“It seems the Emperor taught you quite a bit even during your brief relationship.”
Amelia quietly took a sip of tea at the Duke of Russell's words. She had learned to keep her mouth shut when she found it difficult to respond.
“He even told you things that could be dangerous to his health.”
Duke Russell chuckled and ran a hand through his beard. It wasn't a genuine laugh. Everything was going smoothly, so he wasn't in a bad mood, but there was a hint of unease mixed in with the overly smooth way things were going.
“He knows I’m afraid of dogs.”
Amelia spoke as she placed the teacup on its stand.
“It was a give and take.”
Then the Duke of Russell muttered.
"I was the first to mention that I was afraid of dogs, and he answered. I was a bit unsure, but since it came out of the blue, I guess he wasn't lying."
Or perhaps even if she knew, he wondered what she could do. Although he didn't add it, the Duke of Russell seemed to have sensed what was to follow. He looked reassured by the uneasy feelings between Amelia and Ivan.
“Have you decided what you’re going to say at the celebration?”
The Duke of Russell naturally changed the subject.
“I already told you. I'm going to claim that he raped me.”
“Ah, that’s right.”
The Duke of Russell grinned, saying that as he got older, his memory would deteriorate. Perhaps because he usually acted nicely outside, he compulsively acted like a gentleman even in front of Amelia.
"More importantly, it's important for the privates to take their places in the banquet hall. Have they been accepted into the Knights Templar?"
Amelia asked. The Duke of Russell nodded with a relaxed expression and answered in the affirmative.
"Yes."
"What?"
"What the hell did you say?" Amelia stared at Ivan's hand, her face bewildered. What he had brought were men's clothing and a hat, roughly the same size as Amelia's.
"I told you to go outside. You said you didn't want to stay in my bedroom and wanted to go outside, didn't you?"
Of course, she said that, but she didn't really want Ivan to take her out. Realistically, she couldn't just walk around and deceive everyone.
But Ivan, as always, defied all common sense. He calmly shoved the smallest men's suit into her and suggested she change into it.
“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”
"Do whatever you want," Ivan said, as if he knew Amelia would immediately waver and grab his hand. Indeed, Ivan seemed born learning how to manipulate Amelia.
“It’s not that I don’t like it, but what if someone comes looking for me while I’m away?”
"Who?"
Ivan responded to Amelia's question. She tried to answer, but was so embarrassed that she couldn't think of a name. Amelia simply blinked silently.
“It’s just arbitrary...”
All she could do was criticize Ivan. Of course, Ivan didn't care one bit about Amelia's criticism.
“Change your clothes.”
As if he knew from the start that Amelia would never refuse his offer, Amelia glanced at Ivan, who had suddenly announced that they were leaving, but quietly accepted the small garment he had handed her.
“Ivan.”
Even though he'd seen her naked, he didn't want to watch her change clothes like a pervert. With that in mind, Ivan was staring at the wall when Amelia called out to him.
"Why?"
Ivan turned his head and stared in Amelia's direction. His face looked somewhat embarrassed.
“There’s a button on the back. I need to undo it.”
It meant she couldn't do it alone. It was merely a request to the Emperor to attend to her while she changed her clothes, but strangely enough, she didn't feel bad.
“Stay still.”
Of the buttons that reached just above the buttocks, the top and bottom two were undone. Ivan unhesitatingly unbuttoned Amelia's back. To be honest, it didn't feel all that awkward, since he'd already undone them more than once.
As each button was undone, Amelia's dress slid open, exposing her shoulders and arms. She clutched her chest, seemingly nervous. Even after Ivan unbuttoned all the buttons, the situation remained the same.
“How long do you plan on holding onto your clothes like that?”
Ivan asked. Amelia, perhaps thinking herself particularly embarrassed after seeing her naked body several times, carefully let go of the cloth she had been holding. With a small thud, the dress fell into a round shape.
“...”
Her pale skin was exposed unhesitatingly before Ivan's gaze. Of course, she was wearing only a thin layer of pajamas, so it wasn't completely naked, but Ivan couldn't help but feel a burning sensation in his throat. It was the same feeling he'd felt when he'd seen her slender legs exposed between the hems of her clothes as they slid down the bed, back when their relationship with Amelia had been at an all-time low.
In fact, it was a natural thing. The slender nape of her neck, her shoulders, the line of her back, and even the curves of her body were clearly visible beneath her upturned hair. He had stroked and touched her body countless times like a thug, and he remembered the sensation vividly.
"Ah..."
So, it was an impulsive act. As naturally as possible, but in a rushed manner, he kissed the back of Amelia's neck as she was putting on her shirt.
“What, what are you doing?”
As expected, Amelia flinched and trembled at Ivan's unexpected touch.
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever left a mark.”
Amelia blinked, her mouth slightly open at Ivan's brazen response. She seemed to have forgotten she was even changing clothes.
“What if someone sees...?”
“It’s just one or two, they guess you got bitten by a bug.”
"Of course, would they believe that precious Priestess was having an affair?" Ivan continued his brazen reply. Amelia glared at Ivan and began hastily buttoning up her shirt.
"It's okay?"
Finally, Amelia put on a shirt and trousers and pulled a black hat over her head. She looked like a small boy, unmistakably so. Even the color of her eyes, obscured by the wide-brimmed hat, was less striking. It was just as Ivan had planned.
“Shall we go?”
Ivan asked. Amelia nodded, and Ivan firmly grasped her hand. He then opened the door to the secret passage. Amelia, standing behind Ivan, smiled bashfully.
No matter how hard she tried to hide it, she couldn't hide her excitement, like a child going on a picnic. Just like the moments when she couldn't hide her feelings for him.
That cheerfulness was the real Amelia Escliff.
“But is it okay for us to come out like this?”
Just as they were climbing over the palace walls, Amelia suddenly asked a question. She'd accepted his offer, excited about the prospect of going out, but she seemed to be wondering if there would really be any repercussions.
“As long as no one notices us, it won’t be a problem.”
Ivan's answer was clear. He knew that no one would even suspect Ivan and Amelia would be together at this hour, and even if they did spot them, they would likely doubt their eyes, not their relationship.
“We look exactly like two men, so we can’t hold hands and go.”
At Ivan's words, Amelia quickly shook his hand away. It was a reflexive action, without a shred of remorse.
“Walk naturally. Don’t stutter.”
“Who said it was ticking...”
She wasn't upset. Seeing her eyes scanning her surroundings with a strange unfamiliarity, as if she'd been thrown into the world for the first time, he couldn't dare entertain such thoughts.
“Where do you plan to go?”
Amelia, who was casually adjusting her clothes, asked a question. Ivan turned his gaze to the street, shrouded in the night air.
“Go where you want.”
In fact, there was only one place he could show her. Until then, he had intended to accommodate everything Amelia wanted.
“Anywhere? Do you mind wandering?”
“Do as you wish.”
Amelia took a slow step forward at Ivan's reply. Ivan followed leisurely behind her.
“Ivan, it looks like the shops over there are open.”
As the night deepened, the streets, with their few people passing by, were, frankly, boring for Ivan. There were a few things to see and a few people. However, Amelia's eyes, scanning her surroundings, twinkled like stars.
It was only natural. She's seen the road many times, even passing by in carriages, but she's never set foot on it. That was the true identity of the Priestess who claimed to be the protector of the poor.
"Excuse me?"
Ivan asked, nodding to a building with a sign reading "Mac & Will's Tavern." Amelia nodded several times instead of answering. Instead of giving permission to go, Ivan took the initiative. Amelia followed him like a timid puppy.
“Welcome.”
A man with a grim expression and a woman with a warm demeanor greeted them. They were told they could sit anywhere, so Ivan took a seat near the window. While Ivan absentmindedly read the menu, Amelia glanced around. The restaurant was quite crowded, with few seats left.
“Four chicken skewers and two beers.”
“I’ll have it ready for you right away.”
A man with a gruff expression took their order in a rough voice and turned away from them.
“Do you normally open a restaurant this late?”
"This is a tavern. But it'll probably close before midnight."
There was only about an hour left to enjoy the tavern. But Amelia seemed content with that. Her standards for satisfaction were noticeably lower than others.
“Beer and food are here.”
Soon, the food and drinks Ivan had ordered arrived.
“Try it.”
“...”
“You were curious about that before.”
Amelia quietly took a sip of tea at the Duke of Russell's words. She had learned to keep her mouth shut when she found it difficult to respond.
“He even told you things that could be dangerous to his health.”
Duke Russell chuckled and ran a hand through his beard. It wasn't a genuine laugh. Everything was going smoothly, so he wasn't in a bad mood, but there was a hint of unease mixed in with the overly smooth way things were going.
“He knows I’m afraid of dogs.”
Amelia spoke as she placed the teacup on its stand.
“It was a give and take.”
Then the Duke of Russell muttered.
"I was the first to mention that I was afraid of dogs, and he answered. I was a bit unsure, but since it came out of the blue, I guess he wasn't lying."
Or perhaps even if she knew, he wondered what she could do. Although he didn't add it, the Duke of Russell seemed to have sensed what was to follow. He looked reassured by the uneasy feelings between Amelia and Ivan.
“Have you decided what you’re going to say at the celebration?”
The Duke of Russell naturally changed the subject.
“I already told you. I'm going to claim that he raped me.”
“Ah, that’s right.”
The Duke of Russell grinned, saying that as he got older, his memory would deteriorate. Perhaps because he usually acted nicely outside, he compulsively acted like a gentleman even in front of Amelia.
"More importantly, it's important for the privates to take their places in the banquet hall. Have they been accepted into the Knights Templar?"
Amelia asked. The Duke of Russell nodded with a relaxed expression and answered in the affirmative.
"Yes."
***
"What?"
"What the hell did you say?" Amelia stared at Ivan's hand, her face bewildered. What he had brought were men's clothing and a hat, roughly the same size as Amelia's.
"I told you to go outside. You said you didn't want to stay in my bedroom and wanted to go outside, didn't you?"
Of course, she said that, but she didn't really want Ivan to take her out. Realistically, she couldn't just walk around and deceive everyone.
But Ivan, as always, defied all common sense. He calmly shoved the smallest men's suit into her and suggested she change into it.
“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”
"Do whatever you want," Ivan said, as if he knew Amelia would immediately waver and grab his hand. Indeed, Ivan seemed born learning how to manipulate Amelia.
“It’s not that I don’t like it, but what if someone comes looking for me while I’m away?”
"Who?"
Ivan responded to Amelia's question. She tried to answer, but was so embarrassed that she couldn't think of a name. Amelia simply blinked silently.
“It’s just arbitrary...”
All she could do was criticize Ivan. Of course, Ivan didn't care one bit about Amelia's criticism.
“Change your clothes.”
As if he knew from the start that Amelia would never refuse his offer, Amelia glanced at Ivan, who had suddenly announced that they were leaving, but quietly accepted the small garment he had handed her.
“Ivan.”
Even though he'd seen her naked, he didn't want to watch her change clothes like a pervert. With that in mind, Ivan was staring at the wall when Amelia called out to him.
"Why?"
Ivan turned his head and stared in Amelia's direction. His face looked somewhat embarrassed.
“There’s a button on the back. I need to undo it.”
It meant she couldn't do it alone. It was merely a request to the Emperor to attend to her while she changed her clothes, but strangely enough, she didn't feel bad.
“Stay still.”
Of the buttons that reached just above the buttocks, the top and bottom two were undone. Ivan unhesitatingly unbuttoned Amelia's back. To be honest, it didn't feel all that awkward, since he'd already undone them more than once.
As each button was undone, Amelia's dress slid open, exposing her shoulders and arms. She clutched her chest, seemingly nervous. Even after Ivan unbuttoned all the buttons, the situation remained the same.
“How long do you plan on holding onto your clothes like that?”
Ivan asked. Amelia, perhaps thinking herself particularly embarrassed after seeing her naked body several times, carefully let go of the cloth she had been holding. With a small thud, the dress fell into a round shape.
“...”
Her pale skin was exposed unhesitatingly before Ivan's gaze. Of course, she was wearing only a thin layer of pajamas, so it wasn't completely naked, but Ivan couldn't help but feel a burning sensation in his throat. It was the same feeling he'd felt when he'd seen her slender legs exposed between the hems of her clothes as they slid down the bed, back when their relationship with Amelia had been at an all-time low.
In fact, it was a natural thing. The slender nape of her neck, her shoulders, the line of her back, and even the curves of her body were clearly visible beneath her upturned hair. He had stroked and touched her body countless times like a thug, and he remembered the sensation vividly.
"Ah..."
So, it was an impulsive act. As naturally as possible, but in a rushed manner, he kissed the back of Amelia's neck as she was putting on her shirt.
“What, what are you doing?”
As expected, Amelia flinched and trembled at Ivan's unexpected touch.
“Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever left a mark.”
Amelia blinked, her mouth slightly open at Ivan's brazen response. She seemed to have forgotten she was even changing clothes.
“What if someone sees...?”
“It’s just one or two, they guess you got bitten by a bug.”
"Of course, would they believe that precious Priestess was having an affair?" Ivan continued his brazen reply. Amelia glared at Ivan and began hastily buttoning up her shirt.
"It's okay?"
Finally, Amelia put on a shirt and trousers and pulled a black hat over her head. She looked like a small boy, unmistakably so. Even the color of her eyes, obscured by the wide-brimmed hat, was less striking. It was just as Ivan had planned.
“Shall we go?”
Ivan asked. Amelia nodded, and Ivan firmly grasped her hand. He then opened the door to the secret passage. Amelia, standing behind Ivan, smiled bashfully.
No matter how hard she tried to hide it, she couldn't hide her excitement, like a child going on a picnic. Just like the moments when she couldn't hide her feelings for him.
That cheerfulness was the real Amelia Escliff.
***
“But is it okay for us to come out like this?”
Just as they were climbing over the palace walls, Amelia suddenly asked a question. She'd accepted his offer, excited about the prospect of going out, but she seemed to be wondering if there would really be any repercussions.
“As long as no one notices us, it won’t be a problem.”
Ivan's answer was clear. He knew that no one would even suspect Ivan and Amelia would be together at this hour, and even if they did spot them, they would likely doubt their eyes, not their relationship.
“We look exactly like two men, so we can’t hold hands and go.”
At Ivan's words, Amelia quickly shook his hand away. It was a reflexive action, without a shred of remorse.
“Walk naturally. Don’t stutter.”
“Who said it was ticking...”
She wasn't upset. Seeing her eyes scanning her surroundings with a strange unfamiliarity, as if she'd been thrown into the world for the first time, he couldn't dare entertain such thoughts.
“Where do you plan to go?”
Amelia, who was casually adjusting her clothes, asked a question. Ivan turned his gaze to the street, shrouded in the night air.
“Go where you want.”
In fact, there was only one place he could show her. Until then, he had intended to accommodate everything Amelia wanted.
“Anywhere? Do you mind wandering?”
“Do as you wish.”
Amelia took a slow step forward at Ivan's reply. Ivan followed leisurely behind her.
“Ivan, it looks like the shops over there are open.”
As the night deepened, the streets, with their few people passing by, were, frankly, boring for Ivan. There were a few things to see and a few people. However, Amelia's eyes, scanning her surroundings, twinkled like stars.
It was only natural. She's seen the road many times, even passing by in carriages, but she's never set foot on it. That was the true identity of the Priestess who claimed to be the protector of the poor.
"Excuse me?"
Ivan asked, nodding to a building with a sign reading "Mac & Will's Tavern." Amelia nodded several times instead of answering. Instead of giving permission to go, Ivan took the initiative. Amelia followed him like a timid puppy.
“Welcome.”
A man with a grim expression and a woman with a warm demeanor greeted them. They were told they could sit anywhere, so Ivan took a seat near the window. While Ivan absentmindedly read the menu, Amelia glanced around. The restaurant was quite crowded, with few seats left.
“Four chicken skewers and two beers.”
“I’ll have it ready for you right away.”
A man with a gruff expression took their order in a rough voice and turned away from them.
“Do you normally open a restaurant this late?”
"This is a tavern. But it'll probably close before midnight."
There was only about an hour left to enjoy the tavern. But Amelia seemed content with that. Her standards for satisfaction were noticeably lower than others.
“Beer and food are here.”
Soon, the food and drinks Ivan had ordered arrived.
“Try it.”
“...”
“You were curious about that before.”
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