Don’t Concern Yourself With That Book - Side Story 5-1

Side Story 5-1

Translator: yun

Side Story 5: Love like Amor

Chirp chirp chirp.

At the sound of chirping birds, his eyes slowly opened. Was it already morning? This was the first place in the capital morning would visit–the Imperial Palace.

Rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, I felt around to my side with my other hand before coming across something hard.

“… Are you up?”

Amor mumbled while still half-asleep. I could hear the soft sound of his ear being scratched.

Widening my eyes, I shot up from my pillow.

“Gasp, who are you?”

His closed eyes slowly opened before pointing towards me. He furrowed his handsome brows.

“… Are you really going to do this again, Your Majesty?”

“Majesty? Y-you mean me?”

“…..”

“I don’t remember anything. Who are you?”

Amor half-groaned and half-sighed before staring at me. He slowly started to speak. But at the same time, he pulled on the hand that was holding onto mine.

“I am your partner.”

The snow that had fallen while I was asleep glistened under the sunlight. But his green eyes that seemed to contain the freshest greenery looked infinitely serious. I stared into those eyes before failing to hold back my laughter.

“You’re not even going to tell me not to do this anymore?”

“I know you won’t listen even if I ask you to, so what’s the point?”

Though he remained polite, he sounded utterly displeased. He continued his tone from before as he continued laying next to me.

“So what were you acting as today?”

“Well, a female college student who woke up to suddenly find herself in this world?”

“… I have no idea what you just said.”

I burst into laughter. My memories of my last life had been gradually fading but I liked mentioning bits and pieces of it when they came to mind to Amor. The best part about it was Amor who hated it but ultimately played along.

It was cute to say the least.

Turning my head around, I rubbed my cheek against his shoulder.

“You don’t have to know. It’s just something I saw in my dreams.”

“Alright. As long as you’re happy.”

I wouldn’t have continued doing it if he really hated it. But I couldn’t stop myself because it was fun to see Amor accepting it albeit reluctantly. Hoho, his firm arms wrapped around my waist as I laughed.

“Did you have a blast making fun of me again today, Your Majesty?”

“Hm, fun… I think I did but at the same time, maybe not.”

“And you’re saying all that with a smile.”

Still in his arms, he lowered his head slowly. Soon, a hot breath blew into my throat.

“I’ve had such a boring life so I wanted to have fun from now on.”

“… There’s some truth to what you said but somehow it feels like I got the short end of the stick.”

“You like it that way.”

I rubbed my face against his arm before shutting my eyes in bliss.

“The fact that you, Amor, are the only man in the world for me.”

Amor flinched.

“It sounds like you’re choking on happiness.”

His murmurs were soft but I could hear his voice trembling.

“Then, can I bother you now?”

“… What?”

The corners of his lips had turned to draw a captivating curve. I gulped nervously.

“Hold on, Amor, it’s only morning.”

“Since when have we cared about the time?”

Amor placed an arm next to my head as I looked up at him.

“I mean, you only say things like this when you’re being mean. Hold on! Don’t take anything off! I have a meeting to attend today!”

I quickly grabbed his hand to stop him but he lowered his head towards me with a cool smile as though he had expected it. His face lowered further as he grabbed my neck.

“Uhm, hold on, that place is…”

“You’re sensitive here, Your Majesty.”

“Y-you’re so mean…”

“Would you like to touch me too?”

I could feel his lips travelling lower. Without realising it, I let out a soft gasp as I squeezed his shoulders. I then had the shock of my life.

“… Have you… gotten taller?”

“And I think My Majesty has grown thinner.”

“W-well, I don’t think so.”

“You have. I’d know since I’m always touching you.”

“… You don’t have to say it like that.”

Even though it had already been a long time since I was a teen, my face would have still blushed without him acting like this.

‘How is this possible?”

Amor was not leaving me behind, was he? Amor was getting more and more skilled at this while I would still blush as though I was new to all this. I grumbled inwardly. He slightly lifted his gaze.

‘He’s gotten more handsome too.’

Where was the man who would tear up and pepper me with kisses just because I called his name? Could fierce looks only bewitch if they were already handsome?

“My Amor used to be so innocent.”

“… And that man is still in front of you.”

“No. No, no, hold on, I have a senatorial meeting today.”

I grabbed his hair as I tried to stop his lips from going any lower. After he took off his top, he continued kissing me before smiling.

“You’ll only be a little late.”

***

“… I was really late.”

I whined as I hid my face in my hands. Amor stared at me as is. I could see him agonising through my fingers.

“… Well. Rosé.”

“… Don’t talk to me. Keep 3 metres away from me.”

“…..”

The back of my hand tickled. When I lifted my hand, I noticed a small flower blooming on the vine that had climbed to my wrist.

Pop, popopopop!

As though they had been waiting for a signal, flowers began blooming all around me. The splendid flowers fell petal by petal. I furrowed my brows.

“Stop it. You’re banned from doing anything adorable too. Did you think this was going to absolve anything?”

“… Does it not?”

Even though my anger seemed to have subsided already.

I couldn’t even pretend to be angry at him anyway but I still leaned back and let out a deep sigh in the middle of the flowers.

“I was late for the Senatorial Meeting. Do you think I can afford to be late?”

“Isn’t that the perks of being the leader?”

Amor said.

“A hardworking emperor who knows how to work in moderation will give the head templars a chance to breathe.”

“But I want you to slack more.”

It had been about five years since I became emperor.

‘That meanie.’

In the meantime, I had been doing this and that in order to prepare for the day templars are gone from these lands and the impact of my work was nothing to scoff at. It was interesting how the country gradually regained its stability even as the old templars would protest my every decision.

I gave templars time to adapt to the fact that their powers would gradually disappear, find ways to alleviate the curses inflicted on the powerful and give non-templars equal opportunity.

It was still too early to say that templars and non-templars were on equal footing now but I would like to think that this would be a good country to live in one day.

‘Well. For as long as I live, the barrier protecting the Empire will remain.’

In fact, it will take some time for all the divinity to disappear so such a day would still be a long way to go for those in this generation. Lowering my head, I fiddled with the white flowers on my palm.

I could tell things would be going smoothly but I still had a concern.

I still did not know how long I would live for.

How long would I live for?

It was my own lifespan but I had no clue. It felt as though I was going to live for quite a while. For a long time now, I knew I would be living a little longer than an average person.

Looking up, I saw flowers and trees. I leaned my head against my arm as I watched Amor rearrange the plants in the garden.

I could feel life in the earth, birds flying around and flowering trees swaying. I was at peace watching the small forest breath life as though it was human. I could clearly see Amor’s divinity through these sights.

“As I thought, your divinity has gotten stronger.”

He turned his head.

“I think so too.”

He stared at me before slightly tilting his head.

“But didn’t you say this isn’t just happening to me?”

I gave a light nod.

“Abel and Hernan are also getting stronger. Though it might be because you are all the last remaining templars of your respective temples. You must all possess the last remaining powers left by the times.”

“Like a forest fire, they burn the brightest when it is close to the end.”

“Yes. That’s it.”

Amor smiled as he watched his garden that was as dense as a forest.

He was already powerful enough to enrich the entire land or kill it with drought.

His slight yet frequent use of his powers acted like his training as he feared that he might not be able to control his growing powers.

“Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I used all my divinity at once.”

Staring at the flowers blooming from Amor’s hands, I nodded as I released my chin from my hands. I had been curious about the same thing.

“Me too. I’d get curious about it once in a while too. What would it be like if the world was filled with flowers?”

He smirked.

“Isn’t that an optimistic outlook?”

“Happy endings are nice.”

I then clasped my hands before opening them again.

“But what else can I do?”

I had seen what Castor was capable of as the Heir of the Lord when he used all his divinity. But not only was I a Templar of the Lord, I was also the Templar of Death. Even if we were from the same temple, our strengths varied drastically and nobody knew what would happen if I used the Power of Death too.

‘I lose control sometimes because my powers are so immense.’

Should I do some training too?

The moment I thought that, I manifested a small ball of energy in front of my eyes. The ball that was half purple and half gold was made out of pure divinity. The moment I relaxed my body and continued staring at the ball.

“Ashley!”

A little girl appeared before me. Her wheat-coloured hair fluttered.

“The diary?”

Why was the diary I had left with Dane for a moment here? While I was still shocked to see her sudden appearance.

“Ashley, get rid of that right now!”

“What?”

“Have you forgotten? Your divinity allows you to make your wishes come true, you fool!”

There was no time to respond as my surroundings were basked in light.

“Amor!”

The last thing I saw was his look of surprise.

As soon as the light dimmed, I jumped to my feet. But the place I was in already changed.

Where was I?

I knew I had teleported somewhere but I did not know where. And I was urgently trying to find out where.

“This is…”

I hesitated when I noticed how familiar my surroundings were.

“Isn’t this the Imperial Palace?”

But the buildings themselves did not look familiar. I scanned my surroundings with a frown. These were obviously the western palaces.

Originally, these palaces were where the empress, the queens and other consorts would live. But the only palaces I had been to in this part of the Imperial Palace were mine, Amor’s, Dane’s and Fleon’s. Furthermore, after I had become emperor, I had only lived in the Central Palace.

However, I recognised the architectural motifs of the western palaces so they were not too difficult to recognise.

‘But where did the diary disappear to?’

The diary was a part of my powers. At first, it was strange if the diary did not appear next to me when I used my powers.

But now I could use my divinity freely without her. That was how I could teleport wherever I wanted in the palace without the need for the diary.

However, as she looked exactly like me, to avoid standing out, she remained by Dane’s side.

Wanting to look for the diary first, I looked around. I had been having a strange feeling in my gut for a while now.

‘But it is strange… It feels strangely mystical.’

No, this was not the time for this. Amor had also been caught in the burst of my powers and I noticed him teleporting as well. I need to find Amor quickly… I suddenly lifted my head.

“Is anyone there?”

Noticing a presence, I quickly raised my arm. Staring at the bushes, I was ready to summon my divinity at any moment. It did not take long for the man to emerge from the rustling bushes.

But as I looked at the man who had appeared, I slowly lowered my arms.

“Is anyone here?”

Something crossed my mind.

… There was no way Castor would appear again, right? This was not a space he created.

But the man in front of me was a stranger.