Chapter 104

Ver was slightly startled by Kalian’s somewhat hasty action and looked up at him.

“She’s sleeping now, so come back later.”

The sun had just set and she was already sleeping?

As expected, it was clear that she was sick. Ver’s forehead wrinkled.

“What about you?”

“Later.”

After answering in an unfamiliar, quiet voice, Kalian pulled Ver’s arm.

Ver, who was dragged in surprise, was released in the hallway quite far from Leila’s room.

Kalian handed the soup tray he was holding to Ver.

“Go and hand it to the kitchen.”

Now you’re making me do this kind of errand?

As Ver sighed openly, Kalian added.

“If you see a maid or servant, you can hand it to them.”

“Yes, I will.”

Yeah, it’s better than Kalian giving it himself, right? 

If rumors spread that Kalian took the soup in person to Leila, everyone would be babbling that he had brought Leila in as his mistress.

…even to his eyes, Kalian’s behavior was strange right now, he wondered if other people would be shocked.

In the past, when Ver was sick, Kalian also took care of him, but he just ordered all of his subordinates. He had never brought a soup in person or put on such a deep face. That’s why Kalian’s behavior now seemed strange to Ver’s eyes.  

It wasn’t like a boss who simply took care of his aide.

Then…

“Your Majesty. You have not forgotten the promise you made with Duke Giltian, have you?”

Kalian looked at Ver quietly.

“What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“No, just. I wonder if you remember it well.”

Kalian stared at Ver with his undisturbed eyes and lightly pushed his forehead with his index finger.

“Stop talking nonsense and go back. Make sure you eat your dinner.”

“Yes yes.”

Ver rubbed his forehead with his free hand.

“Your Majesty too, don’t skip your dinner.”

“Do you think I would do that?”

After saying goodbye, Ver went his way.

Kalian stood there for a while until Ver was out of sight, then turned around. He headed straight to Leila’s room.

Kalian, who stopped in front of Leila’s room as quietly as possible, put his ear to the door like a thief.

A faint cry could be heard through the thick, well-insulated door.

Is she still crying?

How long has it been? Looks like it’s been over an hour. 

A long sigh came out between his open lips.

Kalian looked into the air while rubbing his face with his hand.

Seeing Hiltine return with the unconscious Leila, he knew that she had met Philen.

Hiltine said he didn’t hear what they were talking about, but Kalian could roughly guess it.

They must have talked about his mistress’s child’s stillbirth. Because Philen thinks that Leila instigated someone to kill his mistress’s child.

…all the circumstances even pointed to Leila.

Kalian couldn’t believe that Leila ordered such a thing, so he investigated it over and over again, but the result didn’t change.

However, Kalian still believed that Leila didn’t do it.

Someone must have set Leila up. And it couldn’t be Philen, who wanted a child more than anyone else, who did that.

“…is it that woman?”

Philen’s mistress and the princess of a fallen kingdom. The root cause of Philen and Leila’s breakup.

He never had something like ill feelings for a woman before. And he had no reason to have it.

“…”

But if you touch my person, of course, it will be different.

If it’s a trap she set up… 

If Leila was in pain like that, he promised that he would never stand still. 

Kalian clenched his fist so tightly that his veins stood out.

“Hu, huggh…”  

Leila’s small sobbing kept getting stuck in his ears.

He wanted to go in right away and comfort her not to cry, but he was afraid that he would hurt her more by stepping out for no reason, so he couldn’t do it hastily.

The darkness in the hallway was as deep as the depth of worry painted on his face.

Kalian stood for a long time, leaning his back against the tightly closed door. 

*****

I couldn’t remember when I fell asleep again. It seemed that I fell asleep at some point while crying.

I woke up after staring blankly at the colorful ceiling that I couldn’t get used to no matter how many times I looked at it.

Outside the window, I could see the light of dawn.

A day had already passed.   

…it also meant that I had only three days left.

That woman’s child is dead, so he wants me to give birth to his child on her behalf…

It was ridiculous and absurd for him to come and ask me to give birth to his child, but the word ‘on behalf’ was even more offensive.

The fact that I only existed as Cecily’s substitute for Philen pierced my heart as sharply as a thorn. 

You make me miserable until the end, huh? Philen.

A sigh came out.

And there’s also Misa’s death…

“…”

I couldn’t believe all of it happened in one day.

Just yesterday morning, I was happy to become a baron after finishing my diplomatic mission safely, but all my feelings at that time were gone and there was no trace left.

I felt depressed and sad. My heart was throbbing as if someone was poking it with a needle.

I didn’t want to think about all of it, but I kept thinking about it and it was painful. To the point where it’s hard to breathe.

“Huu.”

I let out a long sigh and got up.

The blanket that was covering me slipped and gently fell down.

In the midst of it, I still slept with a blanket covering me. 

It was so funny that I burst out laughing a little and got out of bed.

I felt very thirsty. I wanted to drink cold water that made me feel refreshed. But it’s too early to call a maid.

If I was at home, I would have gone to the kitchen myself and drank water, but here was the Imperial Palace.

It would be a nuisance if I wandered around as I pleased, so I had no choice but to pull the bell rope.

Now that I thought of it, there was no maid assigned to me, so who would come?

I didn’t know who, but I should apologize for calling them early in the morning.

Shortly after pulling the bell rope, knocks were heard. 

“Come in.”

Of course, I thought it would be a maid, but it was Kalian who opened the door and came in.

“Your Majesty!”

I was startled by Kalian’s unexpected appearance and called him.

Ah, how is my appearance now?

Well, I can tell without looking in the mirror. It must be messy.

I couldn’t believe I looked like this to His Majesty. 

I was embarrassed and ashamed.

I hurriedly turned around and trimmed my messy hair and clothes.

“Uh, why is Your Majesty here…”

“I heard that you’re awake. So I’m here to check if you’re okay.”

This early in the morning?

I didn’t understand, so I looked at him with a puzzled face.

Kalian strode inside and put the tray he had brought on the table. On the tray were a steaming soup, a teapot, and a teacup.

He couldn’t possibly bring it for his breakfast this early in the morning. So it must be brought for me.

I was so grateful that His Majesty did such a private thing for me, who was just an aide.

“You could have ordered a maid.”

Kalian waved his hand as he spoke in a slightly faint voice.

“No need. I did it because I wanted to, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Still…”

“Didn’t I say there’s no need to do that?”

I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut when he replied firmly as if he wouldn’t listen anymore.

“More than that, come over here and sit down.”

I quietly went to the sofa he pointed to and sat down as he instructed. 

Then, he picked up the teacup and held it out to me.

As I took the teacup, the warm warmth of his palm was felt.

“It’s medicinal tea. Drink it because it helps to calm your mind.”

A medicinal tea that helped to calm the mind, not the body. It meant he knew what I went through.

Well, Sir Hiltine must have reported it, so of course, he knew.

I should have asked him not to tell him this, just like about what Aldor’s doing or the poisoning of the cookies. At that time, I was so confused that I couldn’t think of asking for a favor.

How much does he know? 

Don’t tell me, everything… he doesn’t, right?

I don’t think so.

If he had known all the facts, he wouldn’t have treated me so calmly. He would have asked me about it right away, right? 

“Are you not going to drink?”

“No, I’ll drink. Thank you.”

As soon as I drank the tea, the unique bitter taste of the medicinal tea spread in my mouth. It’s more bitter than I thought which made my eyebrows furrow slightly.

As I emptied the teacup and put it down, something entered my mouth.

This is… strawberry candy?

“After you eat something bitter, you should eat something sweet.” 

Kalian smiled and put a bottle of strawberry candy on the table. Then he pushed the soup bowl towards me.

“I told them to make it watery so that it doesn’t strain your stomach. Eat it.”

“Thank… you.”

But didn’t people usually eat soup, then drink medicinal tea?

The order seemed a bit odd, but I ate the soup without saying a word. The taste was bland, maybe because it was a watery soup.

No, I think it tastes like strawberry…

This was not the taste of the soup, but the taste of the strawberry candy I ate earlier, which remained in my mouth.

I suddenly remembered the time when I met Kalian on the hill of the capital.

Even then, I was crying because of Philen, and Kalian was kindly comforting me, giving me strawberry candy.

Thinking about it again, he really was a kind and good person. 

It was hard to believe that he had ascended the throne by killing his half-brothers. 

“Don’t do anything for a while and just get some rest.”

At the sudden remark, I put down my spoon and looked at him.

“Are you not busy?”

“Of course, I’m busy.”

And you want me to rest?

“If it’s because of my physical condition, it’s okay. I can work.”

“Well. It doesn’t look okay to me though.”

He spoke so firmly that I couldn’t lie anymore and kept my mouth shut.

Even if I lied, there’s no way it would work on Kalian, who already knew everything.

“I don’t have a hobby of making people suffer. And there’s no way you can work properly in that condition. So just take a good rest for a while.”

“But what I have to work on…”

“Leila.” 

Kalian, who came to my front, lowered his upper body to my eye level.

“It’s an Imperial order.”