Chapter 10
Karl put down the receipt.
“Check it and process it.”
“…Is that really okay?”
“What do you mean?”
Theo chose his words carefully. Aura was about to have her coronation and become empress. Even as the emperor’s advisor, he should be careful with his words. But as an advisor handling royal finances, he couldn’t just ignore the amount on this receipt.
“The late empress spent about one-third of this amount over one month before a banquet, Your Highness.”
Karl moved his quill and signed the document.
“And?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t see what the problem is.”
“…The Crown Princess spent too much money, Your Highness.”
Theo finally spoke honestly. Karl then put his quill back in its holder.
“Well. I don’t think it’s too much at all.”
“Yes?”
“Aura, the Crown Princess, hasn’t spent a single penny of the royal money for three years.”
“Oh.”
“Calculate the costs the previous Crown Princesses spent over three years. Talk to me again when Aura’s spending exceeds that.”
It was a very reasonable, yet endlessly generous way to count. Theo was quite surprised. He had never seen Karl show such a contradiction before.
Karl slightly lifted the corner of his mouth and picked up the quill again.
“Well, if she spent that much money, she should meet expectations.”
“Yes?”
“What about the coronation preparations?”
“We are doing our best to prepare. Oh, and Your Highness,”
“Speak.”
“Issen has also expressed his intention to attend.”
Karl’s quill stopped moving over the papers. The smile on his face disappeared instantly.
“Issen?”
Karl twirled the quill in his hand. After a moment of thought, he muttered to himself.
“I have to meet Aura.”
Flour, honey, and plant oil. Such expensive ingredients swirled in the bath as a thin paste. Aura lay inside with her eyes closed. Veal meat wrapped in gauze was placed on her cheek. This was the fastest way to nourish her dry skin.
It was annoying, but effective. Her body felt smooth, and life was returning to her face.
Mina entered the bathroom. She wore a neat, tidy dress and covered her hair with a white headscarf.
“Your Highness. There is a message from the emperor’s room.”
“From Karl?”
Aura slowly opened her eyes. Her long eyelashes were wet.
“Yes. After lunch, there is dance practice for the coronation. He said to come to the grand banquet hall.”
“…Tell him I will come.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Mina quietly left the bathroom. Aura sighed.
‘Dance practice.’
Aura lifted her right leg. Thin liquid dripped from her slender leg. The swelling from the burn was still quite bad. Even walking caused a burning sensation. The palace doctor said time was the answer, so she was clearly not ready to dance.
But this was not the time to be uncooperative with Karl.
He had, as promised, raised the status of the Xenia people to common citizens. Though the ministers strongly opposed it, Karl had ignored them all.
‘I have to practice social dance. It’s been too long since I last danced.’
She did not want to move awkwardly during the coronation. That would only cause rumors among the noble ladies.
“…That should be enough.”
At those words, the maids removed the veal from her cheeks. A natural pink glow returned to her cheeks.
After eating, Aura chose her clothes. To cover her ankle bandage and thin body, she picked a long empire dress. It was not a winter outfit, but she had no better choice.
The dance hall was next to the grand banquet hall. Karl’s people were gathered there. Faces like Tasha, Josh, and Theo were now familiar.
And Karl.
He waited for Aura in the middle of the dance floor. The afternoon sunlight softly touched his shirt and face.
Karl silently held out his hand, and Aura silently took it. There were no smiles or formal greetings exchanged. When quick-witted Theo signaled the band, the music started immediately.
Fortunately, Aura’s body remembered the dance. She followed Karl’s lead quite well.
“…”
Karl’s gaze scanned many parts of Aura. His clear eyes, her lively cheeks, her hair shining slowly, and the healed neck wound that left no scar. His straightforward stare made Aura feel breathless.
But this was also an opportunity. She needed to get information about the pin without him noticing.
“After the coronation… will I use the empress’s room?”
“You should. The room is ready. If you want, you can move early.”
“No. I’ll move after the coronation. That’s proper etiquette.”
He nodded as if to say do as you please. Aura asked naturally.
“And you?”
“…”
“Is your office ready? You’re using the same one the Crown Prince used?”
“Yes.”
The Crown Prince had used the emperor’s office on behalf of the late emperor. Aura had never been inside that office.
‘If the Crown Prince left the pin there… Karl would have found it.’
Knowing Karl’s personality, he would have searched every inch of the Crown Prince’s belongings. The crystal ball wasn’t something to throw away carelessly, so he would have kept it. The question was whether Karl knew what that crystal was.
If he did, he would never give it to Aura.
There was only one answer: to find an excuse to go to Karl’s office. It was unnatural now, but not impossible once she worked as empress.
“You have a lot on your mind.”
Karl said. Aura shook her head as if it was nothing.
Karl’s hand holding Aura’s back moved to cover her shoulder blade. It was thin and had no fat on the sharp bone.
“You need to eat more.”
“I am eating.”
His hand slowly moved down and traced her ribs. Whether she breathed in or out, the ribs were clearly felt.
Aura’s steps slowed down. Even if she tried not to think about it, the memory of that day kept coming back. The day before she fled to Ansena, when she pulled Karl onto the bed. His hands and voice touching her. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” She seemed to hear that voice again.
Aura tried hard to clear her mind. As if to help, Karl spoke professionally.
“There are three days left until the coronation. If you look too thin, all kinds of rumors will spread. I don’t think there are good rumors about you even now.”
“Did you call me for dance practice or to nag?”
“Need praise?”
“I’ll refuse.”
Aura said firmly. She was trying her best, so she did not feel good.
“I’m eating enough. If I eat more, I’ll have problems.”
Karl sharply changed the subject. Aura’s ankle burned for a moment, but she did not show it.
“Better than starving to death.”
Karl said.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I saw it a lot in Debla. Better to be killed by monsters. When you’re already dead, it takes a long time to stop breathing.”
Karl said horrible things as if they were nothing. Among those who died like that, there must have been his men too.
“What do you think would happen if I died?”
“What do you mean?”
“I… could have died at the tower with the sword you gave me.”
‘Just like you wanted.’
Aura could not say the last part.
Karl looked down at Aura quietly and laughed lightly.
“What can I do? I can’t fix weakness.”
“That’s contradictory. You even started a rebellion to protect me.”
“That way—”
Karl stopped moving. When the emperor suddenly stopped dancing, the band also stopped, looking uncertain. In the silence, Karl spoke.
“You are alive and here in front of me. That is more important than anything else.”
“…”
“So, Aura, stop complaining now. You stayed in a safe place for three years anyway.”
Safe place.
The moment Aura heard that, her ankle felt like it was on fire. She didn’t know where to start explaining. Even if she did, this man would say the same thing with the same face: ‘I know, so stop complaining.’
Aura smiled slightly.
“I think I’ve practiced enough. I want to stop.”
“I still have something to say.”
“I’m done. Go.”
Aura went into the lounge next to the banquet hall. Aside from her mood, her ankle hurt too much to continue.
She sat on the sofa and lifted her right foot. She took off her shoe and wrapped the bandage with her hand, feeling a hot sensation.
‘I should do a compress when I get back.’
Knock knock.
At the sound, Aura quickly covered her ankle with her skirt. The door opened, and Karl came in. Aura calmly put on her shoe and asked,
“Is there something else?”
Karl looked silently at her foot.
‘Please don’t say anything.’
If he found out she stopped dance practice because of her ankle, he might say she was whining again.
Luckily, he looked away from her ankle. Maybe he thought such a small injury was not his concern.
Instead, he said an unexpected name.
“Issen is coming to the coronation.”
Issen Casa. He was Karl’s half-brother and the youngest prince born to a concubine.
Aura saw Issen only once, at the wedding. He was a friendly, pretty boy who was traveling with his mother. After the wedding, he left again on a journey.
Karl was the only brother who kept Issen alive. Issen was not interested in the throne and was the only brother Karl was somewhat close to. Their closeness was just small talk.
“Issen came back to the palace?”
“Yes. Aura, avoid contact with Issen at the coronation.”
“Why?”
Karl stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“He is plotting a rebellion.”
