Chapter 12

The Bride-To-Be of the Star Palace (1)

“…This is everything?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You didn’t simply look at it for hours just because you got lazy, did you?”

Kergel threw a suspicious gaze at Bert—his own aide. Bert, who was standing right in front of his desk, then shouted fitfully along with his unfair-looking expression.

“How can you even see me like that, Your Majesty?”

“I’m saying it because you have that kind of history yourself.”

“That has already been a few years ago! Moreover, just because of that, my mother even said that she would be giving me the manservant’s position, so I was actually scolded a whole lot. On top of that, if I were to do the same thing again, I’d no longer be a person.”

Bert clenched his hands tightly and repeatedly insisted his innocence—just as if he sincerely felt unjust.

Kergel beckoned at him while saying that he knew of it and began looking back at Bert’s report. No, honestly, there was actually nothing that could be looked through.

“Garden. Library. Garden. Library. Garden. Library. Then at night, the bedroom… Why did she even ask me for a meeting if she is just going to do this? In addition, she even cut off any contact between herself and the delegation of her own home country.”

Kergel just couldn’t be convinced as he shook his head with a frown.

The document he was looking at currently had been a report on the daily life of Rakain’s Royal Daughter in the Separate Palace. The report thoroughly detailed every single day which she had spent so far.

Therefore, he completely understood that Bert was upset. He had been looking rather closely for every day and every hour, but she didn’t even notice it at all.

However, the content was so monotonous that it was just natural to express some doubt towards it.

“She asked for permission to go outside the Separate Palace, but the library is the only place where she comes and goes… I never heard that the Royal Daughter of Rakain was someone who enjoys reading.”

In fact, he heard that she was busy with attending parties and ball meetings.

Kergel didn’t say those things that were just at the back of his mouth. No matter how much he was in front of Bert, who had been no different than his own brother, he still didn’t want to bring up the flaws of the woman who would soon become his own ‘companion’.

Whether one liked it or not, one could never deny that she was his companion.

“Oh yeah! It is said that the representative of the Rakain delegation has once again requested a visit to the Detached Palace.”

“…again?”

As soon as Bert spoke out as if he had already forgotten for a moment, Kergel’s eyes turned sharp. Bert was just nodding calmly regardless of the Emperor’s abrupt response.

“Yes. And she rejected them—again.”

“…she’s keeping her promises rather well.”

Kergel’s eyes slowly relaxed themselves again. Nevertheless, he quickly made a peculiar expression instead.

“She wanted to keep her promise to go over there…”

The garden in the Palace—and also, the library outside the Separate Palace.

Kergel tapped his finger on the report that he was holding before putting it down. Then, he suddenly rose from his seat.

“I should take a look at the Separate Palace.”

“What? The Separate Palace? Are you talking about right now? Your Majesty, the envoy from the kingdom of Kaizenen will be arriving soon…”

Bert blinked at once as he tried to continue his words with an urgent look as if he understood what Kergel had just meant. Still, right after Kergel had cut him off, only then did he open his mouth.

“Heinez will take care of it. He has enough coping skills anyway.”

“That’s true, but—Your Majesty! How can you just leave your seat like this all of a sudden?”

Bert instantly raised his voice behind Kergel’s back. However, he still left the office regardless.

*  *  *

“Sigh… I’m so sorry, Princess.”

“No, Silloa. It’s fine.”

When she yawned, Roelin became aware of it herself as she looked and shook her head at Silloa, who was apologizing in a hurry. After Roelin had closed the book that she had been reading, she then rose from her seat. And as expected, Silloa quickly approached before she began to open her mouth.

“If you were to stop reading because of me…”

“It’s definitely not because of Silloa. I feel frustrated since I’ve been sitting in one place for quite a long time, so I’m just thinking of taking a walk.”

“Shall we go to the garden, then?”

Silloa was relieved by Roelin’s words and spoke up once again. It seemed rather innate to state the word—garden—through her mouth just as if it was all too natural.

Since her daily routine over the past few days had been as monotonous as it was, Silloa had no other choice but to get used to it eventually.

Roelin soon nodded and turned away in order to leave the library.

She could see people standing near the bookshelves while reading books or sitting in a comfortable position amidst them as they recorded something.

She thought that it was just amazing to see those people, who appeared to be the officials of the Imperial Palace, were all concentrating on their readings.

‘Back in Rakain, they said that people in Seroif had been ignorant and crass. Therefore, they didn’t even spare a glance at the books at all.’

That was why it had been said that various cultures, including art and learning itself, could not be established as well.

Only the land which had been occupied was extensive, but it was rather easy to find those who had snubbed and laughed at Seroif if he was someone unqualified to be named ‘Imperial’ back in Rakain.

‘Rumors are definitely scary.’