Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Housewarming
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I finished work early and headed to the training grounds.
>
"You're here? Aiden?"
A woman with long straight blonde hair and blue eyes was waiting for me there.
"Grand Duchess?"
She wasn't wearing her usual uniform, but a loose dress like something the women in the village might wear.
I knew from the novel's description that she disguised herself like this when going out incognito.
"Hehe, is this the first time you've seen me like this?"
Luna scratched her cheek, looking a bit embarrassed.
"Yeah, first time. It suits you well."
Her vibe felt fresh and innocent, like an ordinary girl her age, completely different from her usual cool demeanor.
Her expressions were more varied than usual, too.
Maybe this was Luna's true self.
She probably adopted that dignified tone because of her position as Grand Duchess.
"Hehe, I wonder how much Vain has changed?"
Luna grinned with a mischievous look.
"You go out incognito often, don't you?"
She shook her head at my words.
"Nope. Last time was at 19. Has it really been almost two years?"
Come to think of it, the novel ended right after she turned 20, didn't it?
She'd be 21 soon.
Had it been that long in the original story?
Well...
It's been almost a year since I arrived here, too.
"Aiden, this way."
Luna headed toward the back of the training grounds.
"What's this place?"
I'd been to the training grounds many times, but this was my first time going there.
"We can slip out of the Grand Ducal Palace from here."
She hummed happily as I followed her...
And a tall iron fence came into view.
"We're... going out this way?"
"Yeah, Aiden, hold on a sec."
With that, Luna scooped me up in her arms.
"Huh?"
She suddenly dashed full speed toward the fence...
"Waaah!"
Luna leaped high and cleared it in one bound.
-Tadak...
She set me down after hopping over.
It looked at least 3 meters tall...
"Alright~ Let's go."
I followed Luna, who beamed brightly.
"So, where are we headed?"
"Hmm... Who knows? There's a night market today, so how about checking that out and wandering the city?"
I nodded at Luna's suggestion.
"I noticed a lot of new buildings going up on the way."
"Oh? Yeah, the merchants and guilds needed them. The people living in Vain must be making a killing because of it."
Compared to other cities, real estate here had been pretty cheap.
Probably because the population was low and the economy weak, but now it was growing by leaps and bounds every day.
"Hehe, it'll look amazing once they're all built."
She flashed a bright smile I never saw at the Grand Ducal Palace.
Seeing Luna's smile—the one called a divine smile in the novel—lifted my spirits.
"Probably. Look over there."
A crowd had gathered at the night market, tossing sandbags into a small hole.
"Oh? Wanna play a round?"
I didn't know the game's name, but the rules were simple.
Toss the sandbag into the hole to win. Seven or more gets a prize.
As Luna and I lined up for our turn...
"Hehe, Aiden, wanna make a bet?"
"A bet?"
She nodded eagerly, her face lighting up.
"Yeah! A bet."
A thought crossed my mind.
Wasn't this a bit too unfair?
With senses, strength, and control beyond human limits, Luna could nail every one effortlessly.
But she was so cute about it, so why not?
"Sure."
She grinned widely as I accepted easily.
"Hehe, no sore loser excuses!"
I'd lose anyway.
But seeing her this happy made me want to play along.
Our turn came...
"Alright, one at a time."
We tossed our sandbags as the announcer said...
-Tuk,
-Sok!
Mine hit the ground, but Luna's slipped right into the hole.
"Ooh~ The beauty scores on her first try, nice and easy!"
The excited announcer's voice rang out...
-Tuk tuk,
She tossed her sandbag into the air and caught it with a triumphant smirk.
"Hehe, daring to bet against me?"
Hey, you started the bet?
It was ridiculous, but cute, so I'd let it slide.
-Sok!
-Sok!
Both went in on the second round...
"Ooh~ The couple's duel is heating up! Third round now."
The game continued...
"Hehe! Aiden, you're such a scrub~"
Luna made a V-sign with both hands, beaming.
Cheater... Still, glad I played; she was loving it.
"Yeah, yeah, I lost."
I gave a mature smile, and her face flushed slightly.
She quickly covered it with her hand.
"What... That smile's making me embarrassed."
"You're embarrassed? Guess you have a conscience after all."
I leaned in and whispered in her ear.
"Swordmaster?"
"Eek! You knew and still did it?!"
Her face turned as red as it could get.
"Of course. Obviously."
I eyed her slyly...
"W-Well, I still won the bet. I won."
Luna glared at me, her face burning.
I chuckled and nodded.
"Sure. So, what do you want?"
"Well..."
She sidled up and whispered in my ear.
"Secret."
"You're just gonna use it for 'one more round' later, right?"
She panicked at my bluntness.
"N-No! What do you take me for?!"
She's right. Totally.
"Anyway, shall we grab dinner now?"
We'd been out a while; time to eat.
"Sure? Hmm... What to eat?"
Luna pondered, then...
"Ah! Pretzel shop?"
"Pretzel shop?"
Pretzels here were oddly shaped breads.
A bit salty, eaten with butter or sauce.
"Yeah! I heard from the maids last time. New pretzel place is supposed to be good."
I nodded at her words.
"Sounds good. Let's go there."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Leopold finished a satisfying night with the Empress.
He left the soundly sleeping Empress and headed to his office.
'Liquor... I need more liquor!'
He needed more of that Yin-Yang Brew to restore his dignity and honor.
-Kiiik!
The Emperor flung open his office door.
He yanked open a drawer, pulled out white paper, and began scribbling hurriedly.
-Seulk, seurlk!
As his frantic hand moved, ornate script filled the page. His mind was quite anxious.
'This precious liquor... There must be more left, right?'
He believed the Grand Duchess would surely provide it if he offered proper compensation as Emperor. But one worry nagged him.
'There has to be some Yin-Yang Brew left...'
If there wasn't, she couldn't give it even if she wanted to.
Worried, Leopold finished the letter, folded it...
-Kung!
And sealed it with the imperial seal.
"There must be more. It'd be a disaster otherwise..."
Without it, he'd be impotent again.
In his anxiety, Leopold called out.
"Who's out there?"
-Kiiik.
A knight entered at the Emperor's command and knelt.
"You called for me?"
"Deliver this to the Grand Duchess of Heyron Grand Duchy as fast as possible and bring back a reply."
The knight rose, took the letter.
"Understood."
Watching the knight leave, the Emperor poured himself a glass of Yin-Yang Brew.
'If I have enough of this... the impotence rumors will die down.'
-Beolkeok, beolkeok!
He downed the liquor.
His lower body stood firm.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We finished eating with Luna and headed to my house.
"Hee? This is Aiden's house?"
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at it.
"Yeah... It was a white elephant once, but it's appreciated a lot now."
"Really? Hehe, this is the one you picked thinking it was the most expensive 'that house,' right?"
My face turned beet red at Luna's words.
I'd chosen the priciest house to sell, but Vain's weird system made it a tax nightmare because of all the windows.
"Ahem... I didn't know about that bizarre system back then. Why tax it more for having lots of windows anyway?"
Luna nodded as if it were obvious.
"Because glass windows are expensive. Lots of them means you're rich."
"Oh? Makes sense."
"Right? Now hurry up and let's go in."
As I put the key in the front door at her urging...
"Uh... Could you wait outside for a bit?"
"Eh, it's cold outside!"
A person who could walk naked through the snowfields... complaining about cold?
"Don't lie!"
I shouted, and she gently grabbed my shoulder, taking my key hand.
"Hehe. I wanna see Aiden's house."
She whispered in my ear and twisted my hand gently...
-Cheolkeok!
The lock clicked open.
"Haa... It's messy inside."
"It's fine. I like everything about Aiden."
Luna pushed the door open.
-Kiiik.
The rusty hinges creaked as it swung open weakly.
She hummed her way inside.
Ah... No choice now.
I followed Luna into the house.