CH 9

# the bedroom opposite the Emperor

The carriage door opened, and an old gentleman with a thin mustache appeared and bowed his head.

“Your Majesty.”

The gentleman glanced at me, who was hardened to guard against strange places and people.

“You’re finally here.”

“Yes.”

“Should I take the kids?”

“It should be.”

The gentleman stretched out his hand as if to invite the children to come, but the children looked back and forth between me and the gentleman but did not move.

I didn’t know what the situation was, so I couldn’t tell the kids to follow the gentleman either.

After some time of silence, Lucerne opened his mouth.

“He is my aide.” They couldn’t live in the imperial palace like that, right? He will wash and tidy them up for you.

“Someone you can trust… is it?”

I wasn’t sure if it would be okay to leave the children who followed me in a strange place in the hands of strangers. I was so anxious, but I wanted to know what the children would be like, so I was going to say that I would take them with me.

Lucerne let out a sigh.

“… Astia. “Do you believe me?”

“Yes?”

It was a random question.

Not knowing what to say, I looked at him as if asking for an explanation, and Lucerne added.

“He is the only person I trust in the imperial palace.” If you trust me, you may trust him too. “If you don’t believe me, you won’t believe him either.”

She was saddened by the fact that he was the only person he trusted.

Did he say he was an emperor?

It seemed like he was in a lonely situation, even though he looked gorgeous on the outside.

Feeling sympathy for the gorgeous-looking man sitting in front of her, she asked a question instead of an answer.

“You mean you won’t harm the children?”

“If I had thought of that, I wouldn’t have brought them to the castle in the royal carriage.”

“Then… “I will believe you.”

She replied plainly and met eyes with Lucerne. Her eyes, like jewels, yearned for my, no, Astia’s affection and trust, and I wanted to return it.

The first one to avert his eyes was Lucerne.

“Good. Then let the kids go. You will come with me.

“OK.”

I gathered the children’s tiny hands together and squeezed them tightly.

“Guys. It’s time to part ways for a while. They say you have to take a bath, change clothes, and meet again.

“I don’t want to part with my mother… “Can’t we go together?”

“Mom wants to do the same, but she has to listen to him carefully because this is his house.” It only takes a moment, so listen carefully to that man over there. Mom will come and see you soon. Understand?”

“Uh… “

The other children seemed to be reluctant and procrastinated, but Geo stood up as soon as he heard me.

“Don’t worry, Mom. “I will take good care of my younger siblings.”

“Thank you, Geo.”

Geo got off the carriage and greeted the gentleman, who skillfully took care of him.

Next, Rie and Marley rose from their seats and whispered in my ear.

“Mom, I will listen carefully to my older brother and be careful walking, so mom should also be careful not to meet someone named Lucerne.” “He is a person who lives here, and he is like a monster, a very scary person.”

“If I find it, I will defeat it, so mom wait.” Understand? “Because mother is weak, she can’t fight monsters, so the hero Malitia will protect her!”

Marley swung her wooden sword, which was the size of her own forearm.

Marley swung a wooden sword the size of her forearm.

She looked into Lucerne’s eyes and smiled awkwardly.

Lucerne didn’t react much, even though he must have heard Lie and Marley gossiping about him. He just stared at me with a hard face, as always.

Finally, it took quite a while to get Seti off the carriage.

“Aww! I want to go away with Mom! Whoa!”

Geo managed to get Seti off, screaming and crying that she would not break up with me. The crying did not stop the whole time I followed the gentleman, so I couldn’t help but move my butt to the carriage.

Lucerne got off the carriage only when Seti’s cries faded away and could no longer be heard. Standing on the ground and moving silently like air and wind, he reached out his hand to me with his graceful movements. It was a natural movement, as if he were accustomed to it.

On the other hand, I just stared at the outstretched hand, frozen stiff in embarrassment.

My heart was pounding.

… Should I catch it?

I couldn’t believe that someone had reached out to me. When I was at a sports day or going on a picnic, all I could do was grab her fingers while showing off my partner’s dislike. It’s not a big deal, but my heart was swirling about something I had never experienced.

After hesitating for a while, he finally mustered up the courage to hold her hand.

Lucerne cupped his outstretched hand and bit his lip.

“…Right.”

Lucerne withdrew his hand and showed his back.

She was taken aback, so he quickly got off the carriage and stood by Lucerne’s side. Her heart was cold.

‘Right.’

It was a short statement, but the emotions in it could be read clearly.

Astia rejected Lucerne for a long time.

Lucerne would have been accustomed to rejection. Lucerne, who was so overjoyed that Astia had become his person that he unintentionally reached out and attempted to escort her.Lucerne realized his relationship with Astia only after seeing her holding hands.

Looking at Lucerne’s hardened back, she hesitated, not knowing what to do.

“Hey, Lucerne.”

I wanted to tell you that I didn’t hold your hand because I didn’t hate you. I wanted to say that I was sorry for hurting you, that it was the first time someone reached out to me, and that I was just hesitating because I didn’t know what to do.

But Lucerne strode into the castle without me having to say anything. He didn’t slow down, stop, wait for me, or look back.

She walked halfway and followed Lucerne.

The people working at the castle stopped what they were doing to see Lucerne and bowed their heads. People who had been lined up outside the castle also came in and bowed their heads.

Standing in the center of the huge hall, Lucerne looked around and spoke in a low voice.

“Astia, you will be residing in this palace beginning today.Serve her with all your might so that the name of the Imperial Palace will not be harmed.

I wondered if the bowed heads were moving, and I could feel the numerous gazes directed at me. It wasn’t explicit, but it was kind of familiar.

It’s the first name I’ve heard. What is she doing?

‘Don’t be cocky. This is the palace used by the emperor.

“We are the people who serve the emperor, not the attendants of an unknown person.”

However, I was not the type of person who could tolerate such stares for more than a day or two.I stood upright and pretended not to notice, receiving their gaze.

If you’re going to ignore it, ignore it. I won’t blink an eye.

The fight ended with Lucerne’s stern voice, without any exchange of words or glances.

“If anyone dares to cause inconvenience to Astia, I will pull them out and cut the bodies of the three generations.” “Keep in mind.”

“I will keep that in mind.” “Long live His Majesty the Emperor Lucerne!”

The voices of dozens of people praising Lucerne filled the hall.

My stomach churned at the unfamiliar sensation.

I went up to the third floor of the castle along with Lucerne. Unlike the first floor, there were no passersby on the third-floor corridor, which was decorated with luxurious gold decorations. There was only one door in the middle of the hallway.

Without hesitation, Lucerne opened the door and entered, standing in the center of the huge drawing room where sunlight shone through.

Climbing the stairs, she calmed her breathing and cautiously approached Lucerne. After he got off the carriage and entered the castle, he never looked back at me.

“…… Lucerne. “Are you angry?”

“No.”

The answer came back as I turned my back.

He’s obviously upset.

It reminded me of Marley and Rie, who were pouting with excitement. Even though it was a completely different reaction and a completely different situation, somehow the three seemed very similar.

I walked stealthily and stood on the other side of Lucerne, quickly stretching out my hands and holding them out.

Lucerne looked at my face and hand in turn and then narrowed his brows.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry about that. Hand.”

“…… “

“It didn’t mean anything else.” Just…”

I was embarrassed because it was the first time someone reached out to me, but I kept my mouth shut. That was the life of “Lee Hye-rim,” not the life of “Astia”.

Because Astia had a man she loved so much that she wanted to follow him even after he died.

Because there was Lucerne, who knelt several times despite his emperor’s face.

It didn’t make sense that they never reached out to Astia.

After thinking about what to say, she added vaguely.

“I was a little embarrassed.”

Lucerne, who was still looking at my outstretched hand, wondering what he was thinking, met my eyes after a while.

“Astia.”

“Yes.”

“You said with your mouth that you would be mine.”

“That’s right.”

“Don’t forget the deal.”

“I won’t forget.”

Why would I forget when I promised to live with my children in a palace like this? How difficult is it to live while pretending to be Asteria and being loved? I’ve lived my life doing things that are much more difficult than that.

Lucerne, who was thinking about raising his hand and putting it on top of mine, held my fingertips lightly after hesitating. A gloomy expression mingled with the sparkling eyes.

“… keep in mind. Never.”

“Never forget.”

Lucerne let go of the fingertips he held after asking her not to forget several times. With his free hand, he pointed to the bedroom to the right of the drawing room.

“This is my bedroom.”

“… okay.”

Why is he suddenly telling me about his bedroom?

Hopefully not.

Contrary to my wishes, Lucerne pointed to the bedroom on the other side and said,

“This is your bedroom.”

“No, no. Wait. What are you talking about out of the blue? “Is this my bedroom?”

“Yes.”

As if I had finished my words, I grabbed the hem of Lucerne’s dress as he was about to walk into my bedroom.

“Hey, Lucerne. I will live with gratitude even if you give me a single room in the corner of the imperial palace. All I need is to eat three meals a day with the kids, avoid the rain and wind, and sleep! “It’s unbelievable that you’re across from such a pompous bedroom!”

Besides, if you open the door, the man outside is sleeping in the opposite room. The room is big, so it’s no different from living together!

Lucerne, who was staring at the hem of his clothes in my hand, spoke in a heavy voice.

“It’s funny how many times you’ve said you wouldn’t break your promise, and then immediately say something else like this. “You are mine.”

“I am yours.” Who says not? It’s already yours, so why…”

“Until this.”

Lucerne copied my words like a parrot, and I kept my mouth shut.

… Are you sure you have to do this?