Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
“Would you mind if I walk around the room?”
I can feel him peeking at me, but if I just walk around the room, he should still be able to sleep well. Though again, he frowned and did not respond. When I saw it, I somehow wanted to make fun of him.
“It doesn’t matter as long as you lower the canopy.”
“Can the canopy stop me?”
Seeing the frown on his face, I smiled inwardly.
“How about making a room for me right now?”
“A room?”
“That way, Your Majesty will be able to sleep comfortably.”
—Also, I can move around freely.
“…To protect me seems to have been an empty word.”
For some reason, I could barely hold back the laughter that came out of his blunt tone. I had no intention of staying in another room, anyway, because the assassins may come at night.
But, I just said it because I thought it would be nice to have a place to lie down comfortably, although I can’t deny that Declan’s reaction was rather interesting.
“No one is going to enter at night.”
“Those who threaten me do it day and night.”
“Do they?”
“…Anyway, don’t leave the room. I’m the only one who can see you, so you can’t ask for help even if you get lost.”
It was unusual for him to speak longer than usual. Anxiety flashed across his face.
“Isn’t your obsession with the doll directed towards me?”
I was worried about his ominous premonition, but I didn’t want to increase his anxiety.
“Okay. I’ll be here today.”
If I was going to leave the room, I had to come back before Declan woke up.
His face softened subtly at my answer.
“Don’t come to my bed while I sleep.”
“Why?”
“Are you so curious about how I sleep? I’m not willing to satisfy your aesthetic needs.”
“Well, what—Do you think I am some kind of pervert? Don’t worry, I don’t have any rational interest in His Majesty.”
Declan had a sour expression on his face, shutting his mouth as to which part of my words he didn’t like.
“Still, don’t come.”
Declan, wiggling his eyebrows, spoke bluntly and lowered the canopy.
‘Anyway, there’s a little bit of a childish side to him.’
Who would believe a tyrant like that?
I shook my head and grinned.
***
As the room fell into darkness, a soft light shone from my body.
After a while, his breathing became regular. In the deep darkness by the window, only the half-moon and stars were shining softly.
“…What should I do from now on?”
I had to stop the war with the Kingdom of Iello, but there was no way to convince Declan.
As I was thinking about it, I heard a small moan from the side of the bed.
“Ugh.”
It was Declan’s voice.
Another nightmare…?
I remembered the sobbing as he called Chloe every night. Thinking so, I cautiously headed to bed. As I slowly walked towards the canopy, nervously, my body passed naturally.
Closing his eyes, Declan’s face was painfully contorted.
“Don’t go. Chloe, don’t go. Don’t leave me.”
He seems to be dreaming about Chloe again.
“I’m sorry… I couldn’t protect you. I’m sorry.”
Eventually, a cry burst out, and a tear fell from Declan’s eyes.
With a pitiful heart, I wiped his eyes, but I couldn’t wipe the tears away. I put my hand on his forehead and muttered to myself.
‘It’s okay. It’s not your fault. Chloe doesn’t want you to suffer either.’
I remembered Chloe asking the doll for Declan.
‘Chloe wants you to be happy. So, don’t get hurt anymore.’
Has my earnest heart been conveyed?
His cries subsided and the twisted burrows were relaxed. Declan’s face, sleeping comfortably, was like a beautiful god from a famous painting.
The tall nose bridge, the slightly curled up long eyelashes, and the moderately thick red lips were in perfect harmony and looked beautiful at first glance.
“Your eyes are really pretty, but it’s a pity.”
Usually, there is a chill that makes people freeze, though when he sleeps like a doll like this, he has a really charming look.
“Sleep well, Your Majesty.”
***
When I opened my eyes to the sound of the blanket rubbing, the sun was shining through.
“Are you awake?”
I quickly went to bed and saw Declan reclining against the bedhead. He shook his head, touching his forehead.
“What’s wrong?”
As Declan gazed at me silently, I was wondering if he was not yet awake.
“Did you not sleep well?”
He must have slept well yesterday. Did I stare at him too much?
A little worried, I looked into his eyes.
“No, I think I slept well.”
“Then, are you sick?”
“Not that. It just feels weird.”
Saying so, he continued to stare at me again.
“….That doesn’t make sense.” He murmured to himself and put his hand on his head, stroking it.
“Did nothing happen during the night?”
“No.”
It took me a while to get used to outside of the doll, but there was no problem so far.
“That’s a relief.”
Declan spoke without much emotion and pulled the string.
“Did you sleep well?”
Moments later, Noah came in with a silver basin filled with washing water as he asked the question.
“Yeah, I slept well after a long time.”
“Did you sleep well? Is that true? Really?”
Noah, who said so, widened his eyes and made a fuss around Declan.
“Ask just once. It’s distracting.”
Declan furrowed his eyebrows as if annoyed.
“It’s the first time I’ve heard that you’ve had a good night’s sleep since I met Your Majesty, and you don’t look excited?”
“Come to think of it, yes. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so refreshed.”
“Did you eat something wrong yesterday?”
Noah remembered something and made a surprised expression. For some reason, it didn’t seem like a normal sound would ever come out of his mouth…
Looking at his reaction, Declan was already grimacing as he thought about it.
“Your Majesty, you really didn’t eat the soup yesterday, did you?”
“….”
“Maybe you ate a little bit of something on the spoon. The only thing wrong yesterday was poison.”
Haha, here’s a new idiot.
‘After all, there was a reason why Noah entered Declan’s eyes.’
Declan looked at him with a surprised expression. Noah, who did not notice it, was seriously alone. He muttered, “Poison and cure are one ends.”
“Noah.”
At his call, the temperature in the bedroom seemed to have dropped by ten degrees.
If I had been in the doll now, I would have hit Noah for his insanity. Fortunately, Noah noticed that the atmosphere was not too serious, so he glanced at Declan.
“Oh dear, Your Majesty. Do you kill people with your eyes again? I’m so glad that Your Majesty got a good night’s sleep.”
Smiling awkwardly when he saw Declan’s grim face, Noah slowly added his words.
“Wash your face first.”
He quickly led Declan forward to the basin.
“Then, why did your Majesty sleep comfortably?”
At his question, Declan gazed at me for a moment before wiping his face with a towel.
‘Huh? Why is he looking at me?’
As I tilted my head in wonder, I paused. ‘Oh right. Yesterday, I put my hand on his forehead and stayed by his side. Maybe it’s because of me?’
I glanced around to observe any changes, though there was nothing special about it.
‘I don’t think I have any special abilities.’
Hey, the spirit can’t really do things like that. It must have just happened by chance.
***
After washing his face, Declan changed his clothes and ate.
I sat across from him just like yesterday evening and watched him.
“I have a conference today, so I’m going to the conference room.”
Speaking of a grand conference, it was a meeting attended by all the nobles in the imperial capital.
“Can I go with you?”
“It would be boring. Would you like to bring a book?” Declan asked with a glance at the history book on the bedside table.
“Your Majesty, why did you bring that?”
“In case you need it.”
I was confused and just frowned. So, he continued.
“I don’t think you have anything else to do other than read a book.”
“But, there is no one to turn the pages over at night?”
“…Right.”
Declan furrowed his eyebrows slightly as if he hadn’t thought of that.
“In the conference room, I can turn it over.”
When I first possessed it, I remembered the bloody atmosphere of the conference room. Imagine Declan flipping through a book every time in an empty seat, such a crazy person…
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I need to know how the situation is going to help Your Majesty.”
At this point, I should know who the Duke of Otien is. Figure out the size of the forces supporting and opposing Declan.
“You…?”
Declan looked at me like a child who offered to help an adult.
“You must not have forgotten that you saved your life thanks to me yesterday, right?”
I said, raising the corners of my mouth and pressed my eyes against him. If he doesn’t admit it quickly, I won’t let him go.
“I admit that. Other than that…”
Still, Declan glanced at me up and down, muffled his lips.
“Don’t underestimate this kind of appearance. I am a person who can think.”
He spoke deliberately, emphasizing his words.
“Is there even a better person for espionage or spying?”
“There’s no way I can leave that to you.”
With that, Declan chuckled.
“Why? Others use invisibility magic to get information, but they can’t see me perfectly.”
“You don’t even know the Imperial Palace, do you?”
Hey, I have to learn it. I didn’t like the attitude of not looking at possibilities and ignoring them. Suddenly, Delcan uttered as he gazed at my thinking face.
“…You looked like a duck.”
I guess I was sticking my mouth out without realizing it.
“It’s too much to call me a duck.”
It was cheeky to see him boldly finish his meal even though I inflated my cheeks to show my displeasure.
As Declan left the room to tidy up his outfit, the attendant with a doll followed behind him.
‘When will I be able to walk around without the doll?’
Declan was a problem, but so was I. Because I don’t know what will happen if I separate from the body. Thinking so, I turned to him with a sense like I was sinking.
“Your Majesty, if you have a chance later, please give me a tour of the Imperial Palace.”
“Why?”
The moment Declan answered that, Noah came closer.
“Your Majesty, are there any problems?”
He stopped walking with a puzzled face. Then, the guards and attendants who followed him all stopped as well.
‘Oh dear, I didn’t think of this—’
Everyone is used to Declan talking to the doll. However, right now, he is just talking by himself to the air.
‘What will we do in the future?’