A King is Born on the Road

Iris took a deep breath to quell her anger, and then wrote the letter again.

In the middle of writing that, her anger had her burst into tears.

Luwan and Siere have spent a long time with borders attached. Although they have rarely been on good terms, the two countries have had many cultural exchanges.

Since the accession of King Eswa, exchanges have been almost cut off, but before that, people naturally came and went from both countries. And yet, how could the King of Siere be so cruel?

Iris finished the letter and put down the pen. She was putting so much strength with her whole body that she broke out in a cold sweat.

She caught her breath again and put the letter in a jewel-studded box.

* * *

Hayer, who brought in a reliable carrier that Iris wanted, opened his mouth when he found Madeleine fidgeting restlessly at the door.

“What are you doing here?”

Then Madeleine replied with undue surprise.

“Th-the princess is writing a letter, but it’s taking longer than expected. She didn’t seem to be in a good mood from the moment she chose the letter paper…”

Hayer nodded, as if he could guess.

Madeleine seemed to be very worried, seeing as she came here after braiding only one of her pigtails.

Hayer was still wary of her, but he smiled and spoke.

“I’ll make her feel better, so get ready.”

“Yes.”

Madeleine finally went back to finish dressing up with relief.

Hayer knocked on the door after she left.

“Iris.”

Soon after, Iris’s reply came back.

“Come in, Hayer.”

With that permission, Hayer went inside.

When he came in, Iris had just covered a box containing the letter.

Hayer asked.

“Who did you work so hard to send it to?”

“……”

“Iris?”

When Hayer, who guessed that the princess had another big plan that was hard to predict, waited for an answer, Iris replied.

“To Carl Lassor.”

“The King of Siere.”

“…Yes.”

“……”

“You can get the fastest and most perfect answer.”

“I think you must have been a very big beast in your previous life. For that reason, you’re going to be this bold.”

Leaving behind all the words available for this situation, Hayer’s choice was a joke about being a beast and the expression ‘bold.’ Iris liked both of them.

Hayer sealed the box with a wax candle and called for the courier he had brought.

“Edwin.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

A young man with a cheerful voice answered at the door. He appeared so suddenly that Iris took a step back in surprise.

As Hayer beckoned, Edwin politely bowed at the door and went inside. Then he bent down on one knee between the two.

“What should I deliver to where?”

“It’s going to be difficult this time.”

Hayer paused, and Iris sighed and asked with a heavy heart.

“It’s life-threatening, so how about going with a group of people?”

Then Edwin replied.

“I’m sorry, but there’s a possibility that you’ll get caught if you go around in groups. If it’s a dangerous mission, it’s better to go alone.”

Edwin’s voice was so bright that Iris’s heart grew heavier and heavier.

Iris picked up the box, and Hayer took it instead and said.

“Edwin has sworn to sacrifice his life for me, so he only listens to my orders. I will hand it over.”

“Ah, yes.”

Iris nodded. Perhaps, if this letter was safely delivered to the King of Siere, Edwin would introduce himself as ‘Hayer Asheri’s Courier.’

Iris asked Hayer.

“Don’t you have to read the letter?”

“It’s all right.”

Hayer went on without much ado.

“Because we know that what we want is the same.”

After saying so, Hayer ordered Edwin.

“Deliver this letter to Carl Lassor, King of Siere.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Edwin was unfazed by Hayer’s order and took the box.

“I’ll be back, Young Master. Princess.”

“Travel expenses. What should I do with your travel expenses?”

“The young master has already given me enough… You can give me more.”

Hayer laughed as Edwin spoke playfully, and Iris sighed in bewilderment.

A letter should be delivered to the king of a neighbouring country that is currently in poor relations. It was a difficult task for ordinary people, where even three or four lives were not enough. Even in the face of such a situation, like Hayer, his subordinates were all sly.

Iris took the Luwan gold out of her gold coin pouch and asked, handing it over.

“Is Luwan’s gold coin okay?”

“Of course. If you meet a merchant while passing by, you can change it. By the way, you’re giving me so much, so I’m going to eat all of Siere’s specialties.”

Edwin said with a happy look, bid farewell to the two, and disappeared.

It was so fast that Iris asked Hayer some time after Edwin had left.

“Did he go?”

“It’s been a while since he left.”

“No…”

“He’s a funny guy. When he returns after delivering the letter to the King of Siere, he will probably unravel ten bizarre episodes.”

The fact that she was sending a letter to the King of Siere was very surprising, but he was relaxed even after having a courier—who didn’t seem to care at a glance—run a life-threatening errand.

Iris said, putting her hand to her forehead.

“Will it be okay…?”

“What are you worried about?”

“First, I thought that the courier is more…”

“Because that fellow is not as rough as our knights?”

“Yes.”

“It’s because horses and camels have a hard time with rough appearances. And he’s not strong, but he’s very quick, and he’s good at preemptive attacks before anyone attacks him. He’s good at disguising and acting as well, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I see.”

Iris felt a little relieved when Hayer praised him that much.

Hayer asked as he looked at Iris’s outfit.

“By the way, are there any social events or something?”

“Yes, I’d like to introduce Madeleine as my lady-in-waiting.”

Hayer sighed at her remark and said quickly.

“I’ll escort you. I’d like to see Sid’s face when he encounters Miss Madeleine.”

“Do it.”

After talking like that, when Iris tried to leave immediately, Hayer stopped her.

“Are you going right away?”

“Why?”

Iris looked up and blinked, and Hayer pondered, then leaned back a little to check her face.

“I’ll fix your hair.”

“Ah.”

Because she was so focused on writing the letter, her hair was tousled, and there were wrinkles on her skirt, which she had clutched to suppress her anger.

Hayer carefully checked her flowing hair, arranging it with skillful hands.

He was staring too much, and Iris’s pupils shook slightly.

“Is it that messy?”

“Not because it’s a mess, but because I’m a perfectionist.”

He answered so, but Iris glanced into the mirror and found that her hair was very messy to go to social events, if not for everyday life. It was because she was thinking about it while tilting her highly decorated head around.

“You seem far from a perfectionist.”

Hayer replied with a smile at Iris’s words.

“Then do you want to make a mess of yourself?”

“That would be comfortable. Rather than blaming myself on you.”

“Then do whatever you want. Not in my eyes.”

Hayer answered politely, and asked, pointing his chin at Iris’s skirt.

“Why are your clothes wrinkled?”

“I was nervous while writing the letter.”

“Indeed. Writing a letter to the King of Siere is something I could never do because I’d be nervous.”

Iris, who was listening to Hayer, looked down at her skirt again.

“Will I be able to smooth it out?”

“Do you have a brooch or something?”

“Ah, shall I?”

Iris nodded and opened the closet door.

Inside, she found a brooch delicately made with a ribbon shaped into a flower. Hayer took it and knelt on the floor. However, Iris said when he stopped, unable to put his hand on her skirt right away.

“You can touch it.”

“……”

“…Did I say something strange again?”

“It sounds a bit strange, but not as much as when you yelled at me to go to the bedroom in the bar.”

Iris slapped Hayer on the shoulder, embarrassed by his teasing. Hayer covered his face and laughed at her action.

He put his hand right inside the skirt after getting permission. Iris was surprised by his behaviour, but did not stop him, and Hayer’s hand did not touch her skin. He kept his hand on the inside of the skirt so that the needle of the brooch did not pierce her body, and it didn’t seem like he intended to do anything more.

The brooch was fixed where it looked as natural as possible. After staring at it for a moment, Iris opened her mouth.

“Was this a… necessary act?”

She asked, thinking it was a random question, but Hayer got up and answered.

“Not at all.”

“……”

“I’m sorry.”

Iris lifted her head and looked up at him.

Hayer avoided her gaze, and Iris knew that the always relaxed man had lost the composure to even face her.

afterword 

我的妈呀 HE WANTS HER SO BADDDDDD (this fits more in the next few chapters tbh)