Chapter 18_Am I the New Interest?

“Embrace the lady.”

The Emperor exhaled a deep breath slowly. He wondered if Dein had been circling around to say this. He understood why Dein had been so cautious.

“How about optimizing your physical condition? Right now, your condensed energy is blocked…”

At this point, the Emperor decided to ease Dein’s burden. There was no need to make it more complicated.

“You speak so elegantly. You could just say I should live while also relieving my desires.”

Dein’s face turned slightly red.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

The Emperor watched Dein leave courteously and then exhaled deeply as he had earlier. He always listened to and respected the words of his loyal servant, Dein. But this time, he had no intention of following his advice. His mind was already overwhelmed with the issues of unification, the Divine Beast, and the lost white horse. There was no room for a woman.

Having grown up under two harmonious parents, the Emperor had developed an ascetic lifestyle and had no interest in such matters.

What does that have to do with the Divine Beast? It’s just about relieving desires.

Left alone, the Emperor’s mood grew heavy once again.

***

It was amazing. This goba oil. The many wounds she had seen when she first returned from the mountains had already faded. The light ones had disappeared without a trace, and even the severe ones had significantly lightened. This medicine seemed more effective than any modern ones she had known. Bellita was more grateful than ever to the nanny, who was applying the last drop from the small bottle to her leg.

“It’s all used up. I’ll have to make more.”

When the nanny said she made it instead of buying or receiving it from somewhere, Bellita asked without thinking.

“You make it? You do?”

The nanny pursed her lips slightly, looking a bit disappointed. But considering Bellita’s condition, she soon relaxed her lips. It really seemed like Bellita had lost all her memories except for her name.

“I make it.”

What? The nanny makes this?

“Wow. That’s amazing.”

The nanny can do anything. She can even make such precious things. Bellita saw the nanny as more capable than ever.

“I make all the medicine you take too. I know best because you’ve been sickly since you were young.”

Bellita looked at the nanny with wide eyes.

“Then, are you also a pharmacist?”

In this world, pharmacists are highly esteemed nobles with incredible talent. Yet, they made the nanny go through all sorts of hardships.

Bellita grasped the nanny’s hand tightly. She wondered how she could have survived here without the nann. She felt a surge of emotion for the nanny, who was her benefactor. She resolved to treat the nanny even better.

“Nanny, I’ll be better to you.”

The nanny immediately understood the meaning.

“I will serve you with even more dedication.”

The two exchanged warm glances.

***

During the postponed lunch with the Emperor, Bellita found herself able to savor the food a bit more than before.

The Emperor seemed to follow the principle of not disturbing her while eating, focusing solely on his meal. This was very desirable.

As a result, the food tasted delicious. The steak was flavorful, and the other elegantly prepared dishes were all tasty. For the first time, she could eat heartily and enjoy her meal in front of him.

Though the Emperor had removed his bandages, his palm still ached, but it was nothing. In battle, he had endured far worse injuries without batting an eye. Fortunately, the pain throughout his body had mostly subsided.

“It’s delicious. The chef deserves a reward.”

The nanny, standing at a distance, was the only one who understood.

He noticed. He noticed that the chef had changed.

The food prepared by the chef, chosen for his looks by Bellita, was honestly not very tasty. It was all about appearance, with every dish decorated with flowers. People thought he was trying to cover the taste of the food with flowers.

“It used to be hard to tell if it was food or a flower garden, but this time I am very pleased.”

The Emperor indeed had a keen eye.

No matter how much the nanny suggested changing the chef, Bellita had insisted otherwise. It was refreshing now that the situation had changed.

In fact, the Emperor had eaten such food without complaint because he rarely dined in the palace and wanted to avoid any involvement with Bellita. Another reason was that he ate worse food on the battlefield. He didn’t tolerate it out of generosity but out of indifference. Back then and now, everything was trivial compared to the unification of the empire.

“Kalik, that Selection Competition…”

As she ate the refreshing sherbet dessert, the Empress finally spoke. It was obviously an important topic for Bellita. He had expected this. In fact, he thought she would bring it up sooner, but she had surprisingly delayed.

“Not a single gold piece will be added.”

No matter how she tried to sweet-talk him, it was absolutely impossible.

Did she think I wouldn’t know that she brought this up to coax me? She had been trying to please me with this in mind all along.

With the money wasted every year, they could have given each soldier an extra loaf of bread.

“That’s not it. I plan to cancel it.”

What?

Cancel?

She wants to cancel it?

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed slightly, thinking she had suddenly changed her tune.

She did everything I told her to for the budget. Now that it doesn’t work, is she trying another trick?

“Then what about the 500,000 gold?”

It won’t be enough, will it? She won’t be satisfied. Or is she asking for it to spend on other entertainment?

“I don’t need it.”

Another surprise.

“That money could buy several mansions in the capital, and you really don’t need it?”

No way.

Does she think I’ll increase the budget because of this? Ha!

The Emperor still mocked her low tactics.

Bellita disliked everything related to that competition. She was exhausted just thinking about anything involving men. She didn’t need the competition or the money.

“Use it as you please.”

The Emperor tilted his head and scrutinized Bellita’s topaz eyes, which were looking directly at him.

Hmm…

Strange.

Her eyes didn’t seem to be plotting anything. This was unusual.

“Then are you planning to do it next year?”

“No. I won’t do it anymore.”

Bellita’s firm and immediate answer was more unexpected.

You won’t hold the biggest entertainment event you’ve been waiting for all year?

“We’ll see about that next year.”

She would surely hold a grand and embarrassing competition after securing the budget.

“If I’m still alive by then.”

Seeing Bellita become cautious again, the Emperor’s eyes lingered on her.

Does she still not know?

That she won’t die?

Was she really that foolish? 

The Emperor couldn’t believe that the cunning and calculating Bellita was acting this way.

“This competition will be abolished permanently.”

What?

Her words and actions now were sincere. She wasn’t pretending to sulk to get more budget. He could tell that much.

Then why?

The Emperor, more confused than before, couldn’t take his eyes off her. He tilted his head, fixing his heavy gaze on her.

It didn’t make sense. Why had she done everything I told her to do? Wasn’t it for the budget? If not, then why?  Why did she massage my legs and sing? Why? 

There was no answer to that.

Why? Why? Why? 

The only answer left was one that made even less sense.

Could it be…

Is that why she changed?

It was impossible to understand. He wanted to look inside that pretty head of hers. The Emperor’s gaze, which hadn’t left Bellita’s dazzling appearance with her elegantly styled hair, suddenly wavered slightly.

“Shall we get up now?”

Having finished the dessert, Bellita politely suggested leaving first, snapping the Emperor out of his thoughts.

He realized he had been staring at her too intently.

“Shall we have another cup of tea?”

The Emperor himself was puzzled as to why he didn’t want to part with Bellita just yet. But he had already spoken. Moreover, as the attendant brought hot tea, he found himself saying something else.

“Bring the Empress cold tea again.”

Wow. The Emperor remembered.

The words she had murmured softly.

Bellita’s face suddenly brightened, remembering the sick visit. It felt like she had received something from him for the first time. It felt like she desperately wanted his attention. Though that wasn’t the case, it felt good. Her efforts didn’t seem in vain, and she felt relieved, as if she was proving her worth as the Empress.

The nanny, who was a bit away, blinked her eyes in disbelief. The dimples on Bellita’s plump cheeks appeared.

The nanny knew that those dimples only appeared when Bellita genuinely smiled. They only showed when she was surrounded by men she liked. But now, she saw them for the first time in front of the Emperor. 

What kind of magic was this? 

The nanny tilted her head several times.

The Emperor also doubted his eyes.

Just because I paid attention to some tea, she’s that happy?

What could you be missing? You who used to frolic in a garden of men.

No, that’s not it.

He had heard that she had sent all the men away from the Empress’s Palace. He thought she was pretending to keep her promise. But she had gone overboard, more than necessary. He had dismissed the news, but now he recalled it.

Why had Bellita, who couldn’t live without men, done such a thing? If her life’s goal was that, who would be left if she got rid of all the men around her?

Ah!

Could it be?

The Emperor’s golden eyes visibly wavered in front of Bellita for the first time.

Could it be… that I’m the new interest?

Feeling awkward, the Emperor took a sip of tea and visibly grimaced.

It’s hot.