“Episode 4”
“Why are you doing this? It’s strange…”
Emperor Lionel muttered after kissing me a few times, shaking his head with a puzzled expression. Why are you doing this? No, what’s strange about it?
“Huh?!”
I was startled as Emperor Lionel’s beautiful face approached mine, and my lips opened unconsciously. Excuse me, I didn’t ask for a kiss, did I? My lips were suddenly pressed between his. Right now, as the handsome man shattered my reason, I couldn’t muster any response. It felt like my soul was drifting away in blissful sensations, as if dancing to a sweet melody. It was one of the most dizzying moments of my life. Every nerve in my body seemed to awaken, making my senses incredibly sharp. But why? What was Emperor Lionel trying to ascertain through this frantic exchange between our lips? I didn’t know the reasons behind Emperor Lionel’s actions, but I had to be proactive in my response. Strangely, the excruciating pain coursing through my body was fading away. Unknowingly, I found myself embracing him with both arms. It was just a reflex, a survival instinct. The meeting of our lips intensified simultaneously. Ironically, despite the priests having left the room, the kiss became even more passionate.
“Hmm…”
Emperor Lionel was the first to break the kiss. He looked somewhat surprised as he saw me clinging desperately to him. I, too, was taken aback by my own daring actions. But I couldn’t stop myself. A refreshing coolness seeped into my skin wherever his body touched mine, a sensation beyond words. Contrary to the increasing warmth of his breath, mine became fresher and fresher. If I wasn’t mistaken, even Emperor Lionel’s face seemed to be glowing with vitality. But what about me? Why was he glowing? His face, previously emanating a cold aura, now appeared flushed. Why was he blushing? Why was he biting his lips continuously? Was he deliberately holding his breath? In the privacy of the bedroom, with only the two of us, ironically, Emperor Lionel’s performance was getting more and more intense. He kept chuckling as he continuously pressed his lips against mine. It felt really strange! Right now, it felt like some powerful force was pulling him towards me. As I swallowed nervously, something unexpected… happened.
Gradually, my mind began to reel. I felt disconnected from time and space for a while before returning to reality. And when I regained my senses, my boiling body temperature had returned to normal. It was a feeling of being engulfed by an irresistible force.
“Why does my body react like this when it touches the empress’s skin…? Why does my body feel so warm?”
I wanted to ask Emperor Lionel, who whispered the questions into my ear. Why do I feel so refreshed and cool when our skin touches…?
“…This wasn’t supposed to happen like this…”
Emperor Lionel whispered with a troubled expression and a very apologetic voice. I share the same sentiment. How did we end up like this?
“I’m sorry, sincerely. But, Empress…”
Struggling to speak, Emperor Lionel clenched his teeth in agony before withholding some important words.
“Yes?”
“Ease… up…”
“Ease up? What do you mean by that…?”
As I questioned him with a puzzled tone, he tapped my hand as if surrendering in a fight, indicating me to release some pressure.
“I’m not trying to crush your arms, just ease up…”
It dawned on me then that I had been squeezing his arms tightly as if wringing out laundry.
“Oh, I’m sorry!”
I quickly released my hands from his arms. I had left pale imprints on his arms from gripping too tightly. Emperor Lionel buried his face in my neck, calming his breath. I wanted to ask him, “Your Majesty, what were you trying to confirm earlier?” but the awkward atmosphere stifled my voice. He held me in his arms without saying anything for a while. The indistinguishable sound of our heartbeats resonated throughout our bodies. The two heartbeats seemed to race against each other, like two horses galloping side by side. After a moment, he lifted his head to look at me. I didn’t shy away from his blue eyes. It was just as awkward to look anywhere else. It seemed best to stare at the person who made me feel the weirdest. A strange feeling washed over me as I continued to gaze at his restless face. Oh, Your Majesty of the Rapion Empire…! Was today truly your first night as a true emperor? The Shatoanile Kingdom is quite open-minded about relationships after turning twenty. Despite living a life akin to a nun due to unfavorable circumstances, I had always kept an eye out for opportunities to ignite passion. But why was this remarkable man so pure, even in his gaze? Unintentionally engaging in a staring contest with him, he suddenly kissed my eyelids. I instinctively closed my eyes, fearing he might gouge them out. Perhaps that was his intention. Failing to extract my eyeballs, he kissed my cheeks one after another like a puppy. At least puppies are cute. This man, however, was dangerously… sexy. As Emperor Lionel continued to kiss my cheeks, his expression piqued my curiosity, prompting me to open my previously closed eyes. Emperor Lionel had his eyes closed. His long eyelashes trembled slightly. Despite not seeing his pupils, his captivating appearance could mesmerize anyone. Unconsciously, my hand reached up to his dignified, luminous face. His silky smooth skin slipped under my touch. When he opened his eyes, he briefly smiled at me before returning to an expressionless state. Was that smile just now mocking? ‘How dare you lay your hands on my noble and beautiful face!’ Was that the meaning behind it? Sweat beads dripped shyly down Emperor Lionel’s face.
“What is your identity, exactly?” He said, holding my chin with his hand. In that moment, his words made my heart race. Was he starting to doubt my existence?
“I, I am…”
“That wasn’t a question.”
His words made me exhale a cautious sigh of relief.
“Well then…”
“I couldn’t control it. I’ve always lived my life with control over everything that happens to me. Why did it happen just now? Why?”
He couldn’t stop himself, staring at me intently, questioning.
“…”
As I hesitated to answer, he moved to lie down beside me. After taking a deep breath, he glanced at me. When I shyly smiled at Emperor Lionel’s gaze, he suddenly covered my forehead with the blanket.
“Ugh, Your Majesty?!”
For a moment, I thought he was trying to suffocate me. He chuckled at my surprised voice and lowered the blanket back down to my neck. As I glanced at him, he pretended not to notice and called out towards the bedroom door.
“Stian!”
As Emperor Lionel called out the steward’s name, the bedroom door opened, and the attendants waiting outside entered the room. The attendants, surrounding the bedroom, offered their congratulations as they walked around, oblivious to any suspicion.
“Your Majesty, we will proceed with the final procedures.”
“Very well.”
The attendants began to chant the final blessing song, announcing our union as a true couple. With harmonious voices, it wasn’t unpleasant to hear. After the blessing song ended, the attendants politely bid farewell and orderly left the bedroom.
“May you both have a comfortable first night.”
Humph, how amusing. The ones who made the first night the most uncomfortable aren’t in a position to say anything, are they?
Once again, Emperor Lionel and I, along with the awkward atmosphere, were left in the bedroom. We lay side by side, gazing up at the angelic cherubs gesturing on the ceiling mural. However, when Emperor Lionel moved to sit up, I instinctively turned away from his gaze, feeling uneasy. But as I turned, I realized there was no need. Since I had consumed the magic potion, my burn scars were not visible. It was an action that slipped out of habit, forgetting that fact.
“Empress…”
His cold voice tapped my back. It felt uncomfortable whenever the Emperor called me Empress, as if I were wearing clothes that didn’t belong to me.
“Empress.”
He called me again.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I replied quietly.
“Don’t turn away.”
“Uh… yes?”
At his unexpected words, my body involuntarily turned back to him.
“Don’t turn away first. Your back.”
“Oh, Your Majesty. I was just…”
“I know. What you’re worried about.”
His softened voice only made me more tense. Although Emperor Lionel’s words may have been meaningless, they felt embarrassing, as if he knew my flaws and was mocking me. But the thought of turning my back on him again disappeared. I always pretended not to care about others’ attention, but in reality, I did. I wanted to hide my burn scars, which were clearly visible to others. I knew the duplicity of the nobles—their outward affection but reluctance to get closer once approached. They tried to prove themselves as dignified nobles with compassion and empathy, yet some deliberately hovered around me, not wanting to get too close. But none of them ever told me that the way I am right now is okay. My burn scars were not a sign of being fine; they marked a boundary that prevented me from getting close to others. The looks and expressions of the nobles, hoping I would avert my gaze first. However, Emperor Lionel was telling me not to turn away first, even though he hadn’t seen my burn scars. It still choked me up.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?” he asked again, sounding annoyed.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You were quick to respond earlier, but why are you suddenly silent?”
He still looked displeased as he glanced at me, then suddenly seemed to realize something. After grimacing and exhaling deeply, he finally spoke.
“I was just trying to mimic it, but I ended up doing it my own way… That’s why it got awkward.”
“?”
“Earlier… yes. Let me apologize again.”
Emperor Lionel spoke politely to me. His gaze was so dignified that I felt compelled to sit up as well. I pulled the fluffy blanket up to my chest and met his gaze. After studying my face for a few seconds, he cleared his throat and spoke seriously.
“Hmm, the attendants are quite observant and have a good sense of perception.”
“What?”
“They probably sensed whether we were really holding a nocturnal ceremony or not.”
“Suddenly?”
“What?”
“Earlier, you clearly said that even if the dim-witted and clueless attendants observed inside the bedroom, they wouldn’t know that we were pretending.”
“…Did I say that?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. You said exactly that just a minute before the attendants entered.”
“Perhaps that’s because you seemed so nervous…”
Emperor Lionel dismissed it, tapping his own neck with his hand as if making an excuse. And there was a genuinely apologetic look in his eyes. In fact, there was no need for him to apologize. He had saved me from burning alive in the fire, so I wanted to tell him that it was thanks to him that I was alive. If he hadn’t done that, I probably would have…
“You don’t need to apologize. We are already married.”
As I involuntarily spoke these words as a proxy empress, my conscience pricked my heart.
“It was warm.”
Emperor Lionel suddenly said. His brief confession pierced through my heart and settled heavily.
“I am always like winter. But when I kissed the Empress, it felt like spring. So, I wanted to investigate further.”
“?”
He continued calmly.
“It was not a misconception. My body actually heated up. I wanted to confirm whether it was a misconception or if my body temperature really rose. But it wasn’t a misconception. My body heated up to the point of feeling like midsummer.”
What on earth is he talking about?
“You probably already know about my condition from Prince Tesla.”
At his incomprehensible words, I stared blankly, and he chuckled.
“Didn’t Prince Tesla inform you of this fact?”
“No, Your Majesty. I haven’t heard anything from the prince.”
“That’s why people say that royal marriages are filled with falsehoods.”
“Was there something else I needed to hear?”
I asked calmly. His lips, which seemed unwilling to speak freely, moved again.
“I was in the midst of the final battle in the Valley of Death. At that time, I was ambushed by a Wyvern-Handling Mage from the continent of Nam. He cursed me.”
“A curse? What…!”
At Emperor Lionel’s mention of a curse, the area of my burn scars tingled. I unconsciously raised and lowered my hand on the burn scars. He looked at me with his chilly blue eyes and replied.
“My body temperature is much lower than that of ordinary people. That’s my curse. But during the moment with the Empress, even without us realizing it… it felt like the knots in my muscles were loosening.”
I gasped at Emperor Lionel’s words. It was a reaction opposite to his. While my body felt hot as if engulfed in flames, his body cooled down when we touched! Could it be that our body temperatures return to normal upon contact? I wanted to say that I’m experiencing similar symptoms to him. But I was just a proxy empress, not his real wife, so I had to choose my words carefully.
“Are you surprised?”
“No, Your Majesty. I’m just glad you felt a little bit comfortable.”
“That’s an understatement,” Emperor Lionel said, shaking his head with conviction.
“I felt good, but I’m curious… no, worried about how you felt.”
Seeing him glance around like a shy boy made me feel even more awkward. His usually composed eyes seemed slightly cute as they moved around in embarrassment.
“Huh? What did you say?”
So I deliberately pretended not to understand and asked him again.
“Oh, was that question too awkward? The Empress might not understand.”
“Yes.”
I nodded my head while swallowing the urge to burst out laughing.
“This is the first time for something like this.”
“…What do you mean?”
“The first time, I said.”
He said with a forceful tone, as if he thought I hadn’t heard. I had expected it, but hearing it directly from him was shocking.
“Your Majesty, is today really your first time…?”
I started to ask directly but then stopped myself. Emperor Lionel’s expression crumpled visibly, and he narrowed his eyes, piercing me with his gaze.
“Why, wasn’t it the first time for the Empress…?”
His tone was sharp.
“Or was it because I’m not your type, so it wasn’t enjoyable?”
Huh? This statement… is he referring to what I said last night…? No way! A feeling of dread washed over me suddenly. I asked him again for confirmation.
“Your Majesty, you’re saying I’m not your type? What do you mean by that…?”
“We talked about it yesterday. Don’t you remember?”
“!”
He grinned sinisterly.
“You… Your Majesty, do you perhaps remember last night…?”
“Yeah, I do,” Emperor Lionel said with a relaxed expression.
“And… how could I forget meeting in such a place?”
Oh no, this is bad. He clearly remembers what happened between us last night. He even remembers the things I blurted out.
