Chapter 17

Becoming a Monster’s Bride (2)

Roelin forced herself to bury the thoughts of him into the corner of her chest as she felt guilty for deceiving Kergel and slowly climbed down her bed. Then, she set a shawl over her shoulders before approaching the window.

It was dark outside due to it still being dawn. Thanks to the moonlight, she was eventually able to recognize the scenery outside the window, albeit vaguely.

She began to open the window. The early crisp morning air was causing her severe chills yet again. Roelin nevertheless trembled, but she still wrapped her shawl over her shoulders stubbornly and started looking outside.

Even then, she just wanted to escape completely from those nightmares.

Was it because of her desperate heart? Although it had been cold, the nightmare that was suffusing throughout her head had slowly begun to fade.

Then, the scenery outside the window eventually came more clearly into Roelin’s eyes.

She could finally see the appearance of the Main Palace across the garden. The man, who was the owner of that Main Palace, naturally came into her mind.

< The return ceremony will not be held here, but at the tomb of the country’s founder—the Royal Tomb itself. >

She looked back once again at what he had said last evening when he approached her.

It was the companion ritual…

The ceremony was said to be the last stage of the wedding itself. Considering the fact that it would be held at the tomb of the country’s own founder, she eventually thought that the process of this official greeting towards the ancestors in front of the tomb was probably the one referred to as the companion ceremony.

“…Kergel.”

She recalled his name once more. It was the name of the man who would eventually become a couple with her. It had been the name of a person who would then live under the title of her own companion for the rest of his life.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think he has ever called me by the name, Erita.”

In her own memory, he never did. She had never heard the name of her twin sister leaking out from his mouth. Roelin suddenly realized the fact and made a strange face instead.

As for him, it would have just been an act without any much thought. No, perhaps it was due to the reason being that he hadn’t known the name at all.

However, Roelin thought it was rather fortunate—much less unpleasant—to a point. If she had been called by that name, she would then have no choice but to be aware that she was still deceiving him every time.

“…I do hope that you won’t be saying it for us in the future.”

“What is it that you don’t want me to say?”

As soon as she leaned against the window frame while muttering to herself, someone’s voice could be heard from under the window. Surprised by the sudden wind, Roelin instantly collapsed as it were.

‘Whose voice was the one that I just heard?’

No, she could actually recognize whose voice it really was. The quiet voice with a tinge of coolness had quite a unique atmosphere to it.

But at this time, she thought that she might have just heard nothing since it was a voice that couldn’t have been heard over here.

“Phew. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I heard it wrong.”

Roelin barely calmed her surprised heart as she stood up carefully before looking out the window once again. To be precise, she actually faced the bottom of the window where she had heard of the ‘feint’ a little while ago.

“…Your Majesty?”

Her blue eyes instantly widened. Of course, no one should have been there, but a person was already standing in the garden under that window while looking up at Roelin’s bedroom.

None other than the Emperor himself was that particular someone.

***

The inside of the Separate Palace quickly became rowdy. It was only natural since the Emperor had suddenly come for a visit.

Kergel, who was watching the maids woke up in the middle of the night before moving themselves busily, narrowed his forehead as he clicked his tongue.

“Everyone, leave. I’d like to talk to the Royal Daughter for a while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Silloa set up some refreshments on the table as she replied politely before going out of the drawing room. Roelin glanced at the door which her maid had exited for a while. She then turned her eyes as she gulped down a sigh while looking at the man who was sitting right across herself.

“What’s going on in the middle of the night…”

“I don’t know what’s going on in the middle of the night.”

Roelin trembled at Kergel’s voice, which sounded as if her thoughts had been completely read through. But still, she continued along with an awkward look as she perhaps didn’t notice what he was really thinking about.

“I just happened to enter the garden of Separate Palace while I was taking a walk. Well, it’s still my fault for pretending to be oblivious to those murmurs of yours.”

He didn’t seem to have read her thoughts at all. It was simply the fact that their thoughts had coincidentally matched with each other’s. Roelin then quietly raised her teacup. Kergel, who was just staring at it, continued to open his mouth once again.

“You don’t look so good. It appears like you couldn’t sleep properly, is that really true?”

“I think it’s rather the same for you as well, Your Majesty.”