The Princess in the Chicken Coop - Chapter 1.13
Why the emperor of a great empire had personally visited a small kingdom that no one had shown interest in for over a hundred years. Why he had talked so incessantly about the river.
Soria looked at Lenok with a newfound expression.
[You’re a caring emperor, aren’t you?]
“Ku, koff! What did you say?”
[You didn’t seem like it, but you’re caring.]
Lenok looked with complicated feelings at Soria, whose evaluation of him had suddenly become generous.
“…Are you serious?”
[Would I joke about something like that? I think I understand why you’re emperor now.]
His country and people were suffering from drought, and when he tried to solve it, suddenly he’s being called caring. He was just doing what needed to be done, yet this was a completely different reaction from the nobles who only ever complained.
[That’s just how it is. You must have had a hard time.]
What should one say to a chicken who pats your hand with her wing as if she understands everything?
‘This feels somewhat strange.’
After pondering briefly, Lenok stood up with a determined expression. While receiving Soria’s puzzled gaze, he opened the door.
Thanks to this, Owell, who had been leaning against the door, stumbled, but only for a moment. Lenok grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him inside.
“Your Majesty? What are you doing?”
With a thud, the door closed, and innocent Chen’s room now housed quite a luxurious gathering.
The empire’s emperor, the grand magician, and even a cursed princess.
“Owell, I think you were right. She must be the magician.”
Soria’s eyes sparkled with interest at the suddenly exciting situation as she listened to the conversation between Lenok and Owell.
“Pardon? A magician, what do you mean by that suddenly, Your Majesty?”
In response to Owell’s bewildered answer, Lenok irritably pulled his ear.
Owell’s face gradually soured as he suddenly found himself hearing the emperor’s voice from the closest possible distance, even feeling his breath.
He looked back and forth between Soria and Lenok with an expression asking if this was serious, then sighed and pressed his forehead.
“I’ll praise you more often from now on, so please stop saying such nonsense, Your Majesty.”
“How dare you understand my words in such a way!! Owell, seeing her sudden behavior, just as you said, that chicken might not be the princess!!”
Of course, he had said such things. But even so, Lenok’s words didn’t make sense.
Owell swallowed a sigh and opened his mouth.
“Your Majesty, but for that reason…”
“Then Owell, do you think I’m caring!”
At that self-destructive statement, Owell hesitated. His expression became far more serious than before. The grand magician stroked his chin with a stern expression, then slowly nodded.
“I swear to the Goddess, not once in my life have I ever thought such a thing.”
This time, Lenok’s face turned sour.
The great Emperor of the Empire had to fall into deep contemplation about why he felt so unpleasant despite things going according to his words.
And Soria, listening to this absurd conversation, thought.
‘Is the Crotia Empire about to fall?’
It was something that would make the Crotia Empire, currently in its prime and blooming gloriously, wail in indignation if they heard it.
***
There was some noise in between, but the conversation rolled along smoothly.
Soria nodded at Lenok’s words that he would provide notarization according to continental law if needed. Though it was the drought talk rather than the notarization that moved her heart, Lenok didn’t know that fact, so let’s move on.
And so, on this dark night with even the moon hidden behind clouds, well past midnight, innocent Chen had to be summoned to the emperor’s office.
Having vacated his room simply following the emperor’s orders without knowing any context, he was in a somewhat dazed state.
It wasn’t enough that they had to train hard and stand guard during the day, now there was unscheduled night duty without additional pay. Though he had made his knight’s oath to the emperor, wasn’t this going too far? Chen, who had been grumbling, became speechless the moment he entered the office.
And for good reason.
“Sir Chen. I wish to give you an opportunity that will be recorded in not just imperial history, but continental history.”
Why was there an expensive cushion on the table centered in the emperor’s office? That much could be understood somehow. However, the white chicken sitting with a dignified posture on the red velvet cushion was truly incomprehensible.
His mind went blank. Chen barely managed to hold onto his fleeing soul. Given how serious both His Majesty the Emperor and the Grand Magician were, this couldn’t be some kind of bad joke.
After organizing his thoughts, he tried his best to understand the current situation. However, he only reconfirmed the fact that effort doesn’t always lead to results.
Chen bowed his head with a deathly pale face.
“Your Majesty! Forgive me, but I am too foolish to understand what connection there is between Princess Soria and being recorded in history!”
Lenok quietly observed him before rising from his seat of honor. Owell, who draped a cloak over Lenok’s shoulders as if he had been waiting, also wore an extremely solemn expression.
In the office brightly lit by lamps, Lenok’s footsteps crossing through it were heavy. Stopping before his sworn knight, Lenok placed his hand on Chen’s shoulder with a stern face.
“Sir.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“As you might have guessed, this matter must remain confidential as the empire’s fate hangs in the balance. Understood?”
At the solemn voice, Chen’s eyes sparkled.
‘A secret mission!’
Finally finding a reason that could explain this strange situation, Chen straightened his posture even more and shouted.
“Yes! I shall not breathe a word to anyone!”
“Good. Sir, do you remember rescuing Princess Soria from Syenn Palace?”
“Of course!”
Lenok nodded while meeting the determined eyes of his knight. A very serious atmosphere flowed between the two men. However, to Soria, who knew the full context, it was simply absurd.
Let’s put aside Lenok who was putting in all his might. Whatever he did wasn’t her place to comment on.
But why did she have to maintain dignity while wearing an expensive pearl necklace!
‘What is this.’
Though she wanted to fly away in a huff, what could she do? Chen was right there.
Instead, she mentally retracted her earlier words about Lenok being caring. A lord who deceived his own knight certainly didn’t match with the word ‘caring’.
Unaware of Soria’s inner thoughts, Lenok emphasized the gravity of this matter to his knight.
“There’s talk that she might not be the princess, but rather the magician who cast the curse. Ah, of course, Princess Soria denies this. But what can we do? There’s no evidence to prove the cursed person’s claims. So, Sir. I wish to entrust the empire’s fate to you. Would you not become the empire’s hero and kiss the princess!”
If the will to believe is strong enough, people will believe even nonsense. Chen’s face, which had been full of question marks, gradually filled with firm resolve.
Soria could only lament internally at his appearance.
Since the innocent knight had fallen for the emperor’s sweet talk, it was only a matter of time before he kissed her.
And so Chen, who had somehow become responsible for the empire’s future at some point, stepped forward with a grave expression.
“Your Majesty.”
“What is it, Sir.”
Lenok, who had been looking at him with an extremely proud gaze, immediately wrinkled his face at the question that followed.
“When kissing a chicken, should it be on the tip of the beak, or on top of the beak?”
This was unexpected. It was a question that even Soria, the person concerned, hadn’t considered.
