CH 34

“Why do you keep laughing? Stop it.”

She didn’t know what it’s about, but right now, her embarrassment was surpassing her happiness. To be perfectly honest though, with how out of place his laughter was, she might even think that it’s starting to get scary.

As she looked up at him with confusion seizing her gaze, he gradually stopped laughing as he swept a hand through his hair.

“Then, let’s take a step back.”

Instead of answering the question of why he laughed, he took a slight step back. The corners of his lips were still tugged upward when he made eye contact with her.

“So, is there anything else you want to say about the epidemic, Reina?”

“Ah.”

After coming back to her senses belatedly, she schooled her features and broached the topic of ‘smallpox’ and started to explain.

For a moment, there was a strange look flashing through Ethan’s eyes, but Reina did not notice this change because Ethan maintained the same expression.

“And then we’re going to talk to the health officials, yes? Like we agreed on before.”

He gave a small nod.

“Yes.”

“It’s within the bounds of His Majesty’s orders, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

As long as there was permission from the sun of the empire, then there was nothing more to worry about.

‘No, but wait a minute…’

Now that she thought about it, everything’s a-okay with the emperor. If things would work out alright, then everything from here would go very smoothly.

The end justifies the means, maybe. A good thing is a good thing, sure.

“Alright, then let’s go and explain it to the others.”

“Yes, let’s do that. And I didn’t tell you before, but the Academy and House Chantra have been contacted in advance.”

“Ah.”

She forgot. This is why people say there’s no use raising a daughter. Reina realized that the last time she contacted them was weeks ago. There’s no other unfilial daughter like her.

“Thank you.”

As she thanked him awkwardly and with a bit of embarrassment, Ethan slightly raised one corner of his lips.

‘Seriously, what’s wrong with him today? I can’t get used to it.’

Ethan’s default expression, which everyone knew far and wide, was the kind of expression that made it look like he was chewing on something rotten.

If he was being so expressive like this, how could Reina not be flustered? Even if she was the same young woman who rushed in with a fierce determination of seducing him.

“Thank you as well.”

She was already dying from not being able to get used to his smile, but now, he was even saying ‘thank you’ to her. Just one unusual action after another.

She looked up robotically and stared at him in wonder.

‘Did you maybe go crazy…’

Maybe it was like this: After seeing the severity of the epidemic for the first time, the shock of it caused a fuse to short-circuit somewhere in his brain. If not that, then how could a person change and become so gentle within just one day?

“It’s all thanks to you, Reina. I owe you a favor because the epidemic is being solved much faster.”

Well… That’s true. If the epidemic would end with this, then it’s undeniable that the deed would be credited to her.

“No, it’s only possible because you trusted and supported me, Ethan.”

Rather than humility though, what Reina said in response was also true. But even if she were to try and insist on the truth for one hundred days, if these words were just going through the listener’s ear and out the other, then what would be the use?

“No, Reina. I was only able to trust and follow you because you explained it so well that anyone could understand. That’s why it’s all you, Reina.”

As these exaltations calmly flowed out of his lips, the embarrassment she was feeling just a while ago was no longer here. In its place, the feeling of pride swelled at one corner of her heart.

It was an overwhelming feeling. Or perhaps, it’s new and unfamiliar.

Of course, she had been feeling a bit more familiar around him recently as she was on her path to avoid the death flag.

However, it was as if she was only wearing a mask before. Right now, it’s like the real ‘Reina Chantra’ started to get close to ‘Ethan Liam’.

With a sidelong glance, Reina furtively looked at Ethan.

Before, his eyes would impart only boredom or exhaustion, with a look that was extremely bleak no matter who saw him. However, this time, that feeling was nowhere to be found.

As if Ethan was no longer the blue monster people called the ‘cerulean freak’.

* * *

The smallpox briefing with the health officials reached its end.

At first, some people questioned why she was there in the meeting, seeing as she was still just an academy student, but that question did not last long. After all, members of House Chantra were often sent out to rescue operations every time severe plagues arose.

“This concludes the briefing on the epidemic.”

As she stepped back from the podium of the town hall meeting, the officials of the ministry of health around the table all frowned. It was a roughly anticipated response.

Thanks to Ethan, who held authority in this place that was second only to the imperial family, Reina was able to successfully explain the smallpox at the level of the empire’s people… Still though, when factoring in the need to use cow pus, it’s inevitable that people wouldn’t welcome the method.

“Cow pus…”

“No matter the potency of its prevention, it’s a bit…”

As expected, they still couldn’t believe that ‘cow pus will be injected into people’.

Of course, from the very premise of religiosity, people still couldn’t escape their preconceived notions.

“Well… Those people who caught the endemic disease are, as a matter of fact, sinners who have received the Touch of Bharan, so… Is there a need to advocate for those people at the expense of angering Bharan?”

Yes, just like that guy over there who asked such a question right off the bat.