Don't Concern Yourself With That Book
Chapter Side Story 1-4

Side Story 1-4

Translator: yun

“In any case, it is always better to have more consorts.”

“Of course it is.”

After slightly clearing his throat, Fleon agreed. Ira tilted her head a little to the left. That did not sound like the emperor Ira had been hearing so much about. 

‘I heard that the emperor and her prince consort were very close.’

Did the rumours get it wrong?

‘I did not hear of there being any consorts in the Empire under the current emperor’s reign.’

No king had any fewer than two wives. Even the current king of Walter had several wives but he loved his queen so much that he only recognised her children. 

“You look as if you are having a hard time comprehending this.”

Before she realised it, the man named Fleon was staring down at her arrogantly. Ira smiled and responded so as not to offend him. 

“Uhm, I hope I’m not being too rude but I am a little curious. Why did you insist that having more queens would be better?”

Fleon gave a slight smile.

“Was that what had you in a dilemma? You must find it strange. I don’t know, the answer might be too personal to reveal to a stranger.”

Even as he smiled, he looked intimidating. 

“I just want my younger sister to be more loved than anyone else.”

However, Ira could not deny that his face was still splendid to see. 

“At least if there are more competitors, she would have more love showered upon her.”

Again, he nodded continuously. 

“To be loved for a long time or, if possible, for eternity. That is merely what the well-read older brother wishes for his younger sister.”

His final salutations were also distinguished enough to be featured in an etiquette manual. 

“Well then, I shall be taking my leave first.”

Even though he was the one with his head lowered, his arrogance did not diminish. But it did not rub off on Ira the wrong way. Rather, she thought that arrogance looked good on him. 

***

“Since we’re here, someone will come collect you soon.”

Ira’s short yet long journey with Marissa had come to an end. They had reached the Central Palace. A path that would lead to every corner of the Imperial Palace. Soon, the palace’s bookkeeper would come pick Ira up. 

“The person you will soon be meeting is my niece. She also works as a lady-in-waiting here. She’s someone no one else can replace… anyway, she’ll probably take good care of you, ducal princess.”

Ira gave a slight nod. She parted her lips to express her gratitude. 

“Thank you. I had fun.”

Ira might not have acted like a ducal princess today but she should send off her benefactor gracefully. 

“I had fun too.”

Smiling, Marissa turned around.

“While leading you around the palaces today, I was reminded of another young lady around your age, ducal princess.”

With disciplined steps. She left as dynamically and smartly as she appeared. 

She stared at the sight before her eyes like a child that was being abandoned. The vantage point she found herself at gave Ira a panoramic view of the capital. 

Staring at the well-paved roads, Ira was momentarily reminded of her family’s estate. 

Would commerce flourish if these roads were introduced to their territories? 

What about the volume of trade? And if that was the case, what about the efficiency of their agriculture? 

But Ira soon shook her head. They were all matters that she, a woman, had no need to ponder about. 

‘I just need to marry well. It doesn’t matter.’

Ira was just fascinated. This was a country in which their emperor was a woman. The sight of Marissa, a Head Templar of the Sword, holding her head high proudly as she sauntered in her combat boots. 

‘Of course, I have no thoughts on being a knight.’

Walter was a country in which gender roles were clearly defined. Ira had reasoned with herself that she was merely captivated as everything was different in this country. 

‘By the way, it feels like I’ve spent the whole day waiting for people. Will she not be coming? The lady-in-waiting.’

Just when Ira was about to pull out her hair. She could feel the temperature in her hand rising. The notebook she was holding was glowing. 

“Are you giving off light?”

The light was a mysterious purple. Without much thought, she opened the book and a beam of light shot towards a specific direction. Seeing where the light was pointed, Ira felt like a child being enticed to go on an adventure. 

“… Don’t tell me, is it trying to tell me to follow the light?”

No, she was a mere guest, could she even move as she pleased? But Ira soon realised. 

‘You’ll find out soon.’

Didn’t that woman mention before? If that was the case, there shouldn’t be a problem with moving unaccompanied, right?

‘What if diplomatic issues arise? I wonder if Cjezarn will take responsibility.’

It was Cjezarnian who sent her here.

‘I don’t care anymore! He’ll take care of it!’

She was cunning enough to be able to shift the blame on him anyway. Thinking this was deserving compensation for the long carriage ride she had endured here, Ira took a step forward. 

Thump thump. 

As she followed the purple light, the excitement within her soared.

‘The air here is cooling.’

Gradually, she found herself surrounded by more plants. She thought she had been mistaken at first but the lush landscape she could see between the pillars wound by vines suggested otherwise. Moreover, she no longer saw the numerous attendants and maids she had back when she was walking with Marissa. There were barely any people around. 

After walking for a long time, Ira stopped before a door. At that moment, the purple light vanished without a trace. It felt like this was the destination she had been walking towards.

 ‘Can I go in?’

The door was wide open. When she tiptoed cautiously, she spotted in a glance. The transparent white curtains fluttering in the wind. And a figure that could be seen underneath on their back. 

‘Gasp. A man?’

The man under the curtain, who was hidden, revealed and hidden again, appeared to be fast asleep. 

‘Gasp. A handsome man?’

As soon as she spotted the man, Ira inhaled sharply. 

The man had skin that looked a little pale but still shone like a white jade and blue hair that fluttered like silver threads as they blended into the calm landscape. Ira felt guilty as though she had seen something she was not supposed to.

‘I think I went the wrong way.’

Ira quickly tried to retreat. But a thin vine that appeared out of nowhere whipped across the air and wrapped around her hand. As she hurriedly tried to pull the vine off her hand, the man’s eyes slowly opened.

“Rosé?”

His low voice sounded chillingly sweet. 

“Ah. It’s not.”

Ira froze at her spot. 

His eyes that seemed to be dyed in all shades of green reflected the sunlight. Was this what it felt like to look up at the sky in the middle of a dense forest? Even as the man blinked his beautiful eyes, the colour of his eyes remained in Ira’s mind. 

“Identify yourself.”

His expression changed as though his sweet gaze from earlier had been a mere dream. 

“I asked you to identify yourself.”

She flinched at his frosty voice that seemed to be strangling her neck. The man’s eyes slowly turned to face Ira. But his entire body, from his head to his toes, started shaking from laughter. 

‘Oh dear.’ His smile twisted the rest of his cold expression as his sky-blue hair continued to flutter. 

“I guess she wanted to play a prank on me. Poor thing being used as a scapegoat…”

The man let out a low laugh. 

“Are you a maid?”

Ira wondered what he could possibly mean but as she scanned the rest of her body, she found herself wearing strange clothes. The bright outdoor dress she thought she was wearing turned out to be a simple cotton one. 

“S-since when have I been wearing this?”

These were the clothes she clearly recalled the maids outside wearing. 

“That’s strange. Are you not a maid?”

The man asked as he tilted his head. Within his cold gaze, it was clear that he still had his guard up. 

“No, I’m not. I’m not a maid…”

I was the Ducal princess of Walter. Ira hurriedly revealed her identity.

“So, you were a noble.”

Momentarily surprised, the man soon accepted it. 

“May I ask for your name?”

“Ah, I’m Ira de Marigold.”

Surrounded by lush greenery, the man lifted the corners of his lips though she was not sure if he was actually smiling. 

“Marigold, that’s the name of a flower.”

The moment he mentioned that it was the name of a flower, his expression seemed to briefly soften. 

“I think she sent you to me because of your name.”

Ira became curious about the man’s identity. She was wondering if he knew where they were and why she was sent here. 

“That ‘artefact’ led you here. That’s not the only artefact she could have used but she seems to hold it dear.”

Having been too immersed in her own thoughts, Ira did not notice the man’s question.

“Could you hand it over?”

She knew the man was referring to the notebook.

“Are you the owner of this book?”

The man shook his head. His sky-blue hair shook accordingly. 

“No.”

“Then, I cannot hand it over.”

Ira’s hands were unknowingly shaking. 

“Please. This item is precious to me.”

She then pressed her lips together firmly. She could not hand it over so recklessly. She had been entrusted with this item by a woman whose name and appearance she didn’t know but she suddenly recalled the words the woman had uttered to her. When the woman told her that it was ‘precious’ to her, she sounded as though she held a deep affection for it. 

However, at the same time, doubt crept up from the corner of her mind. 

“There must be someone you promised to hand it over to. That person is me.”

Ira was a little surprised. He knew the truth. 

“The person in the innermost room of the palace.”

She did not know where the innermost room in the palace was but Ira thought it might be here. She did walk for a long time. 

“You don’t need to be wary.”

As though he could read her mind, he spoke coldly.

“W-well, it could be someone else.”

“No. That’s impossible. I’m certain that she was referring to me.”

His voice was filled with undeniable conviction. 

“I haven’t introduced myself.”

A gust of wind was blowing. On the receiving end of its breaths, the leaves shook gently. The plants were swaying and dancing like they were alive. 

‘Ah, flowers.’

Just then, buds sprung along the branches. Before flowers bloomed. Flutter flutter. Petals were flying about. The man, engulfed in the whirlwind of leaves and flowers, suited the dreamlike scenery so well. 

With his low voice, the man harped. 

“I am the Empire’s prince consort.”

Ira thought she had heard him wrong.

“Huh? Then…”

Her eyes slowly turned to look at her hand. If that man was the prince consort, then the woman who handed this to her was… 

“Aw dang.”

Someone dropped from the ceiling. Someone she didn’t recognise had fallen from such a height before dusting off their knees. 

“If you say that, Amor, you’d reveal my identity.”

She was the woman who had handed over the notebook. Ira bit her lips. 

“Did you think you wouldn’t get caught?”

The man chuckled. 

“My Majesty.”

Seeing the man so calm, it seemed like only Ira had been surprised.

“I thought I could fool her a little longer.”

“My apologies but I don’t like talking to anybody other than you for too long.”

The same time Amor frowned, a small flower bloomed on the woman’s hand. 

“You’ve been gone for too long, haven’t you?”

“I was only there for a day though?”

“A day when an hour is already too long.”

Unlike how grouchy he was being, the flower that bloomed on the woman’s hand was a small cute pansy. The woman almost burst out laughing. 

“You always express your longing for me like this, Amor.”

Flowers continued to bloom behind the pair. Ira’s eyes widened like a surprised rabbit. 

“Uh… uh…”

The woman smiled and pulled down the cloth covering her hair. As she removed the fabric, her elegant golden locks cascaded down. 

Blonde hair reminiscent of wheat fields… it wasn’t exactly the same but her hair was similar to that of Ira’s.

Then, there were the purple eyes that glittered as though gems had been sewn into her face. Ira finally saw the long line descending down her cheek curbing smoothly. 

She had only heard the rumours.

“I heard the emperor has a scar on her face.”

This scar was a great reason why Walter’s officials did not recognise her as a woman. If a woman living in Walter had a facial deformity like that, it would have ended her life as a woman. 

“It’s nice to meet you.”

However, Ashley smiled without hesitation even after exposing her scar. She remained calm although she knew Ira’s gaze would be drawn to the scar. 

“I told you before, didn’t I? We’ll meet again.”

Ashley spoke with a bright warm smile like clothes hanging to dry under the spring sun. Ira quickly got her act together. 

“Ah… Your Majesty…”

However, Ira could not finish her greeting. Because Ashley grabbed her before she could lower herself. 

“I don’t need a greeting. I did not appear before you as an emperor.”

Certainly, she would have never expected an emperor to be this respectable to foreign ducal princesses. If she wanted to show off her authority, she would have never stopped Ira. 

“Then… could I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Why did you leave this with me?”

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