“What are you talking about? Nergal where? Why?”

Ir stared at Ishin, who had come running frantically, with disbelief.

“He was attacked coming out of Erun’s workshop. The culprit has already been caught and confessed that he attacked Minister Nergal out of resentment after being exposed for corruption and losing his position.”

“Erun’s workshop? Why did Nergal go there!”

Ir’s voice rose without her realizing it. Erun was a city located some distance from the capital. With high-quality iron ore mines nearby, blacksmiths had naturally settled there long ago, and as workshops dealing with those blacksmiths increased, the entire city could be called one giant forge.

Why would Nergal go to such a place?

“Uh… I thought you knew. We also only learned about it when we heard the news…”

Ishin stammered in confusion at Ir’s outburst. Seeing Ishin’s attitude, Ir bit her lip. She couldn’t blame Ishin for thinking that way.

Until now, Ir had always known Nergal’s schedule. He would tell her before going to sleep. Especially when he had to leave the palace, he would come find her to share his itinerary even if they weren’t planning to spend the night together.

She pretended to listen with one ear, but Ir had never carelessly ignored his words. That’s why when looking for Nergal, she would go directly to where he was without hesitation.

But Erun’s workshop? She had no knowledge of such a schedule from Nergal.

“Why did he go there without saying anything…!”

Ir was about to shout again but closed her mouth. It wasn’t that Nergal didn’t tell her. He couldn’t have. For the past few weeks, Ir had been with Serid. During that time, Nergal hadn’t come to find her.

Ir hadn’t looked for Nergal either. Honestly, she thought he would come at least once to complain about her bringing Serid in every day. But Nergal didn’t even show his face, seemingly telling her to have a good time, and Ir didn’t like that.

So she had been waiting with the attitude of “let’s see how long you won’t come”…

“So where is Nergal now!”

“At the hospital in Erun…”

Hearing that much, Ir immediately ran out of the training ground. Just before leaving, remembering what she had been doing, she turned her head and shouted.

“Goodbye, Serid! Tell Ishin what you need!”

Then she ran out holding the Holy Sword, seemingly having done everything she needed to do.

Left alone in the training ground, Serid stared blankly at Ir’s retreating figure before letting out a hollow laugh and sheathing his sword.

During the past few weeks of constantly crossing swords with Ir, Serid had seen how she would focus madly on sparring once it began, paying no attention to anything else around her.

She said she deliberately handled all her work beforehand for this purpose. Indeed, when an aide came looking for Ir during sparring saying there was remaining work, Ir didn’t even glance at him. That’s how much Ir valued sparring.

“But to run off like that immediately…”

Serid shook his head in disbelief. He thought of the empire’s ministers who had looked at him with expectant eyes.

Even he, who was merely a guest, could see how great and deep the Emperor’s favor was, so what delusions were they harboring?

Serid gathered his belongings while speaking to Ishin, who was still standing nearby restlessly.

“You heard His Imperial Majesty’s words. Well then…”

Serid grabbed Ishin and said.

“Let’s discuss a few agreements with our kingdom and tour the imperial treasury. Preferably swords. I need a souvenir for my lover.”

“Eh? Lover? Wait, then with our Emperor…”

“She was a good sparring partner. I’m sorry to your ministers. Come on, hurry. I also have my love waiting in our kingdom – a black bear cub who doesn’t think of me at all.”

Serid pushed Ishin’s back while smiling. He thought that by this time next year, the empire would probably have an heir.

***

“Ugh…”

Nergal grimaced and let out a short groan at the doctor’s touch while rewrapping the bandages. The doctor clicked his tongue and said.

“You’re lucky. Those were attackers who came fully prepared.”

“Right. The idiots didn’t even poison their blades.”

The doctor let out a hollow laugh at Nergal’s words.

“I’m not joking – it’s truly miraculous. To avoid attacks from over ten men so well. You must have learned self-defense.”

“It was long ago, but… I did learn.”

Nergal carefully tapped his tightly bandaged side while thinking of long ago. When he was staying as a hostage in Levant, Ir said his swordsmanship wasn’t quite right and taught him several self-defense techniques. Hoping Ir would be impressed if he did well with what she taught him, he would lock his door at night and practice alone. While he couldn’t attack well, he could dodge and counterattack fairly well.

What he learned then had saved his life several times after returning to the empire. So he continued practicing diligently afterward…

‘It’s still helpful.’

Nergal smiled bitterly while feeling the bandages. Then he said to the doctor.

“You reported to the palace that I was injured, right?”

“Yes. It was immediately conveyed to Sir Ishin.”

At the doctor’s answer, Nergal thought for a moment.

‘Ir probably doesn’t know.’

There was a possibility that Ishin immediately ran to tell her. But lately, Ir couldn’t hear anyone speaking to her while sparring with Serid.

‘Besides, she won’t leave the training ground until sparring ends.’

Ir acted like she would cross swords one more time even if the sky fell. So even if she heard the news, she wouldn’t leave that place.

‘It’s not like I died.’

No, would she have cared if he had died? She’d need a new minister, after all.

Continuing his thoughts, Nergal got up with a long sigh.

“What are you doing!”

The startled doctor shouted, and Nergal replied calmly.

“What do you mean? I have to go back. Do you know how much work is piled up?”

“But you’re injured like this…!”

“I’m not dead.”

Saying that, Nergal took a step forward. It throbbed a bit, but if he took painkillers, it wouldn’t be unbearable.

‘I don’t want to cause unnecessary worry either.’

If she knew he was injured, would Ir come find him after sparring ended? Or would she go have dinner with Serid like usual? 

Somehow thinking it would be the latter, Nergal gritted his teeth and took another step.

He didn’t want rumors spreading about his condition. For the stability within the palace, it was better to treat the attack like it never happened. So if he returned now and sat there acting normal, this incident would be buried without even becoming gossip.

And most of all…

‘…Ir won’t care anyway.’

What good would groaning do? He didn’t want people bothering him with words out of supposed concern, so it was better to act like nothing happened.

Just when Nergal was about to take another step toward the door with that thought—

Bang!

The door opened with such a loud sound that it seemed like it might break. The force was enough to startle the doctor standing nearby.

“Nergal!”

The person who roughly opened the door shouted upon seeing Nergal. Then immediately ran over and embraced him.

“Nergal? Are you okay? Are you alive? Are you badly hurt? Where are you injured? What happened to those bastards? Are they alive? No, it’s fine. They’ll be dead soon anyway. You’re okay though, right? That’s right, isn’t it? You weren’t poisoned?”

Ir poured out questions without pause. Nergal looked dazed for a moment, then collected himself and gestured to the doctor.

Get out.

The doctor immediately left the room, and Nergal calmed Ir, who was about to pour out more questions, saying.

“First, I’m not dead. I wasn’t poisoned either. I killed most of the attackers and left only the ringleader barely alive. I plan to bury him without trial.”

He calmly answered what Ir was curious about. Then looking outside, he said.

“It wasn’t a big deal, so please return to the palace first. Tomorrow’s schedule…”

“How is this not a big deal!”

At his words, Ir shouted again and slapped his waist with her palm.

“…!”

At that impact, Nergal couldn’t even groan, grabbing his waist and bowing his head while trembling.

“When you’re injured like this!”

“…There’s no need… to check… like this…”

Ir lifted Nergal up and carried him to the bed, laying him down.

“Don’t even think about leaving this bed until you’re fully healed.”

At her serious voice, Nergal stopped trying to argue. Ir didn’t seem like she would listen, and more importantly, if he got up again, she would probably hit his waist again.

“But why did you come here? You didn’t say a word about going to this place. There weren’t any particular problems in Erun either?”

At Ir’s pressing, Nergal suddenly closed his mouth and turned his gaze away. Realizing he was hiding something, Ir grabbed Nergal’s chin to make him look at her and asked again.

“Won’t you answer?”

“…”

When Nergal still wouldn’t open his mouth, Ir unhesitatingly slapped his injured area hard enough to make a sound.

“Ugh!”

Unable to bear the pain, Nergal let out a groan. But Ir mercilessly waved two fingers in front of Nergal. It meant that if he continued not answering, she wouldn’t just hit but would dig in.

Knowing Ir was serious, Nergal let out a long sigh. Then he opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I obtained Akshak iron ore, so I ordered a sword. I was trying to give it to you. Since it’s precious and a gift, I came here alone to secretly commission it.”

“An Akshak iron sword? There’s still some left?”

“Yes. It was found in a pile of dirt stacked in a corner of an abandoned mine. There was just enough to make one sword, so I commissioned it… You lost that one before, didn’t you?”

At Nergal’s mention of “before,” Ir recalled memories that now seemed truly distant. In Levant, Nergal had given Ir an Akshak iron sword that had come to him as a gift. How many people had looked at Ir with envious eyes because of it.

Eventually, due to the rule that weapons couldn’t be brought into the academy, she had no choice but to give up that sword. She worried that Nergal might be displeased, but when he saw her following him into the academy, he said nothing special. He even seemed happy.

After that, the Levant crown prince took the sword, and it disappeared during the war. Someone probably stole it from the crown prince’s corpse and sold it for a very high price.

Even then, Akshak iron was rarely mined and precious, but recently it had become completely unobtainable. Yet he found it and specially ordered a sword for her?

“Don’t tell me… is that my birthday present?”

Nergal nodded instead of answering with words.

Silence flowed between them. After lying still for a moment, Nergal sat up. The painkiller he had taken earlier seemed to be taking effect, as the pain gradually decreased and his head became foggy.

If only that were all, but apparently they had given him strong painkillers, as his mind felt slightly confused. Perhaps because of that, he suddenly felt he should say what he needed to say to Ir.

“Your Majesty.”

“What?”

“I think Prince Serid is fine.”

“What?”

Ir looked at him like he was talking nonsense.

“I mean marriage. Rather than having some other fool clinging to you, Prince Serid seems better. If it’s him, I could become the second man…”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

Unable to listen anymore, Ir hit Nergal’s side again. It hurt, but not as much as the first time, so Nergal bit his lip and continued looking at Ir.

“Why would I marry Serid? When I have you, why would I?”

“Marriage? With me?”

“Then with who else? We’ve been together for three years already!”

“But with Prince Serid…”

“Ah, really!”

Ir hit Nergal’s waist again, seemingly frustrated.

“Can’t you tell by looking! I deliberately played with Serid to see how you’d react! He never even entered the bedroom! He’d drink with me every night and return to his quarters on his own at dawn. Ah, he really drinks well though.”

“Huh…?”

At Ir’s words, Nergal made a deflating sound in disbelief.

Ir pounded her chest in frustration and said, “Listen carefully, Ner.”

When she called him Ner, Nergal tensed up. Whenever Ir called him that, she always said something unbelievably sweet.

Ir, who had clearly rushed over when he thought she’d be with Serid, looked at him with a flushed face and spoke.

“I want to marry you. Now that the empire is stable, we can have an heir without worry. And I’m making this clear here.”

Ir looked straight at him and said.

“I won’t have children with anyone other than you. So cooperate. Even if you refuse, I won’t give up and will use every temptation to drag you to bed. Understand?”

It was a proposal close to a threat. A proposal with no romance whatsoever, saying she would have children with him no matter what, even if he refused.

But the moment he heard it, Nergal realized.

His lifelong wish had finally come true.

He smiled and bowed his head. His broad shoulders shook roughly. Hearing his laughter gradually change, Ir looked at him with a worried expression.

“Ner?”

It had been quite a spirited proposal…

“Are you crying? Do you hate it that much?”

Just when Ir was about to lift his face with a worried voice.

“Huh?”

Though she wasn’t off guard, Ir’s body was caught and she fell backward. Nergal, who had climbed on top of Ir in an instant, quickly composed his reddened eyes and said.

“I never thought I’d use what you taught me as a child at a moment like this.”

While saying that, Nergal hurriedly undressed. Whether the doctor had given him strong painkillers, his waist that had been painful until just before now felt fine. No, maybe it wasn’t because of the medicine. 

This heart, overjoyed at hearing that completely unromantic proposal, might be ignoring all pain.

“Ir, you chose. You chose me. As the person to continue being with you…”

Nergal lowered his head and kissed Ir.

Their movements seeking each other’s lips were urgent. With skilled and quick hands undoing Ir’s clothes, Nergal thought.

Finally, he seemed to have received some forgiveness from her.

At the same time, he decided.

An heir? Since Ir said it was good, he’d make one now.

The two began to desire each other.

***

Exactly 10 months later.

“I’m applying for parental leave.”

 Nergal said confidently while holding the imperial princess who was only a few days old. Ir, who looked perfectly fine despite having given birth, looked at him incredulously and asked.

“Parental leave?”

“Yes. I want to devote myself to this precious imperial princess. And…”

Nergal sat beside Ir, kissed her cheek, and said.

“I want to be happy with my wife and daughter for even a little longer. So please grant me just one year.”

At his words, Ir sighed and turned her head. Then she also kissed Nergal’s cheek and said.

“I don’t know why you’re asking permission for such things.”

To her first and last person.