Sunlight poured in and tickled her eyelids. Her eyes automatically opened due to the glare. She stretched out loud and groped to the side out of habit. As expected, there was none.
“Anyway. He’s sincere.”
She laughed for no reason. Looking at the strong sunlight, it seemed like it was already past noon. Unlike her, Leone, who didn’t sleep much, was clearly already up and starting his day.
“Let’s go look for your Majesty.”
She slowly got up. She was sleeping too much to make the excuse that she was tired from working hard every night. Since there was no one to nag her for oversleeping, she naturally became lazy. Even if she overslept, Leone never woke her up first. She quickly got up and left the room in her pajamas. If it had been a mansion in the Meto Mountains or an imperial palace, it would have been impossible, but it didn’t matter anymore. In this house, Leone and she. Because it was just the two of them. She opened the door, came out, and without hesitation, grabbed the door attached to the left wall.
‘Even if it’s not here, you can find it right away.’
Before Leone came down from the throne, they had prepared enough and overflowing funds. However, they did not want a big house or excessive luxury. To begin with, the two of them had no obsession with a big house, and neither did they have a desire for material goods. Although she was crazy about money when she was poor before, Leone eventually became rich and she had a lot of money saved up, so her obsession with money has faded. Of course, Leone wanted to do bigger, more, and better things for her, but she was against it.
‘Do not do that. It’s tiring to use people to manage a large mansion.’
‘But.’
‘And I want to spend time alone with you?’
Leone’s stubbornness was easily broken when he heard that they could only spend time together. For her, it was enough for just the two of them to live in a small house. So they built a two-story house on land that Leone had temporarily purchased while purchasing noble status for her. On the second floor, there was a study-like space where each person could relax and a bedroom. Although it was called a study, it was just a place they went into when each of them had something to do, and most of the time they stayed together, lounging around on the living room sofa or rug or going outside to get some sun. Coming down the stairs, there was a kitchen and a large living room on the first floor. If it was small, it was small; if it was large, it was a large house.
“Leone.”
She opened the door to Leone’s study. As soon as she opened it, she ran into Leone. She almost buried her face into his chest.
“Wow, I’m surprised.”
“I was leaving because I heard Trixie coming out of the room.”
“You still recognize me like a ghost.”
“If it were before, I would have noticed it as soon as you woke up.”
“But… really. I’m glad you’re become more dull.”
“Sometimes it’s a bit frustrating.”
“It’s better than constantly waking up because of noise.”
She reached out and touched his cheek. Leone slightly bowed his waist. Yes. Leone became more insensitive to sights and sounds than before. Two years passed until he ascended the throne, handled many matters in the imperial palace, and left. Afterwards he even stuck around for half a year until a provisional parliament was established in the capital. As he was in that crazy whirlpool, his sharp senses were likely to become dull.
“What did you do? If you have anything to do, come back in.”
It was a bit awkward to keep standing in the doorway, so she gently pushed his chest. Leone was easily pushed back.
“You have to write a reply.”
He, who had lost quite a bit of facial fat over the past two and a half years and was giving off a masculine look, blinked his eyes at her and answered in a gentle voice. She often thought that when she lost weight, her facial expression naturally became sharper, but when she made that expression, she still looked strangely pure.
“Reply?”
As she entered the door and approached his desk, she saw a torn envelope and what must have been a letter inside.
“…Is it really the Marquis of Levi again?”
“Huh.”
Indeed, when she checked the discarded envelope along with the letter knife, she found a familiar name written on it. The male protagonist of the original work and the loser of the North. He was an amazing person when she first met him. But now… He only seemed like a person struggling with work.
“It must be quite difficult. I can’t believe you contact someone who has already resigned so often…”
“He even became Prime Minister of Parliament not long ago. I guess he feels quite resentful.”
“He was chosen by vote, so why does he?”
“I was dragged down this path. This is it.”
“I’m sure he’ll do well. Did you read the article that said they have already started to overhaul the imperial laws? It was said that he received full support from the entire nation due to his performance since the provisional assembly period…”
Ever since Marquis Levi entered the Parliament due to Leone, he could not ignore the huge change. In the first place, he was a just man who only cared about the well-being of his people, so how sweet were Leone’s suggestions. Considering that in the original work, the Marquis tried to regain the throne because he was worried about the ruin of the empire and could not ignore his people, all of this was a predetermined procedure. The republican world that would come following the dissolution of the imperial family and the abolition of titles may not solve everything, but it would help improve the treatment of suffering commoners and exploited peasants. And actually, Marquis Levi did a good job.
“Hmm. Are you complimenting another man?”
Although it seemed expressionless at first glance, one of Leone’s eyebrows rose upward. She smiled and took his hand.
“Hey, why are you doing this? His Majesty the Emperor.”
“The Emperor has quit.”
Leone answered poutedly. He knew it was a joke. Leone and Marquis Levi were already very close while working together, and he also saw all the things Marquis Levi couldn’t do. The Marquis was meticulous and couldn’t ignore everything, to the point where you wonder if he was that hysterical in the original. He’s doing it right, though. Something… It’s like watching a genius professor say, ‘Why can’t I do this?’ Then, when she saw the Marquis and Leone holding each other by the collar after discussing all night because of a disagreement, she felt a little lost.
“No. That’s not it, Leone. You say your throne is next to mine. Then you are the Emperor.”
Anyway, she guessed there’s no reason to be jealous just because she gave a little compliment to a man she was in such a relationship with. She smiled round and continued her sentence. It was a charm of its own.
“…okay?”
Leone’s expressionless expression relaxed slightly. She didn’t miss that moment and hugged Leone’s waist tightly. She stepped into his warm embrace and looked up at him. She wondered how even this angle could look good.
“Huh. You sat down right next to me. I can’t even see the other man?”
Leone’s deadpan expression in real time as she looked down at her was so funny and cute that she couldn’t help but laugh.
“So you are my sire. It’s like my own majesty.”
“Ah.”
Leone seemed to remember something and spit out a single word, then nodded.
“Trixie is my master-”
“I said I didn’t like that, obviously. I’m not that perverted.”
When she thought that Leone was a puppy that didn’t know anything, she thought that he was playing around even though he was a human, so she didn’t bother to stop him from calling her ‘master’. Because there was no intention. However, when he called her that because every time he called her that name, her eyes burned, she felt so embarrassed by that name that she firmly stopped him.
“Why is that a pervert?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“I don’t know, master.”
And even if it wasn’t for that reason, Leone changed. In the past, she would have believed his innocent words, but… she didn’t believe it anymore.
“You’re laughing. You read ‘Five Thousand Shades of Gold’!”
“Ah, that. It sounded fun. The male protagonist looked similar to me.”
Leone had now become a truly sinister man.
“Why did Lou recommend that to you in the first place?!”
“I asked Lou what women thought about the title ‘master’ and she recommended-”
“I know. I told you. That subversive book really…”
“That book was interesting. It’s a bestseller, not a subversive book.”
“…Is that what everyone likes?”
“Trixie, no? Please read it.”
“No, I’ll just write a letter requesting that the book be taken out of print.”
“Why? At night, I will call you master.”
She was speechless for a moment. Leone looked up at her with those clear eyes and said, “Master,” and if the night continues for a long time… And she imagined it. It must have been a very different feeling from the previous nights, and although she may not be used to it, it felt a little appealing. And she was very resentful of herself.
“Trixie. I think you like it. Would you like me to lend you the book?”
“What, what, what are you talking about? It’s okay. Let’s go out and have breakfast!”
She was startled and took a step forward. Leone followed behind with a smile on his face. Because his strides were much wider, she quickly caught up. At the same time, Leone lightly hugged her from behind. Of course, since she was small, she fell into his arms.
“Come with me, master.”
“…You’re crazy.”
“It says this in the novel.”
“Ahh. I will burn that book.”
“Haha, okay. Let’s go down first.”
“How do you walk like this?”
At her words, Leone slightly pushed her and sent her forward. Even though there was such a difference in height, he didn’t put any effort into her at all. It seemed like skinship technology was improving day by day. They came down the stairs slowly, playfully chatting and tickling.
No one said anything. Because it was their own comfortable space.
“So what should we eat, master? Instead of eating, how about me?”
But as soon as they arrived in the kitchen, Leone’s teasing returned once again. She was really embarrassed in the morning.
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Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
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