Chapter 35
Leto couldn’t hide his surprise.
“How long have you been here?”
“Since the beginning. When you said ‘damn it.’”
He rubbed his face in exasperation.
“If I had known, I wouldn’t have said that.”
“Did sothing happen with the guild master?”
“That bastard demanded an outrageous price for using the ‘Forest of the Wizards.’ That’s why the negotiation took so long.”
“Oh dear. Was the negotiation successful?”
“Barely. I thought he might strangle
halfway through.”
So there was another eting after the state council. It must have been exhausting. I had no idea where the eting took place.
He asked, clearly puzzled,
“But why are you here at this hour? And alone?”
“Believe it or not, I was out for a walk.”
“I’ve never seen anyone get stranded during a walk.”
He took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders. It slled fresh and clean.
“Why are you always lightly dressed when it rains?”
“I have no idea. Thank you.”
I pulled the collar of the coat tighter. I was cold, after all.
Our eyes t.
“……”
“……”
Awkward silence ensued. I looked away from him.
Of course, the events of last night ca to mind—the feel of his lips, his touch.
‘…It’s still embarrassing. That’s why I’ve been avoiding him.’
I glanced at him. He seed to be in a similar state.
Let’s get to the point.
“I heard the eting went well. There are rumors all over the palace.”
“Calling Farahm was very effective. The proposal was excellent too. It’s all thanks to you.”
“You’ll be busy from now on.”
“Tell
if you need anything. It’ll make things less hectic.”
Another silence.
Do we have to wait like this until Yuton returns? I actually have sothing to say to him.
I watched the falling raindrops and spoke,
“I overheard sothing the other day.”
“What?”
“That you wanted
to consider the palace as my ho.”
“…Have you developed a hobby of eavesdropping? Like now.”
He turned his head, looking embarrassed. His ears seed to turn pink.
“Thank you.”
“……”
“I know that Your Majesty is very considerate of .”
He looked at
silently. His face seed a bit red.
“Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“I haven’t really felt like I have a ho. But knowing soone is making an effort for
makes
feel like this place could be ho.”
“……”
“Of course, I still intend to divorce. Don’t get
wrong.”
He just stared at , showing no sign of disappointnt at the ntion of divorce.
“I don’t have no feelings for Your Majesty. I do feel a sense of camaraderie.”
I knew it sounded absurd after we had kissed. But I ant it.
“So, I wanted to say thank you. If I don’t say it now, I might never get the chance.”
“Camaraderie?”
He repeated the word, as if finding it interesting.
“Yes, camaraderie.”
A mysterious smile spread across his face. Why was he smiling?
Then a drop of water fell on Leto’s shoulder. It seed to have collected on a leaf. His shoulder and neck got wet.
“Hold on. There’s a handkerchief in the coat, right? Just a mont.”
I took the handkerchief from the coat’s pocket and gently dabbed his wet neck.
“Your Majesty always seems to get your shirt wet when it rains.”
It was a joke. He didn’t laugh.
“You did the sa in front of the chapel yesterday.”
“What?”
“It annoys
a lot when you touch
without knowing anything.”
It seed like he was about to say sothing serious. Just as I was about to pull my hand away, he grabbed it.
“If you knew what I was thinking at tis like this, you’d never talk about camaraderie.”
He leaned in again. Normally, I would have been flustered. But now I was a bit curious.
“What are you thinking?”
“I want to return what I received in front of the chapel. For starters.”
He ant he wanted to kiss .
“And since it’s raining, you can’t run away today.”
“You’re wicked.”
“I told you, I’m not a good person.”
“……”
“To be honest, I established the dical bureau for my own benefit.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I feel good when you’re happy.”
So it was for my sake. My feelings affect Leto too.
That was both romantic and direct. It suited Leto.
“How are you so sure I’ll be happy?”
“You’re happiest when you talk about dicine.”
I was genuinely surprised. Because it was true.
“How did you know?”
“How could I not? It’s written all over your face.”
“People say I’m expressionless. That they can’t read .”
Leto chuckled.
“Well, it must be visible only to .”
We heard footsteps approaching. Looking back, I saw Yuton running towards us.
Yuton’s eyes widened when he saw .
“Your Majesty the Empress? How did you…?”
“I got stranded.”
“Stranded?”
He looked puzzled. Then he seed to realize sothing.
“Oh, what should I do? I only brought one umbrella.”
“We can share it. Give it to .”
At Leto’s words, Yuton handed him the umbrella. Leto opened it forcefully.
“Let’s go.”
He put his arm around my shoulders. We stepped under the umbrella together. He glanced down at .
“You’re shivering. Are you sensitive to the cold?”
“Yes. I am.”
Actually, it wasn’t just that. The tension and excitent had hit
late.
We walked into the imperial palace. He escorted
to my bedroom.
“I’ll tell the attendants to bring you a warm drink. Drink it before you sleep.”
“Thank you. Have a good night.”
As he was leaving, a thought crossed my mind.
‘I’ve been in the imperial palace for over a month, haven’t I?’
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm?”
Leto turned around.
“I think it’s ti for
to move to the Empress’s Palace.”
“Ah. Right.”
“I should start moving.”
“No.”
He said firmly.
“What?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Just no.”
“At least give
a reason—”
“It’s under construction.”
“What kind of construction?”
“I can’t tell you. Anyway, no.”
What kind of stubbornness was this?
“It’s not like we won’t see each other if I move to the Empress’s Palace.”
“I know. But you need to stay in the imperial palace for now. You can move once the construction is done.”
What kind of construction requires this? Are they rebuilding it? This is absurd.
Leto spoke as if finalizing the matter.
“Access to the Empress’s Palace is also forbidden.”
“What the hell is going on?”
The high priest threw the paper aside. The imperial seal fluttered in the air.
Dante deftly caught it.
The content was simple. ‘The result of the ministers’ agreent on the proposal for the establishnt of the dical bureau.’
‘The imperial family is quite capable. How did they persuade the ministers?’
Dante’s gaze stopped at one part of the docunt.
“It seems they secretly created a cure for skin disease.”
“Yes. Who would have thought that the herbs taken from the ‘Forest of the Wizards’ would be the key ingredient.”
They had sent a spy to the imperial palace to find out about the herbs. But at so point, the herbs disappeared from the palace. And then Farahm appeared.
“Hah… Dante. This is no small matter.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t play dumb. If the dicine is created, people will rely on it instead of the gods. Then our privileges will disappear.”
“If people live longer, the period they donate will also increase.”
“Foolish talk.”
The high priest sneered.
“The healthy are reluctant to part with a penny, but the sick don’t mind spending everything.”
“Ah, I see.”
Dante smiled faintly.
‘In the end, they want to make money off people’s illnesses.’
It was an overwhelming greed.
The high priest quickly emptied his glass of liquor.
“The problem is Livia. She made the dicine and wrote the proposal.”
“She must have written it well. The ministers were convinced.”
“The emperor’s actions are impossible without the empress. They need to be separated as soon as possible.”
Dante tilted his head.
“How?”
“The emperor’s birthday banquet is coming soon. Contact the Este family. Tell them to attend no matter what.”
The emperor’s birthday banquet was a significant event, attended by all the nobles of the capital.
“Send the highest-quality dressmaker to the Este family.”
“Yes, Your Holiness.”
“Now, go.”
“Yes. I need to get to work.”
Dante turned to leave when the high priest called out,
“Dante.”
“Yes.”
“Have you heard the goddess’s voice recently?”
“…No. She’s been silent.”
“I see. If you hear her, let
know imdiately.”
“Of course.”
Dante left the high priest’s office. He looked around and then gagged.
“Ugh.”
It didn’t make him feel any better.
“Crazy old man. I can’t stand him more each day. Ha…”
Dante sat down in the corridor.
“…I’m getting tired of this life.”
It had been ten years since Dante joined the temple.
Dante was originally a vagrant. His innate divine power was just a nuisance. It didn’t bring him bread or soup.
Then the high priest found him. He had heard about Dante’s divine power. The high priest rescued Dante from the streets and gave him the surna Halson.
Dante felt he owed a debt.
He had been conveying the goddess’s voice to the high priest. The high priest then announced it to the world—floods, monster outbreaks in the north.
In return, Dante beca the chief priest. He had no interest in power. He just liked living idly.
But he had reached his limit. The high priest’s fraud and greed were unbearable.
‘Ten years is enough to repay a debt. I’ll leave the temple soon.’
He was confident he could escape without a trace. But one thing bothered him.
The goddess’s voice and Livia’s existence.
‘Elisana is not allowed? Does that an I should stop ril? But why did the goddess’s voice reach Empress Livia?’
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.
“Forget it. Who cares about the imperial family?”
Dante stood up. He walked down the corridor without hesitation.
Monts later, he paused.
That evening, when he rushed to the imperial palace after hearing the goddess’s scream…
‘I almost got killed by the emperor.’
The emperor, whom he had only heard of in rumors, was truly formidable.
Dante was usually shaless. But in front of the emperor, he had no choice but to bow his head.
When the emperor’s sword was at his chin, he felt it.
‘He wasn’t just trying to scare . He really intended to kill .’
What saved him was Empress Livia. She made up excuses that wouldn’t work.
She could have been hated for it.
The emperor didn’t lower his sword because he believed those excuses.
Please.
‘It was her words and gaze that swayed him.’
“Hmm…”
In any case, he owed Empress Livia.
Dante sighed.
“Ha… I’m weak to people who are kind to .”
It was a bit annoying, but his decision was made.
‘Still, I have to repay my debt.’
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