This time, the Prime Minister dropped the teacup. The expensive teacup brought from the West broke into pieces with a loud noise.
However, no one in this space cared about the broken teacup.
“I hate myself like this.”
“…”
“I feel like I’ve become a beast, becoming the same kind of person as them.”
Zion’s face was distorted with self-loathing.
The Prime Minister realized who Zion was referring to by ‘them’. Zion has a trauma about physical touch.
So whenever someone accidentally touched him, he would show a cold expression that was hard to see in the world.
The environment of the red-light district had clearly had a bad influence on the child, and Zion was greatly affected.
Zion, who grew up watching loveless sexual relationships, seemed to have a vague sense of rejection. Especially when there was a strong impulse.
Thinking that he should step forward at times like this, the Prime Minister sighed briefly.
“Your Majesty, if I may dare to advise. You are clearly different from them.”
Unlike usual, Zion seemed to listen carefully to the Prime Minister’s words. It was surprising that the day had come to give such mature advice to Zion.
The Prime Minister was filled with a strange sense of joy. However, he composed his voice outwardly.
“The clear difference is ‘love’. The desire with love and without love is the factor that distinguishes beasts from humans.”
“…”
“You love the Empress, don’t you?”
Zion slowly nodded his head. At his appearance, a gentle smile appeared in the Prime Minister’s eyes.
“Then, it’s different. The desire based on love is not bad. Rather, it’s an important part of advancing the relationship.”
At that moment, the Prime Minister felt like he was giving sex education to a child who knew nothing.
“Even if you don’t even try.”
The shameless emperor seemed to have no concept of shame.
Thanks to him, the Prime Minister felt like he was experiencing all the embarrassment that Zion should have felt.
“However, in such an act, the consent of the Empress must be obtained.”
“…That’s right.”
“No matter how much of a couple they are, physical contact without the other person’s consent is a crime.”
It was a very important point. While feeling desire is a person’s freedom, consent from the other person is necessary for any physical act, even if it’s not necessarily intense physical contact.
The Prime Minister nodded his head in agreement and thought about it.
However, it seemed that Zion’s problem had not yet been resolved. In fact, the shadow on Zion’s face had deepened.
“So that’s the problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just touching her hand makes me feel like I’ll turn into a beast.”
The Prime Minister, who had become accustomed to such primitive conversations, calmly recalled his earlier behavior.
He had seen Zion slap the Empress’s hand when she thought he had a fever and put her hand on his forehead.
‘So that’s why.’
After hearing the explanation, the Prime Minister understood Zion’s behavior from earlier.
However, if he acted like that…
“You’ll be hated.”
“…Thus I feel like I’m going crazy. I’m anxious about making a mistake when I face her.”
“…”
“I hate the idea of dying if I don’t see her.”
Zion looked tired.
“Then, we have no choice but to try to devise a good plan.”
The Prime Minister firmly answered this unsolvable problem.
“Try to win the Empress’s heart.”
“…I’m going crazy.”
In fact, Zion knew the answer too.
How great would it be if Arundel’s heart was the same as his?
But when he thought about his past actions, he wondered if she would love him.
‘…It’s a relief if she doesn’t hate it.’
The actions he had taken against her passed by like a slideshow.
Cutting ties with his family, locking her in the palace, choosing only harsh words… He wanted to go back to that time and break his own neck at the sight of the past that only made him sigh.
But Arundel, who had a beautiful heart as well as a beautiful appearance, did not hate him. She embraced him tenderly and comforted him.
Zion found a hopeful part there.
Moreover, Arundel did not refuse to kiss. Rather, while exhaling a heated breath…
‘Damn, again…’
Zion wanted to take a cold shower right away.
‘Nothing gets solved by just avoiding it like this.’
Even now, it’s flickering in his eyes. He couldn’t overcome the mere impulse.
When he meets her tomorrow, he will definitely speak to her affectionately.
****
“Tell him I want to be alone.”
Arundel said to the head maid. But the head maid was sweating profusely, not carrying out the command immediately.
“Your Majesty…”
“I definitely said it.”
Arundel ignored the head maid standing awkwardly and turned her gaze back to the book.
To such Arundel, the head maid pleaded.
“How many days have you been ignoring him…”
“Two days.”
“It’s three days including today.”
Arundel, who was reading a book, frowned and looked at the head maid when she couldn’t concentrate.
“I was ignored for more than a week. Do you think that’s all?”
He even slapped away the worrying hand.
She wanted to vent her anger, but she didn’t say it because she felt miserable if she said it unnecessarily.
“So how long do you plan to ignore His Majesty? If you’ve forgotten, let me remind you, tomorrow is the Empress’s coronation.”
At the word ‘coronation’, Arundel flinched for a moment. She hadn’t thought about it at all, just like the head maid’s sharp words.
“You have to meet him tomorrow even if you don’t want to, so it would be better to make up before that.”
It was a fairly reasonable argument.
But Arundel shook her head.
“Then, let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
Thinking that it was impossible to persuade Arundel any further, the head maid left, covering her forehead with her palm.
Arundel, who was left alone, closed the book with a thud.
‘When did she avoid it, and now…’
Of course, Arundel herself knew that she was acting like a child now. But Arundel, who had been quite hurt that day, couldn’t easily let go of her heart.
When Zion pushed her hand away, it felt like she had gone back to the beginning.
The time when he hated even the touch of a hand.
So she was shocked as if her heart was falling, and the second emotion that came rushing was disappointment.
Arundel glanced at the door.
‘If it were the old days, he would have just ignored and come in.’
Zion has really changed.
In the old days, what permission? He would have come in as if to break the door without even knocking.
That was somewhat pleasing.
If he had forced his way in again, the bone of this emotion would have lasted longer.
‘How will he come out tomorrow?’
If he comes out very humbly tomorrow, she plans to forgive him. She also had to talk to Zion about Hills’ job.
So, it’s only until today. Ignoring like this.
‘What if…he doesn’t come out humbly…?’
Arundel bit her lip at the future situation she didn’t like.
“Don’t worry about the future in advance.”
Arundel threw the book she was holding anywhere and flopped down on the bed.
****
The next day.
“Isn’t this dress too revealing?”
The dress brought by the head maid was the most gorgeous and luxurious of the dresses she had seen so far.
Small diamonds were dotted on the off-shoulder line, and they twinkled subtly when the light hit them.
The bell-line dress stretched long to highlight the body’s curves well, and white fresh flowers were decorated here and there on the long-stretched white satin, which seemed to catch the eye from afar.
However, the problem was that the off-shoulder line was too boldly cut. It seemed that the chest would be quite blatantly exposed if someone looked down from above.
“Why are you doing that, you look the most beautiful ever!”
Belle spoke in a bright voice as if to reassure Arundel, who was frowning and looking in the mirror.
“No, it’s pretty, but…”
“It’s a dress made by waiting for a month from the most famous designer in the empire.”
“Hmm…”
“It’s okay today! Other nobles are more, what are you doing with that much exposure.”
As Belle said, she might be a little sensitive.
Besides, if she definitely refused this dress, the head maid’s blatant repertoire would be heard like a recorded guide message.
[I visited the costume room for a full month for this dress…—.]
Yeah, it can’t be helped.
Even if she didn’t like this dress, there was no other dress right away.
Arundel reluctantly nodded.
“His Majesty is waiting for you in the carriage.”
At the urging of the head maid, Arundel’s heart pounded.
In fact, after a night of pondering, she decided to forgive him.
Her resentful feelings towards him gradually subsided, and she was not without the expectation of talking.
She wanted to face him and hear his melodious voice that resonates pleasantly.
Arundel, feeling her heart beating faster, arrived in front of the carriage.
Cain, who was standing in front of the carriage, greeted Arundel.
“Wow! You’re really beautiful today.”
Cain spoke with surprised eyes, as if he was really sincere.
Cain, who spoke like that, was also very cool. He looked haggard lately, but today his calmly combed hair and formal clothes stood out.
“Cain is also handsome today…”
Thud-!
In the middle of complimenting Cain, the door of the carriage opened.
It was Zion.
‘Damn… How can he be so handsome.’
Arundel’s resentful heart and whatnot melted away at once. His face was a really powerful weapon.
The formal dress with a deep blue fabric and gorgeous gold decorations was perfectly matched with Zion’s platinum blonde hair, and Zion’s combed hair that could be seen in such a formal place was…very sexy.
Arundel swallowed her saliva for a moment.
“.…”
But, his reaction was strange.
At first, he smiled brightly as if his eyes were dazzled when he saw Arundel.
However, his smile gradually faded, and his hardening expression eventually reached the point of frowning.
A very cold voice flowed from Zion’s mouth.
“Cain.”
“Yes.”
“Today, all personal contact with the Empress is strictly prohibited.”
“Yes?”
Cain answered as usual, then asked again at Zion’s absurd command.
“Today is the coronation of the Empress, how can…”
“Whether you’re sick or have a contagious disease, you figure it out.”
Zion looked upset, not knowing what was so dissatisfying. Arundel, who was watching him, intervened.
“What’s this all about all of a sudden?”
“…”
Arundel, with an angry voice, chased after Zion, who was avoiding her gaze.
“Your Majesty.”
“…”
“Zion.”
Yes, it’s been over a week since they had a proper conversation.
She had been looking forward to this moment so much, and he was about to ruin it all.
‘Yes…we can’t never talk again.’
Even though the current situation was incredibly absurd and annoying, Arundel waited for Zion to open his mouth, reminding herself of her patience.
While she was waiting aimlessly, Zion finally opened his mouth.
“Look at yourself.”
But it was an incomprehensible sentence. Look at yourself without any context.
“What?”
“From above, your chest…ah, it’s done.”
Stopping mid-sentence, Zion turned around. Arundel grabbed his arm.
“What about my chest? Is it too revealing?”
Zion, neither affirming nor denying, just frowned.
But Arundel knew Zion’s way of talking. He didn’t like this outfit right now.
“I prepared for a month for this day, how can I not wear it.”
“It’s not about wearing it. But…!”
“Are you worried about people’s gaze?”
Considering his obsession and possessiveness, it was understandable that he didn’t like this outfit.
“I could gouge out other people’s eyes.”
Suddenly, a creepy phrase flowed from him. And Zion nervously ran his fingers through his hair.
“But I…!”
Arundel couldn’t understand Zion, who looked distressed. What was tormenting him so much?
Her confused thoughts scattered with Cain’s words.
“You have to go now.”
Arundel, who found Zion strange today, left him alone and got into the carriage first.
As Arundel disappeared from his sight, Zion took a deep breath.
Zion’s gaze, which closed and opened his eyes, was directed at Cain.
“Cain.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to gouge out your eyes.”
“…”
“Be careful with your gaze.”
Leaving such a harsh word, Zion got into the carriage.
