When I finally ran into the King, he immediately looked at the queen, sounding a little impatient as he asked her:
"Leanna, did you get the cake Karen made for you? I'm taking Karen with me now."
"Mr. Karen handed the cake to a gate guard to deliver it to me, but for some reason, I never received it."
"Then it's not Karen's problem anymore. I'll take him now."
As soon as the king finished speaking, he turned around and started walking away. Wow—he sure was in a rush. Does he not care about the Queen at all? And he's not bothered about the missing cake either? Don't tell me we're about to repeat yesterday's…the nightlife topic again.
I glanced at the Queen. Her expression was calm, but the hand holding her fan tightened. Was she only enduring because of her friends and her position? …So does that mean she didn't feel like enduring back at my house?!
"Have a safe walk."
The Queen sent the king off with a smile that absolutely wasn't a smile. I'm pretty sure she was already planning a hundred ways to punish him in her mind. I should leave too—fast.
"Your Majesty, I'll take my leave as well."
"Take care."
After our brief exchange, I hurried to catch up with the King. Once we were far enough away, I decided to check on King… and maybe give him some encouragement.
"Your Majesty, did you have a good night yesterday?"
"Very good. Why do you ask?"
The King looked confused. Did he really have a good night? He looked lively and full of energy. Don't tell me I worried for nothing? Maybe he could fight all night with Queen!
But I'm nosy by nature, so the words slipped out anyway.
"Because I feel like Her Majesty is angry. Don't tell me tonight she'll also… you know… do this and that to you like yesterday?"
The words were too spicy to say out loud, so I used some gestures instead. The King blinked several times before he finally understood.
"…Oh, that's what you meant. Yesterday I told Leanna your identity and escaped punishment, but tonight… who knows? Karen, what do you think I should do to escape again?!"
So the King didn't even realize he was in the wrong. He started off sounding confident, but the more he talked, the more terrified he looked. Now he grabbed both my arms, begging me for advice.
But I could only give him one answer.
"Apologize. Maybe she'll lighten the punishment."
From what I saw earlier, it was definitely the King's fault. Trying to make excuses would only make the queen angrier. The King let go of me and responded with clear distaste.
"If I knew how to apologize, I wouldn't need to look for a solution."
What an immature thing to say. Here I go lecturing again.
"Your Majesty, the first step to becoming a real man is learning how to apologize. Understand why she's angry. Then coax her, let her be spoiled a little. Her anger will fade quicker that way."
A man who does nothing but make excuses isn't even as good as a childish boy. It's not that apologies are difficult—they're just blocked by pride.
If you keep making excuses, the woman gets disappointed, and her anger builds up. But confessing your mistake, reflecting on it, and letting her act a little spoiled actually helps prevent that. Though of course, it's best not to anger her in the first place.
I don't usually make Lina angry, but whenever I do, I apologize first and compromise after. Harmony in the family comes first.
After hearing me out, the King looked shocked.
"Really? It's that effective?"
"If you want a long-lasting marriage, you have to learn to admit when you're wrong."
"I see. I understand."
The King nodded as if enlightened. Hopefully he gets a reduced sentence tonight. Completely avoiding punishment is impossible—but it's between husband and wife, so it's normal enough. Just… don't overdo it.
I looked up at the sky. The sun was nearly set. Panicking, I took out my pocket watch. Oh no—Lina was getting off work in just a bit!
I quickly turned to the King.
"It's getting late. I'll come back tomorrow to install the solar light pillars."
"Alright. What time tomorrow?"
"Around one-thirty."
"Then I'll wait for you at the gate tomorrow."
Wait for me? Doesn't the King have work? Confused, I asked:
"You're not busy?"
"Just minor matters."
So everything's "minor" huh…? I don't know what that means, but is it really minor? Maybe he dumped everything on the Crown Prince again? That would certainly free up his time.
"…Then I'll take my leave. Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
I left the castle, picked up Lina and Lani, and went home. While we had dinner, I shared everything that had happened today.