Announcement
The next morning.
‘What time was it?’
Riella stretched out her arm toward the empty spot beside her, feeling that the dim light streaming in through the window was too bright.
The place where Herhan should have been lying was empty.
“Lou. Lou…Where is His Majesty?”
As if sleep-talking, she muttered the question, and Lou, who had been waiting right outside, quickly came in and answered.
“He went out for a bit because he had an early meeting. He told you to get some more sleep.”
There was no need for Lou to pass on Herhan’s message.
Even before fully hearing the reply, Riella fell into a hazy sleep again
She was so tired that she felt like she was being sucked into deep water.
While swimming in her sleep, Riella had many dreams.
A dream of entering a banquet hall bustling with guests.
A dream of defeating a fearsome enemy in the middle of it all.
A dream of flying in the sky. Then, a dream of coming back down to earth, wearing the most beautiful ring in the world, and being hugged by Herhan.
“Hmm…”
Then, Riella suddenly woke up and started tossing and turning again.
“Hmm. Is this all a dream?”
Riella muttered, still too sleepy to open her eyes properly.
She reached out with her right hand to feel her left.
Then, what she can clearly feel is the pretty, shiny ring on her finger.
“No. It’s not a dream.”
Riella chuckled with her eyes closed.
Then, nearby, she heard a very pleasant sound of someone laughing along.
“Lou?”
The confused call was answered by a nearby sound.
“Lou…water.”
Again, the sound of someone bursting into absurd laughter.
Then, the sound of water being poured into a cup.
A crystal glass was placed near her fingers, but she was too weak to hold it.
The cup of water touched her fingertips a few times and then just left.
Still lying down with her eyes shut, Riella whimpered in frustration from thirst.
“Water….Give me water…”
Soon something warm and comforting came over Riella’s lips.
There was no time to think it was hot—cool water flowed into her mouth.
‘Ah. It’s refreshing.’
Her brows, which had momentarily furrowed from the unexpected sensation, relaxed.
Gulp, gulp.
Riella drank the water as if she was drinking the elixir of life, slurping it down.
“More.”
The sensation returned.
After drinking again, her lingering thirst finally subsided, and her mind cleared.
By the time she fully regained her senses and recognized Herhan, his kisses continued.
For a moment, she was surprised. Then, the familiar touch made her happy.
She wrapped her arms around Herhan’s neck, who was kissing her very willingly, and pulled him closer.
The kiss was longer than usual.
After a while, compared to Riella, who had eagerly drank the water and quenched her thirst, Herhan looked at Riella with eyes burning with passion, as if he was thirsty.
With drowsiness still clinging to her, she lovingly looked up at him.
“How long have you been watching me? You startled me by showing up without a word.”
“Wasn’t it better that way, since it was me??”
At his shameless remark, her lips—still red from the kiss—curved into a smile.
Herhan leaned his upper body closer to Riella and caressed the back of her hand.
When his slender fingers touched the ring on Riella’s fourth finger, he remembered how Riella had giggled while touching it earlier.
“Riella… Are you always this beautiful?”
Saying such words with such a straight face.
Instead of answering right away, Riella just stared blankly at Herhan’s closed face.
“It would be a shame to let such beauty pass unnoticed. I should summon an artist to always stay by your side and capture every moment of you on canvas.”
“What for?”
Since she is still half-asleep, it’s okay to give a slightly embarrassing answer.
Riella continued speaking with a smile.
“Why are you drawing it? Just keep me by your side and look at me. I’ll be this beautiful every day, for the rest of my life, right beside Your Majesty.”
* * *
Riella tossed and turned a little more before getting up.
She was so tired that she couldn’t remember anything after returning to the bedroom yesterday.
“You fell asleep as soon as you laid down. I changed your clothes for you.”
Throughout the morning bath, Lou’s face remained flushed.
Riella thought it was because of the hot steam in the bathroom, but the real reason was something else.
“Do you remember? His Majesty carried you himself last night—from the first-floor lobby all the way to the bedroom. It wasn’t just a few people who saw it! Even the guests at the banquet witnessed it. Everyone is already saying that your love is overflowing and that you’ll be the most legendary couple in the history of the empire!”
“A-Ah… not that….”
Riella pretended to wash her face by splashing water in the bathtub to hide her face, which was as red as Lou’s.
“How was the banquet?”
“Oh! After ensuring you were asleep, His Majesty returned to finish it properly.”
“I didn’t cause trouble by leaving, did I?”
“Not at all! Everyone understood. His Majesty even said, ‘Beautiful women are always sleepy,’ and that the empire should be honored to have such a drowsy Empress. That made everyone laugh.”
“…..”
Far from being troubled, he had boasted about it.
He had told her to trust him—should she find that reassuring or just amusing?
“Um… Miss Riella…”
“Yes?”
Unlike before, Lou’s voice was now shy, hesitant.
At first, Riella thought she was being told to get out of the bath already.
But then—
“….Are you really going to become the Empress?”
Her cautious gaze was filled with both excitement and nervous anticipation.
Perhaps, at this moment, Riella’s expression mirrored Lou’s own.
Riella took a look at her face reflected in the water, which was as bright as Lou’s, and smiled faintly before answering leisurely.
“Yes.”
“…..!”
“I guess so.”
A small splash of water arose in the bathtub.
Lou suddenly lunged forward to hug her.
“Truly! Congratulations, from the bottom of my heart.”
“Hmm…, thank you.”
* * *
In the afternoon, the furniture craftsmen that Herhan had called in advance came and replaced the furniture in the emperor’s inner room and bedroom.
The already large bed was replaced with a larger one, and the wardrobe and table were all replaced with new ones.
The room next to the study was completely redecorated as a room for Riella.
There was a personal wardrobe, a dressing table, an easy chair for reading a book, a tea table, etc., but no bed was included.
It was a clear message: she was to sleep in the Emperor’s bedroom.
“For now, only the large furniture has been arranged. His Majesty said you may choose the rest according to your taste, Lady Blinite.”
With that, the palace servant handed her a catalog—one thicker than an encyclopedia.
Riella was amazed to see hundreds of curtains, carpets, chandeliers, and other decorative items in each category.
It was then that Asion entered the room.
“If you can’t decide, just pick the first option for everything. The best items are usually listed at the top.”
‘Ah, that’s a good idea.’
Asion politely took a step closer to Riella, who nodded seriously.
“Did you sleep well? With all this commotion, I’m sure you didn’t get much rest.”
“It’s okay. I slept really well.”
“Thank goodness. We also tried to dissuade His Majesty, but failed. Normally, even an empress has her own palace, but he’s decided to merge the palace completely.”
“Why did you try to stop him? Don’t. I’m fine.”
As Riella spoke and laughed, Jess, who was sitting next to her, lost his temper.
In fact, he had already arrived before Asion arrived and was checking Riella’s physical condition.
“Hey! How many times have I told you not to talk while I’m measuring your blood pressure? Now I have to do it again.”
Then, before Riella could answer, Asion intervened.
“Jess. ‘Hey’ isn’t appropriate anymore, you know. She’s about to become the Empress.”
“Then what should I call her?”
“Your Excellency’ or ‘Lady Blinite’.”
Jess avoided Asion’s gaze, knowing he was right.
He had already been trying—albeit awkwardly—to adjust for the past few days.
But no matter how much he told himself it was necessary, saying it out loud was still embarrassing.
Without even knowing Jess’ feelings, that innocent and bright guy Asion has been saying, “Lady Blinite” since yesterday. Like a traitor.
“Captain Asion. I’m fine. You can call me by my name.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll call you ‘Lady Riella’.”
“Oh, then me too—”
Sensing an opportunity, Jess tried to follow suit.
But before he could finish, Riella shook her head firmly.
“….?”
“I’m sorry, but I have to be strict about it. ‘Lady Blinite’. We’re not that close, are we?”
“ugh.”
“Try it once, ‘Lady Blinite.’”
Riella teased him mischievously, as if taking revenge for all the nagging he had done during the afternoon checkup.
Jess trembled in frustration, unable to retort, squeezing the blood pressure pump in his hand repeatedly.
At that moment, Herhan entered the room holding a large bouquet of flowers.
Riella’s eyes, which had been teasing Jess excitedly, suddenly sparkled and moved towards Herhan.
“Your Majesty. What is that?”
“It’s a gift.”
“Wow. It’s so pretty!”
At that point, Jess gave up on the examination and untied the blood pressure cuff from Riella’s arm.
As soon as Riella became free, she flew to Herhan like a butterfly going to a flower.
“So, this is why you were late?”
No wonder. She had found it odd that only Asion had arrived earlier.
“Yes. From now on, I plan to bring you one every day.”
“Do you do this every day? Are you going to confess every day?”
Riella laughed, and Herhan chuckled along before replying,
“It could be a confession. It could be a bribe. The meaning can vary from time to time.”
“So what is the meaning of today?”
“Today…”
Riella read the worry and concern that passed through Herhan’s eyes during the brief moment when he hesitated to answer.
As if he had been waiting for that moment, Asion got up and approached.
“It’s time for the meeting, Lady Riella.”
* * *
“What did you say? Duke Zion is dead?”
Riella couldn’t believe what she had just heard. She asked again, and again.
Duke Zion is dead. The man who had been alive just yesterday. The man who had relentlessly pursued her, scrutinizing her every move.
There was a reason Herhan had brought a large bouquet of flowers.
Today’s flowers were a precaution—an advanced dose of comfort, telling her to brace herself.
“Yes. I received the report this morning.”
“Was it our soldiers?”
“No.”
“Then the Federation noticed something and punished him.…?”
Herhan shook his head.
‘No, that’s either? Then what?’
Riella, who had been tilting her head, was startled when she heard Asion’s answer.
“According to the soldiers’ report, Duke Zion took his own life.”
“What? He did it himself?”
“Yes. They say he got off the carriage, went into the mountain, and then suddenly jumped off a cliff.”
“How could that be…!”
Riella covered her mouth.
Aside from the fact that it was a horrifying scene to even imagine, it was also confusing because it didn’t make any sense.
“Did he despair because he couldn’t find the descendants? Did he realize he was being followed and give up everything?”
“We also considered that possibility, but El Weiss was skeptical. Duke Zion is not the type of person to give up so easily.”
“Then….”
“There’s someone bigger behind it.”
Herhan’s voice was calm, but heavy.
“Someone so absolute and bold that they can throw a scarecrow that has been used for nearly ten years off a cliff.”
Riella clenched her fist.
Even though he was holding Herhan with her other hand, her body was trembling.
“There’s no more time for quiet reconnaissance.”
Herhan declared.
“Riella, tomorrow, I’m announcing our engagement to the world. From now on, any attack aimed at you will be considered an attack on me—the Emperor.”
* * *
