Chapter 74

“Don’t you have anything more special?”

Above his threaded hands, his eyes sharpened.

What exactly is it that you want?

In contrast to my confused self, his eyes were as calm as a winter’s lake.

“Like surpassing the powers of nature, or something the normal person would have difficulty doing…”

“I once bought a chick and raised it to be as big as an ostrich!”

“……really?”

At this point, I was just throwing stuff at him.

Thinking that I’d do anything to enter his favor, when I dragged my chair very closely and sat back down, Rashid flinched.

“I, I’ve also grown a flower to be almost as tall as this ceiling!”

“….”

“They said its limit is usually up to the knee or so, but I really didn’t distinguish night and day and treated it like family, you know. I even made my own feed for it, so everyone around me said I had talent, and actually, even I thought….”

“Enough.”

“……”

Hm.

Rashid glued his hands to his mouth, like he was pressing the sides of his mouth. Though I was worried sick over what I’d do if he didn’t like this either, his cheeks were twitching with no concern.

“Ahh……”

I really am not kidding, you know.

I felt like crying, but I really held that down while sifting through to the bottom of my soul, trying to think of any compliments I’d heard before.

“I’m good at calculating, and oh, I can do some acting.”

“Hah, you call that a strength….”

“……heugh. I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t like it. But then again, how could someone like myself… sniff.”

“H-hey now. I didn’t do anything!”

“…..yes. This is what I’m talking about.”

Tricked you.

I looked at Rashid, who had instantly stiffened at my sobs, and lowered my hands from my eyes. As I looked at him, my once-tearful eyes went back to being composed.

“And even if you stare me into shame like that, I don’t really get hurt very easily either. I’m used to it.”

“…….”

The Emperor really was speechless now.

Being laughed at was pretty unbearable, but looking at me for such a long time with an unapproving expression made the side of my face feel hot.

“I’m being completely honest, this is all I have. Any more than this, even if it’s me, I really… I don’t have much to offer, but whatever is lacking, I can try to make up with effort, so….”

“Fine.”

Contrary to the approval readily given, his appearance as he languidly rested his body back was as arrogant as a king of beasts.

“You have nothing to put in effort for, I think you just need to be exactly like you are now.”

“…..excuse me?”

“I’m saying, you just need to come every day and spend time like this.”

“……”

Sure, I say some strange things, but you are worse.

I could only blink, stunned, not knowing how to react to this.

Don’t tell me, this man!

When I covered my exposed collarbone area without meaning to, Rashid’s lips curled up smugly above his hands coolly holding up his chin.

“Look.”

“Your, Your Majesty.”

“You have a moderately high title, a moderate amount of free time, and… you’re moderately shameless enough.”

“……”

One by one, the qualifications he listed out to me were as arrogant as the eyes that had been looking at me since some time.

“And so I’ll have you be the excuse for why I remain in the North.”

***

“What do you mean? Your Majesty, you’re going to remain in the Northern Lands?”

“I have my own reasons.”

Rashid brought his teacup up as he crossed his legs. Though I was pretty sure what those ‘reasons’ were, when I heard it from his mouth directly, my breath quickened.

“Y-you won’t be leaving soon?”

“Isn’t that what  you want me to do?”

“……”

His lips, which had been smiling widely, hardened again in a moment.

As he pulled out his chair and neared me, the Emperor brought a quiet pressure with him like a prowling beast’s steps.

“Since you will know about it soon enough…..”

“…..”

“The younger sibling I was talking about earlier.”

To think hearing the words “younger sibling” from the Emperor’s mouth could be this chilling.

In front of me, who was like that, Rashid slowly pointed his finger.

“That child disappeared.”

“….ga, gaaasp!”

I have to be surprised, right? I should be, right?