Ivan gestured toward the skewers, each containing four or five chicken thighs, grilled and seasoned. Amelia stared at him with a puzzled expression.
"Why?"
“Do you still remember that?”
It was a long time ago that she mentioned things like chicken skewers and the streets. That was back when she was trapped in the temple and trying to ask Ivan for help. So she never thought Ivan would remember.
“It’s hard not to remember the conversation about wanting to try common street food.”
But Ivan simply responded with an attitude that suggested it might be more strange not to remember. It was as if he'd forgotten that he was something different from ordinary people. It wasn't like Ivan. Amelia considered this for a moment, but quickly shook it out of her mind.
“It tastes bitter...”
The sweet and salty flavor of the chicken skewers was a delight. Amelia devoured two in a flash, forgetting she'd already had dinner. Only then did she take a sip of beer, as if to cleanse her palate. The taste was so unpleasant that the corners of her mouth sagged. Apparently, she'd been looking forward to the beer since the chicken skewers were so good, but her disappointment was palpable.
“It’s a common drink for commoners.”
While it wasn't of the highest quality, its low price made it easy to mass-produce and sell, making it a convenient option for the common people to enjoy. Hearing this, Amelia, with a determined expression on her face, raised her glass several times, sipping the drink.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to drink it.”
Ivan said there was no need to empty his glass, but he said that the taste seemed to be good from the middle of the glass onward.
“It’s really good.”
It's like being drunk.
“Everyone lives like this.”
Amelia finally drained one of her glasses. Resting her chin on her hands, she scanned her surroundings. People chatting quietly, people chattering noisily, and the bustling shopkeepers moving among them all seemed to be both curious and endearing.
“I think there’s a fight over there.”
Then, suddenly, Amelia's eyes lit up with interest. She noticed a couple of people arguing and swearing at each other in the corner.
“Ahaha.”
The atmosphere around them gradually grew colder as the tension grew tense, as if a fistfight were about to break out. Amidst this atmosphere, a bright laugh, seemingly oblivious to the situation, slipped through the cracks. It was Amelia. Naturally, all eyes turned to her.
“What are you laughing at?”
For no reason, a fight broke out between Ivan and Amelia. Ivan simply raised his eyebrows and lowered them. It was a silent expression of surprise at being suddenly singled out. Normally, he wouldn't have refused a fight that was initiated, but...
“My younger brother got drunk for the first time today, so please forgive him.”
Today, Ivan, instead of fighting, ended things with a heartless apology. Of course, it wasn't because he couldn't handle a single rascal. He simply didn't want to cause a commotion by starting a fight with Amelia and the others.
“Just take him out.”
Ivan paid the tavern owner for his meal and left with Amelia. The drunk, oblivious to his own intoxication, laughed heartily.
“I saw a performance here while passing by.”
“...”
“I also saw a snack that looked fluffy and soft.”
He then pointed to the central square and claimed to have seen it. He walked straight ahead and even described the snacks being sold on the street.
“Not now. What a shame.”
It seemed like it was a shame that he hadn't tried it.
“That’s next time.”
It was a common street snack. Something like that could be bought whenever the opportunity arose.
“The lights are all out. The village is quiet.”
“Because it’s late.”
Ivan easily soothed Amelia and wrapped his right hand around her waist. Knowing she wasn't watching, he acted without hesitation.
“So are you going back now?”
Amelia asked, her eyes wide. Her face, softened and looking up, completely free of any hint of wariness or suspicion, was quite adorable.
“No. There’s a place we need to stop by.”
It was like seeing Amelia Escliff, once imprisoned in the temple. She was especially at ease with him, leaning on him without hesitation. At the time, he thought it was a natural gesture, so it was particularly memorable.
"Where?"
“You’ll know when you go.”
Amelia nodded. She was dragged along, guided by Ivan. Ivan's face was clean, showing no sign of fear until he passed through a couple of large alleyways and then a smaller one.
“This is...”
Their steps finally reached a locked iron gate.
“Isn’t it a mansion?”
"That's right."
She seemed to think it was someone else's house, as if she was asking why he'd brought her here. Surely he was just trying to show her around someone else's house. Ivan chuckled for a moment, dumbfounded.
“Ivan, what if someone sees? Why are we here...?”
He opened the iron gate that marked the mansion's boundary and grabbed Amelia's wrist. Amelia braced herself, her face visibly flustered, and she held on.
“You have to see it.”
“...”
“Because this is the house you’ll live in later.”
He didn't want to force her. Amelia's skin was so delicate that it was prone to leaving marks. So Ivan honestly revealed the mansion's identity. Then, all the strength drained from Amelia's body. Ivan's tug forced her small feet over the iron door's ledge.
“I’m going to live here?”
The moment her feet finally crossed the mansion's boundary, Amelia gazed up at the building, which must have easily been four or five times her height, with a look of wonder on her face. The pleasantly clouded intoxication had completely dissipated from her face.
Ivan dismissed the moment as a simple surprise. A normal person would be shocked if suddenly offered a mansion in the capital. Everyone longs for fortune and luck, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be taken aback by the sudden gift of wealth.
“It was originally intended to be a gift for your birthday, so the internal repairs haven’t been done yet.”
Ivan naturally led Amelia into the mansion. Since Ivan had told them he would be visiting today, the mansion was open.
“There is a separate annex for the resident servants to stay in, so this is for your use only.”
The door to the first floor opened with a creaking sound. A narrow passageway led to a spacious lobby. The furniture seemed to be completely replaced, as if it were completely bare, making it seem even more spacious.
“Go up and see.”
Amelia glanced around with a blank expression before slowly ascending the central staircase. Ivan followed behind her, recalling his conversation with Lure Chandler.
“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.”
It is said that in an ancient book kept as a top secret by the Durum royal family, there was a story about people with an appearance completely different from that of the Escliffs.
“He said he could never open the sea.”
And the Duke of Russell, whom Lure Chandler had first visited, had clearly said so. While trying to figure out why, Ivan recalled the letter Amelia had given him. Amelia, who had first settled in this land, had been swept ashore along with others on a wrecked ship.
If that's the case, then perhaps the New World is home to people like Amelia. That's what she had in mind.
“I will support you.”
"Your Majesty!"
“Instead, be quiet. Try your best to keep people from knowing you’re leaving.”
So, impulsively, he said he would support Lure Chandler. He didn't care if Rodan was surprised by his sudden announcement. It would be a real gift to Amelia.
“Rodan. Open the door to the mansion.”
The thought that he could show her the mansion at any time made him act hastily. He still remembered the hazy look on Leo's face when he heard Jane had liked the gift he had sent. He hadn't personally chosen Jane's gift, but seeing her face made him want to put something in Amelia's hand, too.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
After exploring the bedrooms on the second floor, they reached the third. Through the sky-facing window, they saw a night sky as clear as ink and twinkling stars. Moonlight and starlight filtered through the window, pouring down onto Amelia's head. It was like a painting. Watching this scene, Ivan felt quite pleased.
“Because I wanted to do that.”
“When work is done, I have to disappear, right?”
“...”
“That was our promise.”
Perhaps it was because it was so late at night, and everyone was asleep, but even Amelia's soft mutterings were clearly audible.
"No."
Ivan denied the words as he looked at Amelia, who was looking back at him with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
“You won’t die.”
“...”
"I won't let you die like the woman in that letter, being used. Because that's what I've decided to do."
“...”
"At the celebration, you tried to kill me, but couldn't bring yourself to do it, so you pretended to fail. Confess in front of everyone that you were ordered to do it by Duke Russell and the High Priest, and just hand over the evidence. I'll take care of everything else."
And he promised Amelia peace and happiness in the future.
"...Yes."
Amelia then smiled sadly. She also thanked Ivan. Then, as if she had never felt uneasy, she looked around the mansion with excitement.
“Ivan, my legs hurt so much I don’t think I can walk.”
“...”
“Can you carry me?”
But maybe because he had been looking around too hard, he said he was too tired and didn't want to walk this time.
"Yes."
What could be so difficult about carrying that skinny body? Even after giving birth to Ian, the only thing she had gained was her breasts. And since he'd dragged her here, he felt a certain amount of responsibility. Ivan meekly turned his back to Amelia.
Amelia was carried on Ivan's back, her face buried in her arms wrapped around his neck. She must have been so tired that on the way back to the palace, her breathing was all he could hear.
"Why?"
“Do you still remember that?”
It was a long time ago that she mentioned things like chicken skewers and the streets. That was back when she was trapped in the temple and trying to ask Ivan for help. So she never thought Ivan would remember.
“It’s hard not to remember the conversation about wanting to try common street food.”
But Ivan simply responded with an attitude that suggested it might be more strange not to remember. It was as if he'd forgotten that he was something different from ordinary people. It wasn't like Ivan. Amelia considered this for a moment, but quickly shook it out of her mind.
“It tastes bitter...”
The sweet and salty flavor of the chicken skewers was a delight. Amelia devoured two in a flash, forgetting she'd already had dinner. Only then did she take a sip of beer, as if to cleanse her palate. The taste was so unpleasant that the corners of her mouth sagged. Apparently, she'd been looking forward to the beer since the chicken skewers were so good, but her disappointment was palpable.
“It’s a common drink for commoners.”
While it wasn't of the highest quality, its low price made it easy to mass-produce and sell, making it a convenient option for the common people to enjoy. Hearing this, Amelia, with a determined expression on her face, raised her glass several times, sipping the drink.
“If you don’t like it, you don’t have to drink it.”
Ivan said there was no need to empty his glass, but he said that the taste seemed to be good from the middle of the glass onward.
“It’s really good.”
It's like being drunk.
“Everyone lives like this.”
Amelia finally drained one of her glasses. Resting her chin on her hands, she scanned her surroundings. People chatting quietly, people chattering noisily, and the bustling shopkeepers moving among them all seemed to be both curious and endearing.
“I think there’s a fight over there.”
Then, suddenly, Amelia's eyes lit up with interest. She noticed a couple of people arguing and swearing at each other in the corner.
“Ahaha.”
The atmosphere around them gradually grew colder as the tension grew tense, as if a fistfight were about to break out. Amidst this atmosphere, a bright laugh, seemingly oblivious to the situation, slipped through the cracks. It was Amelia. Naturally, all eyes turned to her.
“What are you laughing at?”
For no reason, a fight broke out between Ivan and Amelia. Ivan simply raised his eyebrows and lowered them. It was a silent expression of surprise at being suddenly singled out. Normally, he wouldn't have refused a fight that was initiated, but...
“My younger brother got drunk for the first time today, so please forgive him.”
Today, Ivan, instead of fighting, ended things with a heartless apology. Of course, it wasn't because he couldn't handle a single rascal. He simply didn't want to cause a commotion by starting a fight with Amelia and the others.
“Just take him out.”
Ivan paid the tavern owner for his meal and left with Amelia. The drunk, oblivious to his own intoxication, laughed heartily.
“I saw a performance here while passing by.”
“...”
“I also saw a snack that looked fluffy and soft.”
He then pointed to the central square and claimed to have seen it. He walked straight ahead and even described the snacks being sold on the street.
“Not now. What a shame.”
It seemed like it was a shame that he hadn't tried it.
“That’s next time.”
It was a common street snack. Something like that could be bought whenever the opportunity arose.
“The lights are all out. The village is quiet.”
“Because it’s late.”
Ivan easily soothed Amelia and wrapped his right hand around her waist. Knowing she wasn't watching, he acted without hesitation.
“So are you going back now?”
Amelia asked, her eyes wide. Her face, softened and looking up, completely free of any hint of wariness or suspicion, was quite adorable.
“No. There’s a place we need to stop by.”
It was like seeing Amelia Escliff, once imprisoned in the temple. She was especially at ease with him, leaning on him without hesitation. At the time, he thought it was a natural gesture, so it was particularly memorable.
"Where?"
“You’ll know when you go.”
Amelia nodded. She was dragged along, guided by Ivan. Ivan's face was clean, showing no sign of fear until he passed through a couple of large alleyways and then a smaller one.
“This is...”
Their steps finally reached a locked iron gate.
“Isn’t it a mansion?”
"That's right."
She seemed to think it was someone else's house, as if she was asking why he'd brought her here. Surely he was just trying to show her around someone else's house. Ivan chuckled for a moment, dumbfounded.
“Ivan, what if someone sees? Why are we here...?”
He opened the iron gate that marked the mansion's boundary and grabbed Amelia's wrist. Amelia braced herself, her face visibly flustered, and she held on.
“You have to see it.”
“...”
“Because this is the house you’ll live in later.”
He didn't want to force her. Amelia's skin was so delicate that it was prone to leaving marks. So Ivan honestly revealed the mansion's identity. Then, all the strength drained from Amelia's body. Ivan's tug forced her small feet over the iron door's ledge.
“I’m going to live here?”
The moment her feet finally crossed the mansion's boundary, Amelia gazed up at the building, which must have easily been four or five times her height, with a look of wonder on her face. The pleasantly clouded intoxication had completely dissipated from her face.
Ivan dismissed the moment as a simple surprise. A normal person would be shocked if suddenly offered a mansion in the capital. Everyone longs for fortune and luck, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't be taken aback by the sudden gift of wealth.
“It was originally intended to be a gift for your birthday, so the internal repairs haven’t been done yet.”
Ivan naturally led Amelia into the mansion. Since Ivan had told them he would be visiting today, the mansion was open.
“There is a separate annex for the resident servants to stay in, so this is for your use only.”
The door to the first floor opened with a creaking sound. A narrow passageway led to a spacious lobby. The furniture seemed to be completely replaced, as if it were completely bare, making it seem even more spacious.
“Go up and see.”
Amelia glanced around with a blank expression before slowly ascending the central staircase. Ivan followed behind her, recalling his conversation with Lure Chandler.
“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.”
It is said that in an ancient book kept as a top secret by the Durum royal family, there was a story about people with an appearance completely different from that of the Escliffs.
“He said he could never open the sea.”
And the Duke of Russell, whom Lure Chandler had first visited, had clearly said so. While trying to figure out why, Ivan recalled the letter Amelia had given him. Amelia, who had first settled in this land, had been swept ashore along with others on a wrecked ship.
If that's the case, then perhaps the New World is home to people like Amelia. That's what she had in mind.
“I will support you.”
"Your Majesty!"
“Instead, be quiet. Try your best to keep people from knowing you’re leaving.”
So, impulsively, he said he would support Lure Chandler. He didn't care if Rodan was surprised by his sudden announcement. It would be a real gift to Amelia.
“Rodan. Open the door to the mansion.”
The thought that he could show her the mansion at any time made him act hastily. He still remembered the hazy look on Leo's face when he heard Jane had liked the gift he had sent. He hadn't personally chosen Jane's gift, but seeing her face made him want to put something in Amelia's hand, too.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
After exploring the bedrooms on the second floor, they reached the third. Through the sky-facing window, they saw a night sky as clear as ink and twinkling stars. Moonlight and starlight filtered through the window, pouring down onto Amelia's head. It was like a painting. Watching this scene, Ivan felt quite pleased.
“Because I wanted to do that.”
“When work is done, I have to disappear, right?”
“...”
“That was our promise.”
Perhaps it was because it was so late at night, and everyone was asleep, but even Amelia's soft mutterings were clearly audible.
"No."
Ivan denied the words as he looked at Amelia, who was looking back at him with a face that looked like she was about to cry.
“You won’t die.”
“...”
"I won't let you die like the woman in that letter, being used. Because that's what I've decided to do."
“...”
"At the celebration, you tried to kill me, but couldn't bring yourself to do it, so you pretended to fail. Confess in front of everyone that you were ordered to do it by Duke Russell and the High Priest, and just hand over the evidence. I'll take care of everything else."
And he promised Amelia peace and happiness in the future.
"...Yes."
Amelia then smiled sadly. She also thanked Ivan. Then, as if she had never felt uneasy, she looked around the mansion with excitement.
“Ivan, my legs hurt so much I don’t think I can walk.”
“...”
“Can you carry me?”
But maybe because he had been looking around too hard, he said he was too tired and didn't want to walk this time.
"Yes."
What could be so difficult about carrying that skinny body? Even after giving birth to Ian, the only thing she had gained was her breasts. And since he'd dragged her here, he felt a certain amount of responsibility. Ivan meekly turned his back to Amelia.
Amelia was carried on Ivan's back, her face buried in her arms wrapped around his neck. She must have been so tired that on the way back to the palace, her breathing was all he could hear.
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