Chapter 54

“That’s the special measure?”

Ameris burst into laughter when she heard about the “special measure” Rodella had announced to the Azure Order.

No one would believe that the usually cold and composed Ameris could let herself go like this—except Latine.

Not even the sovereign she so loyally served.

Because she only showed this side of herself to Latine.

“No wonder she seemed different. Her whole mindset must’ve changed.”

“I thought you knew everything.”

Latine shrugged as he sipped his tea.

It wasn’t even something being kept secret.

“You know how it is. The things that should be most obvious are often the last to reach your ears.”  Ameris smiled.

“But you do know about this, right?”

She laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them as she asked, “What did she say about the handcuffs?”

“Cough!”

Latine choked on his tea mid-sip.

“You knew about that?”

That was the one thing he’d tried to keep hidden.

Ameris just smiled.

“His Majesty sees everything. So?”

Latine threw up his hands in surrender.

“She was uncomfortable.”

“That’s it?”

“And she did everything she could to keep the Red Order from finding out.”

Ameris laughed again. But Latine looked serious.

For him, this wasn’t about politics or any of that—

“The Red Order doesn’t know, right?”

…That was what mattered.

Ameris gave him a clear answer.

“There’s nothing good that would come from them knowing. Not for me, not for His Majesty. Of course the Red Order doesn’t know.”

“Whew.”

Latine looked visibly relieved.

“So nothing else happened while they were tied up together?”

Ameris looked expectant.

But Latine only pursed his lips.

“Nothing really—oh, well, they slept together.”

Before Ameris could react, Latine hurriedly added, “I mean literally, fell asleep.”

He even brought both hands to his face as if to act it out, and Ameris burst into laughter again.

Whenever he was around, it felt like she could finally release all the laughter she’d been holding in during his absence.

“I see… and that’s all, right?”

Not just little things like that.

“What do you mean ‘that’s all’? That is the issue! Did you know they’ve never even slept together before?”

Latine seemed genuinely more worked up about that point.

He was getting emotional over someone else’s life, and talking more than he had in over ten years.

Ameris smiled softly.

That wasn’t the kind of “incident” she had meant, but…

She’d hear about it soon enough, whatever it might be, whatever Rodella decided to do.

‘Duke Royden, just protect one thing.’

Make sure she doesn’t get hurt.

You promised, Aivert Royden.

Her lips pressed into a firm line.

***

A few days later.

“The Red Order’s been killing it lately, haven’t they?”

Rumors were spreading that the Red Order, once known for valuing cargo more than the lives of commoners, had started to change.

It was after the Emperor had declared he looked forward to the next regular report from the Red and Azure Orders.

With the Red Order acting so proactively, the Azure Order also began tackling cases with a newfound zeal.

In the middle of it all, Rodella had to focus even harder—to make sure the Azure Order didn’t go around smashing property…

—Clunk!

Rodella, sitting in a carriage, stared blankly ahead.

“Hey?”

“……”

Since that night a few days ago, when she and Aivert had fallen asleep face to face, he kept popping into her mind.

She couldn’t explain why the image of him sleeping, exhausted, kept resurfacing.

At first, she thought she was just worried—he had insisted on not skipping morning training despite being ill.

But when she saw that his wounds had noticeably improved the next day, her worries were mostly gone.

Then why was she still so bothered?

It felt like all her thoughts kept going back to that night.

“Quartermaster?”

A voice called her from outside the carriage.

“Ah.”

Rodella snapped out of it a beat too late.

“This is driving me crazy. What’s wrong with me?”

She shook her head, trying to erase the image of Aivert covered in cold sweat from her mind.

Was it because she’d never seen him look so unwell?

With that thought, she opened the carriage door—

And immediately came face-to-face with Cecilia.

“What were you doing in the carriage? Why’d you take so long to come out?”

“Huh? I… wasn’t in there that long, was I?”

Rodella looked at the carriage with a vaguely guilty expression.

—Clunk!

She watched the door close behind her in silence. Cecilia, meanwhile, was cautiously observing her face.

“You’re not sick, right? I heard the Azure Order’s been swamped lately.”

“Is that so?”

Rodella placed one hand on her own forehead and the other on Cecilia’s.

Didn’t feel like she was running hotter than usual.

“Nope. I’m fine.”

“Good. Then I guess we can talk business.”

They’d met today to discuss pricing adjustments for the Azure Order’s supplies.

“Since the Azure Order picked up the goods this time, it was easier than expected. So we were thinking of moving the base…”

Rodella already knew the gist of what Cecilia wanted to say.

It wasn’t complicated—just a matter of relocating the unit.

Which meant the supply prices would also be adjusted…

…Aivert must’ve been really tired that day.

“Ro-dell-la.”

“Huh?”

Rodella blinked and realized they were already in a restaurant.

As dishes were placed in front of them, she thought to herself—

‘When did we even walk in here?’

“Are you worried about something?”

Cecilia finally dropped the business talk and asked.

Rodella turned to her at last.

“Not really…?”

Cecilia’s eyebrows rose at the half-hearted answer.

“What’s with that dragging, uncertain ‘not really’?”

“I mean, probably not. I don’t think so.”

Rodella’s voice was half-dazed.

Maybe she just hadn’t slept well?

But Cecilia seemed to hear something else entirely in her words.

“Not really, my foot. What are you thinking about so hard?”

Thinking so hard…?

Now that was a question Rodella could’ve answered.

She almost started talking—but stopped herself.

Bringing up Aivert here wouldn’t do any good.

Unless it was to announce they were so madly in love they were picking wedding dates, it wouldn’t be helpful.

So instead, Rodella looked away slightly and began.

“Actually, this is about my friend…”

***

“My friend, huh…”

At those words, Cecilia was certain.

‘This is about her.’

“She keeps thinking about someone over and over again.”

“Ooh.”

Cecilia made a half-hearted sound of admiration.

‘Finally?’

Was Aivert’s floundering finally bearing fruit?

“But she doesn’t know why she’s thinking of him.”

Rodella looked deeply serious.

Even now, as she spoke, her gaze was far away, as though she was still thinking about him.

’Hmm…’

Cecilia narrowed her eyes.

“And?”

“Things she never used to notice are suddenly getting to her. She thinks it might be worry, but there’s no reason to be worried, and yet she still is…”

Her words were tangled, her mind clearly distracted.

“Oh—before that.”

Rodella suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Something has changed lately. Yes, I definitely think he changed.”

“Are you sure you’re talking about your friend?”

Just a second ago it was “my friend”…

Rodella flinched.

“No, I heard the story that way!”

“Suure.”

Cecilia crossed her arms.

“She said she never used to care about what he did, but now she does. She keeps finding herself assigning meaning to everything he does. Oh, and before that—”

Rodella fidgeted with her fingers as she continued.

“He’s doing things he never used to. Like suddenly asking her to go on vacation. Or staring at her. I mean, yeah, he can ask that, but…”

Rodella trailed off and finally asked,

“What does it mean? Maybe it means nothing? Maybe he’s just in a good mood? Why’s he acting like that?”

‘Oh, please. You need to ask?’  

Cecilia sighed internally, then asked flatly,

“So this is about you, right?”

“Nope, my friend.”

After telling the whole story like it was her own, she was still insisting it was about someone else.

Cecilia raised an eyebrow.

Weren’t you the one who said your only friends are me and him?

“Anyway… what do you think?”

The question was vague, but Cecilia understood.

‘I don’t know how I feel.’

That’s what Rodella was really saying. And the answer was simple.

This was a love consultation, plain and simple.