Chapter 30

"......Lilith"

"Yes?"

"The petals won't be necessary from next time."

"That's true. The guidebook said they were effective for setting the mood, but it was just a waste."

"......Guidebook?"

"Yes. I borrowed it from the palace library yesterday. It's called 'For a Happy Marriage! Ten Methods to Overcome the Rut.'"

"......"

Was this guidebook even necessary for a marriage that hadn't even started yet?

Moreover, who borrowed it—no, even if it was a maid, what did the librarian think about the Crown Princess borrowing such a book?

And why was such a book in the palace library in the first place?

There were many things he wanted to point out, but Jezalde said nothing.

Ignoring Jezalde's silence, Lilith rustled around and put on her nightgown.

Then, as she stood up, she looked down at Jezalde, who was still lying down, and smiled.

"Which room shall we use tomorrow?"

"Huh?"

"Mine or Jed's room. Which one do you prefer?"

"......This room"

"Understood. Then, I'll wait for you without the petals tomorrow!"

Was this essentially a way of telling him to leave?

Thinking this, Jezalde got up, put on his robe, and looked at Lilith, who was blushing and looking away.

"Lilith, are you... are you feeling well?"

"Eh? Ah, yes. I'm fine!"

"Is that so... But don't overexert yourself. You're not very robust, right?"

"Ah, ...well, yes."

Lilith, who had forgotten about her frailty, bowed her head in a hurry when Jezalde reminded her.

She felt her lie showing on her face.

Jezalde frowned at her gesture.

"Are you really not feeling well? I said it before, but you don't have to overdo it."

"No, I'm not overdoing it. Everyone is considerate, so I can usually take a nap in the afternoon."

There had been an unexpected visitor today, but apart from official events, Lilith had no particular schedule.

She had been happy about this good treatment, but then she realized something.

She had been thinking only about herself and not about Jezalde.

"S-Sorry. It's more difficult for Jed, right? You work early in the morning and stay with me late at night... I should have realized this earlier."

"No... it's fine, but..."

"Jed, please don't overdo it. It's true, isn't it? It must be tiring every night. If you're tired, you should rest properly. You're compromising for me, and I've been imposing my demands. ...I'm sorry. I don't mind, so please don't hesitate to tell me when you're tired."

"......"

Jezalde wondered if he was being tested as a man.

Moreover, he remembered that Lilith's goal was to have a child.

In the end, he said something safe.

"I'm fine, but there will be times when I have to work late. So from now on, I'll come to this room, but if something urgent comes up, I want you to go to sleep without waiting for me."

He didn't have any strange pride, but Jezalde grimaced at his own excuse.

Lilith, who didn't miss his expression, thought that Jezalde was indeed overexerting himself to meet her demands.

"......Understood. If you're tired tomorrow, please take your time. Thank you. Good night."

"---Ah."

Jezalde gave a vague response and left the bedroom as Lilith, sitting on the bed, bowed deeply.

He wasn't sure if she was worried about him or treating him as if he had no purpose.

Jezalde returned to his own bedroom, sighed with relief that there was no scent of roses, and lay down on the bed.

However, he couldn't help but think about whether he should visit Lilith's room as promised tomorrow or avoid it as she suggested, and he couldn't sleep.

He got up, exasperated by his own foolishness, and started reading through the documents he had brought back from his office.

No matter how he investigated, the report from the Tuisen factory was still suspicious.

Someone must be exploiting the workers, but if he sent another inspector, they would be on guard.

He also needed to investigate whether the inspector was trustworthy.

Was he being deceived, or was he deceiving Jezalde and the others?

(This country has become too big...)

The larger the country, the more people there are.

The more people there are, the more problems arise.

Jezalde sighed deeply and opened another document.

He also needed to come up with a strategy for the town of Bunmini, and the western part of the Aelras Empire was fraught with problems.

Moreover, there were issues with the Fontae Kingdom to the east.

The alliance between the empire and the Freud Kingdom had apparently made the King of Fontae even more eager to gain the rights to the commercial city of Machinukan.

Moreover, there were unconfirmed reports that they were disguising themselves as pirates and attacking merchant ships from the Shana Kingdom.

"If this continues, it might lead to war..."

Muttering to himself, Jezalde forgot his earlier worries and became engrossed in his work.

Before he knew it, it was morning, and the lack of sleep over the past few days had made him look tired, leading to teasing from his father, the emperor, and the ministers.