IWAEBS - Chapter 3 < Kissing is inevitable >

Haa, this is so damn frustrating. My thoughts are getting complicated.

“But, Empress.”

“Yes, Your Majesty."

“Hmm, that’s strange.”

Emperor Linel stopped talking. He said, 'That's strange.' and seemed to be waiting for me to ask, 'What?' I remained silent, not at all curious. If he had something to say, he would say it without being asked.

“Other women do everything they can to make eye contact with me, so I thought I had a pretty good face?”

As I expected, the Emperor, tired of waiting, began to speak on his own. The Emperor's face was so pale that even if he were to say, "It's okay," he would end it with a few words. He really had a poor self-evaluation. I raised my head and looked up at him.

“But now that I look at it, it seems like not only my face, but other parts of me are pretty good too?”

I was confused about how to react to his playful gaze that flashed through his seriousness.

“Even if you like my feet more than my face, when I talk to you, look at my face.”

“Oh, yes, Your Majesty.”

It was only then that I realized that I had been staring at his feet the whole time. “Yes,” I said, but as my gaze went back down to his feet, he quickly lifted my chin.

“There are plenty of people who bow their heads before me throughout their lives. There is no need to add an Empress.”

It was a tone that made it hard to tell whether it was an order or a request. I stared into his eyes as he wished.

“Much better. I wish the Empress’s eyes would rest on my face. I know that my feet are more attractive than my face.”

“Ouch...”

Without realizing it, an exclamation came out, as if I was criticizing the Emperor’s humor. He seemed to know that his humor was somewhat excessive, and the corners of his mouth went up slightly, and he looked embarrassed. I couldn’t help but laugh at his self-reflection.

“Phew!”

Have I finally lost my senses? To laugh at the Emperor like this? 

He glared at me with an indifferent gaze, then lifted one hand and wiped one side of his cheek. It seemed like my spit had splashed on his face.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

I tapped my lips with my hand and begged for forgiveness. He burst into laughter. While I was absent-minded, his torso, as smooth and well-trimmed as a sculpture, suddenly came towards me. My body, which had been sitting upright, was thrown back onto the bed. I quickly placed both hands on the bed and held on before I collapsed backward.

“If I may answer the Empress’s question, the priests do not attend the first night of a remarried Empress. Are you curious now?”

Damn. Princess Resilia will be comfortable.

"Yes."

I nodded my head tremblingly. And then I met his eyes as I openly admired the Emperor’s chest muscles twitching slightly in front of me. His finely torn abs looked even more sensual in the dim light. At first glance, his solid abs had many large and small scars. The glorious scars he had earned on the battlefield left marks on his stomach as if they were engraving memories. Emperor Linel must have felt my hot gaze as he ran his hand down his stomach.

“They were weak opponents.”

He said, pointing to the largest scar, just above his belly button.

"Yes?"

“The one who inflicted this wound.”

“Oh, but how come it was the weaker opponent who caused the most damage?”

“This is a secret, you know. Since it’s our first day as a married couple, I’ll only tell the Empress.”

He suddenly lowered his voice. Secret? You're telling me only? 

For better or worse, the words 'specially' and 'secret' made me open my eyes wide and listen.

“I mean...”

“Yes...”

“I strangely let my guard down when faced with a weak opponent.”

What?

“...It’s really such a big secret?”

I tried my best to sympathize with him, but I spoke sarcastically. I was worried that he might have figured out my intentions, but fortunately, he nodded and agreed, saying, “I told you so.” Our faces, which had been close to each other, quickly moved away again.

“You may be nervous, but there’s nothing to worry about.”

“What does it mean?”

“Anyway, since they are incompetent priests with no divine power, they won’t even know if we are having a real fight or not. That’s why I plan to just pretend and end it.”

“Acting... right?”

“Yes. I have no intention of letting the priests see my abilities for free.”

I wanted to ask what kind of ability that was, but my heart already understood the meaning of the words and started beating faster. Heart, calm down. This isn't something you'd expect, is it?

“I have no intention of enjoying it in this condition.”

Emperor Linel muttered seriously. I listed his words in my head and analyzed their meaning. Was he referring to me when he said 'this state'? Or was he referring to this situation where the priests were observing? What did he mean by acting? I could not get any clues from his eerily indifferent expression.

“Shall we begin now?”

"... Yes?"

Emperor Linel chuckled at my bewildered face, then shouted at the bedroom door in a very businesslike tone.

“Come in!”

*** 

Before the priests entered, the servants entered the bedroom first. The servants quickly pulled down the black see-through curtains tied to the bedposts on all three sides. Only then did I realize that Emperor Linel’s words of not worrying and just acting it out were feasible. As the Emperor and I sat down on the bed side by side, the servants left the bedroom, and soon the priests came in silently like ghosts. The priests looked pious through the black see-through curtains. Each of them was holding a Bible in their hands. I would like to ask why they came in holding a Bible on the first night of the Emperor and the Empress. 

The priests took their places far away from the bed, circling the bed in the middle, and began to recite the prayers they recited before the main ceremony. Emperor Linel gently pushed my arm. I stared blankly at the priests whose silhouettes were visible through the see-through curtains, and when I looked at him, he whispered softly in my ear.

“As you can see, the priests only see our shapes. They can’t see anything in detail. Even then, they go out of the bedroom while singing a blessing song, so please bear with it for a little longer.”

“Yes? Then what you mean is...”

Are you saying that the priests don't directly observe the first night?

“The Empress knows how lucky she is.”

“Me?”

Am I lucky? I asked back with wide eyes at his words that had no relevance at all. He nodded.

“The first night of the previous Emperors was observed directly by priests entering the bedroom, but now things are different.”

Really?

“...Since when?”

“Since my time.”

He said that he got rid of that existing tradition this time.

“Instead, we made a compromise and reached an agreement.”

The arrangement was this: the priests would enter the bedroom before the first night and offer prayers, and when the imperial couple kissed, they would go outside and wait. Then, when the first night was over, they would return to the bedroom and sing a song of blessing, thus completing their role.

“Why is your expression like that? Should I have changed it from the next generation?”

“Oh, no. You have done a truly wonderful job, Your Majesty.”

Then tell me that from the beginning... I was so nervous!

“But, we’ll have to fool the priests a little.”

“How? What should I do?”

Just speak. I am fooling you, the Emperor, so what about the priests?

“Seeing you speak so actively, I guess acting won’t be a problem. Speaking of kissing...”

Kiss?

“I will pretend to move, so please cooperate, Empress.”

“What kind of cooperation...?”

“Empress, just stay still. That will be enough.”

In short, a kiss is a signal to announce the beginning of the night. Still, it is fortunate that the tradition has changed and the priests have stepped down at that point. Although it is a situation where they have to kiss, not just act.

“Really... Can I just stay still?”

“Why, you want to lead? Then do it.”

“Oh, no, Your Majesty. I will follow your orders!”

I whispered quickly.

"Good."

Emperor Linel let out a long sigh. Now that I looked at him, he too looked nervous.

“You don’t have to show anything else to the priests, but with the kiss, you have no choice.”

His voice as if asking me to understand, sounded somehow sad. May this poor Emperor find some sweetness. What crime have I committed? 

However, my heart, forgetting my situation, pounded violently when I saw Emperor Linel’s lips. In any case, I must endure until Princess Resilia arrives at the Lapion Palace. It won’t be easy, but my survival game has already begun. I must not be caught. Not for Princess Resilia, not for Prince Tesla, but only for myself. To obtain the magic potion that will remove my burn scars and live as a complete me.

“Start the ritual.”

Emperor Linel's voice toward the priests was extremely dry as if he were attending a boring meeting. As soon as the Emperor spoke, the priests stopped their prayers and began mumbling something new. Words that sounded like incantations with unknown meanings flowed out of the priests' mouths with a mysterious rhythm. Was it the background music that was played before the first night? 

I couldn't hear it clearly, but the voices kept getting higher and lower as they searched for 'god'. I thought I would be able to sing along soon. I had no idea what to do. Well, Emperor Linel, who seemed to be very experienced, would take the lead. As I continued to listen to the priests' singing, I became slightly dazed as if I was hypnotized. Emperor Linel glanced at me and whispered quietly.

“Are you responding to the priests’ orders?”

What the. Is there really some kind of divine power that makes the spells called by the priests strange? 

Come to think of it, our lips hadn’t even touched yet, but my body was already ticklish. And unfortunately, I was feeling hot inside. Ever since I was seven years old when I got a burn on my face, this reaction would occur several times a month. This feeling of hotness was a symptom that only I could feel. Even if others saw me or touched my skin directly, they had no idea that my body was hot. When the burn scar on my face would sizzle and I felt like I was trapped in a pit of fire, I had to fill the bathtub with cold water and soak my body for a while. Things were a little better in the winter, but in other seasons, the only way to cool my body was in cold water. 

However, even cold water would become lukewarm after a few minutes. When my fever was high, hot steam would rise from the water after just 10 minutes. Why was this feeling of hotness happening now?

I wanted to throw myself into the cold water right away. I couldn't see my burn scar because I had drunk the magic potion, but the burning pain was still there. It even felt like someone was holding fire close to my eyes and burning them. I couldn't even see Emperor Linel's face properly.

“Don’t make an impression.”

He whispered, cupping my hot cheek with his cold hand. He seemed to think I was annoyed.

“My body is so hot... I feel like I’m going to burn... Yes.”

I barely opened my lips to reply. Emperor Linel raised his eyebrows. His cold blue eyes darkened and a look of bewilderment crossed his mind. Oh, it seems my words have caused him to misunderstand?

“Great acting.”

Emperor Linel placed his lips lightly over mine and muttered softly.

“No, that’s not it, ah...!”

The great and noble lips of Emperor Linel suddenly overlapped between my parted lips.

Oh my. And then, my eyes fluttered shut at his soft and skillful kiss. In comparison, my lips, which had hardened, were swept here and there like an idiot. Unexpectedly, the kiss with Emperor Linel was like an oasis to me. My mouth, which had been parched, quickly became refreshing as if I had chewed a handful of mint leaves. The burning pain also subsided significantly. 

How could this happen...

I placed both hands on his dignified face and actively accepted his movements. Let’s live for now. After quenching my thirst for a while like that, the fever definitely subsided. When I slowly opened my eyes, Emperor Linel had a look in his eyes that seemed to have been stolen. His eyes, wandering because of me, asked me.

'I thought you said you didn't have to be so proactive?'

I quickly moved my lips away.

"Ha..."

Emperor Linel let out a long breath and glared at me. Looking outside the black see-through curtains, I could not see the ghost-like figures of the priests.

“Hey, when did they all leave? They left without even saying goodbye?”

“It’s been a while since they left. While we were kissing passionately.”

He said, wiping his quivering lips with the back of his hand.

"...Sorry."

Emperor Linel, who had been looking at me silently, suddenly changed into a troubled expression as he kissed me passionately without thinking.

“That can’t be true... What is it?”

He muttered to himself, placed his hands on both of my shoulders and pushed me down.

“Your Majesty the Emperor, the ministers have already left?”

I fell to the bed in a daze and spoke to him urgently.

"I know."

“But why...”

“Just hold on. I have something to check.”

The gap between him and me grew narrower and narrower.

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