IYAMD 109

IYAMD 109

Jaha muttered quietly, shifting his gaze as if a bit troubled.

“Just… because he’s an old man.”

“You seem to be soft in strange places.”

At Marsilia’s words, Jaha responded while lowering his eyes.

“That’s different from killing someone who’s blocking with a sword.”

Marsilia stared at him as though he wanted to explain further. Jaha, lifting his gaze again with a slightly tired expression, replied.

“I have no problem cutting down someone who wants to kill me. But he’s an old man. He tried his best to figure things out according to what you asked, and from what I can see, he doesn’t seem like your enemy. I don’t know much about these matters, but I think just locking him up would be enough to keep the secret.”

Hearing his muttered words, Marsilia smiled bitterly.

“He reminds me of my late master… He’s an old man…” Marsilia could no longer bring himself to kill the sorcerer. After hearing the story of how he saved Jaha and died, he couldn’t kill someone who reminded him of his master.

Marsilia clicked his tongue and sighed.

“I’ve been too lenient with you, this is a big problem.”

Leaving Jaha, who pouted, Marsilia called for Serez and had the sorcerer escorted out. He also gave an order to keep him locked up and monitored. Jaha’s expression seemed to ease after that.

Marsilia relaxed his stance, folding his arms in front of Jaha.

“There’s a condition.”

Jaha raised an eyebrow and asked.

“What is it?”

His tone sounded sharp, as if he didn’t like being given conditions for such matters.

Marsilia tilted his head and smiled slightly at him.

“Stay with me today. I’ll show my office. How about it?” His words were a bit of a precaution in case Jaha decided to run off for training like yesterday. But Jaha blinked rapidly and replied.

“I was planning to do that from the start. You caused trouble right after I was left alone yesterday.”

Marsilia couldn’t help but laugh at his response.

“Don’t treat me like a troublemaker. Yesterday, I couldn’t help it.”

“People who make trouble always say that. ‘I couldn’t help it because of this, or that.’”

As Marsilia laughed out loud, leaving the main hall, people nearby turned to look at them. Jaha, looking a bit embarrassed, glanced around and whispered.

“There are too many people here.”

“This is the main palace. Other officials use different palaces, but most of the government officials are here.”

“How many people are there?”

“About… 300?”

“That’s a lot.”

“Well, the country is big.”

As they walked back to the office, passing by officials in the corridor, they all stepped aside and lowered their heads. Jaha, seemingly uninterested, asked Marsilia various questions.

That pleased Marsilia greatly. The sparkle in his eyes, focused solely on him, made him feel content. Without thinking, he reached out to pat Jaha, but Jaha quickly pulled away.

He glared at the hand that had stopped mid-air, leaned in, and quietly scolded.

“Don’t do that when people are watching.”

Marsilia smiled wryly and pulled his hand back, sniffing quietly.

“You’re so prim and proper.”

“What are you saying?”

Even while grumbling, Jaha’s body was almost touching Marsilia’s. Marsilia said nothing and walked quietly, his smile never leaving his face.

When Jaha, visiting the office for the first time, saw the golden decorations everywhere, his eyes widened in surprise. The room sparkled so much it couldn’t just be called luxurious. As he looked around, he noticed a portrait near the entrance and stopped Marsilia.

“Is this you?”

The portrait with a golden frame showed a noticeably younger boy, looking solemn as he gazed ahead. The face was unmistakably his, but the youthful expression and timid demeanor made it seem like someone else entirely.

“Ah.”

Marsilia let out a meaningless sound and turned back toward Jaha, who had stopped by the desk.

“It was painted after the coronation ceremony. When a new emperor ascends the throne, they must have their portrait painted immediately.”

Jaha stared at the painting for a long time before turning to look at Marsilia. Marsilia, feeling the gaze, turned his eyes back to the portrait.

“It’s so different from now.”

“I was just a kid back then.”

Marsilia continued casually, his eyes slightly downcast.

“My father had just passed away, and it was before I became a sword master. It was a tiring time, for sure.”

Jaha stared at his face, wondering what kind of experiences Marsilia had gone through before he could smile so casually.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just curious.”

“What about?”

Jaha laughed slightly at his surprised expression.

“About your life.”

Though Jaha hadn’t known him for long, it felt like they’d known each other for a long time because they’d spent so much time together. But when measured by time, it had only been less than three months.

Suddenly, Marsilia felt that he didn’t know enough about him. Knowing about the past wouldn’t change anything, but perhaps it was because of his growing affection.

A faint joy passed over Marsilia’s face. Surprised by his overly enthusiastic reaction, Jaha blinked rapidly, unaware that Marsilia was pulling his hand.

The man kissed the back of his hand, then leaned his Read oncheek against it, whispering in a lowered voice.

“I’m also curious about the years you’ve lived.”

“One day, I’ll be able to tell you.”

It was still too difficult. He couldn’t speak of it casually yet. There were still wounds that hadn’t fully healed. As Jaha closed his eyes, a cough was heard from behind.

“Ahem, it’s good that you two are getting along, but please consider the others, Your Majesty. Emileo is watching.”

After finishing his work, Serez stood at the door. Jaha glanced at him, then slowly pulled his hand away. It was only then that he noticed the Emperor’s deputy aide, who was awkwardly avoiding his gaze. The aide, with a simple expression, placed his hand over his chest and bent his knee in a bow.

“Greetings. I am Emileo Milton, the deputy aide, Jaha. Please feel free to call me Emileo.”

Jaha had seen that face before, though vaguely. When had it been? Perhaps it was at the banquet before the departure? It seemed like it was a time when he hadn’t paid much attention to others, so the impression left was faint. Jaha bowed his head in response to Emileo’s gesture. When he glanced at the man with a rather unpleasant expression, Emileo seemed to immediately understand the unspoken question and quietly nodded.

“You can speak casually, Lord Jaha.”

“Yeah….”

Serez, watching the scene at the door, approached with a clearly disappointed expression.

“This is too much, Jaha. You spoke casually with me from the start…”

Casually, you say? How long has [visit our site]it been since we started talking? Jaha glanced at Serez and frowned.

“I’m sorry. I had a bias.”

“A bias?”

Jaha stretched out his eyes and responded.

“I thought you were a bit arrogant.”

“Ah.”

Suddenly, Marsilia let out an exclamation of realization and asked abruptly.

“So, that’s why you didn’t speak formally to me?”

Jaha silently pursed his lips and turned to look at the man, who stared back with eyes filled with certainty.

“Is that right?”

“Yeah…”

“I’m someone who can be arrogant, Jaha.”

Laughing softly, the man tilted his head back and ​Read on​burst into laughter moments later. It seemed like he was so taken aback by Jaha’s response.

Serez, who had been watching the scene, muttered quietly to himself.

“I can’t believe the Emperor is laughing like that…”

Serez, looking as if he wasn’t upset anymore, nodded and turned to Jaha.

“You really are someone extraordinary, Jaha. You recognized the Emperor’s qualities right away.”

Jaha gave a slightly awkward smile and shrank his neck. The man’s smile quickly faded, and his voice turned cold as he called out his subordinate’s name.

“Serez Hastings.”

“Oh no.”

Serez shuddered and hid behind Jaha, who grinned as he watched the scene.

“You two are really funny.”

The people around Marsilia were all strangely amusing. Even the knights and servants, at times, acted like they were unsure whether to fear or underestimate the Emperor. Yet, there was one thing Jaha was sure of.

“Seems like everyone really likes you.”

At Jaha’s words, Marsilia shrugged his shoulders, glancing away from Serez. [Read on]Before he could open his mouth, Serez’s voice was heard from behind him.

“What are you talking about? I like the salary that His Majesty gives me, not His Majesty.”

Marsilia smiled and answered.

“That’s what I think.”

From their reactions, Jaha could see that, in reality, they were more bonded by human emotions than power. Then, he reached out towards the man at the center of it all with a somewhat proud expression.

“You’re really a good person.”

As Jaha gently stroked his cheek, Marsilia closed his eyes quietly. He wanted to kiss him, but Jaha hurriedly pulled his hand away when he heard constant clearing of throats from behind them.

However, Marsilia soon grabbed his hand again, pulling him along. Pressing his lips to Jaha’s hand, Marsilia opened his eyes and stared at him with intense eyes.

“Stop tempting me, Jaha.”

“What are you talking about?” Jaha’s face flushed immediately, and he firmly pulled his hand away, retorting.

“It’s not temptation, it’s praise, you fool.”

Does this man even know shame? Jaha mumbled, his face bright red.

“You’re shameless.”

Marsilia responded shamelessly.

“I know shame, Jaha. But only when it comes to you, I make an exception.”

Ugh. From the distance, Serez’s voice of dismay could be heard. Marsilia didn’t even glance that way, instead leaning in to Jaha’s ear and whispering.

“When I’m with you, I’ll embrace being a lecher.”

He kissed Jaha’s cheek, and as he pulled away, Jaha’s face grew even redder. The man, who had set Jaha’s face on fire like a heated piece of charcoal, laughed heartily as he made his way to the desk, completely unconcerned with Jaha’s scowl behind him.