“Listen, let’s go first for now.”
She said, trying to suppress her anxiety. Anyway, if someone had really come after them, it would have been dangerous to just stand outside like this.
“I can’t feel any presence anymore. I think he’s gone.”
“…gone?”
Leone and she entered the inn and closed the door tightly. As if it would act as a shield. The innkeeper had not yet returned to the counter.
“A small sign?”
“I don’t know what it is. It was just a very, very faint feeling.”
“Maybe he’s an assassin or something?”
“That’s strange.”
Leone frowned.
“I don’t know what it is. There was no living. I just felt like they were watching us closely… I went out to see him without realizing it, but he had already run away.”
“How…”
“Don’t worry. I don’t think it’s dangerous. There are a lot of living bastards, but none of them are big enough to actually kill me.”
“Hmm. That’s right.”
Although the old nobles were experts in rioting, they had never yet sent dangerous entities such as assassins. No matter how much they wanted to kill him, they knew that if there was a rumor that Leone, a famous person, died in a mysterious attack, suspicion would be focused on them. In fact, any normal person would be afraid of even the slightest involvement in murder. It’s just that the Archduke was crazy, but no noble would hire assassins like that. So, as Leone said, there was a high possibility that it was not dangerous. Even if they did send something, it was probably just an attempt to monitor trends.
Okay. It’s not really a big threat.
“I feel strange for no reason.”
Still, her startled heart continued to pound.
“It could be because it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced something like this, or it could be because I experienced something big in the past and was traumatized.”
“Uh?”
“Because there has been a time when the threat was significant.”
She realized that Leone was talking about his time with the Archduke. He smiled a little bitterly and held her hand tightly. The warmth that came as if a large hand was always comforting.
“It really disappeared. There was no sense of danger. So it’s okay, Trixie.”
Leone’s sense of danger was better than any human she had ever seen in my life.
‘Because Leone’s persimmons were grown in the wild.’
It’s not a danger that humans could pose, the wild…! They say a guy like that will be fine, but isn’t he something to worry about? She touched the hand of her trusty lover, who would soon become her husband. She felt like her heart calmed down a bit.
“Trixie, this… It tickles.”
“Hehe. Are you tickled?”
She touched the back of Leone’s hand and even tickled his palm. She was trying to play a prank so she could see him pull his hand away, saying it was tickling, but Leone suddenly stuck his head out to her.
“Do more.”
“Huh?”
“Tickling is also a type of sensation.”
“…huh?”
“It’s not a bad idea to start a night in a new place like this.”
“This guy must be crazy!”
“Trixie. Where is this big kid?”
“You’re crazy, you’re crazy!”
Without realizing it, she slapped the back of Leone’s hand. He smiled and took her hand tightly. Thanks to this, she could no longer hit the back of his hand. He kissed the hand he held. The sweet sound of lips touching flesh resonated strangely loudly, sending goosebumps down her spine.
“Ro-room. I’d like to ask for it separately.”
Although it was good, it was also embarrassing, so she couldn’t help but say nonsense. Even as she spoke, she thought, ‘What am I saying?’ Leone smiled obediently at those words and spoke sweetly.
“Even if you asked for it separately, it wouldn’t have any particular meaning.”
When he spoke so kindly, it felt more threatening. And with the atmosphere he gave off, anticipation began to swell in her heart. She felt a little excited. What… When Leone flirted playfully, he just acted like he’s been waiting for this.
“You’ve waited a long time! The room and bath are ready!”
As she was thinking for a long time, the innkeeper returned to the counter, shouting loudly. After a series of strange thoughts, she suddenly came to her senses, got up, and walked over to the counter. She thought she heard a clicking sound from behind. Leone followed behind her as she followed the innkeeper. He never took his eyes off her, and she liked that gaze. It was after she woke up after being abused by Leone all night that she realized that she had forgotten all the worries and tension that someone might harm her.
* * *
They left early in the morning and arrived at the mansion they were staying in in the capital around noon. Originally, she was going to sell it right away and move down, but Adler told her not to because he would manage it himself, so she left it there. She couldn’t refuse the request, saying that she would come often if she had a spare home.
“Welcome Leone, Trixie. Thank you for your hard work and long journey. I am Walter, the general manager.”
So, since she had contacted them in advance, she thought Adler would be there as soon as they arrived, but the only people standing in front of the mansion were the employees.
“Adler isn’t here?”
“I know.”
“Mr. Adler and his wife said they had some business to do during the day and that they would have dinner together. If you don’t mind, I’d like to host you at Wickingham Manor.”
“Ah… okay. Please tell them I understand.”
“Yes. I will send someone.”
Adler and Melody married not long after Leone came to the throne. As it was a marriage that had been postponed for a long time, the grandeur was extraordinary. And the mansion of Count Wickingham, Adler, became the nest where the two would spend their sweet married life.
“Bath water and meals are ready. What would you like to do first?”
“I’m really hungry, so I’ll eat first. I plan to go out after taking a bath.”
“Yes. All right.”
Leone and she were led by them, ate delicious food, took a bath, and received a brief report on the state of the mansion. Indeed, Adler’s management of the mansion was amazing. Even after being away for three months, it seemed to be in good condition. In fact, it seemed to be neater than when they stayed there. Was it because he had been working directly with employees for a long time? She thought that Leone and she would never be able to reach this level.
“I have a carriage waiting. Do you go out into the city?”
“Yes.”
From earlier, Walter, who was said to be the general manager, carried out all the work with a surprising amount of unnecessary fuss. The skill of calculating our arrival time and making them wait was amazing. Once again, she opened her mouth, admiring ‘Adler’s eye for people.’
“May I ask the name of your destination?”
She was amazed for a moment. When Walter asked her a question before getting into the carriage, her face became hot.
“Let’s go to the central square. Well, it’s a dressing room… hmm. Leone, there. Hmm. The name… What was it?”
She couldn’t open her mouth, so the gibberish words continued awkwardly.
‘I don’t want to say it with my mouth, even if I die…!’
“The Emperor’s Dressing Room.”
“Yeah, there. Well, the dressing room.”
She responded enthusiastically to Leone’s answer, leaving out the word ‘emperor.’ Walter nodded his head without any change in his expression.
“That dressing room is famous. Please come this way.”
Walter also did not mention the ‘Emperor’ of the ‘Emperor’s Clothing Room’. also. This name was something everyone was afraid to pronounce.
“Yes, yes.”
They had to go pick up the clothes they had tailored. The name was both embarrassing and majestic, ‘Emperor’s Clothing Room’. As soon as she got on the carriage, the carriage started. The reason why the Emperor’s Clothing Room got that name was very simple.
The Emperor’s Clothing Shop was a store opened by Lou and the Emperor’s Clothing team, who had received a large amount of severance pay after being forced to lose their jobs.
There were cute names like Lulu’s Clothing Room, or names that indirectly revealed that they were Leone’s clothing team, like Leon’s Boutique, but based on Lou’s theory that ‘if you want to do business, you have to be really shameless to make good money,’ a ridiculous name like Emperor’s Clothing Room was decided on. The name was amazing, but since the Emperor was to be her husband, she found it a bit difficult to say the name of that place. So when the moment came when she had to say the name of that place, she pushed it off to Leone like she just did. Because Leone wasn’t very embarrassed. Was it because he lived as a puppy for so long?
The scenery of the capital passed by outside the window.
“The capital is still the same.”
“I think I’m a little more energetic.”
“Leone, don’t show your face out the window. Do you remember how people fell down every time we marched?”
“Oh, yes.”
Leone obediently dropped his face from the window. The carriage was fast and comfortable and stopped quickly. Since the mansion was located in the city, it was only a short distance to the square.
“Trixie, hand.”
Leone got out of the carriage first and held out his hand to me.
“Don’t hug me. Everyone will be staring.”
“It’s a shame. My reward was to be hugged when I got off the carriage.”
“You keep forgetting something, my legs are fine- ah!”
‘I told you not to hug me!’
In an instant, Leone grabbed her hand and held her in his arms. He said she was anxious because the carriages were too high for her height and that she might fall, but she didn’t believe it at all. It seemed to her that he just kept doing this because he found her surprising reaction every time funny.
“Leone. What did I say-”
“Again…”
“Huh?”
“…no.”
It was very suspicious that Leone trailed off at the end of his words. Now that she thought about it, it wasn’t that he was hugging her, but the way he was hugging her was strange. It felt like he was trying to protect something. Instead of wondering where she should hit him so he would come to his senses effectively and not do something like this again, she asked again.
“What’s going on-”
“Miss Trixie!”
And her question was cruelly drowned out by a loud voice.
“…Leone, please put me down first.”
At the same time, Leone seemed to have come to his senses and dropped her off. It was such a strong voice. As soon as she turned her head, she saw Lou, who had grown taller again.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on October, 6.
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