CH 116

“Ophelia.”

After arriving at the mansion, Sylvester followed me around.

“Ophelia.”

Even if I don’t answer, he calls me around like this.

“Ophelia. Answer me.”

I took a deep breath and looked back.

“It wasn’t a big deal because you called and answered like this before. Are you going to say just this again?”

At my words, Sylvester rubbed the back of his neck, feeling slightly embarrassed. I narrowed my eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Just because.”

“Look at this. You keep saying it’s just.”

“No, if it’s just because I should say just because, what else I have to say?”

At the same time, Sylvester continued to follow me.

“Ah. Stop following me!”

I freaked out and pushed Sylvester out.

Because I was embarrassed!

Because I’m next to you, my heart is beating so fast and my face is hot and I’m going crazy! 

But Sylvester looked really fine.

So it was kind of disgusting.

How can he be so fine by himself?

“You’re not embarrassed at all?”

“Of course. But I don’t even show it in front of you.”

“Then don’t talk!”

“If I didn’t, you wouldn’t like me. Don’t you like me because I’m good at talking?” 

He’s really good at talking. 

I narrowed my eyes. 

“You have a lot of work to do. So, hurry up and get to work.”

“No, I’m going to play today.”

Sylvester made a noise that would grab Neil by the back of his neck if he heard it. And he grabbed my arm.

“I like being next to you. That’s why I want to be with you, but why do you reject me? You said you liked me once.” 

“T, that’s—”

Oh, you’re not embarrassed at all!

I shouldn’t have confessed!

I opened my eyes wide and stared at Sylvester.

“That’s right, but I didn’t mean to be blown up like this!”

“Why?”

Sylvester said with an expression that he really didn’t know.

“We’re a couple, we’ve confirmed each other’s feelings, so of course we should be together.”

Then he hugged me from behind.

“I’m going to sleep with you.”

He murmured as if whispering, burying his face on the back of my neck.

“I hope the night comes soon.”

Ah, I didn’t want to move forward this fast!

I closed my eyes with a silent groan.

*****

The contents of Fleur’s letter were short. 

[Come to my palace right now]

Fleur is in trouble.

Why is Largo calling me? She didn’t think it was called a good thing.

She somehow had a bad hunch.

But—.

She recalled her recent separation from Callian.

Callian seems to have changed a bit.

It seemed that if she went on like this, she would face his changed love.

In that case, the position of the Empress will be lost, of course, and she can’t avoid public criticism.

A vicious woman who abandoned her husband and dreamed of becoming an Empress.

She’s sure everyone will think that way. 

But if she grabs another line here—.

[Come to my palace right now]

If she held Largo’s line, wouldn’t it be different?

Fleur’s eyes opened wide.

She said, raising her chin to the servant who brought the letter.

“Please send a letter saying I’ll be there soon.”

And she turned to the maid standing next to her.

“Can you help me prepare? It’s the first time I’ve met the 2nd Prince, so I thought I should keep it pretty.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Soon after, the maid brought a hanger full of dresses, and Fleur chose the most spectacular of it. 

This was because she was always conscious of the gorgeous Ophelia, but Fleur herself didn’t notice it. 

*****

I dipped myself deep in the water.

When you have a lot of thoughts, bathing is the best.

Feeling the warm water that reached my nose, I slowly organized my thoughts.

Today, Callian was a little strange.

‘You said you’d help me!’

‘How many times have you told me you’ll help me by my side! But then, so suddenly?’

Well. 

For Callian, it was an absurd thing to do.

It’s as if someone had always followed him and said, “I’ll help you,” but now that she hates him, she won’t help anymore. 

It’s absurd, but I thought that it wouldn’t be something to get so angry about.

‘You two.’

‘Look carefully at how I come out.’

‘I will make you regret about what happened today.’

I didn’t know why he was so furious. It’s not the first time there’s a confrontation with us.

‘It’s really weird.’

I murmured, bubbling with a runny nose.

What’s wrong with him?

I wondered, but there was no proper answer.

At times like this, it’s best to wait. Let’s not go out of our way and see how he comes out.

And there was a bigger problem than this.

Right now—.

‘The magic circle that Largo has.’

How can I find it?

If it was a magic circle, he would keep it in a scroll, and it was only necessary to know where he hid it.

However, this was frustrating because I couldn’t know where he hid it.

Sylvester must have done his own research. But seeing that he can’t find it, Largo must have hidden the magic circle in a very secret place.

‘Let’s go to the mercenary guild first.’

I thought I should go tomorrow right away.

And find the magic circle, screw over Largo, and after that—.

‘What is it?’

Now that the goal of divorce is gone.

I didn’t know what to do.

Hmm. 

I need to think about it more.

I thought so and called Irene waiting outside the bathroom.

Irene, who came in, wiped my body and changed me into pajamas, and I went out of the bathroom shaking off my wet hair.

And, 

“Honey?”

Of course, I saw Sylvester lying in bed.

Suddenly, what he said earlier came to mind.

‘I’m going to sleep with you.’

‘I hope the night comes soon.’

My face feel hot. 

Oh, I haven’t prepared my heart to that extent yet.

I slowly approached Sylvester with my heart pounding. 

“You’re late.”

Sylvester said.

“I almost fell asleep while waiting.”

“I’m sorry. I have something to think.”

“Think?”

Sylvester tilted his head. I answered.

“After I found the magic circle, I didn’t know what to do. I was thinking about it.”

“Ah.”

Sylvester nodded with a sigh.

“There’s no reason to support the 2nd Prince if we finds the magic circle.”

“That’s right.”

“And there’s no reason to remain in this crappy Empire.” 

I opened my eyes loosely.

“You want to be independent, right?”

The content that came out in the original story. 

What Sylvester wants most is independence from the Empire.

It is trying to make the Duke a Dukedom.

This is a question that I can naturally ask as I knew this from the beginning.

Sylvester smiled and nodded.

“Yeah. You said it before.”

He replied.

“But it will be difficult. Without the support of the next

Emperor.”

There are only two ways to achieve it.

One is to get approval from the next Emperor,

The other one is fighting a war.

I didn’t want the latter to be chosen.

“I’m telling you in advance, but I don’t like war.”

“Because my wife has a small wall at times like this.”

Sylvester smiled and said.

“So I’m thinking about it.”

He tilted his head to one side. Then fold his fingers one by one.

“About Largo.”

“….”

“And Callian.”

His blue eyes flashed.

“Who would be better?”

It’s like asking if you like a dump car or a haul car. 

I shook my head.

“You have to think about that. And even if you can support one of them to become Emperor, it will be really difficult to get independence. So, you have to be prepared.”

“Ophelia.”

Did I go too far?

Sylvester’s cold gaze touched me.

“What I’m saying is.”

He said with a languid smile.

“It was the hardest to win your heart.”

“…What?”

“After doing this difficult thing, everything else seemed easy.”

No I mean, why are you confessing again? 

It was really Sylvester who confessed all the time.

“Come here.”

Sylvester reached out to me.

“I say come here.”

I approached Sylvester. As I got a little closer, Sylvester grabbed my arm and hugged me.

“Good.”

He hugged me tightly and buried his face on the back of my neck.

I could feel Sylvester’s pounding heart.

When I felt this, I felt relieved that I wasn’t the only one who was nervous, and no tension began to come.

Gulps. I swallowed my dry saliva.

“I love you, Ophelia.”

Sylvester softly kissed my cheek, whispering in my ear.

And—.

“Good night.”

He lie next to me and close his eyes. 

“….”

No, wait. 

You said you’d wait for the night.

But you just sleep like this?!

It’s true that I’m not ready yet, but still—!

I pouted my mouth, but I couldn’t say anything.

Tsk. 

He’s really too much.