The Camellia Tattoo - Chapter 75
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
this book is completely translated on luna kofi (advanced chapters for the website will follow)
“I will. Taking care of Jason is already a full-time job for me.”
“Yeah, Jason’s actually a kid. That one’s just an immature adult pretending to be more.”
Igmeyer’s disdain for the prince was clear in every word. It was likely the prince would face some challenges here.
They couldn’t refuse the youngest son of the Emperor, who was carrying the imperial mandate, but there was no need to pamper him either.
“But the prince is bringing the bloodline verification artifact, right?”
“He should be, since I requested it. The Emperor wouldn’t send him without something to hold over us.”
“It sounds like he was planning to use whatever means necessary to handle the situation.”
It turned out they would receive the artifact sooner than expected, a process Amber had anticipated would take much longer.
“The real problem is the priest. That priest.”
Igmeyer murmured darkly, and Amber agreed.
High Priest Mikael.
He was exceptional from birth, with both his grandfather and father being prominent figures in the church. Mikael had shown a remarkable sense of service from an early age, memorizing scripture and naturally inclining towards devotion.
Upon graduating from theological school, Mikael entered the priesthood. He surprisingly started from the very bottom.
He worked his way up from apprentice to regular priest, intermediate priest…. until he became High Priest.
On the day of his ascension, a divine oracle was received. It foretells a way to annihilate Nidhogg, the evil dragon of the North.
“He’s a troublesome guy. I’ve never dealt with priests before.”
Igmeyer ruffled his hair in frustration. Amber comforted her husband with a pat on the back, then spoke up.
“I’ve dealt with them frequently. They have a particular way of conversing, so I’ll handle the priest. You take care of the prince.”
“That would be appreciated.”
Igmeyer gently took her hand in his. It was a mix of awkwardness and gratitude in the gesture. Amber laughed briefly.
“What can I say, Igmeyer? It feels like I’m your comrade in arms.”
As if they were united against a common foe, standing together to protect the North.
Is this what they call camaraderie or fellowship?
While they planned to extend courteous hospitality to the visitors from the imperial family, it was to demonstrate that the North was in no way inferior. Not out of a desire to impress them.
“To think a couple could have this kind of relationship. It’s fascinating.”
“Comrades, huh….? That’s not incorrect.”
“Right? That’s why I like it. We’re fighting together for something. In this battle, there’s no way we’ll let go of each other’s hands.”
Igmeyer’s eyes narrowed as he watched Amber’s joyful expression. The idea wasn’t wrong, but something about it didn’t sit well with him.
He wondered if he was merely a comrade to her.
“Kyak! Wait, at least warn me before you pick me up!”
Igmeyer picked her up and spun her around. Her light pink dress billowed in the air like a blooming camellia.
“I want to kiss you. Is that okay?”
He whispered, looking intently at her. With no reason to refuse, Amber willingly wrapped her arms around his neck.
Their lips met.
After lightly biting her lower lip and teasing her a few times, they laughed softly and touched noses.
They didn’t need to have s-x to feel the satisfaction of sharing affection.
Perhaps, this kind of interaction was even more necessary.
‘I’m not sure how to describe these complex feelings.’
It’s somewhat different from the friendship or camaraderie one might feel towards a friend, isn’t it?
After meeting Nicholas, Amber pondered every night about the difference between her husband lying beside her and Nicholas. They seemed fundamentally different, but why did they feel different?
Surely, being friends is the best kind of relationship for a couple… yet, Igmeyer felt like more than that.
It’s hard to define precisely.
‘I wonder if Igmeyer feels the same. It seems like he might.’
They only had a relationship once during Nicholas’s stay, that one time by the lake. Having a guest had made it somewhat awkward to do more.
With such an important guest, they knew they had to be even more cautious. They wouldn’t be able to sleep together even more.
‘So, we might as well make the most of it now.’
Amber and Igmeyer’s eyes met, clearly understanding each other’s desires, so there’s no reason to hold back.
And so, they disappeared into a secluded spot.
It was a beautiful spring day.
* * *
The imperial entourage consisted of 58 individuals.
This included the prince and his 21 knights. The high priest and his 11 clerics. Along with 26 servants, horse attendants, and a personal chef for the prince.
The number seemed excessive for the youngest prince’s visit.
“These 26 are crucial. Who knows how many of them have received special training… Just the thought gives me a headache.”
Jean sighed deeply.
Here, special training meant training for espionage.
Those seemingly ordinary but sharp-eyed individuals. They would try to remain undetected, and Jean would have to work hard to uncover them.
