ITTW CH 10

The emperor suddenly brought up the wedding. Bastian, who had been quietly listening until now, sharpened his gaze.

“Excuse me?”

Bastian’s eyes flared like sparks. The emperor calmly added fuel to the fire.

“Did you not know? I and your sister have agreed to marriage.”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about!”

Bastian nearly jumped up in outrage. I grabbed his shoulder and pressed him down.

“Brother, you said it yourself. If I keep coming in and out of the palace, there might come a moment when I end up marrying His Majesty.”

“I didn’t think that moment would come this fast.”

Bastian gritted his teeth. I swallowed nervously, worried he might actually grab the emperor by the collar. That would be a straight path to a bad ending.

Before Bastian could explode, I signaled the emperor.

“Your Majesty, may I speak privately with my brother for a moment?”

The emperor frowned, clearly displeased.

So what? You’re the one who caused this chaos.

Eventually, he relented.

“…Very well.”

* * *

Kael left the reception room.

Soon it would be evening anyway—the time when Lillian usually came to put him to sleep.

She wouldn’t have much time to talk with her brother.

Kael walked away.

“Are you insane?”

But he couldn’t take another step.

Bastian’s voice tied his feet in place.

Bastian was a knight—a strong, broad-shouldered man. His shout shook the door itself. The maids outside froze.

Lillian didn’t speak. Her silence felt ominous.

Could he be hitting his sister?

Bastian looked at Lillian with affectionate eyes. He seemed like nothing more than a caring older brother.

But many parents hit their children “for their own good.” There was no guarantee Bastian wouldn’t do the same.

Kael stood by the door, ready to burst in if necessary.

Bastian’s voice continued.

“He’s a man who doesn’t care about you at all! He only does what he wants with you! If you marry someone like that, you’ll be walking straight into hell!”

The “man like that” he referred to was probably himself.

For a knight serving the empire, it was a bit much—but Kael had nothing to say. He knew his reputation wasn’t good.

“Still, he’s not that bad of a person. Look—he even apologized today, even if clumsily.”

Kael raised his head without realizing it.

Lillian was defending him.

“At least… at least His Majesty is not like Father. If he were, he wouldn’t respect my will and would have already forced the wedding.”

“So you’re defending him now? Huh?”

Bastian growled, but no sound of violence followed.

“Lillian, be honest. Do you already like His Majesty?”

“I don’t dislike him.”

“Hah! Unbelievable.”

Bastian let out a hollow laugh.

“Then what do you even like about that man?”

“Maybe…”

Lillian hesitated. Kael held his breath along with her.

“His face?”

“What?”

“He is handsome.”

Silence fell.

Kael, too, knew he wasn’t ugly. In fact, he considered himself quite attractive. If he hadn’t been, no witch would have bothered to curse him.

He absentmindedly touched his face.

Lillian likes this face…

Perhaps because he had been thinking too much lately, his skin felt slightly rough.

Maybe he should get a massage.

* * *

Imperial bloodlines—especially emperors—paid great attention to appearance.

An emperor was both ruler and symbol. He needed a charm that attracted allies and enemies alike.

Of course, beauty wasn’t required to become emperor.

But being attractive helped gather people. That’s why many previous emperors were skilled in cosmetics.

However, the current emperor Kael had no interest in grooming. He didn’t even do basic skincare.

At least, that was how it used to be.

“Could I have cucumber placed on my face?”

Today, Kael requested a cucumber face pack from Hena.

“…Excuse me?”

Hena glanced at him while bringing the cucumbers.

He normally hated anything placed on his face, calling it bothersome and dirty.

But Kael simply nodded, expressionless.

Hena placed cucumber slices on his face.

Even with cucumbers on him, his face remained undeniably handsome.

“So why the sudden change?”

“I have someone I want to look good for.”

“I see.”

There was only one person who fit that description.

Naturally, Hena smiled warmly.

When she turned away, Kael spoke again.

“Do women like handsome men?”

“As far as I know, people like beautiful things regardless of gender.”

“So they do like them.”

“Then… is my face acceptable?”

“As always, Your Majesty is the ideal of the palace.”

“That was a useless question.”

Kael waved his hand.

“Leave.”

* * *

That evening, I entered the emperor’s bedroom.

“Alright, please close your eyes.”

I was getting used to this.

But the emperor wasn’t. He kept blinking, staring at me.

“Do you have something to say?”

“My face.”

“Huh?”

He fell silent again.

“Do I have something on it?”

“No…”

He hesitated.

“Could you… touch my face?”

“Your face?”

Why?

“Are you sick?”

I touched his forehead.

“No fever.”

“Not that… I mean… does my face look different?”

“Not really?”

“…”

“Then what is it?”

“Forget it.”

Seriously, what did he want?

* * *

I usually left the palace late at night after putting the emperor to sleep.

I hopped down from the carriage alone, as always.

No one came to greet me at my estate either.

As I walked absentmindedly, I almost jumped in shock.

A dark figure stood at the entrance.

“A ghost—!”

I nearly fell backward.

But it was Bastian.

“What are you doing there?”

“Lillian. I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“You said you like the emperor because of his looks, right?”

“Yes.”

Bastian stepped closer and grabbed my shoulders.

“There’s nothing else? Right?”

Hmm.

There were many reasons I liked the emperor.

But I couldn’t exactly tell him I liked him because he was obsessive and… well, extremely capable in certain ways.

Especially the “capable” part.

I smiled awkwardly.

“Right.”

“Good! I understand now.”

Bastian hugged me tightly.

“Go rest. You must be tired.”

He left after kissing my cheek.

Only later did I understand why he asked.

The next morning.

“Lillian, come with me.”

Bastian didn’t give me a chance to refuse.

He practically dragged me into a carriage.

It rolled for a long time, leaving the city behind.

Finally, it stopped in the countryside.

“A farm?”

“Yes.”

Trees stretched endlessly.

“Everything here is apple trees.”

“Really?”

“And over there, pears grow. Over there, strawberries. You can eat them whenever you want.”

“…I’m allowed to just take them?”

“Of course. They’re yours.”

“…Huh?”