NOVEL NEXT chapter 31
31 – Various Things at the Palace (4)
“Not bad. That’s enough here.”
The emperor nodded as he looked at the kneeling deputy commander.
The deputy commander’s expression was still firm, but there was a hint of regret and surprise.
There was a sense of embarrassment, but no sign of resentment towards Yu Si-hoo.
“Yes.”
The deputy commander bowed politely, even though he could taste bitterness in his mouth.
He couldn’t help but feel deceived, even though he didn’t know English at all.
Yu Si-hoo couldn’t find the right words to say, so he simply bowed his head in silence.
It was a gesture of respect towards the deputy commander.
The deputy commander steadied his trembling legs and stood up, slowly bowing his head.
“Well… You’ve worked hard. I, who know the deputy commander’s abilities better than anyone, know that it’s because the opponent used skills that have never been seen before.”
The emperor spoke cautiously, watching the deputy commander put the sword back in its sheath.
“Everyone must have seen it well. The deputy commander’s abilities were certainly not lacking. But because the opponent used abilities that have never been seen before, this happened.”
That’s true.
Even now, I couldn’t understand how I had been defeated.
I vaguely understood that he had used my trembling against me, but I didn’t know what happened next.
The emperor scanned through the knight order, nodded his head, then turned his gaze towards Yu Si-hoo who was wiping away his sweat.
Curiosity filled his eyes.
It was almost impossible to subdue a skilled person like the deputy commander without causing any injuries.
“This proves that he is a capable person without any shortcomings to warrant the wealth he receives. So, be more careful with your disrespectful remarks from now on. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The knights gathered in the training grounds answered solemnly, bowing their heads.
The thought of how strong the minority group could be had long since disappeared.
The vice-commander, who could be considered as strong as the commander himself, kneeled so weakly.
Of course, he was confident that he wouldn’t kneel so weakly if they were to duel later, but the result of his defeat was a harsh reality.
Furthermore, even if he was from an immigrant people that no one had ever heard of, one should not underestimate him.
Such was the emperor’s order, and there was no way to not adjust one’s mindset.
If it had been a real battle, his throat would have been cut without hesitation.
*Gulp.* While the knights swallowed their dry saliva, Yu Sihu quietly stepped out of his armor.
It was a very awkward atmosphere.
In Daelian, I thought I was really going to die wearing the real armor.
I understood the emperor’s words that training should have the tension of a real battle, but it was too much.
If I made a mistake, my flesh would have flown off in chunks, just by thinking of the last sword that the vice-commander had swung.
“You’ve been through a lot. Have a drink.”
“Yes… Thank you.”
I expressed my gratitude and received the wine that the emperor graciously poured, in a wine glass that one could commonly find.
The wine was too deep and complex, and it didn’t taste good to me. I heard that it was an expensive wine, but it didn’t seem much different from a wine that cost a little over ten thousand won.
It might be because they were just the emperor and I, sitting like this. I thought it might be similar to when you’re so tense that you don’t know if the food is going into your nose or your mouth.
“Shihu, I heard that you have a romantic relationship with my daughter… Is that true?”
*Gulp.*
After the emperor emptied a glass of wine with a cheerful look, he looked at me and asked.
Fortunately, his voice and expression didn’t show any signs of interrogation. It seemed that he was just worried as a parent with children or found it interesting.
“Yes. It’s not enough, but it happened.”
“Not enough. Just by looking at the ability you’ve shown, there was no lack at all.”
The emperor chuckled openly, praising me. I was grateful for the high evaluation, but I felt even more pressured.
“You’re too kind.”
“Humility. So, have you and Mari decided where you will live once you get married?”
“What?”
Marriage. Place of residence. Suddenly, an unexpected reality hit me and I felt extremely startled.
I realized that I had been too casually thinking of our relationship as just dating.
Mari had mentioned that she was considering marriage.
“I apologize, but I haven’t even thought about marriage yet.”
“Hmm…really? That’s odd. The way that child spoke, it seemed like everything was going well…was she lying?”
It seems like the emperor had this conversation with Mari as well.
The mumbling as if telling me to listen was one thing.
The expression of raising his eyebrows in doubt was another.
It was as if he was worrying that I might use Mari and then discard her.
“No, that’s not true. It’s true that we’re building a good relationship. It’s just that I haven’t thought about marriage yet. As Your Majesty knows, our cultures are different.”
“Ah, I see. My apologies. I forgot that you grew up in a different world as a man.”
The emperor seemed to have realized his mistake and lightly raised his hand to apologize.
“You don’t have to apologize. It’s just my lack of understanding.”
As I also bowed my head to apologize, the emperor grabbed my shoulders with his hands.
I felt a gentle touch as his hands did not exert much force.
“It’s not for you to apologize. Lift your head.”
“Yes.”
Following his command, I obediently lifted my head, and the emperor smirked as he looked at me.
As he released his hands from my shoulders, as if saying ‘when did that happen?’
“In that case, do you perhaps have any intention of marrying Mari? I personally don’t care if she judges by seeing other men, but I thought it would be nice if she found someone good while we’re meeting. Especially if it’s someone like you.”
It’s comfortable and enjoyable to have Mari by my side.
Above all, as someone who grew up with different values, I felt a strange attraction.
It wasn’t because Mari was from the noble family of a vast empire, but simply because Mari as a person was great.
Naturally, her appearance was also attractive.
What would it be like to marry Mari?
Unintentionally being caught up in thoughts about marriage, I momentarily fell silent.
Fortunately, the emperor, seemingly unaffected, poured himself another drink and passed the time.
“Apologies. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
After finishing my thoughts, I began by apologizing, starting with my head.
“It’s alright. You’ve clearly thought deeply, even in this short time.”
“Yes, I’ve thought hard with my limited intellect.”
“That’s good. Would you mind sharing your conclusion with me?”
As the Emperor pressed for an answer, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.
My previously reached conclusion wasn’t going to waver, but articulating it proved to be quite challenging. Nevertheless, I managed to find my voice.
“I would be happy if I could accept someone like Mari as my spouse.”
“Is that so? You’re not just saying that because you’re in front of me, are you? If not, then speak now. I can understand and forgive a lie.”
Perhaps he thought I was giving a flippant response, the Emperor looked at me sharply with keen eyes.
“No, it’s not a lie.”
However, since I had never intended to lie, I answered without hesitation.
The Emperor seemed to appreciate my response, and he smiled gently, releasing the sharpness in his gaze.
“I can feel your sincerity. Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you. You’ve allowed the Princess to marry an ordinary person.”
“Are you really an ordinary person?”
As the Emperor chuckled and waved his hand, I couldn’t help but crack a slight smile as well.
By sharing the same expression, we seemed to be aligning the atmosphere.
“Yes, it means that I know you’re not against the idea of our marriage, but my heart is also eager to celebrate it while we’re here…”
Just as casually as one might say, “Pull the trigger now,” he mentioned advancing the marriage between me and Mari.
The moment I heard those words, my mind involuntarily went blank, as it was such an unexpected proposition.
“Don’t be too nervous. Now that we know there’s mutual interest, even if the wedding gets postponed, will that be a significant issue?”
“Oh, yes…”
With a slightly bewildered expression, I nodded my head, and the Emperor chuckled.
“It seems you’re quite the typical man, after all, and you seem a bit timid.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“In any case, the marriage between you and the child should be postponed for now. Your opinions play the most significant role, and the current situation isn’t all that favorable.”
Tap, tap. The Emperor, with a deep, penetrating gaze, lightly tapped the table.
“The Emperor’s gaze was as piercing as his voice, which was also calm.
After calming my own heart, I asked.
The atmosphere seemed serious, to say the least.
“Is this about the Gate?”
“I see you’ve been well-informed. Yes, it’s about the Gate. The one that you and Mari crossed, and my husband as well. That’s the problem. We need to prepare.”
Will the calm crack he mentioned continue to stay calm?
And how will I respond when I discover that Gate in the world I live in? How will I prepare?
Everything the Emperor said was correct, and there was no room for argument.
“While you were absent, we discreetly made contact with Dacia for discussions. As a result, we’ve decided to establish a joint investigation headquarters at the location of the crack. If you were to infiltrate through the crack from the other side, wouldn’t it be most efficient to block the entrance?”
“You’re absolutely right.”
“Good. So… a little later, Matap and Dacia’s wizards will arrive. At that time, I hope you will assist them.”
Assist. I felt like I was being swept away by a current, unintentionally, but I couldn’t refuse. I needed to be prepared, at the very least.
“I understand.”
With that short response, all I could do was nod my head.”