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Chapter 24
I barely managed to persuade the lady of the manor to sit down—left to her own devices, she looked like she might actually start preparing for a wedding on the spot.
When she heard that she had received the report less than a day after we confessed and started dating, she finally settled back into her seat, looking calmer.
Look at her smiling. She must be pleased to be hearing about our relationship for the first time.
If I put myself in her shoes, I’d probably smile too—watching a couple of youngsters rush to inform their grandparents the moment they started dating.
Though greeting one’s future grandmother-in-law the moment you start dating is a bit much. That’s already practically family.
I was confused, but since I knew the lady of the manor so well, the situation didn’t feel uncomfortable.
She took another sip of her black tea and asked,
“I was truly surprised. No—when did you two become so close? You weren’t that friendly before.”
I glanced at Kamin. For someone who had practically declared war by sitting there so boldly, he was now averting his gaze, pretending he knew nothing.
Did he suddenly come back to his senses?
I’d thought his enthusiastic flirting felt oddly out of character. Smiling faintly, I quietly hooked my fingers around his hand resting on the armrest.
Ignoring the way Kamin flinched in surprise, I said,
“Well, when you eat together every day, you grow attached.”
“Ho ho, indeed.”
The lady of the manor shot a glance at Kamin’s little finger caught in mine, then said with a mischievous smile,
“And all this time you barely reacted, no matter how many fruits Riena grew and sent you.”
“What?!”
I could forgive anything when I saw that face—but mistreating our precious cuties was unforgivable!
When I shot Kamin a sharp look, he cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem. I was busy.”
“And what does being busy have to do with not eating good food?”
“I was too busy to make time to eat.”
“You couldn’t even spare that much time for our precious cuties?!”
“That’s not what I meant…”
Tilting his head awkwardly, Kamin brushed his hair back and muttered,
“I meant that you were that time to me. Delicious, enjoyable, and happy.”
“…?!”
This time, I was the one left speechless by his earnest, gentle words. My face suddenly felt hot, and I fanned myself while pointedly looking away. Watching us, the lady of the manor laughed softly.
“Youth.”
You’re telling me. I never expected spring to arrive in the middle of such a dire situation.
But we couldn’t afford to be carefree forever—not with the Duke of Pond and Crown Prince David looming over us.
As if thinking the same thing, the lady of the manor asked,
“Have you decided where you’ll hide?”
“No. I was thinking of crawling into an ice cave or something.”
“Oh my.”
Her gaze flicked briefly to Kamin’s profile before she suddenly smiled warmly.
“Why not hide here, in the manor castle?”
“What?”
I stared, eyes wide at the unexpected suggestion. She reached out with her wrinkled hand, covering the back of mine, and patted it gently.
“No matter how lawless your father is, he can’t enter this castle without permission. You can lie low here for a while.”
“Well… that would be wonderful for me, but I’m worried about imposing on you.”
Honestly, I wanted to stay in Fostin. Being close meant I could keep an eye on the farm as well.
When I smiled in relief, she smiled just as brightly.
“Don’t worry. It gets lonely here. I’d be happy if you stayed.”
It felt like my remaining in Fostin had just been decided. I beamed.
“I’m really glad I was abandoned in Fostin. I got to meet someone as wonderful as you.”
“Riena.”
At my words, her lips trembled slightly, as if overwhelmed. She patted my hand again.
“The reason I can be a good person to you is because you are a good person to me. Don’t think of it that way.”
My eyes stung. I brushed the tears away with my fingers and smiled brightly.
“I was a good person? Not a fruit-peddling auntie forcing sales?”
“Ho ho ho. That cheekiness is part of your charm.”
If you say it like that, my conscience starts to ache.
I’ll bring her even prettier things from now on.
I made that vow again and again.
Once the conversation wound down, the tired lady of the manor sank deep into the sofa and gave an order.
“Steward, assign Riena a room.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Then Kamin added bluntly,
“Close to my room.”
“…Pardon?”
Even the seasoned steward nearly stumbled at the sheer audacity of the request.
When I stared at Kamin, eyes wide, he smiled softly.
“If anything happens, I need to be the first at your side.”
“Kamin…”
His voice—gentle only to me—sent goosebumps racing up my arms. I scratched at them and muttered,
“Could you say it a bit more plainly? You’re being too much right now.”
“……”
Apparently reflecting on his behavior, Kamin fell silent. I shrugged.
Guess he’s excited too.
He hadn’t been like this when we first met—stiff, overbearing, irritable.
When did he become so soft?
I was starting to worry he might get scammed if left alone.
As I squinted at him suspiciously, Kamin fidgeted with his fingers and added,
“I just wanted to be even a little closer to you. I’m sorry.”
“Ugh.”
Why be that honest all of a sudden?!
He’s way too cute when he looks so dejected!
He looked like a giant puppy with drooping ears. Forgetting we were still in front of the lady of the manor, I grabbed the hem of his clothes tightly and said, eyes lowered in embarrassment,
“Let’s talk later.”
Wait—does that mean I have to go to Kamin’s room?
Alone? Together?!
My face flared bright red. Kamin blinked, then relaxed his gaze and smiled.
“Alright.”
That beautiful smile made my face burn for an entirely different reason.
***
The moment Riena left, the smile vanished from Lady Aurellian’s face. She addressed Kamin in a stiff voice.
“I truly don’t know what you’re thinking, Your Majesty.”
“Grandmother.”
Kamin blinked in surprise and, unusually, stumbled over his words—like a child being scolded for the first time.
“I thought you would be pleased if I decided to date Riena…”
She snapped back immediately.
“That part I love! Do you take me for some antiquated old woman who thinks love has a social rank?”
“Then…?”
Kamin, who had expected outrage over an emperor dating a commoner, was thrown off by her forthright answer.
Clenching her thin hand into a tight fist, she said,
“What angers me is that Riena knows nothing. Who you are, how old you are, what burdens you carry!”
She was right. If their positions were reversed—if Riena had secrets he didn’t know—Kamin would be deeply hurt as well.
Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to reveal that he was Emperor Kamin Maréchal.
“It’s not that I intended to hide it. I was listening to her story, and the timing just slipped away…”
“And then?”
Kamin lowered his head. What came to mind was Riena’s vast farm.
Would she really abandon it and come to the Empire with me?
His inner turmoil showed plainly on his face. Lady Aurellian frowned.
“You are the sole emperor of this continent’s only empire. What could possibly frighten you?”
Kamin gave a thin, bitter smile.
He knew he possessed vast lands, countless subjects, and responsibilities worthy of them—but when it came to Riena, he couldn’t rely on that pride.
“I have a continent, innumerable vassals, and more people than any kingdom could compare to. And yet I’m not certain she would follow me.”
He asked her quietly,
“Don’t you think the same, Grandmother? Between a small farm in Fostin and the Empire—where do you think she would choose?”
“……”
Lady Aurellian fell silent. Even to her eyes, Riena was perfectly happy on that small farm. Wearing the crown of the Empire’s most exalted woman wouldn’t necessarily make her happier.
But even so, denying her the chance to choose was wrong. She spoke firmly.
“Forcing a sudden, unavoidable choice only breeds resentment. I know that better than anyone.”
Her thoughts drifted to her own past—to the words her ex-husband, the former emperor, had said just before their divorce.
“Did you really think an emperor would live his life looking only at you?”
The man who had once promised to do exactly that had been caught keeping mistresses—and had the audacity to say,
“Shouldn’t you be satisfied that out of countless women, you alone wore the empress’s crown? How shameless.”
Even now, she regretted not kicking him harder in the shins. Since recounting it all to her grandson felt unnecessary, she merely twisted her lips.
“…I can understand why the Ego Sword ran away. My husband was beneath contempt even as a human being.”
“Grandmother.”
Aurellian’s dramatic divorce was already a well-known tale within the imperial family.
