Word Count - 2,212 words
"Oh...this is a lot of presents..."
Y/n looked more than shocked at her receiving area that is almost filled with her birthday presents that she received from different officials, nobles and socialites.
"I didn't even remember my own birthday, but they surely know." Y/n shook her head.
Lady Nanaba let out a small chuckle.
She watched the h/c-haired lady walk around the area to check the presents she received, though surely one night is not enough to open all her birthday presents.
Y/n's eyes landed on a few separated presents that were placed near the sofa.
"I believe those are presents from his majesty's loyal subjects, my lady. Duke Reiss, Duchess Ackerman and Dr. Jaeger."
The h/c-haired lady made her way towards her considered "special" presents since they were from the emperor's loyal subjects.
"Let me help you, my lady."
Lady Nanaba helped Y/n in opening Dr. Jaeger's gift first. The h/c-haired lady was amazed to see rare and expensive herbal leaves and roots inside a heavy black box.
There's also medicinal tea and tonics.
Y/n then opened Duchess Ackerman's gift.
She smiled upon seeing an elegant fan, its dark green with black thread fan. It has an embroidered name of her on its fabric, and a short poem and some dark shade flowers.
"And this one is from Duke Reiss, my lady."
The h/c-haired lady looked at Nanaba.
Her eyes widened upon seeing three sets of different jewelries. One emerald, one ruby, and one amber. Stones that are rare to find inside Paradis Island. "They're beautiful..."
Y/n grazed her fingers on the jewelries.
There are necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets in the emerald set, ruby set and amber set. "Duke Reiss must've spent fortunes just to get these..." Y/n stated.
She closed the box and put it aside.
Where did he get the money?
And how did he get those stones?
"Which of the gifts from them did you like the most my lady?" Nanaba asked.
The h/c-haired lady swing opened her fan.
She smiled at Nanaba as she began to fan herself with the fan Duchess Kuchel had gifted to her.
"I like this one the most. Duchess Ackerman chose the right present to give to me."
--
Erwin stopped his writing, his brows furrowed, and a sigh escaped his lips.
He has to finish something, yet he can't focus. He's been bothered since coming back from seeing Zeke and Y/n together.
The blond man removed his eyeglasses, then put them down on his right side.
He stood up from sitting down, then walked towards the door to get out of his office.
Sir Levi was outside when he got out, standing steadily on the side, keeping guard of the surroundings.
The raven-haired man was about to follow him, but he looked at Levi, smiling a little.
"Sir Levi, I would like to be alone, please just stay here."
Levi couldn't protest anymore since Erwin had already left.
Erwin made his way out of his residence, wearing only his simple casual clothes. A white long sleeve shirt and a black pants.
His usually neat styled blond hair is a bit disheveled, and two buttons of his white shirt were opened, exposing his reddish skin on his chest.
Whenever he takes alone night walks, Erwin would always end up finding himself going to the empress' palace.
But tonight...was different.
Because Erwin found himself standing in front of his fiancé's residence.
He was genuinely shocked, himself.
What am I doing here...? Erwin thought.
The blond man glanced at the window of his fiancé's room. His brows shot up upon noticing that there were still lights opened inside. It's already late. Why is she still awake? Erwin kept his stare at the window.
There's a wishful thinking behind his mind.
He hoped for Y/n to show up in that window, spare him a chance to see her.
"Your majesty?"
Erwin was interrupted upon hearing a familiar voice. He looked back, only to see Sir Mike. "Ah...Sir Mike, good evening."
Mike nodded, he bowed at the blond man.
"Good evening, Sir Mike."
The blond knight raised a brow as he watched him stare back at the window of the h/c-haired lady.
"I think Nanaba and Lady Y/n are still busy checking the birthday presents Lady Y/n received." Sir Mike spoke.
Erwin nodded his head, he looked at Sir Mike then smiled as he turned his back, prompting to leave without even seeing his fiancé.
Mike automatically followed behind Erwin, since he's worried about Erwin being alone, roaming around the palace at night.
"Sir Mike...does Lady Y/n know someone outside the palace?" Erwin asked.
The other blond man's brows furrowed.
"I don't think so, your majesty. Why are you asking?"
Erwin didn't answer.
His mind drifted back to the moment he saw Y/n and Zeke together.
Then how did they know each other?
"Is there something wrong, your majesty?"
The emperor snapped out of his thoughts. He continued walking, his eyes went up to stare at the night sky with only darkness.
"I think Lady Y/n has become acquainted with Dr. Jaeger's eldest son."
Mike's brows shot-up. "What? But how?"
"I have the same question."
"Lady Y/n isn't allowed to meet any men before she is to be wedded to you, your majesty. What are you going to do about this?"
Erwin let out a small sigh, he smiled as he shook his head. "There's nothing I have to do, Sir Mike. Lady Y/n being friends with a man may be breaking the royal protocol. But since when was having friends something that is punishable by law?"
Sir Mike stared at the emperor's back.
He knows, everyone knows close to Erwin that the emperor is not so traditional.
The blond man also breaks rule.
Like when he married the former maidservant of the previous empress.
Erwin broke the rules to marry Marie who was supposed to be vanished for being one of the previous ruling family's servants.
"So you're going to let Lady Y/n be friends with Zeke?" Sir Mike asked.
The emperor chuckled, that airy kind of chuckle which was soothing in the hearing.
"I'll be honest, I wish it wasn't him."
"Why? Because Zeke is a relative to the Reiss' and a descendant of the previous emperor?" Sir Mike asked.
Erwin's brows creased.
His face then became serious.
"Yes. Zeke is a smart man, he proved himself at a young age when he helped us in ousting the previous emperor from the throne..." The emperor stopped walking, realizing they're already in front of the building of the throne room.
"Who knows what he can do if he suddenly wants something?" Or someone...
"Does Zeke like Lady Y/n?"
Erwin's eyes widened a bit, he looked back at Mike. "What makes you say that?"
Sir Mike shrugged. "I don't know. But I can sense a strange aura from you."
"Huh?"
The other blond man smiled.
He's jealous, isn't he?
"Your majesty, may I speak to you as your friend even just for tonight?" Mike asked.
"Go ahead..."
Sir Mike walked towards the emperor, he grabbed his shoulder and gently gripped on it like how men usually do to their friends.
"If you don't want anything you treasure to get stolen from you, then treat it right..." Mike shook his head. "No...if you don't want to lose her...then treat her right."
Erwin stared at Mike.
He gets what Mike is trying to say.
"Most men are greedy, Erwin. Especially you, and I'm sure that Zeke, too. If you both want someone or something, you'll surely do anything to get it for yourself."
"A simple rivalry, could lead to hatred, bloodshed, death. But you can still avoid it, only if you make up your mind before more fuel gets added on the small fire that has already started." Erwin's brows furrowed.
He gets it, but somehow, he's conflicted.
"What are you really trying to say, Mike?"
Mike stared at him straight in the eyes.
"How do you really feel for Lady Y/n?"
The blond man wasn't able to answer.
How do I feel about Lady Y/n?
"Lady Y/n is very fond of you, and I think besides fondness, there is something else."
"I could say the same about you towards her, but what I can sense is only fondness
Though maybe I'm wrong, too. Is there something else, Erwin? Like an affection that one man feels towards one woman?"
Erwin still didn't answer.
He just stared at his friend with a conflicted look on his eyes.
"Or you only see her as someone you can trust, but not someone you can love?"
The blond man's mouth slightly opened, now that he's in agape, he's even more unable to answer. It felt like he lost all his ability to answer every question thrown to him.
"If Zeke has affection for lady Y/n, and that grows, it'll be dangerous. And if that time comes, and you still haven't made up your mind...you know what could happen."
Mike stepped back, now a serious look is evident on his face.
"Lady Y/n may fall for you, and if...ever you don't feel the same, and she gets hurt, Zeke Jaeger will be there to catch her instead. And who knows what he can do to make her happy?" Sir Mike shook his head.
"But I'm not saying this to force you to like her ladyship. I'm saying this to help you make up your mind, your majesty."
And now, Sir Mike is back to being Erwin's subject. "Mike..."
"It'll be a war because of love, your majesty."
Erwin shut his eyes. He went out for a walk so he could have peace, but now he has something new to think about.
Falling for someone else...how about Marie?
How about my first wife?
Will that really be okay?
"I can't forget her...sir Mike."
Sir Mike kept quiet, only staring at Erwin.
"Marie...I still love her, and I don't think I will ever stop loving her."
"That is why there are some times when I think to myself...if I made the right decision of agreeing to marry Lady Y/n for the sake of peace between Eldia and Marley...because I'm afraid..."
Erwin stared down, his brows furrowed and royal blue eyes became sullen.
"...I'm afraid I won't be able to love her."
--
Y/n sat down on her bed, the foam sunk because of her weight. She stared at the rectangular box that was in her hands.
It's a present from Zeke.
She still has a lot more to check, but Y/n chose to open Zeke's present to her.
She's curious as to what could've Zeke bought for her as the future empress.
"Oh..."
The h/c-haired lady smiled as she saw a book inside the box, it even has a note on it.
Lady Y/n, me and my mother wish you a happy birthday. Please accept this book as our present to you. Reading may help you if you ever feel bored inside the royal palace.
- Zeke Jaeger
Y/n took out the book, she kept the note as she opened the book.
It's a book of poems.
Something that she likes.
Her brows furrowed when she saw a bookmark stuck in a certain page, and so out of curiosity, she went to that page.
The h/c-haired lady felt pride the moment she read the poem Zeke dedicated to her.
A woman is not just a woman.
A woman could be anything.
Because a woman is a god.
--
"Zeke, aren't you going to sleep yet?"
Dina looked at his son who's still busy writing who knows what, on a paper.
Zeke looked at her, and shook his head.
"I'll just finish this one, ma. You can go and rest already."
Dina nodded, she smiled at Zeke.
"Don't stay up too late. Good night, sweetie."
"Good night, ma."
Zeke was then left alone in their dining room. He continued writing. It's a poem that he plans to give to an interesting lady.
"I wonder if she likes poems..."
Zeke mumbled. He pouted as he stopped for a moment and looked back at his sudden meeting with Y/n earlier.
How will I be able to send this to her when I don't even know her name?
The blond guy sighed as he shook his head.
I guess I'll just give this to her when we meet again.
Zeke finished writing the poem, he smiled as he read it out loud.
"I met a beautiful lady who loves lilies. She smiles so purely and laughs softly. Upon meeting her, I thought of life. Because something tells me that she hides a lot of hardships behind that beauty...Behind that pure smile, and behind that pleasant laugh. And just like life, she is hard to predict. Just like life, I know she is not perfect. Yet and still...she remained beautiful. Beautiful like her favorite lilies."
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