PLQYM | Chapter 34

“You always have a way with words, don’t you?”

“What do you mean? I only ever speak the truth.”

With his head held high, Lucian responded shamelessly.

“It’s not like you’re some wayward child I’ve left unsupervised. If anyone overheard, they’d think I’m always causing trouble.”

“Good heavens! How could you act like those obvious facts are anything but true?”

Lucian gave Heraith a look of disdain, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

The number of times Your Majesty had caused trouble could fill an entire book. Repeating himself would just waste his breath, so Lucian confidently stared Heraith down.

“What’s this, a protest about how I keep summoning you?”

“Well… maybe.”

Lucian shrugged nonchalantly, and Heraith let out an exaggerated scoff.

“Don’t worry then. Even if the Imperial Palace collapses this time, I won’t call for you.”

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

“Hmm, you don’t believe me?”

“Oh no, I believe you. Absolutely, without a doubt.”

Yeah, right. Like he’d believe that.

Even now, Heraith hadn’t actually promised not to cause trouble—only that he wouldn’t call Lucian for it. Which probably meant something would happen, and Lucian wouldn’t even get the chance to leave.

“Not summoning me” sounds more like “not letting me go at all,” doesn’t it?

Lucian swallowed the words before they could slip out. One wrong move, and his vacation might be canceled again. Better to stay quiet.

“Well then, I’ll be off.”

“Fine, fine, go on already.”

Heraith waved him away lazily, and Lucian gave a quick bow before turning to leave.

But then—

“Luce.”

Heraith’s soft voice stopped him in his tracks. Lucian turned back, meeting the Emperor’s eyes midair. For once, Heraith’s face was calm, his expression softened by a faint smile.

Neither spoke for a moment. They just gazed at each other, as if memorizing the other’s face.

Finally, Heraith broke the silence.

“What am I supposed to do without you?”

His tone carried a surprising vulnerability, and Lucian’s heart skipped a beat.

What is he saying now…?

“Who’s going to wake me up in the mornings? Who’s going to stay by my side?”

”…”

“I don’t think I can manage without you.”

To someone overhearing, it might’ve sounded like a heartfelt confession. But that trembling lip, clearly struggling to hold back laughter, ruined the effect entirely.

You’re not a child!

Lucian barely stopped himself from shouting. Disappointment sank in as he realized what had seemed genuine was just more teasing. Still, this wasn’t the first time.

“I’m serious, though. This is a big problem for me.”

As Heraith grinned ear to ear, Lucian let out a deep sigh.

“The palace will run just fine without me.”

“I won’t. I’ll miss you too much, Luce.”

“Pardon me?”

Luce? What kind of nickname was that?

“What if I get sick because I miss you so much?”

”…”

“What if I suffer a deep emotional wound?”

What kind of nonsense was this?

Though Lucian cursed Heraith in his mind with every insult he could think of, outwardly, he kept a perfectly polite smile.

Years spent by the Emperor’s side had honed his ability to keep a straight face, even if Heraith often saw through him anyway.

“So, you’re not asking me to cancel my vacation, right?” Lucian asked sharply.

“Of course not.”

Heraith shook his head with that infuriating grin still plastered across his face.

“I’m just saying, you know. Not like I’m stopping you.”

“Then please, stop dragging this out. I am going on vacation this time.”

“Sure, sure. Go ahead. I’ll manage somehow, even if it’s lonely.”

“Lonely…”

Lucian couldn’t stop himself from scoffing outright.

“I’m serious! You’re so cold.”

This time, Lucian responded with an honest, dazzling smile full of sarcasm.

“So, where are you going?” Heraith asked, leaning forward with feigned interest.

“Home. I’m planning to laze around.”

“And?”

”…That’s it.”

Lucian tilted his head slightly, wondering why Heraith seemed so surprised.

“That’s it? That’s all?”

When Lucian nodded, Heraith sighed dramatically.

“Why not visit that little villa of yours?”

Lucian’s brows furrowed.

“That’s not my villa. It’s just a useless burden.”

“I gave it to you. That makes it yours.”

“Stop joking, Your Majesty.”

The villa in question was a gift from Heraith, awarded for designing a magical contract system. While it was indeed a gorgeous retreat in the middle of the Emperor’s private lands, Lucian saw it as more trouble than it was worth.

“I refuse. I’m going to enjoy my freedom.”

“You’ve changed so much. What happened to the sweet, wide-eyed Luce who used to follow me everywhere, calling ‘Your Majesty, Your Majesty’?”

That never happened. Ever.

“Please, just wish me a restful vacation, Your Majesty.”

Lucian bowed deeply, then straightened to meet Heraith’s gaze.

”…”

For a moment, Heraith seemed about to say something, but their eyes met, and he simply closed his mouth. Instead, he gave Lucian an unusually warm smile.

“Have a good trip.”

”…Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Though Heraith’s unexpectedly compliant attitude left Lucian uneasy, he suppressed his doubts and left the room.

Outside, the head attendant was waiting.

“Aren’t you taking the carriage?”

“It’s waiting outside the villa. I thought I’d enjoy a walk.”

“Please, have a good trip, Lucian. Make sure you get out before His Majesty changes his mind.”

“Thank you.”

Lucian laughed brightly, nodded in farewell, and began his stroll.

As he passed through the palace, people greeted him with bows, their gazes lingering a bit longer than necessary. Jealousy, admiration, and curiosity flitted across their faces.

Lucian noticed, of course. It would be a lie to say he was unaffected. But he had grown used to it.

“I’ve really toughened up, haven’t I?”

With a faint self-deprecating smile, he kept walking—neither too fast nor too slow.

When he finally reached the palace gates, the Astro family carriage awaited him. The familiar coachman stepped down to greet him.

“It’s been a while, young master.”

“It has.”

“Shall we head straight to the townhouse?”

“Yes. Though I might need to stay there a day or two to wrap things up.”

“Wrap things up?”

Lucian brushed off the coachman’s puzzled look as he climbed into the carriage. Soon, they were on their way, leaving the palace behind.

As the carriage rolled onto the main road, an unmistakable cry erupted from inside.

“FREEDOM!”

The coachman flinched but, as an experienced professional, quickly regained his composure and kept driving.

Of course, as Lucian had suspected, his vacation didn’t begin right away.

“Sir Lucian, are you still here?”

The next day, Nils Bowman showed up at the townhouse.

“He’s waiting in the parlor,” the butler informed Lucian, clearly having anticipated this.

“Ah, good to see you,” Nils greeted him sheepishly.

“Budget issues?” Lucian asked, his tone resigned.

Nils laughed awkwardly.

“Yes, I tried not to bother you, but…”

“It’s fine. I expected as much.”

Lucian glanced over the documents Nils handed him. As expected, they needed his approval.

“Submit them as they are. Everything else should handle itself.”

Lucian’s calm efficiency earned him another round of praise from Nils, which he ignored. Compliments, no matter how genuine, were something he still couldn’t get used to.

“You’re just the first. Who else is coming after you?”

Nils looked startled.

“Ah, well… It seems some others are still debating whether to visit you.”

“They’d better hurry,” Lucian said, smiling faintly.

“Why’s that?”

“Because after tomorrow, I’m leaving the capital. If anyone needs me, they should come by before sunset tomorrow. Otherwise, they’ll be wasting their time.”

Nils nodded, though he couldn’t shake the impression that Lucian’s determined expression bore a striking resemblance to a certain someone. Wisely, however, he kept that observation to himself.