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Chapter 43
A creeping unease welled up in me again at the flood of lines that kept reminding me of yesterday.
Since I was too overwhelmed to manage my expression, As asked the question in my stead.
“Who is the guest?”
“His Majesty the Emperor.”
“…Ha, haha.”
I laughed mechanically.
Yeah. Of course. I figured as much…
There’s no way I could keep such an esteemed guest waiting after he personally came all the way here.
Staggering to my feet, I followed Gilbert to the reception room adjoining my bedchamber.
Yesterday, my nerves had been stretched to the limit because of As’s illness, and I had lost all sense of reason.
That’s why I had spouted words I could never have imagined saying under normal circumstances—asking the Emperor if he was out of his mind, telling him no sane person would say such things…
As a result, I got caught by the nose.
“I merely wished to hold a splendid banquet in celebration of your return, for it fills me with such joy…”
“Your Majesty.”
“There are so many things I wish to do for you, so I waited impatiently for morning, and the moment the sun rose, I rushed over to see you…”
“Your Majesty…”
“To hear such harsh words from my sweet Einra’s lips… I never… not once… thought…”
“Your Majestyyy…”
Normally I would have found his sulking insufferably fake, but now it stabbed at my conscience, needling me with guilt.
In the end, defeated by my own conscience, I took the Emperor’s hand and headed with him to the Imperial Palace to prepare for the banquet.
And what awaited me there was a barrage of appointments crammed into a suffocating schedule.
“Now, Lady Einra, let’s measure your waist. Could you lift your arm just a little higher?”
“Here’s the catalog. If you see a fabric or color you prefer from what’s in stock, please let us know.”
“Do you have a personal style in mind? If not, we can create one tailored to the latest trends.”
“You can see the accessories catalog here. Ah, of course, custom pieces are available as well.”
From the crack of dawn, I had been dragged to the palace, where I spent the entire morning being fitted for the banquet gown.
Not that I had much say in it. Most of it was dictated by the Emperor.
“Einra is so adorable, so bright and lively colors like light pink or pale yellow would suit her well. As for fabric, we’ll prioritize comfort. Style… hmm…”
Though the dress was meant for me, the Emperor was far more passionate about dictating every detail.
My eyes naturally grew heavy-lidded, but since I had already committed a “crime,” I had no choice but to obediently play the role of a mannequin.
After a quick lunch with the Emperor, I was immediately dragged off again—this time to the Diamond Hall, the largest hall in the palace.
It was in the midst of frantic banquet preparations.
As we entered, one of the Emperor’s aides in charge of overseeing the event hurried over and bowed.
“Your Majesty, and the Spirit Master as well.”
“Mm. How are the preparations?”
“They are proceeding smoothly, sire.”
“Good. And what of the task I told you to prepare yesterday?”
“Here it is.”
The aide handed him a folder he had been carrying.
A quick glance at the cover told me it was a report related to the banquet.
The Emperor accepted the stack of papers—then promptly held it out to me.
“…?”
Blinking in confusion, I looked at him. The Emperor smiled.
“Didn’t I say the banquet hall would be decorated according to your tastes? Fill it in with as much detail as you like.”
“…”
Why not just tell me to host the banquet myself while you’re at it?
I opened the folder. Inside was an almost completely blank spread, nothing but wide, empty pages.
So basically, he wanted me to fill out every single detail? One item after another?
A sigh rose to my throat but I swallowed it back.
My vision grew hazy as I wondered how on earth I was supposed to fill it all in, yet at the same time, the thought that the banquet’s entire direction depended on what I scribbled down pressed on my shoulders like a crushing weight.
‘Is this really a banquet for me?’
Or was this just the Emperor’s way of toying with me on a grand scale?
Suspicion gnawed at me, but either way, the fact remained—the banquet’s fate rested in my hands.
And so I racked my brain until it felt like it was on fire, trying to figure out how best to design the theme…
It was nearly dusk by the time I finally managed to escape from the Emperor.
At last, free again, I dragged my exhausted body along, every step unsteady.
Even when I’d come to the palace earlier, my steps hadn’t felt light—but now, they were unbearably heavy, as though weighed down by lead.
‘But since I’m out already, I can’t leave without seeing my favorite person.’
Hadn’t I missed seeing As all day yesterday because I was nursing him through his sickness?
Now that I was finally back in the capital, a daily dose of my “favorite” was a must!
Just the thought of him sent endorphins rushing through me.
I mounted Hisha and rode straight to the townhouse where Harnen lived.
His home looked almost exactly as I remembered.
Standing before the door, I knocked.
Not long after, the door opened, revealing Harnen in rather casual clothes.
His honey-blond hair was tied back loosely, a few buttons on his white shirt undone, giving it a relaxed look.
A fine chain dangling from his glasses rested across his tall, straight nose.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen Harnen in glasses.’
He must have been in the middle of research.
As I thought this, he smiled kindly, eyes curving.
“Here to visit, Einra?”
“Mm, I came to visit.”
I nodded.
Harnen’s smile deepened.
“I’m glad you came.”
He brushed back my hair, ruffled by the wind, then shifted his body so I could enter more easily.
The townhouse Aches had arranged for his subordinate was in an area typically occupied by mid-to-lower-ranking nobles—spacious and elegant.
Originally, Aches had planned to assign a servant for household chores, but Harnen declined and instead hired someone who only came once a day to clean.
After all, his previous betrayals had left him averse to having a servant constantly present in his space.
“Wow, it’s been so long since I came here…”
I murmured absently as I stepped inside.
A peculiar nostalgia began to spread from deep in my chest.
Most of the items in the house were things Harnen had kept since the days we lived in the Atlantan Academy dormitories.
Seeing me look around with a wistful expression, Harnen, looking pleased, stepped into the kitchen and asked,
“Einra, would you like some tea?”
“Mm, I would.”
“Dew tea, as always?”
“Yes!”
I nodded with a bright smile, and Harnen chuckled softly, setting water to boil before opening the cupboard.
The gentle clinking of teaware echoed in the quiet.
Following him into the kitchen, I sat at the table, watching his back as he moved busily.
A laugh slipped out.
“Being here like this suddenly reminds me of those days.”
“Those days?”
He turned to me with the kettle in hand.
I nodded and went on.
“Back when we were at the Academy. We were always ranked first and second, so we both got single rooms, remember?”
“Ah.”
“And whenever I came by your room, you always served me tea just like this.”
The fond memories made me smile nonstop.
Warmth flickered in his eyes as he poured hot water into the teapot.
A soft smile touched his lips.
“Yes, I remember.”
“Oh, and do you remember during exam season? We always said we’d study all night together, but we’d end up falling asleep every time. We’d wake up in the morning and tear our hair out in frustration.”
Harnen widened his eyes as if baffled.
“Mm, I think that only happened to you. I never once dozed off.”
“What? You—you really…!”
I shouted in outrage, but Harnen only tilted his head with an innocent expression.
Even though I could clearly see through the act, the way my “favorite” did it was just too cute, and I couldn’t help laughing instead.
By then, the tea and refreshments were ready.
“Here.”
Harnen set a steaming cup before me.
As I lifted it, I murmured quietly,
“I miss it.”
The hand lifting his own cup froze.
From across the table, his sky-blue eyes settled gently on me.
“Einra.”
“Mm?”
“How do you feel about living here?”
The softly spoken question was delivered as though it were nothing at all, light and casual.
