“When did you come?”
I leaned forward slowly and whispered to him. Linel lifted his hand to touch my face, but I interlocked my hands with his and lifted them to the side of the pillow.
“Is this... a dream?”
He asked with rapt eyes. I wanted to look alluring, but I failed to control my expression because my cheeks kept twitching. I just gently placed my face on his. Linel moved his hands that were interlocked with mine. It seemed like he wanted to hold me with both arms. I teased him without letting go of my hands.
“Does this mean that today I should hug you with both legs instead of arms?”
I asked with a laughing voice, then tried to wrap my body around his two legs.
“Right now, I just want to stay like this. Listening to the sound of your heart...”
I turned my face to the side and put my ear near his heart.
“That’s why you woke me up.”
His low, strangely-sounding voice sent shivers down my spine.
“Yes, how dare you wake His Majesty the Emperor for no reason.”
The answer was intriguing, but it was still frustrating.
“This isn’t all you’ve got to wake me up for, is it?”
Linel asked me, slightly exerting strength in the two hands he held.
"Yes?"
“You’re saying that you’re going to hold my hand so I can’t hug you? Right?”
His handsome eyebrows rose crookedly. I took a deep breath and spat it out as I replied.
“I wanted to do it so badly.”
“...What, what?”
For a moment, he was taken aback by my words, but his eyes were filled with anticipation for something.
“Clap your hands.”
For a moment, his eyes lost their light and filled with disappointment. Seeing him disappointed, I laughed even more shamelessly.
“I’ve never been teased like this in my entire life.”
For someone who had never been teased before, he expressed his annoyance in a rather pleasant tone.
“I won’t tolerate it!”
“You are right.”
“Let me ask you one thing before I run out of patience.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why do you keep getting prettier?”
His question made me look around without realizing it.
“Where are you looking? It’s just the two of us here. And the ghosts that live in this bedroom.”
He grumbled and snickered.
“Zelda, are you embarrassed right now?”
He asked, looking at my increasingly reddening face.
“That question is more embarrassing.”
“Don’t be shy, I think it would be better if you softened up a bit.”
“?”
His eyes curved gently as he continued to speak.
“Stop clenching your fist like this. You’re not trying to break my fingers, are you?”
He raised his clasped hands upwards at the same time and spoke to me as if protesting.
“Are you serious?”
“Oh, I felt it before, but your grip strength is surprisingly strong?”
“No, that’s not what I’m asking. I keep..."
“You mean it’s becoming wild?”
“Oh, no...!”
“Heh, I’m serious.”
“Are you saying I’m becoming wild?”
“No, it’s just that you keep getting prettier.”
“No way...”
“I also watched it every day with a feeling of hopelessness.”
He said with a pretended serious expression.
“...”
“But, you get prettier every time I see you. Well... My eyes have gotten tired lately because I’ve been looking at so many documents.”
Linel blinked his eyes tightly shut and opened them repeatedly.
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s gloomy.”
“No, that’s not what I meant! Seriously, every time you see me...”
"I love you."
“!”
My mouth fell shut at his casual remark. It seemed like he had said it casually, but his eyes looked more serious than ever. And there was no wavering in his voice. I couldn’t breathe properly because my emotions were so overwhelming. Silence flowed, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. This whole situation didn’t feel real. It was like suddenly seeing snow falling heavily from the sky on a hot summer day. Or, it was like running down a narrow alley with old gray walls, turning a corner, and stepping into a paradise on earth that unfolded before my eyes.
My lips moved without me knowing. He smiled. Why did I weep at that smile? We looked into each other's eyes quietly. Our eyes were filled with countless emotions. Linel said he loved me and then said nothing. I longed for his voice. I longed for that affectionate voice as he spoke to me, looking into my eyes. But before that, I had something to say. I gathered my courage and opened my mouth.
"I love you."
"Me too."
Linel replied shyly, mimicking my tone.
“Phew... Oof!”
Laughter erupted at his polite speech. He also frowned and eventually laughed.
“Hahahaha.”
He seemed to be laughing too. The serious atmosphere was broken, but my feelings for him were becoming stronger. That was okay. He was laughing, and I was happy. I don't know if I was happy because I was laughing or I was laughing because I was happy, but it didn't matter either way. It was as if there was no order to the fact that I loved him and he loved me.
“Love is complete only when expressed through the body.”
“Who said that?”
“A capable person.”
“Raphael?”
“How did you know?”
Linel opened his eyes wide and asked.
“She’s a capable secretary. I didn’t know he was capable of love, though.”
When I said this with a smile, he looked profound.
“Raphael was originally an open-minded person, no, an open-minded person... so he is also capable of love.”
“...Aha, I see?”
“Anyway, Raphael is right. You can’t know how deep love is just by talking about it...”
He rolled over to the side and laid me down on the bed, keeping his hands clasped together.
“Is it really deep?”
I asked, shrugging my shoulders at the feel of his soft touch on the back of my neck.
“It’s very deep. It’ll just keep getting deeper.”
“Love... right?”
“Is there anything else?”
His laughter reached close to my earlobe.
“When do we sleep?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll let you sleep for about three hours.”
“What time is it now?”
As I turned my head towards the side table where the desk clock was,
“Oh, what’s the big deal? My word is law, and it’s time.”
He raised his hand, blocking my view as I tried to check the time.
“You can sleep for 3 hours... is that right?”
“Actually, time doesn’t matter. What matters is a good night’s sleep.”
Since I had nothing to say in opposition to his opinion, I just nodded obediently.
“Now let’s solve it.”
Linel said with a solemn look in his eyes.
“Desire?”
“Ha... My wife is too obvious. I thought we should untie the knot now?”
He pretended to be surprised by my words, pulling his large, long fingers out from between mine.
“...I also said that because I felt desire in Linel’s hands.”
“That’s not wrong.”
His free hand rested on my shoulder for a moment and then slowly moved to another place. The breath I had been holding came out like a groan at the touch of his hand near my waist. My upper body was bending like a bow I had seen at the training ground. If we were to judge only by flexibility, I was one step ahead of the bow. It was an amazing discovery. My body felt as if it would be thrown away at any moment by the sensitive sensation that was pulled tightly. The rough sound of his breath leaking out through his teeth seemed to hypnotize me.
He spoke of the characteristics of the appearance of the men of the Southern Continent as if he were confirming it. I thought of the appearance of Prince Norton, whom I had met at the training ground last night. Wasn't he?
Prince Norton looked extremely embarrassed by his serious question about his identity. It was natural for the Prince to be curious. He must have had his identity verified by the imperial administrators upon arriving in the Lapion Empire, and he must have even talked to Raphael right before entering the audience room.
“Is that the Parsha Empire in the Southern Continent?”
“That’s right. I’m sorry, but has there been any mistake regarding my identity?”
“Oh, that’s not it, but there’s something a little strange..."
He muttered softly as if talking to himself.
“What are you talking about?”
Prince Norton tilted his head and asked. Then Linel changed the subject and said in admiration:
“I guess the water in the Southern Continent has really improved these days?”
"Yes?"
“It’s nothing.”
He waved his hand and smiled bitterly. The atmosphere was becoming awkward. It was my turn to step forward to ease the awkward atmosphere. I spoke to Prince Norton with as much sincerity as I could, recalling the conversation I had with Linel a little while ago.
“Your Highness, you are truly a handsome man. You could be the representative handsome man of the Southern Continent. No, you could even represent all the continents. Hahaha!”
I smiled as naturally as I could and raised my thumbs. At my words, the two men's pupils widened at the same time and their gazes were fixed on me. And then both men blushed at the same time.
“Oh, you are too kind, Your Majesty the Empress.”
However, there was a difference... Prince Norton in front of me had a smiling face, while Linel next to me had a frown. Why?
I leaned forward slowly and whispered to him. Linel lifted his hand to touch my face, but I interlocked my hands with his and lifted them to the side of the pillow.
“Is this... a dream?”
He asked with rapt eyes. I wanted to look alluring, but I failed to control my expression because my cheeks kept twitching. I just gently placed my face on his. Linel moved his hands that were interlocked with mine. It seemed like he wanted to hold me with both arms. I teased him without letting go of my hands.
“Does this mean that today I should hug you with both legs instead of arms?”
I asked with a laughing voice, then tried to wrap my body around his two legs.
“Right now, I just want to stay like this. Listening to the sound of your heart...”
I turned my face to the side and put my ear near his heart.
Badump, badump.
His heart was beating fast and hard, like the sound of a drum in an emergency.
“I’m sorry. I fell asleep without even knowing you were here. I’m even more sorry for waking you up.”
“It’s okay. But, there must be a reason, right?”
"Yes?"
“I’m sorry. I fell asleep without even knowing you were here. I’m even more sorry for waking you up.”
“It’s okay. But, there must be a reason, right?”
"Yes?"
“That’s why you woke me up.”
His low, strangely-sounding voice sent shivers down my spine.
“Yes, how dare you wake His Majesty the Emperor for no reason.”
The answer was intriguing, but it was still frustrating.
“This isn’t all you’ve got to wake me up for, is it?”
Linel asked me, slightly exerting strength in the two hands he held.
"Yes?"
“You’re saying that you’re going to hold my hand so I can’t hug you? Right?”
His handsome eyebrows rose crookedly. I took a deep breath and spat it out as I replied.
“I wanted to do it so badly.”
“...What, what?”
For a moment, he was taken aback by my words, but his eyes were filled with anticipation for something.
“Clap your hands.”
“Hand, hand, what? How rude...”
For a moment, his eyes lost their light and filled with disappointment. Seeing him disappointed, I laughed even more shamelessly.
“I’ve never been teased like this in my entire life.”
For someone who had never been teased before, he expressed his annoyance in a rather pleasant tone.
“I won’t tolerate it!”
“You are right.”
“Let me ask you one thing before I run out of patience.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why do you keep getting prettier?”
“Yes... Huh?!”
His question made me look around without realizing it.
“Where are you looking? It’s just the two of us here. And the ghosts that live in this bedroom.”
He grumbled and snickered.
“Zelda, are you embarrassed right now?”
He asked, looking at my increasingly reddening face.
“That question is more embarrassing.”
“Don’t be shy, I think it would be better if you softened up a bit.”
“?”
His eyes curved gently as he continued to speak.
“Stop clenching your fist like this. You’re not trying to break my fingers, are you?”
He raised his clasped hands upwards at the same time and spoke to me as if protesting.
“Are you serious?”
“Oh, I felt it before, but your grip strength is surprisingly strong?”
“No, that’s not what I’m asking. I keep..."
“You mean it’s becoming wild?”
“Oh, no...!”
“Heh, I’m serious.”
“Are you saying I’m becoming wild?”
“No, it’s just that you keep getting prettier.”
“No way...”
“I also watched it every day with a feeling of hopelessness.”
He said with a pretended serious expression.
“...”
“But, you get prettier every time I see you. Well... My eyes have gotten tired lately because I’ve been looking at so many documents.”
Linel blinked his eyes tightly shut and opened them repeatedly.
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s gloomy.”
“No, that’s not what I meant! Seriously, every time you see me...”
"I love you."
“!”
My mouth fell shut at his casual remark. It seemed like he had said it casually, but his eyes looked more serious than ever. And there was no wavering in his voice. I couldn’t breathe properly because my emotions were so overwhelming. Silence flowed, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. This whole situation didn’t feel real. It was like suddenly seeing snow falling heavily from the sky on a hot summer day. Or, it was like running down a narrow alley with old gray walls, turning a corner, and stepping into a paradise on earth that unfolded before my eyes.
Was it okay? This kind of happiness in my life, this kind of man... Me...
"I love you."
He spoke to me again. My heart seemed to lose its function for a moment at his plain confession.
"Me too..."
"I love you."
He spoke to me again. My heart seemed to lose its function for a moment at his plain confession.
"Me too..."
My lips moved without me knowing. He smiled. Why did I weep at that smile? We looked into each other's eyes quietly. Our eyes were filled with countless emotions. Linel said he loved me and then said nothing. I longed for his voice. I longed for that affectionate voice as he spoke to me, looking into my eyes. But before that, I had something to say. I gathered my courage and opened my mouth.
"I love you."
"Me too."
Linel replied shyly, mimicking my tone.
“Phew... Oof!”
Laughter erupted at his polite speech. He also frowned and eventually laughed.
“Hahahaha.”
He seemed to be laughing too. The serious atmosphere was broken, but my feelings for him were becoming stronger. That was okay. He was laughing, and I was happy. I don't know if I was happy because I was laughing or I was laughing because I was happy, but it didn't matter either way. It was as if there was no order to the fact that I loved him and he loved me.
“Love is complete only when expressed through the body.”
“Who said that?”
“A capable person.”
“Raphael?”
“How did you know?”
Linel opened his eyes wide and asked.
“She’s a capable secretary. I didn’t know he was capable of love, though.”
When I said this with a smile, he looked profound.
“Raphael was originally an open-minded person, no, an open-minded person... so he is also capable of love.”
“...Aha, I see?”
“Anyway, Raphael is right. You can’t know how deep love is just by talking about it...”
He rolled over to the side and laid me down on the bed, keeping his hands clasped together.
“Is it really deep?”
I asked, shrugging my shoulders at the feel of his soft touch on the back of my neck.
“It’s very deep. It’ll just keep getting deeper.”
“Love... right?”
“Is there anything else?”
His laughter reached close to my earlobe.
“When do we sleep?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll let you sleep for about three hours.”
“What time is it now?”
As I turned my head towards the side table where the desk clock was,
“Oh, what’s the big deal? My word is law, and it’s time.”
He raised his hand, blocking my view as I tried to check the time.
“You can sleep for 3 hours... is that right?”
“Actually, time doesn’t matter. What matters is a good night’s sleep.”
Since I had nothing to say in opposition to his opinion, I just nodded obediently.
“Now let’s solve it.”
Linel said with a solemn look in his eyes.
“Desire?”
“Ha... My wife is too obvious. I thought we should untie the knot now?”
He pretended to be surprised by my words, pulling his large, long fingers out from between mine.
“...I also said that because I felt desire in Linel’s hands.”
“That’s not wrong.”
His free hand rested on my shoulder for a moment and then slowly moved to another place. The breath I had been holding came out like a groan at the touch of his hand near my waist. My upper body was bending like a bow I had seen at the training ground. If we were to judge only by flexibility, I was one step ahead of the bow. It was an amazing discovery. My body felt as if it would be thrown away at any moment by the sensitive sensation that was pulled tightly. The rough sound of his breath leaking out through his teeth seemed to hypnotize me.
My eyes slowly closed in a hazy feeling like a dream. Then, when I opened them again, the blue sea was looking down at me. Linel’s pupils rippled like waves. His glossy lips were sweet as honey. It was the honey I had created. It was filled with affection that never got old even if it was too sweet...
As our emotions were completely absorbed into each other’s bodies, everything in the world became busy.
Knock!
Suddenly, the desk clock on the nightstand fell to the marble floor. The ticking sound of the clock stopped. The three hours that I thought I could sleep tonight disappeared into the stopped clock.
***
The next morning. I entered the main palace audience room with Linel. We were drinking black tea and waiting for Prince Norton Asalman, the third Prince of the Southern Continent's Parsha Empire. I was nervous as he was the first VIP to visit the continent hunting competition, but in truth, I was more worried that he would pretend not to know that I saw him at the training ground.
“Zelda, before you meet Prince Norton, I have something to tell you in advance so you don’t get a surprise.”
Linel said, taking my hand.
“What is it?”
“Originally, men from the Southern Continent had rough, savage appearances. Their personalities were also bold.”
“Zelda, before you meet Prince Norton, I have something to tell you in advance so you don’t get a surprise.”
Linel said, taking my hand.
“What is it?”
“Originally, men from the Southern Continent had rough, savage appearances. Their personalities were also bold.”
He spoke of the characteristics of the appearance of the men of the Southern Continent as if he were confirming it. I thought of the appearance of Prince Norton, whom I had met at the training ground last night. Wasn't he?
The Prince was large in stature, but his appearance was quite handsome. It didn't match Linel's description at all.
“All men in the Southern Continent...
“All men in the Southern Continent...
aren’t they like that?”
I cautiously challenged his opinion.
“You’ve never seen a man from the Southern Continent.”
Did I see it yesterday?
“Well, that’s true.”
“I’ve seen it enough on the battlefield. Most Southern Continent guys are so ravenous that they’d eat raw meat.”
Hey. The Southern Continent guy I saw looked like he was elegantly spaghetti or something?
“So don’t be too surprised. It’s rude to show your fear right in front of him, so I’m telling you in advance.”
“Yes, that’s really rude.”
I pretended to agree with what he said.
“Yes, even though he looks scary and strange, let’s give him some compliments. After all, he’s our first guest.”
“Of course, don’t worry.”
I looked at Linel, who was earnestly urging me, and answered him with a resolute expression. He smiled, giving me a trustworthy look.
“But when I think about it, it seems better for me.”
Linel glanced at me, stroking his chin with his hand.
“What is it?”
“When you see the savage appearance of the men of the Southern Continent, you will definitely feel what a fine man I am.”
He smiled and shook my hand gently.
I cautiously challenged his opinion.
“You’ve never seen a man from the Southern Continent.”
Did I see it yesterday?
“Well, that’s true.”
“I’ve seen it enough on the battlefield. Most Southern Continent guys are so ravenous that they’d eat raw meat.”
Hey. The Southern Continent guy I saw looked like he was elegantly spaghetti or something?
“So don’t be too surprised. It’s rude to show your fear right in front of him, so I’m telling you in advance.”
“Yes, that’s really rude.”
I pretended to agree with what he said.
“Yes, even though he looks scary and strange, let’s give him some compliments. After all, he’s our first guest.”
“Of course, don’t worry.”
I looked at Linel, who was earnestly urging me, and answered him with a resolute expression. He smiled, giving me a trustworthy look.
“But when I think about it, it seems better for me.”
Linel glanced at me, stroking his chin with his hand.
“What is it?”
“When you see the savage appearance of the men of the Southern Continent, you will definitely feel what a fine man I am.”
He smiled and shook my hand gently.
Knock, knock.
Secretary Raphael came in with a knock.
“His Royal Highness Prince Norton of the Parsha Empire has arrived.”
“Take him in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After a while, Prince Norton entered the audience room. I stole a glance at Linel's face.
“Hmm?”
He was startled by the appearance of the man from the Southern Continent, who was far from what he had expected.
“May the Lapion Empire be filled with glory and abundance. I greet you, Your Majesty the Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress!”
Prince Norton knelt on one knee and bowed politely. Fortunately, the Prince treated me as if he was seeing me for the first time. I sighed in relief and glanced at Linel again. He was staring intently at Prince Norton.
“Are you really Prince Norton Asalman?”
Linel asked, emphasizing his name. He seemed as if he would be shocked if he were to say yes.
“...Yes? Yes. Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“His Royal Highness Prince Norton of the Parsha Empire has arrived.”
“Take him in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After a while, Prince Norton entered the audience room. I stole a glance at Linel's face.
“Hmm?”
He was startled by the appearance of the man from the Southern Continent, who was far from what he had expected.
“May the Lapion Empire be filled with glory and abundance. I greet you, Your Majesty the Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress!”
Prince Norton knelt on one knee and bowed politely. Fortunately, the Prince treated me as if he was seeing me for the first time. I sighed in relief and glanced at Linel again. He was staring intently at Prince Norton.
“Are you really Prince Norton Asalman?”
Linel asked, emphasizing his name. He seemed as if he would be shocked if he were to say yes.
“...Yes? Yes. Your Majesty the Emperor.”
Prince Norton looked extremely embarrassed by his serious question about his identity. It was natural for the Prince to be curious. He must have had his identity verified by the imperial administrators upon arriving in the Lapion Empire, and he must have even talked to Raphael right before entering the audience room.
“Is that the Parsha Empire in the Southern Continent?”
“That’s right. I’m sorry, but has there been any mistake regarding my identity?”
“Oh, that’s not it, but there’s something a little strange..."
He muttered softly as if talking to himself.
“What are you talking about?”
Prince Norton tilted his head and asked. Then Linel changed the subject and said in admiration:
“I guess the water in the Southern Continent has really improved these days?”
"Yes?"
“It’s nothing.”
He waved his hand and smiled bitterly. The atmosphere was becoming awkward. It was my turn to step forward to ease the awkward atmosphere. I spoke to Prince Norton with as much sincerity as I could, recalling the conversation I had with Linel a little while ago.
“Your Highness, you are truly a handsome man. You could be the representative handsome man of the Southern Continent. No, you could even represent all the continents. Hahaha!”
I smiled as naturally as I could and raised my thumbs. At my words, the two men's pupils widened at the same time and their gazes were fixed on me. And then both men blushed at the same time.
“Oh, you are too kind, Your Majesty the Empress.”
However, there was a difference... Prince Norton in front of me had a smiling face, while Linel next to me had a frown. Why?
Knock knock.
At that moment, Raphael came back in.
“I apologize for interrupting you. Prince Norton, I need you to take a moment to confirm the number of people from the Pastha Empire on the guest list. The Foreign Minister is waiting outside the audience room.”
“Yes. Excuse me for a moment, Your Majesty.”
Prince Norton apologized and left the audience room.
“Please excuse me for being so long.”
As the audience room door closed, he muttered something in a small voice, but it didn't seem like it was meant for Prince Norton to hear. With a slam, the door to the audience room closed, and he turned my shoulder toward him. His eyes were unusual.
“Why is that, Your Majesty?”
“I apologize for interrupting you. Prince Norton, I need you to take a moment to confirm the number of people from the Pastha Empire on the guest list. The Foreign Minister is waiting outside the audience room.”
“Yes. Excuse me for a moment, Your Majesty.”
Prince Norton apologized and left the audience room.
“Please excuse me for being so long.”
As the audience room door closed, he muttered something in a small voice, but it didn't seem like it was meant for Prince Norton to hear. With a slam, the door to the audience room closed, and he turned my shoulder toward him. His eyes were unusual.
“Why is that, Your Majesty?”
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