I Grabbed the Tyrant’s Heart - Chapter 204
The sounds of movement shifted to the office next to the bedroom, and Tess began to get dressed.
“Euseniel, stay in bed some more.”
This wasn’t the first time such a thing had happened, so I wasn’t startled. I planned to enjoy the afterglow a bit longer.
“Euseniel, curious? If you want to listen, you can.”
Tess didn’t completely close the door to the office. It was slightly open, and given the layout of the room, the bed wouldn’t be visible from the office.
He stroked my cheek a few times with the back of his hand before crossing into the next room.
What could be so urgent that the Chancellor came himself?
I was wondering about what the urgent matters were when a thunderous announcement came through.
“Your Majesty, the Southern Empire has declared war.”
.
.
.
-
- War Begins
I scrambled to throw the sheets off and hurried to the door.
“They’ve officially issued a declaration of war. Here, a message from the border.”
The rustling sound suggested Tess had picked up the document.
“How are our forces?”
“We’ve stationed them at the border as you directed, so holding the fortifications shouldn’t be a problem initially. However, if the conflict prolongs, we’ll need to secure additional supplies, given the size of their forces.”
“Your Majesty!”
Count Hilder, the Minister of Defense, also appeared.
My father was absent, perhaps tied up with other urgent matters, while the Chancellor and a few ministers discussed how to respond to the actions of the Southern Empire’s forces.
“Now that they’ve declared war, they won’t likely back down easily.”
It was decided to send additional troops to the border and monitor the enemy’s movements for a while.
“We’ll finalize the rest during the council meeting. It seems we’ve already decided who will be dispatched, but we should still consider any additional input.”
The others left, and only the Chancellor stayed behind to talk a bit longer.
It was evening by the time Tess returned to the bedroom, and I was fully dressed.
“Tess, a war? Really, a war!”
Unusually, Tess didn’t respond to my words, and I followed him around persistently asking.
“A war? Suddenly? Why? Because you made a deal with the devil?”
As I clung to his sleeve, he finally turned around and hugged my waist.
“It seems the Emperor of the Southern Empire really dislikes me.”
Left alone in the bedroom, I tried to figure out why the Emperor of the Southern Empire had declared war. There were plenty of clues.
“Could it be because you rampaged?”
“It looks like I’ll be busy for a while-“
“-Tess. Answer my question.”
Tess smiled awkwardly and looked down. His long eyelashes didn’t flutter, and his usually expressive red lips were firmly closed.
“That’s right. You said the Emperor of the Southern Empire is meant to control the mad Emperor of the Northern Empire.”
“Euseniel, it’s not what you think.”
Realizing something, Tess cupped my cheek.
“It’s not because of you, Euseniel. It’s my fault, my shortcomings that have led to this.”
Could it be that this happened because I pushed Tess away?
“Please, Euseniel.”
Tess pleaded with his eyebrows furrowed.
“When you look like that, I don’t know what to do.”
What kind of expression was I making?
I fumbled and touched my face with my hands, which was contorted and especially damp around the eyes.
“I’d prefer if Euseniel cried under me. Of course, being on top is good too.”
“Really, even at a time like this!”
“Don’t worry too much, I won’t be going to the front lines myself.”
His large hand soothed my head, calming me strangely.
“They’d be crazy to want a full-scale war unless absolutely necessary.”
But Tess, the Emperor of the Southern Empire is after you.
Tess, my Tess.
My pitiful lover.
“I’ll come see you tonight, Euseniel.”
I hugged Tess, who whispered tenderly, and took a deep breath. His sweet scent steadied my rapidly beating heart.
“You don’t have to come if you’re busy. The Chancellor mentioned he might visit again later.”
“I’ll come to watch Euseniel asleep.”
“Okay, do that.”
However, that night, Tess didn’t come.
The next day, Tess seemed too busy for me to even consider visiting, and it was only in the afternoon when my father returned home that I understood the urgency of the situation.
“The supreme commander has been decided. Count Panet will lead.”
That was a name I recognized.
“With a significant number of troops already stationed at the border, it seemed unlikely that the Southern Empire’s forces would break through immediately. It was His Majesty’s foresight.”
“Have the Southern Empire’s troops gathered at the border?”
“Yes, a considerable number have assembled. And it seems they continue to gather.”
The Northern Empire declared its readiness for war, which put the neighboring countries on high alert as well.
Caught between the two great powers dividing the continent, these countries had no guarantee of safety.
Conscription, preparation of war materials, and strategic discussions kept the palace bustling. I was also swamped with my duties within the Imperial Palace.
Additionally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was working tirelessly to minimize diplomatic friction and losses.
* * *
At the Imperial Palace, the snow would melt down only to accumulate again making a crunching sound under my feet.
“It’s not that cold, really, Tess.”
No matter how many times I insisted, Tess wrapped me tightly in a fur mantle. He had made it from the pelt of a silver fox he had caught himself, insisting that it must never be given to anyone else.
Thanks to that, I stood out quite a bit in the dimly lit palace grounds.
“Shall we go inside, Lady?”
“Oh, is that the silver fox His Majesty caught?”
I sometimes carried the Emperor’s messages to various departments, and familiar faces had increased. They recognized me, especially curious about the mantle.
…Could it be that Tess, this guy did this on purpose?
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