Chapter 2

“Uh, y-you should have a chat then!”

As if this were a perfect time to, Jean and Hughes quickly dashed off.

Unable to run away from the terrace with the tea table fast enough, they scrambled away, eventually disappearing from her sight; Kathia stifled a laugh.

“Kathia?”

“Mm, it’s nothing. By the way, the weather’s quite nice today.”

A light breeze passed by as if to support her remark.

While she smiled and enjoyed her long hair and the edge of her empire dress ballooning from the wind, Kathia felt a glare of dark eyes looking straight in front of her.

All of a sudden, Kathia wondered how she would look in his eyes.

Would it be more like looking at an old black-and-white photo of poor resolution? Or, would it be more like looking at an unfinished portrait without color?

She was curious to find out but she didn’t ask him.

Him.

Deon Arc del Brezina.

He is the only stepbrother of Kathia, and the new rising sun of this Brezina Empire, and a man who was also breathtakingly attractive.

Attractive… Yes, attractive. It’s a term that was somewhat inappropriate for a kid who barely turned 18-years-old but at the same time, was a very appropriate description for him.

One week ago from today, as he turned his own coming-of-age ceremony into a revolution of blood, he became beautiful and strong.

As if he were the protagonist of this world.

Whoosh. Again, a gust of wind passed by them. It was slightly stronger than before, so Kathia instinctively tensed her shoulders.

Deon right away took off his jacket, then draped it over her.

“You may catch a cold again.”

“Thanks.”

Kathia lukewarmly smiled. Just because she suffered from a cold for a few months, he’s treating her like a perfect patient. It’s quite windy, but it’s not that cold…

Huh? But then-

“Is it spring…?”

Kathia mumbled as she was adjusting the large blanket-like jacket.

Clear, blue eyes were aimed towards the cherry tree in the backside of the garden. Deon glanced towards that direction as well and answered.

“It is late spring.”

From his assuring voice, Kathia smiled.

Last winter was especially cold and treacherous for her.

It seemed like just yesterday when she complained about this cold to go away, and suddenly, all of the cherry blossoms that resembled her hair color fell in the garden.

“Mm…. It must be late spring.”

Late spring. Spring. Spring, it was. Kathia kept repeating the word ‘spring’ as if she were a little child who just learned about that word; Deon blankly watched her.

“You know, Deon.”

“Yes.”

“Your Majesty.”

Suddenly, Kathia called him by an unfamiliar title. The face of the unrealistically-beautiful Kathia, which created the rumor of her being a witch, was still directed towards the cherry trees.

Deon couldn’t get his eyes off her side profile that was physically there, but at the same time, wasn’t there.

“…Please continue.”

“Do you remember the promise?”

Deon didn’t take much time to nod. As he learned how to get around in the world from an early age, he knew how to sweet talk, but he wasn’t the type to break his promises.

More importantly, it was a kind of promise between two people that can never be forgotten.

“Since I was unable to fulfill your request, l will instead…”

“You are going to fulfill my wish.”

“Anything, as you wish. Without fail.”

Deon firmly added. Kathia finally turned her head back, the corner of her eyes crinkled into a Duchenne smile.

“Yes, you did say that.”

That was the kind of reaction as if he were observing an adorable kid’s playful response. Then the young Emperor faintly raised the corner of his mouth like his sister.

For real. If strangers were to look at this scene, it would undoubtedly resemble an interaction between a close brother and his older sister.

It would never cross one’s mind that it only has been a few months since they knew of each other and moreover, they’re complete strangers who don’t even share one drop of blood.

“Did anything come to mind?”

Deon asked as he was pouring tea into Kathia’s empty teacup. Kathia straightened her posture and opened her mouth to a boy who would almost willingly give her the right of claim to this imperial palace if she were to ask for it.

“About ‘anything with certainty.’ That condition still applies, right?”

“Of course.”

“For real?”

“Yes.”

“…Even if I wished to have a country?”

“Which country do you specifically wish to have?”

Out of shock, Kathia couldn’t say a word. She was only trying to throw the idea out there because she resented his confidence of being able to give her anything she wanted.

She would’ve never expected to have this straightforward of a response.

Disregarding proper manners, Kathia leaned forward.

“No, wait, wait a minute. What does that mean? Are you saying that, If I were to point to any country on a map, then you could conquer that country for me?”

“If that is what you desire.”

Is he joking? No, the real problem is that it doesn’t sound like he’s joking. Kathia stumbled.

“N-Not just any country, but what if I were to pick the Brezina Empire?”

The Brezina Empire? Here? Deon tilted his head slightly in realization, then he spoke.

“I would take a part of this Empire and build a new country for you.”

“…How much of it are you going to give?”

“Not sure. A lot would be difficult, but perhaps from the Taitidom Mountain Range towards the borders of the Oruki Kingdom.”

That’s one-third of the empire’s territory. As Kathia became suddenly weary, she waved her hand while leaning back on the seat.

“Leave it. I was just kidding. I don’t want a country.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s just that, I want to leave this imperial palace to do something small.”

“…Leaving… the palace…”

Deon couldn’t quite continue with his words. Somehow, he displayed a bigger reaction to her leaving the palace compared to when Kathia asked for a country before.

With the anticipation of her wish finally coming true, Kathia beamed at Deon with her sparkling eyes, urging him for a response, unable to pay any attention to his reaction.