Ch. 164

In the autumn, the chilly winds always swept into Yurice earlier than in other regions.

It was harvesting time for farmers, making work a little lighter than usual, giving people time for things they normally couldn’t do.

With this free time, Evan had thought of going out on a light campaign against the barbarians, but before he knew it, Irene had dragged him outside, and he frowned slightly.

“Isn’t this a bit sudden?”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it? It’s not like you had anything else to do.”

Evan, unable to refute Irene’s muttering as she turned 30 this year, pouted his lips.

It had already been two years since Levi joined the knights.

Having stepped away from knight training, Evan was now left with nothing but self-discipline and minor tasks.

So, Irene, noticing his boredom, had ambitiously prepared this outing.

“A family outing is nice, isn’t it?”

“I suppose, but I’m not fond of having an uninvited guest along.”

“Come on, try to look at it positively. It’s not as if Kyle has a casual interest in Lobelia.”

Although they came under the pretext of a family outing, there was indeed one guest here.

Now the emperor, Kaisel’s family was here as well, and what particularly bothered Evan was Kyle, clinging closely beside Lobelia.

“You seem to be looking at my son quite intently. Jealous he resembles me too much, perhaps?”

“Well… at least he hasn’t inherited any of Your Majesty’s least desirable traits. If he had, our Lobelia would be heartbroken.”

“You’ve got quite a tongue on you for talking to the emperor.”

“Didn’t Your Majesty lose that drinking contest the other day? Losers hold their tongues.”

Recalling the drinking contest he lost over just one beer, Kaisel let out a deep sigh, scratching his head.

Not that he ever expected Evan to treat him like an emperor, anyway. It would only make things awkward.

Kaisel, not one for formalities with a close friend, often set aside his title outside the palace.

“Kyle, stop clinging. I’m working on something here.”

“You’ll forget about it and cling to me in five minutes, anyway, so why not get used to it?”

“We’re not even dating. Don’t you remember we agreed to stay friends for now?”

“Well, can’t say I remember that. By the way, that hairpin looks nice; it suits you.”

“Oh… does it? Well, that’s good to hear.”

Seeing Lobelia blush, Kyle let out a soft laugh.

Though they looked good together, Evan furrowed his brows deeply.

He couldn’t control his trembling hand, and almost unconsciously, his hand hovered near his sword.

“Evan, while I don’t consider you a fool, you do realize drawing your sword before me alone would count as treason?”

“Lobelia is chatting so friendly with a man, and even blushing at that.”

“Yes, and that man happens to be my son. I’m rather proud of him.”

“… I’ll give up the military command. The northern defense is now Your Majesty’s responsibility.”

How insolent his friend was. With a bitter smile, Kaisel watched as Evan reluctantly withdrew his gaze from Lobelia.

Despite his current dissatisfaction, Evan knew all too well.

That Lobelia didn’t merely see Kyle as a younger brother, and that one day, he might actually have to watch them become a couple.

‘So, this is how it feels…’

He’d thought his father-in-law was being particularly harsh, but now, imagining his only daughter getting married made his heart ache.

Even imagining Arthur getting married had felt bittersweet, and he had always held Lobelia, who took after him so much, in special regard.

“Is it because she’s a daughter that you’re acting like this? Arthur might feel left out.”

“Arthur… resembles Irene slightly. He doesn’t seem to care much whether I pay attention to him or not. He’s been getting along well with a girl named Levi, but he remains oblivious to the fact.”

“He truly takes after the duke, even down to that expression.”

Seated on a hill, now turned golden, Arthur’s face remained expressionless.

With a blank look, he glanced around and brushed a strand of Levi’s hair as she slept beside him, giving a faint smile.

It was a rare smile, so Irene and Scarlett watched with gentle amusement.

Mother and son seemed to share the same quiet smile. Evan, watching them, shrugged slightly.

Though he thought Arthur had always been closer to him than to Irene, he couldn’t quite figure out how he came to resemble her.

“Oh, did I fall asleep?”

“Go ahead and sleep a little more. There’s no one here to complain, anyway. Grandpa Chris isn’t here, either.”

When Levi awoke at the touch, Arthur quietly withdrew his hand, responding nonchalantly.

From Arthur’s perspective, Levi’s behavior was simply intriguing.

The fact that she had come along naturally and was so relaxed around the emperor as if it were no big deal.

When they had first met, she had seemed a bit colder, but now she felt at home with Arthur’s family.

Maybe, Levi could be considered part of the family now.

“Sister Lizzy visited recently, didn’t she?”

“Oh, Mom? Yeah, she gave me a letter… but why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“No reason, really. I just didn’t have much to say to you.”

“… isn’t that a bit too blunt? It’s a little overwhelming for me to be here, too. After all, His Majesty the Emperor is here.”

But didn’t she sleep quite well anyway? As Arthur’s eyes narrowed, Levi cleared her throat and pouted.

It was indeed a bit overwhelming. But with Arthur by her side, she felt she could accept it and move on.

Though she hadn’t said it out loud… perhaps she would be able to express it soon.

It had already been over two years since she became a knight of Yurice.

By now, she was getting accustomed to knight training, and once she came of age, she’d formally become a knight.

Sometimes, she wondered when she would be an adult, yet thinking of how fast the last two years had passed, she felt time would continue to fly by.

“Arthur, what are you planning to do later? Will you become a knight like the captain?”

Arthur, who understood she was referring to Evan, nodded and fingered the sword at his side before speaking up.

“Of course, I’m going to be a knight like Dad. There might still be dragons like Mavet left in the world. I’ll find one myself and capture it.”

“Hmm, wouldn’t it be tough to catch one alone? Having at least one companion might be a good idea.”

Arthur looked at Levi in slight confusion, causing Levi’s eyes to narrow slightly in surprise.

“… what? You don’t need a companion?”

“No, I just assumed you’d naturally be coming along. Was I wrong?”

“Y-yeah, of course, I’d come along. Haha. I thought so, too. Yeah, that’s definitely what I was thinking.”

Levi’s face flushed for a moment, and Arthur, slipping his sword back at his side, shook his head.

Every time he said anything, Levi reacted like that, making him wonder if he should sometimes choose his words more carefully.

He even considered looking up whether there was an illness that made one’s face flush like that.

The empty hill was near Yurice, known for its cold northern weather.

But if one went during early autumn, it was the only place to see the fall foliage.

Seeing the falling leaves, Irene, who was with Scarlett, took out the basket she’d been holding quietly.

“Hmm, what’s that, Your Excellency?”

“It’s something I made. Evan tried to stop me, but I secretly brought it along. Evan doesn’t seem to like me cooking much. He always stops me even when I say I want to. Really, he doesn’t have to worry about me so much.”

It might have sounded like she was bragging about her husband, but upon thinking it over, Scarlett realized that was exactly what it was.

Seeing Irene’s small smile, Scarlett furrowed her brows, trying to think of some of Kaisel’s virtues.

After all, as the crown prince, he was wealthy, and he’d had a comfortable life in the palace.

… but then again, so had Irene, who was already a duke.

And her husband was even a hero who had slain a dragon with his own hands.

Still, as Kaisel’s wife, she couldn’t be outdone, so Scarlett crossed her arms and spoke slowly.

“Kaisel treated my wounds himself when I got hurt recently. I told him he didn’t need to, being emperor and all, but he insisted on bandaging it himself. You see this finger here?”

“… Evan once nearly died saving me. I still get choked up whenever I think about it.”

Irene’s long eyelashes trembled as she shut her eyes.

A sad expression on her face that seemed to threaten tears.

Realizing it was a joke, Scarlett gave Irene a brief glare and shouted softly.

“Your Excellency, isn’t that a bit unfair?”

“I was just playing around a little. Isn’t it dull with everyone spread out like this?”

“Well… that’s true.”

Even though they were in the same place, the wives left on their own found it dull with everyone sitting on separate mats.

This wasn’t the family outing they had in mind.

Wouldn’t people laugh if they saw the empire’s highest-ranking nobility just spending time this way?

She also wasn’t too pleased with how Evan seemed to be having a bit too much fun talking to Kaisel, so she glanced at Scarlett and spoke up.

“Did you have anything planned for today?”

“Uh… no, not really. I thought you would have arranged everything, Your Excellency.”

“Your Majesty, isn’t that a bit much? Weren’t we supposed to prepare together?”

“Ahaha, I… I’m sorry. This is my first time going on a picnic, you know. You remember what my home was like.”

Scarlett, having grown up in seclusion with Extermination, hadn’t gone out much.

In fact, the first time she’d gone far was when she visited the capital.

Remembering this, Irene shook her head, knowing she couldn’t really blame her.

It wasn’t her fault; but this relaxed atmosphere needed something more.

Clap!

As Irene stood up and clapped loudly, the children and husbands scattered about turned their gaze towards her.

She held their attention for a moment before speaking in a slightly colder voice.

“Everyone, come here. We need to have a talk.”

After all, they hadn’t come all this way for a family picnic just to kill time.

They had to make the most of it, right?