OMLOW 90

Chapter 90

“What do you mean?”

The fact that he asked so calmly made it seem like he truly wasn’t bothered at all…

“Well… you see, if my father suddenly passed away, I think I’d be terribly shocked. I’d probably cry a lot too.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t you, Rio?”

At my question, Lionel remained silent for quite a while.

It didn’t feel like he didn’t know the answer. Rather, it seemed he was taking a moment so he could give me a sincere reply.

“I wouldn’t.”

“Really? You’re really okay?”

“Yes.”

“Well… that’s good, I guess…”

Wait—was it really okay to call that a good thing?

If he were just pretending to be fine, it would be different, but he genuinely looked alright. That made it hard for me to say anything more.

I came here to comfort him…

But comforting someone who didn’t need comfort felt strange too.

After thinking for a bit, I lightly hopped onto his palm, leaned my body against one of his fingers, and spoke.

“As for me… I hope it never happens, and it probably won’t. But if something ever happened to you, Lionel, I think I’d cry a lot.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Why do you think I worked so hard on developing magical tools?”

“I see.”

Lionel’s response remained calm as ever. But I already knew that was just the kind of person he was, so I let it slide.

Then something unexpected came from his mouth.

“I cried a lot as well.”

“Really? When?”

Instead of answering immediately, Lionel did what he always did—he cupped my back with his hand and gently rubbed my head with his thumb.

His touch was always careful, but it had a persistence that wouldn’t stop unless I told him to.

Today was the same. Only after I flapped my wings vigorously in protest did he finally stop.

“…When my grandmother passed away.”

“Your grandmother? Ah…”

Now that I thought about it, I remembered reading in Lionel’s background information that he had been present at his grandmother’s deathbed.

That must have been… when he was six? Or seven?

Since it was from the previous generation, I didn’t know much about what kind of person the former Empress had been.

I’d only heard that after falling seriously ill, she moved to a separate residence and kept her distance from the Emperor and Empress. Though… I also vaguely remembered hearing she had actually been pushed aside and treated like an old woman no longer needed.

“Did you get along well with your grandmother… the former Empress?”

“She was my only family.”

“Your only family?”

“Yes. For both of us.”

Hmm… I felt like I understood what he meant.

“She taught me many things… and when she passed away, she left me some important words.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that someday, I would have a family I could share my heart with.”

Oh. That was a wonderful thing to say.

Though if she said that… it must mean that even in her eyes, the others didn’t really count as family.

“It’s a shame she passed away so early. I would’ve liked to meet her too.”

“Yes. If Grandmother had seen you, Liri, she would’ve been able to leave without worry.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Even though she said I would one day have a family, she was worried that I might never truly gain one.”

“Really?”

If she worried about something like that, it meant the former Empress must have truly cherished Lionel.

…Hm? Wait.

“Uh… so does that mean… I’m going to become your real family, Lionel?”

“Yes.”

Oh my.

“Why?”

“Because you said you would cry for me.”

Saying that, Lionel smiled and rubbed my head again with his thumb.

“And you also said you would live with me for the rest of your life.”

“That’s true. As long as we don’t break off the engagement or get divorced.”

If I remembered correctly, that conversation had happened the very first time I met Lionel.

It was surprising enough that he remembered something said so casually so long ago—but maybe because he was the one saying the words for the rest of our lives, it felt completely different in weight.

When we first met, he really felt like some empty tin doll…

And now he was talking about real family.

He really grew up well.

No—I raised him well.

Good job, Cecilia Loheim. You worked hard!

“Later, when we have time, let’s go pay our respects to your grandmother too.”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything you wanted to do once you had a family? I’ll do all of it with you.”

“I’ll think about it. What about you, Liri?”

“Me? Well…”

Hmm…

I guess I was curious about the things married couples do… and maybe a little excited about it!

But there’s no way I can say that out loud.

“Ahem. I’ll tell you later—when we properly hold our wedding ceremony and become a real married couple.”

“Understood. Is there anything I need to prepare?”

“It’s fine. You’re already perfect.”

Not just that handsome face of his—his overwhelming stamina had already been acknowledged in the novel, enough for him to earn the title of the obsessive male lead.

And those incredible abs and broad chest…

Well… during the process of transferring my consciousness into Luda’s body, I had unintentionally confirmed that a few times. Ahem.

“All you have to do is bring your body to me. Got it?”

“Yes.”

He really answered well.

As a reward, I climbed onto his head and gently stroked his golden hair with my wings.

“When we meet again in the capital, I’ll give you a big hug for all the hard work you’ve done.”

“Yes. I’ll do the same.”

“No, no. If I hug you, then you have to give me a really deep kiss.”

“Is that so? Understood.”

“Ah, but not in front of other people. That would be embarrassing.”

“Understood.”

Lionel raised his hand above his head, and I lightly landed on his palm.

He brought me closer to his face so we were looking at each other and said,

“I want to see you soon, Liri.”

“Me too. I’ll head to the capital soon, so you come quickly too. And be careful not to get hurt!”

“Yes.”

Lionel nodded, then—perhaps signaling that it was time to sleep—he placed my body, Luda’s body, into the pocket of his jacket.

The pocket was positioned right above his left chest, so whenever I leaned inside it, I could clearly hear the sound of his heartbeat.

Thump, thump… thud, thud…

Matching that rhythm, his hand gently patted me, and he hummed a lullaby under his breath.

Before I knew it, I fell into a deep sleep.

Come to think of it… that lullaby keeps going back to the beginning halfway through.

Maybe he doesn’t know the second half?

That was the last thought that crossed my mind.

Meanwhile…

It had already been a week since the Emperor passed away.

One week.

If you asked whether it was long or short—it certainly wasn’t a short amount of time. Yet the head chamberlain of the imperial palace could barely remember how that week had passed.

The Emperor’s death had been far too sudden.

And what followed afterward had been even more shocking than the death itself.

“Lord Chamberlain. Her Majesty the Empress has summoned you.”

“Very well. I’ll go immediately.”

While everyone was still reeling from the Emperor’s sudden death, the Empress had moved swiftly and succeeded in seizing authority as the acting ruler.

She immediately began preparing to enthrone the First Prince as the Crown Prince—

No, as the next Emperor.

Only one person stood in opposition to her.

The Duke of Loheim.

But even if he was a duke, what power did he have alone to stop the Empress?

Moreover, the Empress had already devised a way to win over the people.

A divine oracle.

Your Majesty… everything has happened far too quickly for us to respond.

The chamberlain pressed his hand against his chest as he recalled the Emperor while he was still alive.

During the walk to the Empress’s palace, countless thoughts surfaced in his mind—only to be dismissed again and again.

But he reached no conclusion.

Before he knew it, he had already arrived.

“Your Majesty the Empress. The head chamberlain of the Emperor’s palace has arrived.”

“Let him enter.”

The doors to the Empress’s reception chamber slowly opened.

The chamberlain stepped inside, tense—as if he were walking into a place of execution.