Celebrity Lady - Chapter 165

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Side Story 7
I smiled at Wishit, who blinked at me blankly.
Wishit. A Spirit who first appeared during the time of my ancestor Diolus the First, then vanished, never having a Contractor until now.
And yet he chose me, and even said he wanted to stay by my side for life with no conditions at all.
I must be precious to Wishit.
And to me, Wishit is…….
“You’ll need some time to forget me, won’t you? If even a little version of me remains, you won’t be so lonely. The baby will surely take after me, after all.”
I rarely speak my true heart without embarrassment, but we love each other.
How should I put it…….
The way I love myself.
Thirty years of memories as ‘Rubetria’. And then, five more years spent together as ‘Juliet who became Rubetria’.
Truly a long time, and yet somehow I feel for Wishit a bond and affection that transcends even that length—something so deep and enduring.
I don’t quite know why, but it feels like a reunion after a long journey, meeting again as if by fate.
“Even if parting is sad, traces remain. The traces that you and I existed together in this moment, were happy together, loved each other.”
I gently pulled Wishit into an embrace and added,
“It’s still far off, but…… so let’s promise not to grieve too deeply when we part.”
“…….”
“Someday, when I miss you terribly, at that time I’ll look at my little version of you and remember us in this moment.”
I held Wishit’s shoulders and looked him in the eye as I spoke.
“Spirit Wishit and his Contractor Rubetria Diolus. We existed loving each other more beautifully than any other.”
* * *
That evening, in the royal bedchamber.
Lark lay alone, sighing painfully without cease. His thoughts were on Dennis.
“Your Majesty, I have made a Contract with Bista.”
It was shocking. Dennis had meant to hide the fact of the Contract forever, but he could not keep silent about the tragic future he saw unfold—a future he lacked the power to prevent.
“I saw the Empress’s death.”
The birth of an heir to the throne. For that to happen, his wife’s death had to come first, without exception.
Such a future?
At first, Lark could not believe it. Doubt tormented him relentlessly.
His siblings, who had fought with blood drawn over the throne. Countless lies and schemes. Slander, betrayal…….
Could this be the machinations of a faction trying to prevent him from fathering an heir?
Yet at present, the Imperial House’s power was more firmly consolidated than ever before in the Emperor’s hands. He had been vigilant every moment, every second, lest any wayward-minded members of the Imperial family act.
And above all, Dennis had no connection to the throne. Lark knew intimately both those Dennis associated with and the factions that might back him.
And yet, unable to bear belief in such a horrible future…… Lark had tried to doubt Dennis in every way. Even the fact that the Spirit he had contracted with was Bista.
‘A similar situation once before.’
Rubetria Diolus, the Contractor of the Wish Spirit Wishit, had also lied. She claimed to be a Contractor of Bista.
Dennis’s situation was identical to Rubetria’s back then. He even hid the Spirit Summoner’s Mark that should have appeared on the back of his hand…….
But.
“Ah, Your Majesty! You’re thinking of testing me now, aren’t you? You’re going to ask me which hand you’ll raise, right? The right one!”
Upon witnessing the “true” ability of Bista for the first time, Lark was appalled.
It was utterly different from the old days with Rubetria.
Dennis, who saw through even the rapidly shifting near-future with perfect clarity—he was undoubtedly Bista’s Contractor.
“Damn.”
Lark exhaled yet another sigh, beyond counting.
“Darling~”
Just then Rubetria approached. Her damp hair swept back slowly, she sat beside him and subtly parted the front of her robe.
‘……This is maddening.’
Lark hastily averted his gaze from the glimpse of her pale skin.
“You’re not asleep?”
“No.”
“Then—”
“Wait!”
Lark quickly pulled Rubetria, who was about to shed her robe entirely, back against him. He held her fast and spoke.
“Let’s just hold each other like this and talk today. We’ve been so focused on that lately.”
“Hmm?”
Lark held Rubetria close and drew a deep breath. The rose scent of her always tickled his nose. Her soft breathing, her warmth, the light in her eyes…….
‘Madman.’
……A healthy, vigorous man’s body responded at once.
Lark squeezed his eyes shut.
‘A complete madman.’
And he went on cursing himself inwardly.
How could he be like this after hearing such a future?
He must truly be insane.
“Darling?”
Rubetria, confused by his behavior, tilted her head with a smile. When she brought her mouth to tickle the tip of his chin, Lark felt tears threaten.
Beneath her delicate eyelids, Rubetria’s eyes were a reddish-brown.
Three years ago, when she parted with her Spirit, she lost the Golden Eyes of a Spirit Summoner.
At the time, he had only worried about her sense of loss, but now…… the absence of Wishit, the Wish Spirit, felt unbearably precious.
“Listen, Ruby.”
“Yes?”
“What if. What if…….”
Lark hesitated.
Since hearing of the future, a choice had been laid before him.
Save his wife, or have a child.
Of course, it could hardly be called a choice. Lark had not even deliberated.
A child? The fruit of love?
What use would any of it be if his beloved wife were dead?
The real problem he had to consider was something else entirely.
If he decided not to father an heir, he could not continue wearing the Emperor’s crown.
“What if we lived an ordinary life?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“You have lands in the Southern Territory. Let’s abandon all this headache of ruling and go live there simply. We could travel, if we liked.”
“……?”
“Oh, we have a townhouse in the Imperial Court anyway, and your family estate too, so your business won’t suffer. We can manage things with occasional visits.”
“What are you saying all of a sudden? You mean you’d throw away being Emperor?”
“Is it impossible? I have brothers aplenty to take my place. If I begin preparing for abdication slowly now, by next spring we could leave without worry.”
Rubetria’s eyes widened. She had thought he was joking, but he seemed serious. Out of the blue like this?
At Rubetria’s dumbfounded expression, Lark could say nothing and merely bit his lip.
“Surely…… this isn’t because of me? Have I been neglecting state affairs because of my business? That can’t be right? No, perhaps there are things I’ve overlooked without knowing. If you tell me, I’ll take care of it.”
“That’s absolutely not it. You’re doing better than anyone.”
Too well, in fact. Only sleeping three hours a day.
“I’m simply tired.”
“What?”
Rubetria’s face showed utter disbelief at his words.
Lark, who loved the Empire more than anyone and gladly undertook work for his nation. Of course his body could grow weary, but for such a reason alone?
“Are you serious? How many of the Empire’s subjects look only to you? Can you simply abandon that throne because it’s hard?”
Lark knew this too. As Emperor, his priority must be this nation, the Empire.
Had he not been trained and raised to become a perfect Emperor? He had the resolve to give his very body for the Empire without hesitation.
But…… when did it start?
Lark gazed intently at his wife.
At some point, he had begun to change. He did things his former self would never have done.
For instance, overturning the Empire’s ancient laws to take a woman as wife, or right now, preparing to set down the Emperor’s crown so as not to father a child.
Behind all these actions that made him cease to be himself stood his wife. Rubetria Diolus.
And so Lark acknowledged it plainly.
He was neither a perfect Emperor nor a good leader. From some point on, he had become a ‘man’ for whom his wife mattered far more than his nation—for whom this woman, this one person, was infinitely more important.
“If you’re struggling, I can help. We can share the burden.”
Lark fell silent, watching the worry in Rubetria’s expression.
“Hmm, still, it’s the first time you’ve said something so weak. Am I being too cold about it?”
Rubetria rose and, as if to soothe his silence, caressed his cheek and spoke.
“Don’t decide so hastily then. Think about it slowly. Shouldn’t we ask the baby that’s about to be born too? Maybe he’d want to become Emperor like his father.”
Watching Rubetria gently soothe the unreasonable tantrum he had thrown, Lark truly felt like weeping.
Why? Why such a future?
Rubetria’s lowered lips came toward his. As her wet tongue parted his lips softly, Lark urgently drew her neck close.
No. A life without you is unimaginable, and I don’t want to imagine it.
When their lips parted, Rubetria’s cheeks were flushed rose-pink. She closed her eyes with a faint smile, now settled above him, and reached out her hand.
Tap.
Lark quickly caught the hand reaching for his chest.
“……?”
“I’m…… exhausted.”
“What?”
Rubetria blinked. She tilted her head for a long moment, then slowly let her gaze drift downward.
She was sitting atop a healthy, vigorous response. He looked anything but exhausted.
“Mini Lark isn’t tired, apparently.”
“……The main body is tired.”
“My goodness!”
Lark hastily pulled Rubetria, who had climbed onto him, to his side. Then, showing her his back, he turned away.
“Darling? Are you upset with me?”
“No.”
“Then why? If something bothers you, tell me. Did I say something too cold when you said you were struggling?”
Rubetria turned his shoulders toward her as she asked, her worried expression making his heart drop with anguish.
“No. I’m not upset. Nothing troubles me. It’s just, it’s just…….”
“Just?”
At last, eyes squeezed shut, he spoke.
“……Don’t feel like it.”
When he opened his eyes moments later, Rubetria was frozen in shock.

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