The place where the tents were set up stood on an empty plot of land. Originally, this was a mass burial place. During the reign of the previous Emperor, the Rebels of the past fled through this mountain pass of Ataraxia and fled towards Alba and Nirari in the northern part of Hilaria. But they were quickly defeated by the Imperial Army troops and were executed on the spot. They were students from the Imperial Academy who went on strike to protest. They were forced to flee because many of them carried out their political speeches by destroying several public facilities. The emperor was angry and decided to withdraw the penalty of reducing the funds and the meal ration to the death penalty.
They are basically ordinary people who are led to demonstrations without knowing what problems are truly bothering them. Until the moment of execution, they did not know that all this time they had been moving half a foot inside the tiger's mouth. Their heads were beheaded and a large hole was dug at the foot of this mountain to bury them. After a long time, this place was abandoned. So that in the early days of the current Emperor's reign, the issue of expanding the area of the palace alliance training ground in the residential area had attracted so much anger from the citizens that the proposal was discontinued. But because the need couldn't be prevented for too long, the palace alliance training ground was carried out in the old hunting area, and new hunting ground was officially opened there.
The dark history was not written in the novel so Kirsi did not know anything about it. Now was the first time she had heard that this place was a former mass grave area. And she was scared. She groaned, trying to cover up her fearful vibes as casual as possible. "What kind of nonsense are you saying? Can we talk about some fun things before eating?"
"This is a fun topic before eating." Cedric drew an abstract thing on the ground using a small twig he got at random. "You're from Suerius, right? So you wouldn't know. I spent most of my time in Alba and Nirari before running from West to South with my tail wagging between my legs. Based on hearsay in Alba, many people believe that 12 students managed to escape mass executions at the foot of this mountain and bring the true story to the public. The stories they tell are more gruesome than we know. People are being tortured alive and—"
Kirsi was so angry that she slapped Cedric's cheek which was near her thigh. The red handprint was soon imprinted on the surface of the pale cheeks. Cedric laughed.
"Why are you telling other people's misfortunes like a joke?" Kirsi snapped.
"To scare you."
"Isn't my slap hard enough to wake you up? Who's scared, huh?"
"I was scared." Cedric held his hot, throbbing cheek. "Why does your slap hurt so bad?"
"Then behave yourself. I haven't even brought out my true power yet."
"Relax. I'm the best at grinning and holding back."
The two roasted rabbits were finally cooked. The outside was a little charred but the inside was very soft with just the right amount of doneness. Cedric scraped off the burnt part before giving it to Kirsi. The first bite is done, and the unique soft and savoury sensation of the meat melts in the mouth. Kirsi ate voraciously, savouring every bite to her heart's content. Cedric also eats nearby. Every bite he took looked like a vampire seductively trying to gnaw at his victim's neck. His sharp canines played a big part in the fantasy.
While eating and watching her husband's meal, Kirsi suddenly remembered the story about Cedric who had been in Alba and Nirari for a long time and was running from West to South with his tail wagging between his legs. That last sentence might sound lewd on the one hand, but what Cedric meant by the tail was the metaphor of how he turned into an errand dog and ran everywhere he was told. "My Dearest" never tells the story of Cedric's past at all, except to talk about it in passing. Makes Kirsi curious about the continuation of the story when he becomes an errand dog. Kirsi stopped chewing and asked, "What are you doing in Alba and Nirari?"
Cedric gulped and replied, "The Emperor's second and third sons may be able to graduate as scholars and choose their own career path. But the first son must be proficient in all fields. After being forced to study in the academy from morning to evening, then receiving further education from evening to a third of the night, I was also forced to practice my fighting skills with a group of brute men. The Emperor put me under the Marquis of Salvation for several years and was taken by the old man to the Northern border to be his errand dog. Well, it's not exactly a bad memory. To be honest, I even quite enjoyed it. "
"The Marquis of Salvation is the father of Marchioness Scarlett, isn't he? If I'm not mistaken, at that time the power in the marquisate of the Acrasia family was about to be passed down to the younger brother of the Marquis of Salvation because he had no sons, right? Then when the Marquis of Salvation was confined to the guard During the spring war with Verdant, the main command of the Northern border garrison was forcibly taken over by Marchioness Scarlett who hadn't even performed her maturity ceremony yet, and with just two platoons of troops, she managed to retake the Marquis of Salvation from the enemy's hands. Marchioness Scarlett takes power in command of the North as the country's first and only female commander-in-chief."
Cedric nodded. "You know a lot."
"I quite admire Marchioness Scarlett."
Cedric sneered, "What's so good about that old grams."
Kirsi remembered something again, and asked, "You were under Marchioness Scarlett's tutelage too, right?"
"Don't remind me."
Kirsi laughed. "Well, when it comes to favouritism, it's not strange that Marchioness Scarlett prefers the second prince over you, right? Comparing fighting skills, Prince Justinus is clearly superior to anyone else." Based on the description of the novel, the second prince was a person who was proficient in the military. He is also predicted to be more capable than the crown prince in almost all aspects, including his ability to fight on the battlefield and his prowess in literature.
Cedric who heard that his very wife was praising another man in front of him, who was even worse praising his own younger brother like a god, could only frown in confusion. "What are you talking about? That coward Justin? Are we talking about the same person in the first place?"
Kirsi was also confused, "Huh? I'm talking about Justinus Sullivan Reverie, the one who was great at that battle."
Cedric was getting more and more confused. "Looks like you misunderstood that 'good in battle' part, huh." At the end of his sentence, he let out a mocking laugh. Unwilling to explain, he said, "You'll see it soon enough."
"Huh?"
After they finished eating, Cedric dispersed the embers with a tree branch and extinguished the flame. Thick smoke remains as a residue. Cedric took Kirsi to go to the soup kitchen and fulfilled her promise to the Empress by taking a rabbit at random from the imperial guard's hands and saying that Kirsi was the one who was hunting them. After that, the two entered a special tent that was deliberately prepared for the two of them.
Kirsi wanted to take a bath, so Cedric asked a number of his subordinates to set up a temporary small tent for a bath and prepare hot water with a large wooden bath in it. The tub was big enough to fit two people.
"Can't we take turns taking showers?" Kirsi complained at the idea of bathing together. She was still too shy to show herself in front of others. Especially with the idea that she would also see other people's naked bodies.
But Cedric didn't think so. The man was quite relaxed when he took off his shirt, leaving behind a muscular body that was not particularly burly but very promising. His back was facing Kirsi. Showing a large jet-black wolf tattoo imprinted on his pale skin. The wolf's eyes are coloured bright red, which looks very contrasting. Only this time Kirsi could see it up close. Previously, she didn't have enough chance to be able to see it clearly. When Kirsi was lost in her train of thoughts, Cedric replied, "If we take turns showering, they'll have to boil another hot water and do the work twice."
Kirsi doesn't protest anymore. Cedric who didn't hear any other complaints then casually took off his belt, lowered his black pants and exposed the part of the shirt garter hook that was still wrapped around his strong thighs. Kirsi averted her gaze. She turned around and took off her clothes. The first person to jump into the tub was Cedric. Kirsi came in after him, still wrapped in a white cloth around her body.
When Kirsi sat on the wooden base of the tub, it wasn't big enough to stretch their legs and keep their distance. As a result, Cedric's legs bent around Kirsi's waist and Kirsi's legs bent under Cedric's thighs. Touch each other at some point.
Cedric looked very comfortable, leaning languidly against the tub wall, breathing a few puffs of relaxation. His blue eyes closed, drifting in the warm water cradle. Half of his strong chest was still exposed to the cold night wind. Unlike Kirsi who is short enough to be able to sink herself up to her neck. Seeing that Cedric hadn't moved for a long time, Kirsi nudged her knee into the inner side of Cedric's thigh, asking "Are you sleeping?"
Cedric didn't answer. But he shook his head slowly, confirming that he was still conscious. Water vapour collects and forms droplets on the tips of his hair and thick eyelashes. The temperature of the water was hot enough to make Cedric's pale body turn red.
Kirsi pulled her legs together and bent them in front of her chest. Her hands were folded on her knees, with her head resting on them. Some parts of her body also turned red. Her eyes were still peeking at the half-awake Cedric as she said, "I want to know the continuation of your past story."
"What about you? I want to know too." Cedric replied, opening his eyes deliberately. The blue beads seemed to glow under the candle flames reflected on the water surfaces. The gaze was full of meaning, causing Kirsi to stutter.
Kirsi also wants to know. Kirsi's past is the most mysterious among all the characters. The baker's aunt at the information store still hasn't delivered her order, past the 3 to the 4-day due date to more than a week.
"Don't pinch your tummy like that. It's not good for the baby." Cedric's voice broke Kirsi's train of thought.
"Oh, sorry." Kirsi slung her leg back toward Cedric. Let the man catch both her ankles and put them on his thighs while playing with her calves and tickling them.
Cedric's languid blue eyes looked sensual and seductive. The steam that had pooled in his hair began to return to water droplets and dripped down his strong neck, slid down his firm chest, and flow into the bathtub. Noble, graceful. Those two words are enough to describe Cedric's appearance now.
Kirsi's ears turned red. Between shame and heat. She turned her gaze to the side, to nowhere but Cedric's face. "What are you doing..." she whispered softly as the naughty hand pinched her calf.
"Pinch."
Kirsi who was already embarrassed pulled Cedric's legs around her and pinched his calves back. The skin is very soft but the gastrocnemius muscle is very hard. It feels like pinching iron. Kirsi grumbled "What are you eating? So hard..."
"Rabbit. "
Kirsi pouted.
Cedric snorted loudly. He then pulled Kirsi towards him, took her hand, and rubbed it lightly with coconut fibre and lerak fruit. A thin foam slowly appears and fills the surface of the tub. Kirsi was so embarrassed that her face was hardened and expressionless. Cedric very devoutly helped his wife bathe and then washed himself. During the embarrassing process, his little wife chose to close her eyes.
"Okay. Done." Cedric patted Kirsi's smooth cheek, telling her.
When Kirsi opened her eyes, she was already wrapped in a white sheet like a baby in a swaddle. Cedric who was already wearing his pants carried her like a Queen, bringing her back to their tent on the side. The two of them quickly put on their respective clothes and climbed into the makeshift bed. Plank cots were lined up, covered with woven bamboo mats, and spread several layers of thick blankets were on top. Kirsi lay on top of it, looking calmly at the ceiling of the tent. Cedric next to her wasn't much different. The man will sleep shirtless. Folded his arms in front of his chest, silent. Half a minute later, he was fast asleep.
Half an hour later, his wife made him a living bolster.
-0-
The next day, command of the security forces is completely taken over by Cedric, who chooses to stay by the Emperor's side until noon. Due to his poor health in recent times, to make the atmosphere quite interesting, the Emperor promised rewards for those who achieved large amounts of bounty and caught certain beasts. For example, for those who managed to hunt down a tiger or a bear, the Emperor would give them the best quality silk which cost more than a bag of gold. It wasn't just silk, other materials couldn't be obtained except through the connections of the palace higher-ups. Even people who were already laden with wealth were attracted by such gifts and tried their luck.
Cedric was already riding on his golden-blonde akhal teke horse, like a horse that descended to earth straight from heaven. Before him, was the third prince who rode his black mustang Kiger horse in one fell swoop. It was a rare breed of horse that was wild and intelligent. It is a matter of pride to be able to tame it and make it a hunting companion. While its size may be a little cuter than the size of other warhorses, the Kiger mustang is undeniable in other aspects.
In front of the two men who had managed to ride their horses manly, the second prince who spent his days behind a pile of alchemy books along with prose and saga verse papers, was troubled when he nearly slipped from the saddle several times. Prince Justinus Sullivan Reverie had to try it several times before he managed to gain stability. A long curved bow with dozens of arrows was firmly attached to his back.
Cedric's mocking giggle sounded in the distance. The second prince's ears turned red, furiously spurred his horse and almost slipped once again.
As soon as noon came, the position of chief commander for all security was taken over personally by the Emperor. The old man stood next to the supreme commander of the imperial guard, Galen, and looked at his three sons in turn. He shouted so they could hear him, "Make sure to bring plenty of game and fill your old father."
The three turned and saluted obediently. As they began to disappear, spurring forward with their respective escorts, the Emperor complained.
"This old man can't help but complain all the time. Cedric is all grown up and has started his own family, but he continues to worry me with his erratic behaviour. There will always be a day when he suddenly disappears and appears in the corner of an unexpected event. I think I can't guess his way of thinking. Even though he's lazy and inattentive, he always cares for his father and brings me lots of good games every year." The emperor sighed, continuing, "Justin is very smart, but physical activity really doesn't suit him... I won't say much about it. But Arthur..." the Emperor's gaze was dreamy. "Well, that kid is kind and pious. He's the only one who doesn't worry me much." At the end of his sentence, the Emperor chuckled.
Galen did not dare to interrupt the Emperor's monologue and could only listen solemnly. Beside him, the chief palace eunuch continued to give sugar-coated answers that the Emperor didn't truly listen to. The Minister of Rites who was as silent as Galen chuckled mockingly. It has long been known that the office of the Directorate of palace services, especially the eunuchs, and the ministry of rites, never got along. There would always be disagreements between them which, if explained in detail, would take up thousands of chapters with each sheet half a foot wide.