“What’s going on?”
Hetor, who had just returned from the martial arts training hall, asked Nancy, who was standing in front of his room.
At first, he thought she had come on an errand for Roxana. But then Nancy nodded at the door and said,
“Her Majesty the Empress is here.”
“What?”
He spoke with a tone of resentment. He seemed to be constantly bothered by the fact that my memories had been cut off from our first meeting and first night.
“If my memories only return when I touch Linel’s blood, then I don’t need my old ones to return. I’ll have more opportunities to be loved in the future, you know...”
I said, gently grabbing his left arm.
“You don’t know how much I loved you with all my heart.”
“If I knew?”
“If you knew, you wouldn’t have glared at me so fiercely in the Magic Tower’s room, madam.”
He caressed my cheek and wrinkled his nose.
“Oh, right. But you were too harsh on Bellos. Did you plan to rip Bellos’ face open like a door?”
“Oh. Of course. I was confident,”
He said firmly.
I looked at him with surprise.
He added, as if to prove he wasn’t joking.
Hetor, who had just returned from the martial arts training hall, asked Nancy, who was standing in front of his room.
At first, he thought she had come on an errand for Roxana. But then Nancy nodded at the door and said,
“Her Majesty the Empress is here.”
“What?”
She could have just called him to the Empress’s Palace as usual, but why had she come all the way to Melanie’s palace?
Hetor, suspecting something major had happened, quickly opened the door and entered the room.
“You’re here?”
Roxana was sitting on Hetor’s bed, as comfortable as in her own room.
“...What’s going on here?”
Judging by Roxana’s relaxed expression, it didn’t seem like something major had come of it.
“I wanted to come by. I had something to talk about, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Roxana ran her hand over the bedsheets, then closed her eyes seductively and smiled.
That’s the look she had whenever she asked for a favor.
"If you have something to say, come here and talk."
Hetor didn't go to bed, but walked straight to the tea table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Roxana stared at him for a moment.
Previously, he would have come to her, his eyes pleading for affection, his expression as if he would listen to anything, but something felt a little strange.
Before leaving the Duchy of Aklatto, ever since she secretly fed him an obedience potion, Hetor had always crouched flat at her feet like a loyal, obedient dog.
However, after moving to Melanie's quarters, Hetor seemed to have changed slightly.
She worried that the potion's effects had diminished or disappeared, but if that were the case, Hetor wouldn't have continued to follow her orders, so that wasn't likely.
She must have been feeling a petty jealousy after seeing how he treated Melanie at the spa yesterday, and she felt unnecessarily anxious.
Roxana dismissed it as such.
She got up from the bed and went over to the tea table where Hetor was sitting, facing him.
“The Galacos you released during the Continental Hunt and then recaptured. Where did you put them? Didn’t you say you sent them back to Tanya Island?”
Roxana asked with a serious expression.
“Why Galacos?”
Hetor asked, raising an eyebrow.
He was curious about Roxana’s intentions in suddenly bringing up Galacos.
“Emperor Adrian came to the Empress’s Palace earlier. He said there’s a Wyvern Lord in the Lapion Palace. Who do you think he is?”
Roxana told her what Emperor Adrian had told her.
“Really... He said the Wyvern Lord was the former Empress? Could it be that Emperor Adrian was mistaken?”
“No, I’m sure. If I hadn’t known that the Magic Tower Master was trying to take Zelda as his companion, I wouldn’t have believed him.”
“Is Emperor Adrian’s goal to spread this to the Southern Continent countries and eliminate the former Empress?”
“That’s true, but we’re also considering the possibility that the Pasha Empire or the Delroy Empire might not cooperate. It’s good to have a backup plan in advance.”
Roxana repeated what Emperor Adrian had said to her.
“That backup plan... is that releasing the Galacos to fight the Wyverns?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to use the Galacos to get rid of Zelda before the Wyverns interfere? It would be even better if we could take care of the troublemakers as well.”
Hetor, who had been watching the smile on Roxana’s face, slowly opened his mouth.
“So, you came to ask for the Galacos?”
“Exactly.”
It was a request, and Roxana seemed completely unconcerned with Hetor’s refusal.
“Where are the Galacos?”
Roxana asked, her chin resting on the table.
“The Galacos that devoured Duke Haymitch are being sent to the Principality of Aklatto for their custody.”
Roxana's expression hardened at the mention of her father's name.
Hetor continued, seeing Roxana's crumpled expression.
"The remaining Galakos are under management on Tanya Island."
"...I see."
"So Emperor Adrian is planning to release the Galacos before passing through the Valley of Death?"
"We'll have to discuss the details again, but that seems to be his intention."
Hetor's mind became complicated at Roxana's answer.
'The journey to the Pasha Empire will be more difficult than expected.'
If not careful, most of the people leaving for the Pasha Empire as a congratulatory delegation could fall prey to the Galacos.
Melanie would be no exception.
"I will meet with Emperor Adrian separately,"
Hetor said in a cautious voice.
First, he needed to accurately understand Emperor Adrian's plan.
"Of course. Galaco is a monster under your control."
At that moment, Hetor's room door swung open.
"Knock, knock, knock! What are you doing?"
It was Melanie.
She knocked verbally and opened the door wide, entering.
Seeing Nancy in front of Hetor's room, she knew Roxana was there.
So Melanie burst in unexpectedly.
It was a bit rude, but this was her palace, and Hetor was now her knight-errant, so she felt no hesitation.
However, as soon as the door opened, Roxana saw Melanie and reached out, placing her hand on Hetor's hand on the table.
"Your Majesty, I greet you. What brings you here without any news?"
Melanie's gaze was fixed on the two hands folded on the table.
"I have matters to discuss with your knight-errant. Melanie, what is your matter?"
Roxana replied calmly.
"Oh, I have matters to discuss with Hetor."
As Melanie touched her lips with her hand and spoke, Hetor's brows narrowed at the ominous expression.
"What do you mean, something I have to do?"
Roxana asked, glancing back and forth between them.
Hetor, suspecting something major had happened, quickly opened the door and entered the room.
“You’re here?”
Roxana was sitting on Hetor’s bed, as comfortable as in her own room.
“...What’s going on here?”
Judging by Roxana’s relaxed expression, it didn’t seem like something major had come of it.
“I wanted to come by. I had something to talk about, so I thought I’d drop by.”
Roxana ran her hand over the bedsheets, then closed her eyes seductively and smiled.
That’s the look she had whenever she asked for a favor.
"If you have something to say, come here and talk."
Hetor didn't go to bed, but walked straight to the tea table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
Roxana stared at him for a moment.
Previously, he would have come to her, his eyes pleading for affection, his expression as if he would listen to anything, but something felt a little strange.
Before leaving the Duchy of Aklatto, ever since she secretly fed him an obedience potion, Hetor had always crouched flat at her feet like a loyal, obedient dog.
However, after moving to Melanie's quarters, Hetor seemed to have changed slightly.
She worried that the potion's effects had diminished or disappeared, but if that were the case, Hetor wouldn't have continued to follow her orders, so that wasn't likely.
She must have been feeling a petty jealousy after seeing how he treated Melanie at the spa yesterday, and she felt unnecessarily anxious.
Roxana dismissed it as such.
She got up from the bed and went over to the tea table where Hetor was sitting, facing him.
“The Galacos you released during the Continental Hunt and then recaptured. Where did you put them? Didn’t you say you sent them back to Tanya Island?”
Roxana asked with a serious expression.
“Why Galacos?”
Hetor asked, raising an eyebrow.
He was curious about Roxana’s intentions in suddenly bringing up Galacos.
“Emperor Adrian came to the Empress’s Palace earlier. He said there’s a Wyvern Lord in the Lapion Palace. Who do you think he is?”
Roxana told her what Emperor Adrian had told her.
“Really... He said the Wyvern Lord was the former Empress? Could it be that Emperor Adrian was mistaken?”
“No, I’m sure. If I hadn’t known that the Magic Tower Master was trying to take Zelda as his companion, I wouldn’t have believed him.”
“Is Emperor Adrian’s goal to spread this to the Southern Continent countries and eliminate the former Empress?”
“That’s true, but we’re also considering the possibility that the Pasha Empire or the Delroy Empire might not cooperate. It’s good to have a backup plan in advance.”
Roxana repeated what Emperor Adrian had said to her.
“That backup plan... is that releasing the Galacos to fight the Wyverns?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to use the Galacos to get rid of Zelda before the Wyverns interfere? It would be even better if we could take care of the troublemakers as well.”
Hetor, who had been watching the smile on Roxana’s face, slowly opened his mouth.
“So, you came to ask for the Galacos?”
“Exactly.”
It was a request, and Roxana seemed completely unconcerned with Hetor’s refusal.
“Where are the Galacos?”
Roxana asked, her chin resting on the table.
“The Galacos that devoured Duke Haymitch are being sent to the Principality of Aklatto for their custody.”
Roxana's expression hardened at the mention of her father's name.
Hetor continued, seeing Roxana's crumpled expression.
"The remaining Galakos are under management on Tanya Island."
"...I see."
"So Emperor Adrian is planning to release the Galacos before passing through the Valley of Death?"
"We'll have to discuss the details again, but that seems to be his intention."
Hetor's mind became complicated at Roxana's answer.
'The journey to the Pasha Empire will be more difficult than expected.'
If not careful, most of the people leaving for the Pasha Empire as a congratulatory delegation could fall prey to the Galacos.
Melanie would be no exception.
"I will meet with Emperor Adrian separately,"
Hetor said in a cautious voice.
First, he needed to accurately understand Emperor Adrian's plan.
"Of course. Galaco is a monster under your control."
At that moment, Hetor's room door swung open.
"Knock, knock, knock! What are you doing?"
It was Melanie.
She knocked verbally and opened the door wide, entering.
Seeing Nancy in front of Hetor's room, she knew Roxana was there.
So Melanie burst in unexpectedly.
It was a bit rude, but this was her palace, and Hetor was now her knight-errant, so she felt no hesitation.
However, as soon as the door opened, Roxana saw Melanie and reached out, placing her hand on Hetor's hand on the table.
"Your Majesty, I greet you. What brings you here without any news?"
Melanie's gaze was fixed on the two hands folded on the table.
"I have matters to discuss with your knight-errant. Melanie, what is your matter?"
Roxana replied calmly.
"Oh, I have matters to discuss with Hetor."
As Melanie touched her lips with her hand and spoke, Hetor's brows narrowed at the ominous expression.
"What do you mean, something I have to do?"
Roxana asked, glancing back and forth between them.
***
I returned to the quarters with Linel in the carriage. As soon as I stepped out, he suddenly picked me up.
"What's wrong?"
"I have no choice but to hurry to the bedroom. It's urgent."
"...It's not that urgent. Please let me down."
I whispered to him, mindful of the guards standing in front of the quarters.
They stood expressionlessly, as if they hadn't heard anything, but their eyes were trembling violently at the Emperor's words, which stimulated their imagination.
"If you're embarrassed, pretend to be asleep. Your eyes must be burning from all that glaring in the carriage."
Linel whispered, kissing my eyelids.
The fatigue seemed to vanish as his cold lips touched my eyes.
I let my legs, which had been struggling to get off, fall limply and closed my eyes in defeat.
As I passed the stairs and hallway leading to the bedroom, I heard the servants greeting me, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor."
"What's wrong?"
"I have no choice but to hurry to the bedroom. It's urgent."
"...It's not that urgent. Please let me down."
I whispered to him, mindful of the guards standing in front of the quarters.
They stood expressionlessly, as if they hadn't heard anything, but their eyes were trembling violently at the Emperor's words, which stimulated their imagination.
"If you're embarrassed, pretend to be asleep. Your eyes must be burning from all that glaring in the carriage."
Linel whispered, kissing my eyelids.
The fatigue seemed to vanish as his cold lips touched my eyes.
I let my legs, which had been struggling to get off, fall limply and closed my eyes in defeat.
As I passed the stairs and hallway leading to the bedroom, I heard the servants greeting me, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor."
I vividly pictured their surprised expressions upon seeing me in his arms.
Sharon's invariable excuse, "Don't worry. She's asleep," followed.
I opened my eyes as I entered the bedroom.
His blue eyes, looking down at me, were the first thing I saw. Just seeing him looking at me felt refreshing.
Sharon's invariable excuse, "Don't worry. She's asleep," followed.
I opened my eyes as I entered the bedroom.
His blue eyes, looking down at me, were the first thing I saw. Just seeing him looking at me felt refreshing.
"I haven't seen many servants like you," he said, smiling as he pressed his lips to my forehead, telling me there was no need to feel embarrassed.
The fever in my forehead seemed to drop by more than a degree in an instant.
"Now, let me down. I need to wash first."
"I'll take you to the bathroom."
"It's okay. I'll wash up right away."
"Wash up with me. I'll wash you right back."
"!"
He headed straight for the bathroom. Once inside, he carefully placed me in the tub and took off his uniform jacket. The way he rolled up his shirt sleeves seemed almost solemn.
“It’s an honor that His Majesty the Emperor himself is taking the bath for me.”
I sat quietly in the bathtub, admiring the sinews on his arms, which twitched and writhed with presence as he poured water into the tub.
“Don’t worry, I’ll put one of your feet in before the water gets hot,”
He said, aggressively scooping cold water into the tub.
“I trust the words of the human ice.”
I laughed in response, and he chuckled in return. As the water in the tub reached my waist, the once-cold water began to slowly warm up.
“Linel, now!”
I exclaimed playfully, grabbing his thigh with both hands.
“Oh, right!”
He quickly followed suit, dipping one of his legs into the tub. Thanks to this, the water temperature remained comfortable, without rising too quickly. Linel filled the tub and sat down in front of me.
“Be careful not to get the water on your hands.”
I glared at his injured left hand and said,
"So what? We can just reapply the ointment."
"Still. The wound will reopen."
"If it opens and bleeds more, your memories might come back a little more."
He spoke with a tone of resentment. He seemed to be constantly bothered by the fact that my memories had been cut off from our first meeting and first night.
“If my memories only return when I touch Linel’s blood, then I don’t need my old ones to return. I’ll have more opportunities to be loved in the future, you know...”
I said, gently grabbing his left arm.
“You don’t know how much I loved you with all my heart.”
“If I knew?”
“If you knew, you wouldn’t have glared at me so fiercely in the Magic Tower’s room, madam.”
He caressed my cheek and wrinkled his nose.
“Oh, right. But you were too harsh on Bellos. Did you plan to rip Bellos’ face open like a door?”
“Oh. Of course. I was confident,”
He said firmly.
I looked at him with surprise.
He added, as if to prove he wasn’t joking.
“Somehow, he said that even when I hit him with my right hand, your face wouldn’t be pierced. And he had a protective spell on it...”
Linel grumbled, twirling his right hand, which had punched Bellos.
It was terrifying to imagine what would have happened to that face, which had maintained his youthful appearance for over 270 years, if Bellos hadn't placed a protective spell on me.
"I said I'd go to the Valley of Death."
"You should have stopped me. Or at least let me come with you."
"I arrived safely."
"It almost happened."
"Anyway, I confirmed I was a Wyvern Lord. If I hadn't confirmed it before leaving for the Pasha Empire, I would have been very anxious."
"Zelda, I don't care if you're a Wyvern Lord or not. What matters to me is... your safety."
He took my hand and placed it against his heart, which was pounding hard.
"You can't imagine how shocked I was. I guess it was because I didn't know."
"I know. You snuck in on your own?"
Linel grumbled, twirling his right hand, which had punched Bellos.
It was terrifying to imagine what would have happened to that face, which had maintained his youthful appearance for over 270 years, if Bellos hadn't placed a protective spell on me.
"I said I'd go to the Valley of Death."
"You should have stopped me. Or at least let me come with you."
"I arrived safely."
"It almost happened."
"Anyway, I confirmed I was a Wyvern Lord. If I hadn't confirmed it before leaving for the Pasha Empire, I would have been very anxious."
"Zelda, I don't care if you're a Wyvern Lord or not. What matters to me is... your safety."
He took my hand and placed it against his heart, which was pounding hard.
"You can't imagine how shocked I was. I guess it was because I didn't know."
"I know. You snuck in on your own?"
He said, deliberately smiling jokingly to calm his heart, which was racing worryingly fast.
It was also true.
"...Zelda."
He called my name as if scolding me.
I splashed water on him and added,
“And Your Majesty can’t even teleport. That’s why I went with Bellos.”
“... Ha.”
He narrowed his eyes and looked at me with a disapproving gaze.
His slightly pouty expression felt so unbelievably adorable that I wanted to grab his face and shower him with kisses right away.
“You should become a disciple of the Magic Tower Master, or something.”
He splashed water on my face, his expression clearly showing his displeasure.
“But isn’t my husband the only one who can cool me down?”
“It feels like my body is being used?”
“So... you don’t like it?”
I asked in a ticklish voice, tilting my head to the side.
Linel snorted and sighed, then jumped up from the bathtub and shouted,
“See, I don’t like it!”
“!”
It was also true.
"...Zelda."
He called my name as if scolding me.
I splashed water on him and added,
“And Your Majesty can’t even teleport. That’s why I went with Bellos.”
“... Ha.”
He narrowed his eyes and looked at me with a disapproving gaze.
His slightly pouty expression felt so unbelievably adorable that I wanted to grab his face and shower him with kisses right away.
“You should become a disciple of the Magic Tower Master, or something.”
He splashed water on my face, his expression clearly showing his displeasure.
“But isn’t my husband the only one who can cool me down?”
“It feels like my body is being used?”
“So... you don’t like it?”
I asked in a ticklish voice, tilting my head to the side.
Linel snorted and sighed, then jumped up from the bathtub and shouted,
“See, I don’t like it!”
“!”
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