Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 258

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Side Story Episode 1

Side Story 1.

Though not widely known, the profession of king had occupied the top ranks of high-risk groups for death from overwork for several centuries.

Because of this, when Mikhail was still a young crown prince, he would spread out a world map and wonder with innocent curiosity which country’s king would have the highest probability of dying from overwork.

‘His Holiness the Pope of the Holy Empire is called a king, but he serves God. He must be under tremendous stress being caught between God and the people.’

‘Speaking of which, the Mage Republic changes their head of state through voting every few years, right? They’re essentially kings with a time limit—I couldn’t bear that.’

‘The Empire practices polygamy, so with many heirs, there’s bloodshed every time the throne changes. Ugh, how terrible.’

With such thoughts, he offered small prayers of comfort for the most unfortunate king in the world, not knowing it would become a silent prayer for himself.

Mikhail Zenos Pondrich.

These days, he secretly worried whether the weight of the crown he’d been wearing for five years might be giving him a turtle neck.

“Another dispute has broken out between the Grand Temple and the Magic Tower! Your Majesty should intervene before it escalates into an international issue.”

“A diplomatic delegation has arrived from a nation belonging to the Five Nations Council. They say there’s urgent business to discuss regarding ownership rights to the northern unexplored territories…”

“Your Majesty, we implore you to delay Leo Blanche’s succession ceremony as much as possible. The people’s admiration for him is quite concerning.”

He came to realize the tragic reality that the king most likely to die from overwork in the world was none other than himself.

Of course, ruling a country was naturally not easy. However, Mikhail’s country was particularly troublesome to care for.

The unique characteristic of being the only nation on the continent to house both the Grand Temple and the Magic Tower simultaneously.

Delegations from various countries constantly arriving day and night to claim ownership of the lands beyond the Barrier Forest.

Even paranoid individuals who viewed the birth of a new hero with suspicion.

On top of that, lately his retainers had been bringing up a new agenda item at every state council meeting.

“Now that the gate is closed, there’s nowhere to deploy the northern military forces. What will we do to feed all those soldiers in that barren land where it’s hard to get even a grain of rice?”

“They may pretend loyalty while watching the royal family’s reactions now, but you must always observe them carefully.”

“If civil war breaks out, we won’t even receive protection from the Five Nations Council. The Five Nations Council still doesn’t function during civil wars.”

Two years since Leo Blanche drew the holy sword and closed the northern gate.

The time had come when the brains of the central nobles, once soft as freshly baked bread in the joy of peace, had hardened like year-old baguettes.

They began to be wary of the northern and human hero they had once praised so highly.

Still, he couldn’t simply dismiss his retainers’ opinions. They were, in their own way, concerned about the safety of the country and the royal family.

Moreover, Mikhail himself could understand his retainers’ concerns. For now, knowing what kind of people the Duke and his wife were, he wasn’t worried, but…

‘Just a few generations down and it would fall apart.’

As long as the Five Nations Peace Treaty was maintained, the kings of Jenos Kingdom would forever be wary of the North.

If someone as suspicious as his late father were to appear, this country would fall into the abyss of civil war.

Eventually, Mikhail nodded with a solemn expression befitting his years of royal experience, thinking ‘Your opinions have merit’ while actually thinking:

‘Ah, I wish it were lunchtime already.’

However, despite Mikhail’s wishes, time crawled by slowly.

As fierce debates raged between both factions, a retainer who had been passionately arguing about the dangers of the North raised his voice.

“If it were another country, I wouldn’t be getting so worked up about this!”

At that moment, a brilliant idea occurred to Mikhail.

“Everyone, let’s call it a day. When the time comes, I’ll return with an answer that will satisfy everyone present, so don’t put this matter on the agenda for a while.”

Having hastily concluded the meeting, Mikhail skipped even the lunch he had been so eagerly awaiting and wrote a letter to the Duke and Duchess of Baluashten.

* * *

In winter, morning comes late to the North.

Belinda blinked quietly, her drowsy head still resting on the pillow.

In one corner of the ducal couple’s bedroom, where dim dawn light filtered through the window.

Cesar was putting on his outdoor clothes, having quietly slipped out of bed so as not to wake Belinda.

She silently watched her husband put on a white shirt and button it up one by one from the top.

While the chest area of the shirt was tight due to his broad, thick ribcage, his muscular waist was sleek and appeared relatively loose.

As Cesar adjusted his collar and put on the cufflinks Belinda had given him, he seemed to sense something amiss and turned his head.

Belinda reflexively closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

Soon she heard footsteps and felt one side of the bed tilt. From the shadow cast over her head, she could easily tell that Cesar had sat on the edge of the bed.

“Belinda.”

His voice was lower than usual, with a languid, lingering quality.

Memories of what had happened in bed the night before made her toes curl under the covers, but she maintained a peaceful expression, pretending to be fast asleep.

Still, his gaze was so intense that her drowsy senses seemed to sharpen one by one.

Soon he asked in an even lower voice than before.

“Are you awake?”

“…”

When she remained silent with only her eyes closed out of strange stubbornness, a sigh filled with regret followed.

“You’re sleeping.”

She was barely holding back laughter and timing when to open her eyes when something soft and warm like the flesh of a ripe fruit lightly brushed against Belinda’s forehead.

Even without seeing, she could feel it through her senses. That Cesar had just kissed her forehead.

‘Doing that to a sleeping person… He’s really so cute.’

As she barely managed to compose her expression, Cesar’s voice came again.

“Are you really sleeping?”

“…”

When she still didn’t answer, this time kisses rained down on her closed eyelids. The tender flesh inside her mouth felt ticklish somehow, so Belinda frowned as if in sleep.

Then Cesar’s fingertips gently pressed against Belinda’s furrowed brow.

His fingertips then slid down along the bridge of her nose and softly caressed her lips.

“Really?”

Just as their lips were about to touch.

Snap.

Unable to endure any longer, Belinda’s eyes flew open and she grabbed Cesar’s chin with both hands. Thanks to this, she managed to block the surprise attack by the narrowest margin.

She glared at the handsome, shameless, and devastatingly handsome face right before her eyes and demanded:

“You knew I was awake.”

“Of course. I always pay full attention to my wife.”

…Who updated my husband again during the night?

At the sincerity conveyed so plainly, Belinda pressed her lips together and looked away from his gaze.

One year since they held their grand wedding at Baluashten Castle.

During this time, Belinda’s ‘Lord Cheri’ had become Cesar, and Cesar’s ‘young lady’ had become Belinda.

They had also grown somewhat accustomed to treating each other with proper formality in front of employees and retainers.

But for some reason, whenever Cesar used the term ‘wife’ to refer to her, her cheeks would invariably flush with heat.

Especially in the bedroom when they were alone.

When Belinda finally cooled her cheeks and met Cesar’s eyes again, his expression had noticeably hardened for some reason during that brief moment.

Belinda sat up and asked.

“Why did your expression suddenly become so serious?”

“This expedition will take two days, won’t it?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Beyond the Barrier Forest, which no longer bore any traces of its former self, in the unexplored regions untouched by human hands, mysterious monsters that had been hiding began to appear one by one after the magical beasts disappeared.

Scholars said it was the result of magical energy that had flowed out through the northern gate for hundreds of years, affecting the soil composition and ecosystem of the land.

Because of this, Cesar found himself having to venture out to the unexplored regions once again to protect the territorial residents from these monsters.

Of course, the number of monsters was small, and to the northern knights who had faced magical beasts, monsters posed no great threat, but since it involved drawing swords, she couldn’t help but worry.

Had some unexpected danger been discovered in the unexplored regions?

When Belinda placed her hand on the back of Cesar’s hand with an anxious heart, he confessed with an utterly grim expression.

“I’m devastated by the reality of having to be separated from my wife for two days.”

“…”

“I don’t want to go to work.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————