- ~CHAPTER 30~
“We lost him. I’m sorry.”
There was a faint smell of sweat from Marek as he whispered into Rision’s ear.
He had been chasing through the back alleys the whole time while Rision spent a leisurely moment with Dianu at the tearoom.
The first person to notice the suspicious man following them had surprisingly been Dianu.
As she stepped down from the rented carriage holding Rision’s hand, she narrowed her eyes.
‘Is something wrong?’
‘No. I just feel like I’ve seen that person earlier…’
And since Dianu Ortensa was not someone who would mistake such a sign for nothing, she soon turned away, deciding it was no big deal.
But Rision did not overlook it.
After sending Dianu into the tearoom first, he stopped Marek.
‘Don’t look. Just listen.’
The royal guard casually shifted his coat aside so he could reach for his weapon quickly if needed.
‘Across the street, in front of the shop with the red-painted sign, there’s a short, thin man wearing a leather cap.’
‘What should I do?’
‘Miss Ortensa and I will sit on the terrace. If he really is watching us, hold him there.’
If Dianu’s intuition was correct, the plan was to seize him first and deal with it quietly without her knowing.
But the situation escalated.
Marek returned after a long time and reported that he had lost the suspicious man after a chase.
Anyone who could escape from a trained knight like Marek was clearly a professional watcher.
‘Is it the Duke of Belrua?’
Rision already knew the duke had spies inside the palace.
But this was the first time he had found one outside of it.
He hated being separated from Dianu at a time like this, but it was not a conversation he could have in front of her.
He settled for watching the silhouette of her figure through the shop window from afar.
“How many did the captain assign to follow me today?”
Whenever Rision left the palace, the captain would secretly assign plainclothes knights to shadow him from a distance.
They were careful enough not to be noticed by Dianu.
Marek remained alert while answering.
“Four men, Your Majesty.”
The chance of physical harm was low.
The Duke of Belrua did not aim to overthrow the empire and claim the crown.
But Rision was not alone today, so he could not afford even the slightest risk.
Marek did not speak.
Rision kept his eyes fixed on Dianu’s figure and said quietly.
“You are slow to answer.”
“…My apologies. I will prioritize Miss Ortensa’s safety.”
Normally, he might have protested, but Marek had been carrying guilt over Dianu’s injury at the Fir Tree Palace incident.
Rision did not like using that guilt, but his priority was to get Dianu back to Oak Palace without harm.
‘Even if we make it through today… what about tomorrow? And after that?’
Ellaris’s warning was right.
Dianu was already attracting attention.
Her time in the palace as an anonymous tutor might be shorter than he had hoped.
All of it felt like his fault.
‘Was I too complacent?’
He decided today would be the last.
Just one peaceful day with Dianu.
Not as emperor and tutor, but simply as Rision and Dianu.
A day free from arranged marriage, duty, or politics.
If he could have that day, he felt he could face a lifetime of responsibility.
So he allowed himself to act childish.
He even enjoyed seeing her flustered when he behaved badly.
It would be the last chance anyway.
Once they returned to the palace, he had to keep his distance, as Ellaris asked.
He would soon have to return her completely.
He believed he was allowed at least that much selfishness.
The door of the lace shop opened just a little, and Dianu peeked her head out.
She waved at him as if to say she had followed his request not to step outside.
He smiled and waved back.
There was a quiet sadness in his voice, even he could not hide.
“I think this is where it ends.”
The sun was setting.
* * *
The rented carriage back to the palace was silent.
‘This atmosphere is a little awkward, isn’t it?’
They had not talked much in the morning either, but it had not been this uncomfortable.
After behaving unpredictably all day, Rision sank into his seat the moment they boarded and closed his eyes, ignoring Dianu’s protest.
He squeezed himself into the seat next to Sir Roysen, arms crossed.
Two large men sharing a narrow seat made things look even more stifling.
Watching his long golden lashes flutter with the movement of the carriage, Dianu lowered her voice.
“Sir Roysen.”
He finally looked at her.
“Yes, Miss Ortensa?”
She gestured for him to lower his voice.
“His Majesty doesn’t look very comfortable while resting.”
“Ah…”
Roysen glanced at Rision, who kept his back straight even with his eyes closed.
His look seemed to say, ‘So what exactly do you expect me to do about it?’
Dianu frowned in frustration.
“He could lean on your shoulder.”
“I decline.”
Both Dianu and Roysen looked at Rision.
He had his eyes half-open now, and his voice was irritated rather than sleepy.
“Why should I lean on such a rough shoulder?”
Dianu mumbled in Roysen’s place.
“You just looked uncomfortable… That’s all…”
“Then let my neck break instead.”
His sulky tone reminded her of Elpenlira.
She used to think they only shared similar looks, but today she saw they both had a stubborn streak.
The only difference was that Elpenlira acted out often, while Rision usually suppressed himself.
And today, it seemed like he decided not to suppress as much.
The reason was unknown to Dianu.
“You shouldn’t have squeezed yourself in there in the first place…”
Earlier that morning, Rision and Dianu had shared a seat.
Normally, the emperor sat alone, but Rision insisted he sit with her so she would not feel cramped beside Roysen.
Dianu spoke impulsively and regretted it.
She looked away, but Rision leaned slightly toward her while keeping his arms crossed.
“If I had sat beside you…”
“….”
“Would you have let me lean on your shoulder?”
“Only if you don’t mind a rough shoulder.”
Rision laughed.
It sounded surprisingly innocent.
Dianu stared quietly at the man who was her ruler, employer, and someone she could not define.
After laughing for quite a while, Rision finally spoke.
“Your life will end happily, Miss Dianu.”
“…What?”
The blessing of the most exalted man in the empire had a strangely lonely echo.
Rision closed his eyes again.
Roysen avoided Dianu’s gaze.
Silence returned, even heavier than before.
* * *
When they reached the palace, Rision naturally escorted Dianu back to Oak Palace.
Roysen bowed and left them, entering the building alone, as if instructed.
Just like the night they returned from the Hall of Knights, they were left alone again.
“Would you like to come inside for a moment? Lady Elpenlira would be glad to see you…”
She suggested it carefully, but Rision shook his head.
Silence lingered once more.
Unable to endure the awkwardness, Dianu was about to speak when Rision halted her with a raised hand.
“Thank you for staying with me today, even though I was unreasonable.”
So he knew he had acted that way.
Dianu let out a small laugh.
“I enjoyed it too.”
She truly meant it.
Even if she occasionally wanted to pull her hair out or find out what went on in his head, she still enjoyed the day.
Rision held out his hand.
She quietly placed her right hand in his.
It had become a familiar gesture.
He lowered his head and kissed the back of her hand.
His warm lips lingered slightly longer than usual.
She wondered if it was only her imagination.
When his green eyes looked up at her, time paused for a short moment.
“Miss Dianu.”
He spoke her name with reverence.
“…Have a good night.”
It felt like he swallowed words he wished he could say.
Dianu stood there until his figure disappeared.
She looked up at the dark sky and sniffled.
“It’s a little cold…”
The warmth left behind by another person’s affection never stayed long.
That was the saddest part.
