CH 27

Chapter 27│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com

A year has passed since Liserotte came to the Ludendolf Empire.

Liserotte has been hired by Aldrick to treat knights in the royal palace.

She sometimes goes to churches and adventurers’ guilds to give her healing magic to adventurers and the poor.

Aldrick, who is a worrier, has sent a dozen female knights to guard Liserotte, so that she can go to the all-male knights’ barracks and the guild, which is full of ruffians.

To Liserotte’s surprise, there were no saints or barriers in the Ludendolf Empire.

Putting up magical barriers in the Ludendolf Empire makes monsters flee to other countries, which makes the Ludendolf Empire safe but increases the damage from the other countries.

Instead, they use a large number of adventurers to thin out the demons and monsters to prevent stampedes, and to be careful not to damage towns and villages.

When large numbers of monsters were sighted in the forests and wilderness, the knights were sent out to destroy them.

Materials such as fur, claws, and horns are obtained from the bodies of the monsters. These materials can be used to make armor and weapons that knights and adventurers can use to fight better.

High-quality weapons and armor were exported to other countries and sold for a lot of money, which helped the country’s economy grow.

The Ludendolf Empire successfully coexisted with demons.

Liserotte spent five days a week at the royal palace treating the knights, once a week at the church or adventurer’s guild treating the poor and adventurers, and the rest of the time in her studio painting and relaxing.

“Liserotte, what is the subject of this painting?”

Aldrick sipped his tea and watched Liserotte work on the canvas.

On the canvas was a divinely handsome young man.

Aldrick loves Liserotte so much that he doesn’t mind the strange smell of the paint.

Aldrick was spellbound by Liserotte’s serious face as she turned to the canvas. He loved even the smell of her.

But when the man on the screen turns out to be someone other than himself, and a very handsome one at that, he wonders if Liserotte has found someone she likes.

A touch of uneasiness suddenly crept into him.

Liserotte only draws gods and spirits, not humans, which he thinks is good, but there’s always a chance of “someone”.

Aldrick waited anxiously for Liserotte’s answer.

“This image is of the god Heimdall.”

“Heimdall… God?”

Aldrick was relieved when he heard the word “god.”

She had not been drawn to a handsome knight or a young adventurer.

“Yes, God Heimdall is a god of light, born of nine sisters, the daughters of the sea god Aegir. It is said that he needs no sleep, can see a hundred miles day and night, and can hear the faintest sound of growing grass.”

“Amazing.”

Aldrick gave his honest opinion.

“It resembles Aldrick-sama, it’s brave, dignified, and magnificent.”

“Me?”

Aldrick’s cheeks reddened at Liserotte’s praise.

“When I met Aldrick-sama again, I knew I wanted to paint this picture. But I was in a hurry to finish other paintings, so I finished this one too late.”

Liserotte felt she had to hurry to finish the paintings of gods and spirits she had left behind in the Kingdom of Hallstein.

During the first two weeks of her stay in the Ludendolf kingdom, Liserotte devoted herself to painting.

The Dwarf, the cobbler fairy, the Leprechaun, the headless old man Mmir, the god of knowledge, Thule, the man without a right arm, the god of war, Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse, Frey, the god of fertility and wealth, and Njord, the sea guardian

When she was finally satisfied with her work, Liserotte began working on her treatment the following week.

Liserotte’s paintings were placed in a suitable place for them to be displayed.

The flame-clad spirit Salamander was placed in the kitchen.

The painting of a dwarf is located in the forge.

The picture of the cobbler’s fairy, Leprechaun, is located in the cobbler’s workshop.

The image of Mmir, the ancient headless god of knowledge, is located in the Imperial Academy.

Thule, the god of war, is in the knight’s training hall.

Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse, is in the royal stable.

Frey, god of fertility and wealth, in the throne room.

The painting of Njord, the guardian deity of the sea, is in the temple dedicated to the god of the sea.

“I want the image of the god Heimdall to be hung in Aldrick-sama’s room.”

“In my room, is that okay?”

“Yes, as long as Aldrick-sama is okay with it.”

“Of course it’s fine!”

Aldrick broke his face at Liserotte’s offer.

Liserotte had painted a picture for him, and Aldrick could not have been happier.

Until now, Liserotte’s paintings had only been displayed in temples, teaching halls, throne rooms, and other busy spaces, but never in private rooms.

Aldrick was elated to have Liserotte’s painting displayed in his private room for the first time, as he felt that Liserotte was making a special impression on him.

“There is something I was going to tell Aldrick-sama when this painting was completed.”

Liserotte looked at him with serious eyes, and Aldrick’s heart beat faster.

“What is it?”

“When Aldrick-sama proposed to me a year ago, I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. I couldn’t explain what those feelings were, although they were hazy as I imagined Aldrick-sama making love to another woman…”

With a thrill, Aldrick waited for the rest of Liserotte’s words.

“After being with Aldrick-sama for the past year, I finally found the right words to express my feelings…”

Aldrick gulped and swallowed hard, hoping for a good answer.

“I guess I was “jealous” of a woman who was close to Aldrick-sama. It’s silly of me to imagine Aldrick-sama getting along with other women and being jealous of them.”

Liserotte laughs to herself.

“I thought Aldrick-sama was a good friend from childhood, but I was wrong. I thought Aldrick-sama was, um, I adored Aldrick-sama as a man.”

Liserotte’s cheeks turn as red as cherries.

Liserotte realizes this after living in the Ludendolf empire for a year.

Aldrick is there for her, in the shade and in the sun, helping her, and his presence grows larger by the day. She realizes that this feeling is love.

Hearing Liserotte’s words, Aldrick broke into a smile.

“I am so happy! Liserotte!”

Aldrick hugged Liserotte.

“Um, Aldrick-sama, I was just painting until a while ago. The smell of paint… doesn’t it smell bad?”

Liserotte was heartbroken at the thought of Hewitt, Mira, and the former Duke and Duchess Niclas frowning at the smell of paint on her body and clothes when they called it “stinks.”

“I’ve never felt the smell of Liserotte before as something bad!”

Aldrick loved everything about Liserotte, including the smell of paint.

Aldrick knelt down and took Liserotte by the hand.

“When the day comes when Liserotte accepts my feelings and loves me as a man, there’s something I was going to give you!”

Aldrick put a purple crystal ring on Liserotte’s finger. The amethyst was the same color as Liserotte’s eyes.

“I love you, Liserotte. Will you marry me?”

Liserotte’s face turns as red as a tomato.

After an instant, Liserotte nods her head.

“Yes, with pleasure.”

Aldrick hugged Liserotte, whose cheeks were stained with tears, and spun her around.

“I’ll make you happy, I promise!”

“Aldrick-sama, my eyes are spinning!”

Their joyful laughter echoed through the studio.

—○█○—

As he hung the picture of the god Heimdall in Aldrick’s bedroom, the present state of the Hallstein kingdom came to Aldrick’s mind.

Awebstories.com: Heimdall’s power compels him (lol).

Bad weather has devastated crops, and crop failures continue to occur. Trade with other countries has been hampered by the heavy storms and heavy rain, and ships have been unable to sail.

The supreme saint, who was called Mira, was emaciated, her hair was gray, her skin was dry, her eyes were hollow, large dark circles appeared under her eyes, and her voice was hoarse, like that of an old woman. From time to time, she vomited blood, but she was not allowed to rest and poured her magic into the crystal, battered and bruised.

In one day, powerful subspecies of monsters sprung up and a lot of people fled, destroying the area without barriers.

The knights, so weakened that they could not wield their swords properly, were no match for them, and the order was easily destroyed.

The king and the prince are struggling to escape debt collection and living like tramps in the downtown area, suffering from a pile of bills from royal families in other countries asking them to “pay back the cost of making the Andvaranaut rings!” every day.

As Mira, the king and the prince, wished, “If only Liserotte had never left…” and asked heaven for Liserotte’s return.

Aldrick followed the scene in his mind’s eye with an ice-cold expression.

“You deserve it, because you kicked out Liserotte.”

Aldrick spat.

“Liserotte is loved by the people of my country and lives happily. It’s too late for them to realize the value of Liserotte now.”

Aldrick had no intention of returning Liserotte to the Hallstein Kingdom.

The King had put Liserotte under house arrest when he realized her value, that the Crown Prince had treated her with contempt and abuse, that Liserotte’s father had sold her to the royal family after her mother died, that her stepmother had treated Liserotte like trash, and that she had been a victim of the King’s corruption.

Aldrick pretended not to have seen the images that flashed through his mind.

Aldrick smiled and went to bed after getting a favorable reply from Liserotte.

That day, Aldrick had a dream.

He dreamed that the Ludendolf Empire was a prosperous land and that peace would reign for a long time…

—○█○—

The Ludendolf Empire after a thousand years.

The weather is mild, the crops are thriving, the sea is rich in seafood, the military is strong and brave, and the civilian population is graceful and knowledgeable.

The people were deeply grateful to the famous Emperor Aldrick and his wife, Empress Liserotte, for allowing them to live in peace.

Even after Liserotte’s death, people cherished her paintings, and people continued to visit their graves for a thousand years after her death.

As Aldrick dreamed, the Ludendorf Empire developed. Aldrick was adored as the Holy King, and Empress Lisaotte was worshipped as a goddess.

Aldrick and Liserotte lived happily together until death did them part.