Chapter 120 – I think it's a fraudulent marriage

Tenstheon busied himself with work as he waited for Blake to come back.

Richard found Ancia first, even though everyone had spent seven years searching for her.

Richard said that he had brought Ancia straight to the palace as soon as he saw her, but their relationship seemed to be close.

Tenstheon could see that Ancia trusted Richard and relied on him.

He also thought that Richard was suspicious from the beginning.

Tenstheon was reading through the information on Richard when the door opened.

Blake and Ancia came inside. Blake said he'd bring Rose today, but he appeared with Ancia, not the woman he had picked up from the valley of chaos.

Tenstheon didn't ask what had happened.

Rather, he couldn't ask.

He couldn't say anything because his gaze was fixed on the woman in front of him.

Something about her felt different.

There wasn't any change in her appearance, but something was different.

"Father, I'm back."

Ancia grinned.

Tenstheon's eyes already welled up with tears.

Tenstheon, who had been staring at her, got up from his seat.

He quickly strode over and hugged Ancia.

"You're back."

Finally, his precious daughter, Ancia, was back.

Tenstheon could instinctively feel that this was the real Ancia.

***

"I'm sorry. I should've protected you."

Tenstheon apologized to me.

At this rate, I thought that I'd be hearing people apologize to me all day long.

Tenstheon was the proud and dignified Emperor of the empire.

Yet, he kept apologizing to me with a sorrowful expression.

The sound of Tenstheon shouting my name before I was taken away by the Macul kept ringing in my ears.

I had no idea how much he blamed himself and regretted his actions.

"No, you don't have to apologize. I've been doing very well. The Macul were a guide from the goddess of light. They guided me towards the goddess."

I deliberately said it cheerfully.

"It was dark and quiet inside the door of darkness, but it wasn't that hard. I didn't even know that so much time had passed. I should've come back sooner, I'm sorry."

"...thank you for coming back safe and sound."

Tenstheon didn't seem to believe me completely. His eyes were full of worries and sadness.

Before he could apologize to me again, I said quickly, "Dad, I'm hungry."

"I'll prepare the best dinner."

He said to me in a nice and confident manner like back then.

While the meal was being prepared, I told Tenstheon and Blake what had happened a thousand years ago.

But I didn't tell them that I was Laontel and Blake was Rakshul.

I wanted Blake to live happily in this life.

He didn't have to know what had happened in our previous life.

"Earlier the goddess was impersonating me. She suffered terribly for a thousand years, but she didn't really want to deceive anyone. She's not that kind of person so please don't think too badly of her."

I didn't want them to blame or hate Ser.

I was just grateful to see my friend return to her original state.

"If you say so, there's no need for me to blame her. But I feel sorry because I didn't recognize you sooner."

"You didn't know. I wasn't in my original body after all."

"I'm so ashamed of myself."

"I'll be even more sorry if you keep doing that."

It was inevitable. I was very amazed at Blake who recognized me right away. There was no reason for me to blame anyone.

"Ancia..."

No matter what I said, his expression didn't change.

So I laughed and joked.

"By the way why is father so greedy?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you still haven't come down from your position as the top handsome man in the empire."

Even after seven years, Tenstheon hadn't changed much.

Rather, his charisma grew even stronger, though people were still afraid to approach him.

"What nonsense."

Tenstheon frowned slightly

He was being shy again. His lack of immunity to praises was still the same.

"Cough."

Blake deliberately coughed from beside Tenstheon.

"When will the meal arrive?"

Blake said rather curtly.

What was wrong with him?

Was he hungry?

I looked at Blake when suddenly, the door opened and the servants came inside.

As soon as I saw the korean dishes on the table, I smiled brightly.

These were the dishes I liked and made often.

Father really prepared it specially for me.

"Thank you father."

"Let me know if there is anything else you want."

"No, the food is more than enough. But can Blake eat it? It must be very spicy."

Since Tenstheon prepared the dishes to my liking, most of them were rather spicy.

It would be hard for Blake to eat them.

"It's alright."

Blake said quietly as he scooped up a spoonful of the Red Pepper Paste Stew into his mouth.

"Blake!"

I shouted in surprise.

He couldn't eat something that spicy!

I was about to hand him a glass of water but he smiled lightly.

"Are you really alright?"

"How old do you think I am? I'm not a kid anymore."

I looked at Blake's face. It didn't seem like he was holding back or bluffing.

My Blake has really grown up now.

"Why do you look so proud? This is natural."

Blake's eyebrows furrowed. He still didn't like being treated like a child.

"Back then, even though I only added a small amount of red pepper powder to your food, you couldn't handle it."

"When did I—"

"Don't you remember it?"

"No."

I remember for sure that it happened. It was cute of him to pretend that he didn't remember.

"Do you still like to make fun of your husband?"

He held my hands tightly as the corners of his mouth raised up.

"I've always enjoyed everything you cooked for me. I'm a very good husband."

He said coyly and blinked innocently .

For the first time in seven years, my heart beat thunderously thanks to Blake's cuteness.

As expected, my rabbit is still cute.

Nothing has changed. I wanted to hug Blake tightly and stroke his hair seeing him like this.

But I heard a cough on the other side.

"Cough."

I was startled and looked at Tenstheon.

"You must be hungry. Eat up."

"Yes father."

My groom's cuteness made me forget that father was here with us.

I picked up my spoon quickly.

Everytime I tasted each dish, I smiled brightly.

I could tell at once that this was Terry's cooking.

I heard that he didn't make any korean food after I left, but his skills didn't rust at all.

It wasn't just the taste that made me smile. Blake and father were both in front of me.

The thought of us eating together again already made me happy.

When I left the palace to lift Blake's curse, I didn't think I would be away for this long.

"Father, don't eat anything too salty. It's not good for your health."

"Okay."

If it was like before, he would say don't worry about it and continue to eat it. But now, he picked up another dish instead.

"Blake, don't eat anything too spicy."

"Yes."

Blake nodded and agreed obediently.

A short silence came over us.

'It feels like I've returned to the old days...'

When I didn't say anything anymore, a hush fell over the room.

The other two hardly talked throughout the meal.

Tenstheon hesitated to talk to Blake, while Blake only looked at me.

The father and son relationship that I had tried to build so desperately by getting Tenstheon to teach him swordsmanship desperately was not visible anymore.

I felt bad because this was my fault.

"Wife, what's wrong?"

"Ancia what's wrong?"

Blake and Tenstheon asked me anxiously.

"I'm afraid that your relationship has become awkward because of me..."

"Oh no, that's not true!"

"Yes, it's absolutely not true."

Both of them hurriedly denied it.

"Really?"

"That's right. Your Majesty, try some of this."

When Blake suggested a dish to Tenstheon, he quickly nodded.

"...thank you, it's very delicious."

The awkwardness didn't go away even though they exchanged dishes and greetings.

It was obvious that they were acting because they were worried that I would worry about it.

It was awkward but neither of them had any signs of dislike or resentment for each other.

It'll get better soon.

"Go ahead and eat"

"Ancia, you try this too."

The two spoke almost simultaneously.

They were very similar in some ways. It was just a pity that they didn't recognize it.

I couldn't rush to restore their father and son relationship and even if I forced them, they'd just keep on acting awkwardly.

Ancia, relax.

We will be together forever now. Neither I nor Blake will be leaving. There was plenty of time.

I could do it slowly.