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Chapter 150: <Short stories 1.5>

“Now, I want to feed you too. Say aaahh~.”

Bina got a piece of cheesed food into his mouth and moved her fork as if it was her tongue and she was kissing him.

She touched his sensitive spot with her fork. It was very subtle, but she saw his shoulders flinch slightly.

Bina smiled in satisfaction. “Does it taste good?”

The game of seduction.

Lucretius smiled in defiance. He wouldn’t lose in this game.

“It tastes heavenly when you feed me yourself, my empress.”

He then quickly offered her a piece of food. “I am curious how it would taste to you if I feed you myself.”

They were both full, but they couldn’t stop now. Whoever gave up would be considered the loser of this game. They both knew they were being silly, but their competitive nature wouldn’t let them stop.

“Say aaahhh, your highness...”

“How does it taste, my empress...”

From outside, they looked like a loving couple feeding each other, but in reality, they were fighting a secret battle against each other.

It seemed the game wouldn’t end when suddenly, Beatrice started to cry.

“Waaaa!”

“B, Beatrice?”

“What’s wrong, Beatrice?!”

The princess wept sadly and replied, “I want it too!”

In the end, Beatrice was the winner of this game.

***

It was a happy but competitive brunch. All the plates were emptied, making the chef feel overjoyed.

Both Lucretius and Bina were so full that they decided to go for a quick walk. The maids and the servants followed them from afar so the couple could have a private conversation.

Beatrice held onto both of their hands and walked between them. Because she walked very slow, Bina and Lucretius followed suit.

They were distracted last night, so they didn’t get to have a proper conversation.

Bina finally spoke of the question she meant to ask before, “How is Cornelius doing?”

Lucretius didn’t start the journey with Bina and Beatrice because Cornelius suddenly fell ill. The Duke of Lonensia, Cornelius, retired from the chancellor position about a year ago and recently, his health started to fail.

The kingdom was stable. After the execution of the dowager empress Katleyanira, every force that opposed Lucretius were eliminated. Those who supported Lucretius managed to gain absolute power.

However, this also eventually led to a problem.

There were signs of splitting among the supporters of Lucretius, and the one who was preventing this from happening was Cornelius. He was holding everyone together for Lucretius.

This man, who was necessary for the continued political peace, had collapsed. He was an elderly man, so it was unlikely that he would recover in perfect condition. This was why Lucretius went to see him. By the time they returned to the castle, it was possible that Cornelius would be dead.

Lucretius explained, “After I saw him, he fell into a coma. The doctor told me that he probably won’t regain consciousness.”

A chilly wind blew against them in the garden.

Lucretius sounded genuinely sad, which was surprising considering he murdered his own father. The former emperor was not a good man or a good father, and Chancellor Cornelius was the one who acted as a substitute father figure for him.

Lucretius didn’t mourn the former emperor’s death, but Bina knew he would mourn Cornelius’ death.

She asked worriedly, “... Are you ok?”

“Don’t worry about me. I... am just a little bit sad.”

Bina squeezed his hand and Lucretius returned it firmly.

He continued, “It wasn’t unexpected. Cornelius is old and after Katleyanira’s execution, he seemed exhausted. Probably because he finally accomplished his long-awaited revenge.”

This was true. Cornelius looked invincible despite his age, but after Katleyanira’s death, Bina saw how he turned into an ordinary elderly man.

Bina replied, “I know. I could see it too. It looked like a big balloon suddenly lost all its air and inflated into a small and wrinkled piece.”

Lucretius nodded sadly. “His anger kept him going so he could see Katleyanira lose her head. When it finally happened, he could finally relax. It makes sense.”

Time could be cruel. The old died and the newborns were born to replace them. After Katleyanira died, Beatrice was born.

Now, Cornelius was dying.

Bina felt strangely overwhelmed and Lucretius noticed this expression of hers.

He asked curiously, “You look strange. Did you rely that much on Cornelius?”

Bina shook her head, “It’s just that... it feels too real now.”

“Real?”

“It feels real that I am truly living in this world and the time is passing by in real-time. This is actually happening.”

“...”

“I chose you and we had Beatrice together. It felt real then too, but this feels a bit different. Unlike Katleyanira’s death, Cornelius’ passing will be from a natural cause. From old age. From time. It made me realize that my time in this world is passing by for real.” Bina smiled gently and continued, “And slowly but surely, I will become part of the flow.”

“... Bina.”

Lucretius still had nightmares sometimes.

A dream about the giant full moon making his black-haired empress disappear.

Every time he had this nightmare, he woke up in a sweat and desperately reached out to make sure she was still asleep beside him. Only then could he start breathing again.

On those nights, he would hold Bina tightly, never letting her go until the morning. Bina would stroke his back gently and quietly as if she knew why he held onto her so urgently.

She whispered, “It made me realize that I will continue to live in this world and die here beside you.”

Her smile was firm and heavy, making Lucretius feel relieved and guilty at the same time.

“Yes.”

Lucretius smiled. In the past, he would have thanked her or apologized to her only to have his wife pinch him in return. Now, he knew the right answer to give her.

“I love you.”

Bina chose to remain here for herself. Thanking her or apologizing to her would make her decision all about him seem like either a blessing or a curse and that wasn’t right.

Bina smiled brightly. “I love you too.”

They kissed each other. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, but a gentle one to confirm each other’s existence.

***

It was a dreamlike week of vacation. It was amazing and too short.

The enormous royal carriage rocked rhythmically as it headed back to the city. Inside was the size of a large room so there was plenty of room for the three royal family members: Lucretius, Bina, and Beatrice, who fell asleep in Lucretius’ arms.

In this private setting, the emperor and the empress spoke frankly.

“So... Count Ilan will now become the new Duke of Lonensia.”

“Yes.”

Count Ilan was the second son of Cornelius. The first son and his wife died, and their only daughter, who was Lucretius’ first fiancé, was assassinated by Katleyanira.

The position of Duke of Lonensia wielded great power, which meant Bina needed to know about Count Ilan well. The problem was, Count Ilan was known to rarely leave his home. Two years ago, he moved to the countryside, and he only came to the city recently when he heard his father was very ill.

Lucretius explained, “Count Ilan, Fabio, is not a man who can compare to his father or his dead older brother.”

“What kind of man is he? Greedy?”

Bina thought of the typical useless nobleman, like the former emperor.

Lucretius’ answer was the opposite, however.

“No, he is weak and indecisive. He is too easily swayed, which is a common personality among the sons of great fathers. Cornelius’ first son had great potentials, so it is very unfortunate.”

“Then... He may have a father complex.”

“Yes. There is also a rumor that he is suffering from depression, and I think it is very likely.”

Bina picked up her fifth cookie from the basket and replied, “Then I guess we don’t have to worry too much about him.”

“To an extent, I guess, but our enemies could easily convince him as well. We need to be always watchful.”

Bina chewed on the chocolate chip cookie. The chef from Maram baked a batch of cookies made especially for the family. Bina fell in love with this chef’s desserts while staying in Maram, making her seriously wonder if she should ask him to move into her castle as the new royal pâtissier.

After silently enjoying the cookie for a while, Bina commented, “But Countess Ilan is very different.”

“I agree.”

Countess Ilan, soon to be the Duchess of Lonensia, had a completely different personality.

Lucretius continued, “Countess Ilan’s mother-in-law died a long time ago, so she has been controlling the household ever since.”

“Once she becomes the official Duchess, she will become even more influential.”

Bina knew the woman personally, so she was sure of her assessment. Bina added quietly, “She is a very ambitious person.”

“Well, if you think so, I’m sure it’s an accurate evaluation. I heard the same things about her from my own sources as well.”

Lucretius brushed off the cookie crumbs from her lips with his fingers and smiled.

“If Countess Ilan’s daughter was still alive, she would have tried her best to push her into my arms.”

Bina remembered the incident that happened many years ago. At the night of the ball, she tried to get Yulia into Lucretius’ arms. At the time, she still had hoped to return to her world, and she wasn’t sure of her feelings for Lucretius.

However, making such a silly attempt, without consideration of the involved people’s feelings, was unreasonable. Bina felt ashamed of her past action.

The important thing now was how Norma des Lonensia, Countess Ilan, reacted at the time.

She was Yulia’s aunt and soon to be the most powerful noblewoman in Cransia.

When Bina lied that Lucretius wanted to dance with Yulia, Countess Ilan looked eager.

Bina murmured, “She doesn’t have a daughter... But she still has an unmarried niece.”

Yulia, who was already part of the royal entourage.

Lucretius looked out the window and murmured, “A storm may be coming our way.”