Chapter 46 Another Shower Rain
The Emperor was over 60 years old and in excellent health.
How could he die in vain?
The people read the reports in the newspapers and clicked their tongues. No one mourned his death because he was an incompetent Emperor who was indifferent to the well-being of his subjects.
They were merely surprised by the suddenness of the news.
The news that only his mistress, Madame Brienne, had survived was enough to make the people prey on him.
“A fire in the Emperor’s presence, that’s ridiculous. What were the guards doing?”
“Doesn’t it smell fishy that the Emperor is dead and only his mistress is alive? I think I smell something, I smell something.”
“The Princess died in a fire, and now the Emperor died in a fire, that’s creepy.”
People talked about the Emperor’s death all day long.
Meanwhile, when Veronia heard the news of the Emperor’s death, she was shocked. Suddenly, her entire head throbbed and tingled as if she had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer.
There was no sadness or grief. The Emperor had been abusing or abetting the abuse of his own daughter, Veronia, since she was a child.
But it was such an unexpected tragedy that befell the original character that she couldn’t just gloss over it.
‘He wasn’t executed in the original novel, he died in a fire accident… which is just as horrific as the death penalty.’
He was supposed to have died long ago, but thanks to a twist in the plot, he survived, but that doesn’t mean he will live a long life.
‘He escaped the death penalty, but will he die an equally horrific death?’
A series of unsubstantiated thoughts followed. They weren’t particularly pleasant thoughts, and they made Veronia sulk.
***
Killion had been in the palace all night with the other nobles.
It was under his leadership that the Emperor’s death was investigated and the next steps taken.
Investigators had to be dispatched to the scene of the crime, state funeral arrangements had to be made, and the coronation of the new Emperor had to be organized.
In the midst of all this, Killion had more than a dozen things on his mind.
“Another fire,” he thought to himself, ‘and I’m afraid… Veronia’s will be in a bit of a funk.’
It is to be expected, given the events of the past, which were not pleasant.
But he hoped that she would not be too distressed, and that someone would be there to comfort her.
It was a shame that it couldn’t be him.
‘There’s nothing I can do… I can only hope from so far away…’
He felt so pathetic in his situation.
He didn’t like the fact that he didn’t know where she was or when he would see her again.
But he didn’t have time to wallow in his thoughts now, as people were coming in to ask for his opinion, and papers were piling up for his signature.
With a short sigh, Killion picked up his quill again.
***
The reign was to last three days.
This was a ridiculously short period of time compared to the previous empress’s 10-day mourning, but the imperial family pushed for a three-day mourning for reasons of civil stability.
The calculation was to keep the mourning short and the coronation of the new emperor long with festivities.
The final day of mourning. Kilion stayed late in his office at the Star Palace, catching up on business.
It was already dark when he left his office, and just to be on the safe side, he wandered over to the staircase construction site.
‘Ah!’
Veronia was there. She was wearing a robe, but he recognised her instantly.
Last time, he’d only said a quick hello to avoid arousing suspicion. He knew that if he closed the distance suddenly, she would become suspicious and nervous.
He didn’t want her to get scared and run away.
He had to stop that at all costs.
So he suppressed all his desires and impulses and hovered slowly by her side, intending to blend into her new surroundings.
But today, he thought, it might be a good idea to try to be a little more verbal. Killion approached Veronia.
“It’s been a long time, Nia.”
“Good to see you, Your Excellency.”
She bowed stiffly to him.
“I would like to consult with you about a magical tool, if you have a moment?”
Veronia was taken aback by the suddenness of the request.
But no commoner would dare refuse a request from the Lord Chancellor, so there was only one answer she could give.
“Yes, of course. I’ve just finished checking out the site.”
“Very well, then, do you mind if I take a short walk?”
“Sure.”
Veronia followed Killion as he led the way, and the two arrived at the Star Palace’s backyard.
Killion asked in a light tone.
“I’ve heard that you’re a talented magical tool planner, and I was wondering if you have any new designs in mind.”
“…”
Veronia was speechless.
There was no tool in the works. Her life was busy, juggling two jobs, and she was a bit depressed these days.
But she didn’t dare give a bland, “I don’t have any,” in response to his question, so she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“A fire.”
“Fire?”
“I was just thinking that it would be nice to have a tool to help put out fires in the early stages.”
“Oh, I see.”
Killion, who had just made that up off the top of his head and had no way of knowing it, nodded, listening.
Veronia looked up and saw him.
Perhaps it was the confidence she now felt that no one, not even Killion, would ever discover his true identity.
She didn’t press her robes as deeply as she had before, nor did she lower her head and look down into his eyes.
Their gazes met in the air for a moment.
There was silence.
They were so close. He could reach out and touch them.
He never thought he would ever be this close to someone and see eye-to-eye. But it is happening now.
Veronia’s heart began to pound, and Killion’s thudded in resonance.
They were so caught up in each other’s gaze that they had completely forgotten what they had been talking about. They stood there, unsure of what to say next.
Thick, Thick, Thick.
Suddenly, thick raindrops began to fall.
“Ah…!”
Killion quickly pulled off his cloak and placed it over Veronia’s head. She stammered in embarrassment.
“Well, I’m wearing a robe, so it’s all right, Your Excellency, so why don’t you put it over your head?”
“Won’t that get your robe wet? If your robe gets wet, you’ll catch a cold.”
Their gazes tangled again in the drizzling rain.
‘This is too close!’
Veronia exclaimed, but she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
His affectionate gaze made her heart flutter, but it also made her nervous.
‘The rainy garden and the close proximity. I think I’ve seen this before…’
Veronia stood still, bewildered by the sight.
“Let’s get out of the rain for a while over there.”
There was a small awning where Killion pointed. The two walked as fast as they could run to reach it.
Veronia removed her cloak and handed it to Killion. He took the cloak and looked at her, still wearing her robes, and opened his mouth.
“Your robes are wet, too. Why don’t you take them off for a while? I’m afraid your body temperature will drop if you keep wearing wet things.”
Veronia froze at the words.
It seemed a bit risky to remove her robe in front of Killion, even if she was transformed into a magic stone. She didn’t want to take any chances right now.
“Because of my scars. I don’t like to draw attention to them, and I’ve been wearing them so much that it’s become a habit.”
It was a euphemism. Killion didn’t know that.
But she couldn’t bear to keep wearing the wet robe. She should have stepped back, she should have resisted, but she couldn’t. It was her health.
It was a matter of her health.
“It’s dark in here, so you’ll be fine, and I like the way the rain sparkles in the lamplight, so I’m going to keep looking at it.”
Killion turned from sitting at an angle to face her.
For a moment, she debated between the risk of removing her robe and revealing her face and the risk of turning down his invitation twice. But her deliberation was short-lived.
Nia, a commoner, would not turn down a favor twice.
Veronia finally removed her robe as he stood beside her, his gaze fixed on the cool, drizzling rain.
As she hung the robe on the back of the bench, she heard Killion’s voice again.
“Did it hurt much?”
His gaze was still fixed straight ahead. Veronia ran a hand over her fake scar and answered.
“I don’t remember much. I was so young when it happened.”
“…Good, that’s good, because you won’t be scarred by horrible memories.”
Silence descended for a moment.
The only sound was the pounding of the rain against the roof of the tent.
‘Oh, right. I’ve sat with Killion like this before, on a rainy day.’
The faint memory came back to her with clarity.
It was strange. Names had changed, faces had changed, places had changed, but it all seemed so much the same now that I wondered if it mattered.
As they sat side by side, watching the rain fall, Killion and she remained the same, but time seemed to have passed and they were here now.
Indescribable emotions swirled within her.
A low, bass voice rang out in silence.
“I was wondering if you could be more specific about your fire-quenching magic tool?”
Ah, Veronia swallowed dryly, nervous about having to sound convincing about a project she hadn’t given much thought to.
