Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money – Side Story 8.2

Previous | Toc | Next

Side Story 8.2

–

Aristine looked around the room, filled with interest.

“But I’m surprised you managed to set up a deal. I doubt they’d sell fake barriers to just anyone.”

“Ah, my little friends were a big help,” Lu said.

“N-No, sir!”

“No help at all, sir!”

Came a slew of disciplined replies.

Aristine clapped her hands, seemingly pleased.

“Lu, it looks like you’ve made a lot of new friends!”

“Yes, they’re very good friends who don’t hesitate to help even with something like this.”

Tarkan looked at Hamill incredulously.

‘…He’s calling these guys friends?’

The men standing at attention looked no different from the mohawk gang.

Furthermore, they looked both shocked and awkward to see Hamill acting like this, and their expressions were very stiff. In what world were they friends?

‘They’re clearly his subordinates.’

And they seemed to fear Hamill greatly too.

‘What in the world has he been up to?’

The fake barrier gang would never agree to a deal without suspicion. And now he was surrounded by these burly guys who looked like they belonged to a criminal organization.

“I’m glad you’ve made so many good friends.”

Of course, Aristine was not suspicious.

That was only natural considering that even as the princess consort, she went around befriending random swallows and guys who were even burlier than these ones.

“Have you made a lot of good friends too, Rineh?”

“Mhm, a whole lot.”

Lu smiled and his gaze deepened as he looked at Aristine.

“…But, I’m still your first friend, right?”

“Always. You being my friend will never change.”

Lu’s smile deepened.

That was more than enough. Even after all this time, Aristine was the same.

Still beautiful, unchangingly whimsical, and always kind.

‘If I can still have a place in her heart, unchangingly, and always, that is more than enough.’

Now, he was fine with just that.

Lu smiled from the bottom of his heart.

* * *

The mohawk gang was promptly taken into custody.

With that arrest, everyone involved in manufacturing and distribution of fake barriers were bound to face severe punishment under the law.

Of course, Aristine didn’t plan on parting ways with Lu, just like that.

Above all, Nephther was still waiting.

‘I barely managed to stop him from coming along…’

A good idea arose in her mind. Nephther would surely be curious about his son’s new friends.

So Aristine extended an invitation to Lu’s ‘little friends.’

“If you’re friends with Lu, you’re practically mine as well. Why don’t you come with us?”

“I-It’s fine, Your Majesty!”

“J-Just act like we’re not here, Your Majesty! P-Please…”

But when she saw the men trembling on the ground, Aristine adjusted her approach.

Since they were already treating her as the emperor, it wouldn’t be right to try and force them to relax. Saying ‘just relax, treat me comfortably’ was basically useless at this point.

‘In the Monarch’s Sight, they said only old timers do that.’

Aristine stared down at them, her demeanor changing to a majestic grace.

With a mere change in posture and a shift in gaze, the aura of a monarch seeped from her every pore.

“The spread of fake barriers posed a significant threat to national security. Your efforts to prevent this will not be forgotten.”

“Th-thank you, Your Majesty.”

The men, whose heads were deeply lowered, flinched.

“Hey, I thought you’re supposed to say, ‘your grace is overwhelming’ at times like this.”

“I thought it’s ‘your royal grace is immeasurable’?”

“What does that even mean anyway?”

After whispering and wavering on what to do, the men bowed a second time.

“…Your grace is overwhelming, your royal grace is immeasurable, Your Majesty.”

Aristine burst into laughter and climbed into the carriage.

“Sounds like you’ve made some good friends, Lu.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Lu said, casually taking the role of escorting Aristine into the carriage.

On the day of her coronation, the day she put on that crown, he had thought nothing could suit her better. But right now, Aristine bore no crown and yet…

‘It suits her perfectly.’

Her words and actions were whimsical.

“I’m so curious to hear how you’ve been!”

And her eyes could sparkle like this as she treated others without reserve. Despite all that…

‘You’re the one meant for this role.’

Lu smiled.

Born as the eldest son of the Irugo royal family, he always thought the throne was destined to be his.

But despite giving up that position, he never felt upset.

And this was the reason.

In the end, everything had fallen into place.

—Including his position next to Aristine.

Lu looked at his younger brother, who sat beside his wife, and was sending him a look full of dissatisfaction.

Lu intentionally flashed a bright smile and spoke affectionately to Aristine.

“I had so many unique opportunities. There were many things I never knew about because you could never see them in the palace, or even when I was at the temple for a while.”

Aristine quickly got sucked into Lu’s stories.

“…It was a really big guy. I had to feed it from the third floor.”

“You’re telling me giraffes are that big? Oh, I need to see it myself.”

“Oh right, you haven’t been to the sea yet, have you?”

While Lu and Aristine were busy chatting, Tarkan sat there, looking sour-faced.

He knew Aristine had no feelings for Hamill.

He knew she was just happy to see a friend after several years. And besides, Hamill was their benefactor who saved both Aristine and Actsion’s lives.

“Whoa, Lu, you’re so amazing!”

But.

“I’m so jealous. I wish I was there!”

But…!

Tarkan fought to calm the storm brewing in his chest until they reached the Winter Palace.