“I thought I was going to die…” Hadith muttered, while lying in bed. “No, I probably did die back then. You have killed the Dragon Emperor. This is a crime. You have turned your blade against the Emperor—!”

“Haven’t I apologized already… Your Majesty, you’re the one in the wrong. Attempting to kill yourself by stopping your own heart like that without letting me finish…”

“So, you’re basically saying, you love me—!?”

“How many times have you asked this, already… yes, yes, I love you.”

“You’re saying the truth, right?! You’ll marry me, right—!? You absolutely won’t go back on your own words, right—!?”

“…again, the same exact question…” Rave came out of the fruit basket placed beside the bed.

To train his own balance, he put an apple on top of his head, before dropping it to the plate and eating it. It was a mystery where the food went afterwards…

“B, but Rave, isn’t Jill’s attitude too cold—!? This isn’t like what I read in the book—!!”

“Books and realities are different. You should’ve been aware of this, already.”

“N, no way… every night, I suffer from nightmares of losing Jill—!”

“Yes, and because of that, Your Majesty would tightly squeeze me at night. It’s painful, I wish you would stop.”

“See—!? Look at her behavior towards me—!! Something is wrong, you, are you truly in love with me—!?”

“Then, I should ask the same about His Majesty.”

“Eh—“—Hadith faltered almost immediately.

“T, that’s, obviously…”

Hadith blinked numerous time with his mouth agape. He repeatedly tossed around the bed while the blanket covered his head for some reason.

“…Give me a moment, let me think…”

Rave uttered. “This is hopeless. Somehow, I feel the need to apologize to you.”

“No, it’s fine. His attitude is very easy to understand. For the time being, he looks harmless, which I’m thankful for.”

“The terrible way you word that hurts my pride as a man…”

Hadith revealed only his face.

Jill decided to alter the conversation before he needlessly started trying to prove himself. Because it would spell awkward for her.

The truth was, she knew he was a capable man.

“Your Majesty, this is quite delicious.”

She picked one of the commemoration prizes filling the room and presented it to Hadith.

“Amazing, isn’t it? The vast number of townsfolk who visited Your Majesty…”

“Ah, that’s probably due to the utterly pathetic display of this Idiot in public. That, and how he immediately stopped his own heart afterwards, that’s how you garner sympathy in an instant. All thanks to his pathetic state at that time. Because of that, word spread that the Emperor is a very delicate person and would die if you don’t treat him nicely.”

“Someone also give you a shawl to protect you from the cold.”

She draped the shawl she had procured from amongst the gifts on Hadith’s shoulders.

Towards her gesture, his eyes fluttered in surprise. Then, a warm smile appeared across his face.

“…I see, they’re concerned about my health…”

“Fortunate, right? Finally, everyone understands that even the curse isn’t your fault, Your Majesty.”

Veilburg didn’t burn down. The Northern Division had successfully cooperated with the residents to embark on a town repair.

The women trapped within the castle were all released. They finally understood it was to protect them from the Goddess’ curse. Sufia was also alright, and would follow to the Imperial City to become Jill’s tutor.

Although it was only Veilburg, that was an important step.

People had started to suspect that the continuous deaths of the Crown Princes were a part of some sort of conspiracy, especially when Marquis Veil was proven to be alive.

Although Marquis Veil himself couldn’t avoid his downfall, Sufia still extended her support towards Hadith as a thank you for having pardoned him before.

Little by little, things are changing. Which isn’t bad.

Nothing could be said about the conflict with Kratos since it was a private matter.

However, it could safely be said that the beginning of the war had been avoided.

“Yes, it’s fortunate… wait, no, it’s strange. It’s weird for me to be concerned with and supported like this…”

Towards Hadith, who had begun questioning himself again, Rave laughed.

“Did you know that right now, the townsfolk are really looking forward to their Majesty the Emperor to marry Lady Jill as soon as possible?”

“…I’m glad to hear that… but for the first demand from the people to His Majesty to be about that… isn’t it a bit strange?”

“Oh well, once you go to the Imperial City, you won’t hear those demands anymore.”

Yesterday, Imperial City had welcomed them. The announcement had reached Veilburg. Those in the Imperial City were probably waiting for the settlement of some cases in Veilburg.

“…That said, I have bad premonitions regarding my own brother. If he does something bad…”

“It’ll be alright. As long as I have this ring, I will be officially known as your wife.”

Whatever the external situation was, Jill was still the Dragon Princess. Hadith said so once—remembering it, she couldn’t help but blush.

“…you’re too strong… a lot of times, I am scared that what I’m experiencing right now is merely a dream…”

“…where is this conversation heading…”

“Because, the fact that you love me… that’s just…”

Hadith peered into Jill’s face. Jill stared back at him.

“Can’t you see?”

“… Can’t I see, what? What can’t I see? Huh? Are you making fun of me or something—!?”

“Your Majesty, it’s time for your medicine.”

“As I thought, you’re being too cold—! Even though I really, really love you—!”

---

***T/N: Gah… this amount of fluff… it’s enough, more than enough, to keep the FBI at bay.

“Ah, that’s probably due to the utterly pathetic display of this Idiot in public. That, and how he immediately stopped his own heart afterwards, that’s how you garner sympathy in an instant. All thanks to his pathetic state at that time. Because of that, word spread that the Emperor is a very delicate person and would die if you don’t treat him nicely.”

In case you didn’t know, this insecure dude’s the same man that ordered a massacre and was hailed as the Cursed Emperor in the first few chapters. Np.

“…you’re too strong… a lot of times, I am scared that what I’m experiencing right now is merely a dream…”

— OH NO YOU DON’T!!!! YOU DONT JUST SINGLE-HANDEDLY RISE THAT FLAG MY MAN, STOP THAT!!!1 STOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!! //translator starts being plagued by flashbacks of her fair amount of share of tragic stories//

“As I thought, you’re being too cold—! Even though I really, really love you—!”

OOOOOOOOOOO HE SAIDDDD IT, I KNOW YOU HAVE IT IN YOU, PATHETIC EMPEROR!!!!!!! //SLAPS HIS BACK// WE <3 U (never in my life before has I ever used ‘pathetic’ in a positive meaning way)

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