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Chapter 41

His searching gaze stopped at my hand. When I looked at it, I could see the badge sticking out of the pocket I was fiddling with.

I was a little embarrassed, so I quickly hid it behind my back.

“Do you think you’re going to graduate?”

“I don’t know. I did my best, but…”

“They’ll be satisfied if it’s your best. It’s done, then. Let’s go on a journey together. It’s a fun trip, so it won’t be boring.”

“…What?”

“You said you’re done with your studies, right?”

That was true…

My heart pounded. I didn’t think he’d take me on for the job so soon. Was it okay to carry out such a long schedule as an acting secretary? I didn’t even have a proper diploma yet.

When the emperor saw my face, he uncrossed his arms and patted my head. I was surprised at the unexpected gesture, but it didn’t offend me.

“I’ll hand in my assignment tomorrow morning and join you right away.

“Would that be all right?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, you agreed so quickly, I’m not used to you acting like a loyal and obedient hound.”

“What are you talking about? You keep comparing me to a dog.”

“And when we get back, we have to go straight to the party, so I think it’s better to pack the clothes for then and bring them with us.”

Clothes?

Feeling ominous at the words, I glanced outside the door. I didn’t forget the embarrassment when a box the size of my body was delivered to the front of the room.

“If you say clothes… I’m fine with what you gave me last time.”

“No.”

“What?”

“Don’t you know that the clothes of my subordinates represent me?”

Easy for him to say. The emperor was the owner of a sculpted body like no other, one that could wear any outfit beautifully. Besides, he had a handsome face thanks to his excellent genes, perfect for attracting beautiful women.

But before I could say no, I heard someone knocking on the door.

This time, it wasn’t just one box. There was a hanger full of clothes. And on either side of it, men and women with tape measures and lace samples hanging on their arms were smiling broadly, followed by a jeweler who had all sorts of boxes in his arms.

I glanced at Serena in front of them, then looked at all the attendants in turn. Although Golddina and this empire’s items had some differences according to regional characteristics, I could tell easily that the material I had in front of me was shockingly expensive.

They were exquisite things.

‘So, instead of me fine-tuning my homework, you’re telling me to measure this tired body, choose a fabric, and choose accessories?’

That wasn’t easy.

I wanted to look at the emperor with resentful eyes, but I found that I couldn’t make myself annoyed. He then let the seamstresses in himself and helped them bring the fabrics into the room.

He always decided everything himself and only gave notice afterward. Of course, I couldn’t complain too much to a man of his position, but would it be so hard for him to tell me in advance? Probably. He might as well have given me a little bit of decision-making power.

I bit back my pout. I had to get used to serving the emperor without complaint.

Serena, the one who led them in, stopped looking at my room and looked at me with stern eyes.

“Haha, hello, Serena.”

“In the lady’s room… I’ve told you so many times that anyone who works in the palace should lead a clean and quiet life, so what is all this?”

“Haha… I know.”

I wish I’d had time to sort things out.

The emperor listened to Serena’s nagging and looked at me with laughter in his eyes, then disappeared.

After a long scolding, I managed to get myself measured. It was a very hard task.

They had so many questions about the lining, the exterior, the seams, and the fabric and decorations and ribbons on each part. However, I couldn’t hear it properly because I didn’t sleep well for a few days because of my homework. Having found it difficult to answer the repeated question of “Which is better between the two?” they decided to take matters into their own hands.

I raised my arms as they told me to, like a broken doll. I put my hair down, then up, and then I started to doze off. Before I fell asleep, I heard a faint clicking sound.

Fortunately, I was in bed when I managed to open my eyes in the morning. I didn’t remember how, but I must’ve found my way onto the bed by instinct.

The books and papers in the room were still a mess. It must have been difficult for Serena to leave it as it was, but since I was so exhausted and fell asleep, she had no choice but to endure it.

I had been indebted to her since I first arrived at this palace. I didn’t want to be branded as a lousy person who didn’t even know how to value the privilege of working at the palace.

Besides, I had been a slave, and yet I was enjoying all the benefits of attending the academy.

I hurried down to the carriage, determined to look better next time.

I arrived at the academy early, long before my first class began. After going around the lecture hall and submitting assignments, I had to go out to get on the carriage again without having time to listen to the instructor’s feedback. Indeed, Instructor Xenon, who said he was on a business trip, was nowhere to be seen.

I couldn’t keep my escorts waiting for me, so I hurried back to the carriage but stopped because I saw someone waving their hands. It was Vincenzo with his blue hair and a refreshing smile.

“Vincenzo? I didn’t know you came to school this early.”

“Celestia!” Vincenzo rushed in front of me.

Was there something urgent?

“Celestia, I was worried about what was going on when you suddenly just sent me a message and didn’t come to school.” He seemed worried because he hadn’t seen me since I told him I couldn’t attend the year-end party with him.

“Oh, I’m alright… I was just busy and had to take care of some things.”

“Is it because of your early graduation assignment?”

He was somewhat right, but somehow I was embarrassed to say that I was absent from school to concentrate on it. When I nodded slightly, Vincento grinned.

“You probably did a good job.”

“Thank you.”

“I thought I wouldn’t see you for another week or two because you couldn’t make it to the year-end party, but here you are.”

“Oh… that. It’s not that I can’t go to the year-end party…”

We couldn’t go together. My partner had changed.

As I hesitated to speak, Vinius came to my side. He bent over and whispered to me, not soft enough to be inaudible to Vincenzo, reminding me of our hectic schedule.

“I’m sorry, Celestia. Your Majesty is waiting.”

Vincenzo looked at me with his eyes wide open.

I fiddled with my hair, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Vincenzo. I’ll talk to you next time.”

He took my hand and kissed the back of it, his face regretful. Although it was an ordinary greeting between aristocrats, it somehow seemed awkward to me.

“Every time I try to make an appointment with you, it feels like His Majesty intervenes. It’s just a feeling, though.”

“It can’t be. What are you talking about?”

“Haha. Go ahead.”

“Ah, thank you.”

He seemed to want to say something more, but I quickly turned away. Vinius must have been in a hurry, so he helped me up briskly into the carriage. We rode quickly and were let in by the troops guarding the front of the Imperial Palace.

I looked around at the well-arranged formation, feeling safe and in awe that the emperor had such an expansive retinue for his campaigns. Then, noticing that they were divided into two groups, each wearing different clothes, I looked more closely.

“Ah…”

When the emperor said I wouldn’t be bored on this expedition, I didn’t listen to him.

At the head of the group on the left was the familiar captain of the Imperial troops, and at the head of the group on the right was Serek. Wearing white and red clothes and riding on a white horse, he looked more dignified than anyone else. Serek met my eyes from inside the carriage as if he knew I was there all along

Beneath his well-groomed gray hair — once my favorite — my most hated enemy smiled coolly.

“Why is that person here?”

Vinius glanced out the window. I could see his brow furrow slightly. He also seemed to be hostile towards Serek, perhaps guessing the dynamic between us from the last meeting with him.

“Because the borders of the empire have been expanded due to the recent annexation, the magic support unit organized by the empress dowager and the unit directly led by the emperor are working together.”

“Together…”

“It seems like they’re going to be traveling far together.”

I sighed.

Couldn’t he just get out of my life? No matter how hard I tried not to see him anymore, how did that bastard never disappear from my view?

While I was sighing and scowling, I could see the whole army getting excited and getting into formation. In a solemn atmosphere, a black horse quietly went and stood in front of the entire unit. Even without a crown, even without a purple throne and a scepter, anyone could tell that Van was the monarch of the empire.

“Let’s go!”

The troops followed him in unison.

The five-day journey was packed with slaughter. We were greeted by the undead, which had multiplied to the point where they soon burst through the barrier. They also grew in different ways depending on the burrow, from slow and gross-shaped ones like jelly to extremely fast ones.

The whole forest was filled with the smell of burning monster flesh, and the terrible screams that only undead creatures could make filled our ears. It was a sight that would never be forgotten after a few days. Even for me, a non-combatant, they remained clear.

While staring blankly out the window, the one-sided slaughter was finally over. All I had to do was cover my ears and hold on.

I stared blankly at the forest, reduced to ashes, along with two knights falling on a stretcher. It was a massacre, but it was not without casualties. Quite a few people had managed to survive thanks to recovery magic.

Thinking about it, was the emperor alright?

Anxious, I looked around, but I couldn’t see him.