Author: Chewyy

A Place Where the Waterlight Shimmers

Herhan had been right.

After returning to the Imperial Palace, Riela’s daily life truly became so busy and chaotic that she barely had time to breathe.

Just preparing for the upcoming wedding already made twenty-four hours in a day feel far too short.

“Sena.”

“Ah! Yes! Yes, Blinite! You called me just now, right? Do you need something?”

“No, I just wanted a glass of water…”

The maids who used to treat her comfortably like family now jumped in surprise even when their eyes simply met hers, acting overly nervous.

“Could I do your hair today, Lady Blinite? Please?”

“Why? Ellie is on duty today.”

“My younger brother is taking the knight order entrance exam the day after tomorrow. It’s a really important test, so he absolutely needs the blessing of the god Antu!”

“Oh my! That won’t do. My niece is about to be born soon, so I also need the god’s blessing!”

It had become common for the maids to argue among themselves about who would attend Riela, each claiming they needed the divine blessing.

“I don’t even know how to give blessings. I don’t have any special power either.”

“Oh come on! You protect His Majesty with your incredible purification power.”

“Lou, shh!”

The only one who behaved the same as before was Lou, who had already known about Riela and Herhan’s abilities.

But even Lou alone could not handle everything that was happening.

With the wedding approaching, congratulatory envoys sent from many countries were arriving one after another.

Just today, dozens of luxurious carriage processions entered the Imperial Palace, and before they had even unpacked their luggage, every one of them was already eager to meet Riela.

Because of that, Herhan had told her to avoid leaving her private chambers whenever possible.

“How many guests have actually arrived…”

Unable to resist her curiosity, Riela slightly lifted the curtain leading to the balcony—then gasped.

Below the balcony, it looked like an endless crowd filled the area.

Had she seen it wrong?

Surely all of them couldn’t be waiting to see her.

“It would be better to keep all the curtains closed, Lady Blinite.”

Count Delcour, her aide, calmly shut every window in the chamber and checked the security multiple times.

“I haven’t even seen proper sunlight for two days. It feels a bit suffocating…”

“….”

“A walk is out of the question, right?”

“Yes.”

Still…

Before she even had the chance to complain further, the maids from the dress room rushed in again.

You only had one wedding ceremony—so why were dozens of dresses necessary?

Riela’s head was spinning.

It was good that time was passing so quickly she didn’t have time to sink into sadness or nervousness.

But still—

Something is missing.

Among the crowd filling the reception room of her private chambers, Riela let out a small sigh.

Through the slightly open door, the bedroom looked strangely quiet and lacking warmth.

Resting her chin on her hand, Riela thought for a moment.

Then suddenly an idea came to her, and she raised her head.

“Count Delcour.”

“Yes, Lady Blinite.”

“Could you call Sir El for me?”

“Pardon?”

Count Delcour looked startled.

He had thought Riela’s pitiful expression meant she was secretly trying to find a way to go see the Emperor.

But instead—

“You mean El Weiss from the Riota Embassy?”

“Yes. Please call him here. Right away.”

* * *

The Imperial Palace was bright like a city that never slept.

In the Grand Banquet Hall, preparations for what would be the grandest imperial wedding in the world were underway.

In the grand conference room, endless government meetings continued.

And the massive castle gates never had time to close as they kept admitting new guests.

This meant that the prestige of the Elschweik Imperial Family—who would take the only Saint as their Empress—was rising day by day.

And it also meant that Emperor Herhan had not rested for several days.

“You have just finished meeting the delegation from Alten, so you should briefly stop by the conference room now. After that, there is a dinner with the delegation from the Duchy of Schuten.”

“Schuten has already arrived?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Grand Duke himself led the delegation. They have earnestly requested that Lady Blinite attend the audience with you at tonight’s banquet…”

“Tell them there will be no exceptions. Inform them I will attend alone again.”

“…Yes. Understood.”

After giving the order, Herhan immediately resumed his hurried steps.

It felt like he had just woken from a brief nap in his office and started the day, yet the sun was already setting.

Lost briefly in thought, Herhan slowed his steps and glanced behind him.

His aides instantly stepped back several paces.

He deliberately moved toward the fountain in the plaza so their voices would not carry.

Only Jess remained beside him.

“The necklace?”

“This is what we managed to gather after mobilizing all the merchants in the Empire.”

Herhan opened the booklet Jes handed him.

The thick catalog showed dozens of blue necklaces, each slightly different in shape and color.

But none of them was the one Herhan was looking for.

“We also received a reply from Duke Brenike. He says there is currently no count family named ‘Parlante’ in the Kingdom of Riota.”

“So the necklace, and the man who took it—both are complete mysteries.”

“Yes. We may need to send more people to investigate in the kingdom.”

“Do that. And the investigation at the temple…”

Herhan stopped mid-sentence.

Someone was approaching from across the plaza.

Although countless reports reached him every day, the face of the person approaching him now was neither familiar nor welcome.

“El Weiss.”

“I greet Your Majesty.”

At that moment, the fountain burst with water.

The sound alone cut through the silence between them.

Herhan stepped closer to El.

His voice was far colder and more secretive than when he spoke with Jes.

“What is it? Have you remembered some clue about the alliance?”

Otherwise, you would never come looking for me first.

“The ambassador’s…”

El stopped himself, took a breath, and corrected his words.

“I came because Lady Blinite has a message.”

“Why would you deliver it?”

There was Count Delcur, and plenty of palace attendants.

Herhan frowned deeply.

His sharp gaze fell on the long scar beneath Eel’s jaw, bright as red lettering.

“My apologies. Lady Blinite requested this secretly.”

Why are you the one receiving Riela’s secret request?

Herhan was about to raise his voice—

But as El continued speaking, his furrowed brows slowly relaxed.

By the time El finished, Herhan had already forgotten his irritation.

“…I see. Riela.”

Herhan’s eyes sparkled.

Jess, who had heard the conversation beside him, snorted as if the situation was ridiculous.

But Herhan turned around without hesitation and walked toward his aides.

“I will adjust the afternoon schedule. Cancel the meeting and postpone the dinner with Schuten until tomorrow.”

“What happened, Your Majesty?”

“There is an urgent issue regarding the handling of Greta, the fugitive from the Kingdom of Riota.”

At that, Asion—standing among the aides—looked up in surprise.

Something had happened regarding Princess Greta that even he didn’t know about?

“It seems I must spend the night at the Riota Embassy to oversee an emergency situation. Captain Asion, follow me. The rest of you are dismissed unless I call.”

* * *

Early evening.

Thus, Herhan’s aides were unexpectedly sent home from work at the fountain plaza under the sunset.

Asion followed his lord with a serious face, but Jes grabbed him.

“Why are you stopping me? I should hurry. Didn’t he say something urgent happened with Princess Greta?”

“There’s nothing like that. If even you—the one in charge—don’t know about it, how could that be?”

“Then why did His Majesty say to follow him…”

“That was just for the aides to hear.”

Asion tilted his head in confusion.

Only much later did he realize.

The place his lord was heading toward in such haste—

“Ah.”

It was the Riota Embassy…

But also the place once called the Empress’s Palace.

A place that held a very secret kind of secret.

“Lady Blinite is waiting for Your Majesty in the Lake Palace. Use the secret passage. No one knows except me.”

Repeating El’s words in his mind, Herhan entered the Lake Palace.

Perhaps El had prepared things beforehand.

No embassy staff were visible.

Except for the guards left near the chambers, the entire palace was silent like a grave.

The private chamber was dark.

Only a faint candlelight leaked from the bedroom.

When Herhan slipped inside—Riela was there.

Lying on the bed, hugging a pillow, fast asleep.

Cute.

Herhan stood there for a long time watching her.

Outside the window, the sunset reflected on the water, shimmering softly around her.

If “peace” had a shape, surely it would look like this.

Now Herhan finally understood why a former emperor had built a separate residence here despite having a perfectly grand main palace.

Soft breathing.

Her hair gently fluttered with each breath, and her round shoulders rose and fell slightly.

The sight warmed Herhan’s chest.

“Ah… Your Majesty…”

Riela woke then, sensing his silent presence.

“When did you arrive? What time is it? I must have dozed off.”

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and then smiled sweetly at him.

“I’ve been stuck inside the main palace all day and felt like I’d suffocate. The maids keep bringing endless dresses, I can’t even go out for a walk, and then I suddenly remembered the passage leading here—!”

As Riela chattered, Herhan’s shadow leaned over her.

Suddenly his lips covered hers.

They were cool, and it felt nice.

Like breathing the fresh, clear air outside.

Riela, who had been cooped up inside all day, stretched her arms around his neck as if waking from a long rest.

“Now I feel alive.”

After a long kiss, Herhan pulled back slightly and said that.

Riela asked without releasing her arms around him.

“Were you feeling suffocated too? But you were outside all day.”

“It’s not about where you are.”

Riela realized he was right.

Whether it was the main palace or the Lake Palace, being trapped inside was the same.