the auxiliary kitchen, but there was nothing suitable, so I went outside through the window.

The next survival report was in ten minutes, so I couldn’t go far.

Luckily, nearby I found orange flowers blooming on branches with withered leaves.

‘There are flowers even in winter?’

They looked lush enough, so I picked three and went back.

I carefully placed the chocolate on a plate, decorated it with the flowers, then closed the plate lid and tied it with a ribbon.

“Now it finally feels like a surprise gift.”

I was satisfied.

Just like that, I took the plate and headed to His Majesty.

“Your Majesty, I have something to give you!”

Since it was a weekend afternoon, only His Majesty and Captain Henkel were in the office.

I placed the gratifying result of my entire morning on His Majesty’s desk.

“This is?”

“The thing you said you wanted yesterday.”

Then a faint smile appeared on His Majesty’s lips, and I wondered if maybe I’d been living my whole life for this moment.

“Please open it quickly!”

“Very well.”

His Majesty lifted the plate lid slightly, then closed it again.

Then he gestured toward Captain Henkel and Dune behind me.

When the two of them left the office and closed the door, His Majesty asked me in a low voice,

“……Saintess, I’m asking just to confirm. Did you bring this knowing its meaning?”

“The meaning?”

I nodded.

That blasted meaning.

I know it very well. Something about the Saintess’s blessing, right. Sob.

“Yes, of course I know!”

“…….”

When I answered emphatically, His Majesty opened the lid as if checking whether he’d seen wrong.

“You truly know…… what this means?”

“I told you I do.”

His Majesty’s face was serious to a degree I rarely saw.

Wondering if something was wrong, I looked at the chocolate with him—but it looked fine?

The chocolate on the plate and the flowers decorating it. Nothing seemed problematic.

‘Ah, maybe he doesn’t like it because it looks different from the ones being sold?’

Valentine chocolates that were given out were usually round.

‘Did he prefer round shapes? Well, if you’re eating it as a buff item, a shape that’s easy to eat one by one would be…… no, but it doesn’t actually have any “Saintess’s blessing” effect.’

My head spun.

Then, unlike his unchanged expression, I noticed that the tips of His Majesty’s ears were redder than usual.

He doesn’t seem angry……?

“……Saintess.”

His Majesty closed the plate lid and stood up.

I was staring blankly when a sigh escaped his lips.

“I can’t say much about the Saintess’s openness, but…….”

Huh?

“This sort of thing isn’t good.”

I gave him what he said he wanted and just stood there.

Why does it feel like I’ve done something terribly wrong?

It must be because of that deeply troubled look on His Majesty’s face, right……!