Chapter 55

As Gesualdo stood there in shock, Lilith finally put down her writing instrument after a sigh.

There, Gesualdo snapped back to reality and asked again.

"Lilith, what were you writing?"

"Wh-what? Jed!? How are you!?"

"…This is my bed, after all."

"Oh…right."

Lilith seemed to remember the situation as she looked around and nodded. However, her uneasy demeanor was quite suspicious.

"So, what were you writing?"

Asked again, Lilith thought hard. She wasn't mentally prepared to reveal the reality of her dreams. The conflicting thoughts of whether it was time to tell or better to keep it a secret led her to give a safe answer.

"Well… I was writing down the content of a dream."

"Content of a dream?"

"Yes. Um, an angry dream… It's just a dream, but since I have no outlet for my anger, I write it down. …It makes me feel a bit better…"

"…I see."

"I know it's a strange habit, but it's something I've done since I was a child…"

To Gesualdo, no matter how strange Lilith's actions were, he could accept them now. He nodded in understanding, but Lilith, thinking he was disappointed, hurried to explain.

"No, don't worry. I was just surprised. I felt a bit of a menacing presence. Your anger in the dream is concerning… Did I do something wrong again?"

"Eh? No! Not at all! I was just… writing about…"

"Writing about me?"

Encouraged by Gesualdo, Lilith, who had hesitated, continued after realizing she could just say it was a dream.

"In the dream, Baron Coat, the finance officer, and the sales manager appeared… They were laughing and saying things like Jed isn't much and is easy to deceive. They said, 'We managed to fool him this time.' And they even said, 'The "Red Reaper" is only useful in battle!' I was so angry… I, who oppose violence, even wanted to hit them."

"Ah…"

Gesualdo understood. Those punches were because of that. Lilith, perhaps feeling her anger resurface from talking about it, was breathing heavily.

"Besides, isn't 'Red Reaper' a ridiculous name?"

"Maybe…"

Gesualdo was quite relieved by this. It seemed the words she had muttered in her sleep were directed at his nickname. While Gesualdo initially didn't like being called the "Red Reaper," he had gotten used to it over time. Now, it sometimes served to intimidate others. His father, the emperor, and trusted friends and subordinates accepted it naturally, but Lilith couldn't stand it. Thinking about this made Gesualdo feel a bit happy. But—

"Isn't it rude, 'Red Reaper'? And it's so lame."

"…Lame?"

The words, spat out with anger, were unexpected, and Gesualdo was taken aback. Moreover, he felt hurt.

"Yes. It doesn't suit Jed at all. If it were up to me, I would call Jed by a different nickname."

Saying this, Lilith looked up thoughtfully and smiled softly. Not only did she call the "Red Reaper" lame, but her attitude left Gesualdo unsure how to react. Curious about the meaning behind her smile, he couldn't help but ask.

"…So, what would you call me, Lilith?"

Lilith's face lit up at Gesualdo's question. By the time he regretted asking, it was too late.

"The 'Noble Prince of Dawn'!"

"The Noble… Prince of Dawn…"

"Yes! It's elegant and suits Jed perfectly!"

Lilith answered enthusiastically, but noticing Gesualdo's stunned mutter, she tilted her head.

"Don't you like it? How about 'Scarlet Star'? It's definitely cool!"

"…Star?"

"Stars!"

"No, I get that, but…"

"Jed shines like a star! Oh, maybe the sun would be better? Then, 'scarlet' wouldn't work… How about 'Dawn Sun'? But that's a bit cliché…"

Faced with Lilith's deep contemplation, Gesualdo was again at a loss for how to react. He didn't particularly like the "Red Reaper," but could he endure being called the "Noble Prince of Dawn" or "Scarlet Star"? His father and others would surely laugh their heads off. Imagining this, Gesualdo shuddered and became quite troubled.

"I still think 'Noble Prince of Dawn' or 'Scarlet Star' is beautiful. But there's an age limit for 'Prince,' so maybe 'Scarlet Star.' Now, how to spread this nickname…"

How to stop Lilith from saying this. He wanted to do it without hurting her feelings and in a peaceful manner. However, this required a high level of persuasion.

In the end, Gesualdo gave up on thinking. He kissed Lilith, who was happily brainstorming, and then pinned her down. Lilith seemed surprised at first but soon responded.

The next day—

The royal couple's entourage set off later than planned. Few knew the reason was the Crown Princess's oversleeping.