Erdene answered right away.
“Puppets are better. At least they don’t have backs that bend because they’ve been around for a long time. I told you, Your Majesty, your appearance is life itself. Get your mind right before your shoulders hunched, your back bent, and you shrivel up.”
“It’s so amazing.”
He grumbled, but when he stood up straight as Erdene had straightened his posture, he felt like he could breathe better... That was even more annoying!
Arkan, who was picking up his bow again, looked back at Erdene.
“But. What did you just say? Your appearance is life? So you’re saying that I have no other good points besides my pretty face?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Erdene tried to sneakily back away—in fact, she tried to sneakily step back—but Arkan wasn’t going to let that slip.
Now that he had become somewhat accustomed to the war of nerves that was not a war of nerves with Erdene, Arkan said, placing his hands on his waist and tilting the corners of his mouth.
“You’re trying to throw me away when my back bends and my shoulders become hunched and wrinkled, right now.”
“It’s ridiculous. When did I ever say something like that?”
“Then you won’t throw me away? Do you promise?”
“I won’t...”
Erdene finally realized that she had been helplessly caught up in Arkan’s shallow trick... She was so shocked that she almost laughed.
She crossed her arms and looked up at Arkan with a challenging expression.
“So if you don’t want to be abandoned by me, do your best.”
“I'm doing well now.”
“I want you to do even better. Now, straighten your posture and hold your bow. I’ll see how well you shoot.”
That was the situation.
While the training of the newly deployed knights and soldiers was heating up and producing results day by day... As the King, Arkan could not just sit still.
Although he had learned basic swordsmanship and tactics, by Erdene’s standards, it was nothing more than child’s play.
She wanted Arkan to learn something other than swordsmanship, and after a heated discussion—quite fiercely—they decided on the bow.
“I learned archery, too.”
Arkan grumbled and took a stance, not wanting to hurt his pride.
His stance was straight as he aimed for the target, but his fingers pulling the heavy bow could be seen trembling faintly.
Arkan said,
“Why is this so heavy?”
Erdene immediately replied,
“Because I made it in my own style. You should be able to shoot at that level. A bow with a short range isn’t very useful.”
“You’re not training me to be a first-class assassin, are you?”
“You really are talking too much. Just shoot quickly.”
You talk too much! Arkan tried to refute it, but Erdene didn’t give him a chance.
He had always lived among people who listened to him wholeheartedly...
It was only natural since no one dared to say, “You talk too much, Your Majesty.”
Arkan tightened his grip on the bow and fired an arrow at the target.
The arrow flew quickly on the wind and landed in the corner of the target with a “thud,” making Arkan frown.
Erdene said.
“But it did fly to the target. Well done.”
Arkan glanced at her from the moment he put a new arrow on the bow.
“Be honest.”
“No. You’ll be upset.”
“I won’t be upset, so, be honest. Otherwise, we won’t be able to practice.”
Well, if that’s what you want, Erdene thought.
“I can’t even guess where you were aiming when you shot. Did you aim for the forehead of the attendant standing next to the target? If so, I can tell you that it was a pity... If you were aiming for the center, Your Majesty, it would be better for you to run with the arrow and shoot it directly into the target.”
Arkan, who was about to pull the bow, looked at her again.
“That’s too honest!”
“Oh, what do you want me to do? This wasn’t very honest either!”
“What... No, no. It’s okay. I understand. I don’t think I need to be more honest. Just keep it that way.”
“That’s up to you.”
In other words, if he continued like this, he would criticize him more honestly, and Arkan pulled the bow once more, more tense than before.
The arrow flew quickly this time and was a little closer to the center than the first time he shot it... But it still landed in an absurd spot.
Arkan looked down at his bow in discontent.
“The string is too heavy, and it’s actually off-balance.”
“Practice for a hundred years so that it flies away when you pull it. It won’t be of any use on the battlefield.”
With that, Erdene took a step forward.
“Give it to me.”
Arkan handed her the bow. Erdene lightly put her fingertips into the rosin pouch and gently stroked the string as if caressing it.
Her eyes were serious as she took the arrow, and when she stood and raised her bow, the area beyond her shoulder seemed to shine brightly for a moment.
The string was pulled taut.
Erdene felt the direction of the wind brushing her cheek, eyelids, eyelashes, fingertips, wrist, and forearm.
At that very moment, when her entire body’s nerves were tense, she let go of the string, and the arrow cut through the air like a flexible and fast fish.
Boom!
There was a heavy sound as if someone were punching a sandbag.
The attendant standing far away waved a red triangular flag. It meant that he had hit the center.
Erdene lowered his bow and turned to Arkan.
“You shouldn’t use your elbows to pull the string. You should pull it with your shoulders and upper arms.”
“I know that too. It’s just that it’s hard to do.”
“You’ll get used to it if you practice.”
Then, she suddenly smiled mischievously.
“Just like I’ve gotten pretty used to reading your carefully selected poetry collection.”
Arkan looked at Erdene silently and then lightly grabbed both of her hands.
His gaze, silently looking down at the backs of her hands and fingertips, looked completely serious, unlike when he was grumbling.
“Why?”
“Just because your hands are nice.”
After saying that, Arkan lowered his head slightly and lightly kissed the backs of Erdene’s hands.
Erdene’s lips drew a smile as the warm, now familiar touch tickled her skin.
“It must be very different from the ideal hand you imagined when you were young.”
Arkan, who was playing with her fingers, laughed.
“That’s similar to what Plat said. I told Plat back then, but I don’t have an ideal type.”
“But you never thought you’d marry a woman with hands covered in scars like this, right?”
He nodded.
“Of course. But I never imagined I’d marry a woman with hands as soft as cream.”
Arkan glanced up and raised his right hand.
He caressed the scar under Erdene’s chin with the tip of his thumb.
He had already kissed that spot several times. With love and affection.
“I never thought I’d marry a woman with a scar under her chin, or a woman with a small mole behind her right ear. But the important thing is that I’ve already married someone like that. And...”
Erdene suddenly felt a tickle under her cheek. But she could bear it.
Whenever Arkan suddenly revealed his true feelings like this, she would sometimes react by saying, “It’s ticklish,” but that number has decreased significantly these days.
Just as Arkan became accustomed to Erdene, Erdene also became accustomed to him. It all happened without her even realizing it.
Arkan trailed off for a moment and said,
“...And I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you anymore. I don’t even want to think about you... changing into someone else.”
Erdene didn’t answer. She just stared at Arkan with silent, quiet eyes.
He wondered what she was thinking... Arkan gently caressed Erdene’s cheek and tilted his head.
“Is it strange?”
When he asked, Erdene smiled again.
“No, Your Majesty. Is it strange? I’m happy.”
“You're happy? Really?”
Arkan, who had been blinking, pulled Erdene closer and hugged her.
Erdene did not resist and leaned into his arms, but did not forget to say a playful word.
“Your Majesty, there are more than a few eyes watching here. According to the etiquette of the Vetor, isn’t this something that should be condemned?”
“I’m telling you to just throw it away. Speaking of which, I’ll have to say something soon when I gather all these nobles who only talk about etiquette and such. I keep thinking about what happened to the Marchioness last time.” “
Well, if that’s the case, I welcome it anytime. And...”
Erdene raised her head and her lips were about to lightly touch Arcan’s chin at that moment.
Plat, who had been running towards them in a hurry as if something urgent had come up, staggered and stopped in his tracks.
In broad daylight, outside in the open, he saw the King and Queen clinging to each other... Plat only blushed slightly and had no intention of nagging them. Even if he had been planning to nag them, there was something more urgent right now.
“Your Majesty, I have a report that the court painter has finished the portrait.”
“Puppets are better. At least they don’t have backs that bend because they’ve been around for a long time. I told you, Your Majesty, your appearance is life itself. Get your mind right before your shoulders hunched, your back bent, and you shrivel up.”
“It’s so amazing.”
He grumbled, but when he stood up straight as Erdene had straightened his posture, he felt like he could breathe better... That was even more annoying!
Arkan, who was picking up his bow again, looked back at Erdene.
“But. What did you just say? Your appearance is life? So you’re saying that I have no other good points besides my pretty face?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Erdene tried to sneakily back away—in fact, she tried to sneakily step back—but Arkan wasn’t going to let that slip.
Now that he had become somewhat accustomed to the war of nerves that was not a war of nerves with Erdene, Arkan said, placing his hands on his waist and tilting the corners of his mouth.
“You’re trying to throw me away when my back bends and my shoulders become hunched and wrinkled, right now.”
“It’s ridiculous. When did I ever say something like that?”
“Then you won’t throw me away? Do you promise?”
“I won’t...”
Erdene finally realized that she had been helplessly caught up in Arkan’s shallow trick... She was so shocked that she almost laughed.
She crossed her arms and looked up at Arkan with a challenging expression.
“So if you don’t want to be abandoned by me, do your best.”
“I'm doing well now.”
“I want you to do even better. Now, straighten your posture and hold your bow. I’ll see how well you shoot.”
That was the situation.
While the training of the newly deployed knights and soldiers was heating up and producing results day by day... As the King, Arkan could not just sit still.
Although he had learned basic swordsmanship and tactics, by Erdene’s standards, it was nothing more than child’s play.
She wanted Arkan to learn something other than swordsmanship, and after a heated discussion—quite fiercely—they decided on the bow.
“I learned archery, too.”
Arkan grumbled and took a stance, not wanting to hurt his pride.
His stance was straight as he aimed for the target, but his fingers pulling the heavy bow could be seen trembling faintly.
Arkan said,
“Why is this so heavy?”
Erdene immediately replied,
“Because I made it in my own style. You should be able to shoot at that level. A bow with a short range isn’t very useful.”
“You’re not training me to be a first-class assassin, are you?”
“You really are talking too much. Just shoot quickly.”
You talk too much! Arkan tried to refute it, but Erdene didn’t give him a chance.
He had always lived among people who listened to him wholeheartedly...
It was only natural since no one dared to say, “You talk too much, Your Majesty.”
Arkan tightened his grip on the bow and fired an arrow at the target.
The arrow flew quickly on the wind and landed in the corner of the target with a “thud,” making Arkan frown.
Erdene said.
“But it did fly to the target. Well done.”
Arkan glanced at her from the moment he put a new arrow on the bow.
“Be honest.”
“No. You’ll be upset.”
“I won’t be upset, so, be honest. Otherwise, we won’t be able to practice.”
Well, if that’s what you want, Erdene thought.
“I can’t even guess where you were aiming when you shot. Did you aim for the forehead of the attendant standing next to the target? If so, I can tell you that it was a pity... If you were aiming for the center, Your Majesty, it would be better for you to run with the arrow and shoot it directly into the target.”
Arkan, who was about to pull the bow, looked at her again.
“That’s too honest!”
“Oh, what do you want me to do? This wasn’t very honest either!”
“What... No, no. It’s okay. I understand. I don’t think I need to be more honest. Just keep it that way.”
“That’s up to you.”
In other words, if he continued like this, he would criticize him more honestly, and Arkan pulled the bow once more, more tense than before.
The arrow flew quickly this time and was a little closer to the center than the first time he shot it... But it still landed in an absurd spot.
Arkan looked down at his bow in discontent.
“The string is too heavy, and it’s actually off-balance.”
“Practice for a hundred years so that it flies away when you pull it. It won’t be of any use on the battlefield.”
With that, Erdene took a step forward.
“Give it to me.”
Arkan handed her the bow. Erdene lightly put her fingertips into the rosin pouch and gently stroked the string as if caressing it.
Her eyes were serious as she took the arrow, and when she stood and raised her bow, the area beyond her shoulder seemed to shine brightly for a moment.
The string was pulled taut.
Erdene felt the direction of the wind brushing her cheek, eyelids, eyelashes, fingertips, wrist, and forearm.
At that very moment, when her entire body’s nerves were tense, she let go of the string, and the arrow cut through the air like a flexible and fast fish.
Boom!
There was a heavy sound as if someone were punching a sandbag.
The attendant standing far away waved a red triangular flag. It meant that he had hit the center.
Erdene lowered his bow and turned to Arkan.
“You shouldn’t use your elbows to pull the string. You should pull it with your shoulders and upper arms.”
“I know that too. It’s just that it’s hard to do.”
“You’ll get used to it if you practice.”
Then, she suddenly smiled mischievously.
“Just like I’ve gotten pretty used to reading your carefully selected poetry collection.”
Arkan looked at Erdene silently and then lightly grabbed both of her hands.
His gaze, silently looking down at the backs of her hands and fingertips, looked completely serious, unlike when he was grumbling.
“Why?”
“Just because your hands are nice.”
After saying that, Arkan lowered his head slightly and lightly kissed the backs of Erdene’s hands.
Erdene’s lips drew a smile as the warm, now familiar touch tickled her skin.
“It must be very different from the ideal hand you imagined when you were young.”
Arkan, who was playing with her fingers, laughed.
“That’s similar to what Plat said. I told Plat back then, but I don’t have an ideal type.”
“But you never thought you’d marry a woman with hands covered in scars like this, right?”
He nodded.
“Of course. But I never imagined I’d marry a woman with hands as soft as cream.”
Arkan glanced up and raised his right hand.
He caressed the scar under Erdene’s chin with the tip of his thumb.
He had already kissed that spot several times. With love and affection.
“I never thought I’d marry a woman with a scar under her chin, or a woman with a small mole behind her right ear. But the important thing is that I’ve already married someone like that. And...”
Erdene suddenly felt a tickle under her cheek. But she could bear it.
Whenever Arkan suddenly revealed his true feelings like this, she would sometimes react by saying, “It’s ticklish,” but that number has decreased significantly these days.
Just as Arkan became accustomed to Erdene, Erdene also became accustomed to him. It all happened without her even realizing it.
Arkan trailed off for a moment and said,
“...And I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you anymore. I don’t even want to think about you... changing into someone else.”
Erdene didn’t answer. She just stared at Arkan with silent, quiet eyes.
He wondered what she was thinking... Arkan gently caressed Erdene’s cheek and tilted his head.
“Is it strange?”
When he asked, Erdene smiled again.
“No, Your Majesty. Is it strange? I’m happy.”
“You're happy? Really?”
Arkan, who had been blinking, pulled Erdene closer and hugged her.
Erdene did not resist and leaned into his arms, but did not forget to say a playful word.
“Your Majesty, there are more than a few eyes watching here. According to the etiquette of the Vetor, isn’t this something that should be condemned?”
“I’m telling you to just throw it away. Speaking of which, I’ll have to say something soon when I gather all these nobles who only talk about etiquette and such. I keep thinking about what happened to the Marchioness last time.” “
Well, if that’s the case, I welcome it anytime. And...”
Erdene raised her head and her lips were about to lightly touch Arcan’s chin at that moment.
Plat, who had been running towards them in a hurry as if something urgent had come up, staggered and stopped in his tracks.
In broad daylight, outside in the open, he saw the King and Queen clinging to each other... Plat only blushed slightly and had no intention of nagging them. Even if he had been planning to nag them, there was something more urgent right now.
“Your Majesty, I have a report that the court painter has finished the portrait.”
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