Amelia slowly closed her eyes, but at some point she began to breathe evenly. Ivan looked down at her, resting his elbows on the bed and supporting his head.
"...”
His gaze was evenly directed at Amelia and the sleeping child. Ivan's shadow was clearly visible on the child's face, whose eyelids had fallen and hidden her pupils.
Fortunately.
It was certainly an advantage for the child that he did not resemble Amelia. He could somehow convince her that his eyes were dark brown. Based on his appearance alone, he could claim to be a common Escliffean. If the child had looked more like Amelia, the temple would have killed him anyway.
His heart is beating like this.
Ivan's eyes darkened even further. Beneath his palm, the child's heart was beating fast. This little thing is a person.
He felt strange. Ivan took his hand off the child's chest and stood up. It seemed like it was time to go back.
But Ivan couldn't leave right away. His gaze drifted helplessly toward the baby sleeping soundly on the bed. Before he could think of anything, he was just drawn to it.
The sunlight stretched long over the bed. Amelia, who had been sleeping languidly, barely opened her eyes to the sunlight tickling her eyes. This was the kind of day that had been repeated since she had entered the palace.
When it was time, Aaron or Louis would not come to visit her, saying they had to go to the prayer room, and she could just rest comfortably while being looked after by the maids. When she wanted to see Ian, she could go and see him without worry and spend time with him. Above all, at night, she could lie in bed with Ivan and chat about trivial things.
“...”
Suddenly, Amelia's hand felt the cold spot next to her. It was the spot where Ivan had been lying until dawn, but now no one knew that Ivan had been there.
“Are you awake?”
Amelia sat up, shook her head to deny the situation that was making her feel uncomfortable. Then she shook the rope to call someone. The maid who opened the door and came in immediately nodded.
“I will listen to your voice.”
Still, Amelia and Ivan's relationship was not discovered by anyone. The palace maids who started to take care of Amelia at close range were the same. They were all skilled servants appointed directly by the head maid, Mrs. Warner, but none of them noticed Amelia's deviation.
“What is Ian doing?”
When Amelia had just finished washing up and changing clothes, she casually asked the maid who was bringing in food.
“I heard he is sleeping now.”
The maid answered without a moment's hesitation. There were exactly three guests in the West Palace where guests were received. Of them, Ian was the one who received the most attention. He was still a baby and needed the most help. In addition, Amelia had found stability after entering the palace, and her bright smile was popular.
“He looks like His Majesty the Emperor.”
Maybe it was because he thought that was the face the Emperor would have when he smiled. Maybe it was because their hair colors were so similar, but Ian gave the impression that he looked particularly like Ivan.
“Don’t say such irreverent things. You’ll be in big trouble.”
But she couldn't dare go around saying such things. They were absolutely afraid of Ivan. It was natural.
In the palace, his expressions were almost threefold: expressionless, scornful, and contemptuous. He did not even let women near him. Those who dared to take the opportunity to try to loosen Ivan's tie were beaten and banished to the outer castle. And they never returned to the palace again. Ivan was as beautiful as a gorgeous flower, but he was too difficult a master to serve.
“Ah, then I guess I won’t be able to go see Ian....”
Amelia muttered in a somewhat sullen voice. Although she was freer than when she stayed in the temple, there were limits to what she could do in the palace. Many people tried to contact Amelia at this time, but they were all rejected by Ivan.
So, all Amelia could do inside the palace was kill time.
“If you’re bored with spending time, may I make a suggestion?”
The maid who was neatly tidying Amelia's hair asked a question cautiously. Amelia nodded without refusing.
“There is a library in the East Wing. Some areas are open to servants with permission, so there should be no problem for the Priestess to enter.”
It was a good idea. She could borrow a book and read it, or she could just read it at the library. It seemed like there was nothing better to do to kill time.
“Can you take me to the library?”
The maid nodded at Amelia's question. Then, after hastily finishing her preparations, she took the lead and started walking down the street.
Meanwhile, Amelia began to properly look around the gardens and passages of the West Palace for the first time. When she first came to the palace, she was out of her mind, and after that, she just didn't think about it. She just liked seeing Ian, and she was busy waiting for Ivan to come at night. That was all she had for life.
“The flowers have bloomed.”
“It’s almost summer. And I heard that the Empress Dowager really liked roses. So she planted a lot of roses here and there in the palace.”
Amelia walked along the path lined with large garden stones and glanced at the flowers that adorned the path. Despite Ivan’s apparent lack of interest in landscaping, the palace was very beautifully maintained. The pavilions located at the edge of the artificial pond and the sculptures that depicted the beauty of the human body were examples of this.
One-tenth custom, one-tenth the passion of the servants, and eight-tenths Ivan's indifference. That seemed to be how the palace worked.
Well, looking back, Ivan didn't seem to be that interested in anything. It's not that he's intentionally blocking people out, but he's just the type of person who doesn't care about anyone by nature. Maybe he's not even interested in his own heart.
“It's here.”
While she was thinking about that, the maid stopped walking and looked back. Amelia also stopped walking reflexively. Before she knew it, she had passed through the arched corridor and was standing in front of the library door.
“You just need to write your name on the visitor list.”
Amelia wrote her name on a blank sheet of paper and walked into the library. The musty smell of old paper books and the faint smell of dust permeated her nostrils.
“I’m going to go sightseeing alone, so take your time. Let’s meet in an hour or two.”
Amelia turned around and suggested. The maid nodded and left with a brisk pace. Without anyone following her, Amelia was free to wander around the library.
“...”
The first time shr felt something strange was when she suddenly realized that the library she was looking at was too quiet. Amelia, standing between the bookshelves, turned her head in all directions and looked around. There was no one. All she could see was a blur of dust floating in the air between the long sunlight that stretched inside.
Were there no people originally?
Amelia hesitantly lifted her foot to take a cautious step. The sound of footsteps was heard. Amelia tilted her head and looked at her feet, which were still in her shoes and had not yet stepped on the soles. The footsteps that had just been heard were not Amelia’s.
“Then who...”
Amelia put down the foot she was holding. At that moment, a long shadow stretched to the tip of Amelia’s shoe. Naturally, her gaze was drawn to it.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
It was Ivan. Amelia was about to call his name out of habit, but when she saw Ivan cover his mouth with his index finger, she hurriedly changed her title.
“Your Majesty, there is a book you wanted there... I see the Priestess.”
The librarian who was following him saw Amelia and hurriedly greeted her. Amelia returned the greeting with an awkward smile. Only then did he realize why the library had suddenly become quiet.
“What were you doing here?”
Amelia met his expressionless gaze and answered that she had been carefully looking for a place to pass the time and had ended up in the library.
“If you want, I can recommend some.”
Then Ivan added leisurely. If she were looking for a book to pass the time, he could recommend one. A book recommendation. Not a librarian, but the Emperor.
“Then I would like to ask you something.”
Amelia did not refuse. He may have been a difficult Emperor to others, but not to Amelia. He was a man who came at night and disappeared at dawn, but who opened his arms to her. Ian's father. That was the meaning Ivan had for Amelia.
“This is...”
Ivan pretended to think for a moment, then picked up a book and handed it to Amelia. At the same time, an embarrassed expression appeared on Amelia’s face. It was an emotion she could not hide. Of course, what Ivan handed her was a theology book. It was very mischievous of him to have handed her a book even though he knew Amelia would not be interested in such things.
“Your Majesty, I am not looking to study, I am just looking for a book to pass the time.”
"Ah."
When Amelia said openly that she wasn't interested in such things, Ivan let out a short exclamation as if it were a mistake.
“Then, geography?”
There's no way she'd be interested in that kind of thing.
Amelia frowned without realizing it. Ivan noticed it and quietly raised one corner of his mouth and smiled. It was a side of him that only Amelia could see because he had his back to everyone else.
“I guess I should leave book recommendations to the librarian.”
As Ivan spoke, he took back the theology book that Amelia was holding. It would have been enough to just hold the corner of the book, but his body temperature only went away after he grabbed the back of the hand that held the book.
As if he were trying to grab her hand.
Amelia held her empty hands together on her chest and traced the path he had disappeared along with her gaze. The back of her hand, which he had secretly held, felt hot and warm.
"...”
His gaze was evenly directed at Amelia and the sleeping child. Ivan's shadow was clearly visible on the child's face, whose eyelids had fallen and hidden her pupils.
Fortunately.
It was certainly an advantage for the child that he did not resemble Amelia. He could somehow convince her that his eyes were dark brown. Based on his appearance alone, he could claim to be a common Escliffean. If the child had looked more like Amelia, the temple would have killed him anyway.
His heart is beating like this.
Ivan's eyes darkened even further. Beneath his palm, the child's heart was beating fast. This little thing is a person.
He felt strange. Ivan took his hand off the child's chest and stood up. It seemed like it was time to go back.
But Ivan couldn't leave right away. His gaze drifted helplessly toward the baby sleeping soundly on the bed. Before he could think of anything, he was just drawn to it.
***
The sunlight stretched long over the bed. Amelia, who had been sleeping languidly, barely opened her eyes to the sunlight tickling her eyes. This was the kind of day that had been repeated since she had entered the palace.
When it was time, Aaron or Louis would not come to visit her, saying they had to go to the prayer room, and she could just rest comfortably while being looked after by the maids. When she wanted to see Ian, she could go and see him without worry and spend time with him. Above all, at night, she could lie in bed with Ivan and chat about trivial things.
“...”
Suddenly, Amelia's hand felt the cold spot next to her. It was the spot where Ivan had been lying until dawn, but now no one knew that Ivan had been there.
“Are you awake?”
Amelia sat up, shook her head to deny the situation that was making her feel uncomfortable. Then she shook the rope to call someone. The maid who opened the door and came in immediately nodded.
“I will listen to your voice.”
Still, Amelia and Ivan's relationship was not discovered by anyone. The palace maids who started to take care of Amelia at close range were the same. They were all skilled servants appointed directly by the head maid, Mrs. Warner, but none of them noticed Amelia's deviation.
“What is Ian doing?”
When Amelia had just finished washing up and changing clothes, she casually asked the maid who was bringing in food.
“I heard he is sleeping now.”
The maid answered without a moment's hesitation. There were exactly three guests in the West Palace where guests were received. Of them, Ian was the one who received the most attention. He was still a baby and needed the most help. In addition, Amelia had found stability after entering the palace, and her bright smile was popular.
“He looks like His Majesty the Emperor.”
Maybe it was because he thought that was the face the Emperor would have when he smiled. Maybe it was because their hair colors were so similar, but Ian gave the impression that he looked particularly like Ivan.
“Don’t say such irreverent things. You’ll be in big trouble.”
But she couldn't dare go around saying such things. They were absolutely afraid of Ivan. It was natural.
In the palace, his expressions were almost threefold: expressionless, scornful, and contemptuous. He did not even let women near him. Those who dared to take the opportunity to try to loosen Ivan's tie were beaten and banished to the outer castle. And they never returned to the palace again. Ivan was as beautiful as a gorgeous flower, but he was too difficult a master to serve.
“Ah, then I guess I won’t be able to go see Ian....”
Amelia muttered in a somewhat sullen voice. Although she was freer than when she stayed in the temple, there were limits to what she could do in the palace. Many people tried to contact Amelia at this time, but they were all rejected by Ivan.
So, all Amelia could do inside the palace was kill time.
“If you’re bored with spending time, may I make a suggestion?”
The maid who was neatly tidying Amelia's hair asked a question cautiously. Amelia nodded without refusing.
“There is a library in the East Wing. Some areas are open to servants with permission, so there should be no problem for the Priestess to enter.”
It was a good idea. She could borrow a book and read it, or she could just read it at the library. It seemed like there was nothing better to do to kill time.
“Can you take me to the library?”
The maid nodded at Amelia's question. Then, after hastily finishing her preparations, she took the lead and started walking down the street.
Meanwhile, Amelia began to properly look around the gardens and passages of the West Palace for the first time. When she first came to the palace, she was out of her mind, and after that, she just didn't think about it. She just liked seeing Ian, and she was busy waiting for Ivan to come at night. That was all she had for life.
“The flowers have bloomed.”
“It’s almost summer. And I heard that the Empress Dowager really liked roses. So she planted a lot of roses here and there in the palace.”
Amelia walked along the path lined with large garden stones and glanced at the flowers that adorned the path. Despite Ivan’s apparent lack of interest in landscaping, the palace was very beautifully maintained. The pavilions located at the edge of the artificial pond and the sculptures that depicted the beauty of the human body were examples of this.
One-tenth custom, one-tenth the passion of the servants, and eight-tenths Ivan's indifference. That seemed to be how the palace worked.
Well, looking back, Ivan didn't seem to be that interested in anything. It's not that he's intentionally blocking people out, but he's just the type of person who doesn't care about anyone by nature. Maybe he's not even interested in his own heart.
“It's here.”
While she was thinking about that, the maid stopped walking and looked back. Amelia also stopped walking reflexively. Before she knew it, she had passed through the arched corridor and was standing in front of the library door.
“You just need to write your name on the visitor list.”
Amelia wrote her name on a blank sheet of paper and walked into the library. The musty smell of old paper books and the faint smell of dust permeated her nostrils.
“I’m going to go sightseeing alone, so take your time. Let’s meet in an hour or two.”
Amelia turned around and suggested. The maid nodded and left with a brisk pace. Without anyone following her, Amelia was free to wander around the library.
“...”
The first time shr felt something strange was when she suddenly realized that the library she was looking at was too quiet. Amelia, standing between the bookshelves, turned her head in all directions and looked around. There was no one. All she could see was a blur of dust floating in the air between the long sunlight that stretched inside.
Were there no people originally?
Amelia hesitantly lifted her foot to take a cautious step. The sound of footsteps was heard. Amelia tilted her head and looked at her feet, which were still in her shoes and had not yet stepped on the soles. The footsteps that had just been heard were not Amelia’s.
“Then who...”
Amelia put down the foot she was holding. At that moment, a long shadow stretched to the tip of Amelia’s shoe. Naturally, her gaze was drawn to it.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor.”
It was Ivan. Amelia was about to call his name out of habit, but when she saw Ivan cover his mouth with his index finger, she hurriedly changed her title.
“Your Majesty, there is a book you wanted there... I see the Priestess.”
The librarian who was following him saw Amelia and hurriedly greeted her. Amelia returned the greeting with an awkward smile. Only then did he realize why the library had suddenly become quiet.
“What were you doing here?”
Amelia met his expressionless gaze and answered that she had been carefully looking for a place to pass the time and had ended up in the library.
“If you want, I can recommend some.”
Then Ivan added leisurely. If she were looking for a book to pass the time, he could recommend one. A book recommendation. Not a librarian, but the Emperor.
“Then I would like to ask you something.”
Amelia did not refuse. He may have been a difficult Emperor to others, but not to Amelia. He was a man who came at night and disappeared at dawn, but who opened his arms to her. Ian's father. That was the meaning Ivan had for Amelia.
“This is...”
Ivan pretended to think for a moment, then picked up a book and handed it to Amelia. At the same time, an embarrassed expression appeared on Amelia’s face. It was an emotion she could not hide. Of course, what Ivan handed her was a theology book. It was very mischievous of him to have handed her a book even though he knew Amelia would not be interested in such things.
“Your Majesty, I am not looking to study, I am just looking for a book to pass the time.”
"Ah."
When Amelia said openly that she wasn't interested in such things, Ivan let out a short exclamation as if it were a mistake.
“Then, geography?”
There's no way she'd be interested in that kind of thing.
Amelia frowned without realizing it. Ivan noticed it and quietly raised one corner of his mouth and smiled. It was a side of him that only Amelia could see because he had his back to everyone else.
“I guess I should leave book recommendations to the librarian.”
As Ivan spoke, he took back the theology book that Amelia was holding. It would have been enough to just hold the corner of the book, but his body temperature only went away after he grabbed the back of the hand that held the book.
As if he were trying to grab her hand.
Amelia held her empty hands together on her chest and traced the path he had disappeared along with her gaze. The back of her hand, which he had secretly held, felt hot and warm.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment