CH 168

Her plans were meticulous, clearly indicating that thought had been put into it and that these weren’t just random scribbles. It was clear these were all things Cecile sincerely wanted to do. Suddenly, Estian’s eyes landed on a small paragraph in a corner of one of the pages.

What’s the point of imagining all this? I’ll only be able to leave when I’m being sold through marriage. I don’t know who I’ll end up marrying, but I doubt my future husband will allow me to do these things. I read in a book that a princess that’s sold off is no different than a commodity. Who’d let their possession run around freely?

Estian was at a loss for words, as he read Cecile’s grim sentences. It was true that among royalty, those that were unfavored tended to be used as a means of trade. He wondered what might’ve happened if the dice he tossed hadn’t landed on Navitan. What would’ve happened if he’d chosen a different woman as empress, while Cecile ended up sold as the wife to some unknown person? The thought alone made his stomach churn and he gripped the ends of the notebook in his hands tightly.

Estian understood the fate of such royalty to some extent; he experienced it once in a kingdom he’d conquered long ago. On their way towards the capital, they attacked a province they’d marched through. The governor of that region had run over and dropped himself before Estian’s feet begging for mercy without attempting to put up a fight. It would’ve been an unremarkable incident if the governor hadn’t dragged over a blonde woman and made her kneel before Estian’s feet too.

“I also offer this woman, Your Majesty! She’s a princess I received in return for my gold mine! Look, is she not beautiful? She’s surely worthy of serving Your Majesty tonight!” the governor cried, pointing at the trembling woman who was obviously paralyzed with fear.

Certainly, the woman’s beauty had been enough to trade for a gold mine as the governor claimed, but what stuck with him was the look of resignation in the woman’s eyes, as if it was only natural she’d been traded like an object. Looking over at his sleeping wife’s form now, he couldn’t help but gnash his teeth at the thought that Cecile could’ve gone through a similar experience. For the first time, he offered a prayer of thanks to gods that he didn’t believe in that the dice thrown that day had landed on the kingdom of Navitan.

Taking a deep breath, Estian turned his attention back to the notebook.

17. Visit Rivendale Library, known as the largest library on the continent. It’s said that every book ever published on the continent is there! Even romance novels!

This didn’t seem too difficult—Rivendale Library wasn’t that far from the empire. Or rather, maybe it’d be good to take the opportunity to just move the library into the empire… specifically the capital even? It’d be even better if it was situated right next to the imperial palace! A smile crept onto Estian’s face, as he resumed flipping through the pages, until he found one with all sorts of drawings on it.

55. Visit Aluna Lake City. Absolutely have to sleep there at least one night! They say you should stay a few days because it’s the most beautiful city on the continent, but the accommodation is far too expensive. It’d be fortunate to spend even one night there. I read in a book that the emperor’s villa in the northern forest of the lake city boasted the most beautiful scenery, but how would I get in there? It’s not like I can just ask Emperor Estian to let me in. Not that he would anyway. Wouldn’t I die before I even spoke?

“Aluna…” Estian rubbed his chin, surprised to see his name mentioned out of nowhere. Certainly, as Cecile had written, there was an enormous villa built between crystal clear lakes owned by the imperial family in Aluna. It was supposedly a beautiful dwelling located in the laidback, peaceful resort town, though Estian had never been there himself. He knew of Aluna because it was famous, but he’d never held the slightest interest in the place.