Chapter 84

Seyra picked up something from the bedside table, and the sound of her movements caused Adelina to slowly open her eyes.  

“Your Majesty, you’re awake?”  

Seyra looked at Adelina with a subtle gaze, her face turning red.  

‘Does she know something? Why is her face red?’  

Adelina glanced down at her own body. Lexion, respecting her request to keep things a secret, had been careful not to leave even a single kiss mark.  

“Your Majesty, I found this oak branch. I’ll place it in a vase for you.”  

Seyra showed Adelina a branch with three acorn-like fruits attached to it.  

Humming a tune, she approached the sofa table, where a vase had been placed.  

She removed the chrysanthemums Jaeyon had brought a few days ago, threw them into the trash, and carefully placed the branch in the vase.  

“These fruits symbolize children, Your Majesty.” 

Seyra’s face turned even redder as she winked at Adelina.  

‘Lexion! Seyra totally figured it out!’  

Adelina pulled the blanket over her head, covering herself completely.  

+++

In the afternoon, after lunch, Jaeyon and Hailyn stood at Adelina’s bedroom door, each holding a basket.  

“Sir Jaeyon.”  

“Yes. Has anyone else visited?”  

“No, aside from the maids, no one has come.”  

The guards greeted Jaeyon as if it were the most natural thing in the world, stepping aside to let him and Hailyn enter the sitting room attached to Adelina’s bedroom.  

Even without the Emperor’s explicit orders, no guard would allow another man to enter the room of a woman Jaeyon was interested in.  

When Jaeyon and Hailyn entered the sitting room, the three maids guarding the area stood up from the sofa and blocked his path.  

“Her Majesty isn’t feeling well today. As far as we know, she has no appointments. Please come back tomorrow.”  

‘How stubborn, just like their master.’  

Jaeyon pulled out the contents of his basket and handed one to each maid.  

“Persimmons. They’re from my garden and are famous for their taste. Even His Majesty eagerly awaits them all year round.”  

The maids, now holding orange, bell-shaped fruits larger than a grown man’s fist, stared blankly at Jaeyon.  

“Haha. Tell her about them. She’ll like them.”  

At Jaeyon’s words, one maid tilted her head in curiosity but took the persimmon and entered Adelina’s bedroom.  

+++

‘Persimmons! Sweet persimmons!’  

Adelina, who had been lying on her stomach, drawing pictures for the maids, jumped up at the fragrant smell of persimmons.  

Having rested all morning, her body no longer felt uncomfortable moving.  

With Adelina’s permission, Jaeyon entered the bedroom and placed the basket on the sofa table.  

“What is this?”  

Glancing at the branch in the vase, Jaeyon turned to Adelina.  

“Haha. I picked it up in the garden. Just thought it would add a touch of autumn.”  

Adelina shot a subtle glance at Seyra, who quickly began setting tea for Jaeyon and Hailyn.  

‘Lies. There isn’t a single oak tree in the Tiola Imperial Palace garden.’  

Jaeyon took the deepest persimmon from the basket and placed it in Adelina’s hand.  

“Please try this. It’s a fruit native to the Mu Continent.”  

“I know. It’s called a persimmon.”  

Adelina took the persimmon, split it in half, and was immediately enveloped by its sweet aroma. The juicy orange flesh glistened, tempting her.  

‘Sweet persimmons! They were so expensive I could barely eat them!’  

In her previous life, persimmons had been Adelina’s favorite fruit.  

Unlike ordinary persimmons, they were so costly that she could only afford to eat one or two a year.  

Using the spoon Seyra had prepared, Adelina carefully scooped out the flesh and placed it in her mouth.  

“Ugh!”  

“Haha. Spit it out here.”  

As Adelina frantically looked around, Jaeyon handed her a piece of paper that had been nestled between the persimmons, laughing.  

‘What kind of person gives unripe persimmons?!’  

Adelina shot Jaeyon a glare before wrapping the paper around her lips and spitting out the flesh.  

No wonder it had felt a bit firm—it wasn’t fully ripe yet.  

“Try this one. It’s perfectly ripe. The persimmons at the bottom of the basket will be delicious in about three days.”  

Jaeyon handed Adelina another persimmon from the top of the basket.  

When she gave him a skeptical look, he cut it in half and took a bite first.  

+++

Watching Adelina devour two persimmons in no time, Jaeyon lifted his now-cold tea.  

As the small chrysanthemum in the teacup spun around, his eyebrows momentarily furrowed, but he quickly softened his expression.  

‘King Lexion was here.’  

Hailyn, noticing Jaeyon’s gaze lingering on the oak branch, let out a small cough.  

Jaeyon set down the untouched teacup and looked at Adelina.  

“Tomorrow. Let’s go see the navy.”  

“The navy? Can I? Isn’t that a military secret?”  

Adelina’s eyes widened at the mention of the navy.  

The Tiola Empire’s navy was rumored to be the strongest across both the Mu and Aslan continents.  

“If you come with me, you’ll be allowed in. Seeing the sea and the navy might inspire some special strategies.”  

“Alright. I was thinking of asking His Majesty for permission anyway. Thank you.”  

Adelina readily agreed to Jaeyon’s suggestion.  

Since Ernst’s navy would be working alongside them, observing their training methods and relaying them to Lexion would enable more effective strategies.  

“Let’s go after lunch tomorrow… If it’s difficult to ride a horse, I’ll prepare a carriage.”  

As Adelina responded, Jaeyon’s mood visibly improved, but his expression soon stiffened.  

He turned his head away, ensuring Adelina wouldn’t see the frown on his face.  

“No need for a carriage. I’ll ride. Seyra can ride a horse, so she’ll join us.”  

“Understood. I’ll come to fetch you tomorrow.”  

Jaeyon resisted the urge to pull the oak branch from the vase, instead giving Adelina a gentle smile.  

+++

‘Has Lexion arrived safely?’  

After an early dinner, Adelina dismissed Seyra and took out a mirror.  

‘Ah… It might be difficult to have a conversation.’  

She recalled Lexion’s mention of placing the mirror in a secret location for emergencies, and disappointment flickered across her face.  

She glanced at the clock on the wall. 8 p.m.  

It was an ambiguous time, but perhaps Lexion had retired to his bedroom early today.  

As Adelina held the mirror and was about to call Lexion’s name, the murmur of women’s voices reached her ears.  

+++

Two maids of the Ernst royal palace hurried into Lexion’s bedroom before he finished his work.  

Although there were no signs of the bed being used, they decided to change the bedding just in case and sprayed a soothing fragrance throughout the room.  

“Did Earl Bettran order a wedding dress?”  

“Yes. I heard other noble families have also ordered wedding dresses.”  

“Do you think they’re planning to marry off their daughters as soon as the war ends?”  

“Possibly. Nobles often order wedding dresses during wartime. They believe it ensures their daughters’ safety until the war is over.”  

As the two whispered and finished tidying up the room, the bedroom door opened.  

“Rest well, Your Majesty.”  

“Thank you for your efforts.”  

When Lexion entered the room with Earl Bettran and Marquis Stephan, the two maids immediately left.  

Lexion removed his jacket and was about to take off his constricting armor when Stephan let out a loud cough, causing him to pause.  

The armor Lexion wore was specially commissioned by Stephan.  

It was crafted from layers of thin, rounded titanium metal, designed to allow unrestricted movement even over a shirt.  

Earl Bettran took the seat to Lexion’s right as the King settled into the head of the sofa.  

“I will have a new rose tiara made. It will be necessary for Her Majesty’s parade after the war ends.”  

At Earl Bettran’s suggestion, Lexion leaned back deeply into the sofa.  

The Queen’s parade was both a tradition and a symbol.  

After a war, the Queen would wear a tiara and march through the streets to reassure the people and demonstrate the royal family’s continued strength.  

“There’s no need. When the war ends, I’ll bring back the real one.”  

As Lexion spoke with his eyes closed, both Earl Bettran and Stephan fell silent.  

No doubt, Lexion was thinking of his sister, Rose.  

“Your Majesty, even so, wouldn’t it be wise to prepare a rose tiara for Her Majesty just in case? You’ll also need to hold the official Queen’s coronation ceremony.”  

Stephan cautiously brought up the possibility.  

The rose tiara in Petrus might not have been left untouched.  

When Lexion finally opened his eyes, his crimson irises shimmered with anger and longing as he gazed at the two men.  

“Once the war is over, I have no intention of crowning Adelina as Queen.”  

His voice, as cold as the autumn wind cutting through the Ernst royal garden, echoed even in the secret chamber.  

+++

“Your Majesty!”  

Earl Bettran’s voice was louder than usual, filled with both astonishment and doubt.  

‘After all this time without showing interest in any other woman, is he planning to take an Ernst woman as Queen?’  

It was possible. The Ernst royal family had never taken a foreign woman as Queen.  

Even the Ernst nobility had long forbidden marriages with foreigners.  

They had endured under the dragon’s claws of Petrus for ten years, maintaining the proud blood of Ernst.  

Seeing Earl Bettran’s darkened expression, Lexion rose from his seat and walked toward the bookshelf.  

‘It feels like Adelina is calling me…’  

How long had it been since they parted?  

Already, he missed her voice, her scent.  

It must have been an illusion.  

Standing before the secret chamber, he held his breath and strained to listen, but Adelina’s voice did not come.  

Lexion turned to look down at Earl Bettran and Stephan.  

“My wife is the only person I will kneel to.”  

At Lexion’s heavy words, both Earl Bettran and Stephan stood from their seats.  

“Never again will my wife bow her head to anyone else. And I will ensure that my people are never looked down upon as coming from a small kingdom by foreigners.”  

Stephan, seemingly already understanding Lexion’s resolve, stepped forward and knelt on one knee.  

Earl Bettran, finally grasping Lexion’s intentions, knelt beside Stephan.  

“Stephan.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will ensure the real rose tiara is brought back for Her Majesty.”  

“Earl Bettran.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will prepare for the Emperor’s coronation and the Empress’s crowning ceremony.”  

They raised their heads to look at Lexion.  

Meeting his determined crimson gaze, they clenched their fists.  

This war would end in victory.  

+++

“Your Majesty, please wear this black wig.”  

The following afternoon, Seyra stood behind Adelina, who was seated at the dressing table. She tied Adelina’s hair tightly and prepared to place the black wig over it.  

Adelina, lost in thought, stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror.  

Snapping out of her daze, she focused on Seyra’s face in the mirror.  

‘Seyra… The strongest candidate to become the real Queen in my place.’