/
‘As expected, you’ve been waiting for me.’
When she found him, Anastasia realized that her prediction was right when she saw Louis’ expression, who was embarrassed with surprised eyes and was strangely pleased.
‘It’s hard to forget the sticky feeling once you touch it. It’s so addictive.’
Anastasia smiled inwardly and approached Louis and greeted him.
“How was your day, Louis? The moon looked so beautiful on the way here. Haven’t you seen it yet?”
“Hey, how are you….”
“I came to see Louis.”
Anastasia replied with a grin.
“You’re done with your schedule today, right?””
“Yes…that’s true.”
“Do you have to do your homework tonight?”
She was right, but if he answered like that, Anastasia might go away quickly.
‘Even if I send her away when I send her, I have to get a dough and then send it.’*
*TN: I swear it was written like this. But he’s saying that when he sends her away, even if he has to, he has to get a new slime and then send her away
Louis somehow shook his head with a grim look.
“No, it’s not that. I don’t have homework.”
“Oh, really?”
Anastasia said with delight.
“I’m glad. Actually, I came to see you because I had something for Louis.”
“Something to give…?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
Louis looked at Anastasia, unable to hide his expectations.
Anastasia grinned at Louis, then grabbed something out of her arms.
It was a liquid monster with the same shape that Louis made earlier.
“Wow…!”
Louis’ expression brightened quickly when he saw what was in Anastasia’s hand.
“It’s the same as the one you made earlier”
“That’s right.”
Anastasia nodded and asked.
“Did Olivia return the dough that she took from Louis?”
Louis bowed his head and shook his head.
‘Huh… She was definitely going to give it back.’
Anastasia was filled with anger for a moment, but she decided to endure it.
“It’s okay. I knew it would happen, so I made another one and brought it.”
Anastasia said affectionately and stuck the liquid monster in front of Louis.
“Here’s the present.”
But Louis hesitated for a moment.
A thought, ‘Can I really accept this?’ raised in his mind.
I don’t think Olivia would like it…’
But he wanted to touch the dough again as soon as possible so to refuse the gift…
In the end, Olivia’s ghastly expression fell on the memory of the addictive touch that had plagued Louis all day today.
Louis carefully picked up the dough and thanked her with a bow.
“Thank you.”
…so cute!
Anastasia looked at Louis, who was crumbling the liquid monster with a shy red face, and asked.
“But you know what, Louis?”
Louis, who was busy touching the dough in the midst of it, raised his head.
Anastasia said with a mischievous smile around her mouth.
“Gifts are meant to be exchanged between friends.”
“Friends…?”
“Yes, my friend. Can we be friends now?”
Louis was in a bind. What do you mean friend?
‘Olivia certainly wouldn’t like me to be friends with Her Majesty…’
But then again, he said that he did not like it as openly as last night, and he had already received something, so he was stabbed with his conscience.
‘If I say I don’t want to be friends, will she take the dough away?’
Louis unconsciously squeezed the hand holding the liquid monster and asked.
“Do you want to be my friend that much?”
“Yes!”
Anastasia answered loudly as if it were natural.
“It would be so, so nice to be Louis’ friend.”
“Why?”
“I can get along with Louis.”
“What are you going to do if you get close to me?”
“Can I keep giving you presents like this? You have to throw it away because it gets dirty after playing with it for a few days.”
“Throw it away…?”
Louis looked down at the liquid monster in his hand with a sad expression.
Anastasia, who saw it, quickly added.
“You don’t have to worry. You can throw it away and make a new one, right?”
“Really?”
“Sure! If you’ll be my friend, I’ll keep changing your dough to a new one.”
Anastasia said so, and then whispered in a low voice as if telling a secret.
“Actually, it’s a secret, but I can make you a better dough than what I just gave you.”
“Gee, really…?”
“Yes, it’s a much more stretchy and shiny dough.”
He’s looking forward to it, right? He’ll miss her, right?
Anastasia’s exaggerated expression aroused Louis’ curiosity.
And Louis was easily tempted by Anastasia.
“I can have a dough that stretches and glitters better than this?”
It was so good just for now. But he couldn’t believe he can have something better than that!
The mere thought of it made Louis blush.
“If the Empress makes me dough, what should I do for her?”
“Well, nothing. Just talk to me and play with me.”
“Is that all?”
Louis asked in a slightly surprised voice.
“You don’t want anything else?”
“Of course. That’s how friends are. We’re having fun together.”
Anastasia said as if she didn’t need anything more, and Louis was a little shocked by the answer.
“I thought you were coming because you wanted something from me.”
That was Olivia’s habit.
Except for her, everyone who approached him had a black ulterior motive.
Moreover, the Empress was with his uncle who killed his parents, so he thought she would want something from him.
But there’s no ulterior motive.
‘No, maybe she hasn’t told me yet.’
And she may say she wants something later.
But Louis had no intention of listening to what Anastasia wanted, whatever it was.
‘So… If I’m on guard, wouldn’t it be okay to be friends? Keep it a secret from Olivia.’
Above all, he couldn’t ignore the texture of the dough that was still tightly wrapped in his hand.
“…Okay.”
Louis replied, nodding his head.
“Let’s be friends.”
“Really?”
Anastasia cried, pleased.
“Don’t lie. Promise with your pinky!”
Then she held out her pinky finger at Louis.
Louis seemed a little hesitant and then hung his on Anastasia’s.
“…Promise.”
He promised he’d never give her a piece of his heart.
~~~~
“I see the sun of the Empire, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
He was on one knee in front of someone for the first time in a long time.
The person in front of him immediately raised him up.
“Stand up, Wilhelm. I’ve told you so many times that you don’t have to be so formal in front of me.”
Alexander Rosenberg.
The ruler of the great Rosenberg, and his only older brother, even though their mothers were different.
“Before you are my brother, you are Rosenberg’s one and only sun. I cannot be disloyal.”
“Anyway, you’re really savvy.”
Alexander asked after shaking his head.
“Okay, how was Ishstabil?”
“As you said, it was a beautiful place. It is understandable that His Majesty the Emperor was fascinated.”
Wilhelm, who was looking for a memory, smiled.
“The red roses blooming in the stream were very pretty.”
“That’s why I asked you to paint the landscape there. I’ve been to many places since my accession to the throne, but it was the first time where the roses were in full bloom.”
Alexander’s eyes, recalling where he had been a long time ago, were dimly colored.
Wilhelm was thinking that he seemed to have liked it enough to call himself in and ask for a landscape painting.
“Really, wasn’t the journey more difficult than that?”
“I wasn’t tired at all thanks to the great carriage the Emperor gave me.”
“You’re talking nonsense, man. I’m glad the carriage relieved you of any fatigue. If you’re having a hard time, the picture won’t come out well.”
Alexander grinned and asked.
“So, when will the painting be completed?”
“I’ll do my best to show you soon.”
“Yes, yes. Don’t overdo it. If you need anything, feel free to tell me. Got it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I have a question for you, Wilhelm.”
Wilhelm looked up at Alexander with a quizzical look. He was still smiling.
“Please speak.”
“Come closer.”
At Alexander’s request, Wilhelm rose from his seat and approached him.
It was the moment Alexander finally reached Wilhelm with his arm.
“Gasp!”
Suddenly Alexander’s face turned dreadfully  as he grabbed Wilhelm strongly by the neck.
With the power of pressing his neck relentlessly with both hands, Wilhelm struggled to open his mouth with a panicked face.
“Your Majesty…”
“You!”
The friendly look of smiling warmly toward his only brother disappeared completely, and a horribly distorted face was in front of him.
Alexander questioned Wilhelm, strangling him as if he would break his neck with a strong grip.
“You fed the horse pulling the carriage madman’s grass, didn’t you?”
“No, Your Majesty, I…”
“Don’t lie!”
Alexander gave a grim look as if he had no intention of hearing Wilhelm’s answer in the first place.
“Even if you deceive everyone in the world, you can’t fool me! You killed me to take my place, didn’t you? You did it, didn’t you? Answer me! Come on, answer me!”
“I… I really, really…”
“Your Majesty!”
At that moment, a familiar voice intervened and woke him up with a loud voice.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?”
“…”
The second time he heard the sound waking him up, Wilhelm opened his eyes with a puzzled expression on his face.
The hectic papers were littered on the desk, and Colton, who looked worried, was seen next to them.
“I’ll call the court doctor immediately.”
“…No.”
Wilhelm managed to open his mouth and dissuaded Colton.
“You don’t have to.”
Again, it was the same nightmare.
His eternal incurable disease, which no one can cure.