There was no time to quietly snatch the teacup away or explain to him. I quickly knocked my cocoa cup aside from his hand. The cocoa cup fell to the marble floor and shattered with a loud noise. Linel had already had a sip of cocoa, so I was not rough. He turned his head toward me in surprise, and I covered his lips with it. Emperor Adrian had clearly said a moment ago that the poison in the cocoa cup would not spread rapidly if mixed with someone else’s saliva. Without a moment’s hesitation, I mercilessly stirred Linel’s mouth. Regardless of the urgency, he tasted sweet cocoa. I began to dilute the poison he had drunk by kissing him hard, thinking that I would suck it all out. Linel’s confusion was clearly felt in his softness. Was his mouth already becoming numb?
He was swept away by my kiss that moved like a storm. I was concentrating on completely erasing the traces of cocoa in his mouth, and he took my face with both hands as if to calm me down and pulled my lips away. His blue eyes that met mine were shaking violently, whether it was because of the cocoa poison or because of me.
“Your Majesty, are you okay?”
“That’s... what I should be asking? Empress, are you alright?”
Linel's expression was almost as if he was asking, 'What's wrong with you?', but perhaps because Emperor Adrian was standing before him, his speech sounded quite polite.
“Ah... I’m fine. Uh... I mean, I guess I smelled a sweet cocoa scent all of a sudden, and that’s why I’m sorry!”
Haa, without a proper excuse, I was literally dying. I wasn't scared even if that silver hairtail from the Tebello Empire poisoned my teacup with cocoa. My blood vessels freeze, and I get chills and die? Yes. I've lived my whole life with a hot body, so let's just freeze to death!
“Your Majesty, are you okay?”
“That’s... what I should be asking? Empress, are you alright?”
Linel's expression was almost as if he was asking, 'What's wrong with you?', but perhaps because Emperor Adrian was standing before him, his speech sounded quite polite.
“Ah... I’m fine. Uh... I mean, I guess I smelled a sweet cocoa scent all of a sudden, and that’s why I’m sorry!”
Haa, without a proper excuse, I was literally dying. I wasn't scared even if that silver hairtail from the Tebello Empire poisoned my teacup with cocoa. My blood vessels freeze, and I get chills and die? Yes. I've lived my whole life with a hot body, so let's just freeze to death!
Well, I even thought about that. As long as Linel was okay, I didn't care. Really... I was serious.
“Your Majesty, are you really okay?”
I asked him again, checking his condition.
“No, it’s not okay.”
He became serious.
“Huh?! Where? Where are you going?”
“My heart. My body is getting hot from the Empress’s provocation. And it’s even hotter because there’s an audience in front of me.”
Linel winked at Emperor Adrian and spoke shyly, but his expression did not look shy at all.
“It’s sweet. Better than cocoa.”
Linel whispered in my ear. I could also hear Emperor Adrian’s inner thoughts as he watched this scene. This time, it wasn’t a soliloquy, but something he was saying directly to me...
'I was wondering. As expected, you can hear what I'm saying.'
A chill ran down my spine. For a moment, I felt like I was rubbing my back against a giant iceberg at Emperor Adrian’s words. Wait, so when he said the cocoa cup was poisoned, he was lying to test me? To see if I was really listening to his true feelings?
“Your Majesty, are you really okay?”
I asked him again, checking his condition.
“No, it’s not okay.”
He became serious.
“Huh?! Where? Where are you going?”
“My heart. My body is getting hot from the Empress’s provocation. And it’s even hotter because there’s an audience in front of me.”
Linel winked at Emperor Adrian and spoke shyly, but his expression did not look shy at all.
“It’s sweet. Better than cocoa.”
Linel whispered in my ear. I could also hear Emperor Adrian’s inner thoughts as he watched this scene. This time, it wasn’t a soliloquy, but something he was saying directly to me...
'I was wondering. As expected, you can hear what I'm saying.'
A chill ran down my spine. For a moment, I felt like I was rubbing my back against a giant iceberg at Emperor Adrian’s words. Wait, so when he said the cocoa cup was poisoned, he was lying to test me? To see if I was really listening to his true feelings?
I looked straight into Emperor Adrian’s face, who was deliberately avoiding eye contact.
“I will have my servant bring back Your Majesty’s cocoa.”
Emperor Adrian showed no outward sign of it.
“It’s okay. Let’s taste it separately later.”
Linel shook his head slightly in rejection.
“Yes, that’s right. But it’s a little chilly in the living room. I’d like to light a fire in the fireplace. Would you allow me?”
“As you like.”
When his permission was granted, Emperor Adrian put his five fingers together and flicked them lightly toward the fireplace. The fire ignited and raged over the logs in the fireplace. The flames were too strong? I waited until Emperor Adrian looked away from the fireplace, then glanced around to adjust the flames in the fireplace to lower the flames. That level of flame control was nothing to me.
“It seems like the relationship between the two of you is better than I thought.”
Emperor Adrian rubbed his lips with his hand and looked back and forth between me and him as he spoke.
“I will have my servant bring back Your Majesty’s cocoa.”
Emperor Adrian showed no outward sign of it.
“It’s okay. Let’s taste it separately later.”
Linel shook his head slightly in rejection.
“Yes, that’s right. But it’s a little chilly in the living room. I’d like to light a fire in the fireplace. Would you allow me?”
“As you like.”
When his permission was granted, Emperor Adrian put his five fingers together and flicked them lightly toward the fireplace. The fire ignited and raged over the logs in the fireplace. The flames were too strong? I waited until Emperor Adrian looked away from the fireplace, then glanced around to adjust the flames in the fireplace to lower the flames. That level of flame control was nothing to me.
“It seems like the relationship between the two of you is better than I thought.”
Emperor Adrian rubbed his lips with his hand and looked back and forth between me and him as he spoke.
“Hahaha, Emperor Adrian, please do not tell the other guests about the scene you just saw.”
Linel's tone was such that it seemed as if he would be upset if the rumor was not spread.
“It seems that Her Majesty the Empress cannot control her love for Emperor Linel. As for other things... I think she can control them well.”
Emperor Adrian glanced at the fireplace and smiled strangely. I wanted to throw that silverfish into the fireplace right away and roast it. You tried to test me with the lie that you mixed poison in the cocoa. Emperor Adrian, who the hell are you? What is your identity that I can hear what you say?
“I’ve had my tea, so I’ll disappear to the villa now. Oh, by the way, when will the party for the guests be held?”
Emperor Adrian asked Linel, who had risen to see him off.
“We plan to open it as soon as all the guests arrive.”
“Oh, I’m looking forward to the banquet on the Northern Continent.”
“There’s nothing special, but since it’s the first time in several years that all countries have gathered together, I’m paying special attention to it.”
“As expected. As expected.”
As Emperor Adrian grinned and muttered, Linel raised an eyebrow and asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t think it would be as special as you said. That’s why I have prepared a truly ‘special’ performance. It was to bring to life the banquet atmosphere of the Tebello Empire, which cannot be seen in the Northern Continent.”
“A special performance? What is that?”
Linel asked Emperor Adrian with a puzzled expression.
“Isn’t a banquet supposed to be a feast for the eyes? You won’t be disappointed. Look forward to it. Then, I’ll take my leave and disappear to the villa.”
“Yes, it may be late, but thank you. Get some rest. Emperor Adrian.”
In response to Linel’s greeting, I also gave a light bow to Emperor Adrian. After making eye contact with me for a moment, Emperor Adrian walked out of the reception room and extended a hand toward the door. Then, the reception room door opened by itself.
'Your Majesty the Empress, you are hiding something special. I will take it off for you soon.'
The silver hairtail left me with some perverted words and disappeared.
Linel's tone was such that it seemed as if he would be upset if the rumor was not spread.
“It seems that Her Majesty the Empress cannot control her love for Emperor Linel. As for other things... I think she can control them well.”
Emperor Adrian glanced at the fireplace and smiled strangely. I wanted to throw that silverfish into the fireplace right away and roast it. You tried to test me with the lie that you mixed poison in the cocoa. Emperor Adrian, who the hell are you? What is your identity that I can hear what you say?
“I’ve had my tea, so I’ll disappear to the villa now. Oh, by the way, when will the party for the guests be held?”
Emperor Adrian asked Linel, who had risen to see him off.
“We plan to open it as soon as all the guests arrive.”
“Oh, I’m looking forward to the banquet on the Northern Continent.”
“There’s nothing special, but since it’s the first time in several years that all countries have gathered together, I’m paying special attention to it.”
“As expected. As expected.”
As Emperor Adrian grinned and muttered, Linel raised an eyebrow and asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t think it would be as special as you said. That’s why I have prepared a truly ‘special’ performance. It was to bring to life the banquet atmosphere of the Tebello Empire, which cannot be seen in the Northern Continent.”
“A special performance? What is that?”
Linel asked Emperor Adrian with a puzzled expression.
“Isn’t a banquet supposed to be a feast for the eyes? You won’t be disappointed. Look forward to it. Then, I’ll take my leave and disappear to the villa.”
“Yes, it may be late, but thank you. Get some rest. Emperor Adrian.”
In response to Linel’s greeting, I also gave a light bow to Emperor Adrian. After making eye contact with me for a moment, Emperor Adrian walked out of the reception room and extended a hand toward the door. Then, the reception room door opened by itself.
'Your Majesty the Empress, you are hiding something special. I will take it off for you soon.'
The silver hairtail left me with some perverted words and disappeared.
***
It wasn't that late, but my fatigue was deepening as the night went on. In the end, I couldn't return to the Empress's Palace as Linel had said, and ended up staying in the main palace's bedroom.
“Are you a bit out of it today?”
As Linel came out of the bathroom, he asked me who was sitting on the bed first.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“It’s going to be even crazier tomorrow. I promise.”
Linel approached me with a friendly threat. In fact, there is no need to go until tomorrow, right? The sight of him loosely wrapping a towel around his waist is driving me crazy. I exchanged friendly eye contact with his muscles, each faithfully showing off their presence in their respective positions. He put his hand on my waist and spoke to me.
“It wasn’t me who broke my promise earlier. It was you who couldn’t help it and kissed me.”
“Oh, it’s not that I couldn’t help it and kissed you, it’s because of Cocoa...”
I started talking up to this point and then closed my mouth again.
'It may sound strange, but I can hear Emperor Adrian's true feelings. But that damned silverfish said he put poison in your teacup to test me. That's why I lost my temper when I saw Linel drinking cocoa and started kissing her... '
Okay. Let's stop. Even if I told him the truth, he probably wouldn't believe me. More importantly, I need to find out what Emperor Adrian's true identity is. And why I can hear his inner thoughts, and how he can talk to me. But how? How can I?
“Are you a bit out of it today?”
As Linel came out of the bathroom, he asked me who was sitting on the bed first.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“It’s going to be even crazier tomorrow. I promise.”
Linel approached me with a friendly threat. In fact, there is no need to go until tomorrow, right? The sight of him loosely wrapping a towel around his waist is driving me crazy. I exchanged friendly eye contact with his muscles, each faithfully showing off their presence in their respective positions. He put his hand on my waist and spoke to me.
“It wasn’t me who broke my promise earlier. It was you who couldn’t help it and kissed me.”
“Oh, it’s not that I couldn’t help it and kissed you, it’s because of Cocoa...”
I started talking up to this point and then closed my mouth again.
'It may sound strange, but I can hear Emperor Adrian's true feelings. But that damned silverfish said he put poison in your teacup to test me. That's why I lost my temper when I saw Linel drinking cocoa and started kissing her... '
Okay. Let's stop. Even if I told him the truth, he probably wouldn't believe me. More importantly, I need to find out what Emperor Adrian's true identity is. And why I can hear his inner thoughts, and how he can talk to me. But how? How can I?
While I was lost in thought for a moment, I heard Linel's shy voice.
“Enough with your excuses. Even if you hadn’t kissed me first, I wouldn’t have been able to bear it anyway.”
Linel's hand went to the towel wrapped around his waist.
“I still really can’t stand it...”
“Hey, wear this!”
I held up his gown that I had left beside the bed and waved it around like a handkerchief. Linel tilted his head as he looked at his gown, as if to say, 'What is that for?'
“Zelda. Is that... necessary right now?”
“You might catch a cold.”
“Isn’t my body warmer wearing you than wearing a thin gown like that?”
His eyes, which were so warm as to say such embarrassing words so casually, were boiling with warmth. Why does the expression “wear me” sound so strange? Calm down, calm down.
“The best way to get warmer is to run.”
I spoke as if it were a joke and cooled my flushed face with a fan.
“That’s true. So, by the way, shall we run together tonight?”
“...What do you mean?”
“If I catch you, I won’t be able to do whatever I want, but if you don’t get caught and return to the bedroom, then I’ll grant you one wish.”
“Are you really... telling me to literally run, right now?”
“As expected... I guess our Empress expected something different?”
Linel grabbed the end of the towel wrapped around his waist and asked in a languid voice.
“Oh, no?
“The Empress’s face is completely correct now, isn’t it?”
Linel laughed, mimicking my tone.
“Well, of course it’s a game you lose.”
“I know... you’ll be surprised if I say this.”
I should have kept my mouth shut here.
“If you’ve been running since you were little, you know? I’m someone who has never been caught by anyone.”
But I ended up getting upset because my unnecessary pride was triggered.
“Hmm, what the. I’m not the type of person who has ever missed someone I should have caught.”
"Is it so?"
"Yes."
“Then shall we try it?”
“One of us tonight will change history.”
“Are you sure you want to start?”
“I have to.”
He nodded willingly. I slowly got down from the bed with a solemn expression.
“If I catch you while you’re running, it’s over. If you make it back to this bedroom floor without being caught by me, you win. Got it?”
"Great."
In the middle of the night, a sudden, tense tension began to hover between us. A different excitement than the tension I felt in bed enveloped my body.
“Throw that first. If you run and this towel comes off, you’ll turn into a real beast.”
Linel pointed to his clothes on the bed and said. I threw him a robe. Oh, my goodness... Can’t we do one movement at a time?
“Enough with your excuses. Even if you hadn’t kissed me first, I wouldn’t have been able to bear it anyway.”
Linel's hand went to the towel wrapped around his waist.
“I still really can’t stand it...”
“Hey, wear this!”
I held up his gown that I had left beside the bed and waved it around like a handkerchief. Linel tilted his head as he looked at his gown, as if to say, 'What is that for?'
“Zelda. Is that... necessary right now?”
“You might catch a cold.”
“Isn’t my body warmer wearing you than wearing a thin gown like that?”
His eyes, which were so warm as to say such embarrassing words so casually, were boiling with warmth. Why does the expression “wear me” sound so strange? Calm down, calm down.
“The best way to get warmer is to run.”
I spoke as if it were a joke and cooled my flushed face with a fan.
“That’s true. So, by the way, shall we run together tonight?”
“...What do you mean?”
“If I catch you, I won’t be able to do whatever I want, but if you don’t get caught and return to the bedroom, then I’ll grant you one wish.”
“Are you really... telling me to literally run, right now?”
“As expected... I guess our Empress expected something different?”
Linel grabbed the end of the towel wrapped around his waist and asked in a languid voice.
“Oh, no?
“The Empress’s face is completely correct now, isn’t it?”
Linel laughed, mimicking my tone.
“Well, of course it’s a game you lose.”
“I know... you’ll be surprised if I say this.”
I should have kept my mouth shut here.
“If you’ve been running since you were little, you know? I’m someone who has never been caught by anyone.”
But I ended up getting upset because my unnecessary pride was triggered.
“Hmm, what the. I’m not the type of person who has ever missed someone I should have caught.”
"Is it so?"
"Yes."
“Then shall we try it?”
“One of us tonight will change history.”
“Are you sure you want to start?”
“I have to.”
He nodded willingly. I slowly got down from the bed with a solemn expression.
“If I catch you while you’re running, it’s over. If you make it back to this bedroom floor without being caught by me, you win. Got it?”
"Great."
In the middle of the night, a sudden, tense tension began to hover between us. A different excitement than the tension I felt in bed enveloped my body.
“Throw that first. If you run and this towel comes off, you’ll turn into a real beast.”
Linel pointed to his clothes on the bed and said. I threw him a robe. Oh, my goodness... Can’t we do one movement at a time?
He put on the robe I gave him with one hand while pulling down the towel with the other. For a moment, my right and left eyes moved independently. It seemed like this was a plan to distract me, but it wasn’t working. I opened my eyes, which had grown wide in surprise, and prepared to run. Linel also turned his waist as if he was doing warm-up exercises and spoke seriously.
“I tell you again, if I get caught, then I can do whatever I want with it.”
It won't be that easy, will it?
“Your Majesty, today you will learn that there are many things in the world that do not go as planned. It is time for you to do so.”
I taunted him as I slowly backed away toward the bedroom door. He laughed as if it was hilarious.
“It’s cute. I feel like a hunter chasing a rabbit. What’s the first thing a hunter does when he catches a rabbit?”
“Well? Are you giving me carrots?”
I responded seriously.
“I tell you again, if I get caught, then I can do whatever I want with it.”
It won't be that easy, will it?
“Your Majesty, today you will learn that there are many things in the world that do not go as planned. It is time for you to do so.”
I taunted him as I slowly backed away toward the bedroom door. He laughed as if it was hilarious.
“It’s cute. I feel like a hunter chasing a rabbit. What’s the first thing a hunter does when he catches a rabbit?”
“Well? Are you giving me carrots?”
I responded seriously.
“Don’t skin it.”
“...You’re not after my skin, are you?”
I wrapped my body with both hands.
“Fortunately, humans have one more layer of skin to cover them.”
In short, he was saying that he would take off my clothes.
“I don’t think hunting will be easy today.”
As it happened, I had just changed into the light dress that Sharon had brought from the Empress's Palace for dinner, so I was in a much more comfortable position to move around in.
“Yeah, if it were easy, it wouldn’t be fun. So let’s give it five seconds of leniency.”
“You’ll regret it, right?”
“Not at all. What are you doing? Rabbit, run!”
He crossed his arms over his chest and started counting. Five seconds would be a long way to go. How could he not know this? Why would he give me five seconds? Is he really disregarding my running ability?
“One, two... ul...”
In addition, Linel was slowly counting the number of days, months, months. I smiled with satisfaction and ran to the bedroom door and opened it. Torches were lit in the middle of the bedroom floors of the main palace, but the long hallway felt even longer because it was night. Tonight, I will show you the human cheetah. I started running down the hallway without even looking back at him.
“Everyone get out of the way!”
The servants waiting outside the bedroom blocked my path with surprised faces, then hurriedly split off to either side.
“Come out, come out, come out!”
Linel's voice was immediately superimposed on my urgent voice.
“Get out of the way, get out of the way, get out of the way!”
This guy, did you count all 5 seconds? It seems like he followed me in 3 seconds? I glanced behind me as I ran down the hallway. Linel was chasing me at a frightening speed.
“...You’re not after my skin, are you?”
I wrapped my body with both hands.
“Fortunately, humans have one more layer of skin to cover them.”
In short, he was saying that he would take off my clothes.
“I don’t think hunting will be easy today.”
As it happened, I had just changed into the light dress that Sharon had brought from the Empress's Palace for dinner, so I was in a much more comfortable position to move around in.
“Yeah, if it were easy, it wouldn’t be fun. So let’s give it five seconds of leniency.”
“You’ll regret it, right?”
“Not at all. What are you doing? Rabbit, run!”
He crossed his arms over his chest and started counting. Five seconds would be a long way to go. How could he not know this? Why would he give me five seconds? Is he really disregarding my running ability?
“One, two... ul...”
In addition, Linel was slowly counting the number of days, months, months. I smiled with satisfaction and ran to the bedroom door and opened it. Torches were lit in the middle of the bedroom floors of the main palace, but the long hallway felt even longer because it was night. Tonight, I will show you the human cheetah. I started running down the hallway without even looking back at him.
“Everyone get out of the way!”
The servants waiting outside the bedroom blocked my path with surprised faces, then hurriedly split off to either side.
“Come out, come out, come out!”
Linel's voice was immediately superimposed on my urgent voice.
“Get out of the way, get out of the way, get out of the way!”
This guy, did you count all 5 seconds? It seems like he followed me in 3 seconds? I glanced behind me as I ran down the hallway. Linel was chasing me at a frightening speed.
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