Chapter: 790
A little chaos erupted. I made a small request to purchase a tiny plot of land, and in return, I got a ridiculous noble title.
I can’t even be angry now; it’s just absurd enough to elicit laughter. What’s going on in the emperor’s brain? What kind of thought process leads someone to respond to a simple request for land with a noble title and territory?
It’s beyond comprehension. In fact, it’s something that shouldn’t be understood at all—it’s terrifyingly ridiculous.
‘That bastard could have made a fortune as a sniper.’
Not really, though—I know exactly what’s going on. I rarely ask for anything, and he’s just waiting for his chance to shove a mountain of debt on me.
Later, when he wants to ask me for a favor or give an order, he’s going to yell, “Don’t you remember the title of Baron of Isilonan you received?!” What a sinister guy.
“Lynn.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s not just buy cows; let’s stock up on all kinds of animals!”
With a sigh, I tucked the communication device into my pocket. At this point, I might as well turn the whole barony into an animal kingdom. Instead of being known as the Barony of Isilonan, why not call it the Safari Barony?
The emperor must want that too; that’s why he handed over the territory, right? Conveniently located near the historic city of Kroita, I could package Isilonan and Kroita together as a tourist hotspot.
Then, when the emperor tries to push me around, I can fire back, “Hey, I boosted the tourism revenue, didn’t I?” That way, I can ease this monumental debt a bit.
‘Do I really have to think about this even on my honeymoon?’
Seeing Lynn tilt her head in confusion made me smirk.
I should be enjoying a leisurely trip with my wife, yet in my mind, I’m grappling with the emperor in a combative discussion. How pathetic is that?
Of course, I was the one who brought up work first, but still, retaliating with a title grant crossed the line. It’s like stabbing me with a tiny blade when I just grazed him with a ten-pointer.
So, this calamity is the emperor’s fault. I’m innocent here.
*
Other people think of Oppa as a cold, stiff person.
The Imperial Count who protects the royal family. The Emperor’s sword that watches over the bureaucrats and nobles of the empire. A young man at the center of power. With a title like that, people find it hard to approach him.
Plus, Oppa loves to wear black, and his usual expression is quite stern—he’s basically a fearsome figure.
‘I used to feel that way too.’
Embarrassingly, when I first met him, I was terrified of him for various reasons. I did everything I could to avoid him and was scared to meet his gaze.
That said, I had my reasons for being afraid of him back then. After all, I really had felt oppressed by him.
But even if most people had the same—if not stronger—first impressions, seeing him up close made me realize I’d totally misjudged him.
– Coo-coo!
“Ooh, what a bird…”
“This is an ostrich. It can’t fly, but it has agile legs, making it faster than most four-legged beasts.”
“It looks small; it must be a newborn, right? I doubt it can run very fast yet?”
“Not yet. But give it a year, and it’ll grow to the height of a horse.”
– Coo-coo!
“Wow.”
Just like that.
‘From this angle, looks like a regular little chicken.’
Seeing Oppa smile as he stroked the peculiar bird that had grown to knee-height made me smile too. Watching him like this made me feel familiarity instead of fear.
Oppa is kind to both people and animals. Though he seems stiff, he has a surprisingly diverse range of expressions, showing soft smiles to even the beasts. How could anyone dare be scared of someone like that?
‘Just like when I saw him with the communication device earlier.’
Before seeing that ostrich, I remembered Oppa’s face, which had changed like the weather while looking at the communication device.
He must have been surprised by the emperor’s cooler response than he anticipated. The trust the emperor had in him was formidable.
“Let’s not just buy cows; let’s stock up on all kinds of animals!”
If Oppa decided to make a bulk purchase all of a sudden, surely they weren’t selling just a plot of land fit for a farm, but rather enough territory to match the knights’ fiefs. There’s a high chance of that.
‘Though that doesn’t seem like something to be shocked about.’
I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Someone like Oppa should not be so flustered by something like this. Honestly, could he be underestimating himself?
The only ones who really understand his emotional volatility and how transparent he is would be us.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t stop smiling when I saw him.
“Hey, should we raise this one too? When it matures, it could be fun for the kids to ride on!”
Oppa kept reminding me that we were on our honeymoon, casually striking up conversations in between.
“Though it might be tricky to use commercially…”
He carefully considered my interest in regional specialties.
“Just the fact that it’s an animal from across the continent adds value to it.”
“True. That does make sense.”
Seeing my positive reaction, Oppa beamed brightly.
It’s a smile I see all the time, yet every time it’s just as heartwarming. Being with Oppa fills my heart with warmth, overflowing with joy that I can’t quite put into words.
So naturally, I brought up the topic of the regional specialties, wanting to fill our conversations with more topics. After all, the more, the merrier when chatting with Oppa.
‘Honestly, I’m genuinely interested too.’
Since I have to deal with these matters anyway, it’s best to do it while sharing affection with him.
– Coo, coo!
“But can this one be used like cavalry?”
“That’s unlikely. They don’t like having anyone ride on their back, although they’re okay with a human’s hand.”
“A bummer.”
Oppa’s bright expression dimmed slightly.
But the caretaker beside us didn’t notice. That subtle change is something only family can pick up on—the little privilege they get.
‘It’s nice to be on a trip with just the two of us.’
In this moment, I felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that only I understood Oppa’s true self. That I’m the only one who can grasp what’s going on inside him.
It’s a feeling I can’t find in the mansion, where too many people know him intimately.
“You’ll get to know once you stay with him.”
– Mooooo!
While watching Oppa check out the ostrich, I reached over and petted the buffalo next to me.
Right now, it’s a child who has acknowledged Oppa’s power. But as it receives his sincere care, it will come to realize that he’s not just a scary guy but genuinely a good person.
Just like Titi and the holy beasts in our mansion. Like Mane and Mine.
We returned to the resort before sunset.
There’s plenty more to see in Yuben than just animals, and deciding on which to import isn’t something that can be rushed. The import issue would wrap up closer to our return home.
“Yuben’s definitely far from the Empire. I can’t believe how wild these animals are out here.”
“Right? It’d be impossible without magic in the empire.”
I nodded reflexively at Oppa’s words.
Animals that you’d only see in a zoo back in the Empire get to roam wild and free here. It’s probably due to the differing environments between the Empire and Yuben.
And when the environment changes, so do cultures, and when cultures shift, the items predominantly used will also vary.
‘Truly, no barrier is higher than the distance.’
Anything from Yuben brought to the Empire would immediately become an exotic souvenir. And if it works well enough, they’d become luxurious items in no time.
However, my investigation into regional specialties was merely a pretext to have more conversations, but it’s also genuine love for my family. If I could leave them with more than less, that’d be great.
So, on our way back to the resort, I decided to stop by the market to get a feel for the atmosphere.
‘My biggest expectation just crashed.’
This magic, practically synonymous with the United Kingdom of Yuben.
Specialties created on the basis of that magic probably won’t catch the Empire’s interest at all.
‘Trixie’s just too strong.’
Only one person can manage that. Trixie, who exists in the Empire.
What does it matter if Yuben is a nation of magic? The Empire stands at the pinnacle, far beyond the magic powerhouse. If Yuben builds something with magic? Well, Trixie and the Magic Tower already crafted it—so it exists in the Empire too. There’s no need to sell it to them.
Thanks to that, my biggest harvest from today’s exploration turned out to be the beasts of the western plains. The magical items I expected encountered an unexpected setback, while the animals I hadn’t counted on led me to an unexpected route.
“Oppa.”
“Yeah?”
“To be honest, about the title ‘Magic Powerhouse’… I don’t think it’s something we should use while Trixie’s still alive.”
“Ha, that’s true.”
Hearing that made Oppa laugh.
It seems he shared the same thought but just hadn’t said it out loud.
“But what now? If the magical tools we expected end up like this, it’ll be hard to find other regional specialties.”
“Well… Since it’s a vast country, we might still stumble upon something else if we keep looking, but I doubt we’ll find things as varied as we hoped.”
“That’s a shame.”
I forced a smile at Oppa’s words. If I’d known it’d turn out like this, I should have chosen a closer country instead of Yuben. I feel like I’ve caused nothing but annoyance for him.
“Should we just lounge at the resort for a few days?”
“Eh?”
“If we don’t find much after searching, it might be better to take it easy. After all, we’re here to enjoy ourselves.”
With that, Oppa sat next to me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
…Ah.
Oh, wow!
‘It’s happening!’
Before I knew it, my face began to heat up.
Those few days, with Oppa’s enthusiastic displays of affection.
This is definitely it. The precious treasure that Mari and Rizie brought back from their honeymoon.
‘A second…!’
The deal we all made of having another child, to no longer need to hold back.
“Anyway, we’ll be in Yuben until our wedding, so we have plenty of time; what do you think?”
I, too, can finally make a sibling for our Alina.
“Y-Yeah! As you said, we have plenty of time…”
At my answer, Oppa smiled even brighter.
I probably looked like I was wearing a similar expression.
*
While chatting with Lynn about business is nice, sharing affectionate conversations is the best way to connect between a couple.
Let’s forget about the communication device for a few days. If the emperor sends a message, we’ll just ignore it.
If he’s so keen, he can send a diplomat to Yuben. No one can stop a freshly married husband on his honeymoon.
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