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Chapter 77
The One Who Chases Stars
“Ever since the Marquis arrived, things seem to be progressing at lightning speed.”
Wizard spoke as he closed the documents he had been helping Erne with.
Erne, who had been pressing his stiff eyelids with his fingers out of fatigue, nodded slightly.
“Well, since he said he’d persuade the central nobles, we have to draft the amendment before that, so we’re busy.”
Wizard handed Erne a sweet cup of milk tea, noticing how tired she looked.
The aroma was quite pleasant, and Erne accepted it with a faint smile.
While Damian was busy convincing the central nobles, Erne worked with Wizard to revise the constitution.
Back when she was just an ordinary citizen in Korea, everything she knew about law came from dramas, so when unfamiliar terms popped up, she often felt flustered. Luckily, Wizard was there to help her, so it wasn’t too difficult.
“What does this mean?”
“It means that if a married woman cannot bear children, not only is no alimony paid, but all the blame is placed on the woman. Divorce is possible, but this is a clever trick to shift all responsibility onto the woman who can’t have children.”
Erne grabbed her head in frustration at Wizard’s explanation.
Damn it. What’s the point of spreading Confucian ideals to nurture the next generation if the very roots of Nesheld’s culture are rotten to the core?
Afraid she might blurt out something vulgar, Erne shuddered and quickly flipped to the next page.
“What about this one? Doesn’t ‘the life of a criminal belongs to the victim’ sound a bit too vague?”
From what Erne could tell, Nesheld’s constitution lacked specifics altogether.
The law was so loosely written that it was practically up to interpretation.
Wizard shrugged his shoulders.
“The law is designed to suit the tastes of the highborn. Whether it’s a major crime like murder or a minor one like theft, they interpret it however they please—sometimes even taking lives or reducing someone to slavery over something trivial.”
The more she dug into it, the more Erne worried.
Maybe I should just ask Wizard to destroy Nesheld quickly…
But that thought soon collided with her conscience and faded away.
No matter what, destruction? No! Erne quickly shook her head and refocused her gaze on the papers, determination blazing in her eyes.
Wizard chuckled quietly at her passion and sat down beside her.
Erne tilted her head, puzzled.
“Why are you sitting here? Isn’t your seat over there?”
He leaned his chin on his hand and tilted his head slightly toward her, speaking in a soft, teasing voice.
“This is the best spot.”
“The best spot?”
“You look more beautiful from the right side.”
“…Ah. Right.”
Erne bit her tongue and replied awkwardly.
Now that she was aware of his gaze, it felt unbearably uncomfortable. She reluctantly set the documents aside and looked up at him.
“Stop distracting me, Wizard.”
“How am I distracting you?”
He teased, not in an irritating way but with a playful smirk. His narrow, curved eyes were full of mischief, making Erne pout.
“You’re stopping me from working.”
“Does the constitution you’re revising not guarantee the freedom to look where one pleases?”
“Well… technically, that’s your right, I guess.”
Erne glared back, unwilling to back down to his cheekiness.
Her eyes blazed so fiercely it was as if laser beams might shoot out any second.
“Obstruction of official duty.”
“…Hah.”
“If you keep interrupting my work, fiancé or not, I won’t forgive you.”
She even added a bright wink at the end. Naturally, Wizard’s face twisted in frustration.
Then, as if conceding defeat, he chuckled under his breath.
He even muttered something about how impossible she was to handle.
Wizard soon stopped laughing and asked her,
“Then how does one balance both work and love?”
“You sound greedy.”
Erne shook her head with a cold look, but he wasn’t about to back down.
“I’m only claiming my rightful privileges as your fiancé.”
Erne furrowed her brows, realizing just how much bolder he had become lately.
“You just have to do your best at both.”
“Then can I start now? Work hard… love hard.”
“So you’re saying you’ll leave the work to me and focus on loving me?”
When Erne looked at him in disbelief, Wizard turned his whole body toward her with a mischievous grin.
Oh, Father in heaven, why is he doing this?!
His deadly eye smile made Erne lean back instinctively, but Wizard only looked more impish.
“If you’re curious, would you mind closing your eyes?”
“…I can already guess what you’re planning.”
“Then you sketch, and I’ll do the coloring.”
Her face turned crimson, and she turned her head to hide it—but she didn’t move away.
Finally, Erne squeezed her eyes shut and muttered quietly,
“If you’re going to do it, do it quickly…”
Wizard’s eyes went wide in shock.
Erne reluctantly turned her head toward him, still with her eyes tightly closed—but even that looked unbearably cute to Wizard.
His grin stretched so wide it was as if he had just won the whole world.
He slowly began to lean in.
And then—
A knock on the door shattered their office romance.
Outside, Belli’s awkward voice announced a visitor.
“Lady Sivir has arrived.”
Wizard’s face twisted into a perfect scowl.
Erne, oblivious to his displeasure, jumped up in shock—like a kid caught stealing snacks from the kitchen.
As she hurriedly fixed herself to greet Pasina, a storm cloud loomed over Wizard’s head.
Even when Pasina entered and greeted Erne, Wizard didn’t bother to hide his sour mood.
“Since when has a mere young lady been allowed to visit Her Majesty without first requesting an audience?”
“I only came to pay my respects to Her Majesty…”
Erne had expected Pasina to come see her soon now that Marquis Damian had returned. And if that meant another power struggle, she was ready.
What she hadn’t expected was Wizard’s sharp hostility, leaving her slightly flustered as she waved a hand.
“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine. What brings you here, Lady Sivir?”
Pasina composed herself again, her lips curling faintly.
Nine-tailed fox, maybe? Erne stifled a bitter laugh.
“Your Majesty, I came to congratulate you on the Marquis’ safe return.”
“Yes. It’s good news indeed that a father once believed dead has come back alive.”
The moment Erne finished, Pasina gave her a serene smile.
“You lived not knowing who you truly were… then suddenly became queen. And when you did, you had no one around you. The Marquis must be such a reassuring ally for you.”
At first glance, it sounded like a comforting remark.
But emphasizing how alone Erne was when she became queen was a subtle jab at her being a family-less orphan.
The more she thought about it, the more unpleasant it felt. Erne’s brows knitted.
Wizard, who had been glowering beside her the whole time, finally spoke up.
“Her Majesty was never alone. I was there.”
“Ah… Yes. That’s true.”
Pasina seemed a little taken aback. Then her eyes sharpened as she glanced at Erne.
As if to say, Isn’t two against one a little unfair?
Erne scratched her cheek awkwardly, while Wizard—usually so playful—spoke in an icy voice.
“If you’ve said your piece, shouldn’t you leave? Her Majesty and I have very important—”
Gasp! Erne hurriedly cut him off.
“Wizard!”
She definitely didn’t want anyone to know they were about to do that in the royal office.
Fanning herself as if overheated, Erne forced a bright laugh.
“Ha-ha. Lady Sivir, take your time. I was just taking a break anyway.”
Pasina looked between them with a curious gaze before flashing a cheerful smile.
“Then, Your Majesty, I have an interesting piece of news.”
“Hmm. Go on.”
Erne was juggling a lot—keeping Wizard’s mouth shut while bracing for Pasina’s next move.
Until one word from Pasina made her stiffen.
“You’ve heard of the magical ink developed by the Magocracy, haven’t you?”
Something felt different today.
Pasina, usually so dramatic, seemed unusually relaxed—grinning slyly.
When Erne didn’t answer, Pasina went on excitedly.
“They say no matter what you do—wash it, scrub it—it never fades!”
Erne swallowed hard. Pasina wasn’t fishing for information; she was certain the mark under Erne’s left eye was made with that ink.
“How fascinating.”
Erne kept her tone neutral, but Pasina smiled brightly—looking all innocent and harmless.
“Isn’t it? But did you know that same magical ink disappears completely when touched by rainwater?”
Her words carried weight, pressing down on Erne.
“The moment I learned that, I started looking forward to rainy days. Oh, but Your Majesty doesn’t like rainy days, does she? You said you’d rather lie in bed doing nothing and watch the rain fall…”
