CH 177

“Your Majesty, please calm down these—”

“I heard. You sneezed twice? We’ll talk again after I cut down all those incompetent cretins.” The one who ended up making the biggest fuss of all was her husband. Even a glass doll wouldn’t be handled so carefully.

Cecile had traveled so far, she didn’t want to spend her time cooped up for her protection like she was in the palace. Not knowing when she’d ever get the chance to visit Aluna again, she had to capture these beautiful sights while she could.

“It’s so pretty outside, I want to enjoy it a little more,” she said, as she moved to sit on an iron chair on the balcony. But Estian was quicker, and he quickly bundled her in his cloak and carried her in his arms.

“Then, it can’t be helped. I’ll send word to have the chairs replaced with comfier ones right away, so don’t sit on them until then,” he said, as he sat in the chair and placed her on his lap.

Cecile remembered that one of the imperial doctors had advised her to avoid the cold. Apparently her husband was concerned about her sitting directly on the iron chairs. When she thought about her current state, she thought, ‘I’m a caterpillar.’ Her daily routine consisted of eating, sleeping, and squirming about. Didn’t that make her a caterpillar? Still, it wasn’t a bad thing, so Cecile rested herself comfortably against Estian’s chest.

“It’s nice being the empress,” she murmured contentedly. Truly, it was the best. Being able to enjoy such beautiful scenery, and in such comfort at that? She also remembered how the steward had promised tonight’s dinner consisted of the local specialties. From the rainbow trout caught in nearby lakes to the vegetables grown only in the Aluna region, and even desserts made with local fruits—the mere thought of the sumptuous feast brought a smile to Cecile’s face and made her salivate.

Watching Cecile grinning to herself, Estian chuckled and said, “You like it that much?”

“Of course. The imperial palace is nice in its own right, but this place has its own charm. And it’s my first time visiting somewhere like this after all. It’s the first trip of my life!” Cecile exclaimed, unable to contain the excitement in her voice.

When she was brought to the mansion near the imperial capital from Navitan, she hadn’t even been allowed to look outside. However, this time not only was she permitted to look to her heart’s desire, Estian would even stop the coach whenever the slightest thing caught her interest to buy whatever it was that had caught her eye.

‘Though trying to buy the local governor’s castle was a bit…’ Cecile had only stared because she found its pink roof curious; she didn’t want to be misunderstood as having wanted it.

“First trip…” Estian echoed, before laughing.

The pleasant sound was contagious and Cecile soon joined in. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered shut as she dozed off.

“I knew this would happen,” Estian muttered, as he wrapped his wife more tightly into his cloak. Though the doctors diagnosed that nothing was wrong with her body, Cecile would often slip into a deep slumber at a moment’s notice. Though the length of rest she needed was gradually shortening, he knew that on the day he’d returned to his human form, Cecile had overburdened herself. It was a fact that continued to weigh heavily on him.

Gently touching the soft and shiny strands of his wife’s hair that had slipped out of his cloak, it gave him the impression he was touching sunlight. Estian recalled the excitement on her face the whole way over, and he thought back to that monstrosity of a castle with its pink roof. ‘Should I buy that castle after all? ‘I should give her everything she wants.’ Cecile had gaped at it for a long time, and putting aside whether he liked it or not, it was enough if she took interest in it.

Cecile had saved him, and she was… “My wife.” The greatest sense of satisfaction filled Estian as he watched Cecile sleeping in his arms. All that was his was hers to enjoy. The Aluna trip was only the beginning—he would grant all his wife’s wishes that filled that notebook.