Chapter 99 – She Needed More Time
“Your Majesty, I must have misheard you…”
“Unless you’re deaf, I think you’ve heard exactly what I said. I said that I’d like to learn how to bake a few desserts,” Lucio said firmly.
“…”
When Lucio repeated those words once more, the head chef realized in shock that he most certainly did not mishear the Emperor. Goodness, His Majesty wishes to learn how to bake desserts!
“By any chance, were any of the desserts I prepared for you not to your liking?” the chef inquired.
“No, you already know that your skills are excellent. Why else would you still be in your position as head chef?”
“…”
The chef did not know what to make of the compliment. “Then why all of a sudden…”
“There’s someone that I want to make them for,” Lucio replied.
“Ah, if it’s for a gift, then I will gladly make them for you, Your Majesty.”
“Of course, if you made them, they would look and taste better,” Lucio responded calmly, “but if you make them, then the desserts will no longer be special. I need to make them personally…so that I can relay even a little bit of my sincerity to that person.”
“…?”
The head chef couldn’t comprehend what Lucio was saying at all, but he was in no position to question or understand the Emperor’s intentions.
Instead, the chef responded in a determined voice. “Then I shall teach you, Your Majesty.”
And that was how Lucio’s spartan training began. After Lucio finished his governmental duties, the first dessert he tackled were brownies. Though he started off strong, somewhere along the way, the brownies’ shapes turned strange. The head chef couldn’t stand to watch.
“Your Majesty, shall I assist you?”
“…I can do it myself,” Lucio groused.
But a few moments later, Lucio ended up asking for his help anyway. Still, he wasn’t a complete failure of a student, and after three disastrous attempts, the fourth batch of brownies were deemed ‘acceptable.’ He pushed aside distracting thoughts, then poured the melted chocolate over the brownies and put them in the oven. While he was waiting for them to bake, the thought of Patrizia entered Lucio’s mind.
“…”
It was already too late to feel regret. Though he truly regretted not being able to get to know her better, it was already too late. Perhaps, the things he was doing now and the things he planned to do in the future may be considered pointless. But…
‘Even so, if I can convey my feelings through this…that will be enough.’
A pained expression crossed Lucio’s face, his brows furrowing as he bit his lip. Why couldn’t I do this for her from the start? Why didn’t I show her my feelings earlier? Why am I so foolish? Why am I…
“Ah…”
The acrid smell of something burning stung his nose, and he jerked to his senses and hastily opened the oven. He hoped that his ‘acceptable’ brownies would have been the one, but these charred chunks couldn’t be anything but a failure. With a grim expression, he nibbled on a piece. The sweet taste of chocolate had completely vanished, leaving only bitterness behind.
*
“Your Majesty, there is a birthday banquet planned for next month.”
Patrizia’s birthday would be soon. It was ironic that she had to plan for her own birthday party, there was nothing that she could do about it. Coordinating the Queen’s birthday wasn’t the Emperor’s job.
“It would be nice if I could spend my birthday at home,” she sighed.
“…”
No one else around her said anything in response. Patrizia didn’t expect them to, and she simply started reading through the documents Mirya had just handed her. The plans were much too extravagant even though finances were running low.
“We need to lower the budget. I’ll allow it as the party coordinator,” Patrizia noted with another sigh.
“But Your Majesty, if we do that, then your dignity…”
“Just do it. My dignity had already been restored when Rosemond was executed.”
After speaking the taboo name, Patrizia leaned against the back of her seat. I should take a break, she thought, but not long after, she straightened back up and started working through the palace files and documents. Just when she closed her eyes to take a short break, someone knocked at her door.
“Who is it?” Mirya asked.
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived,” a servant announced.
Patrizia’s eyebrows furrowed at the unwelcome guest. She leaned towards Mirya and whispered something in her ear, and Mirya, with an uncomfortable expression, headed towards the door. When she opened it, Lucio was indeed standing in front of her. Mirya politely greeted him.
“Greetings to the Sun of the Empire.”
“Is the Queen inside?”
“She is, but…she is currently sleeping.”
“Is she not feeling well?”
Mirya was taken aback by the Emperor’s concern, but nevertheless, she replied. “While that is not the case… she is rather tired.”
“Oh no. I’ll bring the palace doctor immediately,” said Lucio urgently.
“It is not serious enough to warrant that, Your Majesty,” Mirya replied.
“…”
Now that formalities were taken care of, it was time to state his business. Lucio hesitated before speaking.
“Er… well.”
“Please speak your mind, Your Majesty.”
“I have something to give to the Queen.”
At those words, Mirya immediately looked to Lucio’s hands. He was holding a cardboard box tied with a ribbon.
“Is it this, Your Majesty?” she asked.
“…Yes.”
“I will relay it to Her Majesty then.”
“Ah…”
Though he looked a little displeased, he handed the box to her. Judging from the warmth emanating from the box, Mirya deduced that it was something to eat.
“Please do not worry, Your Majesty. I will give this to her immediately,” Mirya said with a reassuring smile.
“Thank you,” Lucio said.
He looked nervous when he said that, and Mirya thought it was rather refreshing. It was the first time that she had seen him make such an expression. She gracefully bowed in farewell before closing the door.
“Who was it?” Patrizia asked.
In truth, she knew that it was Lucio. Since she wasn’t sleeping, she could, of course, clearly hear his voice beyond the door. Her sleeping was just an excuse not to see him.
Mirya placed the box on the table. “His Majesty the Emperor wished to give this to you.”
“…”
Patrizia’s face turned strange, and Mirya gave a light smile before speaking.
“What shall we do?”
“…Throw it away,” Patrizia said dismissively.
However, for the first time ever, Mirya did not do as Patrizia ordered. Instead, she untied the ribbon on the box and checked its contents. Instantly, a sweet smell wafted through the room. Surprised, Mirya burst out into laughter.
“They’re brownies.”
“Did he really not have anything else to…” Patrizia muttered.
“It seems that he made them himself. Oh my, there’s a card in here as well,” Mirya said gleefully.
“…I told you to throw it away.”
“How could I do that? It’s the first time the Sun of the Empire personally baked something.”
Patrizia raised a graceful eyebrow at Mirya’s excitement. “If you like it that much, then you should eat them.”
“If I do that, I might get arrested for insulting the Emperor, Your Majesty. How could I dare to eat something that His Majesty the Emperor has made himself?”
Mirya shook her head as if Patrizia suggested something completely unreasonable, before taking out one of the warm brownies and placing it onto an ivory plate. Patrizia, deciding to not concern herself over it anymore, turned over on the bed, her back facing Mirya. But just because the brownies were out of her sight, it didn’t mean that she couldn’t smell them. The strong, chocolate-y scent permeated the room and entered Patrizia’s nostrils. Patrizia let out a pained groan. Why did he have to make something so tempting?
“Your Majesty, would you like to try one?” Mirya asked Patrizia senselessly. Patrizia huffed out a breath.
“Again, I told you to throw it away.”
Mirya was persistent. “And as I said before, if I did that, then I would be charged for insulting the Emperor. If you are willing to save me from that fate, then I will throw these away.”
“…”
Patrizia spoke in an exhausted voice. “Then you eat it. Or give it to Raphaella.”
“Will you really not eat it, Your Majesty?” Mirya picked up one of the brownies and took a bite. Though she wasn’t expecting much, an expression of shock crossed her face when the flavors exploded on her tongue.
“I did not know that His Majesty was so skilled in baking.”
“…”
“These are excellently made. It doesn’t seem like His Majesty received help from the head chef, but he must have put in a lot of effort.”
“That’s what I’m saying. It’s obvious that he’s up to something,” Patrizia said with a cynical smile. Mirya responded with her own grin.
“That’s why you should all the more accept it gracefully, Your Majesty.”
“…”
The conversation ended there. Mirya ate another brownie before asking Patrizia, “Will you really not have a piece, Your Majesty? There are so many.”
Patrizia was notorious for liking desserts, with an exceptional tooth for brownies. Patrizia started to say something but stopped.
“…Leave it and go,” she mumbled finally.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Mirya gave a light smile before leaving the box where it was and walking out of the room. She knew that Patrizia needed more time. In any case, the most important thing was that she was happy. If the Emperor was truly determined to care for her, then Mirya wanted to give him one more chance. She knew that wanting to live this long, long lifetime alone in “freedom” wasn’t a good thing.
“…So pointless.”
Who told him to make such a thing? Patrizia got out of bed. The white dress that she was wearing dragged across the floor as she walked towards the box of brownies. Patrizia looked down on the table they were sitting on. They were slightly moist from having cooled down, but they looked absolutely scrumptious.
Another brief sigh, then she tentatively picked up a brownie oozing in chocolate mousse. She took one of her crumb-covered fingers and gently licked it. The taste and scent of chocolate filled her mouth. It was delicious. That was why Patrizia couldn’t help but let out another sigh.
“It’s needlessly delicious.”
She sat down at the table and picked up a fork in earnest. Did he really make this all by himself? If he did, then was he thinking of something as he made them? Patrizia thought to herself as she consumed all of the brownies he made without leaving a single crumb.
*
Lucio returned to the Central Palace after visiting Patrizia and endlessly waited for her response. He expected a variety of different answers, but the one he most certainly did not wish to hear was, “She never opened them.” Of course, considering how he treated her up until now, he had no right to say anything if she did that, but…even so, a person’s heart was ridiculously greedy. If it could obtain one thing, it would want another and yet another.
“Your Majesty.”
Just then, someone opened the door and entered the room. It was the head lady-in-waiting.
“What is it?” Lucio asked, his heart pounding.
“Her Majesty the Queen…”
Gulp. Without him realizing, Lucio swallowed hard.
“…has finished all of the brownies that Your Majesty has baked for her.”
“…Is that really true?” Lucio said in a stunned voice.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Though the head lady-in-waiting’s words were composed, she seemed to look a little excited. Unable to hide his delight, a bright smile lit up Lucio’s face.
“Ah…thank goodness.”
The head lady-in-waiting didn’t bother mentioning that Patrizia initially wanted to throw them away. She simply told Lucio the end result and excused herself from the room.
Lucio, now alone, sauntered around the room, an expression of sheer happiness on his face. He was the type to wear his heart on his sleeve if something good happened to him. He spent a good amount of time happily walking around the room before he decided to take a walk to calm himself down.