Unbeknownst to Me, I’m Secretly Dating the Emperor — Chapter 41

...YEAH,

RINA.

...IT'S STRANGE.

I'VE HEARD MY NAME ALL MY LIFE,

SO WHY DOES IT SOUND

...SO UNFAMILIAR TODAY...?

PL-PLEASE, I AM BEGGING YOU!

PLEASE JUST LET IT SLIDE THIS ONCE...!

I MUST ABSOLUTELY DELIVER THIS ITEM TO THE CAPITAL BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!

IF I RUIN A DEAL THIS BIG, MY MERCHANT GUILD COULD GO BANKRUPT!

IF IT WERE THAT IMPORTANT, YOU SHOULD HAVE PREPARED PROPERLY.

THE SUBMITTED LIST AND THE ACTUAL GOODS DON’T MATCH, SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?

BUT... IT'S NOT LIKE THE QUANTITY I'M TRAVELING WITH IS MORE THAN WHAT'S ON THE LIST,

IT'S ACTUALLY LESS!

WHY ON EARTH IS THAT A PROBLE-

SHUT UP!

WHEN I SAY NO, IT MEANS NO!

EITHER BRING THE CORRECT QUANTITY OR REWRITE THE LIST!

OF COURSE, THE MAGIC CIRCLE'S OPERATING HOURS END PAST FIVE O'CLOCK,

NGH...

UM, BY ANY CHANCE...

SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

COULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO SETTLE THIS USING... ANOTHER METHOD?

IT ISN'T MUCH, BUT...

NOW YOU’RE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE. PASS THROUGH.

TH-THANK YOU...

...! THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS.

THE GUARDS RECEIVING THE STIPEND FROM THE EMPIRE...

...ARE OPENLY INVOLVED IN COMMITTING CORRUPTION RIGHT HERE IN THE CAPITAL?

TO THE POINT OF INTIMIDATING PEOPLE WITH SUCH A HIGH-HANDED ATTITUDE...?!

HEY THERE, PRETTY LADY.

DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME?

THAT PASSIONATE GAZE OF YOURS IS MAKING ME ALL SHY~

YOU-

...DO YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF BUSINESS...

...WITH MY WIFE?

EEK...

WH-WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!

IF YOU'RE USING THE MAGIC CIRCLE, SHOW ME YOUR ID-

THIS IS...

Bart

A-CLASS MERCENARY LICENSE...?

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE...

YOU MIGHT NEED?

UH...

...NO, THERE ISN'T.

PLEASE MOVE ALONG.

...SIR ROJAS MUST BE EXTREMELY ANGRY.

...WELL, HE HAS ALWAYS HAD A ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY FOR INJUSTICE.

CONSIDERING THAT, HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB AT KEEPING HIS TEMPER IN CHECK.

IT MUST BE BECAUSE OF THE MISSION, RIGHT?

I WAS ABOUT TO STEP IN IF PUSH CAME TO SHOVE, BUT-

MISS DIAZ-

NO,

RINA.

ARE YOU...

ALRIGHT?!

RINA...

ARE YOU FINE?

...HUH?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN IF I AM ALRIGHT...?

I MEAN YOUR CONDITION.

YOU MUST'VE BEEN QUITE SCARED. WERE YOU STARTLED?

IS YOUR HEART BEATING TOO FAST AND MAKING YOU SHORT OF BREATH, BY ANY CHANCE?

OR IS YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATING?

Wait a minute. U-UM, I'M PERFECTLY FINE, THOUGH?

THEN THAT'S A HUGE RELIEF, BUT...

YOU HAVE A TENDER HEART AND A FRAGILE MIND.

I WAS WORRIED YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED AFTER GETTING TANGLED UP WITH THOSE AWFUL JERKS.

...ME?!

IT DOESN'T FEEL BAD TO BE OVER- PROTECTED, BUT...

Will she break if she falls?

Will she fly away if the wind blows?

WHAT EXACTLY DID HE SEE IN ME TO THINK I HAVE A FRAGILE MIND...?

I AM COMPLETELY FINE, ED.

ACTUALLY, I WAS INWARDLY THINKING ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THOSE SCUMBAGS.

ONCE OUR MISSION IS OVER, I WILL DEFINITELY REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO THE INSPECTION TEAM.

PEOPLE WHO DO THINGS LIKE THAT ABSOLUTELY MUST BE CUT OFF.

YES, I'M OF THE SAME MIND.

THEY MUST BE CUT OFF...

SLICED.

IT SEEMS SIR ROJAS'S IDEA OF THE LEVEL OF PUNISHMENT IS SIMILAR TO MINE.

What a relief~

ANYWAY, EARLIER...

I REALLY WAS STARTLED.

I KNOW HE INTENDED TO PROTECT ME, BUT...

TO CALL ME "HIS WIFE."

I THOUGHT MY HEART WAS GOING TO STOP-!

You really were scared after all, Miss Diaz. Weren't you?

THIS IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE PASSENGERS USING THE ANCIENT TELEPORTATION MAGIC CIRCLE.

THE MAGIC CIRCLE TO PERAM WILL SOON CEASE OPERATIONS.

PASSENGERS HEADING TO PERAM, PLEASE MOVE TO THE PORTAL.

IF IT'S PERAM, THAT'S OUR DESTINATION.

YEAH, WE SHOULD GET GOING.

THEN...

SHALL WE, RINA?

SOUNDS GOOD, ED!

BUSINESS TRIPS ARE THE BEST.

THE IMPERIAL PALACE IS THE BEST~!!!

KYLE IS THE BEST TOO~!!!

PERAM IS A MUCH MORE BUSTLING ESTATE THAN I THOUGHT.

WELL, IT HAS ENOUGH GOING FOR IT TO HAVE AN ANCIENT TELEPORTATION MAGIC CIRCLE.

ANYWAY, IT'S GETTING DARK, SO IT WOULD BE TOO TAXING TO KEEP MOVING.

HOW ABOUT WE REST FOR TODAY AND LEAVE EARLY FOR DIEGIS TOMORROW?

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN.

Moreover, I heard the Lord is quite resourceful.

THEN WE SHOULD FIND AN INN.

WELCOME, SIR AND MA'AM.

HELLO. DO YOU HAVE ANY ROOMS LEFT BY ANY CHANCE?

WE NEED TWO OF YOUR BEST ROOMS.

TWO ROOMS?

AREN'T YOU A MARRIED COUPLE?

W-WE ARE A MARRIED COUPLE, BUT WE HAVEN'T OFFICIALLY TIED THE KNOT YET!

SINCE MY HUSBAND IS FROM THE EAST, IT'S A BIT...

AHH, I SEE.

OH MY~ THAT'S A REAL SHAME FOR YOU, BUDDY?

WOULD YOU EVEN BE ABLE TO FALL ASLEEP WITH SUCH A PRETTY BRIDE NEXT DOOR?

AH... AHAHAHA! WE'VE RECEIVED THE KEYS ALRIGHT!

THEN WE'LL BE HEADING UPSTAIRS NOW—!

...SERIOUSLY, THAT MISTER TOO.

SAYING THINGS THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE SAID...

WHY DID HE HAVE TO MAKE THE ATMOSPHERE SO AWKWARD?

...THIS IS MY ROOM.

AND ED, YOUR ROOM IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

Here are the keys.

UM, WELL...

PLEASE DON'T PAY TOO MUCH MIND TO WHAT THAT MISTER SAID EARLIER.

IT'S MY FAULT FOR CAUSING A MISUNDERSTANDING BY CLAIMING WE'RE A MARRIED COUPLE...

...ANYWAY, ED.

GOOD NIGHT...

!

ED...?