“…Pristin?”
In a groggy voice, he called out to her.
Pristin, with a perplexed gaze, remained silent until then. With a dazed expression, Jerald asked.
“Is it really you?”
“…Yes.”
Jerald brightened up and let out a heartfelt laugh. Pristin’s gaze wavered at the sight of the maximum level of laughter that someone who had just woken up could produce. She asked in a quivering voice.
“Why… are you laughing like that?”
“Because I’m happy.”
Jerald’s smile seemed really happy, as if the answer was not a lie. Pristin unknowingly bit her lower lip.
“As soon as I opened my eyes, there you are.”
“…”
The response, filled with longing that had been yearning for so long, left Pristin at a loss for words. She hesitated for a moment before blurting out.
“You should sleep a little more.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ve had enough.”
Jerald whispered in a soft voice, looking at Pristin with still half-asleep eyes.
“I slept deeper than I expected.”
“…”
“Thanks to someone.”
After that, Jerald folded his eyes beautifully into a half-moon and laughed. In the pure and beautiful appearance, there was no trace of the intimidating and difficult-to-approach atmosphere of an emperor that others saw.
Pristin began to feel more complicated, thinking that perhaps this was a figure that only she could see. She barely uttered a word in a trembling voice.
“…That’s a relief.”
“From now on, instead of providing fatigue relievers, you can come directly to me.”
“Perhaps the fatigue reliever worked faster than expected.”
Pristin tried to deny his words.
“Now that you’re awake, I should be going.”
“Already?”
“If I stay here any longer, everyone might start to worry.”
It was more of a fact than an excuse. Moreover, considering how fearful Welsh was of Jerald, it was a plausible story.
“In any case, I will convey the conversation we had today to the others. And I will try to find a way to make the effects of the fatigue reliever work faster.”
“You appeared in my dream.”
A sudden sentence grabbed Pristin’s attention. Pristin looked at Jerald with her eyes wide open, wondering if it was because of that dream that he held her hand earlier.
“It’s been a long time. I always wished to see you in my dreams, but my wish has never come true. Sadly.”
“…What kind of dream was it?”
“It was a dream where we were dancing together.”
As if trying to recall the contents of the dream, Jerald’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I was the emperor, and you were wearing the empress’s crown.”
“…”
“It was a moment that I had longed for and desired.”
“I guess that’s why I came to your dream.”
Pristin responded to his words as little as possible.
“Dreams are said to be reflections of the human subconscious, or so they say.”
“That’s a brilliant interpretation. Both my conscious and subconscious desire you.”
Jerald stared at Pristin and asked her.
“Will you be my partner at the upcoming ball?”
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
Pristin naturally uttered an answer of rejection.
“I don’t think I can accept that request.”
“Why?”
“Well, it’s just…”
“Perhaps you already have someone you plan to dance with?”
Jerald’s eyes suddenly sharpened.
“Surely it’s not Lord Bachell?”
“I don’t have anyone I’ve planned to dance with yet.”
Pristin returned in a calm voice.
“Even if I attend the ball alone, I will not be your partner, Your Majesty.”
“Why?”
“For no particular reason…”
Pristin bit her lower lip once and then answered.
“I don’t want to get caught up in unnecessary rumors. So please understand, Your Majesty.”
“What kind of rumors?”
“At a time when you have not chosen an empress, if I were to become your partner.”
Pristin explained hesitantly, describing what would happen if she became Jerald’s partner.
“My position in the palace is already not welcomed by everyone. Becoming Your Majesty’s partner would not be beneficial in that regard. I am not someone who can help you politically.”
“To think that dancing once would lead to such far-reaching consequences.”
His voice, slightly lacking in strength, murmured dejectedly.
“I didn’t propose to you as a partner with any political expectations.”
“…Above all else.”
Pristin said, as if implying that wasn’t all there was to it.
“I don’t want to get any further entangled with you, Your Majesty.”
“What…?”
“It might sound rude, but that’s my sincere wish.”
Just in case he thought it was a lie, Pristin made eye contact with him and gave strength to every word.
And Jerald’s eyes, wounded once again, took on a familiar hurt expression. Even though Pristin’s rejections had become a familiar occurrence, a wound was always painful whenever received.
And the hurt wasn’t the only thing.
“…”
Nevertheless, despite that, this was the right decision.
With that in mind, Pristin stood up from her seat.
“I shall take my leave.”
And she left Jerald’s room without looking back. After leaving the room, she only walked forward without shaking. Like a general in battle. As if she would never stop under any circumstances.
Walking out in such a firm motion, she stopped just before she was completely out of the central palace.
“…”
After stopping, Pristin put her hand into the pocket of her dress. What she took out of it was a ring that was quite old but splendid and elegant. Pristin stared at the ring in the palm of her hand, and soon closed her eyes, sighed, and rolled up her hand with it inside.
“…This is the right thing to do.”
Even if he still loved her, she could no longer love him in return.
Even if her feelings for him still remained, they had to be discarded as soon as possible.
To love him again would be an impossible task.
Their love was no longer just their own problem, for their separation, their meeting, and so much has happened in between.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“Why are you so late?”
Upon returning to the herbal garden, Welsh asked urgently.
“I was very worried because I thought something was wrong.”
“I’m sorry, Welsh. I ended up being late.”
“What happened?”
“Oh, nothing…”
Pristin hesitated and mumbled vaguely.
“It was just nothing important.”
“You’ve been gone for such a long time.”
Then Akkad’s voice came from behind. As she turned around, an expressionless Akkad came into view.
“Lord Bachell.”
“Is it really nothing important?”
“Yes, it was nothing.”
Akkad asked with concern, but Pristin couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth, so she carefully dodged the question.
“His Majesty, it seems he has quite an interest in herbs. He had many questions, and I had to answer them all… That’s why I was late. I apologize for causing you to worry.”
“…”
Upon hearing Pristin’s answer, Akkad remained silent for a moment. That brief silence felt suffocating to Pristin. She glanced at Akkad, and then he spoke.
“I’m glad to hear that it was nothing. I was worried for a moment.”
“I promise it won’t happen again. I’m sorry.”
Trying to ease the atmosphere with a smile, Pristin turned to Welsh and spoke.
“I delivered the fatigue potion successfully, Welsh.”
“Oh, yes. Thank you. Was he satisfied?”
“That…”
Pristin recalled the conversation they had earlier and responded.
“He wished the effects of the potion would kick in faster.”
“Faster?”
“I don’t recommend that.”
Akkad said firmly.
“Exerting the effects of the potion more aggressively here can also be detrimental to His Majesty’s body.”
“That’s correct, I agree with Bachell. I don’t really feel inclined toward it either.”
“Yes, I anticipated a similar reaction. In truth, the best way to relieve fatigue is to get enough sleep…”
Everyone fell silent. They all knew it wasn’t an easy task. So, a fatigue reliever like the potion seemed necessary.
“Let’s find alternative methods.”
Akkad concluded neatly. Pristin and Welsh nodded. Because that was their duty.
“Oh, and I was thinking of holding the meeting we missed last time next Friday. What do you all think?”
“Oh, I strongly oppose!”
Akkad turned to Welsh’s strong opposition. Welsh replied in a firm voice, as if there were reasons for everything.
“I know you’re a workaholic, but shouldn’t you give us at least a day off for the ball?”
“Ah.”
Only then did Akkad’s expression seem to show that he remembered something.
“I am sorry, Lady Welsh; I had forgotten.”
“Did you perhaps not plan on attending the ball next week, Your Grace?”
To Welsh’s astonishing question, Akkad replied with a rather awkward expression.
“Not necessarily, but I don’t have a partner…”
“You can always find a partner, can’t you? What is it that you feel lacking, lord?”
“How so?”
“It’s simple.”
Welsh’s head turned toward Pristin.
“Countess Rosewell.”
“Yes?”
“You haven’t found a partner yet, have you?”
Pristin, who was looking at Welsh with a puzzled expression, nodded without much thought. Welsh clapped her hands as if she had done well.
“That’s great! We have an unmarried man and an unmarried woman here, both workaholics. You two can enter the ball venue hand in hand, enjoying each other’s company.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Both of them asked in surprise simultaneously. Then, they immediately looked at each other.
“Uh, well…”
“…”
But Akkad’s next move was unexpected.
“Will you go together with me?”
