LIGHTNOVELWORLD Ch. 54 - Aidan
She collapsed onto the sheet like melted marshmallow.
‘I wish time would pass quickly. I’d be happy just to be in the same space as Karas.’
That thought wouldn’t leave her mind.
In the end, that was what it was. She… liked Karas.
The melted marshmallow was now colored like a red plum.
On the same day, Karas and three of the emperor’s close associates arrived at the Nea Palace.
“Greetings, I am Karas Ifrit. It is a pleasure to meet the King and Queen of the Nea Kingdom.”
“Welcome.”
“Nice to meet you.”
A boy who looked somewhat frail and soft.
His golden hair was indeed beautiful.
Alice, glancing at Karas, was lost in thought.
‘So, this child exists. Yes, I’ve only seen him in writing, but this is a world where people live.’
The imperial delegations were all splendidly dressed.
When they met in Dark Town, they tried to hide their status, but glimpses of their noble aura came through.
Now, with nothing to hold back, even the decorations on their shoulders were extravagantly luxurious.
However, Alice’s good mood was shattered when she checked the letter from Harun.
“…….”
“Understood. Our Nea Kingdom will accept this proposal.”
Alice was so shocked that she didn’t even think to object.
The fact that Aidan didn’t say he would consider it or put it on hold meant…
They must have discussed it in advance!
‘Are they completely trying to play me? How could this happen? I made the proposal first, but they only talked to Aidan…! Are they ignoring me and planning to build up Dark Town?!’
Although formal exchanges were supposed to go through the palace.
But dedicating the empire’s trade items exclusively to Dark Town meant they would take all the profit, didn’t it?
‘Wait!’
The queen’s expression hardened.
It was Harun who insisted that Asil from Dark Town accompanied them on this trip to Elodia.
At the time, she dismissed it, but now that this situation had arisen, she sensed something was off.
Harun, how could he…!
‘Could it be… am I just a pawn?’
She knew.
The Reef Empire was powerful and vast, but to access Elodia and beyond, they must pass through the Nea Kingdom.
It was true that they tried to leverage that advantage, but to think that the force they actually wanted to connect with was Dark Town.
Alice felt deeply humiliated.
“Thank you. I will return and inform His Majesty the Emperor that the contract has been successfully concluded.”
“You must depart for Elodia tomorrow, so please rest. Escort our guests!”
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
“…….”
Despite his young age, Karas led the distinguished imperial delegations to the annex with confidence.
There was no sign of weakness in the small boy’s upright posture.
Alice suddenly felt a chill.
“Alice.”
After the guests had left, Aidan called out to her, but she refused to engage.
“I need to rest. We have to leave for Elodia tomorrow.”
“…… alright.”
Alice started to enter her bedroom but paused to linger in the adjacent lounge.
She felt stifled.
Could she go to Elodia with this terrible feeling and sincerely congratulate Heidel?
“Your Majesty?”
Countess Paul, who had keenly sensed the queen’s displeasure, followed her into the room.
“Yes?”
“I have something to tell you. About the conversation you just had with His Majesty the King.”
“Go ahead.”
Alice’s eyes gleamed with sudden interest.
“There has been a great disturbance in Dark Town, and, well, it seems they built a castle around the villain’s house. Perhaps the trade rights were granted as a consolation.”
“What? That happened?”
Alice wasn’t angry at the mention of Asil Litus as a villain.
Rather, she was stunned by what the countess was saying.
“Yes, that’s right. A servant from our household who went near there saw it clearly.”
Since the incident with Alice’s unauthorized carrier pigeon, Aidan had been strictly controlling the flow of information in the palace.
Even so, it was difficult to completely silence the nobles who frequented Dark Town.
Now, more than three months later, this was finally being revealed, which could be considered quite an achievement.
“A castle…”
At Alice’s muttering, the countess seized the opportunity to share what she knew.
“They say the villain in Dark Town spent a fortune on it. It’s rumored to be a castle in the style of an ancient fortress-like citadel.”
“Ha…”
“Well, it’s unlikely they did it without authorization. Dark Town is still part of the kingdom’s territory, isn’t it?”
“That’s true.”
Alice nodded as she muttered.
She hadn’t changed her mind about the conversation she had with Aidan.
The idea of officially incorporating Dark Town into the kingdom’s territory still stood firm.
If she couldn’t have Asil, she would just have to destroy his comfortable nest!
If his home burned down, wouldn’t he be forced to come out?
“Perhaps they made some kind of deal or secret agreement to benefit the kingdom’s finances.”
Although the subject was not mentioned explicitly, it was undoubtedly referring to Aidan.
Alice felt a deep sense of betrayal.
“…… I suppose so.”
“And there’s something else. They say the castle is eerily similar to a black raven. I don’t know if it’s made of black bricks or if it’s just painted that way. The villain of Dark Town is truly terrifying!”
“Ha.”
“Your Majesty!”
The palace maid, who had belatedly caught up, stiffened when she saw Countess Paul inside.
She was the most dangerous of the nobles that the king had warned not to be left alone with the queen!
After her husband’s death, Countess Paul had become a gossip-obsessed woman.
Alice openly expressed her discomfort.
“Why? Can’t I even have a conversation with someone?”
“It’s just that…”
“Alice.”
“Y-Your Majesty, the King.”
The palace maid was not alone.
Aidan, who had been a few steps behind, entered the lounge, prompting the countess to quickly stand up.
Her deeply wrinkled red dress brushed past the couple.
The countess and the maid exited the lounge.
Aidan opened his lips and called out to his wife.
“Alice.”
“……”
“Alice?”
An emotion that was difficult to describe was bubbling up within Alice.
If she wasn’t careful, she might blurt out, “I never want to see you again! I’m not a puppet!”
But Alice held back.
No matter how angry she was, she knew she shouldn’t casually speak of parting with Aidan.
She had resolved to marry him, knowing this would be the case.
The reason she hadn’t even tried to find a way back to the world she used to live in was because of him.
‘Calm down. Yes, I married Aidan because I love him. It wasn’t just because he was the main male protagonist. It was my choice.’
Heidel, Asil, Harun.
Even after seeing those three, she hadn’t been as shocked as when she first met Aidan.
Instead, Alice put on a very hurt expression and asked again.
“A black castle has appeared in Dark Town?”
“… this happened very recently.”
“I knew nothing about it. Even Countess Paul, who never even goes to Dark Town, knew about it.”
“Alice…”
Aidan fully accepted the emotions of his wife, who was on the verge of tears.
“Yes, I’m a woman who has nothing to say. I tried to contact another country alone, overstepping the king’s authority. Am I a traitor?”
“Alice!”
More intense words than he had expected.
Aidan’s fingers lightly brushed Alice’s plump lips. It was a very soft and delicate touch.
The lips, tinged in a reddish hue and eager to say more, finally closed.
“Hmph…!”
Alice knew that Heidel still had feelings for her.
And yet, she also knew well that she couldn’t just run to him.
Elves and humans were too different by nature.
He couldn’t comprehend the fragility of humans at all.
Asil? He was from Dark Town, and just like the countess had just mocked, he was extremely rough.
Harun, like the emperor he was, had left her side too quickly.
The only person left by her side was Aidan.
A man who had changed from the slightly prickly crown prince to someone as calm and quiet as a still pond.
“I’m sorry.”
Aidan was the first to apologize.
There was no scolding about how a queen shouldn’t say such things or how it would be a big deal if others heard it.
Hearing his low voice made her want to rebel.
Why didn’t he just get angry?
Looking back, Aidan was always like that.
Even when she had recklessly—although she was just following the strategy—arranged outings with the three male protagonists.
Aidan never lost his composure and calmly endured the situation.
‘Asil prepared a ring the same color as my eyes but hesitated and didn’t give it to me. Heidel was quiet that day, but he kept grumbling and being jealous afterward. Only Aidan showed no change in emotion.’
Where did that emerald ring go?
The ring you only got if you chose Asil’s route.
She hadn’t lived a life as a queen lacking in jewels, but she was still curious.
The orders Harun brought mentioned that the empire’s exclusive jewels would be added to the trade goods.
If he handled that, Asil would become rich in no time.
‘Hmph. Is he going back to being the money-crazed man he originally was because I’m not around?’
When Alice sighed lightly, Aidan removed his fingers from her lips and tried to reason with her.
“Alice, some things are better left unknown. You understand that don’t you?”
“… would you have kept the doppelganger incident hidden if it hadn’t been mentioned in front of Heidel?”
He shook his head.
“No, I would have definitely told you. I had to leave the palace, after all.”
“Are you being sincere?”
“You are my beloved queen and the one and only queen of this country. I always respect you.”
The emotions that had been tightly bottled up started to unwind.
Just before Alice was about to give in to Aidan’s apology, she finally brought herself to ask.
“Then tell me. What else is hidden behind that little lord’s visit?”
“That is…”
The day in Nea Palace seemed to have no intention of coming to an end.