This Book is Not Available for Subscription Under the Age of 18 - Chapter 190

You’re Here Now? (7)

I waited for what seemed like a light shower to pass, but it continued into the evening. Spending time chatting with Merson wasn’t too bad (in fact, it was quite enjoyable), so I didn’t feel too disappointed.

After finishing dinner, it had been quite some time before the light in our room was extinguished. Listening to Merson’s breathing in the darkness, I, too, started to drift off to sleep.

Knock, knock.

Just as I was about to slip into unconsciousness, to my unfortunate surprise, I heard a knocking sound. It was annoying enough to make me want to believe it was just a dream.

Knock, knock.

Damn it, it’s not a dream after all.

Thinking it might be the Emperor, I threw back the covers and got up, but Merson grabbed my wrist.

“I’ll go check it out.”

“No, sleep.”

I pressed his shoulders down onto the bed and tightly covered him with the blanket up to his neck. Merson, obediently following my instructions, looked so adorable.

“Cute.”

Kiss- I planted a kiss on his forehead and headed toward the door where the mysterious knocking sound was coming from. Fumbling around, I took a bit longer to reach the door, and by the time I got there, the knocking had stopped.

“Who is it?”

I grasped the doorknob and hastily opened the door, and the sudden light blinded me. Ah, my eyes!

“Sorry, were you sleeping?”

As I turned back to go, I saw Chenin, not wearing much despite the chilly weather. Her modest night-colored dress, barely covering her elbows, seemed too revealing to be considered sleepwear. Considering her usual preference for flashy dresses, it was quite a surprising change in attire.

As the time transitioned into late night, the sharp drop in temperature from the afternoon must have been excruciating for Chenin. It was hard to feel at ease seeing her standing with her arms folded, despite her choice of attire offering no protection from the cold.

“Wait.”

I entered the room, turned on the light, and grabbed a nearby outer garment. It was Merson’s, but it was large enough to envelop a woman’s body, so it seemed fitting for her.

I returned to the corridor, closed the door, and handed Chenin the coat.

“It’s not sleepwear, and it’s not suitable for going out either, especially in this season. Why are you wearing such thin clothing?”

“…It wasn’t this cold during the day.”

Struggling to endure the cold, Chenin took the coat I offered and draped it over her back.

“Did you go out and just come back now?”

“No.”

The knuckles of the hand holding the coat were noticeably protruding. She appeared more like a frightened girl than someone affected by the cold. She seemed like a child enduring nightmares and fears alone in an empty house.

Honestly, I was taken aback by this unexpected side of Chenin, so I suppressed my surprise, afraid that if I brought it up, it might retreat forever.

“Then where were you planning to go?”

“….”

“You put on your clothes to go somewhere from daytime, but you haven’t taken a step outside the palace until now. Where were you planning to go?”

Chenin’s gaze, which had been fixed on mine, averted.

“……Come with me.”

“I’ll only go with you if you tell me where you’re going.”

“I can’t go alone, so let’s go together.”

Would she ever answer my questions properly if I asked them? However, Chenin remained stubborn, unilaterally insisting on what she wanted to say.

“The execution is at twelve. Let’s go before that. So have breakfast and wait in the room. I’ll come back for you.”

“Hey, so where…!”

I called out to Chenin, who had already run off without looking back.

Standing in the empty corridor after she vanished, I pondered where she could possibly be going.

“…..Is she pregnant, too?”

To use a modern expression, ‘the ob-gyn.’ That’s where I desperately wanted to go at this moment.

All the situations seemed to be unfolding just as I wanted. I didn’t know if such a thing existed in this world or not, but if it did, I didn’t see the need to hide it.

“Yawn.”

I felt the belated fatigue settling in. It was cold too. Despite handing Chenin a coat, I myself had come out with just a thin slip.

I swiftly entered the room, and Merson, with wide-awake eyes, watched as I lay down quietly. The blanket I had placed over him remained in its original position, not a single wrinkle disturbed. That indicated that he had indeed stayed still the whole time. Thinking about how Merson had waited for me like a statue outside with Chenin, he looked so adorable that a smile crept onto my face.

As I slid my icy limbs under the blanket, it felt like my body was melting. As I settled into the bed, Merson shifted and enveloped me in his arms, which felt incredibly warm, dispersing the cold sensation like dandelion seeds in the wind.

“Didn’t you take my coat? Why are you so cold?”

Sorry, your coat is with Chenin.

I didn’t want to explain that I had given his coat to someone else on a cold day, as that would lead to endless nagging. So I just kept quiet and nestled my head on Merson’s chest, succumbing to the drowsiness that had overcome me.

“Hmm… the light…the light.”

Accompanied by the sound of a finger snapping, the glare that was hitting my eyelids disappeared into the darkness. Only now did my face relax into comfort.

Although Merson continued speaking to me, it was merely a distant hum in my ears. If I focused, I could hear the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat, which seemed like a lullaby to me.

As his lips settled on my forehead, I drifted into a peaceful slumber.

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