Grant me Your Grace Chapter 115 - Side Story 4

 

The new Baran Kingdom, founded under the Hinna Calendar, regained stability day by day. 

 

It was so ideal that it was hard to imagine the entire country had been steeped in corruption, pleasure, and decadence at the end of the Othha Calendar.

 

A benevolent emperor, righteous subjects, and believers who visited the temple of their own will, without it being forced as the state religion. 

 

It was clear proof that the grace of Goddess Nuait had spread throughout the nation.

 

However, even in such a perfect Baran Kingdom, there was one thing missing: there was no companion by the emperor’s side.

 

Of course, no one was unaware that Hissin was Dahlia’s lover. 

 

Everyone also knew that he was the only key capable of erasing the price of blood that the Hinna clan had to endure like a curse.

 

Nevertheless, Dahlia and Hissin could not immediately hold their wedding ceremony. 

 

Although she had declared that she would welcome the Mohron people as citizens of Baran before everyone, some procedural steps still remained.

 

Above all, the laws that had not yet been perfectly established stood as an obstacle before them. 

 

Dahlia, who had taken the existing laws of Baran as the main framework, was revising the detailed provisions together with numerous subjects. 

 

However, opinions were sharply divided, especially regarding the part about the empress’s consort.

 

“He is the only one who can bear Your Majesty’s blood. If not him, who else could possibly become Your Majesty’s consort?”

 

“No matter what, Prince Levitzenna was the prince of a country not even on the map. Strictly speaking, he is not even Queen Tefnu’s biological son, so the title of prince itself is inappropriate.”

 

“We can simply grant him a new title, can’t we?”

 

“At a time when we must solidify imperial authority through bloodline, how can we place just anyone in the position of consort without justification?”

 

The subjects’ opinions clashed fiercely. 

 

Especially because Hissin was the one who had brought down the previous Baran. 

 

There were deep concerns about how to cover up the complicated circumstances between Dahlia and Hissin with proper justification.

 

Even the subjects who normally followed the emperor’s will completely on other matters showed very passive attitudes when it came to the royal marriage.

 

Dahlia knew they were all speaking for the future of Baran, yet it pained her greatly to have to listen to Hissin being casually brought up in their mouths.

 

In her heart, she wanted to change the imperial law if necessary and make Hissin her consort. 

 

But if she did that, how would it be any different from the arbitrary politics of the previous imperial family?

 

No matter the situation, Dahlia reminded herself again and again of Hinna’s oath to practice benevolent politics and spoke with patience.

 

“I am well aware of my subjects’ hearts, and I also understand your concerns about the justification for Levitzenna becoming my consort.”

 

At Dahlia’s calm voice, all the subjects listened attentively.

 

“However, he is the one who cut out the rotting roots of Baran so that we could cultivate new land, and the one who revived our Hinna clan that was nearly buried in eternal darkness forever. Without him, I would not be standing here today either.”

 

Dahlia looked each one in the eye as if pleading with them and asked them to consider things beyond justification and reason.

 

After another long meeting that ended without any decision, Dahlia came out with an exhausted body.

 

Where does strong imperial authority come from, and where does cruel tyranny begin? 

 

Realizing the difficulties of politics once again, she headed to the only space that could let her breathe in this moment.

 

“Your Maj—”

 

“Shh.”

 

Dahlia quietly raised a finger to her lips toward the attendant standing in front of the door and turned the handle herself. When she opened the door, she saw Hissin sitting at the desk, checking a vast amount of documents.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

Hissin stood up from his seat at Dahlia’s unannounced visit. 

 

After instructing the attendant to leave, Dahlia closed the door behind her and approached him.

 

“Why have you come here like this? If you had called me, I would have gone to you.”

 

Hissin gently wrapped his arms around Dahlia as she leaned into his embrace and asked affectionately. 

 

After Dahlia ascended as emperor, Hissin, who had taken on the responsibility of merging Baran and Mohron as Tefnu’s representative, began using formal speech with her again in official settings.

 

Dahlia burrowed deeper into his arms and spoke in a soft voice.

 

“My name… Call me by my name. I don’t want to be the emperor in front of you.”

 

Had another long political discussion disturbed her mind again? 

 

Hissin let out a small sigh, gently stroked her hair, and called her name in a low voice.

 

“My Dahlia. What has troubled you this time?”

 

At that affectionate call, Dahlia finally let out a low breath. Her light brown eyes, beneath her eyelids, clouded over sadly.

 

“The only thing I want is you… It seems the crown I wear is heavy enough to crush even my heart.”

 

She had wanted to resolve it beautifully and only bring him good news. 

 

In the end, with the sluggish progress, she had shown him this weak side.

 

Dahlia said in a dejected voice.

 

“I thought that once I reached this position, I would be able to do everything well.”

 

“You are doing more than enough.”

 

“I can’t even seat you by my side, and yet here I am acting like a fool.”

 

Hissin was the only man she had allowed into her heart. 

 

She didn’t want any other man by her side if it wasn’t him. She knew well that an emperor should not have such feelings, yet Hissin was so absolute to her that she was even prepared never to have an heir in her lifetime.

 

“If only I could make you my consort, I feel like I could do anything… I just don’t know how.”

 

Yet because she couldn’t overcome the subjects’ opinions, she couldn’t proudly stand by her side. It was a moment when her initial determination to become a strong and benevolent emperor felt meaningless.

 

“There is no one who loves me as much as you do, and no one I want as much as you. I don’t understand why they say it can’t be done. Is showing the union of Baran and Mohron truly not enough? I’m so tired of justifications…”

 

As the discussions did not progress as quickly as she had hoped, Dahlia gradually grew impatient. She caressed Hissin’s face and poured out her longing heart.

 

“If I… have your child first, would they perhaps give up on such trivial justifications?”

 

“Dahlia.”

 

Hissin called her in a low voice. Calmly capturing her anxiously shaking gaze, he soothed her heart with a gentle voice.

 

“I do not want to hold you with justification.”

 

“Hissin…”

 

“Even if I cannot become your consort, I will never leave your side.”

 

Hissin’s red eyes were directed solely at Dahlia. Her white face was clearly reflected in the burning red light.

 

“Remember this. Just as you are my person, I am also your person.”

 

A bond that no law could sever, that even death could not break. Because he believed in Dahlia’s heart that was connected to his, he intended to stay by her side even if he truly could not become her consort.

 

From the day long ago when Dahlia saved him with Hinna’s first blood, she had been his master.

 

“So don’t worry about anything.”

 

Hissin wrapped her hand in his and kissed the back of it.

 

At the kiss that went beyond affection between lovers and was almost sacred, Dahlia’s eyes trembled faintly.

 

“Because I love you even more than you love me.”

 

Chup. Hissin made a tickling sound and smiled softly.

 

“If you take another consort, I’ll only be a little jealous.”

 

“That will never happen!”

 

When Dahlia narrowed her brows at the absurd remark, Hissin let out a pleasant chuckle.

 

Chup, chup. 

 

Leaving his warmth on her with tickling sounds, Hissin gradually moved down her wrist. As the heat grew thicker, Dahlia’s eyes began to be dyed with his warmth.

 

“Still, I hope your first child is carrying my seed.”

 

“Hah…”

 

Biting his red lip with his tongue, he slowly licked her white wrist. 

 

Both of them had been overwhelmed with pressing state affairs for the past few days. Whenever they entered the bedroom, Hissin had only quietly held the half-asleep Dahlia and put her to sleep.

 

“Having a child may be far off, but…”

 

But now that Dahlia had come to him first like this.

 

“Holding you is always valid.”

 

He couldn’t help but want to devour her right away.

 

“Ah…!”

 

Hissin lightly lifted Dahlia in his arms. 

 

Dahlia reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck and widened her eyes in surprise.

 

“Hissin, put me down. The bedroom is still far away. What if someone sees us?”

 

“Who said we’re going to the bedroom?”

 

“…Huh?”

 

Hissin swept aside the documents he had been looking at with one hand and sat Dahlia on the desk. Realizing she was on Hissin’s work table, Dahlia panicked and tried to get down.

 

“Hi, mmph…”

 

But Hissin, bracing both arms on the table as if trapping her, swallowed her voice and breath in one go. 

 

At the tongue that stirred deeply for a moment, the corners of Dahlia’s eyes flushed red.

 

Hissin lay her down fully on the table without hiding his increasingly rough breathing. Massaging her nape heavily, he lowered his eyes thick with lust.

 

“I really can’t hold back today.”

 

His hand, following his gaze downward, gently caressed her breast. 

 

Haa… 

 

At the sweet moan that escaped Dahlia’s red lips, the corners of Hissin’s mouth lifted.

 

“You won’t be able to take a single step out of here today.”

 

Hissin lowered his head and swallowed Dahlia’s lips.