When Roderick visited Lee-Jae’s chambers late at night, she was once again engrossed in Hailey’s diary. Though she had thrown it aside multiple times before, at some point, she had grown serious about it.
It was thanks to this diary that she first began to suspect the Duke of murdering the King’s fiancées. Who knew what other clues were hidden within its pages?
Watching her intently, Roderick finally asked,
“Can I read it with you?”
“No.”
She rejected him outright, and Roderick’s face fell slightly in disappointment.
“That’s unfair. We’re married.”
“Even between a married couple, there should be some privacy.”
She heard that Westerners value that kind of thing even more.
“Oh? So my dear Queen holds such beliefs? That’s quite different from how I see marriage.”
“….”
“I just thought childhood diary entries might be kind of cute, that’s all.”
“…I hate to disappoint you, but there’s nothing cute about this.”
Yet, Roderick still seemed eager to read it. Of course, if he truly wanted to, he had plenty of ways to get his hands on the diary. But he simply wished to see it through fair and proper means—with her consent.
“Don’t you think sharing personal things like this could bring us closer?”
“I doubt it. If anything, I think it’ll just create more distance.”
Every time she read it, she felt an overwhelming sense of distance from Hailey.
“Alright, but you can’t laugh at it.”
Letting out a small sigh, Lee-Jae knew she couldn’t show him entries that said things like ‘I don’t want to get hit. I don’t want to die’.
In the end, she reluctantly handed him a diary entry from about three years ago.
「November 5, 497
Mother went to the dessert shop again.
I like strawberry cake, but this time, she’ll buy me chocolate cake.」
When the King flipped through a few more pages, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. It was just too adorable. It didn’t feel like the diary of a nineteen-year-old but rather that of a nine-year-old.
In truth, despite her naturally charming appearance, the Queen had never once acted cute in front of anyone. If anything, she often carried herself like an enlightened old sage.
And as the saying goes, if someone looks cute without even trying, it means they’re genuinely cute.
The King was fully prepared to find even a diary filled with complaints about him to be endearing.
“Why did you write like this?”
“You see it too, don’t you, Your Majesty?”
“Was it just because you were young? Your way of speaking and writing are completely different.”
The King was sharp—he always saw things for what they were.
“Were you worried someone might peek into your diary? My little fox sure is cautious.”
At that, Lee-Jae fell into deep thought.
“…Maybe I was?”
“What’s with that vague answer?”
He chuckled and ruffled her hair.
“You definitely liked sweet things when you were younger, huh?”
“It seems that way.”
“Then how did my little fox end up like this?”
Lee-Jae furrowed her brows at his choice of words.
“Like what?”
“How did you turn into someone with such an old-fashioned palate?”
Feeling slightly offended, she pouted.
“What’s wrong with my taste? Why do you have to judge even that by your standards? Just respect it.”
“Alright, alright. I’m just having fun.”
Roderick casually tossed the diary onto the nightstand and pulled Lee-Jae into his arms as they laid down.
It was bedtime, and time for their nightly kiss. She still hadn’t given a clear answer about it, but she no longer seemed to dislike it. In fact, she seemed to be getting used to it, even enjoying it.
But tonight, Roderick took things a step further.
His hand, which had been tracing the gentle curve of her back, slowly moved downward. When his large hand softly caressed the round curves and dips of her body, Lee-Jae slightly pulled back and looked at him.
His deep blue eyes were gazing right back at her.
“Can I keep touching you?”
There was a subtle tension, a slight stiffness in the air, but Lee-Jae nodded hesitantly. After sharing a bed and kissing every night, it felt strange to suddenly say no now.
Yet, Roderick kept watching her and then asked,
“…The chest is off-limits, right?”
Lee-Jae almost burst out laughing but barely held it in. Seeing her expression, Roderick nodded to himself.
“I take back that statement. Very gentlemanly, with the utmost respect.”
“…”
“But… did I seem too much like a beast just now?”
Unable to suppress her laughter any longer, Lee-Jae pushed him away and buried her face in the pillow. Roderick lightly shook her shoulder.
“What? Hailey. Are you laughing? You’re not crying, right?”
Then, a small giggle escaped from her.
“Ah, what the—why are you laughing? If it’s funny, tell me. If it’s not, tell me that too so I can adjust.”
“…”
“You’re not going to say anything?”
“…”
“If you keep ignoring me, I’m going to cry.”
Lee-Jae burst into even louder laughter.
“Your Majesty, you’re seriously such a funny person.”
But since she still refused to lift her head, Roderick pressed himself against her back. Then, he buried his lips into the nape of her neck. The sharp sensation made her squirm frantically.
“Ugh! What are you doing? Why are you biting my neck?!”
Ignoring her protests, Roderick held her in place from behind and left a mark. He was staking his claim, just like a beast marking its territory.
“You keep treating me like a beast, so I figured I should play the part.”
“…Do it gently. It feels weird.”
“Then you might feel even weirder soon.”
Even after leaving a clear mark, Roderick didn’t stop—he licked over the spot, again and again. When Lee-Jae went completely still, like a fox that had just been caught at its weak spot, he finally let go.
He gently turned her over to face him.
Lee-Jae’s eyes curved into crescent moons as she laughed soundlessly.
Seeing her like that made Roderick’s heart drop with a thud. It was like watching a fox wag its bushy tail in amusement.
Just as he was about to pounce on her again with renewed enthusiasm, Lee-Jae reached out and stopped him.
“Go to sleep already.”
She pushed lightly against his chest while still chuckling, then tenderly stroked his face. After that, she promptly pulled the blanket over herself, disappearing under the covers.
The apricot-colored fox, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly opened her eyes wide. With sharp eyes, she stared out the window. Her movements were so precise and fluid that she truly seemed like a fox spirit.
By now, Lee-Jae had grown quite accustomed to situations like this. Although she still felt burdened by them, her heart was far more at ease than before.
Perhaps it was because the King was giving her both comfort and joy.
It’s people who save people. And it was also people who gave others the strength to do so.
Striding toward the window, Lee-Jae stared intently at the drunken spirit outside. The spirit didn’t dare knock on the window but remained a short distance away, calling out for Roderick. That was because Lee-Jae had been reinforcing and refining the barrier whenever she had the chance.
“Honestly, at this point, I’m more tired of you than scared.”
Lee-Jae shook her head in exasperation. But after a sigh, she turned away. She intended to help the spirit resolve its lingering regrets and pass on peacefully.
Quietly opening the door, Lee-Jae peeked her head out.
“Your Majesty the Queen?”
The sight of the Queen Consort appearing in the hallway in the middle of the night left the people bewildered.
The Knight Commander approached her, lowering his head to match her eye level.
“Is there something you need?”
Lee-Jae scanned the corridor, looking around. The person she was searching for was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is Deborah?”
“She just finished her shift. Shall I call for her?”
After a brief moment of thought, Lee-Jae shook her head.
“Jade.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Could you bring me a drink?”
The Knight Commander immediately had a realization—he should have called for the head lady-in-waiting from the start.
“Is His Majesty awake as well?”
In the past, the King used to seek out strong liquor every night. It was the only way he could get even a little sleep, though it was ultimately a vicious cycle. But curiously, such incidents had completely stopped happening lately.
Lee-Jae shook her head.
“No, he’s sleeping.”
“…”
“I don’t need any food, just a drink. And only one glass is enough.”
A long silence followed.
Is she really going to drink hard liquor with no food?
A newlywed bride seeking out alcohol alone in the middle of the night—especially strong liquor—was not a good sign. The Knight Commander, looking genuinely concerned, sneaked a glance through the crack in the door.
He knew that the King had been treating the Queen incredibly well. Not just in his general demeanor but also in the fact that he had temporarily put aside the issue with the Duncan family to protect her.
But does he torment her at night?
A Queen sneaking out to drink alone at dawn? It was heartbreaking.
And then, as the Knight Commander kept stealing glances through the door, Lee-Jae turned around, wondering why.
At that moment, everyone saw it.
Dear heavens. What is that?
The Queen’s neck was covered in countless, unmistakable marks—so blatant that one could hardly bear to look. It was impossible to even imagine what had happened to result in such a sight.
Did he actually devour her whole…?
“Why are you all staring at me like that?”
“…”
“I just want a drink before bed. I couldn’t sleep well. Is that a problem?”
As people kept looking at her with pity, Lee-Jae hesitated, her expression turning unsure. Finally, Jade made up her mind and spoke.
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“You know that I hold you in the highest regard, correct?”
“Yes, I know. I’m very grateful to you.”
Jade’s warm and gentle words only made her feel more sorrowful.
“Then please don’t take my words too harshly. I apologize if I’m being rude. But we are here to serve both of you, and since we’re all adults, including Your Majesty…”
“Mm-hmm. What is it?”
“Are the nights… very difficult for you?”
“…Huh? Well, I do struggle a lot at night.”
“…”
“But how would you know that, Jade?”
The Knight Commander gave her a look as if he had expected this response all along.
His Majesty has always had extraordinary stamina—almost beastly, no, just exceptional. Most people wouldn’t even consider going on a hunt after missing a few nights of sleep.
Jade nodded knowingly.
“If that’s the case, then I will carefully suggest something once more.”
“…Suggest what?”
Lee-Jae glanced around at the others. The maids had turned bright red, clearly flustered, yet they still nodded at her reassuringly, as if insisting that there was nothing embarrassing about this conversation.
Before long, she pieced things together, and her eyes widened in shock.
“No! It’s not like that!”
“You don’t need to think too hard about it. Newlyweds naturally learn to adjust—”
“I said it’s not like that!”
Lee-Jae shrieked in horror, then quickly clamped her mouth shut, sneaking a glance toward the room. Lowering her voice, she continued.
“His Majesty isn’t like that.”
“…”
“Not at all. He’s always so considerate of me.”
“…”
“He’s really kind and thoughtful. You know that.”
Then why did Your Majesty have a nosebleed? Right now, that mark on your neck practically radiates intense longing—not to mention a thirst that still hasn’t been satisfied. How much and in what way did things unfold for it to end up like this?
Despite Lee-Jae’s repeated denials and her firm defense of her husband, the people around her still weren’t entirely convinced.
