This BL Novel Is Ruined Now - Chapter 162

BLR has been completely translated on Patreon

Chapter 162

Translator: Yonnee

RP: Haebaragi_syk

—

Perhaps it was because of the scenery Ethan had created, but this seemingly trivial situation felt strangely meaningful.

“Still, people passing by will be surprised.”

Following the smiling woman who swayed gently, Ethan also wore a bright smile.

“This time, you confessed first, Reina.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you confessed your feelings first.”

Reina, who had widened her eyes for a moment, soon couldn’t help but giggle as she leaned her forehead against Ethan’s broad chest.

“How is it? What’s important is our feelings for each other. It doesn’t matter who confesses first.”

Ethan gently embraced the woman with skin as soft as a child’s, his hand delicately cradling her cheek. As their gazes moved along with his hand, their faces naturally drew closer together.

“But Reina.”

Even if they both took a deep breath, their faces were close enough that their breaths intertwined.

“I wanted to say it first this time.”

Reina, with her eyes blinking softly, felt a tender kiss lightly press against her forehead.

“I truly adore you.”

Amidst countless confessions that had passed between them, the phrase ‘I love you’ had never appeared even until now.

When this cautious sentence reached her ears, the surroundings seemed to become silent, as if time had stopped. Even her regular breath, which had been flowing steadily, seemed to pause.

Ethan gently caressed her pale cheek with his thumb.

“I was born into this world only because of you, and so Reina, you are both the beginning and the end of my life.”

As his words slowly began to register, her tense shoulders gradually relaxed.

“How could I not love you, Reina?”

The woman gazed intently at the man before her, who looked straight back at her. Then, with a sound like a soft breeze, she hugged him tightly around the waist.

“I feel the same way,” she whispered softly, and as those words escaped her lips, Ethan embraced her even tighter.

“I want to hear it again, Reina.”

Held closely against him, she tilted her head up slightly and conveyed a more certain sentence.

“I love you, Ethan. Truly, I do. That’s why I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

And I’m sorry it took me so long to say it.

* * *

Relaxation: a state of having material, spatial, and temporal abundance, with something left over.

Considering this dictionary definition, what did relaxation mean to Reina?

‘Even though I wanted to have it, it was like an elusive creature,’ she thought.

Was it due to material scarcity? Unlikely. Even if she might be considered the weakest among the members of the nine households, she was still part of a powerful family that of the empire’s ruling class.

Was it due to lack of space? No. If you have money, you can always find ample space to accumulate it.

Then why was ‘relaxation’ such a distant concept for her?

“Answer: Because I was living a life with a time limit.”

Indeed, she lacked relaxation as she was stifled by temporality, and that was why it had been so elusive to her.

“But now…”

Now, it seemed different.

“Oooh… I feel like I can live now.”

Reina stretched as she lay on a sunbed, legs crossed and propped up on her elbows. She reached out for the drink placed beside her and took a sip, enjoying the breathtaking view of the lake.

The pink hues of the sunset reflected in the blue water, creating an optical illusion and an ethereal atmosphere. She applauded the magnificent scenery, slowly lowering her head.

“Success. Actual success. Reina Chantra, you really did it.”

By the way, at the moment, Reina was on an island near the imperial palace, a place bestowed upon her by the emperor himself.

* * *

Two days ago…

“Good work,” said Emperor Enoch, in stark contrast to his brother Benedict, who had a completely different personality.

‘They really are different brothers,’ Reina thought.

Benedict, with his soft, jet-black hair, exuded a languid and decadent air. On the other hand, Enoch, his elder brother, had dark brown hair that almost appeared black, and he seemed like the embodiment of a silent knight.

“You must have received a rough idea of the situation,” Benedict said, lounging comfortably, almost reclining.

In contrast to his brother, Enoch was seated with an imperial air on his throne.

Reina knelt and lowered her head before the emperor.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I heard that you are considering the development of non-magical technology for humans.”

Reina adeptly addressed the emperor. Satisfied, Enoch, who had been somewhat aloof, cracked a small smile.

Humming briefly, as he observed Ethan’s rather unfamiliar demeanor, Enoch soon focused on Reina once again.

“Yes, that’s correct. I plan to create a new department.”

Reina momentarily paused at the unexpected development. A new department? Wasn’t she simply assigned to the Ministry of Health? This was new information for her. She had not been informed about this.

While still on one knee and with her head slightly lowered, Reina glanced towards Ethan, who was behind her. He smiled ruefully.

‘…You knew but you didn’t tell me, huh.’

It means this was classified information.

As she realized this, her shoulders tensed involuntarily. The emperor seemed to notice her state and lowered his head slightly.

“It’s not something dangerous, so there’s no need to be nervous.”

However, what did he mean by ‘not something dangerous’? Reina was beginning to sense that there was more to this situation than met the eye.

By the way, the Pluntria Empire was currently operating with an administrative system of sixteen ministries, twenty-five countries, and four constituent units.

It was common knowledge that among the sixteen ministries, nine were controlled by the nine households, and the remaining ones were effectively overseen by the nine noble houses’ vassals. In other words, each of the nine noble houses had their own respective domains.

So, even if Ethan spent a hundred days in the Ministry of Health, he would eventually end up in the Ministry of Human Resources, the Liam Duchy’s domain. Similarly, Reina, as a Chantra, would ultimately go to the Ministry of Education, which was the Chantra Marquisate’s domain.

However, the Emperor was now suggesting a change to this longstanding system and implicit balance of power.

“I will change the 16-department system into a 17-department system. I plan to establish a new 17th department—of Efficient Technology—and appoint its head.”

Reina lifted her face, a bit uncertain about the vague plan presented to her.

“Huh?”

The head of a new department?

“Then the new head… who would it be?”

Then next, utterly bewildered, Reina asked once more.

“…By any chance, it’s not me, is it?”