Unbeknownst to Me, I am Secretly Dating the Emperor - Chapter 99

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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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Episode 99
“I’d prefer it if we could make it next week.”
Lina’s gaze wouldn’t leave Edwin’s hood.
Edwin quickly changed the subject, afraid she’d suggest they meet again next week.
A week without Lina felt like an unbearably long stretch of time to him.
As it happened, today was the day Lina had gone to the Separate Palace to teach Iveta the Ancient Language.
“Is the Saint adjusting well?”
Lina had grown quite close to the Saint and often visited the Separate Palace even on days without lessons.
It was a well-timed change of subject.
While Lina considered her answer, Edwin began to walk slowly.
Since Edwin had his hand around Lina’s waist in an escorting manner, she followed naturally alongside him.
And with that, Lina’s gaze finally left Edwin’s hood.
Edwin let out a quiet sigh of relief behind Lina’s back.
“She seems to be doing well.”
Edwin thought about what Lina’s delayed answer meant, and belatedly remembered that he had been the one to ask about the Saint’s wellbeing.
“Good to hear. She’ll need to begin public appearances soon.”
The attendants at the Separate Palace regularly reported on the Saint’s condition.
However, since the Saint was naturally reserved, she didn’t open up easily, which made the reports lack credibility.
But since the Saint followed Lina’s lead, her judgment could be trusted.
Edwin had already prepared a full schedule for the Saint’s public activities and was planning to move it forward again.
Lina’s face grew worried, but she offered no particular objection.
It seemed she understood the turning tide of events.
Public opinion was beginning to stir.
It was due to the Temple’s behind-the-scenes work.
The Saint’s awakening had been dramatic, leaving little time to prepare, but it did give the Saint time to adjust.
Since she had already displayed a Divine Omen, her existence was readily accepted by the public.
However, only those with even the slightest amount of Holy Power had witnessed the Saint’s awakening, and most of the Empire’s population had no Holy Power at all.
Curiosity about who the Saint was and how powerful her abilities were was growing.
The Temple was subtly fanning these flames of curiosity.
Since the Saint, who should have remained in the Temple, had been extracted through somewhat forceful means, he couldn’t afford to let this public interest fester for long.
Otherwise, it would play perfectly into the Temple’s narrative—that the Emperor was trying to monopolize the Saint’s power.
Edwin began explaining his plan in greater detail to reassure Lina, who was worried about the Saint.
“There’s a Poor House run privately by a retired nobleman in the Capital’s outskirts. We’ll go there. We’ll make a loop through the Downtown Area on the way, but that’s all there is to the schedule.”
It was a plan that fully considered the Saint’s somewhat timid nature.
The time of exposure to the public would be quite substantial, but there would be enough distance between them, so the Saint would only need to smile and wave.
The plan for after arriving at the Poor House was left vague so they could adapt on the spot depending on the situation.
It would be ideal if they could show the Saint using Holy Power, but it wasn’t necessary.
Even if the Saint only spent a brief time at the Poor House before departing, the pre-arranged Pro-Emperor Press outlets would package it appropriately and run stories about it.
That alone would satisfy public curiosity to some degree, and things should calm down for a while.
Lina’s expression gradually brightened as Edwin explained.
“Ah, and Count Kyle and Bes will be accompanying us as well.”
Edwin added this, hoping Lina’s expression would brighten completely.
Edwin had entrusted the Saint’s escort to Kyle with the intention that if anything happened in the field, he would handle it quickly and smoothly.
At the same time, it was personnel sufficient to show the Saint that he cared about her.
Since there were no other imperial family members besides the Emperor in the Empire, Kyle was the Emperor’s closest confidant.
As for Bes…
He hadn’t originally intended to include her.
‘I can bring Lina back and add her to the list later.’
Bes was a candidate whom the Emperor had ultimately excluded from the final roster after deliberation.
He couldn’t ignore Kyle shaking his head with unusual gravity.
As intended, Bes and the Saint had bonded quickly at the Separate Palace.
By now, they were close enough that people would believe they were sisters who’d grown up together since childhood.
Considering only that point, it would be right to include her in the party, but Kyle said the concern was whether Bes could be controlled.
She’d help ease the Saint’s tension, but she herself might cause trouble.
However, if adding Bes to the Saint’s party would put Lina’s mind at ease, then accepting some risk seemed worthwhile.
‘Kyle will keep her in check.’
But it seemed Lina had reached a similar conclusion to Kyle.
Lina’s brow, which had relaxed slightly at Kyle’s name, furrowed again at Bes’s name.
Lina spoke with considerable care.
“Would it be alright if I were to accompany the Saint as one of her attendants? I’m worried that if she misspoke in front of the journalists it could become problematic, and I’m concerned about Bes.”
It was a rational concern.
Even for the Pro-Emperor Press, journalists were always hungry for gossip.
An illegitimate child of the Roberts Family who received a title as the Saint’s sibling.
If her personality was also somewhat distinctive…
It would be plenty of provocative material to boost newspaper sales.
The pre-arranged newspapers would be cautious in their coverage of the Saint, but they might overstep when it came to Bes.
“Then, having you go in Bes’s place works well too. I’ll let them know.”
The final decision-maker had just been informed of this wish, and Edwin had already decided to add Lina to the list.
Then he added something laced with personal desire.
“I was planning to go as well, so this works out perfectly.”
Of course, as ‘Everett Rohas’.
This plan hadn’t existed thirty seconds ago, but Edwin spoke with conviction.
The roster Kyle had labored over was being revised in an instant.
“You too? That’s good.”
Lina was delighted at this unexpected news.
“It seems His Majesty is taking quite a bit of interest in the Saint.”
This was almost the first positive comment about the Emperor to come from Lina’s lips.
That’s why Edwin’s judgment grew somewhat clouded.
“He does tend to be.”
It seemed Lina regarded the Saint like a younger sibling.
He gave this response with the expectation that if he treated such a Saint well, he might earn Lina’s favor.
But it was a miscalculation.
Lina hadn’t abandoned her ‘Contract Dating’ strategy.
“It would have been even better if His Majesty had accompanied us. If he showed affection toward her, it would do much more to calm public opinion.”
Because of Lina, who seemed to be thinking beyond mere accompaniment, Edwin’s mood plummeted instantly.
He couldn’t let it show that his feelings were hurt in this situation.
He was Everett Rohas right now, after all.
But human hearts don’t work the way one wishes.
Especially not for a young man experiencing first love with heightened sensitivity.
Edwin finally couldn’t hold back and complained.
“Why do you keep trying to pair the Saint with the Emperor?”
Having grown accustomed to Edwin’s sensitivity whenever similar topics came up, Lina spoke soothingly.
“It’s not about pairing them, really. Both are unmarried, and the public loves scandal, so it’s simply another method to consider.”
Then, after a moment’s thought, she added,
“And you never know how people’s feelings might develop.”
No.
He knew.
Edwin had absolutely no intention of falling in love with the Saint.
He was a man of unwavering devotion.
While he couldn’t appeal to his fidelity now, it seemed necessary to make clear that he had no romantic interest in the Saint.
“I happen to know the Emperor’s ideal type fairly well.”
The woman who had become his ideal was right beside him.
But he couldn’t say it outright, so Edwin chose his words carefully and settled on one reason.
“He doesn’t like large age gaps.”
Ideally, an age gap between lovers should be around one year.
Edwin decided to subtly reveal his preferences while he had the chance.
“I’m the same way.”
But Lina’s reaction was lukewarm.
“But we have an eight-year age difference?”
Edwin’s mouth shut tight.

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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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