The Reason for Marriage

“Shouldn’t we call the medical department?” Reina asked Sid quietly as she carefully laid down Iveca on her bed. Sid frowned and answered cautiously, “Then His Majesty will know too.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Now the Queen’s emotion is very unstable. I’m not sure if it’s a good choice to see His Highness. I think she simply lost consciousness…”

“Towards His Highness…. What was she even thinking? I can’t even guess how far she knows.”

“I’m sure that the Queen is the only person who knows the answer for it.” Sid sighed as he squeezed his bloody eyes shut. Reina looked at Iveca, bit her own lower lip and closed her eyes. Reina muttered in a whisper as she tucked Iveca’s hair behind her ear, “You’re right.”

“It’s better not to tell them first,” said Sid.

“But you should still contact the Judicial Affair Bureau. It can be difficult to go to work as she needs to meet with some people.”

Sid sent an errand to the Judicial office – a maid who was originally guarding the door, then leaned against the wall with a complex look. There was silence for a while.

“Sid.” Reina, who sat next to Iveca while looking at her, broke the silence. “Hiding everything like this…. Isn’t it too painful for the Queen?”

Sid was silent.

“She had laughed and talked to us casually. What are you going to do when she wakes up? Are you going to let her live in misery like this?”

“But…”

“….I hate that the Queen is unhappy. That’s why I can’t trust His Majesty. What is he thinking exactly>”

Sid didn’t respond to that comment, but it turned out that he rather agreed. Daniel was actually providing all the things that could make unhappy Iveca to be happy. The only family she has, the only colleague, the only friend, as well as things that only she could do well.

They were anxious because they couldn’t guess what the reason was.

“If His Majesty really loved Eve…”

“….Would things go this far?”

“No matter what hypothesis you make, everything just doesn’t make sense.”

Did Daniel really know that Iveca was Eve? It was the secret of the Bureau of Investigation, but the story about the ability of Bureau of Investigation’s employees to change their appearance was actually known among civilians.

The Bureau of Investigation told Daniel that Eve had left and so he ordered them to find her. Iveca thought that it was the end of their relationship; but then he had put Iveca in the position of Queen, complicating their fate.

Reina thought that even if he knew that Iveca was Eve, if he truly loved her, he should not do such a dangerous thing. He made Iveca’s name known to everyone, even though he should have kept it a secret. It only occurred to her that he was using Iveca’s position and powers.

And if he didn’t know that Iveca was Eve, the problem would have become more serious. Reina thought he was putting Iveca on the brink of chaos by mulling and appeasing Iveca’s weaknesses. It was literally like holding Iveca’s heart hostage.

Either way, in Reina’s opinion, Daniel was a dangerous person to Iveca, and Sid had no choice but to agree because Daniel was such an obscure and calculated monarch.

“I’m going to tell her. Even just a small part,” Reina muttered as if she had made up her mind, “I can’t take it to see her having such a hard time.”

Sid did not answer anything. As usual, his silence meant he would not stop her.

“Sid, you know, right.” Reina continued quietly, even if he didn’t answer. “The magic power is actually disappearing. Even the ancient magic will be released after 30 years…  I was thinking of waiting until 30 years later. There were so many things I wanted to stay, but at this state, I don’t think the Queen will be able to live until 30 years later.”

***

“I was surprised that you didn’t go to work.”

“Oh… it’s nothing. It’s really okay.”

Iveca smiled at Daniel, who came late in the afternoon.

“When I met my father in the morning, I had a headache and wanted to take a day off. I’m not in the mood to read the law.”

“Okay.” Daniel spoke softly with his lips on the back of her hand. “I’m proud of you. You know how to rest when you’re tired. Do everything you want to do in the future. Anything is fine.”

He let her go of her hand with a slight bite of her finger so that it wouldn’t hurt, then immediately swept her black hair as if he couldn’t take his hand off her.

“Is there anything else you want to do?”

“Well…” Iveca made a thoughtful expression, then answered with the corners of her mouth raised. “I want to go for a walk. Because I haven’t been out of the palace all day.”