Arkan's fingertips lightly touched Erdene's skin.
However, he was immediately startled as if he had touched a lump of charcoal, flinched his shoulders, and could not move any further.
More? Continue? Is that okay?
What wouldn't be okay? Two voices were fighting in his mind. They were a married couple anyway. Some old people are already talking about having an heir, but it was a distant story for the two who had not even had a proper bed, let alone an heir. He had wanted Erdene.
Before it continued and became a direct desire, it would turn into a verbal fight or a light hand-to-hand fight—Erdene even tried to grab Arkan by the collar once—and the heat would spread to other places, which was always the problem.
"What's wrong?"
Erdene grinned. Arkan suddenly thought that he had seen this smile before.
Her adjutant from the empire, whose name he couldn’t remember... Anyway, it was similar to the expression she had when he had glimpsed Erdene with him.
Arkan’s collarbone moved up and down greatly.
His face was extremely red. Even under the light, it was as if he was about to burst.
The moment he tilted his head toward Erdene, Erdene’s lips, who had been smiling leisurely, trembled slightly.
The fingertips on the sheet flinched, their breaths almost entangled, and a lively voice was all at the same time.
“Your Majesty, I have been called... Ugh!”
However, he was immediately startled as if he had touched a lump of charcoal, flinched his shoulders, and could not move any further.
More? Continue? Is that okay?
What wouldn't be okay? Two voices were fighting in his mind. They were a married couple anyway. Some old people are already talking about having an heir, but it was a distant story for the two who had not even had a proper bed, let alone an heir. He had wanted Erdene.
Before it continued and became a direct desire, it would turn into a verbal fight or a light hand-to-hand fight—Erdene even tried to grab Arkan by the collar once—and the heat would spread to other places, which was always the problem.
"What's wrong?"
Erdene grinned. Arkan suddenly thought that he had seen this smile before.
Her adjutant from the empire, whose name he couldn’t remember... Anyway, it was similar to the expression she had when he had glimpsed Erdene with him.
Arkan’s collarbone moved up and down greatly.
His face was extremely red. Even under the light, it was as if he was about to burst.
The moment he tilted his head toward Erdene, Erdene’s lips, who had been smiling leisurely, trembled slightly.
The fingertips on the sheet flinched, their breaths almost entangled, and a lively voice was all at the same time.
“Your Majesty, I have been called... Ugh!”
Belen, who had been hastily stepping back, tripped on the solid table and hit his back, and on top of that, his feet got tangled and he stumbled.
The chair he had desperately held onto to keep himself from falling began to shake violently.
The bodies of Arkan and Erdene, who were almost touching, fell far apart like a piece of paper torn in half by a child.
Arkan felt like kicking himself for not closing the door leading from the living room to the bedroom.
On the other hand, Erdene let out a short sigh as if she felt relieved for some reason.
“...Th, uh, uh, the Plat Chamberlain called me, no... Your Majesty called me, so yes. I came, no, I came.”
“Oh, right. Commander Wiziard. Are you here?”
Belen swallowed dryly as Arkan openly sarcastically looked at Erdene first, and Arkan, who was now feeling upset and sensitive, could not have failed to notice her expression.
“Belen.”
“Yes, yes. Your Majesty. Go ahead.”
“You are my captain of the guard. Don’t forget that.”
Belen, who had never forgotten his position, could not understand these words, but since Arkan looked very displeased, he simply bowed his head.
“By the way, Your Majesty, the reason you came looking for me was...”
“Oh, that’s nothing. I just took Plat down and called you.”
The words became more and more incomprehensible... If he was talking about Plat, he must have been referring to the Chamberlain, Plat.
He was someone who never left Arkan’s side, and he knew everything about what Arkan did and ate, even what he particularly enjoyed today...
“Was there a problem with the Plat Chamberlain?”
“No. I thought it would be a nuisance. Are the soldiers still deployed?”
Belen flinched and glanced at Erdene again. When she nodded, Belen said,
“Yes, they are deployed. Your Majesty...?”
“Of course I know, what are you talking about?”
Arkan, who spoke bluntly, glared at Belen.
In fact, when he told Plat, “You’re right,” he was just trying to sneakily kick him out for constantly nagging.
Arkan didn’t think Erdene was wrong.
But that was the case, and what was annoying was annoying.
“You two are just so in sync.”
Erdene, who was sitting on the bed, playing with her hair, snorted.
“Your Majesty, what you just said sounds like something a wife who caught you in the act of adultery would say.”
“Who is the actual wife?”
“That’s what I mean. I’m not saying that Your Majesty is my wife.”
Belen, who was watching the two argue, felt sweat dripping down his back.
“What kind of conversation is this...?”
Whether the captain of the guards and the knight commander noticed or not, Arkan put both hands on his waist again as if he was caught and got ready to argue.
“You’re talking. Shouldn't people become more gentle as they grow older? Why do they only become more sarcastic as they grow older?"
“Don’t you know what sarcasm is? This isn’t even sarcasm, but it’s a joke.”
“A joke? Am I joking?”
Suddenly, Arkan turned his head toward Belen.
Belen, who had been blankly staring at the King and Queen fighting childishly, flinched and lowered his gaze slightly.
“Belen, you tell me. Am I joking? Or is the Queen’s speech inappropriate?”
Belen’s eyes moved quickly. This was the most difficult question he had ever been asked.
When he answered that Arkan was joking, he seemed quite upset, unlike usual, and when he answered that Erdene’s speech was inappropriate...
“Uh, um.”
Arkan and Erdene’s eyebrows rose one at a time at the strange groan.
They felt even more burdened because they were unnecessarily similar.
“I, uh... In my opinion...”
His gaze moved quickly. Belen’s expression, which had been hesitating, hardened into a firm one.
He had to put aside the realization that he was the King’s guard captain, a swordsman who had learned swordsmanship from a master when he was young, or a knight commander whom Arkan trusted and relied on.
Because...
‘His Majesty won’t hit me, but Her Majesty the Queen will most likely!’
He didn’t want to even think about Erdene’s beating him under the pretense of training.
Belen made a solemn expression again and said.
“His Majesty is being a bit joking.”
“Did you hear that?”
Arkan covered his face with both hands.
Erdene was the only one who heard his silent scream. It was a satisfying sound no matter when she heard it!
Arkan, who had been burying his face in his hands for a long time, raised his head again and spoke.
“This must be how a two-eyed man who fell into the land of the three-eyed man feels.”
After saying that, Arkan glared at Belen for a long time and ordered him to leave.
“Put out the candles on the way. And the stove.”
Belen, who had been called without knowing why and received the order to swear out, felt like he had been beaten senselessly with something like a wooden mallet.
With a dumbfounded face, he blew out a few candles near the bed and covered the small embers in the stove with ashes.
As Belen closed the bedroom door and left, Arkan turned his head toward Erdene.
It was shocking to see him slouched again.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Why are you taking your anger out on me, the poor thing?”
“You don’t even seem to know what poor thing means. Go and read a book.”
“That’s something I should tell Your Majesty. It was the perfect expression at the perfect time, and you used it so often that you were praised for your high knowledge, but how can this be?”
He shouldn’t talk. Arkan tried to suppress the heat that was boiling in his head again.
He couldn’t even guess how many more years it would take to get used to this sweary brat.
What should he do to avoid dying of a disease before then?
‘Is it meditation? Should I try embroidery?’
It was pointless.
Would he be able to get Erdene’s annoying face out of his head even if he meditated? Wouldn’t he still hear that voice even if he learned embroidery now? It would be fortunate if he didn’t tear the cloth.
“Get out of the way.”
Arkan, who came into the bed with a very angry expression, deliberately pushed Erdene away.
The bed was wide enough for the two of them to lie down in, so Erdene didn’t bother to sleep next to him either.
Arkan didn’t even like that... He pushed a little, but how could she, who is so strong, be so far away!
Arkan covered the sheets with a slap and deliberately lay down with his back to Erdene. Erdene suddenly became speechless as if she had lost her voice.
There was only a brief rustling as she lay down, and even her breathing was barely audible.
“...What is it?”
This time, it was Arkan who lost his patience first.
Erdene did not answer. Arkan, who was furious, turned his body towards her and flinched. Erdene, who was lying far away, facing forward, was staring at the canopy ceiling with her eyes open.
In the darkness, her white face seemed to float in the air like a mask.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m thinking.”
“What are you thinking about?”
Erdene slowly turned her head.
At first glance, her expressionless appearance was beautiful, but it gave him a creepy feeling.
Arkan suddenly remembered the first time he had dinner with Erdene.
At that time, he had been relaxed. The one who was standing up straight was Erdene...
Je thought it was the complete opposite now, but Erdene's expression right now was exactly the same as her expression that evening.
“What are you thinking?”
Even to himself, he didn’t like the impatience in his voice, but he couldn’t help it.
Erdene’s change was sudden and strange. At least, Arkan hadn’t seen her like this in the past few months.
Erdene, who had been quietly looking at Arkan, slowly opened her lips.
A thin sigh escaped first.
“I have never forgiven anyone who has opposed me.”
Arkan’s brow furrowed thinly.
Erdene continued speaking in an indifferent voice as if she were dreaming as if she didn’t care whether he understood or not.
“I have never forgiven, let alone postponed punishment. The reason I didn’t kill Tenek on the spot was to prevent chaos in the empire. Accepting the marriage with Your Majesty was also an extension of that duty. Of course, when I put on my formal attire, I also thought that I would let things be.”
The words became more and more incomprehensible... If he was talking about Plat, he must have been referring to the Chamberlain, Plat.
He was someone who never left Arkan’s side, and he knew everything about what Arkan did and ate, even what he particularly enjoyed today...
“Was there a problem with the Plat Chamberlain?”
“No. I thought it would be a nuisance. Are the soldiers still deployed?”
Belen flinched and glanced at Erdene again. When she nodded, Belen said,
“Yes, they are deployed. Your Majesty...?”
“Of course I know, what are you talking about?”
Arkan, who spoke bluntly, glared at Belen.
In fact, when he told Plat, “You’re right,” he was just trying to sneakily kick him out for constantly nagging.
Arkan didn’t think Erdene was wrong.
But that was the case, and what was annoying was annoying.
“You two are just so in sync.”
Erdene, who was sitting on the bed, playing with her hair, snorted.
“Your Majesty, what you just said sounds like something a wife who caught you in the act of adultery would say.”
“Who is the actual wife?”
“That’s what I mean. I’m not saying that Your Majesty is my wife.”
Belen, who was watching the two argue, felt sweat dripping down his back.
“What kind of conversation is this...?”
Whether the captain of the guards and the knight commander noticed or not, Arkan put both hands on his waist again as if he was caught and got ready to argue.
“You’re talking. Shouldn't people become more gentle as they grow older? Why do they only become more sarcastic as they grow older?"
“Don’t you know what sarcasm is? This isn’t even sarcasm, but it’s a joke.”
“A joke? Am I joking?”
Suddenly, Arkan turned his head toward Belen.
Belen, who had been blankly staring at the King and Queen fighting childishly, flinched and lowered his gaze slightly.
“Belen, you tell me. Am I joking? Or is the Queen’s speech inappropriate?”
Belen’s eyes moved quickly. This was the most difficult question he had ever been asked.
When he answered that Arkan was joking, he seemed quite upset, unlike usual, and when he answered that Erdene’s speech was inappropriate...
“Uh, um.”
Arkan and Erdene’s eyebrows rose one at a time at the strange groan.
They felt even more burdened because they were unnecessarily similar.
“I, uh... In my opinion...”
His gaze moved quickly. Belen’s expression, which had been hesitating, hardened into a firm one.
He had to put aside the realization that he was the King’s guard captain, a swordsman who had learned swordsmanship from a master when he was young, or a knight commander whom Arkan trusted and relied on.
Because...
‘His Majesty won’t hit me, but Her Majesty the Queen will most likely!’
He didn’t want to even think about Erdene’s beating him under the pretense of training.
Belen made a solemn expression again and said.
“His Majesty is being a bit joking.”
“Did you hear that?”
Arkan covered his face with both hands.
Erdene was the only one who heard his silent scream. It was a satisfying sound no matter when she heard it!
Arkan, who had been burying his face in his hands for a long time, raised his head again and spoke.
“This must be how a two-eyed man who fell into the land of the three-eyed man feels.”
After saying that, Arkan glared at Belen for a long time and ordered him to leave.
“Put out the candles on the way. And the stove.”
Belen, who had been called without knowing why and received the order to swear out, felt like he had been beaten senselessly with something like a wooden mallet.
With a dumbfounded face, he blew out a few candles near the bed and covered the small embers in the stove with ashes.
As Belen closed the bedroom door and left, Arkan turned his head toward Erdene.
It was shocking to see him slouched again.
“Are you kidding me?”
“Why are you taking your anger out on me, the poor thing?”
“You don’t even seem to know what poor thing means. Go and read a book.”
“That’s something I should tell Your Majesty. It was the perfect expression at the perfect time, and you used it so often that you were praised for your high knowledge, but how can this be?”
He shouldn’t talk. Arkan tried to suppress the heat that was boiling in his head again.
He couldn’t even guess how many more years it would take to get used to this sweary brat.
What should he do to avoid dying of a disease before then?
‘Is it meditation? Should I try embroidery?’
It was pointless.
Would he be able to get Erdene’s annoying face out of his head even if he meditated? Wouldn’t he still hear that voice even if he learned embroidery now? It would be fortunate if he didn’t tear the cloth.
“Get out of the way.”
Arkan, who came into the bed with a very angry expression, deliberately pushed Erdene away.
The bed was wide enough for the two of them to lie down in, so Erdene didn’t bother to sleep next to him either.
Arkan didn’t even like that... He pushed a little, but how could she, who is so strong, be so far away!
Arkan covered the sheets with a slap and deliberately lay down with his back to Erdene. Erdene suddenly became speechless as if she had lost her voice.
There was only a brief rustling as she lay down, and even her breathing was barely audible.
“...What is it?”
This time, it was Arkan who lost his patience first.
Erdene did not answer. Arkan, who was furious, turned his body towards her and flinched. Erdene, who was lying far away, facing forward, was staring at the canopy ceiling with her eyes open.
In the darkness, her white face seemed to float in the air like a mask.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m thinking.”
“What are you thinking about?”
Erdene slowly turned her head.
At first glance, her expressionless appearance was beautiful, but it gave him a creepy feeling.
Arkan suddenly remembered the first time he had dinner with Erdene.
At that time, he had been relaxed. The one who was standing up straight was Erdene...
Je thought it was the complete opposite now, but Erdene's expression right now was exactly the same as her expression that evening.
“What are you thinking?”
Even to himself, he didn’t like the impatience in his voice, but he couldn’t help it.
Erdene’s change was sudden and strange. At least, Arkan hadn’t seen her like this in the past few months.
Erdene, who had been quietly looking at Arkan, slowly opened her lips.
A thin sigh escaped first.
“I have never forgiven anyone who has opposed me.”
Arkan’s brow furrowed thinly.
Erdene continued speaking in an indifferent voice as if she were dreaming as if she didn’t care whether he understood or not.
“I have never forgiven, let alone postponed punishment. The reason I didn’t kill Tenek on the spot was to prevent chaos in the empire. Accepting the marriage with Your Majesty was also an extension of that duty. Of course, when I put on my formal attire, I also thought that I would let things be.”
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