“I’ve been making sure you’re eating well, so why do you keep getting weaker?”
Sian sat me down on the edge of the bed and tilted my chin up, scanning my face.
His brows furrowed slightly, and from the way he genuinely looked puzzled, I couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded.
“It’s nothing like that. The cocktail had a digestive aid mixed in, so I just got a little dizzy for a moment.”
I quickly explained, trying to calm him down.
“This isn’t something you need to be this concerned about.”
Why did it feel like I had somehow turned the Emperor of the Empire into a nervous butler constantly worrying over a troublesome cat?
Had I raised him wrong?
At first, I just wanted to help him get stronger, prevent war, and stop him from self-destructing—a dependable emperor, you know?
‘How did it come to this…?’
“…Nothing to worry about?”
“Yes. You don’t have to fuss over me anymore. Go take care of your work.”
I firmly drew the line.
If this went on, instead of becoming a charismatic ruler, he’d turn into a nagging shadow following me everywhere!
But… Xian’s expression darkened, looking thoroughly displeased.
“So you’re pushing me away… which means you’re up to something.”
‘Huh?’
Suddenly, he twisted his lips into a suspicious smirk and started searching my room.
I blinked, completely caught off guard.
“W-What are you doing?!”
“You coughed up blood again and hid it, didn’t you? You think I wouldn’t notice, after all the times you’ve tried hiding things from me?”
He rummaged through my pillows, then froze, staring at me.
His large hands ruthlessly yanked off the pillowcase.
I tried to stop him.
“Ah! Don’t take that off!”
“What do you mean, don’t—”
Xian stopped mid-sentence, staring at what he had pulled out.
It was my secret romance novel, which, unfortunately, had automatically changed its cover and title a few days ago as part of its “privacy protection feature.”
Now, it was titled:
“What Happens in the Closet at Midnight”
…Yeah.
“…Oh.”
I covered my burning face with both hands and groaned in embarrassment.
Xian, without a word, calmly placed the book back under my pillow and handed it to me.
Then, like a relentless hunter, he continued scouring my room.
Crash.
“Not here.”
“My clothes!”
That was the outfit I had picked out for tomorrow morning!
Thud.
“Where are you hiding it?”
“Stop touching everything!”
Even my air-purifying plant, which I had been thinking of raising as a hobby, was not spared.
Clinging onto his back, I desperately tried to stop him while calling for help.
“Lady Lauren! Please—!”
Hearing all the commotion, my head lady-in-waiting cautiously opened the door.
“Your Majesty, did you find—”
But at that exact moment, I lost my balance while trying to stop Xian from flipping my mattress.
The result?
We crashed onto the bed in a tangled mess.
“Huff, huff… Can you just stop already?!”
“Quit whining. I haven’t even started.”
“……I deeply apologize. Please, continue.”
Lauren immediately excused herself.
…Hey!
She made eye contact with me, then just left?!
I stared at the closed door, completely betrayed, but Lauren did not return.
Left with no choice, I reluctantly took Xian’s outstretched hand and got up.
“This is too much. Searching my private quarters?”
I shot him a glare.
I had perfected the process of covering up any evidence of my antidote-induced bleeding—there was nothing to find.
But still! Privacy exists for a reason!
“If it bothers you, you’re welcome to search my room too. I don’t mind.”
“And what exactly am I supposed to do with that?”
“Oh. So you have no interest?”
I nodded.
Of course not.
What was there to dig through in Xian’s room? Clothes? Documents? A few weapons, maybe?
…Wait.
‘Hold on. Maybe there is something interesting?’
Just as I was debating whether it might be worth investigating, Xian spoke in an impassive tone.
“You sure do like interfering in my life.”
“…Huh?”
“And now you suddenly don’t care? So, you’re not interested in me anymore.”
‘What? That’s not what I meant!’
I glanced at him hesitantly, sensing an odd sulkiness in his tone.
“That’s not it. It’s just… You’re overprotective, and it’s a bit suffocating…”
“I see. Well then, since you’re already uncomfortable, I might as well make it worse.”
‘…What?’
Before I could process what was happening, he suddenly stood up.
Then, very pointedly, he strode over to my dressing table.
A massive, intimidating man standing in front of a cute, dainty vanity was so ridiculous that I almost laughed.
‘Oh, wait—’
I just remembered.
I had put the map and land survey reports in that drawer.
Panic hit me like a bolt of lightning.
If Xian saw that I was planning to buy land outside the capital, it would raise too many questions.
How was I supposed to explain that I needed an escape plan because I was fated to be poisoned?!
“Xian! How about I check out your room instead?”
I rushed over, blocking the drawer with both hands.
“I suddenly feel really curious!”
“Move.”
“No! It’s too embarrassing!”
“Embarrassing?”
Xian, clearly unconvinced, grabbed my waist and effortlessly lifted me away.
“Ugh! Fine! I take it back!”
I clung to his arm, repenting my sins.
“Too late.”
“I care about you! So much! What did you have for lunch? What about dinner? Did you have a snack?”
But today, the Petty Emperor was particularly relentless.
Holding both of my wrists with one hand, he pinned me in place.
“You must be hiding something really important to be this desperate, huh?”
His voice was icy—his classic, unreadable expression returning.
‘Oh no. He’s pissed.’
I let out a nervous laugh.
Then I saw his free hand reach for the drawer.
About to be caught red-handed, I did the only thing I could think of.
Thud!
I slammed my forehead against his stone-hard chest.
****
Thud!
“I said no! It’s too embarrassing… Hngh!”
“…What the hell.”
A startled Xian caught me just in time as I swayed.
But before I could even process what was happening, my legs gave out completely.
‘W-What? Why am I suddenly so dizzy?’
My vision spun, my stomach churned, and I could barely catch my breath.
Unable to even form words properly, I could only focus on trying not to collapse.
Xian, looking deeply unsettled, immediately scooped me up and laid me down on the bed.
Shortly after, Loren arrived with Head Physician Murton and Lindo in tow.
“She was fine earlier. Why is this happening all of a sudden?”
“It’s likely because of the cocktail she drank earlier—the one with the digestive aid.”
While Murton rushed to check my condition, Lindo provided an explanation.
My body felt hot, my head pounded, and I could hardly breathe, but my mind was perfectly clear.
I exchanged bewildered glances with Lindo.
‘Wait, we analyzed the Appleum Cocktail’s ingredients before drinking it, didn’t we? It was supposed to be safe!’
Lindo shot me a subtle glance and mouthed a few words, gesturing discreetly.
Apparently, because it was an entry for the competition, that slimy bastard Ramfel had secretly upped the dosage.
“Normally, a digestive aid wouldn’t be an issue, but the one Her Majesty consumed today was far too potent. It likely caused a temporary drop in stamina.”
Lindo then turned to Xian, continuing the explanation.
“A bit of rest should do the trick. The symptoms will pass in about an hour. It’s not a serious condition, but since Her Majesty is naturally frail, she’s experiencing temporary side effects….”
As he spoke, Lindo subtly mimicked the shape of a vial with his fingers.
‘Ah, so that’s it.’
Lying on the bed, still groaning from the pounding headache, I let out a silent sigh.
Thinking back, I take an all-purpose antidote laced with poison every single day.
Because of that, whenever I took any kind of medication, I had to adjust my antidote dosage accordingly—even for something as mild as vitamins.
Otherwise, the combination of poison and medicine would overload my system, causing dizziness and nausea.
‘And today, I only adjusted for the standard amount of digestive aid found in the commercially sold Appleum Cocktail.’
‘How was I supposed to know that shady bastard Ramfel would crank up the dosage several times over?’
I gritted my teeth through the headache, my anger simmering.
‘Oh, he’s going to cry when I get my hands on him tomorrow. He won’t even have time to wipe his snot.’
What if a child or a sick person had drunk it?
At least I was strong enough to handle it, so it wasn’t too serious.
Still clutching my pounding head, I buried my face into the pillow with a groan.
Xian, who had been coldly questioning Murton and Lindo, turned back to me and asked:
“…Are you crying?”
“What? No—ugh.”
Crying? Me?
But the moment I opened my mouth to deny it, my stomach lurched again, and tears welled up involuntarily.
Without thinking, I rubbed my face into the pillow to wipe them away.
Unfortunately, Xian saw everything.
His expression turned lethal.
“Bring me the medicine. Now.”
A firm hand slid under my back, propping me up.
The room’s tension skyrocketed in an instant.
‘Wait—no, this is overkill!’
I grabbed his sleeve, desperately trying to calm him down.
“You’re in this much pain, and you were going to keep quiet about it?”
“I-It’s not that bad!”
I saw you cry with my own two eyes, and you’re still lying to me?”
His voice grew sharp, filling the room with an eerie silence.
Outside the open door, the worried whispers of the maids could be heard.
“Oh my goodness!”
‘For crying out loud, could he be any more dramatic?!’
At this rate, people would start spreading rumors that I was faking illness for attention!
And sure enough—
“What happened? She seemed perfectly fine earlier….”
“She even had warm mint tea for her snack….”
‘Great. Just great.’
I squeezed my eyes shut, mortified that Xian had blown things out of proportion in front of the entire palace.
At that moment, Murton rushed back in with the medicine.
Xian, his face still twisted in frustration, uncorked the bottle and tilted it to my lips.
“Cough.”
I reluctantly tried to swallow it, deciding it would be best to just take the medicine quickly and recover.
But my stomach churned violently, and I couldn’t swallow properly.
A small trickle of medicine ran down my chin.
Xian’s face hardened immediately.
“I-I’m fine, really—”
Even while dizzy, I hurriedly tried to explain.
But Xian cut me off with a chilling command.
“Close the door.”
Lauren swiftly shut it, blocking out the prying eyes of the maids and attendants.
‘…Wait. What’s with this atmosphere?’
‘Why did he close the door?!’
Pop.
I turned toward the sound right in front of me—
Xian had just uncorked a new vial with his teeth.
And then, without breaking eye contact, he tilted his head back and poured the medicine into his mouth.
I stared at him, completely dumbfounded.
‘Why is he drinking it?!’
Then, I noticed something deeply unsettling.
‘Wait… why isn’t he swallowing?’
Xian’s golden eyes remained eerily cold as he reached out toward me.
His perfectly sculpted features remained unreadable, but his lips—still wet from the medicine—glistened slightly under the light.
My breath hitched.
‘No way.’
‘He’s not seriously planning to—’
