“Episode 19”
“What’s the occasion for coming to the Empress’s quarters tonight?”
“Does someone need a reason to visit the Empress’s chambers?”
“It’s not that, but… if you had contacted me in advance, I would have finished bathing quickly to greet you.”
“I was worried about that.”
Lionel stirred the water in the bathtub with his hand as he spoke.
“Yes? Oh.”
He withdrew his hand from the bathtub, splashing water onto my face, and chuckled.
“So, I just came as I was.”
“It’s not suitable for you to sit here. If you step out for a moment, I’ll finish bathing…”
“It’s fine. I’ll just sit here for a while.”
With a resigned look, Lionel sat on the edge of the bathtub, placing one hip on it.
“Oh my, there might have been water there, right?”
“…Zelda, I didn’t purposely sit down and then tell you about it, did I?”
“I’m not that petty of a woman.”
I said firmly. In fact, I knew all along. I watched eagerly to see if Lionel would actually sit at the end of the bathtub, thinking to myself, ‘Please sit down already!’
“Well, it’s been only a few days since the marriage, and with four concubines entering, seeing you so calm, you’re definitely a wife who’s distant from being petty.”
As Lionel dipped his fingers into the bathtub and slowly moved his hand back and forth, gentle ripples formed in the water. As his hand motion caused the rose petals floating on the water to gather towards him, I quickly dispersed them evenly with my hand. He looked directly into my face and spoke seriously.
“You’re beautiful.”
“…It’s embarrassing because I’m bare-faced.”
“Why embarrassed? You’re simply beautiful.”
His comment on my bare face was quite flattering.
“Stop looking at my face.”
I said firmly, causing him to wrinkle his nose with a disappointed expression.
“Zelda, isn’t it a bit too much to be embarrassed just because I saw it and didn’t touch it?”
“It’s my first time showing my bare face to a man… I’m embarrassed.”
“I’ve never seen a woman’s bare face either. You may be embarrassed showing it, but even I feel embarrassed looking at it.”
What kind of logic is this?
“But, why are you looking?”
“Because being embarrassed is enjoyable.”
Lies. He didn’t seem embarrassed at all.
“It’s an emotion I haven’t experienced before. As the Emperor, I have nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“That… might be possible.”
“Oh, no. Come to think of it, there was once.”
He piqued my curiosity.
“Really? When was that?”
What could have made the Emperor feel embarrassed?
“It was during the war. I missed my aim due to a sudden gust of wind while trying to behead the enemy, and ended up cutting off my own arm.”
As he recalled that day’s scene, he bowed his head in pain, covering his face with both hands.
“That mistake was truly embarrassing.”
“…That’s quite a metaphor.”
“I know. It was quite hot, wasn’t it?”
“?”
I lost my words at his unique interpretation.
“I didn’t know my hands were this big.”
He muttered quietly as he raised his head again.
“What?”
“I plucked too many flower petals.”
He said, scooping out some of the flower petals floating in the bathtub with his hand.
“W-what are you doing?”
In an instant, as the flower petals disappeared, I instinctively hugged my body with both arms in a defensive posture. Ignoring my reaction, he earnestly threw the flower petals onto the floor. If more petals disappeared… it would be dangerous. I quickly grabbed Lionel’s arm, which was trying to remove the petals.
“Stop taking them off, this could be trouble!”
“Isn’t this more trouble?”
He gestured towards his own arm that I held tightly.
“How dare you, obstructing me.”
“Gosh.”
I quickly pulled my hands away from his arms. But the thin shirt he was wearing was soaked up to his elbows.
“Sorry, Your Majesty!”
“Zelda, it’s your first time.”
“What do you mean?”
“The first person to drench me like this.”
“….”
My saliva seemed to swallow in his clear and moist eyeballs.
“Hahaha! Did you misunderstand my words and start thinking about something else? Judging by that bewildered expression?”
I gave up arguing against Lionel’s assertion.
“You seem very pleased?”
“Indeed. With everything.”
His lingering gaze on my face shifted downwards. I followed his gaze. When did the bathtub water decrease like this? The water level, which was definitely up to my collarbone a moment ago, had dropped to a precarious level. Lionel must have been busy spreading the water around with his hands while sweeping rose petals. I quickly submerged myself deeper into the bathtub like a tortoise, bending my neck.
“Other ladies would intentionally expose their dresses when they stand in front of me, why are you so intent on hiding?”
He asked with a puzzled expression.
“You should be more intent.”
“….Huh?”
“It’s a joke. Just that I’m naturally a woman who is deeply ingrained with modesty.”
“That sounds more like a joke.”
“Not really?”
“Well, anyway. When it’s just the two of us, tone down that modesty. Otherwise, I might end up manipulating you as I please.”
“…A kind suggestion, thank you.”
I replied with a slightly lowered gaze.
“Listening to such words gives me more courage.”
“Really?”
“Wouldn’t you like to show more of your heart?”
“When?”
Ah, where did this stupid question come from! But even with my strange question, there was no change in his expression.
“Does the location matter when showing your heart? Well… whether it’s here or in the bedroom, it doesn’t matter to me.”
I didn’t know how to react to his words, whether they were serious or a joke. What exactly does it mean to show one’s heart… The water in the bathtub was getting hotter and hotter.
“Huh, I knew my question was foolish from the start. You can’t just bring out your heart. It’s just something you feel.”
He said, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“If you knew, why did you bother asking?”
“Just wanted to.”
Lionel replied shyly again, avoiding a straightforward answer.
“Just felt like I should ask you anything. Whatever it is.”
“Why?”
“When I’m with you, strangely, I don’t feel like doing whatever I want.”
Despite Lionel’s polite tone, my heart was pounding accurately.
“Just one thing… except.”
With his added comment, his gaze felt particularly suggestive. Somehow, I felt like he knew exactly what he was thinking about me.
“You’re not going to ask what that one thing is?”
Lionel asked, asserting that I would be curious about that ‘one thing’. Although I wondered if my guess was correct, if it was, it seemed like something I couldn’t handle. So, it was time to end the conversation. I shook my head vigorously with my lips tightly sealed.
“You’re curious with that expression? Or do you already know and you’re shaking your head?”
It seems… this man, somehow ended up on the imperial throne by reading people’s minds. As I stared at him with widened eyes, his lips curled mischievously. Reluctantly, I asked about that ‘one thing’.
“What is it?”
Contrary to my hesitant voice, his response was precise and firm.
“Sleeping with you. That’s what I want to do.”
His voice was clear and resolute. My heartbeats raced, and I couldn’t blink properly.
“As expected, your expression tells me you didn’t take my words at face value this time either.”
Lionel laughed and lightly tapped my nose with his finger.
“I didn’t mean a romantic relationship.”
“Then…”
“I literally meant sleeping with you on the same bed.”
Ah, was that what he meant? He should have expressed it like that from the beginning. My heartbeat returned to normal.
“I meant literally that it’s nice to sleep with you on the same bed.”
Ah, was that what he meant? He should have expressed it like that from the beginning. My heart rate returned to normal.
“It was a statement with considerable potential for misunderstanding.”
“You can misunderstand as much as you want. Actually, even if you misunderstand, there’s nothing I can say.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Yep, I bet the very imagination you have with that innocent little mind of yours is correct.”
Lionel held my head with both hands and laughed. He seemed to see right through me. Ah, I should get out of the bathtub before the water boils like lava.
“Your Majesty, I’m feeling a bit tired today, so I’d like to rest soon.”
“I can see that.”
He nodded again as he moved away from my face.
“So it’s time for you to leave here…”
I cautiously interrupted.
“Leave?”
“Yes! Oh no, if you could go to the bedroom first…”
“Is something good waiting?”
“Yes! Oh no, if you could wait on the bed for a moment…”
“Will my wish be fulfilled?”
Should I just say it? I hesitated for a moment.
“Huh, why are you looking at me like a startled rabbit? I told you, if you don’t want to, I won’t bother you. You look really tired, so I’ll leave you alone for today.”
“…Are you serious?”
I looked at Lionel suspiciously as he retreated.
“Yeah, you might not be feeling good about our Empress’s mood today because of the palace issue. I shouldn’t make it more uncomfortable.”
As his eyes softened, he looked pitiful like a puppy in the rain. Why do I feel sorry for him again?
“Your body will swell because of me. I should get up now, right?”
Lionel seemed to be considering leaving the bathroom.
“Thanks to the clothes, it’s cold because they’re soaked, but if I catch a cold, who will take care of the stinging body?”
Is he really wet enough for that…
“Catch a cold?”
Instead of answering, he nodded with a stern look.
“If I catch a cold, I’ll have to stay in the main palace until I recover.”
“With me?”
“Well, I can stay or leave. Anyway, when I came to the Empress’s palace earlier, it was quite windy. I guess this cursed cold body will meet its chilly friend.”
Is he saying these things to be caught?
“Without wearing a robe, it’s eerie and chilly like having three or four ghosts stuck to my back.”
“It’s not that bad…”
“I was very tired today, Empress. Don’t worry and get a warm night’s sleep alone. I’ll handle the cold wind.”
He talked as if he was going to push the bathroom door open and leave. When I stared at him,
“Why, what?”
He didn’t show any signs of getting up from the bathtub.
