The Teacher of Budding Villains Suffers Today, Too - Chapter 120

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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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Chapter 120 Epilogue
Five years later.
The world had changed tremendously.
In that time, Tirnes had grown more prosperous than any other nation. Anareо watched warily and eventually declared war once more.
Needless to say, Anareо could not match Tirnes’s might.
In the end, Anareо and the remaining duchies knelt before Tirnes. Lucas had unified the continent.
Between Rachel and Lucas, too, a great change had come to pass—Rachel had borne children.
The crown prince and crown princess were already three years old. Rachel had made considerable effort to become an excellent mother. Perhaps for that reason, the two children thrived beautifully.
She had also received the Recognition of the Sun God, which had been deferred for five years. Though she had fulfilled everything the Sun God desired, the tension was undeniable.
Rachel’s hands trembled as she entered the Sun God’s temple. The worry that she might lack the qualifications gnawed at her quite fiercely.
‘Will there ever be days as peaceful as these again?’
Rachel smiled as she strolled through the garden. No matter how she thought about it, she seemed blessed. She settled into a chair and savored the languid feeling.
‘Though it does seem to be growing warmer.’
Each day felt a little hotter than the last. Rachel found herself frowning slightly without quite meaning to.
‘And there’s no air conditioning, after all.’
The humidity was high and while temperatures didn’t reach forty degrees, summer was summer.
“Your Majesty.”
The Nanny approached Rachel.
In truth, the title of Empress still felt strange. Rachel lifted her head, doing her best to hide her embarrassment.
“Yes, what is it?”
In principle she ought to speak less formally to the Nanny, but Rachel could not bring herself to do so with someone older than herself. Besides, they had always spoken in such terms, which made it all the more difficult.
“The weather has grown quite warm. Might it please Your Majesty to retire to the Summer Palace for a respite?”
“The Summer Palace? To rest there?”
“Yes. It would allow His Majesty to set aside his duties for a time and take his ease.”
The Nanny’s words made good sense. Lucas had been laboring under an enormous burden of work lately. Rachel had helped in whatever ways she could, but given the sheer volume, there were limits to what she could do.
“I’ll mention it to him. Thank you, Nanny.”
Rachel offered her thanks.
“By the way, I’m told that Lord Henry spent time with the crown prince and crown princess again today.”
“Is that so?”
Henry harbored a grand ambition: to teach Swordsmanship to the crown prince and crown princess himself. To achieve this, he believed he must become close to the two children from their earliest years, and so he visited the Imperial Palace daily.
“Henry certainly has his quirks.”
“Indeed he does.”
Rachel laughed brightly at the thought of him. He had always cherished her like a true brother. Rachel, for her part, relied on him greatly. The butler Colo was equally someone she depended upon.
Since establishing the Etiquette School, Colo had been quite busy. Word spread that Theo and Noah had studied under him, and nobles sent their children to enroll in droves.
‘If we do go to the Summer Palace, I should bring back souvenirs for them.’
Rachel imagined the delight on the two men’s faces. The thought alone made her spirits soar.
* * *
“Did you have a good day?”
Rachel asked Lucas. Instead of answering, he pressed his lips to her forehead. By now, such affection felt natural between them.
“Do you know anything about the Summer Palace?”
“I’ve been there a few times when I was young, but why?”
“I was thinking, if you’re willing, we might spend some time there together.”
Rachel asked carefully. He was already so busy. She worried that she might be imposing on him.
“A rest after all this time. That’s not a bad idea.”
Fortunately, he responded positively.
“We’ll leave in three days.”
Lucas set the date at once. Rachel’s heart quickened like a child anticipating an outing.
One day. Two days. And then the third.
Three days passed swiftly.
The procession heading toward the Summer Palace was long. Countless attendants and ladies-in-waiting. Yet none among them harbored complaint—compared to the former emperor, Lucas was a remarkably gentle ruler.
Rachel did not ride in a carriage. She rode on horseback, positioned at Lucas’s side. It was unconventional for an Empress not to ride in a carriage, but no one remarked upon it. Before she was an Empress, she was a War Hero.
The moment they arrived at the quiet Summer Palace, Rachel threw open the windows. Beyond them stretched the sea in the morning light. Theo and Noah, who had already raced down to the shore, were playing with unbridled joy.
“Rachel.”
“Yes, Lucas?”
“Do you know there’s a school here as well?”
Lucas asked. Rachel opened her eyes wide and shook her head. This was rural country if there ever was such. Even in this small village, a school had been established. Rachel could not help but marvel anew.
“If you’d like, shall we visit it?”
Lucas made the suggestion first. Rachel quickly nodded in agreement.
* * *
“Now, continuing from last time, we’ll be learning about the history of the continent. Everyone, please open to page thirty-one.”
Through the window, the teacher’s voice drifted out. Beyond the school lay a world brimming with children’s playthings. Rachel’s heart warmed at the thought of the sturdy fence encircling the grounds, how well it protected the children.
“If I remember rightly, there was a cake shop nearby with the most wonderful sweets.”
Lucas reached for Rachel’s hand as he spoke.
“A cake shop?”
“I used to sneak off there as a child. I’m not sure if it’s still around, but shall we try to find it?”
“Of course.”
Rachel nodded readily.
Walking hand in hand with Lucas outside the Imperial Palace felt like it had been ages since the last time. As if returning to how things used to be—thinking so, Rachel smiled softly to herself.
“Is that it, there?”
Rachel pointed toward a shop.
“That does look like it.”
“The cake shop’s name is… Rachel…?”
Rachel couldn’t help but be astonished. The shop bore her very own name.
“My favorite cake shop has the same name as you.”
“How remarkable. What a strange coincidence.”
“When I first saw you, I thought the same thing—how strange and wonderful.”
Lucas continued, his gaze steady upon her.
“Perhaps from that moment on, I believed it was fate.”
“…Lucas.”
“Let’s taste the cake.”
“Yes, I’d love to!”
Rachel stepped inside the cake shop.
“Welcome.”
A middle-aged woman greeted them both.
“My, from the looks of you, you’re from the Imperial Palace, aren’t you? I do hope our cake suits the refined tastes of the palace.”
The shop owner spoke with a touch of self-deprecating humor.
“We have only one variety—Chocolate Cake. Will that do?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Please, have a seat. I’ll have it ready for you in just a moment.”
Rachel and Lucas sat across from each other with a table between them, and both smiled toward one another.
“This feels just like….”
“Just like what?”
Rachel, overcome with shyness, dropped her gaze to her lap.
“I’d very much like to hear the rest.”
……
“We have time. I’ll wait as long as you need.”
Lucas spoke playfully. Rachel barely lifted her eyes, her face flushed crimson.
“…It feels just like we’re on a date.”
Again, Rachel’s head bowed.
‘I shouldn’t have said that…!’
Here she’d gone and said something embarrassing, spoiling the mood entirely. Rachel felt like striking her own forehead.
“Rachel.”
“…Yes?”
“It doesn’t just feel like we’re on a date.”
“Pardon?”
“We are on a date right now.”
Lucas spoke gently.
“When I look at you, my heart always races. Like a lover on their very first date.”
……
“I want to hold onto this trembling, this excitement, forever.”
“Lucas….”
“I believe you feel the same way I do.”
His words were so achingly sweet. Words she longed to hear again and again.
Rachel nodded, and beneath the table, her hand found his.
I will never forget the trembling of this moment, for all my days.
My beloved Lucas Maxim.
The End

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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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