Editor: bodyinthefreezer

“Oho! How can a new bride make food for someone else!”

Baekhan’s face was red. I just cooked a little, so why was he so astounded?

I thought he was a mean little boy, but he was unexpectedly cute.

“I made it for you separately, without the meat.”

“Did you cook for the Crown Prince too?”

“His Highness is in the middle of training. I'll give it to him when it's over.”

Ever since Blake woke up, he began to work even harder on his sword training.

“Give this to the Crown Prince too. I won't eat it.”

He didn’t pick up the chopsticks, and refused my cooking.

“…do you hate dumplings?”

“That's not true…”

“Tell me if there’s something you want to eat. I'll make it for you. I’m pretty good at cooking.”

“No need. I won’t eat your food.”

So it was not a matter of cooking, he was just rejecting it because it was me. To be honest, I was a bit shocked.

“Do you hate me that much?”

“No, no! It's not like that!”

He shook his head in embarrassment.

“Then why?”

“…you have no idea, huh?”

Baekhan sighed.

“What?”

“…the White Dragon gets jealous easily.”

“Jealous?”

He suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder, staring straight at me with his beautiful eyes.

“You’re very beautiful.”

“…wh-why are you saying that all of sudden?”

“If I eat the food you made, I'm sure the White Dragon will become upset. Don't get me wrong.”

Baekhan explained the situation clearly. It was not because of me.

“I see. I'll trust you. You don't hate dumplings, do you? Then, I'll ask the chef to cook instead.”

“Will you?”

“The tea was made by the maid, Melissa, so can you drink that?”

Baekhan nodded his head. I put the teacup in his hand.

“Thank you.”

He wrapped his hands around the teacup and downed the tea in one gulp.

“It’s jasmine tea. If it doesn't suit your taste, I'll prepare a different one.”

“No need, it’s better than Taekri tea.”

“What’s Taekri tea?”

I had looked up a lot of creative cooking books in this world, but I had never heard of ‘Taekri Tea'.

“Don't you know? People drink Taekri tea every day in the Chang's Imperial family.”

“I've never heard of it.”

“Huh, it's a pity you don't know the taste of Taekri tea. If Eunhan becomes the Emperor, I’ll send it to you.”

He meant that, in the end, as long as Eunhan went to Chang, I would get whatever I wanted in return, whether it was about Blake’s curse, the stone plates or even tea.

“Why did you choose Eunhan? Is it because you’re both childhood friends?”

“Impudent.”

He put the teacup down roughly. Was it offensive to say that he chose Eunhan as the Emperor because of their relationship?

“My brother is a Heavenly Dragon! I can’t dare to choose him!”

“…the Heavenly Dragon? Not a Black Dragon?”

“What do you mean a Black Dragon! My brother was chosen by a Heavenly Dragon! He’s the chosen Emperor!”

It was the opposite of what Eunhan said, but Eunhan wouldn't have lied to me.

“Then why did the Chang Empire try to kill Eunhan?”

“At first glance, the Heavenly Dragon and Black Dragon have similar textures. The former high priest took advantage of that to fabricate a lie. He wanted to make his nephew the Crown Prince, so he tricked everyone into thinking that Eunhan, who was the Heavenly Dragon, was actually a Black Dragon.”

Even Eunhan’s mother thought her son was a Black Dragon, so deceiving others would have been a piece of cake.

“What happened to the former high priest?”

“He died. The White Dragon couldn’t forgive him for driving the Heavenly Dragon out of the land of Chang, so I was chosen. When I was chosen by the White Dragon, even though my family had no qualifications, everyone was shocked. But I knew what the White Dragon meant. The White Dragon was hoping for the return of the Heavenly Dragon. They chose me to complete the task.”

There was a hint of sadness in Baekhan's eyes.

“So you're wrong to say I chose him. He’s the reason I was chosen.”

“I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

“It’s not your fault. It was probably because my brother didn't tell you.”

He sighed and picked up the teacup again.

“Does anyone else know that Eunhan is the Heavenly Dragon?”

“The Imperial family knows. I have no choice but to know. Heavenly Dragon has a black rain cloud. He gives this power to the chosen one to deal with the rain.”

Eunhan was not an ominous Black Dragon.

I recalled the memory of Eunhan using magic. A moist energy that resembled a mist had surrounded me in that dark space.

“After my brother left, there was a severe drought in Chang. The people are filled with resentment, and the Imperial family is about to collapse. If this continues, the Empire will soon be ruined.”

“…..”

The fall of Chang…

I thought that Chang was destroyed because of the fight between the hundreds of heirs, but it wasn't because of that.

In the original novel, Richard killed Eunhan while he was trying to avenge Tenstheon.

When Eunhan, the Heavenly Dragon, lost his life, Chang lost its successor and went on the path of destruction.

I thought I couldn't send Eunhan to the country where destruction was due, but it was the opposite.

If Eunhan did not return, Chang would perish.

“Even at this moment, countless people are dying. Only Eunhan can save Chang. Your Highness, please help us.”

“It hasn't been long since I met Eunhan. He won't listen to me even if I tell him to go.”Even if Eunhan was the Heavenly Dragon and could prevent the destruction of Chang, I had no power to persuade him.

“No. He’ll listen if you persuade him.”

Baekhan’s certainty was rather frustrating.

I was about to say it again, but Baekhan suddenly staggered.

“Baekhan!”

“I’m okay.”

He stood up right away, refusing my help.

“I don't have much time. I'll give you ten days. If Eunhan isn’t persuaded, let’s pretend we didn't have a deal.”

***

Don’t have much time?

As I was in my room, writing a letter to Diana, the image of Baekhan staggering continued to appear in my mind.

Was he sick?

He was a mean little boy who threatened me, but I was still worried.

Then suddenly, I heard a loud voice outside.

“Go back right now!”

“No! I will never go back alone.”

Eunhan and Baekhan were arguing.

“Do you really want to die?!”

“If you're worried about me, why don't you go with me? Brother, how long do you intend to disobey the will of Heaven?”

“If you wish to die, then you are free to do so!”

I opened the door and went out, and just then, Eunhan stormed out of Baekhan's room.

As soon as Eunhan saw me, he lowered his head and tried to go back into his room. I grabbed hold of him in a hurry.

“Excuse me, Eunhan, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I headed to the greenhouse with him. The greenhouse was full of Blake's favorite red roses.

“Your Highness, do you have anything to say?”

“I heard you two arguing in the room.”

“I'm sorry for causing a disturbance.”

“No, I'm not angry. I just have a little question.”

“Please do ask.”

“Does Baekhan have any chronic diseases?”

“No, he does not.”

Eunhan shook his head without any hesitation. He didn't seem to be lying.

“But didn't you say his life was in danger?”

“The person chosen by a Dragon can't leave the land of the Chang. The White Dragon, in particular, is under strong restraint. If he keeps going on like this, his body will gradually weaken. But if he goes back to Chang, he’ll be fine.”

I realized the reason why Eunhan was in such a hurry to send Baekhan back to Chang. That was also why Baekhan said he didn't have time. At least it wasn't a life-threatening disease, so I was relieved.

“By the way, is it okay for you to leave the land of Chang?”

“I'm fine… because I was abandoned anyway.”

“It's not because you were chosen by the Heavenly Dragon?”

Eunhan was very shocked.

“…where did you hear that?”

“I heard it from Baekhan. If you die, Chang will be destroyed.”

“It's disgusting.”

Eunhan spat out harshly.

“I was told to die for Chang, and now they say that it was all misunderstanding. After killing my mother for the sin of giving birth to an ominous child, they’re asking me to come back. No matter what, my mother is dead. They disgust me.”

I stood next to him as he revealed his anger.

“I don't care about the fate of Chang. In fact, I’d rather Chang was destroyed. I'm not going back. I'll never step foot on the land of Chang.”

Eunhan had always been polite and quiet, but now he was gritting his teeth to suppress his unbearable anger.

I couldn't tell him to go back to Chang when he just told me about his deeply rooted grudge.

Eunhan’s resentment was even more deeper than what I imagined, and even though I knew the situation, I couldn’t force him to go back to his homeland.

I didn’t think he’d change his mind in ten days.