Is a housewarming party⊠like this? (9) â unedited
âIâm second?! Then first. Who is the first?â
I asked a little too much, and I thought it was a fake performance. But the Emperor didnât seem to notice at all. His face showed a man who had lost his mischief and became pensive in unresolved love.
âAn unreachable woman.â
âIs there a woman in the world that Your Majesty cannot seduce?â
âI never said it was out of love.â
Oh, I went too far.
âThen it must be like a Master!â
âI never said no.â
What the hell are you saying now? Ah. Control your face, control your face.
Splashâ
The lake swells again. The small stone that was still in the Emperorâs hand floated in the air and was caught again in his hand.
âThen is it a one-sided love?â
âSince her heart is not connected to mine, it can be regarded like that.â
âWho is it?â
What does the Emperor think of the saint? I wanted to take out a notebook and write down the lines. I leaned my upper body closer to the Emperor, with the goal of remembering his words without making a single mistake, thinking that I had to memorize it well.
Answering my question, the Emperor saidwithout hesitation.
âBeautiful.â
âAhâ beautiful⊠No, thatâs not it. Is that all?â
âWhat more do I have to say?â
The fact that the Saint is beautiful is an answer that can be heard from anyone. Even if you grab hold of any kid passing by and ask, youâll get the same answer. Not these obvious things, but words to express your love!
âWell, at least if you see something different about her from other people! Doesnât it feel like the light pours down on her?â
It was rather me who spoke with enthusiasm, and the Emperor calmly shook his head.
âNo.â
âHuh?! Then, do you like her simply because she is beautiful?â
Oh my God. Nonsense. My fantasy was about to be shattered.
âHer appearance also plays a part. But itâs the exact opposite of what youâre saying. I canât feel the light. Rather, I see darkness surrounded by light.â
The focus in the Emperorâs eyes faded. Like he was painting a picture of the Saint in his head.
âDarkness?â
âYes, the deep darkness that everyone has. She looks noble and just as good, but she seems to be engulfed in just that kind of darkness. So she looks dangerous.â
In the novel, the Saint is expressed as an exceptionally good person. She serves without fear of her own sacrifice, and jumps in without hesitation even in reckless situations. She was an inhuman figure that would not exist in reality.
However, the saint the Emperor was talking about was quite different from the saint in the novel. She is a saint with a very human darkness⊠It was rather unexpected. However, the Emperorâs subsequent words were enough to further confuse me.
âI donât know if thatâs why I feel more interested. I felt sorry because itâs like she was watching me.â
Excuse me, Your Majesty.
âHer smile is dazzling, but I see a deep-rooted darkness beyond her. A thick darkness that seemed to swallow everything soon. She pretends not to, and tries to hold it in. If she asks me with a look that looks like sheâs about to collapse at any moment, I can never refuse. Itâs sad, and I felt sorry again.â
You seem to be misunderstanding somethingâŠâŠ.
âI felt sorry for her, who seems to be screaming that she is not covered in dark ink. In fact, sheâs covered in it. So I canât just sit back and watch.â
I couldnât listen to the Emperor any longer. Am I misunderstanding things? No. No matter how I think about it, this⊠is not love.
Itâs sympathy.
The tragic sympathy of seeing himself through the saint.
âI tell you all kinds of things.â
Again, itâs different. Merson lost his memory, but the Saint and the Emperor were completely different from what Iâve seen in novels too, even though they have intact memories.
The Saint, who had a foolish sense of justice and held the hand of a lost boy rather than the men who ardently wooed her, openly confessed her feelings to Merson. The Emperor, who was attracted by the Saintâs clear goodness without greed, was rather saying that she was dark.
âYou must be very surprised that you hadnât said anything.â
Of course, how can I not be surprised. The Emperor that I knew shouldnât be thinking of the Saint that way.
With my expression mixed with surprise and amazement for a long time, the Emperorâs embarrassed smile gradually disappeared.
âWas my confession that shocking?â
The Emperor, who freely expressed his feelings as he got drunk with the moon, drunk with the night, and drunk with the atmosphere, Â seemed to be regretting the words he had uttered out of his mouth. Like the water that had filled his head was slowly draining away. . Yes, the reality is hitting him.
I was blown away by that sight. I shouldnât be surprised now. I canât afford to be decapitated in the name of keeping a secret!
âRather, rather than shocking⊠Well⊠Itâs a bit unfamiliar to describe someone you love as âdarkâ.â
âYes, I have read many texts, but none of them describe women that way.â
âExactly. By any chance, does she have a part that looks particularly pretty or somewhere really lovely?â
âShe is outstanding in every aspect, as if God had worked hard day and night to create her.â
It wasnât the lines of a man who fell in love and was love-blinded. This is just a very objective and dry evaluation.
Contrary to my desire to hear the story of the Emperorâs sorrowful unrequited love live, which cannot be heard without getting tears in my eyes, the direction completely changed. I was reluctant to hear the story of the saint any longer. I quickly tried to change the topic.
âCan you just talk about this to me? What if I spread it all over the place!â
âI donât want to see your skin floating in boiling water.â
â⊠what?â
âIt must be very disheartening to see your neck drop before the morning dew even touches the ground.â
âNo. Wait a minute, Your Majesty.â
I was trying to change the topic, but instead got an opportunity to change my life. The Emperor looked at the other side of the lake without a smile and spoke very seriously.
In an instant, the wind blew like a coincidence, and wrapped myself in the fine wind. I covered my arms around my neck in case my throat would be cut. Oh, Iâm still fine.
âNo, it would be fortunate if you didnât die from being stoned by the people before being brought before me. They hate false stories about me. Because I am so loved.â
âWhat were we talking about? Ah, suddenly my cerebral cortex hurts. Please call the doctor. No, itâs okay. A cerebral cortex specialist is at home. Iâll be on my way.â
At that moment, a cheerful laugh burst out between the Emperorâs serious red lips.
âYou are honest.â
âI know very well that nothing good will happen if I build up my pride when I donât have anything.â
âWell, I like it.â
âThatâs great, itâs an honor.â
The Emperorâs hand touches my head. It was wide enough to hold my small head with one hand. But slightly smaller than Mersonâs?