CH 187

Word was going around that the imperial chef was buckling under the pressure of filling the dragon’s appetite for chicken, which had grown along with his size. The beast was freeloading off the national treasure, so wasn’t it natural that he put in some effort to earn his keep?

“Cecile, if I told you to return to the villa now, late as it is, would—” Estian started.

Without waiting for Estian to finish, Cecile took off the blue phoenix’s blood drop earring and threw it to the ground. The phoenix manifested itself amidst blue flames and screeched happily at seeing Cecile. It perched on her shoulder and rubbed its face against her cheek. After she fainted in the aftermath of the events at Etia, Estian had fortunately retrieved the phoenix from the city.

“Can’t this child beat those phantom beasts?”

“It can, but…” Estian wore a conflicted look. He’d intended on dealing with it by himself in moderation, but why had it turned out like this? “You won’t go back even if I tell you to, will you?”

“Yes, I’m coming along no matter what. If you leave me behind, I’ll mobilize the knights and order them to ‘Follow me to aid His Majesty who has gone in search of apples’!”

Estian was at a loss of words, and he rubbed his face with a hand as the back of his neck burned. This was precisely why he hadn’t wanted this matter to be known. Estian wanted to do everything for Cecile, and after reading Maggie’s letter, he knew the quickest way to get the apples was to act in person.

He hadn’t felt embarrassed until the moment Cecile found out. ‘I didn’t want to show her this side of me,’ he thought, as his face began to heat up. He was the emperor—the ruler and master of everyone and everything. Cecile was very happy about his status. How many times had she mentioned being glad about becoming empress after coming to Aluna? So, Estian wished his wife to only see him composed and leisurely, with an attitude worthy of the title of emperor. He wanted her to feel as much enjoyment as possible, without glimpsing his struggles, but alas it was all for naught.

“Still, it’s exciting,” Cecile said.

“What is?”

“I like going around like this with Your Majesty, walking the mountain trails at night!” Cecile took a large bite out of the apple she was holding with genuine glee on her face. There wasn’t a hint of mockery or disappointment in her expression, only uncontainable enjoyment, and it made Estian chuckle despite himself.

It turned out he was wasting time worrying when it could’ve been better spent thinking of Cecile. He stole the apple from Cecile’s hand and took a large bite himself before asking the one thing that now bothered him. “It’s good and all, but why did you switch back to ‘Your Majesty’ again?”

* * *

They were able to locate the apple farm Maggie mentioned without difficulty. Of course, it was thanks to Estian running over the steep and long mountain path with Cecile in his arms. A wide apple orchard was soon visible beyond the ridges filled with the sounds of bugs in the grass.

“The phantom beasts apparently appear when you go close, so… Cecile, stay here.” This time Cecile listened obediently and nodded; even in her stubbornness, she knew her limits. Seeing Cecile nod, Estian glanced at the blue phoenix and ordered, “You—I’m pretty sure you’re capable of setting up a protective barrier?”

The phoenix cooed, and a dome of pale blue light appeared around Cecile. She gazed at the phenomenon blankly for a moment, then in an accusatory tone, she grumbled, “Hey, you didn’t make something like this last time!”

The phoenix crowed with an indignant look, as if to complain, “I mean, you didn’t ask me that time!”