His voice filled with love was drier than parched sand.
“Even if you love me so much that you only see me, there’s a problem.”
Her voice, which contained passionate love, was just as dry. Asili traced her past. Obviously in a dream.
“You said the emperor ordered it. Your marriage.”
“Yes.”
“And the emperor’s orders are related to that man, the crown prince.”
When mentioning the crown prince, Asili’s expression became indescribably subtle. When they talked in the dream, that man, the crown prince, was just a character in a dream, or rather, in a book. Although he was the main character, it was just a dream story for Asili. But not now.
Asili took a sip of the still hot coffee. It felt like her throat was burning, but it was nothing compared to the bursting clothes.
“Asili.”
“It’s okay. I will continue the story I was talking about earlier. Just because you love me isn’t enough to convince the emperor.”
Asili’s head turned very quickly. In her head, which was spinning properly instead of idling like before, the contents of the book that vaguely, really vaguely appeared, and the story that Ludwig had told in her dream were coming together. If Ludwig was the dark figure in the novel, the Crown Prince was the main character. No matter how much the dark side tried to harm the main character, the ridiculously good luck of being able to avoid it was because he was a main character who should never die. He would become the next emperor and stand at the highest level among all, but he also pursues ideals rather than reality, something a typical protagonist of a heroic novel would have.
A novel. A Hero. A Dark character.
And herself.
Asili gathered her words. She couldn’t blurt out all that to Ludwig right now. Even if one day, really one day, she got the chance to tell him everything, would it really be a good thing to find out that he was actually a character in a novel?It was a problem. As the old saying goes, knowledge is a disease, so it might be better to not know some facts until you’re in the grave.
Soon, she shook off the thoughts that were going astray.
“If you simply put love first, the emperor will not remain silent. A woman of unknown origin confidently stands next to you and the Grand Duke? I’m afraid that idiot will follow suit so he’ll call you in right away.”
“They’ll even try to get rid of you.”
“I hadn’t thought about it that far, but it’s a big possibility.”
Even if she didn’t know what kind of person the emperor in the novel was, she could predict that much. A person who holds the position of one or all of the people of a powerful empire. If you want to know what those at the top of power did to maintain that power and pass it on to their successors, just pick up any history book in the world of Asili and read it.
When Asili wrinkled her face, Ludwig took her hand. Gazing straight into her blue eyes, he slowly lowered his lips to the back of her hand.
“I will protect you so that that doesn’t happen.”
The fur on the back of his neck stood up as his breath touched the back of her hand.
“I will protect you.”
Asili shook her shoulders slightly. She lifted her other hand, which was free from his, and pressed it against his strong shoulder.
“It gave me goosebumps.”
Ludwig, who pushed her as she pushed, tilted his head. Asili, seeing that extremely dry expression, asked hesitantly.
“Is it natural?”
“It’s natural.”
“It’s natural.”
Only the word natural appeared three times.
“Asili. What’s natural?”
“You, you.”
A slight furrow appeared between Ludwig’s eyebrows.
“Are you talking about your world? I don’t know what that means.”
“So, it’s natural.”
Asili, who spoke as if it was no big deal, was speechless. It was clear that Ludwig is natural, but when trying to explain in detail what nature is, she could not find the right words or nuance. Asili opened and closed her lips several times, but eventually tilted her head and spoke in an uncertain voice.
“A person born with a natural ability to seduce others? But, I don’t know that myself… that?”
“The question is not answered.”
“No, um…”
How could she explain further that? Umm…
“If that’s what nature means. Asili?”
“Uh? Yes. Huh. You’re natural.”
This time Ludwig couldn’t find the words to reply. Although they were naturally seductive, they did not know it themselves…
“This is my first time hearing those words from you.”
“I guess that’s right. Black devil… How could anyone dare say such a thing to you, the Grand Duke?”
Ludwig chuckled at Asili’s sudden answer and tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Yes. It’s just you.”
“Haa. It’s happening again. You natural.”
Asili narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth again when she heard a knock. Perhaps because of her mood, it was much slower than before.
Knock, knock.
Asili quickly checked her condition. She hadn’t put on his pants yet, had she? She nodded as she slipped her legs into the pants Ludwig handed her.
‘Good. I’m wearing clothes.’
Immediately he gave permission.
“Come in.”
Even after permission, the door did not open. Asili, who had been staring at the door, clung to Ludwig and buried her face in his chest, trying to hold back her laughter that threatened to burst out. At the slight vibration coming from her chest, Ludwig also frowned between his eyes and gave permission again.
“Come in.”
The door opened very slowly. Sebastian entered the room with his head down. On his arm was a small robe, something Asili would wear. Sebastian immediately asked Asili for forgiveness.
“Please forgive my rudeness earlier.”
When she saw him bowing deeply, she couldn’t smile anymore. Asili lifted her limp body, pulled her chin, and straightened her back. She was wearing ridiculously large clothes that didn’t fit her body and even her hair was unkempt, but when she changed her posture, the air surrounding her changed instantly.
“Raise your head.”
Sebastian was greeted by an endless lake looking down at him.
“I forgive your rudeness. I know it wasn’t intentional.”
First of all, it was full of the feelings of a generous shooter who overlooks the mistakes of new recruits. Second, she squeezed out as much of the inner elegance that was buried in a corner somewhere. But where on earth would an ordinary Korean office worker find the elegance of nobility? It instantly reminded her of an old drama about how things work in a pinch. Because it was a royal historical drama, all the actors who appeared were dignified and elegant.
‘Ha… you can do it. You are the Great Queen. You are possessing the actress who played the role of the Great Queen.’
Thanks to this, it was like looking somewhere far away rather than at Sebastian, but he looked very elegant on the outside. And since it was really a castle built on sand, it didn’t last long. As her back, which had been maintaining her upright posture, began to bend, Asili touched the corner of her twitching eye and said,
“Now show me what you’ve prepared.”
Sebastian bowed deeply once again and unfolded a dress similar to before. Asili flashed her eyes. She tries to choose something that seems less complicated and heavy.
“Through this.”
Surprise flashed across Sebastian’s calm face. This is probably because the answer came from Ludwig’s mouth, not Asili’s. However, the two people involved exchanged glances in an extremely calm manner. Why this? Because it looks easy to take off due to its structure.
“Okay, this is it”
Asili did not hesitate at all and chose the clothes Ludwig pointed to for her. Asili, who was mindlessly unbuttoning her shirt, grabbed her runaway partner by the hair. She shouldn’t change here. Just in time, Ludwig lowered his lips to her cheek and whispered.
“Just close your eyes and remain still.”
It was only after listening to him that it occurred to her that she was not changing these clothes alone. By now, there would be a line of people waiting outside to help her change her clothes. Asili whispered urgently.
“I don’t have to say anything, right?”
“Right.”
It was only after receiving his confirmation that her heart, which had been pounding, returned to its normal state.
“I will be back.”
Asili walked out the door, holding her dragging pants up as if pulling them up by the hem of her skirt.
* * *
Asili, fully dressed in her clothes, disguising her elegance with all her might, stood in front of Ludwig’s study.
Knock, knock.
The door opened and the eyes of the four people inside focused on her. Asili’s eyes, which had thought Ludwig would be alone, shook as if there had been an earthquake. Ludwig, who was looking at Asili, who did not come directly to where he was, helped her up. The shoulders of the three aides who were waiting for their turn holding documents in front of his desk twitched at the same time.
“This way.”
Ludwig held out his hand towards her. Although her high-heeled shoes felt like they would break her ankles, Asili, who was a salaried worker for the nth year at a job that required her to wear a suit, walked toward him unwaveringly.
Asili whispered.
“Let’s sit down for a moment.”
Just because she’s used to shoes with high, pointy toes as hell didn’t mean they didn’t hurt. Because her feet were still screaming, stuffed into her shoes. She didn’t know when she put her foot in, but she felt it as she took a step. The pain she felt from her new shoes was out of this world.
“I think my feet are going to break.”
Ludwig, who carefully held her hand through gritted teeth, naturally shifted her center of gravity toward him and supported her.
“Everyone please sit down.”
The three aides, who had been watching with fascination the two seemingly friendly faces, were left scrambling to regain their senses. Fortunately, the oldest aide was the first to come to his senses and put his hips across from Asili and Ludwig. Next, the other two aides sat down on the sofa, and Sebastian placed a teacup in front of each of them, and coffee was prepared in front of Asili.
Ludwig grabbed Asili’s hand and lowered it as she tried to grab her steaming cup. Her previous coffee was cold, but not this one. If her skin was weak, she would get burned even by the hot steam.
“It’s still hot, so let’s wait a bit…”
“Hiccup.”
He didn’t even finish his sentence when a very loud hiccup sounded from the other side.
“Hiccup, hiccup, hiccup.”
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
I’m back!! Thank you for waiting <3
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on May, 1.
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