🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 51
“Haah…”
When Leonardo let out a long sigh from deep within his chest, Fleur felt awkward and couldn’t say a word.
Because he was extremely sensitive to poison and assassination.
Leonardo, the youngest emperor, had lost both his parents—the previous emperor and empress—to murder. And it had been done by the emperor’s own brother.
The one who had wanted to sit at the pinnacle of power within the empire coveted the throne and eventually seized it through extreme measures.
Yet, none of the imperial citizens mourned the emperor’s death.
Leonardo’s father, after all, had also risen to power by killing his own brother.
From a young age, Leonardo had been told the same thing by his father:
“Family is nothing more than an enemy who covets your position. Siblings are the least necessary beings in life.”
From early on, he learned that family wasn’t someone to support you—it was someone to guard against.
And there were rumors that Leonardo himself eventually killed his uncle to claim the throne.
But Fleur knew that rumor was certainly false.
Because while playing through the story later, she had learned that previous emperors, burdened by the guilt of killing their own families, either ended their own lives or waited for other family members to kill them.
The previous emperor, Leonardo’s uncle, had dreamed every night that his brother came to kill him, until finally, he leapt from the third-floor balcony.
Originally, his child should have inherited the throne. But in a family where siblings killed each other, who would trust their child to succeed them?
Thus, Leonardo became emperor as the sole surviving member of the imperial bloodline.
Growing up in such an environment, it was natural that he would be highly sensitive to threats. Even though he was already quite old, he hadn’t appointed an heir and had shown no interest in marriage.
“Y-Your Majesty… I really didn’t mean to threaten you…”
Fleur fiddled nervously with her fingertips as she spoke cautiously.
Leonardo, who had always smiled in a way that made him seem approachable, now stood there without a trace of a smile.
She felt as if she were a live chicken placed in front of a white snake that filled the entire bedroom, panic gripping her.
“I apologize.”
Hearing the unexpected apology, her eyes widened.
“If I think about it a little, I know you wouldn’t do something like that…”
“…”
“Seeing the wound, my emotions just… got the better of me for a moment.”
His voice trembled slightly.
It was the first time she had seen someone so strong, who always seemed capable of smiling through any situation, shake with anxiety.
And realizing she was the cause, Fleur felt guilty.
“Your Majesty, may I ask Shane for ointment to treat the wound?”
She tried to move immediately, but Leonardo lowered his hand, blocking her path.
“Why are you two meeting at this hour again?”
“Eh?”
“It’s fine. By tomorrow, it will disappear anyway.”
No! It’s a quest reward—it doesn’t go away…
“Even so, it’s because of me, so I want to take responsibility.”
Fleur stepped closer, locking eyes with his purple gaze, asking for permission.
Then, Leonardo, who had been holding her gaze, slowly lifted the corners of his mouth.
His smile returned, dimples showing, and somehow Fleur felt reassured.
“Do you really want to do this?”
“Of course.”
She nodded vigorously.
Sub Quest
To erase the mark of the kiss, you must genuinely be thrilled by Leonardo. If the quest is not completed within three days, the mark will remain forever.
The status window appeared along with the alarm.
Until now, quests only required increasing the affection of target characters, but this time, Fleur had to move her own heart.
How could one control their own heart to feel “thrilled”? She tilted her head, perplexed.
“Ugh…!”
Reading the status window, she hadn’t noticed how close he had gotten.
He was nearly toe-to-toe with her. Realizing it too late, she tried to step back.
But Leonardo didn’t miss it and grabbed her chin.
“Wh-why are you doing this?”
“You said you’d take responsibility. Normally, I don’t use ointment to heal a wound. I use another method. Can you help me?”
“If you first tell me the method, I’ll do my best.”
She wanted to help if it was something she could manage since it was her doing.
Hearing her reply, he grinned and leaned in, whispering into her ear with his breath mingling with hers.
“Lick it.”
“…”
“With your mouth.”
Fleur blinked twice, then quickly turned her head and escaped from Leonardo.
She had temporarily forgotten, buried in guilt, that this man was a total pervert.
“No! Who heals a wound by licking it with their mouth?!”
“I tend to forget pain with a different kind of stimulation.”
Seeing him answer so calmly, she realized instantly:
Ah, the sub-quest is already ruined.
Who could possibly get “thrilled” by a guy like this? If she wasn’t furious, that would be a miracle!
“Keep it as a scar, then!”
With that, she quickly left the bedroom, afraid she might get caught and be forced to go through with it.
On the way back to her room, she pulled out the explanation of the mallet she had received as a previous reward.
Swap Swap Mallet
Using this item changes the affection levels between the character who used the item and another character.
“How do I use it?”
Both characters must be within one meter of Fleur to use it.
If Shane really was the man suitable for her marriage, she planned to swap affection with Leonardo immediately.
The next day.
Fleur, who had woken up early, was visited by palace maids in her bedroom.
As they helped her wash and dress, Jane, wearing her formal pants neatly, approached respectfully after greeting her.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. And you, Jane?”
“I slept well, too. Today, the residents of Shamal gather in the village square to have breakfast together.”
“Ah, that day. From the documents Your Majesty gave me, I see they do this every two weeks, right?”
“That’s my understanding as well. The emperor also intentionally comes to Shamal on these dates.”
“I see.”
Since it seemed to be a culture Leonardo valued highly, Fleur decided she would pay close attention.
“According to the servants of the Dallos mansion, the weather in Shamal has recently become harsh and unpredictable. So it would be wise to dress warmly.”
“Hmm, but then I might move too slowly.”
“If you need anything, please tell me.”
“I get more ideas when I move and experience things myself, so I don’t want to be weighed down.”
Jane nodded as Fleur politely declined.
“Then would a slightly shorter coat be acceptable?”
“Do you have one like that?”
“There is Shamal clothing. As you said, it allows easy movement, but the fabric is woven from wool, so it will be warmer.”
“Then I’ll take that one, please.”
“Yes, please wait a moment.”
After a short conversation, Jane went out again.
“She really works well…”
Fleur muttered to herself, admiring her efficiency and calm demeanor.
“You mean Jane, right?”
But the maids doing her hair nearby naturally heard her.
“We’ve always thought the same. Our dream is to become like Jane.”
“Dream?”
“Jane also started as a maid in the palace. But Your Majesty saw her meticulous personality and her ability to manage people, and gave her a special advisory title.”
“What does a special advisory role entail?”
“When young ladies or female guests from other parts of the empire visit, she oversees their overall management, along with Fleur.”
“Your Majesty seems to give many opportunities to others?”
Fleur, who had once bet Leonardo couldn’t recognize a female head of a family, thought he would be more conservative in such matters.
“Yes. Besides Jane, anyone who carries out their responsibilities diligently is given suitable rewards or special positions. That’s why everyone serves His Majesty diligently.”
She thought that maybe his wager with her regarding the female head of a household was also a way to create a reasonable excuse to give opportunities to people like her.
Spending time together, her negative perception of Leonardo was gradually changing.
Knock. Knock.
Someone was knocking on the door.
“B-B-Balen? Can we talk for a moment?”
It was Shane.
Just hearing his trembling voice, she could imagine how red his face must have been.
