Chapter 118
Chapter 118: This Must Be Protected At All Costs!
Elena opened the window, thinking Lupeon might have a fever after just waking from his long sleep.
“Should I call a doctor now?”
The man who had been watching her for a moment raised the corner of his mouth in a mischievous smile.
“Stay by my side. All night, if possible.”
Eventually, they spent the night awake together, sharing stories from their childhood.
Elena decided to continue calling her fiancé Lupeon as she had been doing.
After all, using the name she had called him in childhood felt somewhat awkward now.
After rising from his sickbed, Lupeon was kept busy without a moment’s rest.
Though there were still forces that didn’t support him, Lupeon focused on guiding the empire back onto the right path.
Moreover, he had to prepare for his coronation ceremony as he would soon officially take the throne, and he needed to eliminate the corrupt forces that hadn’t been dealt with.
Like Viscount Byzantium and the Delonso Guild, for instance.
Lupeon seemed to be carefully considering how to deliver the greatest possible punishment to them.
After discussing with him, Elena decided to return to the North with the child.
There were mountains of work to handle in the North, from tending to medicinal herbs to other matters that needed attention.
* * *
The mansion’s servants were bustling about from early morning to prepare a grand breakfast.
As Lupeon had decided to stay briefly in the North, they seemed to be showing extra effort to celebrate his recovery.
In the well-tended garden, Elena was carefully selecting flowers to give her fiancé.
Though he had to rush to handle work as soon as he regained consciousness and recovered, she wanted to give him flowers to celebrate his finally reclaiming his position.
A smile naturally spread across her face as she carefully examined flowers that would suit Lupeon.
Since news spread of the Grand Duke rising from his sickbed, the mansion’s atmosphere had become brighter and more vibrant than ever.
‘I suppose everyone was desperately waiting for Lupeon.’
As a gentle breeze tickled her cheeks, Elena softly hummed a tune.
Vernon, walking majestically with rhythm in his front paws, approached her and asked kindly:
[You seem to be in a good mood this morning.]
“Good morning, Vernon.”
Elena nodded briefly as if acknowledging his words, and the familiar spirit soon reported on Anasha’s condition.
[She’s been making quite a racket moving about in her room since returning to the North.]
The child, who had been uncomfortable staying at the Imperial Palace these past few days, seemed much more at ease now that she was back in the familiar North.
Vernon had personally visited his master and reported back on her condition, in place of Elena who hadn’t been able to pay attention to the child lately.
‘I should visit a dessert café with Anasha soon.’
Elena’s golden eyes sparkled as she thought about finding a place full of desserts the child would like.
Vernon yawned languidly and stretched his front paws.
[Speaking of which, you’re clearing out the study now?]
“I woke up early this morning and was just emptying it.”
With Lupeon’s return, she wanted to quickly clear out her things.
Only then would it feel real that he had returned to his place.
Fortunately, since she had only handled work in the study, there wasn’t much to take, and she could finish organizing quickly without the servants’ help.
[Hmm, did you remember to collect the letters you’ve been writing?]
“…!”
At that moment, Elena dropped the flowers she was holding and wore a dumbfounded expression.
She hadn’t even thought about the most important letters in the drawer.
“What… what should I do, Vernon?”
Looking at her troubled face, the familiar spirit showed an awkward smile and raised his front paw to comfort her.
[You should hurry before it’s too late.]
“Yes, I’ll go right away!”
Elena nodded briefly, gathered the scattered flowers, and hurried away.
Fortunately, Lupeon had headed to the training grounds for the knights’ morning assembly right after waking up.
‘Good. I need to get in and out quickly.’
She firmly believed it would be perfect if she could just retrieve the letters from the drawer before he returned.
Reaching the study, Elena swallowed dryly and carefully turned the doorknob.
Click—
“…!”
But dismay soon crossed her face. Someone’s shadow was cast on the study wall.
‘Lupeon already…?’
Elena stared blankly at Lupeon’s face, shining even more brilliantly in the winter sunlight streaming through the window.
‘This isn’t the time for this—the letters!’
Coming to her senses, she carefully called out to her fiancé.
“Lupeon?”
“You’ve come.”
“I heard you went to the training grounds…”
“I thought it wouldn’t be too late to convene in the evening, so I just returned.”
Showing an elegant smile, Lupeon appeared relaxed. As if he had known she would come here.
‘Then he hasn’t found the letters yet?’
Elena frantically glanced at the desk and let out a silent scream.
The letters she had come to retrieve were lying on the desk. With the envelope already opened.
Unable to close her mouth, she slowly approached her fiancé.
“You didn’t… already read them?”
“Ah, you mean these?”
Lupeon questioned while lifting the letters from the desk.
He seemed to be pretending not to know what she meant, even though he clearly did.
“There’s no need to read them!”
As Elena’s urgently crying eyes trembled uncontrollably, he let out a chuckle.
“How could I not? After you waited so sincerely.”
“…”
‘What should I do? Has he already read everything?’
Elena felt her face growing hot, feeling as though her feelings for him had been exposed.
Not knowing how to explain, she rolled her eyes around before looking back at Lupeon.
He was only holding the first page of the letters.
Then there was a thread of hope that he might not have read the second page yet.
The second page contained her heartfelt confession of her feelings, which she absolutely had to protect.
After all, she wanted to convey her feelings to him directly.
‘So this must be protected at all costs!’
Just as Elena approached the desk and urgently reached out to grab the remaining page—
“…!”
Unfortunately, Lupeon’s hand was much quicker in snatching the letter.
Finding her internal screaming reaction quite amusing, his lips loosened into a smile.
‘Elena, stay calm especially at times like this.’
After taking a breath, she slightly glared at her fiancé and said:
“Lupeon, you seem to be getting more playful.”
“I thought they were mine, but I must have been mistaken.”
Faced with his rather confident response, Elena could only gape in obvious confusion.
Still, she didn’t forget her efforts to retrieve the letter. She was waiting for Lupeon to let his guard down.
‘Good, now!’
As Elena stood on tiptoe and stretched out her hand toward the letter, Lupeon raised his arm high.
At that moment, losing her balance, she ended up landing in his arms.
‘…!’
The loud sound of someone’s heartbeat—whose, she wasn’t sure—rang out.
Elena thought it felt somehow comfortable, even in her surprise.
‘I feel like this has happened before…’
Raising her face from where it was pressed against Lupeon’s chest, Elena soon met his blue eyes.
Only then becoming conscious of her proximity to Lupeon, she frantically tried to escape his embrace.
“Thank you for catching me.”
“…”
However, for some reason, Lupeon wouldn’t let go of his arms, so Elena awkwardly settled back into his embrace.
“Lupeon…?”
The man, unmoved by her call, spoke in a low voice:
“There must be something written here that I’m not supposed to read.”
“…!”
Struck at the heart of the matter, Elena rolled her golden eyes around, unable to answer readily.
Lupeon shrugged his shoulders lightly and added:
“Though they must be letters meant for me.”
