Chapter 180

“Lang, hello.”

Whispering as low as possible, Lang gently wags her tail. Ejed repressed his desire to stroke the dog’s head and opened the door to the bedroom.

Kiik.

A familiar bedroom was revealed with a slightly unavoidable noise. Ejed stopped his footsteps as he entered, followed by Rangi.

Ejed, having laid Annie on the bed, looked at her with his chin clenched. She looked a little tired for some reason, but it seems she couldn’t sleep properly last night.

It was the same with himself. So, if possible, he hoped that she didn’t get sleep because of the the same reasons as she did.

“Woof.”

“No, Lang. Come here.”

Ejed stretched out his arms as Lang climbed onto the bed wagging her tail. Then she glanced at him and fell into his arms.

Ejed took Lang in his arms and buried his face in the dog’s head. Her soft fur had a sweet scent like Annie.

Ejed, who had been rubbing his cheeks with a happy smile, got up quietly.

He had to give Annie time to relax by herself.

Still, after gazing regretfully at Annie, who was sleeping, once more, Ejed came out of the door.

Kiiik.

The door opened, and something like a black shadow shook from the other side. As Ejed gave strength to his eyes, something became clear.

It was David, who had come with books full of hands. Recognizing Ejed belatedly, he opened his mouth blankly.

Only Lang, wagging her tail between the two stiff men, crossed the hallway.

*

David remembered the last time he drank. Did he perhaps drink yesterday or this morning?

But looking back, his last drink was ten days ago. He has been sleeping quite a bit lately.

Then what he saw was not something in vain due to fatigue. The same goes for the man sitting opposite the sofa in the parlor.

David was fiddling with the green tea in his hand. It had already cooled down, yet the cold teacup didn’t go down a bit.

He took a sip of the tea and asked in a slow tone.

“So……… Are you dating my sister?”

Hey, no way.

David asked, half-doubting. Of course, the relationship between the two seemed close, but that won’t be the case.

She is the younger sister who hasn’t had anyone by her side in over a year. At the same time, she even declared non-marriage. But how could she have a relationship with no one else, but the emperor.

It is surprising that the emperor took his sister at such a time, but his experience was greater than that suspicion.

When she guessed that it was the younger sister he had seen and grew up with, there was no way she could have a relationship with the emperor. As that thought hardened, David’s shoulders became lighter.

‘And, there were also rumors that he was getting along well with Princess Ershatina or whatever. So it can’t be. Not like that.’

Then he should have apologized for spitting out a rude question.

When David smiled awkwardly and was about to apologize, Jedd reacted.

“That’s right.”

David’s hand, holding the teacup, trembled as if an earthquake had occurred. He looked at Ejed, who for a long time.

He was so surprised that he couldn’t even speak. After that, he heard an unbelievable story.

“It hasn’t been long. But Annie said she will tell her family to separate, so please keep it quiet in the meantime.”

“Why…… Your Majesty…… No, why are you talking about my sister?”

As he stuttered, Ejed smiled embarrassed for some reason. David blamed his rashness, but was soon relieved.

He was  not sure what that means, but there was a clear smile on Ejed’s face. Fortunately, he didn’t look offended.

It was the same with the words he heard afterward.

“Because it’s Annie.”

“…..”

“I like Annie a lot.”

There’s no rhetoric, but that’s why it felt more sincere. Instead of asking like a fool again, David drank the remaining half of his tea.

It was incomparably more surprising than it was when he heard that the tyrant wasn’t a tyrant.

But to date the emperor. This is too much. it was unconventional.

David, who had been staring blankly at Ejed for a while, came to his senses. It was already past midnight, and he was holding the other person until too late.

He put down the teacup and looked carefully. He was somehow like dismissing the guest to tell him to go now, but it was also difficult to add more words.

Fortunately, Ejed said he had to leave and got up first. After a brief greeting, David let out a heavy sigh as he left the waiting room.

It’s hard to say because it’s an adult man and woman meeting, but it’s a very complicated situation.

‘If Annie changes her mind and she gets married…… ‘

It’s a good thing considering the family, but it’s a situation where he can’t smile when he considers Annie.

Isn’t his sister a freer person than anyone else? If she becomes the Empress she has no choice but to live up to the responsibility deserving for this position.

‘… But, if it was Annie, she would make a good choice with no regrets.’

Perhaps, he thought she had already come to a conclusion.

David looked down at the empty teacup and clasped his cold hands in prayer.

Please, may his sister spend a warmer and happier winter this year.