Chapter 6. Family

Several days had passed since Hector and Charlie’s honeymoon.

Meanwhile, the Graham Empire was abuzz with news of the sudden appearance of a prince and the dethronement of the princess.

Lydia Rolston, who had lived as Princess Scarlet.

Her tyranny, extravagance, and somewhat dubious magical power for a Grand Master.

Perhaps due to the long-standing suspicions about her being an impostor, no one raised objections to the princess’s dethronement.

Rather, the imperial citizens rejoiced that the current princess was a fake and welcomed Oedipus, the child of the real Princess Scarlet, with open arms.

However, Oedipus had no other imperial descendant to take as a partner.

Some speculated that he might enter into a political marriage with the offspring of Hector, a Grand Master, and Charlie, a Miracle, but Kaisis remained silent.

Meanwhile, spring had arrived in the Hunt Kingdom, where the storm had passed.

The footsteps of those in lighter clothing were full of energy, and the streets were filled with laughter.

Although it might be cold compared to the Graham capital where the Grand Duke’s residence was, it was warm enough to bloom colorful flowers throughout the greenhouse.

In proportion to that, Tanner was aging rapidly.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just move the Grand Ducal residence here if you’re going to do this?”

Leon said, looking up at the massive glass greenhouse that was an exact replica of the one at the Grand Ducal residence.

And it wasn’t just the greenhouse.

From the arrangement of trees to the types of flowers.

The Hunt Palace garden looked as if the Grand Ducal residence had been transplanted intact.

This was Tanner’s consideration for Charlie, who might find the north unfamiliar after moving, and also a wish for a long and happy marriage, remembering the excitement of their first feelings.

“The Grand Ducal residence needs to remain for the Blessing Period, doesn’t it?”

Tanner replied.

According to the new covenant, Hector, like when he was a Grand Duke, had to stay in the Graham capital during the Blessing Period to fulfill his duties.

[You have to visit at least once a year to be called a friend, right?!]

In reality, it was Kaisis’s strong demand and their vacation to escape the harsh northern winter.

“But how did you manage to grow this?”

Leon asked, looking around the greenhouse.

“What do you mean?”

“I heard these flowers are difficult to grow even in the south…”

“Flowers?!”

Tanner lifted his gaze from the documents he was holding and followed Leon’s line of sight.

At the end of it was a fully bloomed hydrangea.

“Ah, that. It just bloomed on its own when left alone.”

Tanner answered as if it wasn’t particularly important.

“It just bloomed on its own when left alone?”

Leon’s eyes widened, having heard endlessly from Kieran about how difficult these flowers were to grow.

On the other hand, Tanner once again scanned through the thick stack of documents with an indifferent gaze.

Then, discovering something, he suddenly frowned.

“I’ve told them countless times that the signature dish at the ski resort snack bar is ‘Tornado Potato’, yet they still make the stupid mistake of writing ‘Duck Potato’.”¹회오리 (tornado) and 쇠오리 (Eurasian teal duck) are written similarly

“The ski resort? Isn’t that the business recommended by Her Majesty the Queen? Isn’t that Chancellor Richard’s job?”

“That’s right, it looked interesting, so I asked to be included.”

“Y-you’re doing work that wasn’t even assigned to you because it looked interesting?!”

Leon, who had turned to stone like a statue behind them, was aghast.

“Anyway, it’s an urgent matter, so I’ll go ahead. Tell Dame Kieran to contact me if he has any questions.”

Managing the Ministry of the Imperial Household alone would be no small task, let alone gardening and business ventures.

Perhaps Tanner’s ability was actually cloning?

Or maybe he had about twenty bodies.

Leon watched Tanner stride away with a mixture of respect and fear in his eyes.

* * *

There was another person in the Hunt Kingdom who was rapidly deteriorating.

“Mmm…”

It was none other than Charlie.

Inside the bedroom of Spinel Palace.

Charlie tossed and turned her stiff body.

The pouring sunlight tickled her eyelids, and the scent of sun-dried bedding mixed with an alluring fragrance awakened her hazy mind.

Following this, a sweet touch lifted the corners of her stiffened mouth.

As she lifted her heavy eyelids, a familiar scene unfolded before her eyes.

One slipper, far away, having lost its owner for days.

The couple’s pajamas, draped over a chair, now mere decoration.

And the dazzling smile created by a face that could be classified as a lethal weapon.

“Are you awake?”

Hector looked down at her, gently creasing his eyes into a smile.

Thanks to this, Charlie had to hold down her heart that was trying to leap out.

‘This is crazy.’

No matter how much of a romance fantasy novel she was in, Charlie couldn’t get used to seeing Hector first thing upon opening her eyes

Shouldn’t one’s face be all puffy and crumpled, looking like a blobfish when they wake up?

At the very least, shouldn’t he look a bit ugly when viewed from below?

But what was this dazzling handsomeness?

From his straight nose bridge to his well-placed lips.

And the way his bangs fell loosely.

Not to mention, his exposed chest muscles stimulated her instinct to want to push him down right away.

Charlie grumbled in annoyance.

“…Do you live in this world alone?”

Hector lightly kissed her round forehead and said,

“Say that while looking in a mirror.”

“Mirror?”

“If you’re this pretty, the flowers in the garden Tanner worked so hard on won’t have a place to stand.”

“W-what…”

How could he say such things so casually?

Charlie, her ear tips turning red, buried her face in the blanket with a ‘poof’.

“I’m just stating facts.”

Hector, embracing Charlie with the blanket and all, nuzzled her delicate nape.

While she was distracted by the ticklish sensation, a luscious peak revealed itself from beneath the snow-white sheets.

Seeing this, Hector, as if unable to resist, grasped it in one breath and rolled his fingertips.

“Mmnh…”

A moan escaped Charlie’s lips involuntarily, and her toes curled.

Even though they should have gotten somewhat used to this by now.

Why did every place Hector’s fingertips touched ignite with a burning heat?

“Charlie.”

As if to prevent Charlie from regaining her senses, his face tilted at an angle, drawing closer and closer.

Long eyelashes, tracing an elegant curve, poked at Charlie’s field of vision.

The eyes beneath them sometimes looked like ruby jewels, and at other times like fierce flames.

Just as she was about to be sucked into the swamp of pleasure,

“Wait!”

Charlie, suddenly coming to her senses, pushed Hector away.

“Stop. We have to work today.”

“Richard is doing well.”

Hector tried to wedge in, but Charlie, still feeling the aftermath of last night, pushed him away again.

“Where has our diligent Grand Duke gone?”

“He’s fulfilling his marital duties as a king.”

“Ah, I’m hungry.”

Only then did Hector’s movements stop.

In truth, the couple’s bedroom at the Wilkins villa had been so quiet that it was almost unworthy of being called a honeymoon.

Whether it was due to worrying about Oedipus, or because of the changed sleeping arrangements.

Far from a sensual atmosphere, Charlie hadn’t even been able to fall asleep properly.

For this reason, Hector and his party had to return without completing their honeymoon itinerary.

Shortly after returning home, Charlie received a vision orb.

It was a message from Oedipus, saying he was doing well and asking if she could come to his Crown Prince coronation ceremony.

With neatly trimmed hair and a much brighter complexion.

The Oedipus in the vision orb seemed to be truly doing well.

Moreover, the cute shorts and knee-high socks he was wearing were so typical of a romance fantasy that Charlie burst out laughing.

Having finally lifted that weight off her mind, Charlie was able to sleep comfortably.

The day after receiving the vision orb, late in the afternoon, when Charlie woke up hungry.

That’s when it all began.

[Sister, this is no place for you! That man is a beast!!]

Michael was right.

“Beast.”

Charlie glared at Hector, whose Great Big was standing at attention, poking her and courting her.

“Didn’t you tell me to chase after you?”

Hector smiled deeply.

“To chase after a Miracle, one must put in effort.”

It’s already overwhelming, and now he’s talking about putting in effort?

Charlie, at a loss for words, opened and closed her mouth. Watching her, Hector muttered to himself.

“Did all the increased holy power only go to your face…?”

No, forget about holy power, isn’t Hector just extremely strong?

Especially that Great Big that keeps raising its head tirelessly.

“Anyway, if you keep doing this, I’m really going to use a portal stone.”

Charlie moved her body back a span and made a threat that wasn’t really a threat.

Hector wrapped his arm around Charlie’s waist and pulled her tightly against his body.

“That would be troublesome.”

A chill ran down her spine at Hector’s smile tinged with menace.

“W-why?”

“If someone were to see us like this…”

Hector whispered, planting a lingering kiss on Charlie’s collarbone.

“Even if it were the Pope, I’m not sure I could let them live.”

“!”

This was no mere jest to tease her.

Hector was more than capable of following through.

Charlie gulped down a dry swallow.

“Shall we have our meal in the room?”

Hector changed the subject, gently stroking Charlie’s hair.

“No!”

He’d probably try to devour her while she ate.

Charlie wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, declaring her firm resolve.

Hector let out a sigh full of regret and moved his body back a span.

“…If you say so.”

After all, there was still plenty of time left in the day.

* * *