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Chapter 4
A Tiresome Time-Limited Life (4)
“Are you feeling alright?”
At Aaron’s words, Lotte turned her gaze from the window toward him.
“We only just departed, yet you worry this much already?”
Her crimson eyes sparkled under the sunlight as she looked at him curiously. Aaron gave a faint smile and shook his head, thinking he had worried for nothing. Lotte was much stronger than he often imagined.
“It has simply been a long time since Your Highness last traveled outside, so I wished to check.”
“I am fine, so do not worry.”
The corners of Lotte’s eyes curved gently as a soft smile appeared on her lips. It was the warm and kind appearance of the ruler he always knew.
The person he had to protect.
The person he had to follow.
To Aaron, Lotte was like a god.
“Yes.”
After Aaron’s reply, silence filled the carriage once again. It was a familiar silence to both of them.
“We have arrived, Your Highness.”
At Aaron’s voice, Lotte slowly opened her eyes.
After crossing the bridge connecting the borders, they finally arrived at the Imperial Palace, which was far grander than Veronica’s royal castle.
The Rier Empire was famous for cultivating many kinds of flowers and making flower tea from them. Just as if proving that fact, even more flowers surrounded the Imperial Palace than the ones they had seen throughout the Empire’s streets.
The scale of it made her understand why it was called an Empire.
The bluish sky from dawn had already brightened, and now the sun stood high in the air. Half the day had already passed, and if they spent some time talking, evening would likely arrive soon.
“It feels like every season in the Rier Empire must be spring.”
Lotte let out a quiet laugh while staring outside the window.
“It’s strange. We are neighboring countries, yet the atmosphere feels completely different. Should we plant more flowers in our kingdom too?”
“I prefer the scenery of the Kingdom of Veronica.”
At Aaron’s firm answer, Lotte widened her eyes.
“You are probably the only person who likes such a cold atmosphere.”
The royal castle of Veronica, built mainly in black, red, and gold—the kingdom’s symbolic colors—felt more solemn than splendid. There was a garden, but Lotte began wondering if planting more flowers around the castle would be a good idea.
As they reached the main building of the Imperial Palace, it almost felt like they were looking at a castle hidden within a forest. The pure white palace decorated with gold, surrounded by green trees and blooming flowers, was breathtaking enough to leave anyone speechless.
“Doesn’t Zakhar take good care of flowers?”
Even after Aaron firmly tried to end the topic, Lotte stubbornly continued talking about flowers.
Zakhar was the vice-captain of Veronica Kingdom’s First Knight Order and Aaron’s closest subordinate. He was also someone Lotte trusted deeply. Since he was talented in many areas, she thought perhaps he might produce better results than expected.
“It became a small garden at best, and he only grows one kind of flower. It would be easier to leave it to a gardener.”
“I was only asking.”
Aaron’s answer was firm, as if telling her it would be better not to leave such work to Zakhar. Lotte waved her hand helplessly, thinking he did not need to react so seriously.
She knew Zakhar already handled countless duties because he was so capable, but human greed had no end.
After the carriage completely stopped, Aaron stepped out first and helped Lotte descend by taking her hand.
“Thank you for coming such a long way. Your Majesty of the Kingdom of Veronica, please follow me and I will guide you to His Majesty the Emperor. Sir Aaron, the head maid will guide you separately.”
After greeting the elderly butler and the head maid, the two entered the Imperial Palace.
The inside of the palace was just as bright and beautiful.
Lotte walked toward the central staircase while Aaron followed the hallway to the right. He was certain he had seen a few maids around the main hall and staircase, yet the deeper they walked inside, the quieter it became.
The place the head maid finally guided him to was a detached building connected behind the palace’s main structure.
For some reason, Aaron felt uneasy.
To him, it made no sense for an Imperial Princess to stay in a detached residence instead of the main palace building. Ever since Lotte was still a princess, he had always believed royal children naturally stayed in the finest rooms after the King and Queen.
Was the Empire simply different from a Kingdom?
Aaron quietly pushed away his doubts.
“We have arrived.”
The place where the head maid stopped looked more like a small flower garden than a residence.
She glanced once at Aaron before knocking softly on the door.
“Your Highness, Sir Aaron has arrived.”
Not long after the head maid spoke, the door suddenly swung open.
Soft pink hair mixed faintly with golden strands created a dreamy atmosphere.
“Sir Aaron?”
The moment his eyes met the round blue eyes staring at him, Aaron blankly froze as though time itself had stopped.
She looked delicate and beautiful, as if someone had gathered all the scenery of the Rier Empire and shaped it into human form.
Elia had not expected to meet Aaron this quickly, so she panicked. Still, because she wanted to see him so badly, she rushed over and opened the door before even catching her breath.
The first thing she saw was a broad chest covered with decorated fabric.
As she slowly lifted her head, Aaron’s face came into view, and he was even more beautiful than she imagined.
Under his black hair, calm golden-amber eyes quietly shone and completely filled her vision.
She hurriedly leaned against the door she was holding, but instead of supporting her weak body, the door easily pushed open, causing her body to tilt forward.
‘There’s no way I can embarrass myself on the historic first day I meet my favorite character!’
Right after that desperate thought, instead of pain, she felt something firm supporting her body.
Opening the eyes she had unconsciously squeezed shut, she realized Aaron was standing extremely close to her.
“Th-Thank you.”
She avoided falling, but her heart was beating so fast that her words came out awkwardly.
‘My plan to appear elegant and graceful…!’
Before she could even make a good impression, she had already caused trouble at their very first meeting.
Her life, which had once been dull and meaningless, suddenly felt lively just from meeting Aaron’s existence.
Even after entering the novel, life had still felt no different from her old reality—nothing but endless boredom. But in the middle of that, Aaron felt like a single ray of light.
She desperately held back the tears threatening to rise and tried to stand properly, only to realize late that Aaron’s hand was around her waist.
‘Wait… I just ate not long ago.’
She hurriedly tightened her stomach, and at the same time, Aaron’s arm around her waist tightened too.
‘No, you don’t need to tense up too…’
She truly felt like crying.
Thinking escaping his arms came first, she placed a hand on Aaron’s shoulder and tried to stand using strength in her legs, but strangely, her legs would not move properly at all.
Just moments ago they were fine, so why were they suddenly refusing to work?
As she awkwardly struggled—
“Excuse me.”
With those simple words, her body was suddenly lifted into the air.
Her downward view instantly rose upward.
And then her eyes met Aaron’s as he looked down at her.
“I will help you to your seat.”
“Th-Thank you…”
Contrary to her expectations, Aaron’s voice was not youthful at all but a deep, low voice.
She had imagined something softer, but honestly, with a voice this good, what did it matter?
Aaron carefully and gently helped her sit down before stepping back two paces. Then he placed his right hand over his left chest and bowed perfectly at a ninety-degree angle.
“My greetings are late. I am Aaron Albert, Commander of the First Knight Order of the Kingdom of Veronica. It is an honor to meet the Imperial Princess of the Empire.”
“N-No, formalities are fine! Please sit!”
Seeing Aaron act with such perfect discipline toward her made her heart pound wildly.
To think she would actually see Aaron moving and speaking in real life.
It felt as though a bonus reward had been given to her miserable life, allowing her at least one happy day.
Even though this was still a time-limited life, she felt grateful she had possessed Elia.
‘My favorite character is really right in front of me…!’
Though calming herself was easier said than done.
The two sat facing each other with the tea table between them while Elia stared down at the tea her nanny had served.
Flower tea.
The kind she had already grown tired of drinking.
Personally, she preferred sweet fruit tea, but in the Rier Empire, fruit was considered precious enough to almost be sacred food. Since fruits were so expensive, nobody even attempted drying them to make tea.
Of course, she could live recklessly thinking you only live once, but since she still had drinks to enjoy, she decided to give up such luxurious desires.
“This is flower tea, one of the Empire’s prides. Please try some.”
Elia smiled as gently and kindly as possible while looking at Aaron.
Since she had only shown herself panicking and acting clumsy earlier, she desperately needed to prove she was not usually like that.
‘I am a graceful Imperial Princess. A graceful Imperial Princess.’
She repeated the words to herself over and over while smiling, though after only a short while, it felt like the corners of her mouth might start cramping.
Aaron slowly lifted the teacup and took a sip. As he moved, Elia’s eyes naturally drifted toward his long and thick fingers wrapped around the cup.
His hands were so large that the teacup itself looked small.
How could every single thing about him be this perfect?!
