Rosana returned to her normal daily life. The busy days felt like a dream. No, there was a reason they felt like a dream. Rosana lightly touched her lips. 

It hadn’t been a sudden kiss, but one that came from mutual understanding and fully accepting him. He had been incredibly happy, making her solitary suffering seem pointless.

“Lady Rosana, did you hear? The Ales delegation is finally leaving.”

“Ah, I heard.”

Hearing Yuna’s words, Rosana hurriedly straightened her posture.

The Ales Kingdom delegation had boldly requested an audience with Jade. However, Jade, whose impression of the delegation had worsened due to Margrave Melanie’s attitude, didn’t look favorably upon them. 

He scolded them for bothering Rosana even after successfully concluding the agreement, asking why they were being a nuisance when they couldn’t let go of the concluded treaty. 

The delegation was reportedly shocked by his “War?” remark and fled with their tails between their legs.

It was anticlimactic, but what mattered was that they had left and the agreement was successfully concluded.

“You haven’t been able to rest during this time, so I recommend you take this opportunity to relax.”

“That’s right! You haven’t been sleeping properly lately, have you? Your skin has gotten dull!”

Yuna and Celine worried about her health, stressed from the banquet preparations and the suddenly thr*st-upon role of acting emperor. Rosana nodded reluctantly at their appeals. There had been many times she returned to the palace completely exhausted.

Malek had suggested she stay at the emperor’s palace since her palace was far away, but she declined, feeling uncomfortable.

“Is that so…? I should pay more attention.”

“Starting now, you need to pay even more attention!”

At Yuna’s emphasis, Rosana tilted her head, wondering why.

“Don’t you want to look good for His Majesty?”

Rosana’s face turned red. She cleared her throat, saying that wasn’t it. As it was, Jade was already causing her trouble with his constant physical affection, like he planned to spread rumors throughout the neighborhood.

“Don’t try to hide it. I heard everything. Actually, there’s probably no one who didn’t hear.”

Yuna smiled contentedly, saying she was proud.

“Yuna… stop…”

Rosana buried her face in her palms. Just thinking about it made her face burn. He had whispered sweet nothings in her ear until she left his palace—even those who didn’t know would have found out.

“So shameless…”

Rosana grumbled. Even when she told him to be quiet, he poured out various sweet words like a floodgate had opened. Then she heard a familiar laugh in her ear.

“I came at the wrong time when you’re talking about me without any tact.”

Jade was leaning against the doorway—when had he approached? She was startled by Jade’s unannounced visit. But she was the only one surprised. The servants all quietly withdrew, seemingly expecting his arrival.

“Your Majesty, I’ll inform you when ‘guests’ arrive.”

“Guests?”

“There’s such a thing. More than that, I didn’t know you’d be so embarrassed. Where did that bold woman who confidently said she liked me go?”

“Th-that’s… More importantly, has the Ales delegation left?”

Rosana changed the subject. Jade, who had been watching intently, shrugged, agreeing to move on.

“Yes, they were quite persistent. They held onto my pant leg until the very end and wouldn’t let go. Do you know how hard it was?”

Then he brazenly leaned his face against Rosana’s shoulder, asking to be comforted for his efforts. Rosana narrowed her eyes and observed Jade. His slightly upturned lips indicated he was enjoying himself.

“You’ve gotten a bit shameless.”

“Do you dislike it?”

“…”

Rosana said nothing and gently stroked his head. Because she didn’t… dislike it. Rather, she thought moments like these represented peaceful everyday life.

“I’m sorry. Even when I told them to leave, they wouldn’t…”

“That’s when you should drag them out.”

“They’re a delegation.”

“Those nobodies bothered you.”

“More importantly, was it okay?”

“What?”

Hmm… Rosana paused in thought. Jade, like Rosana, had threatened them using the possibility of war. She was a bit worried whether it had concluded well.

“Dealing with the delegation? Malek and the duke praised me endlessly.”

“…It’s not something worthy of such high praise.”

“They’re not generous with compliments. Accept it for what it is. Now that I think about it, I’m annoyed. Why are they bragging to me about seeing something I didn’t get to see?”

Jade’s brow furrowed deeply. Rosana blinked slowly and let out a pleasant laugh. Was it because their hearts were connected? 

He no longer hid his emotions. He expressed what he felt honestly and plainly. If he was jealous, he said he was jealous; if he was happy, he said he was happy.

“If you call it successful, it was successful. I crushed their opinions with threats. I’ll probably get a reputation as a villainess in the Ales Kingdom too.”

Jade glanced at Rosana. No sadness showed on her face. She just had an expression that said she was sorry but it had already happened, so please accept it. Suddenly Jade smiled.

“That guy said something.”

“What?”

“That we’re a very well-matched pair.”

Rosana didn’t understand what he meant.

“That you, a villainess, and I, rumored to be a murderer and barbarian, are a match made in heaven. It seemed like a last desperate attempt, but to me it was the highest compliment.”

Margrave Melanie intended to insult them to the very end, but he’d never know that those words saved his life. When Jade actually laughed heartily and thanked him, his face was dumbfounded.

Rosana smiled gently. Besides her confession, there was one more thing she most wanted to tell him.

“Jade, you know…”

Rosana whispered softly. But it was drowned out by the well-timed sound of knocking. The timing was off. However, Jade didn’t miss Rosana’s words.

“Rosana, do you have something to say?”

“In a little bit. First, let’s greet the guest. Isn’t it a guest you called?”

Jade’s eyebrows twitched, and he reluctantly decided to greet the guest first. The guest was important to him too. He hoped Rosana would quickly wear the gift he had prepared.

“Venice?”

“Your Majesty, it’s an honor to be summoned. And Lady Rosana, it’s been a while. Did you absolutely love my dress?”

“What brings you here…”

Venice entered with a chuckle. And as the door opened wide, something unknown began pouring in endlessly. Next to Venice, Kelpie fur was piled up like a mountain.

“That’s…”

It was familiar. It was the fur that had been draped over Jade’s shoulder when he returned after the monster subjugation.

“As expected of Your Majesty. To obtain Kelpie fur… Moreover, there’s no damage at all, so it must be high-quality fur.”

Venice looked at the neatly stacked Kelpie fur with excessively sparkling eyes, seemingly entranced.

“I told you about the monster called Kelpie, right? I found it by chance. Actually, I wanted to give it to you as a gift as soon as we met, but some uninvited guest interfered…”

Jade stood up and received one particular fur from a busily moving attendant. It was the fur he felt was the highest quality, which he had brought to personally give her.

“Then, the reason the knights were delayed…”

“Was to bring those things. We had to get a separate cart too. This would be perfect as your blanket.”

Naturally, the speed slowed because there was so much fur loaded on the large cart. Conversely, Jade arrived at his original speed because he only brought one excellent fur.

Jade draped the fur over Rosana’s body. Rosana received it in an awkward posture. It was so soft that the fur she held in her hands flowed down smoothly. Jade was triumphant, naturally assuming Rosana would love it.

The fur was surprisingly luxurious and she did love it, but… she felt overwhelmed thinking about what to do with all the fur piled up like a mountain.

“This is too much…”

“…”

When Rosana groaned, Jade clearly showed a deflated appearance, his ears drooping. But soon his lips softened.

“Thank you. You thought of me, didn’t you?”

“All of this is a gift for you.”

Jade, who had regained his energy, said. Rosana looked at the piled fur, lost in thought. Then a thought struck her like lightning.

“Jade. How about getting new cloaks made? The knights worked hard too, so let’s make one for each of them. And I think it would be nice to give small gifts to those who worked hard in the palace.”

“Do as you wish. It’s no longer mine. I have no intention of taking it back, so use it however you want.”

“Venice, may I ask you?”

Venice was a bit flustered as the scale of the work suddenly grew. But it didn’t matter except for the trouble of measuring everyone’s sizes. 

This was Kelpie fur that even wealthy people couldn’t touch unless they were considerable bigshots. She was already excited to make coats, gloves, mufflers, cardigans, and more from that fur. Venice said confidently:

“Just leave it to me.”

“Good. Then is Venice’s business all done now?”

“No, it’s not finished.”

“What?”

Jade gestured lightly.

“The most important matter remains.”

“That’s right. There’s nothing more important than this.”

Venice chimed in with Jade’s words. Venice approached and held out a catalog. Rosana received it awkwardly and looked at him with eyes asking what this was.

“You need to choose the dress for the banquet and the wedding ceremonial robes.”

At those words, Rosana’s heart pounded.

She could choose wedding ceremonial robes. But a banquet? The banquet welcoming the Ales delegation was over. Jade opened his mouth, knowing Rosana’s question.

“Isn’t it time for you to interact with Diovaha’s nobles? You need to formally greet them. I told you before, didn’t I? That I’m planning to hold your debutante ball. Let’s inform the nobles that you’re the person who will become empress and clearly show them what kind of relationship we have. So they can’t make a peep.”

His lips descended on the back of her hand, and Rosana’s eyes widened. His elegant eyebrows curved beautifully. Then Jade whispered softly:

“You must truly become mine, Rosana.”

Her chest fluttered as she felt his breath against the back of her hand. A soft sigh escaped through her slightly parted lips. 

Jade continued to watch Rosana’s every reaction with unwavering intensity. Her heart raced in the silence of their unbroken gaze. Rosana’s smile bloomed beautifully, while his words shimmered like grains of sand.

Mine…

Was this what it felt like to belong somewhere? 

Until now, Rosana had never belonged anywhere. Instead of showing pitifully trembling eyes, Rosana created a bright smile. She struggled to move her lips, then finally spoke, overcoming the stuffiness:

“If I’m yours, gladly.”

The curtains fluttered in the gentle breeze, seemingly congratulating them.

“Congratulations.”

When Venice’s voice, which she had forgotten about, suddenly rang out, Rosana hurriedly pulled her hand away. She cleared her throat, trying to change the atmosphere. Jade regretted the loss of that pure white hand.

“Q-quickly choose. Venice is busy with work too.”

“Let’s do that.”