Chapter 19: The Emperor’s Birthday Banquet (2)  

Chloe witnessed the Emperor’s lips curl into a smirk. She also noticed Tehis’s eyes grow cold. The mutual disdain between them was so palpable it could almost be touched.  

Even though they hadn’t exchanged proper words yet, the sharp tension in the air made it clear just how much they despised each other.  

“Is there something wrong, Grand Duke? It seems you have something else to offer me?”  

“Doesn’t the gift Chloe gave already include my contribution? Surely you’re not saying that’s insufficient.”  

Though Tehis’s tone was polite, his words implied the Emperor was being greedy.  

Standing close to the Emperor, Chloe faintly heard a low growl escape his lips. It might have even been a curse.  

The Emperor furrowed his brow, suppressing the rising anger, and forced a twisted smile.  

“Then what is it? Surely you wouldn’t keep a mage waiting over something trivial.”  

Chloe, who had been quietly listening, opened her mouth in disbelief.  

‘Why is he dragging me into this mess?’  

She glanced up at Tehis, wondering if she should excuse herself, but the arm linked with hers didn’t budge an inch.  

Instead, a cold voice was directed at the Emperor.  

“I felt that I hadn’t properly celebrated the dignified Emperor’s birthday.”  

“What?”  

Has this man gone mad?  

The Emperor scrutinized Tehis’s face, as if to gauge what he was planning, before tilting his chin slightly, signaling him to continue.  

“And?”  

“As I mentioned, didn’t you receive a precious gift, Your Majesty? I sincerely hope you find it useful.”  

It didn’t take the Emperor long to interpret the multiple layers of meaning in Tehis’s words.  

That he wished the Emperor would encounter a crisis dire enough to need the artifact. That if the Emperor wanted to truly use it, he’d have to stay on good terms with either Tehis or Chloe. That even such a gift was too much for him.  

Some of these interpretations might have been exaggerated, but one thing was certain:  

Tehis Escalante was provoking Kiberun Harpeon.  

“How dare you…!”  

“My darling, you don’t need to make such a big deal out of my hard work.”  

Just as the Emperor gripped the armrest of his chair, ready to explode, a soft voice interjected.  

Breaking the icy tension, Chloe leaned against Tehis’s shoulder and whispered playfully.  

“Are you asking for a reward? Darling, shall we head to the terrace now?”  

Though her voice was quiet, it somehow carried clearly enough for everyone nearby to hear. Several people coughed awkwardly as they involuntarily imagined what the Grand Duke and his lover might do in private.  

‘But this alone isn’t enough.’  

Before the Emperor could say anything, Chloe snapped her fingers. It was a habit of hers, doubling as a performance, and the sound triggered a wave of magic.  

Whoosh—A dazzling array of lights burst forth. The radiant, multicolored display was so mesmerizing that exclamations of awe arose from all corners of the hall.  

“Well then, we’ll excuse ourselves. On such a joyous day, may the blessings of mana be with you.”  

With a bright smile, Chloe tugged Tehis along. This time, he followed her willingly as they made their way to the terrace.  

On the way, Helena approached to greet them, but Chloe promised to catch up later and sent her off. Kaishan, who was with Helena, was treated the same way.  

When they opened the door, the cold winter air greeted them.  

Chloe pushed her lover out onto the terrace and closed the door behind them. She even drew the curtains and quickly cast a few spells.  

The space warmed up in no time, and the wind was contained within a circular barrier, preventing it from leaking outside.  

“Why did you do that?”  

“What are you referring to?”  

“You know exactly what I mean.”  

Tehis didn’t respond to Chloe’s question. The Emperor’s seething gaze, filled with murderous intent, still lingered in his mind. It wasn’t surprising, given the genuine killing intent behind it.  

“Do you realize that if it weren’t for me, things could’ve escalated into a disaster?”  

“…Even if you hadn’t intervened, everything would have been fine. The foreign envoys present would have kept things under control.”  

Chloe stared at him, unimpressed by his excuse. Surely, he didn’t mean that seriously. Her skepticism was so evident that Tehis hesitated, then lowered his head.  

His shoulders slumped ever so slightly.  

“I’m sorry, Chloe. I was reckless.”  

“No… That’s not why I brought it up.”  

Chloe sighed and unlinked her arm from his. She sat down on one of the chairs prepared on the terrace and gestured toward the seat across from her.  

She meant for him to sit there, but instead, Tehis stood beside her.  

Chloe tilted her head slightly to look up at him. Meeting his quiet gaze, she finally spoke after a moment’s pause.  

“Were you upset because I gave away your share of the gift?”  

That was the only explanation she could think of. Perhaps Tehis had also prepared a birthday gift for the Emperor, and she had unknowingly taken his opportunity to present it, leaving him annoyed.  

But this had been Chloe’s surprise gift. If the present he had prepared held monetary value, he could always get a refund or sell it elsewhere. If it wasn’t something that could be sold, she assumed he’d simply use it himself.  

‘That’s why I prepared it alone and didn’t tell him beforehand.’  

She hadn’t anticipated that things would turn out like this.  

Just as she furrowed her brow slightly, Tehis shook his head.  

“That’s not it. I’m grateful that you handled such a troublesome matter for me, Chloe. The same goes for what you did earlier.”  

“Well, that’s a relief. Then what is it?”  

At the sound of “not it,” Chloe felt relieved yet also puzzled. Then what was the problem that made Tehis suddenly pick a fight with the Emperor? After all the effort she had put into crafting the gift and presenting it first, she felt it was all for nothing.  

She tilted her head slightly, as if urging him to spill the truth, and stared at him. Tehis hesitated, then subtly averted his gaze.  

“…The gift seems far too extravagant for the Emperor.”  

“What?”  

Chloe blinked, unable to immediately understand.  

Tehis, as if trying to justify himself, added, 

“I understand the intent behind why you gave it to the Emperor. But how often will he actually have a chance to use the necklace? Even though there have been whispers of rebellion lately, a Sword Master is personally guarding him. If he ever has to call for your help, it would mean the situation is truly dire.”  

Chloe felt confused. 

Was this concern for my safety, or was he implying something else entirely?  

‘Did he provoke the Emperor to prevent him from using the necklace…?’  

Her thoughts didn’t have the chance to deepen. As if something inside him had burst, Tehis continued speaking at length.  

“If the Emperor truly intends to kill me, he could use the necklace to set a trap. He could summon you, capture you, or even harm you. And the craftsmanship didn’t need to be so elaborate, did it? It’s a waste of your time to pour so much effort into someone who won’t even appreciate it.”  

But altering its form was one of the most basic principles of alchemy. It was just that the magical processing was somewhat tedious.  

‘Is he worried about me, or does he genuinely think it was a waste?’  

While Chloe was lost in confusion, Tehis, as if deciding to let it all out, began rambling even more.  

“You need to realize just how attractive you appear to others. Do you know how many people target you, calling you a mage who understands love? And yet, you go and make handcrafted artifacts to give to other people as gifts…”  

“…?”  

Something felt off. That sense grew stronger as Tehis continued.  

“You’ve never even showcased the bracelet you gave me in public, have you? And now that you’ve officially announced yourself as an Elder Mage, the competition around you will only grow fiercer. …This is partly because of your appearance. I couldn’t even count how many men couldn’t take their eyes off you today.”  

Chloe’s expression turned peculiar.  

For the first time, Tehis was speaking at length and stumbling over his words. No, the content of his words…  

He sounded jealous.  

“Thankfully, your shawl covered you, but your dress was cut far lower than I expected…”  

Finally realizing the atmosphere, Tehis cut himself off mid-sentence. The awkwardly unfinished remark left an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air.  

Neither Chloe nor Tehis spoke, and the quiet persisted for a while.  

It was Chloe who broke the silence first.  

“Tehis.”  

“…Yes, Chloe.”  

His reply was slow. The man, who was busy regretting everything he had just said, suddenly found a white hand reaching toward him.  

As she tugged on his collar, his face lowered without resistance, bringing him closer. Chloe studied him intently from this dangerously close distance.  

His swept-back hair and clean forehead. Thick eyebrows, deep eyes. A sharp nose and tightly closed lips.  

He looked exactly the same as when she had seen him earlier before coming here. But there was one noticeable change.  

“Do you remember what I said before?”  

“…What do you mean?”  

“Something I said during the Founding Anniversary.”  

Chloe’s hand brushed against the corner of his eye, which was avoiding her gaze. Her soft fingers slid down to his cheek and moved beyond. As if tucking back his short hair, she ran her hand along the curve of his ear and whispered.  

“Your ears turn red when you kiss.”  

Of course, she was recalling something from the time they had made their contract. And it wasn’t just during kisses; she had caught faint signs of warmth several times since then.  

“And right now, your ears are red.”  

So. Chloe decided to turn her words into reality.  

Before she got an answer, she wrapped her arms around his neck.  

Their faces overlapped. The world went silent. Only the sound of their hearts, beating in unison, remained.  

Ah, it was because of the soundproofing magic.  

“…”  

“…”  

The warmth on her lips didn’t last long. It was a kiss that barely touched, but the heat spreading through her body left her feeling flushed.  

A slow smile spread across Chloe’s lips. She liked the way his eyes now met hers directly, unlike before.  

With a soft murmur, she teased the restrained intensity in his gaze.  

“Right?”  

With how flushed he was, there was no way he could be unaware of his own heat. She could even feel the warmth radiating from his body.  

Yet Tehis still denied it.  

“I don’t know. So…”  

This time, it was his hand that supported the back of Chloe’s head. Once again, their faces overlapped. The world went silent.  

Thump, thump. The rhythm of his heartbeat was faster than before.  

The redness of their lips seemed to spread outward, as if the air itself had grown warmer.  

Ah, it was magic.  

In the middle of winter, a flower of heat bloomed.