My Dream is to Get My Own House - Chapter 7

Episode 7

“Marriage? Am I dreaming right now?”

The Duke earnestly shook his head.

“No, you’re not.”

“Then what is it?”

The Emperor’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“You revealed your identity to that woman, right? When did you meet her? When did your relationship start?”

“We’ve known each other for a while, and we filed for marriage under the identity of commoner Dylan. I plan to reveal my true identity soon.”

A slight hint of worry briefly appeared on the expressionless face and disappeared in an instant.

Revealing his identity soon, huh?

He seemed to be taking it quite seriously.

“What does that woman do?”

“She is a member of the same knights’ order. She’s a woman, a little short in stature, and has a faint mark under her eyes, but it’s covered by glasses…”

Was his younger brother someone who remembered such details?

The water that had spewed from the Emperor’s mouth earlier dropped to the floor.

His gaze lost focus and began to sway absentmindedly.

“Oh, listen carefully, brother…!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I think I might have early-onset dementia. I’ve already forgotten what I just heard. Do you understand the meaning of my words?”

The words spoken to the Emperor couldn’t be revoked.

However, in this moment, the Emperor blamed his own memory.

He meant to give him an opportunity to save face, to immediately retract those words.

But Dylan earnestly nodded his head and responded.

“Yes. I… I got married. She’s my coworker, so…”

The Emperor intended to lecture him.

Aren’t you currently on a mission?

Are you planning to make that woman your future duchess?

You can’t decide on a duchess so quickly, and so on.

But as he was about to open his mouth…

The Emperor witnessed something he had never seen before.

A blush appeared on Dylan’s normally stiff face.

It was a sound that his lovely blush colored his cheeks.

The Emperor’s shoulders began to tremble.

It was as if he had witnessed a monster that appeared in a dystopian world.

“What’s going on? Is this a dream? I can’t wake up. It’s strange, Master.”

In that moment, the Emperor’s Master quietly opened his mouth.

“Didn’t I just say… that people… sometimes have unexpected moments? Your Highness, this… marriage… could be one of those moments.”

But the Emperor didn’t hear those words in his ears.

‘Who is this woman that made Dylan make such an expression?’

It was a faint smile that he had never seen before.

Dylan had never smiled like that in his entire life.

The former Emperor despised Dylan, calling him a flaw in his otherwise perfect life that everyone admired.

He imprisoned him in a small house outside the palace, cursed with black magic.

And during those ten-odd years of confinement…

The former Emperor sent Dylan to war, intending to drive him to his death.

By the time the former Emperor died, and the current Emperor realized the truth, it was already too late.

Dylan grew up to be indifferent and unemotional, befitting the curse of the Grand Duke Castilla.

He became a stern and rigid young man, to the point of being obsessive, believing that his place wouldn’t be allowed if he didn’t fulfill his purpose.

So, perhaps this marriage was the only exception in Dylan’s life.

I became curious about the woman who made Dylan like that.

“Did you marry her because you like her? I mean, do you have feelings for her?”

Dylan’s vivid red eyes shook like a storm-tossed ship in response to his words.

“There are other reasons.”

At that moment, the Emperor’s eyes lit up with interest.

“What? Other reasons? What are they?”

* * *

Several tens of minutes passed.

After Dylan and the Duke of Savoia both left.

The Emperor remained alone in his office, pondering their conversation from earlier.

“Not just feelings of longing, but simply ordinary emotions.”

“Really? Then what exactly is the name for these ordinary emotions?”

Dylan was awkward with emotions.

He had never even practiced naming emotions in his mind.

As expected, he struggled to answer even the simplest questions.

The Emperor fell silent, giving Dylan time to think.

Dylan earnestly lowered his eyebrows and immersed himself in thought.

“It’s probably… admiration… something like that.”

He was an indifferent Dylan with unclear preferences, displaying an apathetic demeanor.

And yet, he had acquired a new emotion called “admiration”!

It was undoubtedly a remarkable development.

However, the Emperor couldn’t be satisfied with just that.

“Is it really admiration? What is admiration, exactly?”

“… “

Dylan seemed to have trouble understanding what admiration was.

Seeing his brother suddenly become more reserved, the Emperor spoke.

“Then, Dylan. What is your reason for admiring your, your, your future wife? There must be a reason, right?”

In that instant, he realized he sounded like a meddlesome busybody when it came to someone else’s love.

But curiosity always triumphed over reason.

“I can’t tell you that yet…”

An impatient Emperor pressed further with an excited gaze.

But the reticent Dylan remained silent, his lips sealed.

“Rather than that, don’t you even know what your own emotions are, marrying without knowing? Living a dull, ordinary life, my brother?”

Dylan seemed to feel faint emotions, even if only slightly.

“I guess I should find out more.”

The Emperor’s gaze shifted downward.

In truth, there was concern regarding Dylan’s “admiration.”

There were terrorist forces within the imperial knights’ order, aiming to overthrow the empire.

In the worst-case scenario, the person Dylan fell in love with could be a terrorist.

“There’s a possibility that black magic was used. They say there’s a love potion.”

Wouldn’t it be proper to truly get to know the other person as a brother?

The Emperor clenched his fist.

To be honest.

He was curious about the woman who managed to bring a smile to his unemotional brother’s face.

…No, that’s not it.

This is definitely not just about satisfying curiosity.

It’s just to confirm whether she is a terrorist or not.

All of this is for the safety of my brother.

“How exactly should I confirm it?”

The corners of the Emperor’s mouth curved upward.

* * *

At the same time, Ishael was also meeting with her family.

Unlike Dylan, it was a rather unexpected encounter.

Madame Masha had summoned Ishael to a coffee house outside the palace.

“Hoho, I guess it’s because it’s near the palace. The air is really nice here! Isn’t that right, dear?”

Madame Masha’s lighthearted voice resounded throughout the coffee house.

I smiled happily at her.

“Yes, that’s right. Why did you call me here?”

The only reason Madame Masha smiled at me like that was because of one thing.

“My dear, your mother has something to say.”

In the past, I would be captivated by the term “my dear” and would give her everything, my money and even my seal.

But now, things were different.

Just by looking at those greedy eyes, my appetite was gone.

“What is it?”

She probably needs money, right?

“I need some money.”

I knew she would say that.

I had to spread the gambling mat.

“It’ll be a little later. It’s because payday is delayed.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Her gaze sharpened in that moment.

I smiled gently, holding up a small document.

“I will naturally give you the money. After all, I am Ishael.”

Yes, that’s not it.

“Oh, really? But what is this document?”

“It’s something good.”

“Hmm?”

“Can you sign here?”

I shook the small piece of paper.

It was a document filled with ancient language.

In that moment, Madame Masha’s lips twisted for a moment.

“Hoho, ho. Hmm, what is it?”

“As you know, Mother, you are so smart that you can read ancient language. You know what it is, right?”

I smiled with a self-satisfied expression, teasing her gently.

Madame Masha rolled her eyes and stumbled over her words.

“Well, well! Of course, I know!”

Pretending to know when she doesn’t?

There were two languages commonly used in the Empire.

One was the Imperial Common Language, and the other was Ancient Imperial Language.

Unfortunately, Madame Masha was a blind fool who didn’t know Ancient Imperial Language.

After living as a fallen noble for over a decade, it was obvious that she had completely forgotten the little bit of Ancient Imperial Language she had learned during her noble days.

Unlike her, I easily acquired Ancient Imperial Language through my studies at the Academy.

“As you know, at the top it says, ‘Salty Radish on the Salt Field.’ They said I need my parents’ consent to get a loan.”

“Hmm? ‘Salty Radish on the Salt Field’? Why there?”

“Well, because. I want to buy you a dress, Mother.”

I didn’t know either, but it seemed I was quite good at acting.

I handed her the document as if I were a virtuous daughter.

In her eyes, filled with greed, she didn’t suspect for a moment that I was lying.

Well, it had been over ten years since I had been supporting the family with my wretched earnings since I was a child.

Being openly suspected by her had become unbearable.

“Yes. It’s your birthday soon, Mother.”

I wondered if she was thinking about a new dress.

Madame Masha’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Haha, well, let’s do it! I have to make a reservation at the salon, of course.”

“Salty Radish on the Salt Field.”

It was a loan shark company with an interest rate of over 1000%.

Madame Masha also knew that it was a vicious company.

But still, she greedily signed without hesitation.

She realized that the document I gave her was putting her own daughter into slavery.

“This was the last chance I was giving you, and you threw it away.”

I accepted the document and smiled gently at her.

Mother, you may not know Ancient Imperial Language, but it’s just words.

What you just signed is not a document related to loans.