Arundel also re-entered the banquet hall to greet Zion.
‘Really, he doesn’t seem human at times like this.’
Arundel thought, staring blankly at the perfect figure of Zion as he entered.
Not only him, but everyone was looking at Zion with admiring eyes.
Zion seemed to be looking for someone. His eyes, which were turning here and there, met with Arundel.
And… he’s walking this way…?
“You’re here, Empress.”
Zion approached Arundel with a dazzling smile. And then…
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
Zion wrapped his arms around Arundel’s waist.
‘…?!’
The shocked gazes of the people were fixed on them. But the most surprised person in the entire banquet hall was Arundel.
“Wh… suddenly.”
“Stay still.”
Zion whispered softly in her ear. His breath touching her skin was hot.
“Lately, the flies have been annoying.”
At Zion’s words, Arundel relaxed a little.
‘So there was another trick…’
But why is he putting more strength into his hand, and didn’t he hate touching people…?
Arundel felt a contradiction about this situation, but there was no action she could take at the moment. She had no choice but to quietly lean on him.
The moment that seemed to last forever passed, and Zion and Arundel separated.
And then Zion spoke to Arundel.
“Go to your seat.”
Seat…?
Arundel turned her eyes in the direction Zion was walking.
‘That was my seat?!’
Next to Zion’s sparkling seat, there was one more identical chair.
She had seen it when she came in, but she was surprised because she hadn’t thought it was her seat.
Arundel, who approached Zion, asked in a small voice.
“…Is that my seat?”
“You asked me to make a seat for you. You have a bad memory.”
At Zion’s words, Arundel recalled.
…Haha, that’s right.
‘Please make a seat for me at official occasions from now on. I am the empress. Your wife.’
She had regretted saying that at the time, but she didn’t expect him to listen. Arundel looked at the chair with startled eyes.
Zion took a seat, and Arundel hurriedly followed suit.
When Arundel sat down and looked down at the people, she saw the surprised expressions of the people.
Everyone’s eyes were wide open as if they had seen a strange sight. It was shocking that the despised empress had an official seat for the first time.
Arundel also felt awkward about this situation as if she was sitting in someone else’s seat, but she composed herself and acted calmly.
And soon the fanfare announcing the official start of the banquet rang out. And a familiar face, Zion’s aide, came forward and shouted.
“Today is a celebration of the visit of ‘His Highness the Crown Prince Rick’, who came as an envoy from the Shalbon Kingdom! Crown Prince Rick, please come forward.”
Hills walked out to the center of the banquet hall. Somehow, Hills exuded a bit of low pressure than before.
On the contrary, Zion looked a bit happy. Zion greeted with a bright smile.
“It’s already been 4 days since you visited the Croyden Empire.”
“…”
“Time flies. You have to go back to the kingdom in 3 days, so I hope you enjoy the rest of your time.”
Hills glared at Zion. It was definitely a glaring expression.
He didn’t say anything, just nodded his head and left to his seat.
Fortunately, Zion seemed to not care about Hills’ attitude at all.
No, rather, he looked even happier.
“I hope everyone else enjoys the party as well.”
Zion, who was announcing the start, added a word as if he had forgotten.
“Oh, since people from unfamiliar empires may have difficulty, it would be nice if you could take good care of His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Zion is overly kind.
But soon she understood Zion’s kindness. At the end of Zion’s words, Hills was buried by the nobles.
Zion seemed to like this situation.
“You look happy.”
“Today is a bit fun. There was nothing but annoying things every day.”
Zion really looked a bit excited today. He was a person who didn’t fit the word excited, but he really looked like that.
“Thank you for making a seat for me.”
At Arundel’s greeting, a small ripple occurred in Zion’s pupils. But as if nothing had happened, Zion returned to his original state and said.
“You can say if you have anything else you want.”
Arundel doubted her ears for a moment, wondering if she had heard wrong.
“And I’m going to hold the empress’s coronation.”
“…!”
Arundel looked at Zion with surprised eyes.
In fact, she wasn’t pleased to hear that the coronation was going to be held. It was comfortable to walk around without anyone recognizing her.
But if it’s not a waste of time, it’s evidence that Zion’s attitude towards her has changed a lot, so it wasn’t such a bad thing.
“The country is noisy now because of the demons.”
“…”
“So I think I can hold the coronation after a month.”
Arundel paused at the word demon rather than the coronation.
‘Mannheim must have a headache too.’
It seemed that her vacant position, which was her job to beat up demons, was quite large.
If the story that demons are flapping around on the ground becomes a national issue, it means that the activity range has expanded a lot.
Zion, who was lost in thought, looked at Arundel and said.
“You’ve been avoiding the maids well. And even my surveillance.”
“…That’s, hahaha.”
“It doesn’t matter. If you get caught doing something useless, I’ll put shackles on your feet.”
“Useless things like…?”
“Well, running away, or colluding with others…”
Zion’s eyes were chilling as he listed examples.
“Well… there won’t be such a thing, so don’t worry.”
At Arundel’s answer, Zion smiled satisfactorily.
“When I hugged you earlier, your body was hot.”
“Yes…I just have a cold.”
“You don’t have to push yourself. If you’re tired, you can leave anytime.”
Who would have thought he could say such a thing? Zion had definitely become more affectionate compared to before.
Moreover, he didn’t mention anything about hanging out with people like Royden, Bianca, and Hills, whom Zion dislikes.
Has she been avoiding surveillance so far that he doesn’t know? Or has he really changed…?
‘And earlier…’
Thinking about Zion, who has a phobia of people, hugging her was shocking in itself.
Of course, there was very short skinship like holding his hand or hugging his neck, but it was the first time for such intense skinship.
As she recalled the scene where he hugged her waist in front of everyone, heat rose again on Arundel’s face.
‘I need to go out and get some air for a moment.’
Arundel got up from her seat.
“I’m going to the powder room for a moment.”
“Shall I attach an aide?”
“No! I’ll go by myself.”
Arundel quickly got up and left the banquet hall before he could insist further.
Still, the evening air was cool, so it seemed to cool down her hot face a bit.
‘But… why is he like that?’
Arundel thought, recalling Zion’s unfamiliar attitude. It’s just going to the powder room, but he’s offering to attach an aide.
Arundel shook her head as if to shake off Zion’s attitude.
Arundel, who wanted to get some fresh air in a quiet place, walked to the back of the banquet hall where no one was.
There was a fairly large grassy square behind the banquet hall, but the problem was that it rained yesterday and part of the ground was muddy.
On top of that, she was wearing high-heeled shoes, so it was even worse. She managed to reach the bench, pulling her shoes that were sinking into the mud.
‘Ah, it’s nice.’
The sky after the rain was clearer and fresher. The wind was blowing gently in the cloudless night sky, and it felt like the heat that had risen earlier was all flying away.
As Arundel was enjoying her alone time, she looked at the figure of a person appearing in the distance and tensed up.
‘Who is it…?’
Even if it’s the empress herself, who would do anything to her, it was a bit worrying considering the weak rationale or the body of the empress.
There was no one here, and the banquet hall was so noisy that even if she shouted, it would definitely not be heard.
Arundel kept her gaze fixed until the person’s identity was revealed.
“Arundel!”
The person who revealed their identity was Hills.
Arundel, who had been tense, lost her strength.
“What, it was you.”
“What’s with that reaction! Do you know how much I’ve been looking for you?”
“Who told you to look for me…”
Arundel recalled the terms of her contract with Hills.
‘Don’t hate me.’
She should have contracted with other conditions…
Arundel regretted the contract terms. She couldn’t say anything because she was nervous every time she spoke.
“Why? Did you stop talking?”
“No…I just said you had a hard time looking for me.”
Arundel spoke in as friendly a tone as possible.
“By the way, you handle things pretty well, don’t you?”
“Handling?”
“When you’re with me and when you’re with someone else, it’s completely different.”
“Oh, what’s that much? Arundel must have forgotten again, but I’m the great demon Hills.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“I’ve made so many contracts with humans, I’m familiar with human life.”
You must have received a human’s heart or soul after making such a contract. Arundel shook her head as if to shake off the back story.
But Hills seemed to not care at all.
“That’s not what’s important.”
“…?”
“Do you know how much that bastard Zion has been tormenting me?”
“It seemed like it.”
Arundel said dryly.
“Should I just kill him and go?”
“…What?”
“I’m pissed off, that guy.”
Hills looked really angry.
Being a one-dimensional guy, he probably couldn’t counter Zion’s subtle torment.
‘But that can’t be.’
Of course, the condition that Mannheim proposed was not necessarily to transform Zion into a Seunggun. (TL: a ruler of great benevolence and virtue )
It was said that it was okay to rebel and drive him out, or to kill him, but that was a choice that she absolutely did not want to make as an angel.
The original duty of an angel is to protect humans. But to kill Zion for her own personal reasons, that was impossible.
“Please bear …”
Arundel said with a tired face. But Hills was still grumbling, as if his anger was not easily quelled.
Hills, who seemed to be thinking for a moment, looked at Arundel and said.
“Then hug me too.”
Arundel was shocked.
‘Is this guy crazy.’
Why should I hug you!
And she remembered what Zion had just said.
“It doesn’t matter. If you get caught doing something useless, I’ll put shackles on your feet.”
“Well, running away, or colluding with others…”
If anyone, just anyone, saw a scene of Hills and her hugging, it would be perfect for misunderstanding.
No, first of all, it seemed that there was room for misunderstanding just because this guy and she were here alone.
As she thought about it, Arundel got up from her seat.
“I have to go in now.”
“Wait, wait! I still have something to say to Arundel!”
Hills hurriedly grabbed Arundel’s arm.
Unable to withstand the sudden force, Arundel was about to fall sideways…
Hills quickly caught Arendelle.
But
“Ah-!”
“Why…why are you like that, Arundel!”
Hills, who was supporting Arendelle’s body, spoke urgently.
“I sprained my ankle.”
She knew this would happen. She should have stopped the head maid.
Although Hills quickly caught her, Arundel couldn’t balance on her high and thin heels and sprained her left ankle.
“Ah… it hurts.”
“Just lean on me for now.”
Hills took Arundel’s right arm and wrapped it around his neck.
Arundel didn’t like this situation, but she had no choice. She couldn’t walk on this muddy ground with her sprained ankle.
Once she got out of here, she planned to immediately let go of the support before anyone saw her.
“Do you want me to carry you?”
“No.”
At Arundel’s firm answer, Hills adjusted his posture again.
Just as she was safely getting out of the muddy ground,
A voice colder and lower than the winter dawn air came from behind.
“Stop there.”
When she turned around, Zion was standing there with an icy cold expression.
