Episode 24

Fortunately, Vitrain had returned to his usual stoic expression in front of others.

The man who had been approaching me with a puzzled look spoke up.

“Your Majesty the Empress, is there something bothering you?”

“I’m just a bit tired.”

“Please come inside, Your Majesty. I am James, the chamberlain of the summer palace. It’s an honor to serve you.”

The man named James bowed with a friendly smile.

I nodded slightly to him and took the fan from Vitrain’s hand.

As I walked between the palace staff lined up on both sides, half-hiding my face with the fan, I noticed Vitrain following me, carrying something in his hand.

Trying not to be distracted, my gaze kept drifting to the object he was holding.

Finally, I stopped walking and turned to Vitrain, asking,

“Why are you carrying that?”

“It’s Your Majesty’s beloved cushion.”

His expression was as serious as ever, but the amusement in his eyes made it clear he was teasing me.

When I glared at him over the fan, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Where had the serious and cold eagle gone? This mischievous and sly man was holding the cushion with a grin.

Unbelievable.

“Do people often tell you that you have a terrible personality, Duke?”

“This is the first time I’m hearing it.”

“I’ll make sure to tell you often from now on.”

“It would be an honor, Your Majesty.”

Vitrain’s eyes crinkled with a bright smile.

I felt an overwhelming urge to smack that dimpled cheek of his.

* * *

Despite starting early in the morning from Brincia, the sun began to set soon after we arrived at the summer palace.

Entering his room, Vitrain threw the cushion onto the bed with a quiet laugh. He couldn’t help but recall Sione’s face, filled with disdain, from a little while ago.

Since becoming the Eagle, Vitrain had avoided making eye contact with others. Their desires, expectations, resentment, and hatred were all too clear through their eyes.

After ‘that day,’ he lost all expectations from humans.

No matter how noble someone pretended to be, he could see through their eyes that what kept humans alive were their base and cowardly desires.

So, he assumed Sione would be no different. She was a princess from a small kingdom who had become the empress—how much more ambitious could she get?

When she made a proposal that clearly aimed to buy time, Vitrain expected the Serpent and the Dog to reject it outright.

While it was expected for the Serpent, who loved plotting, he thought the Dog, who usually attacked anything that wasn’t its master, would outright reject it.

He was planning to subtly join in and break free from his leash, but the Serpent and the Dog were surprisingly enthusiastic.

Moreover, Sione turned out to be different from what he had imagined.

“Still a heavy sleeper.”

Vitrain chuckled, recalling the first time he met Sione. He sat on the bed and picked up the cushion he had thrown.

A strange woman.

During their first meeting, although he didn’t show it, Vitrain was quite surprised.

Despite knowing he was popular with women, Sione’s eyes were filled with displeasure when she looked at him.

‘……I never thought it would be an issue since our relationship wouldn’t be of the heart anyway.’

When she suddenly brought up another woman, he answered like that, and he saw a flicker of disgust in her eyes. It seemed unintentional, but she even clicked her tongue.

Vitrain, who held no particular feelings towards women, was taken aback by her unfamiliar reaction.

Wondering what to say to Sione, who had turned her head away, he saw her squinting from the summer sun.

Having nothing else to say or do, he stood up.

He walked to the window to block the sunlight and recalled what he usually did with women, but he then heard soft breathing behind him.

Turning around in disbelief, he found Sione had fallen asleep, leaning against the sofa.

He was so astonished that he couldn’t even laugh. She was the first woman to fall asleep in front of him.

Afterward, he broke things off with the woman he had been seeing, as Sione had wanted, and went to see her again, only to be met with a response of ‘boring.’

It sparked something like defiance in him.

Vitrain, sitting on his bed, thought back to that moment, still holding the cushion.

At first, it was just a matter of keeping up appearances, but seeing Sione’s eyes that neither desired nor expected anything from him made it impossible for Vitrain to stand by idly.

Determined to make amends, he visited the royal palace on her birthday.

There, he encountered the Serpent and the Dog, both heavily invested in their roles.

Not knowing what they were up to, Vitrain couldn’t stand by if those madmen were serious. If Sione chose someone, he would have to bow to that person.

Thus, the idea of this summer vacation came to him.

What he thought was a masterstroke…

“To think she’d fall asleep again.”

What started as defiance now turned into genuine determination. He wanted a different light to shine in her indifferent green eyes—one of expectation, longing, and desire for him.

This golden vacation was crucial for that to happen.

Vitrain tossed the cushion aside but then carefully placed it next to his pillow.

He tousled his bangs with his fingers and went to find Sione.

“Your Majesty the Empress, how about a walk while dinner is being prepared? The sight of Lake Beryl at sunset is quite splendid.”

“I was already planning to go to the lakeside.”

Before he could ask with whom, someone tapped his back.

Turning around, he saw Lothania glaring up at him with a scowl.

“Move aside, will you?”

Behind her was Melbrid.

When Vitrain stepped aside, Lothania’s expression brightened as if she had never been angry. She ran up to Sione.

“Mother, are you ready? Shall we go now?”

“Shall we?”

Sione, smiling dreamily at her stepdaughter, patted her head and stood up.

Seeing them holding hands and smiling, Vitrain felt a sense of urgency.

“Your Highness the Crown Princess must be tired. Your Majesty the Empress, allow me to accompany you.”

But Lothania replied instead.

“I slept in the carriage, so I’m not tired at all. I’m going to stick to Mother like glue for the entire vacation, so know that, Duke Kidmillan.”

Standing next to her, Melbrid, whether aware or oblivious, added,

“Then I’ll stick to Her Highness Lothania.”

It was a declaration of war.

Sione simply found the two children adorable, while Vitrain had a premonition about how the vacation would unfold.

In the end, they watched the sunset over the blue lake hand in hand.

Melbrid kept his promise, smiling next to Lothania, while Vitrain, a step behind, watched the setting sun and made a resolution.

With only two days left, he would use whatever means necessary to win Sione’s heart.

* * *

Riding in the carriage for such a long time had left me quite exhausted.

After dinner, Vitrain suggested a nice spot for a moonlit walk, but after being introduced to Lothania’s rabbit, my energy was completely drained.

I went to bed early and slept deeply, waking up feeling great today.

Opening the window, I was greeted by the sight of a vast, clear lake and an even clearer, bluer sky.

“It’s perfect weather for water play.”

Lothania had been incredibly excited since yesterday.

Her skillful maid, Anna, had even made a swimsuit for me, so I was planning to experience water play for the first time in my life today.

After breakfast, we waited for the water to warm up and then headed to the lakeside.

The swimsuit, which I wore for the first time, consisted of a thin, short skirt that reached my knees, with many pleats to prevent the silhouette from showing when wet, and a fitted top.

“Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness Lothania, both of you look wonderful!”

Melbrid, a boy as charming in speech as in appearance, praised us, mesmerized by our red polka-dotted swimsuits that I feared might be too flashy.

I secretly laughed when I saw Lothania’s cheeks blush as she huffed.

“This way, please.”

Vitrain, who had come out to the lakeside ahead of us, gestured to me.

He had piled stones on one side of the lake to create a small swimming area safe for the children and had set up a parasol and a bench for me.

Lothania and Melbrid, holding the water play ball, screamed in delight as they rushed into the water. They splashed around and laughed loudly as they plunged into the lake.

“Lottie, be careful.”

“It’s fine, Mother! Come in too!”

“I’ll come in slowly.”

I waved to Lothania and approached the water slowly.