“Then what are you going to do at night?”
“...”
Emperor Linel asked in a tone that was neither high nor low.
“I don’t think I’ll go and discuss with the Empress the state affairs that I haven’t been able to handle yet.”
His eyes continued to look at me even after he finished speaking. As I looked into his eyes, which were strangely mixed blue and emerald, I felt my body being sucked into him more and more, so I quickly turned my head and wet my throat again. But then, like an idiot, I picked up the wine glass again and drank all the remaining wine.
Damn, I don’t know if I’ll be able to walk out of the banquet hall properly on my own two feet.
“Actually, I want to do it right now, like yesterday...”
The wine stuck in the middle of my throat again as he quietly muttered. Emperor Linel’s words were not something that could be said in a situation where the young ladies were watching. It was not something that could be comfortably heard when the two of us were alone. I glanced at the expressions of the young ladies standing side by side against the wall. As expected, the young ladies’ faces were already red, although I don’t know what kind of grand imagination they were having at the words the Emperor had just uttered.
I couldn't bear to look him in the eye, so I lowered my head and whispered so that only he could hear.
“What... do you mean?"
His voice was too plain, unlike the level of his words.
“If you don’t say that here, where do you say it? In bed?”
I looked up and saw his shameless face. Emperor Linel was holding a fork and knife and was about to cut the steak in front of him.
“Why isn’t it cutting well? The meat is tough today. Empress, why are you looking at me like that? I want to cut the steak like that right away, just like yesterday... I want to cut it easily, but it’s not cutting well today.”
“Is that what you meant...?”
When I asked with narrowed eyes, he answered as if he had been waiting for it, slicing the steak in a combative manner.
“Could it be that you misunderstood what I said?”
“...No, Your Majesty. Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard that too.”
I snapped back at him, but my face was already red from the misunderstanding. For a moment, I saw mischief in the Emperor’s eyes. Was he deliberately playing with words to tease me?
Lady Melanie didn't even look at me, the one who asked the question, but instead looked at Emperor Linel with a sad expression and answered.
“I guess there was some misunderstanding.”
Emperor Linel, who had been holding Melanie's gaze until the end, spoke to me as if nothing had happened.
“Is that so?”
I picked up the knife again and replied. Without realizing it, I held it up vertically as if I was going to pierce the plate. I almost laughed, but I didn't want to seem like a nitpicker from day one.
“There was a miscommunication.”
Instead, I just timidly expressed my discontent by making a discontented voice and let it go. It seemed that I would have to talk to the Emperor about the maids’ problem later. However, Emperor Linel’s firm voice was heard.
“Let’s change all the servants in the Empress’s palace.”
I was surprised by his unexpected decision.
“Everyone... huh?”
“Or, the Empress should change your maids.”
Emperor Linel said casually and tilted his empty wine glass toward me. I quickly reached out and picked up the wine bottle and poured some wine into his empty glass. When I met his eyes again after pouring half of the wine, I couldn’t help but smirk. He winked. It seemed as if he was reading my mood. Of course, I could have been mistaken, but it didn’t matter. It was pretty refreshing anyway.
“Your Majesty, would you like to discuss the procedure for changing the maids again over tea after dinner?”
I suppressed my rising smile and asked with a calm expression again. If he didn’t respond, there was nothing I could do, but I threw the words out anyway. In fact, I felt like I had to lose to get what I wanted. The young ladies’ eyes were all focused on Emperor Linel’s mouth.
“There’s no rush.”
Emperor Linel spoke to me with a solemn expression, picking up a small loaf of bread.
“Ah, yes...”
The corners of my mouth, which had been preparing to smile, hardened bitterly. As always, rejection is accompanied by embarrassment.
“Let’s talk about it later.”
He hammered the nail in again firmly.
“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”
'Look, do you think the Emperor will listen to everything you say?'
I felt a sneer in the eyes of the young ladies who were looking at me. I lowered my head without realizing it. At that moment, something suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. What is it?
Sharon lifted her head and stared intently at my face with a puzzled look.
“Ah. No, that’s what I mean.”
“Your Majesty, don’t even think about such nonsense! It should never happen!”
“Yes, I got it.”
I tried to smile brighter on purpose, thinking that I should comfort Sharon, whose expression was becoming too serious.
The symptoms began without fail. I woke up with a burning sensation all over my body and a severe thirst. I wanted water, water...
“Water... cold water...”
Sharon flailed her arms toward the pitcher of water on the nightstand next to the bed. Suddenly, something like a glass of water appeared in my hand out of thin air. Was this a dream?
"Hmm?!"
He covered my lips. And cool water flowed into my mouth through the space between our lips.
“Are you coming to your senses now?”
Emperor Linel. It was his voice.
“Actually, I want to do it right now, like yesterday...”
The wine stuck in the middle of my throat again as he quietly muttered. Emperor Linel’s words were not something that could be said in a situation where the young ladies were watching. It was not something that could be comfortably heard when the two of us were alone. I glanced at the expressions of the young ladies standing side by side against the wall. As expected, the young ladies’ faces were already red, although I don’t know what kind of grand imagination they were having at the words the Emperor had just uttered.
“Your Majesty, it would be a bit rude to say such things here...”
I couldn't bear to look him in the eye, so I lowered my head and whispered so that only he could hear.
“What... do you mean?"
His voice was too plain, unlike the level of his words.
“If you don’t say that here, where do you say it? In bed?”
I looked up and saw his shameless face. Emperor Linel was holding a fork and knife and was about to cut the steak in front of him.
“Why isn’t it cutting well? The meat is tough today. Empress, why are you looking at me like that? I want to cut the steak like that right away, just like yesterday... I want to cut it easily, but it’s not cutting well today.”
“Is that what you meant...?”
When I asked with narrowed eyes, he answered as if he had been waiting for it, slicing the steak in a combative manner.
“Could it be that you misunderstood what I said?”
“...No, Your Majesty. Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard that too.”
I snapped back at him, but my face was already red from the misunderstanding. For a moment, I saw mischief in the Emperor’s eyes. Was he deliberately playing with words to tease me?
He put a piece of steak in his mouth and chewed the meat with a strangely pleasant smile. Now. When he seemed happy, I should ask him. Why you should hire those young ladies as my maids, and why on earth they came all the way to the banquet hall and stand against the wall watching me.
“Your Majesty, what are those ladies who were chosen as my maids doing at the banquet hall?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
He asked me back with a puzzled look. I shifted my gaze and looked at the faces of the young ladies one by one.
“They are the Empress’s maids. So aren’t they now subject to your orders?”
Emperor Linel looked only at me and asked, without looking at the young ladies.
“Yes. I know that too...”
I intentionally kept my mouth shut and extended the end of my sentences to leave a lingering impression. When I remained silent and began to indifferently slice the steak, he finally turned his head and asked the young ladies.
“Didn’t you say you were called here by the Empress?”
“Yes, that is so, Your Majesty. We have also received that message!”
In response to Lady Melanie's answer, I placed the fork and knife I was holding on the table with a loud clank.
“To whom?”
I asked Lady Melanie in a questioning voice.
“I, that... I don’t quite remember who delivered Your Majesty the Empress’s message... because there were so many imperial servants.”
“Your Majesty, what are those ladies who were chosen as my maids doing at the banquet hall?”
“Why are you asking me that?”
He asked me back with a puzzled look. I shifted my gaze and looked at the faces of the young ladies one by one.
“They are the Empress’s maids. So aren’t they now subject to your orders?”
Emperor Linel looked only at me and asked, without looking at the young ladies.
“Yes. I know that too...”
I intentionally kept my mouth shut and extended the end of my sentences to leave a lingering impression. When I remained silent and began to indifferently slice the steak, he finally turned his head and asked the young ladies.
“Didn’t you say you were called here by the Empress?”
“Yes, that is so, Your Majesty. We have also received that message!”
In response to Lady Melanie's answer, I placed the fork and knife I was holding on the table with a loud clank.
“To whom?”
I asked Lady Melanie in a questioning voice.
“I, that... I don’t quite remember who delivered Your Majesty the Empress’s message... because there were so many imperial servants.”
Lady Melanie didn't even look at me, the one who asked the question, but instead looked at Emperor Linel with a sad expression and answered.
“I guess there was some misunderstanding.”
Emperor Linel, who had been holding Melanie's gaze until the end, spoke to me as if nothing had happened.
“Is that so?”
I picked up the knife again and replied. Without realizing it, I held it up vertically as if I was going to pierce the plate. I almost laughed, but I didn't want to seem like a nitpicker from day one.
“There was a miscommunication.”
Instead, I just timidly expressed my discontent by making a discontented voice and let it go. It seemed that I would have to talk to the Emperor about the maids’ problem later. However, Emperor Linel’s firm voice was heard.
“Let’s change all the servants in the Empress’s palace.”
I was surprised by his unexpected decision.
“Everyone... huh?”
“Or, the Empress should change your maids.”
Emperor Linel said casually and tilted his empty wine glass toward me. I quickly reached out and picked up the wine bottle and poured some wine into his empty glass. When I met his eyes again after pouring half of the wine, I couldn’t help but smirk. He winked. It seemed as if he was reading my mood. Of course, I could have been mistaken, but it didn’t matter. It was pretty refreshing anyway.
“Your Majesty, would you like to discuss the procedure for changing the maids again over tea after dinner?”
I suppressed my rising smile and asked with a calm expression again. If he didn’t respond, there was nothing I could do, but I threw the words out anyway. In fact, I felt like I had to lose to get what I wanted. The young ladies’ eyes were all focused on Emperor Linel’s mouth.
“There’s no rush.”
Emperor Linel spoke to me with a solemn expression, picking up a small loaf of bread.
“Ah, yes...”
The corners of my mouth, which had been preparing to smile, hardened bitterly. As always, rejection is accompanied by embarrassment.
“Let’s talk about it later.”
He hammered the nail in again firmly.
“Yes, I understand, Your Majesty.”
'Look, do you think the Emperor will listen to everything you say?'
I felt a sneer in the eyes of the young ladies who were looking at me. I lowered my head without realizing it. At that moment, something suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. What is it?
I looked up at him with a bewildered expression.
“Tonight, I mean.”
He handed me a piece of bread.
“Tonight, I mean.”
He handed me a piece of bread.
I blinked and took the bread he handed me without thinking.
“Let’s talk about that tonight, for now, let’s eat this.”
“Ah, yes...”
“It may be less soft than the bread from the Kingdom of Shattonil, but the more you chew, the more delicious it becomes. However, you should be careful, as your teeth might break.”
My heartbeat suddenly increased at the faint smile of Emperor Linel at the end of his blunt speech. As he said, the fruits and foods of the Kingdom of Shattonil, where I lived, were generally tastier than those of the Empire of Lapion, which had a colder climate. In particular, the bread made from wheat grown only in the Kingdom of Shattonil was known to be much softer and more savory than bread from other countries. The Emperor, who knew this fact, gave me the bread and joked with me. I dipped the slightly hard bread in the soup, took a bite, and chewed it diligently as I answered him.
“I originally liked hard things.”
“You have good taste.”
"Yes?"
“...Ah, no. Nothing.”
Emperor Linel suddenly coughed and spoke in a lower voice. His expression became heavy again, and he ordered the young ladies who were standing there blankly eavesdropping on our conversation to leave the banquet hall. The young ladies showed a somewhat disappointed look in their eyes, but they politely bowed and left the banquet hall.
“They are all pretty young ladies.”
I gazed at the gorgeous ladies, even their backs, and said to him.
“The faces are like that.”
The word face made my right burn scar area burn. In fact, I was more envious of their flawless skin than their pretty appearance. After the burn scar appeared, whenever I looked in the mirror, I would often stand far away and squint my eyes to see my face. Or I would turn my body slightly to the left to admire only half of my face. The Emperor, who was looking at me carefully, spoke in a much softer tone.
“The Empress has elegance.”
“Do you know how to comfort others?”
“If that’s what you heard, then it’s okay to take it that way. A pretty person only shines by themselves, but an elegant person has the power to brighten up those around them.”
“That’s a good story.”
I nodded at his words and thought about them over and over again in my head.
“Elegance is something that not everyone can possess. But the Empress has it.”
The words he said thoughtlessly settled warmly in my heart. I felt strange. My heart, which had been beating with fear, dread, or shame, began to beat with excitement and anticipation of being loved for the first time in my life. What should I say in this situation?
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
In the end, I expressed my gratitude conventionally and just forked over the poor salad. I wanted to see what kind of expression he was making, but I held it in. I didn’t want to show that I was nervous, so I quietly controlled my breathing. I picked up the knife and fork again to finish cutting the steak, but my hands were shaking a little. This time, too, his hands suddenly moved back and forth in front of my eyes. In an instant, my plate disappeared and his plate was placed.
“Take this.”
The plate he handed me had steak cut into bite-size pieces. Perhaps he saw me shaking my hand and cut his steak and handed it to me. Unlike his expressionless face and blunt voice, his actions were quite affectionate. Did he say that he was cursed to have a body temperature much lower than normal?
“Let’s talk about that tonight, for now, let’s eat this.”
“Ah, yes...”
“It may be less soft than the bread from the Kingdom of Shattonil, but the more you chew, the more delicious it becomes. However, you should be careful, as your teeth might break.”
My heartbeat suddenly increased at the faint smile of Emperor Linel at the end of his blunt speech. As he said, the fruits and foods of the Kingdom of Shattonil, where I lived, were generally tastier than those of the Empire of Lapion, which had a colder climate. In particular, the bread made from wheat grown only in the Kingdom of Shattonil was known to be much softer and more savory than bread from other countries. The Emperor, who knew this fact, gave me the bread and joked with me. I dipped the slightly hard bread in the soup, took a bite, and chewed it diligently as I answered him.
“I originally liked hard things.”
“You have good taste.”
"Yes?"
“...Ah, no. Nothing.”
Emperor Linel suddenly coughed and spoke in a lower voice. His expression became heavy again, and he ordered the young ladies who were standing there blankly eavesdropping on our conversation to leave the banquet hall. The young ladies showed a somewhat disappointed look in their eyes, but they politely bowed and left the banquet hall.
“They are all pretty young ladies.”
I gazed at the gorgeous ladies, even their backs, and said to him.
“The faces are like that.”
The word face made my right burn scar area burn. In fact, I was more envious of their flawless skin than their pretty appearance. After the burn scar appeared, whenever I looked in the mirror, I would often stand far away and squint my eyes to see my face. Or I would turn my body slightly to the left to admire only half of my face. The Emperor, who was looking at me carefully, spoke in a much softer tone.
“The Empress has elegance.”
“Do you know how to comfort others?”
“If that’s what you heard, then it’s okay to take it that way. A pretty person only shines by themselves, but an elegant person has the power to brighten up those around them.”
“That’s a good story.”
I nodded at his words and thought about them over and over again in my head.
“Elegance is something that not everyone can possess. But the Empress has it.”
The words he said thoughtlessly settled warmly in my heart. I felt strange. My heart, which had been beating with fear, dread, or shame, began to beat with excitement and anticipation of being loved for the first time in my life. What should I say in this situation?
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
In the end, I expressed my gratitude conventionally and just forked over the poor salad. I wanted to see what kind of expression he was making, but I held it in. I didn’t want to show that I was nervous, so I quietly controlled my breathing. I picked up the knife and fork again to finish cutting the steak, but my hands were shaking a little. This time, too, his hands suddenly moved back and forth in front of my eyes. In an instant, my plate disappeared and his plate was placed.
“Take this.”
The plate he handed me had steak cut into bite-size pieces. Perhaps he saw me shaking my hand and cut his steak and handed it to me. Unlike his expressionless face and blunt voice, his actions were quite affectionate. Did he say that he was cursed to have a body temperature much lower than normal?
The wizard who cursed him made this man’s body like ice, but he couldn’t freeze his heart. I took a forkful of the steak Emperor Linel had cut for me and put it in my mouth.
“How does it taste? Is it okay?”
He asked as if he had been waiting.
“Your Majesty, the steak has become very... cold.”
Maybe it was because the food had been touched by his hands, but it was much colder than the steak I was eating.
“Still, it’s delicious. Your Majesty, please try some too.”
At my words, he quickly cut the steak I was eating and put it in his mouth. I waited quietly, expecting his reaction that would soon be revealed. As soon as he took a bite of the steak, his eyes lit up. He savored the taste and pointed to his mouth with his finger. I knew what he was going to say.
“How is it?”
“How can you still be so warm?”
“I guess it’s because my heart is warm.”
I just held back my laughter and answered. I had no intention of revealing my secret to him. If I were really his wife if I wasn’t the acting Empress? If so, I would have confessed to him about my incarnation right away.
“How does it taste? Is it okay?”
He asked as if he had been waiting.
“Your Majesty, the steak has become very... cold.”
Maybe it was because the food had been touched by his hands, but it was much colder than the steak I was eating.
“Still, it’s delicious. Your Majesty, please try some too.”
At my words, he quickly cut the steak I was eating and put it in his mouth. I waited quietly, expecting his reaction that would soon be revealed. As soon as he took a bite of the steak, his eyes lit up. He savored the taste and pointed to his mouth with his finger. I knew what he was going to say.
“How is it?”
“How can you still be so warm?”
“I guess it’s because my heart is warm.”
I just held back my laughter and answered. I had no intention of revealing my secret to him. If I were really his wife if I wasn’t the acting Empress? If so, I would have confessed to him about my incarnation right away.
“Don’t abandon me. Keep me by your side. Then I will melt your icy body!”
I would have shouted at him, appealing to me like an imperial newspaper advertisement. Suddenly, I remembered that Princess Resilia usually suffered from cold hands and feet, and I almost burst out laughing.
“I’m planning to have tea with Grand Duke Martins later. Will the Empress join us?”
Towards the end of the meal, Emperor Linel wiped his mouth with a napkin and said as if he were watching me closely to see what I would say.
“We already had tea in the audience room this morning. I will join you next time.”
“You two?”
Emperor Linel twisted his lips into a pout and continued speaking.
“Well, since Grand Duke Martins came with you from the Kingdom of Shattonil, the Empress will be able to rely on him a lot. Right?”
“Even so, I am now a citizen of the Lapion Empire.”
His somewhat subdued expression softened at my answer, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
“Yes. No matter what your life was like before, you are now my woman.”
For a split second, a cold light appeared in his eyes. Could it be... that he was beginning to suspect my identity?
“I’m planning to have tea with Grand Duke Martins later. Will the Empress join us?”
Towards the end of the meal, Emperor Linel wiped his mouth with a napkin and said as if he were watching me closely to see what I would say.
“We already had tea in the audience room this morning. I will join you next time.”
“You two?”
Emperor Linel twisted his lips into a pout and continued speaking.
“Well, since Grand Duke Martins came with you from the Kingdom of Shattonil, the Empress will be able to rely on him a lot. Right?”
“Even so, I am now a citizen of the Lapion Empire.”
His somewhat subdued expression softened at my answer, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
“Yes. No matter what your life was like before, you are now my woman.”
For a split second, a cold light appeared in his eyes. Could it be... that he was beginning to suspect my identity?
I felt ominous as I saw his face, which had hardened significantly since I mentioned the Grand Duke Martins.
***
It was time to go to bed, but Emperor Linel did not come to my bedroom. I had not expected him to come. Even in the Kingdom of Shattonil, the King and Queen do not spend every night together. In fact, I do not know for sure whether they cannot be together or not, but in any case, they do not sleep in the same bed every night like some noble or commoner couples.
Knowing this, I did not completely believe him when he said he would come to the Empress’s Palace for lunch. Sharon placed a candle on the table a little way from the bed, saying it would be good for a good night’s sleep. I gently grabbed Sharon’s arm.
“Thank you, Sharon.”
"Yes?"
Sharon blinked and smiled.
“Life here would have been much harder if it weren’t for Sharon. Please take care of me in the future.”
“You are too kind. If Your Majesty the Empress were to personally select the young ladies who please you as your maids, your life in the imperial palace would become much more comfortable.”
I nodded at Sharon's words but also asked a question.
“Is there anyone who can put my mind at ease?”
“Yes, there must be a noble lady with a good personality.”
“Yeah, and you know... I don’t know how long I’ll be able to be with Sharon, but I’ll make sure to repay you before I leave this place.”
“What do you mean...? Leave this place?!”
“Thank you, Sharon.”
"Yes?"
Sharon blinked and smiled.
“Life here would have been much harder if it weren’t for Sharon. Please take care of me in the future.”
“You are too kind. If Your Majesty the Empress were to personally select the young ladies who please you as your maids, your life in the imperial palace would become much more comfortable.”
I nodded at Sharon's words but also asked a question.
“Is there anyone who can put my mind at ease?”
“Yes, there must be a noble lady with a good personality.”
“Yeah, and you know... I don’t know how long I’ll be able to be with Sharon, but I’ll make sure to repay you before I leave this place.”
“What do you mean...? Leave this place?!”
Sharon lifted her head and stared intently at my face with a puzzled look.
“Ah. No, that’s what I mean.”
“Your Majesty, don’t even think about such nonsense! It should never happen!”
“Yes, I got it.”
I tried to smile brighter on purpose, thinking that I should comfort Sharon, whose expression was becoming too serious.
I'm sorry, Sharon. But I'm doing something terrible, something that should never happen...
“Now Sharon, go out and rest.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Then, sleep well.”
Sharon finally placed the water jug on the nightstand and left the bedroom. I sat on the bed and slowly looked around the gorgeous, spacious bedroom. I felt a terrible sense of loneliness.
“Now Sharon, go out and rest.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Then, sleep well.”
Sharon finally placed the water jug on the nightstand and left the bedroom. I sat on the bed and slowly looked around the gorgeous, spacious bedroom. I felt a terrible sense of loneliness.
***
The symptoms began without fail. I woke up with a burning sensation all over my body and a severe thirst. I wanted water, water...
I kicked off the blanket and gasped for breath. It was hot...
Another hot night had come that I had to endure alone. No matter how hot my body got, the heat didn’t show through my skin and I didn’t sweat, so it was a symptom that was hard to believe even if I told others about it.
“Water... cold water...”
Sharon flailed her arms toward the pitcher of water on the nightstand next to the bed. Suddenly, something like a glass of water appeared in my hand out of thin air. Was this a dream?
I opened my eyes with difficulty, feeling strange. As soon as I opened my eyes, I caught a glimpse of something blue. The blue light gradually approached me...
"Hmm?!"
He covered my lips. And cool water flowed into my mouth through the space between our lips.
“Are you coming to your senses now?”
Emperor Linel. It was his voice.
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