CHAPTER 96 Being a Dark Magician King Was Hard, but Dating the Heroine of Justice Was Harder

Keith

After Keith shared his news that Julia was moving to the Dark Enchanted Forest, everyone became lost in their own thoughts. Dinner arrived, and it was excellent. Henrietta kept throwing looks at Knight Commander Bastian like she wanted to say something, and Keith's curiosity won over his jealousy.

Just as everyone finished and headed up to bed, Keith called Their Royal Highness to chat outside, distracting the old fox long enough for Henrietta to get the chance to speak quietly to the knight.

Keith leaned up against his carriage, breathing warmth into his hands. "Rowen, I met one of your children in my kingdom. She seems to be getting along just fine."

Rowen's fox ears perked. "Ah, my darling Penelope. How is she doing?"

"Singing up a storm and befriending a lizard wizard, last I visited." Out of the corner of his eye, Keith was pleased to see that his plan had worked; Ria was busy whispering to Bastian. It wasn't that he wanted her to go off chatting with other men … but she was a grown woman with friends of her own. If she wanted to talk to one of them, he needed to figure out his own problems.

Keith missed what Their Royal Highness had just said, but it was something about babies. He simply replied, "I wouldn't know," hoping it was the right choice.

Rowen tapped their chin twice. "Then maybe I'll swing by on the way back home. Is she still at that beastfolk village?"

"As far as I know." He wouldn't have normally shared the happy couple's location, even with her parents, as he didn't know their circumstances. But if the old fox already knew, there wasn't much sense hiding it.

"Thank you. Have a good night, we'll see you at the ball." Their Royal Highness lead their retainers, Bastian included, upstairs.

Henrietta rejoined Keith and gripped his arm. "Thank you."

"Did you have a nice chat?" Keith didn't bother resisting the urge anymore; he leaned down and sniffed her hair. The smell of warm spices with a hint of caramel sugar filled his nose.

Ria leaned in and rubbed her face on his arm. "Mm-hmm."

Keith waited, arching an eyebrow.

Ria explained, "Madame Potts made his life very uncomfortable. The man isn't very social at the best of times, let alone after being called out as one of the continent's most desirable … Come to think of it, why weren't you included in that list?"

"Good question. Maybe I'm too old? This also isn't my debut; I had my coming out at sixteen, and I had no intention of suddenly getting married at the time." Keith and Henrietta walked up to the top floor and separated, facing their rooms. "And any hopeful partners or stalkers were easily dealt with accordingly."

"Oh?"

"Rufus is a very good second in command. His capacity to sniff out drugs, potions, spies, and hidden assailants is exceptional."

Henrietta shuddered. "I couldn't imagine being the target of unwanted attention like that."

"It's not pleasant, and it might play a part in why I'm still single."

"Aside from being the Evil Overlord, Dark Magician King of Nilheim, Vicious Ruler of the Dark Enchanted Forest?"

"Says the Crown Princess and Heroine of Justice. Who, I understand, is also unwed."

"Not for lack of trying," Henrietta mumbled. She looked between Keith and her bedroom door. "Let's talk more tomorrow?"

"Of course. Good night, Princess Henrietta."

Her voice was full of lighthearted teasing as she returned, "Good night, Dark Magician King Keith."

Keith stared at her door for a moment after it closed. He briefly considered sweeping in and ordering Lilith to bunk with Sithli for the night.

Briefly.

Their Royal Highness was long gone by the time Keith rolled out of bed. Sithli was already out preparing the wagons, so Keith had the room to himself. His morning ablutions were rudimentary while traveling, kept to the minimal brush-hair-and-teeth-and-shave-face routine. He missed his usual morning bubble bath and servanted ministrations.

He'd done far too much traveling this year, and he still had more coming. He sighed. Being a Dark Magician King was hard, but dating the Heroine of Justice was harder.

It was well worth it, though.

Henrietta was awake and happy to see him when he wandered downstairs for breakfast. Her poofy brown hair and soft brown eyes looked the same, but there was something different about her. He tried to figure out what it was, and Lilith coughed from behind the princess, motioning to her lips.

They were lightly colored with a soft pink. He stared. It had been a very long time since he'd kissed those lips. At least a day.

There was something wrong with him. He gathered himself and complimented Ria over breakfast. She laughed off his words, but he could tell she enjoyed his praise.

"I'm trying to move from dungeon war paint to debutant war paint," she joked.

Keith laughed. "I can't wait to see you in your finest. Rinrin assures me that we will be a sight to behold, with matching outfits no less." He pushed down the unease that resurfaced every time he thought of that disastrous fitting. It was getting easier.

All too soon, they were alone in the carriage again, heading toward Grand Duchess Calisto's palace. There was a lot more reading for Ria than himself, as he'd finished the last of his required reviews before bed. It was her turn to be immersed in interkingdom gossip while he relaxed and kept an eye out for assassins.

They didn't meet any, but it was distraction enough to keep him occupied and not thinking of his princess sitting very close beside him in a carriage on a makeshift bed.

He had made sure there was ample light, sheer curtains, and an open atmosphere in the carriage. Henrietta didn't seem to mind the enclosed space, and he wondered if it was because it wasn't a cold dark room, or if she was just pushing down her anxiety.

Either way, he planned extra stops along their journey, and he kept up a steady [Cantrips: Dancing Lights] perk. Consideration wasn't hard, just time consuming. It was also why he'd put Rufus on guard duty for Henrietta's friend.

It was barely midday when they arrived at Grand Duchess Calisto's palace. It had only felt like an eternity.