Chapter 86

His provocative words cornered me, leaving me unable to find a response.

 

‘What exactly does he mean by “sleeping together”…?’

 

My mind raced through the various definitions of “sleeping”—from the simple physiological act of closing one’s eyes to… other, more intimate activities between a man and a woman.

 

Images of a more scandalous nature flickered in my mind before I hurriedly suppressed them, but Freyer sent a meaningful look my way.

 

“I meant that I stayed up all night nursing you.”

 

He was referring to the time I had collapsed from exhaustion. Freyer had stayed by my side for quite a while, spending the night watching over me.

 

“You were having some rather naughty thoughts, weren’t you?”

 

“Wh-What do you mean, naughty!”

 

My face flushed crimson as if he had read my embarrassing imagination. I felt like a kettle on a stove—if someone put one on my head right now, the water would surely boil over with steam.

 

“Now that I think about it, it’s happened more than once. I suppose I was overreacting.”

 

In the end, I was faced with the preposterous situation of sharing a room alone with Freyer. He patted the space on the bed beside him, beckoning me over, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. My eyes darted around the room until they landed on a sofa.

 

“Your Highness, please sleep on the bed! I’ll sleep on the sofa!”

 

“Wow, it looks so comfortable!” I added with an awkward flourish as I plopped down on it.

 

‘It’s rock hard.’

 

Contrary to my expectations, the sofa was as stiff as a slab of marble. However, in my previous life, I had lived a lifestyle of sitting on the floor rather than chairs and had spent more nights on hardwood floors than on beds. I could endure one night through sheer willpower.

 

“Haha. It’s very cozy.”

 

I curled into a fetal position and lay down. My body would surely be stiff by morning, but there was no way I could share a bed with Freyer.

 

“Goodnight!”

 

I squeezed my eyes shut awkwardly. I was about to start counting sheep when, suddenly, I felt myself floating in mid-air.

 

“You might be comfortable, but I’m uncomfortable just watching you.”

 

Before I knew it, I was cradled in Freyer’s arms. He gently laid me down on the bed, then pulled up a chair nearby and picked up his book again.

 

I tried to tell him it was fine and that I could sleep on the sofa, but Freyer cut me off before I could speak.

 

“And don’t say you’re ‘fine.’ I won’t hear it.”

 

“…….”

 

Flip—

 

The only sound in the bedroom was the turning of pages.

 

“Aren’t you going to sleep, Your Highness…?”

 

“I have a few things to check.”

 

The rhythmic sound of the pages turning began to feel like the soothing chime of a music box. Breaking the silence, Freyer asked in a careful voice.

 

“Are you free tomorrow evening?”

 

“……Tomorrow…?”

 

Teetering on the edge of sleep, I dizzily recalled my schedule. Sir Derek, who was leading the carriage with the merchant goods, hadn’t arrived yet, so we couldn’t open the shop. After a morning meeting with a partner merchant, I had nothing planned.

 

“Tomorrow… I have nothing in the afternoon…”

 

“Then keep your afternoon free tomorrow.”

 

“……?”

 

“I’d like to enjoy the festival with you.”

 

‘Is he asking me on a date?’

 

Sleep vanished instantly, and my heart began to thud wildly.

 

“Do you dislike the idea?”

 

“…No. I like festivals.”

 

“Then let’s plan to depart from the base at exactly six o’clock tomorrow.”

 

My heart was racing so fast I almost forgot how to breathe.

 

“Sweet dreams, Lilithia.”

 

Freyer’s breath felt vividly close to my ear.

 

 

***

 

 

Ricardo slammed his clenched fist onto the table. The teacups rattled, but the blond man sitting across from him merely shrugged as if unbothered.

 

“Even if you try to pressure me like this, what’s impossible is impossible, Marquis Ricardo Paez.”

 

“Do you mean to tell me it makes sense that I cannot speak with my one and only friend!”

 

“Isn’t that all just ancient history now?”

 

The diplomat from Oneren Kingdom crossed his legs and picked at his ear.

 

“If it’s a matter of importance, tell me. Or follow the official procedures step by step.”

 

“I told you, I have received full delegated authority from the Second Prince, Freyer, who sits as the Minister of Foreign Affairs!”

 

Ricardo gritted his teeth and shouted at the diplomat.

 

“How many times must I say it? I haven’t received any official documents, so the answer is no.”

 

“You truly aren’t listening.”

 

At Ricardo’s words, the diplomat let out a sneer through twisted lips.

 

“It is you who aren’t listening, Marquis. How can our kingdom trust the words of the empire? Not after the way your last delegation behaved.”

 

“That was…”

 

“You know, don’t you? How the last Imperial delegation was chased out of Oneren Kingdom.”

 

Ricardo was well aware of what had happened in his friend’s country. It was an act of extreme insolence—demanding the kingdom cooperate with the empire if they didn’t want a war. it was a disaster caused by diplomats obsessed with imperialist ideology.

 

“Marquis Ricardo, you claim that as the delegate of the Second Prince, you have nothing to do with that delegation, but how can our kingdom believe that?”

 

Located between the sea and the river, Oneren Kingdom was a vital region for the empire’s trade. Since the empire was mostly surrounded by mountains, only the southwestern region was relatively flat. Without passing through Oneren, one would have to trek over mountains or cross the sea over much longer distances to reach other territories.

 

Oneren already harbored deep resentment toward the empire due to the massive wars waged by the previous King, who coveted this strategic trade hub. However, Oneren produced powerful military supplies and knights; they did not fall to the invasion and ultimately emerged victorious.

 

“And now that His Majesty the King’s health has declined, we have no choice but to be even more guarded.”

 

The blond diplomat curled one corner of his lip, busy brushing dust off his clothes as if this conversation were beneath him.

 

“…….”

 

“So, send an official contact and follow the proper steps. Don’t try to seek an audience with the King through these unofficial channels.”

 

The diplomat waved his hand dismissively, gesturing for him to leave. Seething with frustration, Ricardo stormed out of the room.

 

 

***

 

 

The lower-ranking nobles who had gathered in Oneren Kingdom were waiting anxiously for Ricardo.

 

Thud—

 

“Leader Ricardo!”

 

As the door swung open, all eyes turned to him, but they fell silent the moment they saw his grim expression. It was then—

 

Buzz—

 

The communication device on the table rang, and Prince Freyer’s face appeared in the air. As soon as Freyer saw Ricardo’s face, he could guess what was happening.

 

— [They won’t listen to reason, I see.]

 

“I have no excuses, Your Highness…”

 

Ricardo’s gaze caught the wall decorations and the wind lanterns visible behind the Prince.

 

‘That emblem. It’s the emblem of Pearching Kingdom.’

 

“Your Highness. Are you in Pearching, not the empire?”

 

— [Your eyes are sharp as always.]

 

“……!”

 

— [Since they say a meeting with the King is impossible without an official occasion… I suppose we’ll just have to create that official occasion, won’t we?]

 

At the sound of Freyer’s confident and certain voice, everyone straightened their posture.

 

— [We meet tomorrow.]

 

 

***

 

 

“I didn’t expect the Vice-Head of the merchant group to come all the way to Pearching herself.”

 

“The one in a hurry is the one who moves.”

 

I took a sip of tea and set the cup down, getting straight to the point.

 

“Let’s get right to it. Do you have the items we requested?”

 

“The volume of wool you ordered is ready in the warehouse. Here are the documents.”

 

The representative of the Gatman Merchant Group handed over the papers. I checked the inventory of the wool stored in the warehouse and nodded.

 

“We will proceed with the purchase as originally planned.”

 

“I have nothing to say but thank you. Truly.”

 

The representative’s face, which had been pale and shadowed with worry, finally brightened.

 

“When the deal with the Baimery Merchant Group fell through, I was so worried about what to do with the stock in the warehouse… Thank you so much for trusting us.”

 

Thud—

 

I set the documents down and leaned forward, bracing my hands on the table as I fixed him with a sharp look.

 

“Let me be clear. What I trust is the quality of the goods the Gatman Merchant Group brings in.”

 

The word “trust” was absurd.

 

“You remember how our Baimery Merchant Group accommodated everything for your trade, don’t you?”

 

From paying a premium to secure the wool to extending delivery deadlines, we had adjusted every single detail for them.

 

“And if the deal couldn’t happen, you should have at least explained the circumstances in detail. Instead, all we got was ‘passage is impossible.'”

 

I had suffered through so much hardship and mental anguish on the way here. Hearing him talk about “trust” made my blood boil.

 

“We are truly ashamed of that.”

 

A heavy sigh escaped the representative’s lips as he began to explain their ordeal.

 

“We were informed just before reaching the empire that the Imperial passage permits, which were supposed to be renewed, were unusable.”

 

“They are usually renewed automatically unless there’s a specific issue.”

 

Merchants wishing to enter the empire need a state-issued permit. Unless there are issues like epidemics, diplomatic conflicts, or crimes, permits are typically renewed every year.

 

“Thinking it was a procedural error, we requested verification from the Bureau of Entry and Exit, but the only answer we got was that entry into the empire was blocked.”

 

“There must be a reason.”

 

“They didn’t even give us a reason! We still don’t know why!”

 

With a dejected expression, the representative pointed a finger at the sacks piled up inside the shop and shouted.

 

“Our merchant group purchased sugar from tropical climates specifically to supply the empire…!”

 

The shelves were packed with sugar sacks.

 

“What you see here is only a fraction of it. A total of three hundred sacks of sugar are stored across five warehouses…”

 

Three hundred sacks. The number was beyond my imagination, and I gasped, covering my mouth.

 

“What are we supposed to do with all this? How can we possibly sell this much sugar in Pearching Kingdom, which is barely a tenth the size of the empire?”

 

Moving the goods costs money. Storing them in a warehouse costs money. Everything was just a drain on their funds. Since no other region consumed as much sugar as the empire, there was no guarantee it would sell elsewhere.

 

“Unlike white sugar, brown sugar needs to be sold within three years…”

 

At his words, my eyes snapped open.

 

‘Brown sugar?’

 

Looking closely, the words “Brown Sugar” were indeed stamped on the sacks. A new idea flashed through my mind.

 

I stood up, slamming both hands on the table, and shouted.

 

“Sell that sugar to me!”

 

I never imagined I would find the breakthrough for our merchant group right here.