“I was going to ask you for a dance after I got a little used to it, but I haven’t made any progress in ten days.”

Ever since I decided to attend a ball and dance with the Emperor, I wanted my first dance to be with Blake.

In fact, I was going to suggest him as a practice partner later if I learnt quickly, but my dancing skills were not progressing at all.

“You don’t have to force yourself if you don’t want to.”

Blake’s eyes were slightly moist. I didn’t mean to make him cry…

“I might step on your foot.”

“You can step on it. It doesn’t hurt when you step on it!”

“Lies.”

That was nonsense. How come it wouldn’t hurt.

“It’s not a lie. Ancia’s a fairy. You’re very light.”

“Am I…a fairy?”

“Yes, you’re a fairy.”

Blake smiled brightly. It was kind of embarrassing for me to hear that. Still, I didn’t dislike it. 

“Let’s get started then.”

I stretched my right hand out and took his hand. At that moment, Blake froze.

His face turned red, and he seemed to be quite nervous.

“Are you embarrassed?”

We held hands everyday, but was he still embarrassed?

“N-no.”

Even though he seemed embarrassed, he still held my hand firmly.

And our first dance began.

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

As soon as we started, I stepped on Blake’s foot.

Of course, I didn’t step on it too hard because I moved back instantly when I felt my feet touch him. Still, it must’ve hurt.

I followed the steps correctly, but it wasn’t easy to match the intervals as I danced with a partner.

“Well, I’m just not good at dancing.”

“It’s your first time. Ancia can do it!”

Blake cheered me on. Yeah, it was probably because it was my first time doing it with a partner. I can do it!

I took his hand again. However, I wasn’t yet at the level to start practicing with a partner.

I felt like I would accidentally push Blake while I was doing the steps, and if I pushed him, we’d be too far apart, so it’d become harder to maintain balance, and my legs would get twisted. I couldn’t count my steps correctly.

But Blake gave me a good lead. Even if I made a mistake, he took control and continued the next move naturally.

“Your Majesty is so good at dancing. Have you been taking dancing lessons?”

“I only observed when you were taught.”

“Ah…”

Blake had watched my dancing practice. Even a person who only watched it was so good, so why was I like this?

“You’ll do much better if you relax a little.”

He gently comforted me as if he had read my thoughts. Sometimes Blake really appeared to be a reliable husband.

We continued to practice and managed to finish a waltz to the end. Of course, while I did the steps I learned, my movements resembled those of a broken robot. 

Not long after, the sun set and night fell upon us. We sat side by side as we looked at the moon through the window.

“We danced a full song. It’s all thanks to you.”

“Don’t feel too pressured. You dance much better than I do. You won’t make any mistakes.”

Blake stared at me.

“You’ll look very beautiful. I’m sure they’ll all be enchanted. Seeing you—….”

He trailed off as he was speaking, but I could guess what he was trying to say.

He wanted to say that he wanted to see me himself. I wanted to attend the ball with Blake too.

It didn’t have to be a big party. I wanted to go to a party with Blake and dance in front of everyone. I just wanted to make memories with Blake.

But it was impossible.

For Blake to come out, the curse had to be lifted, and the one he needed to lift that curse was Diana.

Blake would grow up healthily, attend the ball and dance normally, but it wouldn’t be me who’d be standing next to him then.

I took his hand.

“You’ll be able to attend the ball when you grow up.”

“Yes. I’ll be your escort then.”

“… I’ll look forward to it.”

I smiled, knowing that his words would not come true.

***

I visited the Emperor at least once a day and the Emperor looked forward to it too.

“Ta-da! Guess what I made today, Father?”

I showed off my new dish, the red pepper paste stew. Then Tenstheon looked down at the red soup with a stiff expression.

“You are very gutsy. Trying to poison the Emperor right in front of his eyes.”

“It’s not poison!”

“That’s what they all say.”

The Emperor bantered casually as he scooped up a spoonful of red pepper paste stew.

I liked eating spicy food, but Blake was still young, and none of the servants could handle spicy food.

However, I didn’t want to cook in such a big cauldron only to eat it alone. And so, I found a way.

Tenstheon ate spicy food well.

I was delighted to learn that I had a spicy food-eating comrade in this world. And so, whenever I wanted to eat spicy food, I’d go look for the Emperor.

Tenstheon had become quite familiar with Korean food, so he habitually ate the stew with rice.

“How’s the taste?”

“It’s delicious.”

“That’s fortunate, I was afraid you wouldn’t eat it because it didn’t suit your tastes.”

“You’ve worried over nothing. It’s the food that my daughter-in-law gave me, so why would I not eat it?”

“You said it was poison before.”

“Even if it was poison, I’d eat it.”

Tenstheon said bluntly and put a spoonful of red pepper paste stew in his mouth.

Wasn’t he overdoing it for his daughter-in-law?

“You can’t eat poison! Blake would be very sad if Your Majesty fell ill!”

“That kid?”

A bitter expression appeared on the Emperor’s face.

“Yes, he’ll be very sad.”

“What did I even do for him?… I’m just glad he doesn’t hate me.”

“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince doesn’t hate you.”

In the original story, Blake did not hate his father.

Even when Blake was struggling with loneliness, he had no resentment against his father.

“Your Majesty is the light of the Empire. Your health should be the top priority for the Crown Prince and your people.”

Blake was not the only one who became unhappy after Tenstheon passed away.

Arnold was arrogant and incompetent, and while his sons quarrelled over the throne, the Empire fell into neglect.

Not only just for Blake, but also for the sake of the entire Empire, Tenstheon could not die in vain.

“Sir Collin told me you stayed up late last night. Working is important, but your health is also a top priority.”

“So much nagging.”

He always said that whenever I told him to rest. He was a terrible workaholic. Hence, whether it was through small talk or something else, I wanted to help him a little.

I ate the spicy stew with rice.

“You’ve treated me to a delicious meal, so I’ll give you a present.”

What else was he going to give me? I had already received so many gifts that I had no idea where to put them.

“It’s all right. I’ve already received too many gifts.”

“I’ll build a greenhouse in Amoria Palace.”

“Really?”

I was delighted.

The Crown Prince’s Palace was named “Amoria”, meaning love, but there was very little space so it looked old and desolate. 

The Palace had a small garden, but it was not adequately furnished, so it would be rare to see even a single flower bloom in winter. 

“Yes. I’m going to fill the lake and build the greenhouse above it.”

After Ancia fell into the water, a large fence was quickly put up around the lake. I thought they’d only put the fence there temporarily, but turns out, the lake would be gone entirely instead.

“There’s no need if it’s because of me. Back then, I was not familiar with the place, so I fell in by mistake. I’m not going to make that mistake again.”

“I can’t just leave the lake that made my daughter-in-law suffer like that.”

A cold glint flashed in Tenstheon’s eyes.

***

“His Majesty will fill the lake and build a greenhouse above it.”

I told Blake about my conversation with the Emperor.

Blake had lived in this Palace ever since the sentences of the curse appeared on his body. The lake might be precious to him.

Whether it was a greenhouse or a lake, I’d go with what Blake wanted.

“Is it okay to fill the lake?”

Blake smiled with no hesitation.

“Yes. It’s the lake that you fell into! It deserves to be gone!”

Blake said firmly. This pair of father and son were really similar in some ways.

Although their appearances were slightly different, and their personalities were the exact opposite of each other, there were times when I was reminded that they were really related by blood.

What on earth did the lake do wrong?

“Are you really okay with it?”

“Yes! I wish I could fill it up right now!”

With this, the greenhouse’s construction was confirmed.

“The greenhouse would be enormous if they built it over the entire lake. What would you like to plant in it?”

“Cabbages.”

“Cabbages?”

“Yes, it’s a vegetable from the East. I can make kimchi with it.”

“Kimchi?”

“Yes, my favourite food.”

I could make a lot more dishes if I had kimchi. Just the thought of kimchi stew and kimchi fried rice made my mouth water.

“I want some too!”

“You can’t eat it because it’s too spicy.”

“I can eat it!”

“Hmm, no way. Eat it when you’re older.”

“I’m all grown up!”

“Oho, is that so?”

I pinched Blake’s cheeks. These days, he had gained some weight, so he had become very plump and cute.

“I’m all grown up…”

Blake found it unfair for some reason.

“I’ll plant spinach so that my husband can grow up fast.”

“…Spinach?”

“Yes. And also beans, perilla leaves, peppers, and pumpkins!”

Blake was listening carefully to me and shook his head when he heard that.

“What about flowers?”

How could I plant only flowers in a greenhouse? Flowers were pretty, but it’d better if it were something I could eat.

“Then, Your Highness, do you have any flowers that you want to plant?”

“Rose!”