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Episode 10
Clayden knew that women loved picnics.
And sweets, too.
Put those two together, and wasn’t that the perfect combination?
He believed that if he satisfied her taste buds with delicious food, the walls around her heart would weaken along with them.
His judgment proved correct.
Not only was her sense of taste wonderful—it was sharp, almost overly sensitive.
Clayden made up his mind to completely crush Emilia’s old-fashioned Northern restraint.
Did she really think this emperor would stop at dessert?
Let her taste the imperial chef’s full course and see if she still doesn’t cry…
Just then, Emilia spoke.
“Your Majesty, the fruit and drinks are safe as well. You may have them.”
Clayden replied with deliberate irritation.
“So you’re telling me to eat whatever?
Then tell me—what’s good? How is it good?”
For a moment, Emilia’s eyes wavered.
She thought her job was only to check for poison.
She hadn’t realized she was expected to help him choose, too.
But she answered immediately.
“This cake… I’ve never tasted cream this soft and rich before.
It seems to have a bit of cheese mixed in, and it goes very well with the fresh raspberries on top.
And this cake is”
Clayden found himself drawn into her explanation.
Her tone was flat, without much rise or fall, but the content vividly conveyed exactly what her senses had experienced.
From that contrast, Clayden realized something else.
She was very shy.
She was embarrassed by the fact that she had enjoyed the food.
Northern people tend to be restrained, after all.
Hah.
Clayden listened quietly.
Her description was so vivid that he almost felt like trying a piece himself.
Sharing good food naturally creates bonds between people.
It was clearly a good way to grow closer to her.
But he decided not to push her too hard.
The training ground incident was still fresh in his mind.
And he felt proud of how he had turned that bitter memory into a victory in just one day.
Truly, wasn’t he a born winner?
By the time he finished thinking, her explanation was over.
She looked at him with bright eyes, clearly waiting to see what he would choose.
But he casually pointed at the tray.
“I’ll eat this, this, and this.
You eat the rest. I hate wasting food.”
“But Your Majesty, that goes against palace etiquette.”
Unless it was for poison testing, an emperor never shared food with a maid.
Clayden snorted.
“Hmph. Did the Chief Steward say that?”
“Who is your emperor—him or me?”
Before he even finished speaking, Emilia picked up a piece of cake and put it into her mouth.
Clayden remembered clearly which ones she’d sounded most excited about.
That was why he had left her those on purpose.
He wouldn’t allow her to lie in bed tonight thinking,
If only I’d eaten one more piece…
Emilia began eating the desserts he assigned her, watching his expression carefully.
Unfortunately, every item he refused was exactly what she found most delicious.
But she was already quite full, having tasted everything once.
And the portions he left behind were not small.
Then she noticed something strange.
Clayden hadn’t touched his plate even once.
He was only smiling as he watched her.
No way…
She glanced up.
The emperor was smiling with clear satisfaction, his eyes curved—but burning with something unreadable.
Ah…
At that moment, Emilia realized it.
He was tormenting her.
And he was doing it with a smile.
Her heart dropped.
Back when the crown prince had been exiled to the North, the Valetta knights had attacked him more than once.
If his strength hadn’t been overwhelming, he might have lost his life long ago.
Back then, killing the crown prince would have gone unpunished.
So if he wanted revenge against her father, it wouldn’t be strange at all.
He was holding back now, unwilling to stir up bloodshed right after his coronation.
Emilia suddenly understood that at this very moment, she was carrying her life—and her family’s survival—on her shoulders.
She thought, guilty as she ate desserts no one in the North had ever tasted—
If I can bear it all by myself…
If she could become Valetta’s breakwater, then overeating desserts meant nothing.
Drinking poison while testing food.
Losing sleep while attending to the emperor everywhere.
She could endure it.
As she forced herself to keep eating fruit, she saw the emperor’s pleased expression grow deeper.
She tried hard not to show anything on her face.
Then suddenly, a glass appeared in front of her.
She startled and turned her head.
The emperor was holding out a drink.
“You’re eating fast.
Is it that good?”
She swallowed hard and answered calmly.
“Yes, Your Majesty.
It’s a taste I’ve never experienced before.”
The first revenge she ever tasted was unbearably sweet.
The more miserable she felt, the happier the emperor seemed.
And somehow, that comforted her.
At least she was useful.
Seeing her faint smile, Clayden said in satisfaction,
“Shall we head back?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As she stood up, the peacocks wandered away without interest.
Because of his height, Clayden’s strides were unusually long, and Emilia hurried to keep up.
Her heart felt heavy, and each step felt harder—but she had to endure this much.
When they reached the office, her face went pale.
On the emperor’s desk sat a candy basket.
A large, luxurious basket she had never seen before.
Each brightly colored candy was tied with a ribbon.
She was already sick of sweets.
Just looking at it made her feel ill.
But the emperor spoke casually.
“I asked for something to snack on while working, and they brought me candy.”
His smug gaze filled her with dread.
Smiling, he added,
“I saw you like sweets. Take it.”
Sweets again…
She held her breath to keep her expression steady.
After counting to three, she replied calmly,
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.
I’ll take it and share it with the other maids.”
His face hardened instantly.
“Emilia.
Why do you think other maids are allowed to eat my candy?”
When she couldn’t answer, he said coldly,
“I want only you to eat it.
Every last piece.”
Her vision spun.
This was her mistake.
How could she share Valetta’s burden with others?
She was the daughter of Valetta, a land of monsters and endless winter.
Kneeling before a basket of candy—unacceptable.
She smiled and answered,
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Clayden waved his hand lightly.
“I’ll retire for the night.
You should rest too, Emilia.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
She returned to her room, hugging the heavy basket as if it were iron.
Later That Night
Emilia stared at the basket on her desk.
Anyone could mistake it for a courtship gift.
She hadn’t skipped dinner—she couldn’t eat it.
Her throat and stomach were still burning with sweetness.
If the emperor’s revenge stopped there, she could endure it every day.
But the quiet malice behind his smiling face hurt her heart.
Why doesn’t he just yell? Why smile like that…
She shook her head.
The crown prince she had heard about was violent and shameless—someone who killed a divine beast and caused chaos.
If that man was now restraining himself for the empire’s sake, then that alone was a blessing.
She hardened her resolve while looking at the basket.
If she ended up morbidly obese by the end of his revenge, so be it.
Her childhood friend Ragran would tease her mercilessly, but…
“Miss Emilia, are you there?”
It was the Chief Steward.
She hurried to open the door.
He entered with his usual gentle smile.
“I was worried you didn’t come to dinner.”
He froze when he saw the basket.
That’s the one the Former Emperor used to send the Empress after fights…
He cleared his throat nervously.
Emilia spoke awkwardly.
“The kitchen misunderstood.
His Majesty didn’t want candy, so he told me to take it…”
“Ah. I see.
Then I’ll tell them to prepare something else for the office.”
“Thank you, Chief Steward.”
He stared at the basket again, more troubled than before.
