Even though the storm had passed, the residual heat still lingered in Ivan's bedroom. Amelia lay on top of Ivan, breathing slowly.
“I don’t want to come here anymore.”
And then she spoke as if to announce something. Ivan, who had been playing with her messy black hair with his fingers, turned his gaze to Amelia's face.
"Why?"
It was a short and simple question. The Emperor's bedroom wasn't open to the public, so Amelia's ignorance of its splendor was understandably puzzling.
“...The road back is long.”
It was difficult to simply say no. Amelia blurted out the excuses that came to her mind at that moment. After intercourse with him, she felt lethargic and didn't want to move, so it wasn't a lie.
“That’s for sure.”
Ivan agreed with that excuse. Even now, seeing Amelia stretched out on top of him, he felt he had no stamina.
“I’d rather go outside than come here.”
"What else could there be to do in Ivan's bedroom anyway?" The voice subtly criticized him.
“Have you ever been outside?”
“None, except when I went to give birth to Ian.”
Amelia answered blandly, yawning slightly. Ivan frowned slightly. Even then, she'd only been in a carriage, except for when she was locked in the castle, so it was difficult to say she'd seen the outside world. When they first met, she'd said she was curious about the outside world, but even now, everything felt like a first impression.
In retrospect, it was only natural. Even Ivan hadn't paid much attention to Amelia's lifestyle.
“I’m going to sleep for a bit, so later...”
While Ivan was lost in thought, Amelia finally gave in to the urge to sleep and closed her eyes. She was about to ask for something, but couldn't even finish it.
Ivan stared at Amelia's peacefully sleeping face. He couldn't wake her up, let alone touch her. He'd have to wake her anyway to send her back to her bedroom, so there was no need to disturb her brief slumber.
He just thought.
“...”
The fact that all of Amelia's hardships were based on the neglect of the Duke of Russell and Aaron, and Ivan's own indifference.
For nearly a week, Ivan confined himself to his bedroom, using the excuse of feeling unwell. Of course, he wasn't actually in bed, per se.
“The martial arts competition and horse racing are already over, right?”
Rodan, who had been checking his watch, raised his head at the question. It was only natural. Ivan was a man who only put up a huge prize and didn't care whether the event actually took place or not.
“Yes, it’s already over.”
But Rodan, who was no stranger to Ivan's sudden, unexpected actions, quickly became indifferent. Perhaps he was simply curious. That was the extent of his thoughts.
“Do you have any other external plans?”
“Since the founding of the nation has already been completed, Your Majesty has no need to worry about it.”
"Nothing?"
"Yes."
Rodan answered neatly, leaving no room for further questions.
“It is time for an audience with Lure Chandler.”
And naturally, the conversation changed. Of course, Ivan wasn't the kind of low-life who would take offense at Rodan over something like that, but with Ivan being so unpredictable these days, it was unpredictable.
“Who was that?”
Seeing as he couldn't even remember the name of the person he was supposed to meet with today, it seemed like his worries weren't just worries.
Ivan simply thought his name was rather grandiose. He stood up with a bashful expression. He couldn't admit him to his office, so he had to move to the reception room.
“Why did I accept his request for an audience?”
However, he was annoyed at himself for offering to meet him despite his annoyance. So he asked Rodan what his purpose was in wanting to see someone like Lure Chandler.
"Well."
Rodan answered in an ambiguous voice. It was Ivan who had made the decision, so how could he possibly know the answer? It might be considered irrelevant, but he knew it was the best Rodan could offer. Ivan paused at the door before entering the audience room.
“Ah, he was a New World Adventurer.”
Just as the knight reached for the doorknob, Rodan spoke, as if remembering something he had forgotten.
“Oh, that guy.”
Ivan sighed briefly. He remembered why he had wanted to see the person with that unfamiliar name and occupation.
“Lure Chandler meets the sun of Escliff.”
As the door opened and Ivan entered the audience room, Lure Chandler, who had been standing still, unable to sit or stand, suddenly raised his head. He then greeted Ivan with utmost respect.
“Sit down.”
Ivan, who was seated first, invited Lure Chandler to sit down. Lure Chandler obeyed Ivan's command with incredible speed. It seemed like he would kiss his feet right away if Ivan asked him to.
“So why did you say you really wanted to meet me?”
Because he had a desperate purpose. In fact, Lure Chandler wasn't a nobleman or anything, so he didn't have the right to a private audience with Ivan. Indeed, Lure Chandler's requests for an audience had already been rejected several times by Rodan.
But Lure Chandler didn't give up and came to Ivan. By then, it meant he really wanted something.
“It’s nothing else...”
“If it’s nothing serious, you’ll definitely have to pay the price for bothering me.”
Just as Lure Chandler opened his mouth, Ivan warned him. Lure Chandler, with a nervous expression, clutched the hat resting on his thigh.
“Please invest in me.”
And he made a desperate suggestion. Ivan stared silently at Lure Chandler's face for a moment. A trickle of sweat ran down his temple.
“If that’s all you have to say, get out now.”
Ivan gestured to the door and gave an order. Ivan was the Emperor. He had no reason to confront anyone over mere nonsense.
“Well, I’m not just asking you to invest.”
Lure Chandler opened his mouth urgently. Ivan stared at him with a blank expression. His eyes were dangling wildly, as if he had sensed the irritation directed at him.
“I discovered an ancient book from the Kingdom of Durum.”
“...”
“It seems to have been kept by the royal family. It says that if you go straight east of Escliff, there is a new continent, Your Majesty.”
The Kingdom of Durum was a predecessor to Escliff. The first Emperor of Escliff personally beheaded King Durum and crowned himself Emperor in that land. However, the Escliff royal family, being of different bloodlines from the Durum royal family, erased much of their history. The ancient books were likely one of them.
“If you give me two ships and money, I will bring the New World to Your Majesty’s feet.”
But when was that even possible? They don't even know who wrote it, or if it's true or not, so donating ships and money is just wasted money, isn't it?
"I think it would be best to go see the Duke of Russell. He's near the sea, so he might be interested."
Ivan singled out the Duke of Russell as an investor. If he was going to extort money, he wanted to make sure it was from the Duke of Russell, the man he hated most.
“I already came to see him, but I was rejected.”
Lure Chandler spoke in a sullen voice. It seemed he'd been repeatedly turned down by Ivan for an audience and had knocked on the door of the Russells' house several times. Any further conversation would be a waste of time. Ivan thought, grabbing the armrests of his chair to rise.
“He said he could never open the sea.”
“Then you should give up...”
Ivan, about to stand, paused. He could have simply refused, saying he didn't trust them, but he insisted he would never open the door.
“He can’t open the sea...”
What he said bothered him like a bean hidden under a smooth blanket.
“Your Majesty, I was wondering if I should tell you just in case.”
When Ivan didn't leave right away and seemed to be thinking about something, Lure Chandler immediately asked about the opportunity.
“The people living in that land are not only different from us in appearance, but they also adorn themselves with gold and silver and live in abundance.”
“Does it look different from us?”
Lure Chandler, who assumed Ivan's question would naturally be about "gold and silver" and "abundance," was momentarily taken aback. But he quickly concealed his confusion and nodded several times in response.
“This is the ancient book of the Durum Kingdom that I discovered.”
Then he took out the ancient book of the Kingdom of Durum that he had hidden deep in his bosom and handed it to Ivan.
Although their appearance and clothing are completely different, they, like the Escliffs, are a people brimming with excitement and passion. They love gold and silver, but because they are abundant in their land, they don't appreciate their value. Their affectionate nature makes them readily open to outsiders.
Ivan read the section Lure Chandler had marked several times, then stared blankly down at the map and the location of the New World inserted like a note.
“I don’t want to come here anymore.”
And then she spoke as if to announce something. Ivan, who had been playing with her messy black hair with his fingers, turned his gaze to Amelia's face.
"Why?"
It was a short and simple question. The Emperor's bedroom wasn't open to the public, so Amelia's ignorance of its splendor was understandably puzzling.
“...The road back is long.”
It was difficult to simply say no. Amelia blurted out the excuses that came to her mind at that moment. After intercourse with him, she felt lethargic and didn't want to move, so it wasn't a lie.
“That’s for sure.”
Ivan agreed with that excuse. Even now, seeing Amelia stretched out on top of him, he felt he had no stamina.
“I’d rather go outside than come here.”
"What else could there be to do in Ivan's bedroom anyway?" The voice subtly criticized him.
“Have you ever been outside?”
“None, except when I went to give birth to Ian.”
Amelia answered blandly, yawning slightly. Ivan frowned slightly. Even then, she'd only been in a carriage, except for when she was locked in the castle, so it was difficult to say she'd seen the outside world. When they first met, she'd said she was curious about the outside world, but even now, everything felt like a first impression.
In retrospect, it was only natural. Even Ivan hadn't paid much attention to Amelia's lifestyle.
“I’m going to sleep for a bit, so later...”
While Ivan was lost in thought, Amelia finally gave in to the urge to sleep and closed her eyes. She was about to ask for something, but couldn't even finish it.
Ivan stared at Amelia's peacefully sleeping face. He couldn't wake her up, let alone touch her. He'd have to wake her anyway to send her back to her bedroom, so there was no need to disturb her brief slumber.
He just thought.
“...”
The fact that all of Amelia's hardships were based on the neglect of the Duke of Russell and Aaron, and Ivan's own indifference.
***
For nearly a week, Ivan confined himself to his bedroom, using the excuse of feeling unwell. Of course, he wasn't actually in bed, per se.
“The martial arts competition and horse racing are already over, right?”
Rodan, who had been checking his watch, raised his head at the question. It was only natural. Ivan was a man who only put up a huge prize and didn't care whether the event actually took place or not.
“Yes, it’s already over.”
But Rodan, who was no stranger to Ivan's sudden, unexpected actions, quickly became indifferent. Perhaps he was simply curious. That was the extent of his thoughts.
“Do you have any other external plans?”
“Since the founding of the nation has already been completed, Your Majesty has no need to worry about it.”
"Nothing?"
"Yes."
Rodan answered neatly, leaving no room for further questions.
“It is time for an audience with Lure Chandler.”
And naturally, the conversation changed. Of course, Ivan wasn't the kind of low-life who would take offense at Rodan over something like that, but with Ivan being so unpredictable these days, it was unpredictable.
“Who was that?”
Seeing as he couldn't even remember the name of the person he was supposed to meet with today, it seemed like his worries weren't just worries.
Ivan simply thought his name was rather grandiose. He stood up with a bashful expression. He couldn't admit him to his office, so he had to move to the reception room.
“Why did I accept his request for an audience?”
However, he was annoyed at himself for offering to meet him despite his annoyance. So he asked Rodan what his purpose was in wanting to see someone like Lure Chandler.
"Well."
Rodan answered in an ambiguous voice. It was Ivan who had made the decision, so how could he possibly know the answer? It might be considered irrelevant, but he knew it was the best Rodan could offer. Ivan paused at the door before entering the audience room.
“Ah, he was a New World Adventurer.”
Just as the knight reached for the doorknob, Rodan spoke, as if remembering something he had forgotten.
“Oh, that guy.”
Ivan sighed briefly. He remembered why he had wanted to see the person with that unfamiliar name and occupation.
“Lure Chandler meets the sun of Escliff.”
As the door opened and Ivan entered the audience room, Lure Chandler, who had been standing still, unable to sit or stand, suddenly raised his head. He then greeted Ivan with utmost respect.
“Sit down.”
Ivan, who was seated first, invited Lure Chandler to sit down. Lure Chandler obeyed Ivan's command with incredible speed. It seemed like he would kiss his feet right away if Ivan asked him to.
“So why did you say you really wanted to meet me?”
Because he had a desperate purpose. In fact, Lure Chandler wasn't a nobleman or anything, so he didn't have the right to a private audience with Ivan. Indeed, Lure Chandler's requests for an audience had already been rejected several times by Rodan.
But Lure Chandler didn't give up and came to Ivan. By then, it meant he really wanted something.
“It’s nothing else...”
“If it’s nothing serious, you’ll definitely have to pay the price for bothering me.”
Just as Lure Chandler opened his mouth, Ivan warned him. Lure Chandler, with a nervous expression, clutched the hat resting on his thigh.
“Please invest in me.”
And he made a desperate suggestion. Ivan stared silently at Lure Chandler's face for a moment. A trickle of sweat ran down his temple.
“If that’s all you have to say, get out now.”
Ivan gestured to the door and gave an order. Ivan was the Emperor. He had no reason to confront anyone over mere nonsense.
“Well, I’m not just asking you to invest.”
Lure Chandler opened his mouth urgently. Ivan stared at him with a blank expression. His eyes were dangling wildly, as if he had sensed the irritation directed at him.
“I discovered an ancient book from the Kingdom of Durum.”
“...”
“It seems to have been kept by the royal family. It says that if you go straight east of Escliff, there is a new continent, Your Majesty.”
The Kingdom of Durum was a predecessor to Escliff. The first Emperor of Escliff personally beheaded King Durum and crowned himself Emperor in that land. However, the Escliff royal family, being of different bloodlines from the Durum royal family, erased much of their history. The ancient books were likely one of them.
“If you give me two ships and money, I will bring the New World to Your Majesty’s feet.”
But when was that even possible? They don't even know who wrote it, or if it's true or not, so donating ships and money is just wasted money, isn't it?
"I think it would be best to go see the Duke of Russell. He's near the sea, so he might be interested."
Ivan singled out the Duke of Russell as an investor. If he was going to extort money, he wanted to make sure it was from the Duke of Russell, the man he hated most.
“I already came to see him, but I was rejected.”
Lure Chandler spoke in a sullen voice. It seemed he'd been repeatedly turned down by Ivan for an audience and had knocked on the door of the Russells' house several times. Any further conversation would be a waste of time. Ivan thought, grabbing the armrests of his chair to rise.
“He said he could never open the sea.”
“Then you should give up...”
Ivan, about to stand, paused. He could have simply refused, saying he didn't trust them, but he insisted he would never open the door.
“He can’t open the sea...”
What he said bothered him like a bean hidden under a smooth blanket.
“Your Majesty, I was wondering if I should tell you just in case.”
When Ivan didn't leave right away and seemed to be thinking about something, Lure Chandler immediately asked about the opportunity.
“The people living in that land are not only different from us in appearance, but they also adorn themselves with gold and silver and live in abundance.”
“Does it look different from us?”
Lure Chandler, who assumed Ivan's question would naturally be about "gold and silver" and "abundance," was momentarily taken aback. But he quickly concealed his confusion and nodded several times in response.
“This is the ancient book of the Durum Kingdom that I discovered.”
Then he took out the ancient book of the Kingdom of Durum that he had hidden deep in his bosom and handed it to Ivan.
Although their appearance and clothing are completely different, they, like the Escliffs, are a people brimming with excitement and passion. They love gold and silver, but because they are abundant in their land, they don't appreciate their value. Their affectionate nature makes them readily open to outsiders.
Ivan read the section Lure Chandler had marked several times, then stared blankly down at the map and the location of the New World inserted like a note.
Comments
Post a Comment