Love Me Just Once - Chapter 66

It was not long after hearing those words that a letter arrived from Mahanas.

Ophelia received it in the morning study. Idren was by her side.

Around that time, Idren was teaching her how to take care of Galisa. Although she had indeed been a governor before, it was at Idren’s suggestion that she start relearning the work while there was no financial advisor.

Idren, who did not seem very friendly with studying, unexpectedly had a talent for teaching people. He gave thorough explanations and was patient, waiting without scolding even when she missed details in calculations several times.

They were just calculating the tax rate on luxury items according to diplomatic relations and political situations. Someone knocked on the door of the study.

“Your Majesty the Queen, a letter has arrived from Reden.”

Idren, who was standing diagonally beside her at the desk, looked down at Ophelia. When Ophelia nodded, he ordered, “Come in.”

The servant who soon entered handed over a letter with a blue seal. Idren, who knew whose seal it was, said:

“It’s from Prince Mahanas.”

It’s a new feeling to receive the first letter after marriage. As she broke the seal of the Reden prince, Ophelia recalled what was written in the last letter she received from her elder brother in her previous life. There was a verbose begging.

Since the current Mahanas had more leisure than then, Ophelia could understand why her elder brother contacted her without reading many sentences. She muttered, “So this is what it meant to handle the canal tolls well.”

As if he had been waiting for those words, Idren replied:

“Isn’t it fine?”

And the man looked at her with eyes that seemed to be expecting praise. His golden eyes sparkled with anticipation, but it’s too complicated to match that. Ophelia looked down at Mahanas’s letter with troubled eyes.

“Why did you do this?”

Idren had exempted the fees for those engaged in subsistence-level production businesses below the quasi-nobility among Reden citizens using the canal for three years. That exemption even had various special clauses attached to prevent those with much wealth from taking advantage of the loophole.

Because Mahanas went on and on about it in the letter, Ophelia could tell how carefully Idren had set the clauses without even reading the original document.

And all of it was issued in the name of the King and Queen. Considering that she had not had a hand in these clauses, it was clearly a matter decided entirely by Idren’s deliberate intent.

Perhaps her reaction was very different from what he had thought, Idren observed her expression and asked:

“Are you not pleased? I heard that the people of Reden are all happy about it.”

That would have been the intention from the start, so of course they would be.

Although she barely held back a sigh that was about to escape, Ophelia knew why Idren had done this. In his own way, he must have thought he was doing this for her. It was transparently clear when looking at how he created clauses benefiting Reden citizens by including her name.

If clauses benefiting the common people’s economy were credited as the princess’s work, it would create good public opinion about her in Reden.

When she remained silent, Idren asked again:

“Are you worried that Prince Mahanas will be bothersome? If that’s the case, I can…”

“That’s not it.”

And Ophelia finally let out a small sigh. She said to the man who was acting like an innocent boy:

“This will stimulate Reden’s economy, won’t it?”

Ophelia knew what Mahanas had hoped for when he mentioned the canal tolls. He must have wanted the tolls exempted for the ships carrying his luxury items. In the case of luxury goods, the passage tax was doubled, so it was understandable to be concerned.

Ophelia thought that would have been better compared to what Idren had done now.

Mahanas’s luxury items were consumables. They would only make him poor, disappearing without producing anything even if money was poured into them.

But it was different for the common people of Reden to gain economic power.

Ophelia knew how diligently they paid taxes to Mahanas. If they were taxed like that even when they had no money, it would be even more so if they had money.

What Idren had done now was no different from preparing a field for Mahanas that would be cultivated without even touching it once.

But he didn’t seem to realize the seriousness of the situation. Looking down at her with uncomprehending eyes, Idren said:

“Is that a problem?”

“If money circulates in Reden, whose pocket do you think it will all end up in?”

“Then we can prevent that from happening. Mahanas raising taxes recklessly like that is all because he thinks he’ll become king…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Ophelia sharply asked:

“Who else would become the King of Reden if not him?”

Of course, Reden would disappear before Mahanas ascended to the throne, but in the current situation, he was the only heir to inherit the throne.

Instead of answering her question, Idren pressed his lips tightly. From the perplexity on the man’s face, Ophelia read what he had in mind when he said such things. He wanted her to take the throne.

And it wasn’t the first time Idren had suggested the Reden throne to her.

Ophelia recalled the question he had asked when they entered Edegrun.

“Did you want to become king?”

She had clearly denied it then.

But Idren brought up a similar story when they returned from touring Galisa.

“If you want to bring down the Mevasa royal family, there’s no need for that. You can just start a rebellion and confine King Dares and Prince Mahanas.”

Remembering the conversation they had that day, the understanding and calm attitude he had shown, Ophelia lowered her gaze. Ledgers and diplomatic documents were scattered on the desk. They were what Idren had brought to show her.

She had certainly been studying them diligently until just a moment ago, but now each letter seemed dizzying.

Unable to bear the continuous blackness, Ophelia squeezed her eyes shut.

“I thought you understood me.”

I thought you had properly read the meaning of what I said. Because you spoke as if you would accept whatever I did, I thought you understood well enough why I wanted to reach even to Reden.

And Ophelia thought. Why had she mistakenly believed he would? Because he would know what she had done in her previous life, so he wouldn’t be surprised? Because he was a man who had never interfered with what she wanted to do so far?

Or because he acted as if he fully understood her, as if he listened to her words?

Idren had never carelessly interrupted her when she spoke. He always listened to the end, and even when refuting, he suppressed his emotions and asked for her opinion.

Was that why?

Whatever the reason, the fact that it had all been a misunderstanding remained unchanged.

Fatigue washed over her to the point where her vision blurred. Ophelia tidied up the books and documents spread out on the desk. Handing them over to the man who was blankly staring at her, she opened her mouth.

“I’m tired today, so you should go back now.”

[This is the timeline separator]

That night, when he entered the bedroom, Ophelia was lying with her back turned.

Although he had heard in advance that she had entered the couple’s bedroom, Idren was relieved to see that back. Even knowing it was impossible in a castle with many watching eyes, he had thought she might have returned to the bedroom she used in her previous life without anyone knowing.

Climbing onto the bed as carefully as possible, Idren asked the woman who had turned her back to him in a small voice:

“Are you asleep?”

Ophelia, who had been lying down without even dimming the lamp light, moved slightly instead of answering. Knowing she was still awake, Idren lowered the brightness of the lamp on the bedside table.

In the room that had darkened as much as on other nights, Idren sat on the bed looking down at her. He hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“…I should have asked for your opinion before deciding.”

Ophelia did not answer him, but Idren knew she was listening to his words. He recited an excuse that seemed inadequate no matter how he presented it.

“I haven’t forgotten what you said about not being interested in the Reden throne on the day we returned from the tour.”

“Then what is it?”

The voice asking back was cold. Suddenly Idren thought she might send him away, as she had done in the study. He answered in an even smaller voice.

“I just… did it hoping the people of Reden would be friendly towards you.”

The conversation he had with Ophelia when entering Edegrun weighed on his mind.

“Why do the people of Aglante like you?”

Ophelia’s expression when asking that was as calm as always, but Idren had wanted to give her the same thing since then.

When she put herself and Mahanas in the same sentence and spoke of which side the people of Reden would choose, that thought grew even stronger.

That’s why he did it.

But now he realized he should have confirmed Ophelia’s intentions first.

Still with her back turned, she said:

“I don’t need the support of the Reden people.”

“I understand now. From now on, I’ll ask for your opinion when dealing with matters related to Reden.”

And Idren added in a voice that had completely shrunk. …So please don’t be angry. Ophelia said to the man who was doing something he never did:

“I’m not angry.”

Of course, it was a half-hearted lie since she couldn’t openly say she was angry. Even though he clearly knew this, Idren just accepted it. I see. I must have misunderstood. His voice clearly revealed how cowed he was.

Although she had been very irritated by him during the day, thinking of him with his eyes downcast made her feel uncomfortable.

Realizing that she was feeling pity for the person whose nerves she had been grating since daytime, Ophelia muttered to herself. I must be crazy.