Chapter 1.11

An awkward silence settled between them. Fidgeting with her fingers, she tried to shake off the discomfort that silence brought. 

What do other people talk about in moments like this? What should I say? 

Nothing came to her mind…

“You still have quite a bit of debt left.” 

He said, breaking the silence in a calm tone.

She looked up at him, startled.

“About eighty thousand slem.”

The figure was far higher than what she knew. She thought he had already paid off fifty thousand srem, leaving only around fifteen thousand. Her heart sank. 

Did this mean there was more debt beyond what the loan sharks had claimed?

“The Baron is your creditor.”

She tilted her head, not immediately grasping his words. 

The Baron? Which Baron?

“Technically, it’s under the name of someone working for Baron Evris.”

Baron Evris? Did mother owe him money? Why? 

Questions flooded her mind.

“Whether your mother borrowed through the Baron or it happened by coincidence, I’m not sure…” 

Karl Lavresion said, resting his chin on his hand with a faint smile. 

“But you probably shouldn’t trust the Baron too much, Leti.”

But… the place where she and her mother lived was the Baron’s house. On paper, they were family. Even if it was in name only, he was her father and her mother’s husband.

Suddenly, she recalled the look on the Baron’s face when he had scorned her fallen mother. It wasn’t her imagination. He truly wanted her mother to be unhappy.

But why? Was it because mother had been the Emperor’s mistress? Or was it because their marriage had been miserable?

The relationship between her mother and Baron Evris had always been peculiar. There was a constant tension between them, yet it didn’t seem awkward or uncomfortable. Neither her mother nor the Baron…

Perhaps there was something between them that she didn’t know.

Her thoughts grew tangled and chaotic. Feeling his gaze on her, she looked up. Her eyes met Karl Lavresion’s, and he lightly tapped her nose with his index finger.

“Thinking again.” 

He said, pulling back his hand slightly before leaning closer to her. Before she could process what was happening, his lips brushed against hers for the briefest moment.

The complicated thoughts swirling in her mind vanished, leaving only the sensation of his lips.

“You’re sitting here with someone, and yet…” 

He murmured, running his finger over her lower lip. His touch was warm, reminiscent of the fleeting warmth of his lips.

“But you’re quite cute, Leti. The way you get lost in thought reminds me of a hamster nibbling on sunflower seeds.”

“What… what?”

A hamster? Did he mean that tiny animal? A hamster? 

The comparison felt absurd. She couldn’t see any connection between the cute image of a hamster and herself. His analogy seemed ridiculous.

“When I first met you, I thought you were a cold beauty.”

A breeze passed by, brushing against her hair. A few strands escaped from her neatly tied bun, sticking to her cheek and lips. He reached out to remove the strands from her face.

“Innocent Leti.”

She blinked in silence. 

Innocent… Was that a compliment or an insult? 

Most of the remarks directed at her were things like vulgar, filthy, or just a commoner… She had never been called innocent before.

“Is that a compliment? Or… are you mocking me?”

“I’m not mocking you. It means you’re cute.”

So it was a compliment? 

Awkwardly, she tried to smile, following the instructions he had given her earlier—lifting her eyes slightly. Judging by his expression, it seemed her smile still looked strange.

Just as he was about to say something, their food arrived. Freshly fried french fries and two glasses of frothy draft beer were placed before them. He picked up his glass and extended it toward her. Not understanding the gesture, she tilted her head in confusion, and he laughed.

“Leti, we should toast.”

“Toast?”

“Raise your glass.”

Following his instructions, she picked up her glass. He clinked his glass against hers with a crisp sound.

“This is a toast.”

So clinking glasses together was a toast. He gestured for her to try it, so she clinked her glass against his. The sound of the glasses meeting was followed by a faint echo.

“Good job.” 

He said, pinching her cheek lightly in praise. She couldn’t help but smile, even though it felt silly to be praised for something so trivial. Seeing her smile, Karl Lavresion’s eyes widened in surprise.

She expected him to shower her with sweet words again, calling her beautiful or something similar. But unexpectedly, he said nothing. Instead, he simply stared at her lips.

Did I smile weirdly again? 

She raised her hand to touch her lips. Without a mirror, she couldn’t be sure. Glancing at the beer in her hand, she cautiously took a sip. The cool liquid slid down her throat.

The tangy taste lingered in her mouth. It wasn’t as bad as she had expected. She took another sip. Somehow, it tasted good. This time, she drank in gulps, finishing half the glass.

“Ha…” 

She exhaled, placing the glass down. Looking up, she found Karl Lavresion staring at her.

“You drink well, Leti.”

He seemed slightly taken aback but still complimented her with a strange smile. She picked up a fork and ate a french fry. It was salty. To wash it down, she took another sip of beer. It tasted good.

“Didn’t you say this was your first time drinking?”

“Yes.”

“You’re better at it than I am.”

He let out a short laugh before taking a gulp of his own beer. Like her, he drank half the glass in one go. She followed suit, finishing nearly all of her beer.

“…You drink too well.” 

He said, half-amused and half-exasperated, before ordering more beer from the server. After that, they continued eating and drinking.

Her fatigue had vanished. She felt more energized than ever.

The breeze was pleasant, and the food was delicious. She immersed herself in the unfamiliar setting and the thrill of doing something new. This time, she didn’t need a mirror to know—she was smiling.

Karl Lavresion, unusually, remained silent. He simply watched her as she ate and drank. She didn’t feel the need to speak either. This moment alone made her happy.

Happiness…

She savored the rare taste of happiness. It was such a precious, infrequent visitor in her life… She needed to remember this moment.

That night, she and Karl Lavresion parted ways without any intimacy. Both of them were drunk.

Fortunately, her mother was asleep when she returned home. It was a relief that she didn’t get caught. If her mother found out… she would have been scolded harshly.

***

“Where do you keep going every day, Karl?”

For someone who had been spending all his time with the Emperor and was rarely seen, it was unusual for him to show up. Karl Lavresion scoffed when he saw his mother enter his room.

“What’s this? You’re not holed up in the Emperor’s chambers?”

“What do you mean? I thought you seemed busy, so I came out for a bit.”

Princess Amina of the Arhadan Empire let out a soft laugh. Karl’s gaze swept over Amina’s glossy lips and disheveled attire. It was obvious she had just been intimate with someone.

“At least wear your clothes properly.”

“Oh my, isn’t that a bit hypocritical coming from you?”

“Well, at least I’m wearing clothes. You’re practically not wearing anything!”

Karl shouted, and Amina nonchalantly pulled up the slip that was sliding off her shoulder, covering her cleavage.

“More importantly, where do you go every day? You don’t know anyone here.”

“I do.”

“Leticia Evris?”

He wasn’t surprised she already knew. Karl Lavresion nodded casually.

“She’s pretty.”

“Yes, she is.”

“Why does she spend time with you?”

“I paid off some of her debt. In return.”

The Arhadan Empire was renowned as the land of gold. With a canal crucial for trade running through it, the empire generated immense revenue from tolls. Additionally, it was flanked by seas on both sides, and its natural climate and fertile soil ensured an abundance of food. It was so prosperous that delicacies unattainable in other continents could be easily enjoyed there.

Money was plentiful. Fifty thousand slem was a trivial amount for him, though not for Leticia Evris and Haniel Evris.

“How’s the negotiation coming along?”

“Not great. It’s still complicated.”

Wrapped up in his mother’s influence, Karl had assumed the Emperor would accept terms favorable to the Arhadan Empire. However, the Emperor had been unexpectedly firm in his refusal. 

Was this a case of separating personal matters from official ones? 

He had mocked the Emperor internally for being foolishly enamored with his mother, but in the end, the Emperor was still the Emperor.

“Drag it out as long as you can.”

“Why? Do you want to stay here longer?”

“Yes. It’s quite entertaining.”

“You find this dull, lifeless Chevrem entertaining?”

Like him, she had a complicated history with romantic relationships. She found the simplicity and logical nature of the men in the Chevrem Empire intriguing, a stark contrast to the men of Arhadan. She enjoyed the challenge of breaking down the stern exteriors of these men.

“Let’s finish up and head back. Don’t stir up unnecessary trouble.”

“Alright.”

Amina stretched out her response, turning her back to him without a farewell. She always left like this, so Karl felt no particular way about it. Hans, who had been hiding in a corner as if he didn’t exist, finally revealed himself.

“Has… has she left?”

“Yes.”

“Phew…”

Thanks to Amina’s uninhibited nature, Hans had unwillingly seen a member of the imperial family half-dressed. As a result, whenever Amina appeared, Hans instinctively hid in a corner, turning his back to her. Every time she showed up, Hans felt his heart drop.

Hans, still in his outdoor attire, looked at Karl Lavresion, who was fixing his hair in the mirror, and asked, 

“Are you heading out?”

“Yes.”

“To see Miss Leticia Evris again?”

“Yes.”

Karl gave a short reply, waved lightly, and left the room. Hans hesitated, wondering if he should call out to his departing master, but eventually swallowed his words.

He’ll handle it himself. 

Hans trusted his lord.