Rosetta was looking at Seoho with a strange expression again.
“Why?”
“No, it’s nothing. Actually, as you said, I was in a bad mood today.”
“I see. Then the letter…”
“No, you can send the letter. Really.”
His expression was certainly better than before.
“Instead, will you tell me your story?”
Making such an out-of-the-blue request. He smiled and asked as if pleading.
“We’ve mainly talked about me since the first day. Today I want to hear your story, Seoho.”
“There’s nothing particularly special.”
“I want to hear Seoho’s unspecial story.”
After thinking for a moment, Seoho recalled the story he’d told when Aris came recently.
“Well, then… It’s something I told Aris and Puti, a story related to my name.”
“Your name?”
“Yes, that my name was given because of a conception dream…”
Rosetta looked at the door and asked.
“You told that story?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me too.”
At Rosetta, who seemed suddenly motivated, Seoho looked at him in surprise, then, captivated by that sparkling face, slowly opened his mouth.
His eyes were shining again. Like a lake receiving starlight.
“Um, so one day my mother had a dream.”
It was truly a magnificent face.
***
After directly confirming that Angel had left the imperial palace, Puti headed to Rosetta.
“The Holy Maiden has left the palace.”
Even though Rosetta had so blatantly provoked Angel, he was looking at the bathroom door indifferently as if he wasn’t curious at all. As Puti followed Rosetta’s gaze and stared at the bathroom where Seoho would be, he asked.
“Do you have more to report?”
It was an order to leave quickly if not, but Puti had something to say.
“After Your Majesty left the drawing room, the Holy Maiden was a bit strange.”
Rosetta, who hadn’t even looked at Puti because he was focused on Seoho, turned to him and asked.
“What about her?”
Puti recalled Angel’s mouth that had been splitting wide. He didn’t know if that smile was so creepy because his opinion was involved, but that smile was truly strange.
“It was a very bizarre smile. If I had to judge the emotion, it wasn’t anger but seemed like joy.”
Rosetta muttered.
“She was happy?”
Rosetta fell into thought. Puti naturally observed Rosetta’s beautiful face. That expressionless face had been filled with arrogance and had properly trampled on the other party.
‘Earlier was really…’
How surprised he’d been when he showed blatant hostility toward Angel earlier. Even though Rosetta didn’t like Angel, to give orders so openly like that. It was the first time.
‘Rather than not touching her because he was afraid, it felt more like he didn’t pay attention because touching her unnecessarily would become more bothersome.’
Puti remembered Rosetta muttering to himself whenever Angel appeared at the palace and bothered him unnecessarily.
‘Being emperor is already bothersome, there’s no need to put even the temple under me.’
Rosetta was someone who knew that if he reached out to the temple, the temple would willingly bow their heads under his hand. But the reason he hadn’t done so until now was simply because it was bothersome.
Rosetta had chosen the less bothersome option between Angel bothering him and the entire temple bothering him.
But provoking Angel like this time—didn’t it mean he was angry enough to endure the bother of controlling the temple?
‘Of course, for someone angry, he looks fine now.’
Although he had no expression, he still didn’t look angry. He didn’t seem to be holding back something like earlier either.
As Puti was observing Rosetta’s state, he opened his mouth again.
“It seems you have some idea. Put someone on the Holy Maiden. Since there are already many people around the Holy Maiden, it won’t be difficult.”
The Holy Maiden had already left the imperial palace. So Rosetta’s words meant to put someone on the Holy Maiden who would be at the temple.
‘He really intends to touch the temple.’
Planting someone in the temple, touching the Holy Maiden—that’s what it meant. To put the temple under the emperor’s feet.
For Puti, it wasn’t a bad thing.
Not only was it unimaginable for Rosetta to lose, but if the temple came to be under the emperor’s feet like that, Puti’s prestige would rise even higher.
Puti raised the corners of his mouth slightly, then bowed his head and answered.
“I will consult with the aides and narrow down suitable candidates.”
“Bring it by tomorrow morning.”
Puti checked the time. It was 30 minutes before the aides’ work hours ended. He thought the aides would be quite ground down, but Puti didn’t refuse.
“Yes.”
“And one more thing. Call Imperial Mage Aris tomorrow. I need to check if magic works on Seoho’s ankle.”
“Understood.”
When there were no more orders, Puti glanced at Rosetta and tried to quietly leave the room.
Rosetta hated being disturbed when he was with Seoho, and he’d sent Puti a look telling him not to draw Seoho’s attention and move silently.
He was about to leave the room when Rosetta suddenly threw a question at Puti.
“Oh, and don’t you have more to tell me?”
At the strange tone and slightly furrowed eyes, Puti flinched and stopped in place, searching his thoughts. Looking at his expression, it seemed something was wrong, but Puti really couldn’t think of anything.
As Puti rapidly racked his brain, he saw Rosetta’s face gradually hardening and begged for forgiveness.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. What you’re referring to…”
Then Rosetta asked as if dumbfounded.
“You really don’t know?”
Puti only bowed his head deeper. Then Rosetta said as if pathetic.
“Are you stupid? Or are you incompetent?”
Something welled up, but he had nothing to say in rebuttal. As Puti was bowing his head, Rosetta said in an irritated voice.
“I heard about Seoho’s conception dream.”
For a moment, Puti almost cursed out loud. A conception dream—it wasn’t a story related to Angel. It was absurd, but Puti couldn’t show that feeling.
“Ah. That…, I’m sorry. Your Majesty.”
“Didn’t I tell you to report everything?”
He had. Rosetta wanted to know everything Seoho did while he was away, and Puti always reported Seoho’s daily routine to Rosetta.
‘Why did I leave it out?’
There was only one thing Puti could say.
“I’m sorry. It’s my oversight.”
“This is absurd. What else haven’t you mentioned among the records you’ve given me?”
Puti answered quickly.
“Other than that, I’ve recorded and conveyed everything.”
“How can I trust you?”
“That, that is…”
He could feel Rosetta’s eyes scanning him. It felt like sweat was running down his forehead.
“To do your work so sloppily, aren’t you ashamed of your position…”
Just then, along with a clicking sound, the bathroom door opened. When Seoho appeared, Rosetta, who had been reprimanding Puti, closed his mouth.
In the quiet room, Seoho called Rosetta questioningly.
“Rosetta?”
The appearance of pressing Puti until now disappeared somewhere, and Rosetta smiled beautifully and welcomed Seoho.
“Ah, Seoho.”
Seoho was approaching Rosetta when he discovered Puti standing in front of him and smiled.
“Puti. Were you waiting? You don’t have to. I can do it myself.”
Puti, who had been watching Rosetta’s mood, examined Seoho’s wet hair.
It was a bit strange. On the first day, Seoho had declined Puti drying his hair. When Puti said it was his job, Seoho had started drying his hair moderately inside the bathroom before coming out.
But today Seoho’s hair was very wet. Unlike usual.
Puti stared blankly at that hair, then discovered Seoho waiting for him and quickly answered.
“…No. Seoho-nim, this is my job. Please come here.”
Puti took Seoho and approached the vanity. And he carefully began to dry Seoho’s hair. Seoho nonchalantly received Puti’s service as if it was always like this and asked.
“By the way, Rosetta, what were you talking about?”
From the moment Puti touched Seoho’s hair, Rosetta, who had been looking at Puti with cold eyes, relaxed his expression again.
“We were just talking about work.”
“Really?”
Seoho’s eyes, nodding calmly, and Puti’s eyes collided through the mirror. When their eyes met, Puti realized that Seoho, who smiled cheekily, had helped him.
‘He came out knowing everything.’
Using the excuse of receiving service that he didn’t particularly like normally.
When Puti blinked and expressed his thanks, Seoho winked as if to say it was fine, then continued the conversation with Rosetta.
After moderately drying Seoho’s hair, Puti left the room quietly without disturbing the two people’s conversation. To be precise, Seoho kept talking to Rosetta so Puti wouldn’t get scolded again. A faint smile appeared on Puti’s lips as he walked down the corridor.
‘He’s a good person.’
Puti, who recalled the eyes that had smiled warmly at him, moved his steps quickly as if determined. He had originally thought he should protect him because he was Rosetta’s person.
If Seoho got hurt or had problems, besides Rosetta and Seoho, the person who would suffer the most would be himself who would face Rosetta’s wrath.
‘Such a kind person.’
Rather than for his own safety, fondness arose for Seoho as a person himself.
In Rosetta’s case, Seoho had misread it, but basically Seoho was a considerate person.
Puti moved his steps vigorously. What Puti could do right now to protect Seoho was to whip the aides.
Of course, to show Rosetta his ability as well, Puti mustn’t forget to diligently encourage the aides too.
‘How should I soothe them today?’
Puti moved his feet diligently to deliver the worst news to the aides who would be dreaming of leaving work.
