25. Sharing Everyday Life as an Ordinary Family

The Empress’s execution was carried out immediately. Although he was still bedridden, it was because the Emperor rushed it.

The Emperor felt tremendous betrayal from the Empress. How could he not feel betrayed when she had blatantly poisoned him and even deceived him with a child that wasn’t his bloodline?

Moreover, the Emperor said he would not forgive the Kingdom of Moncha, which had been complicit in this deception.

After hearing the whole story, Louis calmed the Emperor with one statement.

He said he would conquer the Kingdom of Moncha.

With Louis’s reassuring words, the Emperor was finally able to lie down on his bed, his body weakened. The court physicians hurriedly attended to the Emperor, who had been anxiously agitated.

As Louis left the Emperor’s bedroom, he encountered the Crown Prince in the corridor. The Crown Prince had lost weight in just a few days and didn’t look well.

“…Can we talk for a moment?”

At Bastian’s request, Louis stopped in his tracks.

“If you’re planning to ask me to stop the Empress’s execution, you should meet with His Majesty the Emperor, not me.”

At this cold rejection, Bastian’s complexion grew even more pallid.

“…I know it’s a shameless request, but please help me go out for just a brief moment.”

Louis, who had naturally expected him to beg for the Empress’s life, gave him a look at these unexpected words. Bastian hurriedly added:

“Even just an hour would be fine. I have somewhere I need to go briefly.”

Bastian had decided to accept his fate calmly.

In fact, there had been several times in his life when he’d felt strange. He was completely different from his father, the Emperor, from food preferences to personal tastes.

Nor did he resemble the Empress. Though he looked like her outwardly, his personality was entirely different.

He had also felt overwhelmed by his position as Crown Prince several times. He had often thought he just wanted to live freely, like the wind.

Believing that after his mother’s execution, he would be next, he wanted to see Pamela at least once before dying.

Louis was the only person who could allow the confined Crown Prince to go out.

“Are you going to meet the Duke’s daughter?”

At Louis’s question, Bastian looked surprised.

“Do you still not know my abilities, brother?”

“…Could you even know what I was thinking?”

“Of course, that’s still something most people don’t know about me.”

“…What an extraordinary ability. They said you were a Transcendent, and it’s really true.”

“I don’t harbor ill feelings toward you, brother. Although I grew up being disregarded, you weren’t the only one who disregarded me. If I were to kill people for just that, most nobles in the Empire would already be dead.”

“…I feel sorry about it.”

“That’s not something I want to hear at this point.”

“…Still.”

Louis contemplated very briefly. He thought killing him would be better for the future, but he recalled what Aer had said.

Remembering how she had cried out that she couldn’t bear to see people dying, Louis decided to give Bastian a small chance.

“Why don’t you just run away with the Duke’s daughter?”

He casually suggested.

“…Huh?”

“For your information, the Kingdom of Moncha will soon be in turmoil, so I recommend going to another country. As far away as possible.”

“…His Majesty the Emperor won’t leave us alone.”

“He’ll be stepping down from his position soon.”

“…”

At Louis’s words, hope began to flicker in Bastian’s previously lifeless eyes. Louis, who had been thoroughly examining his thoughts, said:

“Then, I’ll escort you. Get ready.”

“Th-thank you.”

If the Duke’s daughter refused to run away with him, Louis planned to send them far away, even if he had to brainwash her.

Louis remembered what Aer had endured more than what he himself had suffered.

He intended to pay back, one by one, the nobles who had disrespected Aer.

***

Aer visited Kaylee after a long time. It was to give her more authority before entering the palace.

Thinking Kaylee deserved this right since she had already produced more profit than the initial investment, Aer showed a satisfied expression while walking down the street.

Most women passing by were wearing the intestine-shaped hairbands that she and Kaylee had created.

Not only the hairbands but also many accessories from “El Te Amo” could be seen, making Aer unable to hide her joy.

“Kaylee.”

“Oh my, Boss!”

Kaylee, who was still working with a haggard face in her workshop, greeted Aer happily after not seeing her for a long time.

“I hope you’re not pushing yourself too hard?”

“Pushing myself? That’s a word you use when you don’t want to do something. I’m really enjoying this right now, Boss.”

“Coming from a workaholic like you, that’s not very reassuring.”

Aer casually asked while looking at an elaborate hairpin that appeared to be an “El Te Amo” product.

“By the way, Kaylee.”

“Yes?”

“I was wondering…”

Aer couldn’t easily speak. Worried that she might be jumping to conclusions, she hesitated before asking:

“…In ‘El Te Amo,’ does the ‘El’ refer to me rather than the fairy El?”

“Oh my?”

“…It doesn’t, right? Ah, how embarrassing.”

“You finally realized it?”

“…What?”

“This means someone has started calling you by a nickname? Oh my, I wonder who that could be.”

“…”

Aer, who had been embarrassed for one reason, now felt embarrassed for another. When Louis had called her by the nickname, she had felt shy but not embarrassed…

Now that she heard Kaylee’s words, she realized that no one had ever called her by a nickname before. Belatedly recognizing this fact, Aer couldn’t hide her reddening face.

“It must be him, right?”

Kaylee asked, thinking of Louis. Though they had only met a few times, every time Louis had looked at Aer with passion.

As if he could only see Aer, he never gave a glance to anyone else.

For this peculiar reason, Louis had been a topic of conversation among Kaylee and the other employees. They had imagined both Aer and Louis as romantic partners and shared their fantasies about love more than once.

“But what brings you here? Should I bring the ledger?”

Aer, who had been fanning herself with her hand at Kaylee’s words, said:

“I might not be able to visit the shop for a while.”

“Are you going back to your unit?”

“The unit has been disbanded now.”

“Ah…”

“Anyway, that’s why I want to transfer more authority to you, Kaylee. I’ll just remain as an investor. Can you manage well on your own?”

“…Are you going far away?”

“Huh? Pfft.”

Aer burst into laughter at Kaylee’s words. It did seem like she was preparing to go far away, which made it funny.

“It might be far, or it might not be.”

Louis had said nothing would change, but Aer knew otherwise. That’s what entering the palace meant.

She wouldn’t have the freedom to go out like nobles did, and especially since things might be chaotic for a while, she planned to stay quietly in the palace. She would also need to adapt at the same time.

“You’ll find out later. I’ll keep it a secret until then. Hehe.”

“I understand, Boss. I’ll definitely repay the trust you’ve placed in me.”

“You already have.”

Aer chatted with Kaylee for a long time after many days. From current popular products to stories about a newly opened clothing store nearby.

After listening to various stories, Aer was only able to leave the workshop when it had grown dark outside. And there, she encountered Louis, who had been waiting for her.

“Oh? When did you get here?”

“Not long ago.”

Louis, who had taken Bastian to the Duke’s residence, had finished his business and come to pick up Aer. Since she had contacted him before going out, they didn’t miss each other.

“Are you going home?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take you.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

Aer naturally linked arms with Louis. The two headed toward the carriage, feeling the cool breeze.

Aer was happy that Louis was the one with whom she shared her daily life.

Even though they lived in the same house, she felt an unfamiliar feeling due to her family’s indifference, but her joy was greater than that.

Soon, she would have a new family. Of course, that person would be Louis.

She believed without a doubt that the two of them would live very ordinarily, just like that.