Chapter 166

The party set off as fast as they could.

Originally, Astelle planned to tidy up her room and pack her luggage, but as soon as she saw the snow, she gave up and rushed to the carriage.

Luggage is not the problem.

After all, when the snow stops, you can come back.

As Astelle requested, Kaizen immediately dispatched the party.

“Don’t worry too much. Everything will be fine.”

But Astelle looked out the window with worried eyes.

It would be fine if the snow stopped a little, but unfortunately, the snow became stronger as time went by.

‘If it continues like this, the snow will block the road before we arrive.’

They hadn’t been running for long and, as expected, a problem arose.

The road is icy and they can not speed.

Visibility is also an issue.

Snowflakes densely filled the dark night sky, obscuring the view.

The pitch-black night road was covered in white, making it impossible to see an inch ahead.

The knight who followed as the person in charge reported, “I am sorry, Your Majesty. At this rate, we cannot speed up.”

“There’s nothing I can do about snow this bad.”

Kaizen also spoke in a voice filled with frustration.

There is also a way to stop for a while and wait for the snow to stop until dawn, but it will be a very difficult way.

The knights can get frostbite because they’re buried in the snow.

‘It’s already midnight.’

Fortunately, Theor was already asleep in the carriage.

He must have been tired from playing, so he fell asleep shortly after leaving.

Had he been aware of this situation, he would have been frightened, but luckily he fell asleep.

“There’s a place to stay nearby.”

Astelle opened the window a little and spoke to Kaizen. “There is a house around here. It’s a farmer’s house, but it’s a sturdy house and there’s a stable, so we can stop by.”

It seems like it would be too small for all of this party to stay, but there are no other options right now.

That house is the only place near here.

Astelle felt sorry for bothering the owner by visiting him in the middle of the night, but there was nothing she could do now.

“Then let’s go there.”

Astelle told him the way.

The carriage ran along the main road for a few more minutes before turning onto a side road.

When they reached the end of the side road, they came across a small two-story house with a stable and barn.

The moment they arrived, the quiet house turned into chaos.

The old owner, who had met Astelle several times, ran out to greet the emperor and his party.

“I am honored to have you drop by my house, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

“The snow is so bad we need to take a short break.”

The owner himself hurriedly prepared a bed for the imperial couple.

There are only two workers in the house. They cleared all the empty rooms to make room for the knights and maids.

Since there was not enough room, they cleared out the storage room and made a bed out of blankets and straw bales.

Astelle thanked him. “Thank you. You’re working so hard for us.”

“Oh, no. Your Majesty the Empress.”

The owner brought a small bed made for children in a small storage room next to the bedroom for the imperial couple. Astelle laid Theor down there.

Even when Theor was put to bed, he didn’t open his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

“He fell asleep completely.”

After patting Theor, Astelle entered the bedroom next door.

It’s a small room, but it has everything; a small bed and a simple wooden cupboard, even a table and chairs.

The fireplace was full of firewood, and the room was warm.

But there is only one problem.

‘There’s no sofa.’

There is nowhere to sleep except in the bed.

“Well…….”

Astelle pondered for a while and then spoke to the owner.

Misunderstanding her reaction, the owner hurriedly bowed before Astelle could speak.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty the Empress. The room is too shabby…….”

He thought she was going to complain about the room being bad.

“Oh, no. It’s not like that. The room is fine.” Astelle calmed him down in a hurry.

“The room is cozy. I just wanted to say thank you for taking good care of me.”

“Thank you! It’s an honor, Your Majesty the Empress.”

The owner was still nervous as he listened to her praise.

It would be really strange to ask for a sofa in a situation like this.

Astelle gave up on the sofa and took off her coat.

‘Should I say I’ll sleep with Theor?’

Suddenly, she thought so, but looking at the size of the bed, it was impossible.

The bed in the room is too small for even two people to sleep comfortably. It is only twice as long as Theor’s, which is said to be the bed the owner’s son used when he was a child.

After the owner left, Astelle took a bath with the water heated by the maid and changed into the pajamas brought by the owner. It’s his wife’s plain white tunic.

After changing, she sent out the maid who served her.

“You must be tired too, go to your room and rest.”

After a while, Kaizen opened the door and came inside.

“Theor?”

“He’s in the next room. He’s completely asleep.”

Beneath Theor’s bed lay Blynn on a blanket. They were both exhausted, only the sound of calm breathing could be heard.

The maid who had gone outside knocked on the door again.

“It’s a mulled wine and meat pie.”

The maid put down a steaming glass of wine and delicious pies in a rough wooden bowl on the table beside them.

“Tell the owner I thank you.”

I didn’t even eat dinner properly, but I wasn’t really hungry.

Is it because I ate all the leftover sandwiches from lunch?

Kaizen took a drink instead of food. Astelle also brought the glass to her lips. The mulled wine melted the cold.

Kaizen smiled as he looked at her. “Having this kind of experience makes me feel like I’ve really been on a trip.”

“I trouble ordinary farmers for no reason.”

Kaizen will of course compensate them enough.

Still, nuisance is a nuisance.

The dark night sky was visible through the small window. It was still snowing outside steadily.

The side road along which the party ran was obscured by the snow and could not be seen.

“I will have to say thank you to the owner tomorrow. If we had gone on, we would have really gotten stuck in the snow and stayed up all night on the road.”

Astelle listened to Kaizen and tilted her glass.

Kaizen’s eyes went to the window then to the pies on the table, and then back to Astelle.

“Was it like this every year?”

“If you mean snow, yes. Next year will also be like this.”

Sometimes even the three of us would be isolated inside the house.

Luckily, they managed to survive while burning firewood which was always prepared beforehand. And the young Theor rather enjoyed being trapped in a house buried in snow.

“I was surprised to see the house you and Theor used to live in.”

A low voice broke the cozy silence in the room.

Astelle put down her glass and turned to him. Kaizen was watching the flames burning in the fireplace.

“I knew it was hard, but I didn’t expect it to be that much… … .”

“It’s all in the past.”

Astelle deliberately spoke in a light tone. “And I had a lot of fun here too.”

There were times when it was difficult, but it was a comfortable life.

After escaping from the life of a princess, she was able to experience many things that she could not have imagined.

“Do you want to come back here?”

Astelle turned her head at the unexpected question. Kaizen’s serious eyes were looking straight at her.

“If you want to come here once in a while, do it. You don’t have to give up your position as empress. You can repair and expand the house to make it a detached palace and use it as a resort for the imperial family.”

“This is my grandfather’s land.”

“I will ask the Marquis.”

It seems that he meant to buy part of the estate from the marquis.

“It’s okay.”

Whatever life was like here is in the past. It is better to leave memories as memories.

“If I miss this place, I can visit my grandfather’s estate from time to time. No need to do the construction work just because of me.”

She had decided to live the rest of her life in the imperial palace anyway.

A warm, callused hand landed on Astelle’s hand that rested on the armrest.

Astelle raised her head.

His burning red eyes were looking at her.

Suddenly, her first meeting with Kaizen came to mind.

16 years since she first met him when she was ten years old. It’s been so long since she met Kaizen.

Her relationship with this man was like a broken house.

There were happy memories in it, but there were also many sad and difficult things.

But in the end, Astelle chose to move on, leaving all her memories behind.

“Your Majesty.”

Astelle also raised her hand and put it on his cheek.

The warm light from the fireplace added a light warmth to the defined cheeks and jawline.

There was a precarious tension in his red eyes looking at Astelle.

“Astelle.”

Kaizen carefully leaned over her.

Astelle slowly closed her eyes as his red eyes drew closer.

Slowly approaching, Kaizen kissed her on the lips.

It wasn’t their first kiss.

Because the two of them had already spent the first night together.

There are also memories of exchanging light kisses on her birthday when they were still engaged.

But it was the first kiss in her life that made her heart pound like this.

No sound could be heard in the quiet room.

Astelle was held in Kaizen’s arms for a while.

The snow outside filled the window frames all night.

***

The guards and knights who came to visit the party arrived at the farmer’s house before dawn.

They were the guards and knights who had remained in the mansion of the marquis.

When the party did not arrive until late at night, apparently the marquis sent a rescue team.

Astelle was awakened by the noise.

White morning light poured into the room.

The snow piled up on the window frames shone brightly in the morning sun.

Kaizen, who was lying next to her, hugged her by the shoulder.

“We should go back now.”

A familiar warmth wrapped around her body.

Astelle smiled softly as she turned to him. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

It was really time to go back.

As Astell tried to get up, Kaizen raised his hand.

He carefully smoothed her messy hair.

“… … are you all right?”

There was concern and tension in his low voice.

Astelle smiled as he gently stroked her ear.

“I’m fine.”

The party left early in the morning and returned to the marquis’ mansion.