He tried to pretend not to notice, but her gaze was firmly attached to his back and would not leave.
Arkan, who was uselessly scanning the titles on the spines of the books, let out a silent sigh and bit the inside of his lip.
“What are you doing here? You said you hated books.”
Suddenly, the thought crossed his mind that this was not it, but he could not take back the words that had already been spoken.
He could tell what she would say next without even hearing it. She would say that she had already planned to leave, or that she did not know that there had to be a reason to come here...
However, Erdene answered Arkan in a very indifferent tone, something he had never imagined.
“Didn’t Your Majesty tell me last night? Since I broke my promise, I should read a whole book of poetry.”
Although it wasn’t her who broke it, it was him who was weak.
Erdene added as if muttering, but Arkan did not hear the rest of her words.
As soon as she finished speaking, Arkan turned his head sharply, and an indescribable expression appeared on his face.
What kind of trick is she going to do now? Has she come up with a new way to turn him upside down?
Arkan’s eyes, which were moving slowly, turned to the small book on Erdene’s lap.
It was right.
Arkan could tell what the book was just by looking at the cover. It was one of his most treasured poetry collections.
“...So that’s why you came here?”
Erdene replied, still not taking her eyes off the book.
“Then what do you think you’re doing?”
She looked at Arkan a beat later.
It was the perfect timing and movement as if she had calculated it from the beginning.
The bright blue eyes that he might see on the first day of autumn captivated Arkan’s entire body and made him hold his breath.
What about that sharp yet pretty face?
The terrifying sight of her pulling out a healthy man’s teeth with a single slap last night had become a dreamlike blur, and the current appearance, with her long dress hem hanging down and a strange expression on her face, seemed to be all that Erdene had.
“See, it’s a book of poetry?”
Erdene held up the book.
Arkan’s lips tightened at the clear and crisp voice that made him come to his senses.
Come to your senses. She's indeed pretty, but it’s a mistake to think that I’m so smitten that I can’t even come to my senses.
Arkan, who had been forcefully rebutting without anyone saying anything, twitched his lips as if he was dissatisfied.
“Since when have you been listening to me so well?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever failed to listen to Your Majesty.”
“Listening to me doesn’t mean simply ‘listening.’”
“Then what else do you need?”
I should stop talking. Arkan thought.
However, Arkan himself did not realize that the corner of his heart that had been sharp like a thorn had softened.
It was obvious, Arkan thought.
Usually, even if she had come to read a book for an hour, she would have just laughed or fallen asleep within five minutes of opening the book.
What on earth had happened today? A person could not have changed overnight, and she must have been acting like that to make up for what had happened earlier. However, Arkan eventually picked a book and sat down next to Erdene.
Although his anger had not completely subsided, he was not so cruel as to turn away from her.
No, it was not that he was not cruel. He just did not want to leave Erdene alone after she had come this far.
He thought it was obvious, but he wanted to fall for it.
Of course, Arkan himself did not want to admit it.
While he was alone and wavering, Erdene silently focused her gaze on the poetry book.
It was hard to tell if she was really reading or if she was trying to get on Arkan’s nerves again.
“Are you reading romance novels again?”
It seemed to be the latter. Arkan raised his eyebrows slightly and straightened his upper body in anger at the faint smile on Erdene’s lips.
“What’s wrong with romance novels?”
Erdene’s eyes blinked slowly.
Even though she made an expression that said, “I don’t know anything,” she was a naturally fierce beauty and didn’t look like an innocent deer...
“I asked if you were reading romance novels, but who said anything?”
Arkan’s lips were pursed. He looked like he had tripped over Erdene again.
Erdene, who had been giggling, suddenly cleared her throat and cleared her throat.
“The grass withers in the summer sun, and the boiling foam gnaws the sand. But the sun and the foam do their work, and I, who watch, foolishly blame them for the grass and the sand.”
Arkan glanced at Erdene.
She turned a few pages of the book, then read another verse from another poem.
“Like the blush on my cheek, the sky is dyed, and the mountains lie in darkness. I sigh alone as I watch the young birds that meet their delicate feathers. Of all things on this vast land, I alone do not know love.”
Arkan was not at all surprised when he heard Erdene recite a poem.
No, he was a little surprised.
The first thing that surprised him was that she had skillfully selected only the ones about jealousy from among so many poems, and the second thing that surprised him was that she had skillfully analyzed poetry, not strategy or tactics.
If the purpose of choosing those two poems wasn’t just to tease Arkan, Erdene might have felt a little closer to him.
“I didn’t know that you had a hobby of reciting poetry. You have many talents that surprise me.”
Erdene burst out laughing as Arkan, who was upset, quipped.
“I’m trying to find a hobby. I think someone should listen.”
“I really wonder who it is.”
“Anyway, you’re narrow-minded.”
Arkan, who was half-reading a book, turned his gaze to Erdene.
“Who’s narrow-minded?”
Erdene said.
“Then you’ll be called a hypocrite, Your Majesty.”
“Have you finished talking?”
“Do you think I’m lying? Rumors only spread in an instant. Do you think rumors won’t spread that the considerate and generous King of Vetor is suspicious of his Queen’s every move and is critical of her?”
Arkan bit his lips tightly. Just like before, and just now, it was the first time in his life that he had heard such abusive language.
However, Erdene calmly turned the pages of the poetry book as if it was nothing, and drove home the point.
“So stop being so petty and let it go.”
That voice again. Arkan’s brow furrowed and then slowly relaxed.
“I thought you came to apologize, but I knew you would do this. Are you testing me to see how far you can turn my insides?”
Erdene glared and folded the book he was reading in half.
Needless to say, Arkan, who hated folding books the most in the world, felt goosebumps all over his body.
“Use a bookmark!”
“The bookmark isn’t the problem right now, Your Majesty. What do I have to apologize for?”
Arkan closed the book as well. However, he didn’t forget to use the bookmark.
“What did you just say? What’s wrong with my head? I’ve never heard such nonsense in my life. It’s so ridiculous!”
“Who told you to think of such strange things? Just because we talked, it’s so ridiculous.”
Arkan, who was uselessly scanning the titles on the spines of the books, let out a silent sigh and bit the inside of his lip.
“What are you doing here? You said you hated books.”
Suddenly, the thought crossed his mind that this was not it, but he could not take back the words that had already been spoken.
He could tell what she would say next without even hearing it. She would say that she had already planned to leave, or that she did not know that there had to be a reason to come here...
However, Erdene answered Arkan in a very indifferent tone, something he had never imagined.
“Didn’t Your Majesty tell me last night? Since I broke my promise, I should read a whole book of poetry.”
Although it wasn’t her who broke it, it was him who was weak.
Erdene added as if muttering, but Arkan did not hear the rest of her words.
As soon as she finished speaking, Arkan turned his head sharply, and an indescribable expression appeared on his face.
What kind of trick is she going to do now? Has she come up with a new way to turn him upside down?
Arkan’s eyes, which were moving slowly, turned to the small book on Erdene’s lap.
It was right.
Arkan could tell what the book was just by looking at the cover. It was one of his most treasured poetry collections.
“...So that’s why you came here?”
Erdene replied, still not taking her eyes off the book.
“Then what do you think you’re doing?”
She looked at Arkan a beat later.
It was the perfect timing and movement as if she had calculated it from the beginning.
The bright blue eyes that he might see on the first day of autumn captivated Arkan’s entire body and made him hold his breath.
What about that sharp yet pretty face?
The terrifying sight of her pulling out a healthy man’s teeth with a single slap last night had become a dreamlike blur, and the current appearance, with her long dress hem hanging down and a strange expression on her face, seemed to be all that Erdene had.
“See, it’s a book of poetry?”
Erdene held up the book.
Arkan’s lips tightened at the clear and crisp voice that made him come to his senses.
Come to your senses. She's indeed pretty, but it’s a mistake to think that I’m so smitten that I can’t even come to my senses.
Arkan, who had been forcefully rebutting without anyone saying anything, twitched his lips as if he was dissatisfied.
“Since when have you been listening to me so well?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever failed to listen to Your Majesty.”
“Listening to me doesn’t mean simply ‘listening.’”
“Then what else do you need?”
I should stop talking. Arkan thought.
However, Arkan himself did not realize that the corner of his heart that had been sharp like a thorn had softened.
It was obvious, Arkan thought.
Usually, even if she had come to read a book for an hour, she would have just laughed or fallen asleep within five minutes of opening the book.
What on earth had happened today? A person could not have changed overnight, and she must have been acting like that to make up for what had happened earlier. However, Arkan eventually picked a book and sat down next to Erdene.
Although his anger had not completely subsided, he was not so cruel as to turn away from her.
No, it was not that he was not cruel. He just did not want to leave Erdene alone after she had come this far.
He thought it was obvious, but he wanted to fall for it.
Of course, Arkan himself did not want to admit it.
While he was alone and wavering, Erdene silently focused her gaze on the poetry book.
It was hard to tell if she was really reading or if she was trying to get on Arkan’s nerves again.
“Are you reading romance novels again?”
It seemed to be the latter. Arkan raised his eyebrows slightly and straightened his upper body in anger at the faint smile on Erdene’s lips.
“What’s wrong with romance novels?”
Erdene’s eyes blinked slowly.
Even though she made an expression that said, “I don’t know anything,” she was a naturally fierce beauty and didn’t look like an innocent deer...
“I asked if you were reading romance novels, but who said anything?”
Arkan’s lips were pursed. He looked like he had tripped over Erdene again.
Erdene, who had been giggling, suddenly cleared her throat and cleared her throat.
“The grass withers in the summer sun, and the boiling foam gnaws the sand. But the sun and the foam do their work, and I, who watch, foolishly blame them for the grass and the sand.”
Arkan glanced at Erdene.
She turned a few pages of the book, then read another verse from another poem.
“Like the blush on my cheek, the sky is dyed, and the mountains lie in darkness. I sigh alone as I watch the young birds that meet their delicate feathers. Of all things on this vast land, I alone do not know love.”
Arkan was not at all surprised when he heard Erdene recite a poem.
No, he was a little surprised.
The first thing that surprised him was that she had skillfully selected only the ones about jealousy from among so many poems, and the second thing that surprised him was that she had skillfully analyzed poetry, not strategy or tactics.
If the purpose of choosing those two poems wasn’t just to tease Arkan, Erdene might have felt a little closer to him.
“I didn’t know that you had a hobby of reciting poetry. You have many talents that surprise me.”
Erdene burst out laughing as Arkan, who was upset, quipped.
“I’m trying to find a hobby. I think someone should listen.”
“I really wonder who it is.”
“Anyway, you’re narrow-minded.”
Arkan, who was half-reading a book, turned his gaze to Erdene.
“Who’s narrow-minded?”
Erdene said.
“Then you’ll be called a hypocrite, Your Majesty.”
“Have you finished talking?”
“Do you think I’m lying? Rumors only spread in an instant. Do you think rumors won’t spread that the considerate and generous King of Vetor is suspicious of his Queen’s every move and is critical of her?”
Arkan bit his lips tightly. Just like before, and just now, it was the first time in his life that he had heard such abusive language.
However, Erdene calmly turned the pages of the poetry book as if it was nothing, and drove home the point.
“So stop being so petty and let it go.”
That voice again. Arkan’s brow furrowed and then slowly relaxed.
“I thought you came to apologize, but I knew you would do this. Are you testing me to see how far you can turn my insides?”
Erdene glared and folded the book he was reading in half.
Needless to say, Arkan, who hated folding books the most in the world, felt goosebumps all over his body.
“Use a bookmark!”
“The bookmark isn’t the problem right now, Your Majesty. What do I have to apologize for?”
Arkan closed the book as well. However, he didn’t forget to use the bookmark.
“What did you just say? What’s wrong with my head? I’ve never heard such nonsense in my life. It’s so ridiculous!”
“Who told you to think of such strange things? Just because we talked, it’s so ridiculous.”
“You even made him touch your wrist, so what are you talking about?”
Erdene raised an eyebrow as Arkan grumbled.
“You made him touch your wrist? Don’t say something that could be misunderstood! I sprained it because of those guys yesterday! I said it felt numb, and the Duke said he learned how to apply pressure to the sprained area, so I left it for him!”
Arkan blushed and put the book down on the table.
“I can do that too!”
This is ridiculous. Erdene thought. When did you ever say you could do it? You didn’t even ask if my wrist was okay.
Of course, she knew that he hadn’t slept a wink all night and that he had been so busy getting the officials into the palace before the sun had even risen that he was completely out of his mind.
But if she had gone over each of them one by one, her head would have hurt instead of her wrist, and there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t swing her book instead of her sword and blow Arkan away.
Erdene sat down close to Arkan and stuck her arm out.
Arkan pursed his lips in bewilderment at her sudden action.
“...What are you doing?”
“Your Majesty can do it too. Then do it.”
What was this situation? Arkan looked down at Erdene’s wrist as if possessed by something.
Now that he thought about it, her wrist, which had been fine until last night, seemed to have swollen a little. It might have been an illusion, but...
“Does it still hurt?”
Arkan frowned and gently grabbed Erdene’s wrist.
His expression, as he carefully pressed on the part where the muscles would have been bunched up, avoiding the protruding bone, looked serious and grave as if he had never been angry before.
'He really is a funny man.'
Erdene stared intently at Arkan’s face, frowning.
In fact, she hadn’t been hurt badly enough to hurt. A slight sprain wouldn’t be enough to be considered an injury to her.
However, wherever his fingers touched her forcefully, she felt blood flowing and warmth rising.
Erdene raised an eyebrow as Arkan grumbled.
“You made him touch your wrist? Don’t say something that could be misunderstood! I sprained it because of those guys yesterday! I said it felt numb, and the Duke said he learned how to apply pressure to the sprained area, so I left it for him!”
Arkan blushed and put the book down on the table.
“I can do that too!”
This is ridiculous. Erdene thought. When did you ever say you could do it? You didn’t even ask if my wrist was okay.
Of course, she knew that he hadn’t slept a wink all night and that he had been so busy getting the officials into the palace before the sun had even risen that he was completely out of his mind.
But if she had gone over each of them one by one, her head would have hurt instead of her wrist, and there was no guarantee that she wouldn’t swing her book instead of her sword and blow Arkan away.
Erdene sat down close to Arkan and stuck her arm out.
Arkan pursed his lips in bewilderment at her sudden action.
“...What are you doing?”
“Your Majesty can do it too. Then do it.”
What was this situation? Arkan looked down at Erdene’s wrist as if possessed by something.
Now that he thought about it, her wrist, which had been fine until last night, seemed to have swollen a little. It might have been an illusion, but...
“Does it still hurt?”
Arkan frowned and gently grabbed Erdene’s wrist.
His expression, as he carefully pressed on the part where the muscles would have been bunched up, avoiding the protruding bone, looked serious and grave as if he had never been angry before.
'He really is a funny man.'
Erdene stared intently at Arkan’s face, frowning.
In fact, she hadn’t been hurt badly enough to hurt. A slight sprain wouldn’t be enough to be considered an injury to her.
However, wherever his fingers touched her forcefully, she felt blood flowing and warmth rising.
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