By Zephyria 
Blink.
“…….”
“…….”
Blink, blink.
“…….”
“…….”
Blink, blink, blink.
I was eating my meal while watching everyone’s mood and looking around left, right, front, and back. Nicole, who was standing close by and serving my meal, only smiled with his lips and said in a ventriloquial voice, ‘Young master, please focus only on your meal when you’re eating,’ like a machine gun. Ever since he confirmed that the wedding dress, which was made according to the measurements taken at the engagement ceremony, had become looser because the measurements had decreased in the meantime, he didn’t give me a chance to be distracted while eating.
Hmm……. But if I force myself to eat something in this atmosphere, I feel like I’ll get indigestion…….
Morning, four days before the National Wedding Ceremony. The sky entering autumn was blue without a single cloud, and the sunlight shining down not too harshly was only pleasantly bright. However, that seemed to be only the sky’s situation. The atmosphere of Count Hamilton’s mansion, which was enjoying the greatest honor since the family was born from the Empress, was somehow chaotic.
Starting with the Countess, who had become no different from a half-crazed person after losing her mind and had no improvement, and the Count, who had lost all of his ambitious appearance from his younger days and had become an old man in the back room, it was like that from the start. The fact that the biological son who had miraculously returned had not regained consciousness and was only lying in bed would have played a part, but no matter what anyone said, my two well-to-do brothers had a big part in creating this sluggish atmosphere today.
Frederick and Andrew both seemed to be trying not to show it, judging from the fact that they somehow pulled up the corners of their lips and laughed when I talked to them, but it was definitely strange. Even though they were brothers from the same womb, I had never thought they looked alike, but seeing them sitting side by side with dead faces like that, I wondered if they were really brothers.
What’s even stranger is that this wasn’t the end. The strangest thing of all was….
“……Eum.”
“Huh? Are you very uncomfortable? Shall I tell them to clear those away?”
……It was my servant, who seemed to have more guts than he could handle.
The ‘those things’ that he was pointing at with his chin and asking if he should clear away were obviously not refreshing juice or fluffy pancakes. It definitely seemed like he was pointing at Frederick and Andrew. I quickly swallowed the scrambled eggs in my mouth and answered, ‘No, it’s okay.’ Then, Nicole said in an indifferent tone, ‘If your stomach is upset, try some soup,’ and whispered kindly. The dead-faced brothers did not make eye contact with Nicole and silently fiddled with their plates.
It’s still strange…. Andrew originally didn’t seem to care much about what Nicole said, but Frederick was just listening quietly? Well, whatever. I was equally used to Frederick being annoying and ignoring him without pretending not to see him.
What I’m worried about is Andrew rather than Frederick.
I wondered if something had happened in the territory that I didn’t know about, or if it was just because my wedding with Adrian was getting closer, even though I had prepared myself……. It was from that day that he went down to the territory because he had urgent business to take care of and returned in a hurry, unlike the schedule.
Even after deciding to continue their relationship after the marriage, Andrew had maintained a relatively relaxed demeanor, but this was the first time I had ever seen him so listless and depressed.
Even when I went to him and pressed him for answers, I couldn’t get a straight response. He would just repeat his apology for making me worry, as if he wasn’t tired of it. If those repeated apologies were just a banal habit to gloss over the situation, I would have argued with him, but every word Andrew said, blaming himself and apologizing, sounded so sincere that I couldn’t press him any further.
Andrew Hamilton, who used to click his tongue and walk past me even when I was just breathing, had changed this much. The passage of time felt new to me.
“Ah, right. You’re going to the Imperial Palace again today?”
Look at him now. When I showed signs of discomfort seeing Nicole and them, he naturally started a conversation. Of course, he wasn’t asking because he was genuinely curious. He was just trying to be considerate of me. “Yes,” I said, nodding happily.
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince summoned me.”
“He seems to be summoning you quite often lately. There are only a few days left until you enter the Imperial Palace, is he that impatient?”
I didn’t want to gild the lily, so I just smiled vaguely. Andrew didn’t seem to expect an answer either, as he only added that I should take my bodyguard with me, considering what had happened before. Speaking of bodyguards, Kyle was assigned to the territory and left the capital as if it was timed to Andrew’s return. It was Frederick’s doing. It seemed to be a consequence of the kidnapping incident that had happened recently. I thought I would be able to say a final goodbye before he left… Now that he’s gone, I feel a little empty.
After finishing my meal, I immediately prepared to enter the Imperial Palace. Originally, when I met Adrian, he would somehow make time to visit the mansion, but after the late Emperor’s passing, he didn’t seem to have that kind of time anymore.
The carriage, bearing the Hamilton Family crest, passed straight through the Imperial Palace’s main gate without stopping once. It was an act that proved the extreme favor of the one who had taken control of the Imperial Palace. Passing by the Dawn Palace, which was under construction, and the closed Moon Palace, we arrived at the Sun Palace.
The Sun Palace, which always felt eerie because the late Emperor had been bedridden for so long, had taken on a completely new atmosphere with its vigorous new owner.
“Noah.”
Adrian was already there to greet me. As soon as the door opened, a large hand, filled with impatience, reached into the carriage. It was even before I could place my palm on it. As my hand approached, Adrian snatched it away like an eagle catching its prey. Then, he pulled me towards him with force. Before I could say “Uh, uh,” I was lifted up and almost thrown into Adrian’s arms.
“Just a moment, Adrian, Your Royal Highness…!”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was too eager. Please understand.”
My hand, gripped tightly, and my shoulders, embraced tightly, ached. Had Adrian ever held me this tightly since I faked my death and ran away to the North, only to return? It was a familiar grip, but it felt strangely awkward after so long… and more painful.
“Please let go of me first.”
“Why? I’m satisfied. Let’s not move like this.”
“……!”
It was getting worse. It hadn’t even been a few days since we last saw each other, and there were only four days left until the wedding, but Adrian was so impatient that he quickly moved his feet with me in his arms. The palace servants, who should have stopped him, all lowered their eyes and pretended not to see. At least in the world that Adrian Pearson would rule, there was no one who didn’t know that I would exist above the Imperial Palace’s rigid rules and etiquette.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, of course. What time do you think it is?”
“Then let’s have tea. I just received some tea leaves that you might like. I’ll tell them to send some to the Dawn Palace as well.”
His voice and the content of his words were as kind as usual, but the arms that held me tightly, suffocatingly so, didn’t loosen their grip. Moreover, they were even trembling.
I blinked slowly and thought to myself. Something is making this man… anxious. What could it be?
It was my first time in the Sun Palace in this life, but the scenery was familiar. It wasn’t much different from Adrian’s first life when he ascended the throne. Passing through the familiar corridor, the familiar courtyard, we finally arrived at the familiar back garden.
An outdoor table and chairs with elegant curves were set up among the picturesque landscaping trees. Adrian didn’t even think about letting me go and sat down as he was. Perhaps he didn’t expect two people to sit on one chair without any decorum, because those who followed behind gasped in surprise. Normally, I would have struggled and asked him to let me go because I would have been bothered by their gazes, but today I decided to stay still. The intense anxiety planted in Adrian’s purple eyes felt so vivid that I could almost touch it.
“I thought marriage blue was just something people joked about, but it seems like it really exists.”
I deliberately spoke lightly, trying to be playful. I wanted to help alleviate his inexplicable anxiety, even if only a little.
“Even so, I didn’t think Your Royal Highness would be affected by something like that.”
Huh? Adrian, what’s wrong? What’s making you so anxious…? Since I had already decided to throw away all pretense, I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and whispered softly in his ear. But I truly didn’t know.
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
“Yes.”
“Can you answer me honestly…? Honestly, without lying?”
“Anything.”
“Do you… do you truly love me?”
The only one who could make this arrogant man tremble with anxiety was always me.
“Answer me.”
“Adrian.”
“I asked if you really love me.”
“……”
It had always been like this since before this endlessly long last life began.