“What, ‘bowing to my wife’, that idiot husband—!! He can’t even be bothered to explain things to me—!!”

Alone, Jill slammed a soft pillow against the bed. The irritating feeling in her belly didn’t subside—it was as if it were being chewed by insects.

It was midnight. As expected, Hadith didn’t show up at dinner.

Even though it was late into the night, already, everyone in the castle was busy running around—preoccupied with the task of protecting the population. Jill wasn’t involved in any of those tasks.

Sufia ended up being taken to Hadith’s so-called ‘safe place’.

I have a bad feeling… I only have a bad premonition…

She rolled sideway while hugging the pillow. She didn’t wear sleepwear in case something happen.

A curse, a goddess, a black spear—something was currently on the attack. According to Hadith, it could possess women over the age of fourteen—most importantly, that ability to possess someone…

Therefore, Hadith’s strategy was quite straightforward. For the time being, all the women were locked in the castle and guarded.

But that black spear can move independently, right? In other words, it’s a mass of magic that can control people… but it also has a will?

“The weapon that possesses a will of its own is none other than the Holy Spear of the Goddess Kratos. If that’s the case, there is indeed some truth behind her claim of being the wife of the Dragon Emperor.”

Ugh, leave me alone, already…

She exhaled for a long time.

At the same time, it was Jill who drove away that thing that clung to Hadith. Now that she had launched an attack, that thing would surely recognize her as an enemy.

“I feel overwhelmed…”

—even though I feel nothing towards him.

It was exactly so—

—but then, why did she reach her hand out at that time?

Just helping Sufia would have sufficed, after that, all she needed to do was watch Hadith get rid of that black thing.

Nevertheless, from that, there was only one conclusion that could be drawn—

Calm yourself down, me. Which part of him is attractive? To be honest, objectively speaking, Prince Geraldo is still a better man—even though that siscon trait of his ruins everything… but he won’t vomit blood randomly, he also has common sense…

But never once did Geraldo grant Jill’s wish. Nor had he ever listened to any of her wishes.

Even when Jill didn’t consent to something, even when Jill was very averse about something—Geraldo never took her into account or consideration. Her consent never mattered to him in the first place.

Hadith, however, once tried to send Jill back to Kratos. He also aided her during the Marquis Veil incident—even granting her wish.

…In other words… what do I expect?

This time, it might be possible for them to fall in love with each other. Therefore, they could support and nurture each other, without ending up being used as tools.

“…Now that I think about it, I haven’t expressed my gratitude after he saved me, yet…”

Is his hand injury alright?

Has he treated it properly?

The moment it occurred to her, she ceased being calm.

They should talk first. If she couldn’t do that, then at the very least, she should offer her gratitude.

Thinking so, Jill stood up. If Hadith was already slumbering, she would return.

Above all, she wanted to make sure of her feelings. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to come up with a solution.

She wore her usual coat and pushed her bedroom’s door open—there was a figure in front of her.

“Your Majesty?”

His eyes rounded, he wore an expression as surprised as Jill. Hadith was stunned breathless.

It seemed that he had been standing in front of her bedroom…

“…Did something happen?”

“…I, I should ask you the same.” “What are you doing, shouldn’t you be grateful that Little Miss is still awake—!? C’mon, hurry up and apologize, already—!!”

Rave suddenly popped out from behind Hadith, and then slapped Hadith’s head with his tail.

“To apologize… but my judgment is sound, I’m not the one in the wrong.” “Still, just apologize! It doesn’t matter what actually happened, this timing is perfect for a sounding apology! C’mon, utilize that good-looking face of yours to the max, and no one would be able to reject your apology!”

Being told so upfront, Hadith turned away.

“I don’t think I want to do that. It’s not impressive.”

“You! The only impressive thing about you is your face! Don’t mess this up! Do it!”

“Excuse me? I’m a decent being. As I’ve said, I’m not the one at fault.”

“—what are you guys doing…?” Jill’s words made Hadith flinch. Rave sighed over Hadith’s shoulders.

“Don’t you dare speak back to me…—this is your chance, Little Miss is right in front of you.”

“You’re noisy, Rave. I did no wrong. The things I said are also not wrong.”

Hadith, whose eyes were cold like in his usual Emperor mode, suddenly sank.

“I, I hate you…! What about you…!?” “He’s getting worse…”

“… Your Majesty, show me your hand.”

When he didn’t respond, Jill took Hadith’s left hand on her own accord.

That hand that grabbed the black spear for the sake of protecting Jill was no longer red, and instead, was scalded.

“Have you take care of it?”

“I, it’s not like it hurts.”

“There’s no way it didn’t hurt—a hand this beautiful…”

Towards Jill who told him so while kneeling, Hadith who had been fidgeting stiffened.

“…a, aren’t you supposed to be angry…?”

“At the very least, let’s apply ointment, then wrap it in a bandage… please come inside.”

She opened the door and pulled him inside the room, but Hadith didn’t move.

“For you to suddenly become gentle like this… please stop, otherwise I would know what to do.”

When Hadith replied so in a weak tone, something inside Jill snapped.

“Then don’t easily come to apologize just like that, Your Majesty.”

“I, I didn’t come to apologize, I was just…”

“Just what—!? If you want to act like an Emperor, then stick to it—! All you ever did is mislead me, trying to not be hated by me and all that stuff—!”

“M-mislead? Me? You? Wait, I don’t quite catch—“

“Trying to make me fall for you and whatnot, don’t joke around—!! Do you think I didn’t realize it—!? Never once have you ever called my name—!!”

Hadith’s golden eyes widened. Jill almost lost control of her breath, it was as if she was about to spew flame.

They were a couple in name only. She no longer knew which of them tried to cross that line. Jill dropped her gaze down so she wouldn’t be able to see Hadith or Rave.

The voice she heard after the lasting silence was Rave’s.

“Little Miss, that’s because—“

“Rave, stop it. It’s alright.”

That last statement of his decides it—angered, Jill lifted her face. But when she saw Hadith’s face, she was stunned.

“It’s exactly as you say. Don’t fall for me. I also won’t fall for you, because that would be the beginning of hell.”

“—Your Majesty the Emperor, you’re here!”

Hadith turned around because of the sound of footsteps from soldiers running in the hallway.

“What happened this time?”

“A fire is rising from the town of Veilburg. It seems that a riot occurred, and not only that, the wind is also blowing wildly. Some of the residents are cursing the Emperor.”

“Let the Northern Division extinguish the fire. But don’t pull up the gate, yet.”

Jill turned around late and noticed she didn’t recognize any of the soldiers’ faces.

Rather, it was Mihari who was supposed to be on the lookout here. When she wondered why, she saw that the soldier was hiding a dagger behind his back.

“Your Majesty! That person—“

“—Rave, I leave my wife to you.”

When Jill reached out, there was an invisible wall extended in front of her. At the same time, Hadith unsheathed his sword at the speed that couldn’t even be perceived by Jill’s eyes.

In that instant, three people were slashed and sprawled on the ground.

“Hyiii—!! C, cursed, he’s really a cursed Emperor—!!”

“D, don’t mind that, our priority is to search for the women—!!”

The rest of the soldiers fluttered away. Hadith, not chasing them, muttered while holding his sword.

“Since they’re alive, they conveniently run away so they can regroup later while blaming the curse for everything.”

“—release them.”

Hadith’s feet were grabbed by a man who had been knocked down. Hadith looked down towards the man with no expression.

“I’ll… not let… my wife’s sacrifice, be in vain…”

“I believe, ‘for the purpose of protection’ was what I said? Well, as if you would believe anything that the Cursed Emperor has to say…”

Hadith shook off the man’s hand. Not long after, Mihari appeared out of the corner of the hallway.

“Y, Your Majesty the Emperor—!! The scream just now… huh—!? A raid—!?”

“He’s but one of the townsfolk. Some of them sneaked inside to ‘rescue’ the women. Is it true that the town is on fire?”

“Eh, yes—!! What’s worse… the townsfolk are heading towards the castle—!! There’s still time, therefore, Your Majesty should take refuge along with Lady Jill—!!”

“To be more precise, they are aiming for my neck.”

Mihari became speechless due to Hadith’s sudden, soft, laugh.

Hadith was in emperor mode. His countenance was that of an authority figure that exuded dignity and incited awe from everyone, to the point they would kneel to him.

“My wife shall take refuge in a safe place. It’s my duty to stop the riot.”

“To stop it… you mean…”

Hadith didn’t answer. He continued to thread on the soiled, bloodied, hall without ever looking back.

Jill went pale and shouted.

“Your Majesty—!! Mihari, where are Camila and Zeke—!? Stop His Majesty, at this rate, he’ll—Mihari—!?”

Mihari tightly pursed his lips, as if he couldn’t hear any of Jill’s previous statements. After examining the three unconscious fellows, he stripped them off their weapons and tied them to the end of the hallway.

Then, he went after Hadith.

“He won’t be able to hear you, Little Miss. This is, after all, a barrier made by this me—the Great Dragon God Rave.”

Jill turned around after hearing the voice.

The gleaming dragon gently floated in the air while saying so with a concerned face.

“Forgive me, kay’? We can’t afford to lose Little Miss.”

---

***T/N: Hoooooryyy shieeet I was not expecting all those little hints to pay out like thisssssss. I’m too accustomed to story with straight, monotone, plotline, I have become blind to foreshadowings!!

Oh no, oh no!!!! One of the cliches I hated the most in shoujo story is rearing its ugly head! I <del datetime=”2021-11-04T08:21:02+00:00″>censored </del> hate a story where the supposedly strong, independent, female chara suddenly becomes this potato sack that needs to be kept at home in a secure place meanwhile the MALE goes warring. Ugh, no, nooooo!!!!! BAD, BAD!!!! AND HADITH, DON’T PLAY ‘PUSH THEN PULL ‘ WITH SOMEONE’S HEART LIKE  THAT, IT’S ALSO A VERY ASSHOLE-Y MOVE, YOU KNOW.

Ergo, as you can see, guys– THE ADS ARE BACK–!!!!!!!!!!!

AND WITH THE ADS, I’M ALSO BACK–!!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s during the hardest time, the time when the blasphemous prospect of not being able to translate and read you people’s comments again came barging at my door, that one of your comments, which was thanking me for translating all this fluff, knocked the door of my heart.

That was when I realized how happy and how much meaning this job gave me. That this is what I want to do. That this is what I want to keep on doing–

–ever since that day, a week ago, when ads vanished without a trace from Faux, there had never been a moment when I ever stopped of thinking about you guys, about translating. The thought of ever stopping to translate never occured to me, it’s what give me joy, it’s what I want to do, for every seconds in my life–

==A certain Line convo between a certain Translator and her bawss/ editor==

Well, basically, glad to be back!!!!

—wait WHAT!? So even though the ads r back, my site is still UNDER REVIEW–!? So we still have that threats of ads being taken away hanging above our heads–?!

I … I don’t feel so good. Insert Avenger: Infinity War gif here

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