It’s Sunny But I’m Depressed Chapter 29

Chapter 29: How to Overcome Depression (2) 

 

Judging by their attire, they seemed to be high-ranking nobles visiting the royal palace. Ilena, with the quick judgment of a former third-generation chaebol, assessed the situation swiftly.

 

‘This is a disaster.’

 

“……”

 

For a moment, the garden was filled with a suffocating silence. The elderly people stood frozen like statues, staring at her, while Ilena, awkwardly nestled in Iago’s embrace, darted her eyes around.

 

“Oh dear, the elders…”

 

Iago, coming to his senses, murmured softly into Ilena’s shoulder. As expected, her guess was correct. Her comfortable life in the south seemed to have crumbled.

 

‘What if this causes trouble for Iago?’

 

She was, after all, a priestess from an enemy nation. An interim priestess, staying for only three months in exchange for a valuable mine. The elders wouldn’t be pleased to see the king intimately involved with someone like her.

 

Like burning down the whole house to catch a flea. Trying to tease two ostriches had led to a colossal mess.

 

‘We’re doomed.’

 

As she nudged Iago’s waist to convey her thoughts, he finally lifted his face lazily from her neck. The people who had been frozen like stones suddenly trembled and shouted.

 

“Gasp! It really is Your Highness!”

 

“I suspected it from that unmistakable broad back!”

 

‘Now what do we do?’

 

“Well… everyone, please don’t misunderstand?”

 

Ilena spoke calmly, as if she hadn’t just been caught in a morning drama. Still, she had to attempt some sort of explanation. Should she say she tripped and he caught her? No, that’s too simplistic. Maybe she was removing a bug from his back?

 

That’s an even worse excuse.

 

‘Maybe I should just say I was seducing him?’

 

While Ilena was racking her brain.

 

“Congratulations!!”

 

“Finally, finally His Highness! Sob.”

 

“I’ll see the descendants of the Rihu royal family before I die!”

 

“Our prince… our prince isn’t impotent!”

 

Cheers erupted from the white-bearded elders.

 

‘…What?’

 

Ilena found herself surrounded by unexpectedly jubilant elders. They waved their hands animatedly, spouting all sorts of enthusiastic comments.

 

“You’ve been waiting for such a beauty, that’s why you haven’t dated!”

 

“What a lovely couple you make! Haha!”

 

Caught off guard by the sudden turn of events, Ilena stood among them, dazed, recalling a scene from a drama.

 

‘I heard normal families gather during holidays to share well-wishes…’

 

Relatives sitting around, asking about love life, marriage, children, jobs, salaries—it was a major source of stress, she’d heard. Her family was practically enemies over inheritance issues, so such drama scenes always felt strange and fascinating.

 

‘This must be what it feels like.’

 

It wasn’t unpleasant, but the excessive attention and questions weren’t exactly welcome either.

 

“Well, we’re not a couple yet.”

 

As Ilena spoke, the elders surrounding her looked shocked, mouths agape. Among them was Iago.

 

‘Why are you surprised…?’

 

Raising an eyebrow, she saw Iago regain his composure. He looked down at the elders and spoke with authority.

 

“Yes. She was merely removing a bug from my back. Let’s not misunderstand.”

 

The elders waved their hands frantically.

 

“Not a couple…?”

 

“After hugging?”

 

“Isn’t that something only engaged couples do?”

 

“Maybe it’s a cultural thing in the north!”

 

Ilena nodded along with their convenient misunderstandings. The elders, shocked, clutched their heads and wailed.

 

“How can this be!”

 

“Our prince’s children!”

 

“Our prince’s two daughters and a son! Their purple eyes were so beautiful!”

 

In their minds, she had already married the Black King and had children. Ilena thought once more, watching the elderly men cry. No matter how she looked at it, something was off about this kingdom.

 

‘Everyone is too kind… too happy.’

 

“Maintain your dignity!”

 

A thunderous shout came from among the elders at that moment. Amidst the cheers, a man with a gray beard, who had been watching Ilena with a stern face, spoke up.

 

“Whoa, careful… I have a weak heart, you know, Illo.”

 

“Elder Illo? Why suddenly?”

 

Startled by his angry face, the elders waved their hands in confusion. Some of the more frail-looking ones clutched their chests with dry hands. Then the elder called Illo roared again.

 

“What do you mean why! What are you all doing, being so careless in front of a northerner!”

 

“A northerner…? Well, she is, but she’s the priestess.”

 

“Right. She came down to help us, the priestess.”

 

The man called Illo looked directly at Ilena with tiger-like yellow eyes and spoke.

 

“How do we know she’s truly the savior from the legend?”

 

“I-Illo!”

 

“Hey!”

 

The flustered elders waved their hands. But Ilena, despite the blatant suspicion directed at her, simply nodded calmly.

 

‘At least one elder has a normal mindset.’

 

She was more accustomed to suspicion and disdain than unconditional love and trust.

 

“That’s enough.”

 

At that moment, a cold voice came from behind Ilena. Iago, back in his Black King persona, glared at Elder Illo with a menacing aura. The cold gaze, as if it could freeze the air, made even the seemingly bold Elder Illo flinch and step back.

 

The elders quickly fell silent, watching Iago’s expression.

 

“…Priestess.”

 

Iago spoke slowly to Ilena, with a languid expression like a black panther.

 

“Let’s go finish what we were doing.”

 

‘Finish what? …Ah, we were on our way to the ‘Happiness Mission!’’

 

Iago pulled Ilena by the waist and nodded to the elders.

 

“Then, we’ll take our leave.”

 

Ilena gave a quick, awkward nod to the frozen elders and hurried after Iago.

 

‘Wasn’t that too harsh on the elders?’

 

As she worried, she heard the elders murmuring behind her.

 

“Oh my. They’re going to finish what they started!”

 

“They’re going to!”

 

“Our prince isn’t impotent!”

 

***

 

Thud! Thud! The sound of something being kneaded filled the hot, cramped room.

 

“…Does this really relieve stress?”

 

Ilena asked in a flat tone. Iago, deeply focused on something, looked up and smiled brightly.

 

“Of course. I do this whenever my mind is cluttered.”

 

Ilena watched his thick biceps and triceps working the white dough and spoke.

 

“…Baking?”

 

“Yep!”

 

Iago had rolled up his sleeves to avoid interfering with the cooking and wore an apron that seemed comically small for his size. Today’s ‘Happiness Mission!’ proposed by him was baking. Although Ilena had flatly refused, saying, ‘I’ve never cooked before,’ it had effectively become ‘watching him bake.’

 

Ilena rested her chin on the table, watching Iago intently. He kneaded the dough with his hands while chattering endlessly. Even before tasting the bread, he somehow made people feel warm inside. Seeing a man don an apron and bake bread for her was unexpectedly charming.

 

‘Dangerous, very dangerous.’

 

Her taste seemed to be shifting from men who looked good crying to muscular men who looked good in aprons. Ilena quickly shook her head, diverting her gaze to the now pliable dough.

 

“Oh, sorry about earlier.”

 

Iago, who had been chatting amiably, brought up another topic.

 

“The elders were so excited, I couldn’t stop them.”

 

“It’s fine. They seemed nice enough.”

 

Ilena replied brightly and added.

 

“The elders seemed kind.”

 

“Yeah. They all grew up on the peaceful island before the war.”

 

Iago spoke, his eyes on the dough.

 

‘Before the war… the ‘First War’ that happened ten years ago?’

 

“There was never a war or major conflict on the island before that.”

 

Iago said nonchalantly as he kneaded the dough.

 

“…Never even once?”

 

‘Is that possible?’

 

Well, this was a fictional world. Or maybe there were no historical records. Ilena pondered various possibilities with curiosity. But Iago’s next words didn’t allow her to dwell on her curiosity for long.

 

“They’re all kind and innocent people. So… as the king, I need to stay centered. Especially in these chaotic times.”

 

‘Ah, it’s the Black King again.’

 

Ilena thought as she looked up at Iago’s face. When he pressed his thin, red lips together and wore a serious expression, his angular jawline became more pronounced, making him look even more wild. He had once again taken on the face of the desert ruler.

 

The tiny apron tied around his waist looked oddly out of place.

 

‘Does he keep switching between a rabbit and a leopard?’

 

The image of him suddenly turning into a black panther and pushing her came to mind. Raising an eyebrow, Ilena asked in a suspicious tone.

 

“About that performance earlier, what was that all about?”