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Chapter 120
Morning. His Majesty’s Study.
“Good.”
“Huh?”
I froze for a moment at His Majesty’s answer.
Did the man who had just so readily agreed to let me leave the Imperial Palace really happen to be my emperor?
I had expected him to refuse at least once.
Instead, he accepted far too easily.
“I can really go out?”
“You can.”
“I’m leaving today.”
“Mm. Just don’t forget to take your escort knight with you. Sir Kadiyan is on duty today, right?”
“…”
What was this?
Why was he acting so… refreshingly agreeable?
I even felt a little disappointed somehow…!
While I stood there in confusion, His Majesty personally walked me all the way to the door.
“Have a safe trip.”
That bright, refreshing smile…
It felt like I’d gotten my daily dose of vitamins just from looking at him.
And yet…
Something felt suspicious.
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Still, what could I do?
I couldn’t exactly ask him why he was acting so strangely.
At any rate, I’d accomplished my goal of getting permission to leave the palace, so I headed back toward the Prodynta Palace.
“Oh, it’s Director Chobi.”
As we exited the main palace, Kadiyan reacted to the lively chatter nearby.
Looking to the right, I saw Chobi surrounded by a group of maids as they walked this way.
“Director, where are you going so early?”
“Want to have breakfast with us?”
“Do I look like I can eat with this mouth? Huh?”
“Aww, you’re so cute when you’re angry~”
“I just want to stuff you into my bag and take you back to my room.”
The Imperial Palace’s newest attraction—
The walking rabbit doll.
Chobi Vinhud.
Just like me, everyone had initially found it impossible to believe that Chobi had actually become a walking stuffed animal.
But thanks to that adorable appearance, Chobi had quickly become the palace’s biggest idol, constantly surrounded by admirers.
Though…
He clearly hated every second of it.
“You little…”
Uh-oh.
Chobi was about to explode.
I quietly walked over.
“H-Holy Saint!”
“Hello. Mind if I borrow Chobi?”
“O-Of course! It would be our honor!”
I had no idea why it was such an honor, but thanks to that, I managed to rescue Chobi almost instantly.
“Whew! You saved me, Holy Saint. I was on my way to the Imperial Research Institute when they caught me. These doll legs are so slow I couldn’t even shake them off.”
Apparently Chobi had plenty of troubles of his own.
Since the research institute was quite a distance away, and there was a good chance he’d get mobbed again if he walked alone, I decided to carry him there myself.
“Have you found a way to return to your original body yet?”
I asked the stuffed rabbit nestled in my arms.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately wasn’t the right word—
Chobi’s real body was still alive.
The researchers believed there was some sort of interaction between the soul remaining in this world and the living body, but they needed more research before they could be certain.
“Not yet. But, Holy Saint…”
While absentmindedly stroking the stitched seam beneath his nose, Chobi continued.
“I have a feeling it’s connected to the bastard who stole Hupperson’s body.”
“You mean Derachi?”
At the mention of Derachi, Kadiyan joined the conversation.
“If we figure that out… will we be able to save Sir Hupperson?”
“Well… that’s certainly what we’re hoping.”
The three of us fell silent.
Thinking about Hupperson made all of us feel heavy-hearted.
“That idiot cousin… gets attacked while on vacation…”
Chobi muttered before letting out a long sigh.
“Anyway… I examined the body you brought back. Derachi’s body.”
“And?”
“It was empty too.”
“Like your body?”
“Exactly.”
“Then…”
Kadiyan and I simultaneously looked at the round back of Chobi’s stuffed head.
Very few people knew why Chobi’s soul could inhabit a doll.
Could it be…
“Then… that thing… could be inside Hupperson’s body?”
Chobi’s rabbit ears twitched.
“If that’s the case… then couldn’t we simply remove it from his body?”
Hope crept into Kadiyan’s voice.
Chobi shook his head.
“The traitor’s Soul Stone—”
“Eek!”
All our efforts to keep Chobi from blurting out his major criminal secret had been in vain!
I hurriedly covered his mouth, but since Chobi spoke without any actual vocal organs…
It accomplished absolutely nothing.
“If it’s already fused with the body… removing it might kill the host…”
He muttered to himself like a true researcher before suddenly looking up at me.
“Oh, right.”
“Hm?”
“Have you heard the rumor?”
“What rumor?”
Rumors.
I had a bit of trauma regarding those.
Feeling slightly nervous, I waited for him to continue.
“Holy Saint…”
“They’re building a statue of you.”
“…What?”
A statue…
Of me?
Not of His Majesty?
“Oh, you mean the one His Majesty personally planned?”
Kadiyan asked casually.
“Planned?”
How far had this project progressed if even Kadiyan already knew?
Seeing the confusion on my face, Kadiyan explained.
“They plan to embed healing-type Divine Stones inside the statue and install copies throughout the Empire.”
“So that those who urgently need treatment, but can’t receive it for one reason or another, may use them.”
His eyes sparkled with admiration.
“And I heard His Majesty is funding the entire project from his personal treasury.”
“As expected of the man chosen by the Holy Saint.”
“…When is this supposed to begin?”
“From what I’ve heard…”
Kadiyan smiled brightly.
“The first completed statue should be finished and put into trial operation before the end of this year.”
***
No.
This couldn’t happen.
The statue of His Majesty that I’d commissioned from Koaru absolutely had to be unveiled first!
And Divine Stones?
What an incredibly brilliant idea.
I’d never even thought of that…
Cold sweat ran down my back.
I immediately sprinted to the research institute, dropped Chobi off, and rushed straight to Koaru’s workshop.
“Customer? Delivery isn’t due for quite a while. What brings you here?”
“Could you…”
“…finish it before the end of this year?”
After looking into my desperate eyes, Koaru answered firmly.
“Impossible. Didn’t you see the estimate clearly stating three years—”
I quietly placed a heavy pouch of gold coins onto the table.
The tied bag bulged so full that shining gold coins gleamed through the opening.
“Additional payment.”
“I’ve already picked up my chisel and hammer, valued customer.”
And just like that…
The statue problem was solved.
Next—
“Divine Stones by attribute?”
I looked at the former store manager, who now wore a ‘Trainee’ name tag and snorted dismissively.
So he still worked here.
“…”
Judging by the complete lack of recognition on his face, he still saw me as some ignorant commoner.
As I looked around the shop, Vita—the trainee who had helped me choose a brooch before—bowed politely.
“Divine Stones aren’t something a commoner like you—”
“Good day.”
Ignoring the former manager entirely, I walked over to Vita.
She now wore a ‘Full-Time Employee’ badge and greeted me warmly.
“Ah! Hello, Miss Lili.”
“Are you here to see Madam? Oh, she didn’t come into the shop today. Shall I send her a message?”
“Oh, no. I’ll visit Olivia another time.”
First, I wanted an estimate for the Divine Stones to be placed inside the statue.
After that, I planned to stop by Antoine Bakery.
Conveniently, all kinds of Divine Stones were displayed in the glass showcase between Vita and me.
I should buy another defensive Divine Stone too.
Although Siana still had the one she’d been keeping for me, there was no telling when I’d need another.
Since I’m already here…
Just as I made up my mind to buy one, the shop door chimed behind me.
Ding.
Probably Kadiyan… or another customer.
Pointing at one side of the display case, I spoke.
“From here…”
Hehe.
Was I finally going to say that line?
Excited, I slowly slid my finger across the showcase.
“…to here.”
…Huh?
I hadn’t said that part.
More importantly—
That voice…!
I turned toward the end of the display case where my finger had stopped.
A large, elegant hand rested against the glass.
“…”
Following the arm upward…
I found a certain silver-haired man smiling brightly at me.
“Fancy meeting you here, Lili.”
Ugh.
Too dazzling.
Why was my silver-haired emperor here?
Seriously.
The store lights weren’t even reflecting on his face.
He was practically glowing on his own.
And…
“Lili”?
Whatever game he was playing…
Please allow my heart a moment to recover.
“C-Customer?”
Vita looked bewildered as His Majesty suddenly interrupted my grand shopping moment.
But the blush on her cheeks…
The way she couldn’t take her eyes off his face…
She’s been completely captivated…!
She wasn’t the only one.
Every single person in the store—
Customers.
Employees.
Everyone.
All they could do was stare at His Majesty.
The truly dangerous one to let loose outside the palace wasn’t me.
It was him.
That unbelievably handsome man… is my boyfriend…
Seriously.
Shin Ari.
I must have saved the universe in my previous life.
Nothing less could possibly explain this.
His Majesty took out a blank check from inside his coat and handed it to Vita.
“I’ll purchase every Divine Stone in this display case.”
“I-I’m terribly sorry, sir, but another customer arrived first…”
Vita gestured toward me with an open hand.
His Majesty gently took the hand I still had resting on the display case and said,
“It’s fine.”
“They belong to my wife.”
Ah.
So we were using that cover story again.
More importantly—
Why did he look so happy saying it?
His radiant smile—like a husband proudly showing off his beloved wife—left more than a few people in the store feeling faint.
As for me…
“…”
“…Lili?”
“C-Customer…”
“I think Miss Lili has… fainted.”
All I could see was light.
What was I supposed to do…
I loved His Majesty far too much.
