It was a day with sunlight pouring down dazzlingly.
The imperial rose garden, where roses could be seen in every season, had always drawn plenty of strollers. Lately, though, even more nobles than usual had been gathering. To exaggerate, it felt as if every noble with access to the palace had flocked there.
The reason was simple. They were curious whether the imperial family's discord and the Empress's assault, splashed all over the tabloids recently, were true. The Empress rarely walked in the garden, let alone showed his face, but a crowd had swarmed in like clouds on the off chance. Few actually believed the rumors, but the imperial family's scandals were also their finest entertainment.
“If they were really estranged, you'd just brush it off as a rumor.”
“But haven't they been getting along quite well lately?”
“You have to see it firsthand to know what's true.”
“True enough. How long has it been since anyone's even seen the Empress's face, honestly.”
They were whispering with some regard for the palace guards' eyes, but the curiosity they couldn't hide laid their purpose transparently bare. And then—
“He's come out!”
“What? Who?”
“Who else!”
Something they hadn't expected happened. Amid the murmuring, the Emperor and Empress were passing through the garden's entrance.
The first one visible was Kirian. The young, black-haired emperor wore his usual uniform, but he looked more dignified and cold than ever. And beside him... was the Empress!
The Empress, whose very existence had been so faint one couldn't tell if he was there or not, was turning his head toward the Emperor and smiling. Unlike the stiff-feeling Emperor, the Empress wore a white silk shirt and a lilac vest, giving off the air of a young noble lord rather than an empress. His pale skin and slender frame did look frail and sickly, but his beautiful features couldn't be concealed. The nobles held their breath.
“Can you manage to walk?”
Kirian asked, having come out into the garden. He had an arm around Luan's shoulder, and Luan was leaning almost his whole weight against Kirian. To the worried question, Luan answered in a voice small but clearly audible.
“No, Your Majesty. I feel dizzy...”
Of course, he'd been slapped, not had his legs broken. And even that cheek, after the imperial physicians' devoted care, had barely a trace left, and a few strands of hair had been let down to cover it.
But what mattered wasn't the truth. Luan rested his head against Kirian as he recalled the enormous allowance Kirian had set down. A professional has to earn their pay.
Luan staggered and clutched at Kirian's clothes. His long, slender fingers gripping the black fabric stood out with unusual clarity. In reality he'd just thrown in a bit of feigned weakness while he was already feeling too lazy to walk, but what did that matter? Appearances were what counted.
“My.”
Kirian's gaze shifted. Perhaps this is an opportunity. A chance to quell the rumors and, at the same time, reward the feelings he'd only just realized.
“You mustn't overdo it.”
Bending down, Kirian supported Luan's waist and legs and lifted him up in a single motion. Luan's eyes went round.
“...?”
He knew the name of this embarrassing pose. That was, wasn't it—a princess carry!
“Wait, Your Majesty?”
Luan whispered in a panic, his voice low. This wasn't part of the plan. Being hoisted up and carried about by another man—a younger one, no less—was something he'd never have agreed to in the first place.
“What is this?!”
“You said the outdoor duty was tiring. Consider it a service.”
“And my dignity?”
“You said your dignity hit rock bottom.”
Gritting his teeth, Luan whispered rapidly into Kirian's ear.
“Put me down.”
“Stay still. Drop and there's no allowance.”
Kirian retorted shamelessly and cut straight across the middle of the garden. For all that it was a businesslike exchange, the sight of the two of them whispering looked rather affectionate. Lips pressed right to the ear, murmuring like they were sharing secrets—the young ladies were the first to react.
“Did you see that? Good heavens!”
“I'm watching too. His Majesty just picked up the Empress!”
“Kyaaa!”
“Can you see the honey dripping from their eyes?”
“Who spread that ridiculous rumor? Assault, my foot!”
The two of them were so dazzlingly beautiful there was no need for any staging. Once the tide of opinion began to flow, the rumors started shattering with each of Kirian's steps. The two of them looked nothing like what the tabloids screeched about.
Kirian carried Luan across the garden in his arms as if to flaunt it. The whispering was loud enough to reach even Luan. On top of that, all the stares pinned to him were so burdensome that he had no choice but to bury his face in Kirian's shoulder. The garden grew thoroughly noisy.
I want to clock out. Desperately.
A fierce desire surged in Luan.
Following behind them, Kael wore a contented smile. Indeed, showing it once is more important than a hundred words. But on the other hand, one thought did occur to him.
The Empress's allowance invoice is a little frightening.
The moment they left the spot where people had clustered in twos and threes, Luan tapped Kirian's solid chest. Kirian, who'd filled himself to the brim with private intentions, pretended not to notice, but he couldn't ignore Luan speaking through gritted teeth.
“You can put me down now.”
“No.”
“No one's watching.”
“You're so light it's not even a workout.”
“I'm the one struggling. My back's going to give out.”
Just how flexible are the young ladies who get carried this way? Luan emphasized his back, which was already stiffening, and after a brief tussle Kirian set him down on a bench as if reluctant.
Did he really hate the rumors spreading that much? Luan was about to scold Kirian for the unscheduled over-immersion performance, then shut his mouth. I'll just file the complaints as an allowance invoice. He turned to Kael.
“Is this enough?”
“You were splendid.”
“Then we're done—”
“A few more times like this and the rumors will be completely put to rest!”
At Kael's continuing words, Luan's eyes widened. That wasn't the end? Seeing Luan's surprise, Kael looked surprised too. As if to say, Surely you didn't think one time would do it?
“As many people as possible need to see it, and they need to see it consistently.”
“Wait, why?!”
“Someone who's never even seen out and about suddenly appears the moment a rumor surfaces and acts affectionate—you really think people will just buy it right away?”
People love rumors, but they aren't fools. Having no rebuttal, Luan blinked. Kael said,
“If possible, it would be good to show your face often at official functions, too.”
At Kael's words, Luan's expression crumpled. This feels like a total bait and switch. He turned to Kirian. It was a plea to rein Kael in. But the man's eyes were sparkling instead. What's so fun about carrying a grown man across a garden?
But Kirian was thoroughly amused. Even now he remembered the days when he'd been a scarecrow, and there had been countless attempts to trouble him with rumors. He'd ignored most of them, but striking back like this wasn't bad at all. Satisfying his private intentions was secondary. Probably.
Kirian recalled the warmth of Luan held against his chest. The man's hands were startlingly cold, but the body heat in his arms had been warm. Recalling that sensation, his heart pounded hot and irregular.
He watched even Luan recoiling and arguing against Kael's words with a contented gaze. He said,
“Today was impressive. Watching you react exactly as intended to each action was quite enjoyable.”
Kirian laughed as if greatly amused.
“And watching you fluster when things didn't go your way was fun, too.”
There had been some flustered faces among those caught off guard while opinion turned in his favor. Kirian's voice sounded more cheerful than usual. Luan turned his head and looked at him.
“I'm glad you were satisfied. I just did my fair share.”
And then he added,
“If you were pleased with the results, may I claim an additional allowance? The sooner the settlement, the better.”
Rather than do this halfway and miss out on the pay, I'd better lock it down properly. Kirian let out a dumbfounded, dry laugh. But he thought this was very much like Luan. Kirian nodded readily.
“Fine. I'll settle as much as you want.”
Generous. Luan smiled with satisfaction. He felt like he'd finally figured out how to find that smile he'd had so much trouble seeing. Kirian said,
“But before that, I should take care of another reward first.”
“A reward?”
The Emperor's gaze swept over his whole body. To be precise, it lingered on the excessively plain and modest clothes Luan was wearing. He lightly took hold of the end of Luan's sleeve.
It was high quality, but the style was long out of fashion. The design was about as basic as basic got. Clothing nearly devoid of ornamentation suited Luan well, so he'd let it pass this time, but it was far too frugal for an empress of the Empire to wear.
“I understand you value practicality, but you ought to maintain a measure of grandeur befitting your station from time to time, so let me help with the preparations. People might think you've nothing to wear.”
What he wanted to say was that he'd dress Luan in the finest clothes. But unable to say it outright, he'd gone on about rewards. And then an unexpected answer came back.
“It's true that I have nothing to wear.”
“...What?”
Luan said without so much as blinking.
“I don't receive support from anywhere in particular, and since I never go out, there was no need to buy any.”
Kirian felt his chest drop to the floor. He'd left the man shoved into a corner of the palace for the past five years, and he should never have spoken so condescendingly.
“That's why I said official functions would be a problem. If I keep getting exposed to the public, meeting the dress code becomes difficult.”
Kirian was left dazed, as if struck over the back of the head.
Five years.
He was well aware that while he'd thoroughly ignored and neglected his Empress, Duke Requies had cut off his support. The fact that an empress of the Empire had been isolated to the point of being unable to buy a single proper set of clothes stabbed at Kirian's chest anew.
He gripped Luan's shoulders hard, his eyes mixed with guilt.
“Money, clothes, anything—take whatever you want. Don't worry about the budget.”
“Yes, understood.”
Luan said dryly.
“While I remain Empress, I'll be faithful to my position. I'll dress accordingly as well.”
Provided proper dignity-maintenance funds are issued. At the words that followed, Kirian's grip on his shoulders tightened for an instant.
While I remain Empress.
There it was again. Luan saw the time he spent with him only as numbers, like an hourglass racing toward its end. That condition, premised on parting, lodged in his chest more cruelly than any insult.
Kirian stared fixedly at Luan, his lips pressed tight. The words he couldn't bring himself to speak rose all the way to the back of his throat.
But afraid that the moment he voiced them the man would truly run, Kirian forced down the possessiveness glinting in his eyes and looked away.
