LIGHTNOVELWORLD chapter 248
248 – Call Me by My Name
Episode 248: Call me by my name
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for Cecilia to change her clothes.
“Secretary. She said Your Majesty may come in now.”
The maid who had been helping Cecilia got dressed opened the door and came out, and she informed me. I got her nod her and then spoke to her her door her her her.
“Your majesty. “I’ll go in.”
“Okay.”
The maid stepped aside to her side, and I went into her room her her her her. At the same time, I was able to see Cecilia standing in the middle of the room.
“What is it like?”
She showed off her figure with her hands lightly placed on her waist.
“This is an outfit to strengthen your resolve.”
“Yes…”
Cecilia was wearing golden epaulettes and armor over a red dress embroidered with a golden dragon, symbolizing the imperial family of the empire.
Honestly, I was a little looking forward to it.
Because right before she left the room, she called me a nice guy.
It feels like I’m facing a twist that isn’t a twist…
“The response is lukewarm…”
She made a sad expression. It seemed like he expected me to praise him more.
But, where will the expectations I had to be compensated?
‘I’d rather call him a handsome man or not…’
“Luke. “Do you feel my determination?”
Meanwhile, Cecilia was trying hard to get my feelings out of me somehow. In this case, there was no other way than to do what Cecilia wanted.
“Yes, Your Majesty. She is dignified yet still beautiful. I also feel the determination to die.”
“There’s still a look of uncertainty in your eyes.”
Oh my, I got caught even though I controlled my facial expressions.
“Did you expect something different?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. “They said I was a handsome guy, so I thought about it.”
As I bowed towards her, I clearly revealed how she felt as if she had been deceived. Then Cecilia laughed out loud.
“Your Majesty?”
“Wow, I was kind of joking, but I didn’t know you would completely believe it. Haha.”
“Was that a joke?”
Instead of answering, Cecilia just smiled at me. Then, for some reason, an unknown feeling appeared in her heart.
“I know that His Majesty is really bad at telling jokes.”
“I admit it myself.”
“…”
You admit this right away.
The attack was blocked and I became mute. And Cecilia burst out laughing again when she saw that.
Looking at that, I ended up laughing too.
“Still… Since you said you were looking forward to it, on the other hand… “I’m happy.”
No, why are your cheeks blushing again?
Embarrassed, I couldn’t do anything and just looked at Cecilia. No matter how much armor she wore and her shoulders were straight, she now felt like a cute girl my age.
Especially the sight of those red cheeks wasn’t very good for the heart.
“Your majesty. Next time, just like back then, in lingerie…”
“W-what are you talking about!”
Yikes. My true feelings came out without me knowing.
I quickly covered my mouth with my hand.
“How cruel!”
Cecilia pushed my chest with her face red. I lost my balance and fell behind her, struggling in her arms. And Cecilia, probably because her legs were twisted while pushing me, lost her balance and fell down.
“Ugh!”
“Hundreds of millions!”
Somehow, it ended up looking like Cecilia had attacked me. And Cecilia seemed to have recognized this as well, looking dumbfounded.
“…”
“…”
The distance was so close that our exhaled breath touched each other’s faces.
“Luke…”
The voice calling me sounded sorrowful. Just like the last time Cecilia attacked me. Her slightly moist eyes sparkled like brilliant jewels.
My heart started racing as it pleases.
“Your majesty…”
“For now, call me by my name.”
The moment I heard her request, I did not hesitate at all.
“Cecilia.”
“!”
Cecilia’s eyebrows rose greatly. Is it because I called his name her right away?
After a while, a smile slowly spread across her lips. Then she suddenly hugged me.
“Your Majesty?”
I was taken aback by the sudden hug her. Cecilia whispered into my left ear.
“Hug me tight. Little… Because I’m anxious.”
The anxiety she spoke of clearly refers to the crisis that is just around the corner.
I was able to recognize her right away because I felt the same kind of anxiety as her.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“By name.”
“Cecilia.”
I responded to her request again and wrapped my arms around her slender waist. I felt a chill coming from her armor, but that was a good thing.
The thought that if Cecilia could calm her anxiety, she could do anything
“Ha. I can’t believe you’re doing this right before a big battle…”
Cecilia suddenly sighed and spoke in a self-deprecating tone. Then she raised her upper body her her her her. Perhaps it was because all kinds of thoughts passed through her mind while she was hugging like this.
“If you stay tense every moment, you will quickly get tired. “Sometimes you have to relax.”
“That’s also true.”
Only then did Cecilia fall from me, and I jumped up.
“Luke. Thanks to you, I have calmed down a lot.”
There was no longer any trace of anxiety on her face. There was only determined will.
“I will assist Your Majesty until the end.”
As I watched her, I also strengthened my resolve again.
* * *
What we did from then on was to call Flora and Mulia to the office.
Although it was an emergency situation, Cecilia completely agreed with my judgment that it was a priority to inform my close associates of the situation first.
Cecilia informed her maids that the Duke of Montercen and the noble faction’s private troops would advance toward the imperial palace at dawn tomorrow.
“Oh my god…”
Flora couldn’t continue her words with her eyes wide open.
“This is what happens in the end…”
Mulia had a serious expression and a gloomy voice.
“That’s how it happened.”
Cecilia maintained a calm expression. She probably relieved a lot of her anxiety by hugging me.
‘… ‘I feel embarrassed just thinking about it.’
Now is the time to focus on the current situation.
I gathered myself by shouting that to myself.
“That does not mean we are at a disadvantage. From what we know now, we have a slight advantage in terms of the size of the private army. “It can be said that it is thanks to your father’s active support of the soldiers.”
As Cecilia continued her explanation, Flora and Mulia’s expressions softened slightly.
There were a total of 400 private soldiers drawn from their families, and they had currently joined the knights of the imperial palace. In other words, it meant that it was a force that could attack at any time when a battle broke out.
“Also, Baron Herald Nedville, who is considered the best in the empire in terms of military power, is protecting our walls. The walls here are already strong, and with someone of his caliber holding on, they won’t be able to get over it easily.”
When I mentioned her father’s name her her, they bobbed their heads in agreement. Cecilia looked at me and her maids in turn and then spoke in a serious, downcast voice.
“However, we must also consider the worst possibility.”
“Yes.”
I was the only one who agreed here. Flora and Mulia exchanged worried looks with each other. However, he seemed to have made up his mind and nodded at the same time.
“Flora, Mulia. And Luke. “You are on emergency standby with me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The three of us answered in unison.
Cecilia pulled the leash next to her. After a while, the owner of the house came to her office.
“You must immediately summon all employees of the imperial palace, as well as employees working in each department, to the throne room.”
As soon as the boss received her order, she quickly left the office.
“Your majesty. Are you trying to spread the situation to everyone in the imperial palace?”
Flora immediately raised her hand and asked her question.
“Not only do we want to spread the word about the situation, but we also want to give them an evacuation order.”
“Aha…”
The two maids shook their heads. Cecilia saw that and turned her gaze to me.
“Luke. Slowly move to the throne room. You are to wait here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I answered straight away, kicking off my chair and standing up. The maids too,
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Everyone answered in unison. Cecilia walked towards the door with me in stride. At that time, Flora spoke to Cecilia from behind.
“Your majesty!” I couldn’t tell you earlier, but the armor really suits you!”
Then Cecilia stopped her steps and turned around. I also turned my head towards Flora.
“Thank you, Flora.”
“Have a nice trip!”
“I hope you have a good trip.”
We left the office while being seen off by the maids.
* * *
Arrived in front of the throne room. The two butlers guarding the front door shouted loudly toward the inside.
“Her Majesty Empress Cecilia will enter soon!”
Before taking her steps, Cecilia turned her head and looked at me.
“Your Majesty?”
“No. Let’s just go in.”
She paused for a moment and then she shook her head. Eventually she took her steps, and I followed behind her.
The throne room was filled with people working in the imperial palace. There was a throne on the podium for Cecilia.
As Cecilia stood in front of her throne, they all bowed.
“Meeting Her Majesty Empress Cecilia, Mother of the Empire.”
“Okay. “Thank you all for responding to my call even at this late hour.”
Cecilia slowly sat down on her throne, and I stood next to her.
She paused for a moment and then opened her mouth.
“The reason I have summoned you like this is to convey to you without hesitation the crisis that is just around the corner.”
Then I heard the employees making noise. Cecilia asked them to be quiet and then informed them of the current situation in the imperial palace.
The Duke of Montersen is trying to join forces with members of the noble faction to start an uprising. Accordingly, damage to the imperial palace was expected.
“…”
The atmosphere became heavy. The employees lowered their heads and didn’t even make a sound, and Cecilia also looked down at them with a serious expression.
I’ve already decided to give them an evacuation advisory, but when I actually do it, my lips won’t move.
I carefully cupped the back of her hand, which was neatly placed on the armrest of the throne.
“!”
Cecilia looks up at me with her eyes wide open
I nodded once. Perhaps this alone would have been enough to convey it to her. After a while, a determined light appeared in Cecilia’s eyes.
Now I’m ready to talk.
I let go of her hand, and Cecilia raised her voice to command her staff.
“For that reason, to prepare for any emergency, I advise you to evacuate!”
The employees started to get upset again. It looks like they didn’t expect an evacuation order to be issued.
Cecilia also gave more specific instructions, telling her to leave the imperial palace by tomorrow, as an invasion was expected at dawn tomorrow.
At that time, someone raised their hand.
“Your majesty. My name is Deacon Willett. “Do you dare to say something at the risk of being rude?”
“Yunheohaji.”
What on earth are you trying to say?
“For us, this is like another home. No matter how much of a crisis there is, I don’t think I can leave my hometown!”
Then, voices in agreement with that statement echoed here and there.
“So we want to fight the crisis. “I hope you will give me permission!”
“I will also do my best.”
“Us too!”
… It’s an unexpected development.
I looked at Cecilia’s complexion just in case, and as expected, she looked surprised. However, like the empress of an empire, she quickly captured her expression.
“Her life her her her may be lost. Does that mean it’s okay?”
“I’ve already made up my mind, Your Majesty!”
As Willett sang, the others also chorused, saying they had made up their minds.
“Your majesty. I think it would be better to accept their will.”
“I was already thinking that way.”
We quietly exchanged opinions. Then Cecilia shouted at them.
“In that case, I will leave it up to you to choose whether to take refuge or fight back!”
“Wow! Glory to Her Majesty Cecilia!”
“Glory to the Empire!”
As I heard everyone shouting excitedly, I felt an unknown emotion rush over me.
“Luke. We must overcome this crisis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Cecilia’s face also had an expression of emotion.