The emperor glared at the empress, his eyes burning with fury.
“If you have a mouth, then speak! Tell me why you claim you’re going to die!”
Startled by his intensity, the empress was at a loss for words.
“Did you just spew nonsense because you happen to have a mouth?”
“I….”
“I don’t want to hear it. Leave!”
The emperor, enraged, drove the empress out of the garden. Even after she was out of sight, his anger did not subside, and he continued to breathe heavily.
He slumped into a chair, trying to calm himself, but the moment she had uttered the word ‘death,’ his heart had dropped, and the unsettling feeling refused to go away. His heart pounded so violently that it was almost painful.
When the emperor had married the empress, he had imagined dying at the same time as her. Though his distorted sense of reality constantly reminded him that such a thing was unrealistic, he had tried his best to avoid thinking about death since then.
But when she brought it up, he was suddenly struck by the realization that her death was an inevitable future.
The thought of living on after she died was utterly horrifying. Without even realizing it, his hands began to tremble.
“Was the purpose of creating the heath field to show it to my aunt?”
It was only now that Sig realized the point of their labor that morning and asked. The emperor glanced at Sig and let out a sigh without answering.
He had intended to keep the empress close by, insisting that she didn’t need to return home since they could see the heath field here. But now, that plan had failed.
Shaken by the mention of death, he had raised his voice and shouted. The emperor felt a heavy sense of regret, as if he had ruined the progress they had made in bridging the gap between them.
But wasn’t it the empress who had first mentioned something about dying before him? If he thought about it, this was her fault.
An ugly feeling crept into his heart.
“When Her Majesty the Empress mentioned the heath field, it was probably her way of saying she wanted to visit her homeland for a short while…”
Britia, sensing the tension, cautiously began to explain, but the moment her eyes met the emperor’s, she quickly shut her mouth.
“You think I don’t know that! She wants to go back to her homeland as an excuse, so she won’t have to return again!”
I doubt that’s her intention.
The emperor was certain of the empress’s motives. She had gotten everything she wanted—the marriage of their son and Sig—and now she no longer needed to stay by his side.
Anxious, the emperor grew more convinced. It was obvious. She would ask to leave, telling him to stop troubling the children and that she could visit the original heath fields back home.
“She’ll come up with every excuse under the sun to stay there, thinking I wouldn’t catch on, but I know exactly what she’s planning.”
The emperor sneered, convinced he had seen through her thinly veiled attempts.
Britia exchanged a quiet glance with Sig.
“Your Majesty, if that’s the case…”
Britia cautiously began, but the emperor spun around abruptly.
“Why don’t you come along on the trip too, Your Majesty? The Empress would love it if you did.”
“Britia Lockhart, are you suggesting I abandon my throne and run off to the north?”
The emperor frowned, his expression darkening with anger. Britia, startled, quickly waved her hands in defense.
“I was just suggesting a trip, that’s all. It’s not like the throne will vanish while you’re away.”
“…You can’t be too sure of that. There are always people scheming for my seat—like the Crown Prince.”
“My brother would never do something like that.”
“And what about others?”
At that, Sig hesitated. He hadn’t yet told the emperor, but with the wealth Grand Duke Camelon had amassed, starting a rebellion wouldn’t be difficult. If the emperor and empress left the palace, even briefly, it could be the perfect opportunity for the Duke to act.
Does that mean the emperor also suspects Camelon?
“Or like the Scanders, who are growing cocky ever since they were soon to marry off their daughter to the Crown Prince.”
At the mention of someone completely different, Sig bit his lip and stared at the emperor, troubled.
Why was his father so suspicious of his own son, yet showed no doubt toward his half-brother?
“Forget about the heath field. Everyone, leave!”
Frustrated by Sig’s silent disapproval, the emperor dismissed them all.
He needed time alone to gather his thoughts. His chest still felt tight, and he needed to calm the lingering frustration.
“They say it so easily, like going on a trip together is no big deal.”
The emperor clicked his tongue, absently rubbing his chest.
Would the Empress even be happy if he suggested it?
About twenty years ago, when he first sensed her growing cold toward him, he had once asked if she wanted to take a short trip to the southern regions.
“If I were going alone or with the children, that would be nice… but with you, Your Majesty?”
Her reluctance had been so strong that he had wondered if anyone could despise the idea more. He had never been able to forget the look on her face that day.
The pain of that rejection ran deep, and since then, he never brought up traveling together again. The fear of being turned down again—of confirming that she found him too unbearable to even travel with—was too much to face.
“Britia Lockhart, you have no idea! If I could’ve just said something back then…”
The emperor clenched his fists on the table. Then suddenly, a thought struck him.
Though Britia served him now, she had originally been loyal to the empress. Could she have suggested this trip because the empress regretted the past and now wanted to travel with him?
In his anger, he hadn’t truly paid attention to Britia’s words. Replaying the conversation in his mind, he tried to recall exactly what she had said.
“Didn’t she say the empress would be happy if we went on a trip together?”
Muttering to himself, the emperor’s eyes widened in realization.
Had Britia subtly hinted at the empress’s true feelings, and he had been too blind to notice? Could that really be it?
The emperor’s heart, which had been slowly calming down, began to race again. A mixture of hope and despair surged through him as he wondered if he had just missed a rare chance to reconnect with her.
While the emperor was lost in his own misconceptions, Britia was having a wonderful time.
Sig let her rest her head on his lap, fanning her carefully, as if she were struggling with the heat.
“Is it cool enough for you?”
Britia, her eyes gently closed, smiled in contentment without a word.
“I’m sorry, Britia. Because of me, you ended up getting punished by my uncle too.”
Hearing the regret in Sig’s voice, Britia opened her eyes and saw the worried expression on his face.
“It’s fine. We’re a couple, after all.”
Technically speaking, they were soon to be married, but that didn’t matter.
“If you had to go through it alone, I wouldn’t have felt right.”
Smiling, Britia reached out and gently stroked Sig’s cheek, glad they were facing things together.
I want to kiss him, but getting up feels like too much effort. Am I being lazy?
After a moment of hesitation, she playfully puckered her lips toward him. Sig quickly caught on and leaned down, giving her a light kiss on the lips.
“Why the sudden kiss?” Britia asked, pretending to be surprised.
“Wasn’t that what you wanted?”
Sig tensed for a second, wondering if he had misunderstood. But when he saw her playful grin, he relaxed.
“Actually, I wanted to kiss you,” he admitted, before leaning in to kiss her cheek. Britia giggled.
“Where’s my sweet Sig gone? Give him back!”
“I’m right here,” Sig said, tilting his head, confused. He was right in front of her, wasn’t he?
“No, this Sig is sneaky. My cute Sig wouldn’t pull something so cheeky! Eek!”
Before she could finish, Sig smothered her with kisses. Britia squealed in surprise.
“I thought I was marrying a cute guy, but it turns out he’s actually full of mischief!”
She pushed his face away gently, then buried her own face in his lap.
“Does that mean you won’t marry me?” Sig asked softly, taking her hand when she didn’t respond or look up.
“I remember you said you wouldn’t marry me if I wasn’t cute. But sometimes, I want to be a bit more bold. Is that wrong?”
Britia could barely hold back a laugh, though her blushing cheeks gave her away. She thought she was hiding it, but her ears had turned bright red. Sig noticed and smiled warmly.
“Even if you find it bothersome, or feel like you’ve been tricked, I know you’ll still accept me.”
“You’re pretty sure of yourself. What if I say no?”
“Even if you did, there’s no escaping me.”
Britia turned to look at him after that bold statement, only to see him smiling slyly.
“I’ve passed the point of giving up a long time ago. I’m never letting you go.”
Sig intertwined his fingers with Britia’s and lifted their hands together, showing off the ring on her finger.
“I’ll just take the ring off when you’re not looking,” Britia teased, sticking her lip out in a playful pout.
Sig’s expression immediately turned sorrowful, his eyes drooping with a hint of sadness.
“You can’t do that.”
Britia let out a small sigh.
Ugh, that face is just unfair!
“You really can’t,” he repeated, as if begging her to promise. Seeing her silently watching him, Sig grew more nervous, gently kissing her hand.
“I feel like I’ve been giving in to you too often lately. Maybe it’s time I start being a bit firmer,” Britia bluffed, though she didn’t mean it.
“Before you do, could you give in to me one last time?”
“I’ll think about it,” Britia answered casually, a teasing edge in her voice. Sig swallowed, clearly tense as he prepared to make his request.
“Please… let me make the wedding dress for you.”
Britia could tell how much this meant to him, and honestly, she trusted his skills enough not to object. With a smile, she nodded her approval, and Sig’s face lit up with pure joy.
“Then, can I take your measurements now?” he asked, pulling out a measuring tape from his pocket.
When did he even start carrying that around? Britia stared at him in surprise and shook her head.
“You don’t need to. You can just ask the boutique; they already have my measurements.”
She was referring to Popo Boutique, where she had gotten her previous dresses.
“Well, that’s true, but…” Sig trailed off, looking sheepish.
“The truth is, I wanted an excuse to do something a little cheeky.”
His face flushed as he gave her a shy grin, and Britia almost melted right then and there. How could he confess such a naughty thought while looking so innocent?
“You could still ask the boutique,” she said, trying to stay firm, “but I guess you just have to be the one to do it, huh?”
“It’s embarrassing, so no,” Britia quickly added, trying to turn away before his adorable face made her cave in.
“Britia,” he called softly, gently rubbing her hand with his fingers, urging her to look at him. No matter how hard she tried, her eyes kept flickering back to his.
