“...Hmm.”
I began to feel the soft sensation of his lips strolling over mine.
“Where do you keep going?”
I didn't want to escape from his embrace, but my body kept trying to escape somewhere. My body, which was slowly heading somewhere with the Emperor, was eventually held tightly by his strong arms.
“If we go any further, we’ll both fall to the ground?”
Emperor Linel wrapped one arm around my waist and carried me back to the center of the bed.
“Are you planning on dragging the luggage to the floor?”
He smelled good. More precisely, he smelled seductively sexy. His large hand ran across my face from the left side. Oh, it was cold. I thought it was a block of ice. Although this man's hand was as cold as if it had been dipped in snow and then taken out, it was a welcome temperature to me. Compared to his cold hand, his eyes were so intense that they seemed to melt my face. Right now, the coldest Emperor in the Northern Continent was not here. There was just an ordinary husband concentrating on his wife. No, ordinary means canceled.
“You mean let’s go down to the floor and do it? Huh?”
He asked playfully, shaking our covered bodies slightly.
“No... That’s not what I meant, I just... without realizing it.”
“I don’t know why you keep avoiding me. Are you embarrassed? Or are you trying to seduce me more on purpose?”
Is seduction something you're doing right now?
“Which one would my wife be...”
“Everything is still unfamiliar to me, especially in this position.”
Despite my honest answer, he tilted his head. I felt like my emotions were being monitored under his gaze.
“Can I take that to mean you don’t dislike me?”
His husky voice pounded my heart.
“How could I hate Your Majesty?”
“Then that’s good.”
“...”
My mind, which was already slow to respond to his fastball, stopped functioning completely.
“It’s been a while? Heh, it doesn’t seem to be in order yet. So is there any room for improvement in the future?”
Emperor Linel spoke with a sad tone, but his expression seemed quite amused.
“Your Majesty, may I ask why... you are suddenly asking such a question?”
I was lost in his beautiful features, then I pulled myself together and asked.
“I was curious. What do you think.”
“I wonder what you think of me, Your Majesty...?”
Why?
“Yes, I think so, Empress. I know what everyone in the palace thinks of me. But the Empress is different.”
Does that mean I'm... special?
“I can’t know what you’re thinking. I can’t know, but it’s important.”
“Why does it matter what I think of Your Majesty?”
“So that I don’t have to worry about how to act.”
“I don’t really understand what you are talking about.”
“I am the Emperor.”
“...Yes, I never doubted that fact either.”
At my serious response, he put his hand on his forehead and laughed for a long time before continuing.
“Yes. I am in a position where I can do whatever I want. But I cannot do whatever I want to the Empress. I cannot do whatever I want to you.”
...Why?
“Because you are my wife.”
It was quite a touching speech, so I held my hands together as if praying and looked at him with moved eyes.
“Well, that’s what marriage is like, that’s what it says in the theology book.”
Was he embarrassed after saying that? He tapped the back of his neck with his hand a couple of times and glanced at me.
“But didn’t Your Majesty clearly say before that you do not believe in God?”
Emperor Linel smiled and nodded obediently at my words.
“Still, out of the hundreds of things God said, a few were useful.”
“Your Majesty... seems like a warm person.”
I said, holding his ice-cold hand.
“Are you asking me to believe that? Where in the world can you find such a cold husband?”
Emperor Linel lifted our clasped hands slightly and spoke self-deprecatingly. He had a tendency to speak of his hypothermia curse as if it were the funniest joke in the world.
“Your Majesty, I am not talking about body temperature, I am talking about the heart.”
“Hmm, this is the first time I’ve heard that, so it doesn’t really make sense. My heart is warm.”
Linel made an embarrassed expression. But the position we were in right now was even more embarrassing. He must have thought the same as I did because he slowly moved his body that was occupying me to the side. He moved to sit next to me for a moment, rolling his eyes here and there, then leaned back against the headboard. Then he crossed his arms in front of his chest. I also raised my body, leaned back against the headboard, crossed my arms in the same position as him, and looked straight ahead. Since I wasn’t looking at his face, I immediately felt peace of mind. We sat side by side like that without saying a word. Then Emperor Linel broke the silence first.
“By any chance... Did you say earlier that my heart was warm because I gave the Empress water?”
“Yes, I think so, Empress. I know what everyone in the palace thinks of me. But the Empress is different.”
Does that mean I'm... special?
“I can’t know what you’re thinking. I can’t know, but it’s important.”
“Why does it matter what I think of Your Majesty?”
“So that I don’t have to worry about how to act.”
“I don’t really understand what you are talking about.”
“I am the Emperor.”
“...Yes, I never doubted that fact either.”
At my serious response, he put his hand on his forehead and laughed for a long time before continuing.
“Yes. I am in a position where I can do whatever I want. But I cannot do whatever I want to the Empress. I cannot do whatever I want to you.”
...Why?
“Because you are my wife.”
It was quite a touching speech, so I held my hands together as if praying and looked at him with moved eyes.
“Well, that’s what marriage is like, that’s what it says in the theology book.”
Was he embarrassed after saying that? He tapped the back of his neck with his hand a couple of times and glanced at me.
“But didn’t Your Majesty clearly say before that you do not believe in God?”
Emperor Linel smiled and nodded obediently at my words.
“Still, out of the hundreds of things God said, a few were useful.”
“Your Majesty... seems like a warm person.”
I said, holding his ice-cold hand.
“Are you asking me to believe that? Where in the world can you find such a cold husband?”
Emperor Linel lifted our clasped hands slightly and spoke self-deprecatingly. He had a tendency to speak of his hypothermia curse as if it were the funniest joke in the world.
“Your Majesty, I am not talking about body temperature, I am talking about the heart.”
“Hmm, this is the first time I’ve heard that, so it doesn’t really make sense. My heart is warm.”
Linel made an embarrassed expression. But the position we were in right now was even more embarrassing. He must have thought the same as I did because he slowly moved his body that was occupying me to the side. He moved to sit next to me for a moment, rolling his eyes here and there, then leaned back against the headboard. Then he crossed his arms in front of his chest. I also raised my body, leaned back against the headboard, crossed my arms in the same position as him, and looked straight ahead. Since I wasn’t looking at his face, I immediately felt peace of mind. We sat side by side like that without saying a word. Then Emperor Linel broke the silence first.
“By any chance... Did you say earlier that my heart was warm because I gave the Empress water?”
Huh? Are you still thinking about that? I found Linel's question a little cute. I turned my head away and smiled quietly, then politely replied to him.
“You can tell just by looking at the fact that you don’t treat me, an Empress from a foreign country, poorly.”
“The Empress treated me badly today. Anyway, I haven’t done anything good for you. Not yet.. .”
He answered quietly as if talking to himself.
“That’s enough. So far...”
“Really? I’m not good enough.”
"...Yes?"
“The way you treat me. I should be saying that I am satisfied with the way I am now, just like you, but that is not the case.”
“Have I ever done anything impolite?”
It seemed like the warm atmosphere was turning cold.
“The problem is that you are too polite.”
Emperor Linel responded with a grumbling voice, touching his chin.
“I mean, if anyone deceives me or shows an arrogant attitude, I want to cut off their head right away. When I feel that urge, I cut off their head without hesitation.”
Gulp.
I swallowed quietly at his words.
“Of course, there are more times when I have to endure. Right now, several candidates would be decapitated even among the ministers, but it is not the time yet, so I am enduring it.”
Another gulp.
“Of course, there are more times when I have to endure. Right now, several candidates would be decapitated even among the ministers, but it is not the time yet, so I am enduring it.”
Another gulp.
His voice was calm, but the content was quite brutal, so I had to swallow my saliva several times. I was worried that my neck would be blown off by his hands someday. In the Lapion Imperial Palace, I would be the one who is currently deceiving the Emperor the most. Without realizing it, my hand automatically went up and down near my neck repeatedly.
“But isn’t it strange?”
Emperor Linel spoke in a questioning tone.
“I don’t get angry even if you do something unpleasant.”
“...Really?”
“But isn’t it strange?”
Emperor Linel spoke in a questioning tone.
“I don’t get angry even if you do something unpleasant.”
“...Really?”
"Yes."
Wait, that means I did something annoying? What was it?
I blinked repeatedly, trying to hide my nervousness and deliberately putting on an innocent expression.
“Have I ever done anything... that offended Your Majesty?”
“Have I ever done anything... that offended Your Majesty?”
"A moment ago."
"Yes?"
“You said to me, ‘Goodbye.’”
Emperor Linel glanced at me, mimicking my voice.
"Ah..."
So, it was annoying that I didn't grab him earlier. Suddenly, the back of my neck felt cold. Why at that moment?
“Oh, that’s a surprise!”
As Linel raised his hand, I unconsciously shrank my neck and fell away from him. My side snapped to the side like a boomerang, showing off my agility. Fortunately, he didn't look like he wanted to cut off my neck. Instead.
“...What is it? Why is it like this?”
He looked at me with a look of bewilderment. Then he snorted and grabbed my shoulder, pulling me back to my original position.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for everything... Empress, I have something to ask you, but I would like you to be honest with me.”
I started chuckling and then suddenly changed the mood to a serious voice.
“Yes! Honesty is my strong point.”
'You really laughed and sat down. Our acting Empress.'
The incarnation inside me snickered sarcastically. Yes, laugh at me. But other than that lie, I've lived honestly my whole life.
“Do you think of me as an Emperor?”
The Emperor's questions began.
“...As I said before, I never doubted that point. If you keep asking, I might doubt it once in a while.”
I had no idea what he was going to ask. His questions continued with a soft laugh.
“Do you think of me as your husband?”
"Sure."
Why does it feel cheap?
"Then..."
He, who had been asking questions without pause, took a moment to catch his breath and looked intently into my eyes. It was as if he had been waiting for the look in my eyes and the expression that I would show after asking a real question. The question he asked, slowly moving Emperor Linel’s lips, was this.
“Do you think of me as a man?”
“!”
You really wondered that? If he had asked me, 'You bitch! Did you think that the Kingdom of Shattonil and you could fool me until the end?', I wouldn't have been this surprised... His question shocked me even more than my identity as the Acting Empress being revealed.
“I, I...”
I was like an idiot, just opening my mouth and not being able to respond properly.
“No, it’s okay.”
He spoke coldly and waved one hand. Are you angry? But he immediately showed a reflective attitude.
“I’ll hear the answer later. I think I asked too hastily.”
He smiled self-deprecatingly and swept back his shiny black hair.
"Your Majesty."
"Yes?"
When I called out to him, gently pulling at his clothes, he responded with a very gentle gaze.
“I have something I want to ask, too.”
I should have kept my mouth shut at that moment. I should have just covered myself with the blanket and slept. This was clearly the incarnation inside me urging me to do something. When the heat boiled over my body, I would sometimes do reckless things without realizing it, and 80% of the time it was the incarnation’s will. Things that I had been suppressing inside or thinking unconsciously would sometimes happen because of the heat that surged through my body. For example, when noble ladies played a mean prank on me or insulted me, I would unknowingly punish them without hesitation. Usually, these punishments were carried out cleverly, so I would get through the crisis without being caught. Today, I couldn’t guarantee what would happen or whether I would be able to handle what had happened.
“What is it? Is there anything you want to ask me?”
Emperor Linel narrowed his eyes and showed curiosity. Oh, don't look at me with such expectant eyes.
“Your Majesty, please tell me honestly.”
It was clearly my words, but this was a trick of the incarnation using my inner consciousness. The incarnation's laughter hit my cochlea. Damn. I was intoxicated by the heat rising deep inside my body, and my courage shot up to my throat.
“Do you think of me as your Empress?”
My lips were moving on their own, but that was also what I had been thinking to myself while listening to his question a little while ago.
"Yes."
Emperor Linel watched me repeat his questions, the corners of his mouth twitching repeatedly.
“Do you think of me as your wife?”
Stop it. Please. Let's stop here. But my reason and instincts are already playing separately.
“Of course, I think of you as my wife.”
He answered faithfully and consistently, even though he seemed awkward. There was one last question left... Even though we both knew what the question was, there was still tension. I consciously kept my lips shut so that I wouldn’t open my mouth.
“Is this question something that requires some thought?”
He asked me first, perhaps because he found the sight of me moving my lips here and there frustrating. He seemed to be enjoying this moment.
“I have a question.”
I clenched my teeth and barely managed to make a sound.
“Is there one last question?”
When I saw his somewhat disappointed expression, my heart felt like it was crumbling like a sand castle. Emperor Linel's eyes, like the blue sea, shook my heart here and there. The corners of his mouth were gently raised like the tip of a sailboat. When I saw him smiling at me, my lips moved again on their own.
“Do you think of me as a woman?”
Haa, in the end, I couldn't overcome the power of the incarnation and asked that last question. I ended up doing it. I was so embarrassed that I wanted to throw myself off the terrace. Emperor Linel's eyes darkened even more. I wanted to avoid his gaze, but on the other hand, I was curious about the answer. Yes, it wouldn't be too late to hear the answer and run off the terrace. Unexpectedly, his silence was much shorter than the time I stayed silent after being asked the same question.
“Think of it as a woman. I'm thinking of it.”
My heart thumped somewhere deep inside my body at the unhesitating, clear, and firm voice of Emperor Linel. But as he continued to speak, my heart returned to its original place.
“I don’t know yet if that can lead to love... honestly.”
"Yes..."
I tried not to look upset. There was nothing to be upset about. In fact, if you think about it, it was natural.
“Are you disappointed?”
“No! Your Majesty, I think it is natural that you do not know me well yet.”
“What if I get to know you better? Then, what will happen?”
“You have to be careful...”
“Are you disappointed?”
“No! Your Majesty, I think it is natural that you do not know me well yet.”
“What if I get to know you better? Then, what will happen?”
“You have to be careful...”
I whispered, covering my mouth with one hand.
"What."
“Don’t get too caught up in me.”
“...Wow. Do you have so much confidence? Are you serious?”
“Are I serious? I’m just joking.”
“?”
“You’re so naive. I didn’t know you’d take it so seriously... sigh.”
I burst out laughing at his serious expression.
“You’re crazy.”
“Ugh.”
Emperor Linel clamped my lips together, which were parted from laughter, with his index finger and thumb. He made my lips into a duck's bill and spoke firmly with force in his eyes.
“But, I don’t plan on being careful with you?”
What does it mean?
“It was warm. That moment we shared on our first night... So I keep thinking about that moment these days...”
“...Wow. Do you have so much confidence? Are you serious?”
“Are I serious? I’m just joking.”
“?”
“You’re so naive. I didn’t know you’d take it so seriously... sigh.”
I burst out laughing at his serious expression.
“You’re crazy.”
“Ugh.”
Emperor Linel clamped my lips together, which were parted from laughter, with his index finger and thumb. He made my lips into a duck's bill and spoke firmly with force in his eyes.
“But, I don’t plan on being careful with you?”
What does it mean?
“It was warm. That moment we shared on our first night... So I keep thinking about that moment these days...”
“!”
He stopped talking and let go of my lips, which had been forming a duckbill. Then he rubbed his smooth facial features with both hands and washed his face dry.
“They may have made a mistake.”
I patted his back and spoke softly, and he raised his head.
“Mistake?”
“At that time, the priests were waiting outside the bedroom, and because they were so flustered... I think they made a mistake."
I tried to change the awkward atmosphere by laughing.
“I wonder? Yeah, I guess that might really be the case.”
Emperor Linel surprisingly accepted my words easily and nodded.
“So, ma’am.”
“Yes, husband...”
“I think I’ll find out again.”
He said solemnly.
"Now."
“?”
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