Spring had passed.
People accepted the death of Belial Serena Meinhardt. It was so easy and simple that it felt ridiculous compared to his presence. His existence seemed to have been erased from the world, so I had to try my best to think about Belial a little less.
Lorenz Serena Meinhardt became emperor. His actions were quite astonishing. He seemed like a completely different person from the past, when he had been judged as a coward. As he strengthened his position through an unprecedented reign of terror, he demanded much bloodshed. Lorenz stood behind the Duke of Klein, and there were only a handful of people who had a justifiable cause to oppose him.
If Belial were still here, would it have been different?
Perhaps this wouldn't have happened. Belial was arrogant, but he possessed a temperament that showed mercy to those under his control. Everyone thought so. However, no one dared to say it aloud.
Nonetheless, Lorenz kept his promise from the hunt. He did not pressure the North in any way. Of course, the nobles, weary of the power struggle, were reluctant to negotiate with the North, but Kyle did not give up.
Kyle lived each day as fiercely as ten. He met with Baron Castanets in the Northeast, established a trade agreement, and tended to the estates that had been confused by his absence. They also prepared for the coming cold and strengthened their defenses in anticipation of demon invasions. It was not an easy task. However, the future of the North was at stake. Kyle did it all without complaint.
"There's no end to what you do," I remarked.
Despite my words, Kyle showed no sign of displeasure. He smiled, even though he was tired and looked as if he might drop dead. That's the kind of man who made this barren northern land habitable. And, in fact, he accomplished a great deal. He did his best to replace the incomplete, individualized trade with a unified fiefdom system and to enable the people of the territory to live their lives within a social safety net.
A manor that survived an unprecedented reign of terror. An indomitable land that never collapses, even enduring the longest winter of all. The people of the Meinhardt Empire had forgotten its barren past, and they envied the precarious peace that the people of this cold land had achieved.
Thus, the people were divided into two: either they admired Kyle Blake, or they were jealous of Kyle Blake.
What did I do when I spent the spring as a foolish observer in a situation where conflict could erupt at any moment?
I cooked.
It's all about eating and living, isn't it?
"Demon mathematician. Where are you going?"
My head jerked back. If I turned my body, I would spill what I was holding, so my answer was inevitably dry. "I'm going to deliver this."
"To His Highness? He must be in his office."
"Huh? No, he wasn't. He was sparring with the knights in the underground theater."
"Huh? He consulted with a seamstress about getting new armor…"
"Oh! So where is he now?"
Is he in the office or in the theater? Or a parlor? Outside the castle? The storeroom? Kyle would disappear in the blink of an eye and then reappear before I knew it. Even if I had ten bodies, I couldn't move faster than that.
"Mr. Shu."
"Shu."
And I was still a bit of a stranger in this territory. Some people knew me as a mathematician, an eccentric stranger, a suspicious person who was always with His Highness. Everyone was curious about my identity, and no one knew the right answer. Still, everyone accepted it appropriately. It didn't make logical sense when I thought about it, but everyone excused it as the fact that I was striving for the North and for Kyle.
'So, I wonder if he was able to embrace those who had nowhere else to go.'
Of course, there was some benefit from the "Godfather of the North" effect I received after beating the Hidden Quest, but perhaps it was more because Kyle trusted me. So, I asked Kyle the other day why he didn't doubt me. At that time, he gave a rather simple answer.
'There are many such people in the North. Those who were thrown out of Hwangseong without being able to blend in, or those who lost everything and drifted here. Even I did. That's why I didn't force myself to dig into it. Of course, you were a bit suspicious and unusual.'
It's a secret that I felt a little embarrassed when Kyle laughed as he said that.
Anyway, I'm doing my best not to let my destined community starve today. Holding a bowl of slightly cooled food, I strode down the long hallway.
Tap, tap, tap…
Rustle, rustle.
My regular gait was mixed with other sounds. It sounded a little heavier, but a little more sparse than the sound I made. I sighed heavily, as if sighing.
"Do you have to play hide-and-seek at this age? He hides so well. It looks like I've gone all the way around the castle. I was running out of time, so I decided to leave it in the study."
Then a low voice chuckled and replied, "I wasn't really hiding."
"By the way, you haven't seen it after looking for more than an hour?"
"I have something to say."
I clicked my tongue and walked on. I didn't look back, but I could tell who was walking after me. So there was no need to look back. We sometimes wander, but we always walk toward the same place in search of each other.
"What else did you make this time?"
"Seafood stew. I put a lot of tomatoes in it."
When it comes to summer health food, meat is often mentioned, but Blake's territory had plenty of meat. Recently, some seafood from the northern branch of Castanets came in, so I thoroughly boiled it, perfect for a summer health dish.
The sound of footsteps following me was getting closer and closer. I slowed down a little. He also kept pace with me, knowing there was no need to hurry.
"Is it delicious?"
"Someone made it, of course. Don't you believe me?"
I've been cooking for myself for several years now. No, more than that, I always ate my own food. Just like someone who is waiting for me to get hot. Sure enough, Kyle began to chuckle and laugh as if even that silly story was funny. A long, dark shadow gently fell over me.
"Shall we eat together?"
"Time is ambiguous. Ten minutes left."
"Too bad."
"So, wait patiently for the next time."
How nice would it be to have a cell phone? Even though I think I've gotten used to life here, I can't help but miss science and technology every time I do this.
"I'll try."
What is the effort?
We'll be unsuccessful next time. Kyle wasn't one to sit idly by, waiting for the food I brought him, and I wasn't the kind of person who wanted him to put off work and come to the restaurant to eat. But we'll meet eventually. They would giggle and laugh in front of cold food, and they would grumble about where they went to meet each other. Even the time to walk around the castle, seeing how Blake's people are doing and making sure there are no problems, is precious.
"My arm is going to fall off." I shrugged my shoulders, feigning exhaustion. "Please take it."
"Yes."
I stopped walking. Then, as if he had been waiting, a hand came out from behind. With one hand, he held the tray together as if overlapping mine, and with the other arm, he wrapped it tightly around my waist. He leaned his chin on my shoulder and kissed my cheek. He looked happy, his eyes downcast and smiling.
"Good job."
"You don't have to be so apologetic. I'll be back tomorrow."
"That sounds like you're leaving. Aren't we going to stay together anyway?"
"... Huh."
I tilted my head slightly. "Who is there for you?"
"Yes."
"..."
I know jokes like ghosts. I didn't want to be misunderstood, but sometimes it's trivial to say it so confidently. My mouth was agape, but Kyle laughed as if it was okay. He laughed mischievously, just like a boy. His smile reflected on the polished dishes on the tray. The reason why the dishes were shiny was not just because they had been cleaned well.
I grumbled, pretending not to notice the warmth tickling inside me. "You can hold it well. I made it as a precious foodstuff, but what's the point of spilling it?"
His scarred hands squeezed the tray tightly. They had become rougher than when we first met. He also had a new scar that ran across the back of his hand. However, it didn't seem strange or unpleasant at all. It was a medal that proved how desperately Kyle had survived. And it was one of the dozens of reasons I liked him.
"I'll go ahead and wait. Please come to the study."
"Can't we stay together?"
"It's a study just around the corner. It'll take just one minute."
"It's a minute's walk."
"Hey, really."
[(*>﹏<*)′]
I excitedly put away the system window that was fluttering in a hurry.
"Okay. I'll put it in your pocket, so let's go and eat first."
Don't go hungry. For Koreans, a meal is as important as their life. If he didn't do this, he would often skip meals with the excuse that he was busy with his work. I know I can't help it because I'm busy, but it's not good for him to force himself like that.
Kyle nodded, as if even my nagging was pleasant. In that way, he ate the food I brought him without skipping it, so I was quite proud as the giver.
['Load' will be lifted after 1 minute.]
The white light that I was so familiar with now enveloped me, and I slipped into his pocket as my handsome lover wished. He carefully traced his pocket with his unheld hand and began to walk again. He didn't forget to gently stroke my forehead with the tip of his index finger.
Summer was approaching in Blake's estate.