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Chapter 23
“That’s Not What ‘Kissing’ Means!”
According to the rumor Catherine had told her, the Duke of Ashford did not blindly obey imperial orders, no matter what they were.
Mood. Situation. Interest.
Those three conditions had to be met in order to move him.
Even for the Emperor, satisfying those conditions was not easy.
Yet the reason the Emperor couldn’t easily get angry at him was the duke’s military power.
The Ashford family was where the continent’s most outstanding magic swordsmen gathered.
It was also the reason other nations couldn’t easily provoke the Empire.
‘But he accepted this proposal so easily?’
Even though he would practically be tied down by the sacred relic?
As Evelyn pondered the question, a warm voice reached her.
“Don’t worry. You just need to stay devoted to your own work.”
“You mean… I should keep going to the laboratory?”
“That’s right.”
“Then what about you, Your Grace?”
“Well… perhaps I should ask for the seat next to yours.”
After dropping the bombshell, he watched Evelyn’s reaction with clear amusement.
“Ha… ha ha…”
A dry laugh escaped her.
The duke’s joke had gone too far.
No—she wanted to believe it was a joke.
“Where is the sacred relic?”
Evelyn quickly changed the subject.
“We’re almost there.”
She had assumed it would be in a temple affiliated with the Imperial Palace, but unexpectedly it was located inside the Emperor’s palace itself.
Within the palace was a prayer chamber where prayers were offered for the Empire’s prosperity.
It was a place the deeply devout Emperor had built with an enormous budget.
‘Is this really just for prayer?’
When the doors opened and the luxurious interior was revealed, Evelyn couldn’t hide her astonishment.
In the center stood an indoor fountain filled with holy water, gently flowing.
At the far end stood a statue modeled after the goddess.
Rare jewels surrounded the statue, making the goddess shine brilliantly.
‘At this point, even the goddess might feel burdened…’
The Emperor’s devotion seemed greater than she had imagined.
A priest guarding the prayer chamber guided the two of them inside.
Inside, the pendant Evelyn had discovered was carefully displayed in a glass case.
Like an exhibit in a museum, warm lights shone upon the sacred relic.
The imperial family seemed to treasure the pendant dearly.
The priest smiled kindly and spoke to Theo.
“I heard about it. The two of you will be visiting here every day.”
“What do you mean by that?”
At the duke’s question, the priest looked startled.
“Aren’t you coming to examine Julia’s Stone?”
“I said we’d examine it. I never said we’d come here.”
The priest’s eyes shook violently. He prayed his assumption was wrong.
“Don’t tell me… you intend to take the sacred relic with you…”
But the duke mercilessly crushed his hopes.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you opening it?”
“You really want me to take it out…?”
“Did you think I’d come here every day with nothing better to do? Just to play around with this rock?”
“A rock?! You mustn’t speak of it so carelessly! Repent!”
“We can talk later. With Julia’s rock.”
The priest looked as if he were about to cry.
Someone who spoke like that clearly wouldn’t treat the relic with reverence.
Trying desperately to stop the duke, he mentioned the Emperor.
“Julia’s Stone currently belongs to the Emperor’s palace. You must receive His Majesty’s permission.”
At that, Theo waved his hand. Taking it as a signal to go ask, the priest called to his colleague guarding the door.
Before leaving for the Emperor’s palace, he asked the duke one last question.
“Do you plan to keep it at the ducal residence? If it were to go somewhere else…”
“Well, what should we do?”
Theo’s gaze turned toward Evelyn.
Startled that he suddenly asked for her opinion, she asked,
“What do you mean?”
“Do whatever is comfortable for you. The laboratory would probably be best, right?”
“The laboratory? You mean… my workplace?”
“Yes. I don’t want to interfere with your work.”
What kind of ridiculous consideration is this?!
So Theo hadn’t been joking about sitting beside her after all.
There was no trace of playfulness in his eyes. That meant he was serious.
In an instant, she imagined it: sitting next to the Duke of Ashford in the laboratory, attracting everyone’s attention.
‘Wow. That’s terrifying.’
Evelyn forced the corners of her mouth upward.
“You must have an incredible amount of work to do… How would you come to the institute every day?”
“It’s fine. I’ll just bring the documents I need to process that day. My aide might come occasionally.”
The work handled by a duke of the Empire couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
And he planned to deal with it in front of everyone?
“N-No! It would be better for the sacred relic to go to the ducal residence.”
Evelyn answered hastily.
At that, Theo smiled in a mysterious way.
“You chose it yourself.”
The gentle curve of his eyes matched his handsome face so well it was almost dazzling.
At the same time, it stirred a strange feeling within her.
Like sinking into a swamp made of sweet honey…
“Then I will report it that way.”
After hearing their conversation, the priest hurried off to the Emperor.
Evelyn began organizing what she would need to do next.
“For the time being, I’ll go to the ducal residence after work. Even on holidays. I’ll try to spend as much time with the relic as possible.”
They’ll pay extra for this, right?
From Evelyn’s perspective, all her days off had essentially disappeared.
And an even bigger problem was that she would have to spend a lot of time with him.
‘If I want to sort out my feelings, keeping some distance is essential.’
Even now, whenever she looked at Theo, it felt like walking on clouds.
Exciting and fluttering—but also nerve-wracking.
Because she never knew when she might fall.
The moment she misstepped even a little, there was only one person she would reach out to.
And after that, a powerful storm would surely follow.
‘Pull yourself together. Treat him only as work!’
While Evelyn was steeling her resolve, Theo quietly observed her.
Her colorful changes in expression were amusing.
It was obvious what she was thinking.
But Evelyn had walked into this herself.
Though she didn’t seem to realize the full implications of her choice.
“Evelyn, you should understand the situation a little better.”
“Huh?”
“His Majesty said the relic must be watched constantly. And you chose the ducal residence.”
“……”
At those words, Evelyn’s mouth slowly fell open.
He didn’t mean it literally when he said to watch the pendant all the time… right?
Just then, the priest who had gone to the Emperor returned.
“His Majesty has permitted the sacred relic to be moved to the ducal residence. Researcher Evelyn Hart is to stay there temporarily and contribute to the Empire.”
“You mean commute from the ducal residence?”
“Huh? No. You are to care for the relic instead of performing research duties.”
In other words, she was temporarily banned from going to the laboratory.
She was to live at the ducal residence and watch the pendant all day.
‘Even if he’s the Emperor, isn’t this basically a reassignment?!’
She had come all the way to the capital because she loved ancient languages.
Not to suffer while observing some rock.
But she couldn’t protest.
Officials and researchers affiliated with the imperial family swore an oath when they joined, pledging to work for the Empire.
One clause stated that if something concerned national interest, they must obey the Emperor’s command without delay.
Regardless of their assigned position.
The priest continued anxiously. Of course, he wasn’t worried about Evelyn.
“We will transport Julia’s Stone ourselves. Please treat it with great care.”
“Do I look like someone who would treat it carelessly?”
Yes. Very much so.
The priest looked at Theo with suspicion.
* * *
To leave the Emperor’s palace, one had to pass through a vast garden.
As Evelyn headed toward the straight main path, Theo stopped her.
“Come this way.”
“Is it a shortcut?”
“That too. And there are lots of flowers.”
For some reason, it felt like he was trying to show her the flowers.
Following the curved path on the right as he suggested, brilliant flowers of every color shone around them.
A rich floral fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose.
Matching his stride to Evelyn’s, Theo spoke.
“Don’t worry.”
His low voice continued.
“I would never stop you from doing something you like.”
So relax.
The lazy curve of his lips stretched into a long smile.
