It’s promiscuous, as you wish.
‘That.’
El’s gaze turned to a body wrapped in a thin blanket in a corner of the room.
When he realized that it was Riella, El’s mouth opened in a shallow sigh. His red lips immediately closed tightly.
Loriell hesitated for a moment at the sight of El’s fierce expression, then glared at him shamelessly.
“What, I should have at least laid her down on the bed? It was hard enough just bringing her here by myself.”
El glared at Loriell for a moment, then looked away.
How could he blame Loriell, when he came to take Riella away?
It was no different for him and Loriell to be just pawns in the messy game that Princess Greta had laid out.
El simply knelt down on one knee in front of Riella, who was lying on the floor.
“Thank you, right?”
Then Loriell, who had come near El, spoke.
“Thanks to me, you were able to do this without using your hands.”
El didn’t even pretend to hear.
Instead, He just checked to see if Riella was breathing well and covered her body better with the blanket.
Loriell snorted as if she found such tender care ridiculous.
“Pretending to be noble. You’re so pure.”
“What are you going to do from now on?”
“What?”
“It won’t be everything if I leave with the ambassador. How can you handle His Majesty the Emperor alone?”
“Haha. I’m not like the aide who hides behind and just licks his lips. I’ll boldly confront him with my body and stand by his side.”
‘You will stand beside the emperor?’
When El tilted His head at the words that seemed a little different from what the princess had predicted, Loriell swallowed and spoke up.
“Do you think I can’t do it?”
“That’s not the problem….”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll succeed. I have this.”
And then, as Loriell boasted, she took out a small glass bottle the size of a little finger.
When El’s eyes widened at the sight of the pink potion dancing inside, Loriell hesitated slightly and added an excuse.
“Well, I’m just borrowing some medicine for the first time. If His Majesty hugs me, he’ll realize that my body is much better than that ugly body—Hey, hey!”
El snatched the potion from Loriel’s hand.
Loriel immediately rushed forward with a wicked grimace on her face, and El took the opportunity to carefully examine the markings on the bottle.
“Hey! I know you want the ‘love potion’ too, but it’s mine!”
‘What the hell are you talking about? That’s not a love potion, it’s a deadly poison. It’s especially deadly to those with powers…’
Seeing Loriell snatching the bottle away again without knowing anything, El was finally able to realize the truth about Princess Greta.
‘You were fooled by the princess. Like an idiot.’
Even in the midst of all that, Loriell held the bottle deep in her arms and cherished it. With eyes that said she couldn’t give him even a single drop of that precious thing.
El looked at Loriell coldly and then quickly looked away.
A single word right now could save both that foolish maid and the emperor.
“I’m going to go now.”
“Yes. I hope I never see you again. Both of you.”
El picked up Riella and walked away.
After El and Riella left.
Finally having the lake palace bedroom to herself, Loriell hummed as she dug through Riella’s closet.
Loriell, who had been playing with all of Riella’s clothes and accessories that she had always coveted as if they were her own, finally reached for a silver box.
“Oh my god….It’s so beautiful! What are all these beads? Wow…”
Loriell’s eyes shone like stars as she took the dress out of the box.
Loriell went straight to the mirror and tried the clothes on her body, smiling happily.
With the shoes and necklace to match, there’s only one thing left.
‘Now I just need the Queen’s sun to fit onto this finger.’
In the mirror, Loriell’s lips drew a curve at her perfectly beautiful reflection.
‘Haha. I’d look like an empress.’
* * *
The next day, Loriell left the Lake Palace before it was even daylight.
Even though it was early, the main palace banquet hall was already bustling with preparations.
Scheduled for the afternoon was the first regular banquet since Herhan ascended the throne. At the gathering of the nobles of the pro-emperor faction, which took place a year later, Herhan planned to announce Riella as his fiance.
‘You’re in such a hurry to announce it as soon as you propose to her. It’s not like she’s running away anywhere…. Ah! No, she’s not. Come to think of it, she did run away, right?’
It’s funny. Even the plays of the most famous clowns in the empire were not that funny.
Loriell held back her laughter as she headed towards the back door of the banquet hall.
“I have come by His Majesty’s command.”
The soldier who was guarding the back door suddenly stepped aside because of her confident attitude.
Loriell pulled her robes tighter around her body and stretched out her feet.
The sweet, cool smell of grass was pleasant as she stepped into the indoor garden.
As soon as she entered the indoor garden, a sweet and cool scent of grass wafted around her.
The sunlight pouring in from the glass ceiling was dazzling, and the well-landscaped flowers and trees were also beautiful.
While everything that caught the eye was as perfect as a painting, the most splendid part was definitely Emperor Herhan standing in the center.
“Are you here?”
Loriel’s breath was taken away by the sight of the Emperor leaning against the tree and coming out of the shade.
The Emperor was always handsome, but nothing compared to today. His hair was neatly combed, his eyes sparkled like sapphires, and his smile was kind and bright.
‘Is Princess saying that if I just have a little time, a man like that will start clinging to me desperately?’
Loriell’s eyes were dizzy from the boiling excitement. Her heart was already pounding as if she was being held in the Emperor’s arms.
Herhan, who was approaching Loriell with his arms wide open, stopped after a few steps.
His expression hardened with disappointment. He only now realized that the person who had come in wearing the robe over his head was not Riella.
“Lady…”
“Yes. I see Your Majesty, the Sun of the Empire…”
“What about Riella?”
The corners of Loriell’s mouth twitched slightly at his sudden attitude of looking for Riella.
“It seems like it will take some time for Miss Riella to arrive. I came here because I was worried that there might be something I could do to help Your Majesty before then.”
“I’m ready over here. When will Riella arrive?”
“Probably soon…Did you get the ring safely?”
“Yeah. Thanks to you, everything went smoothly. But did Riella notice by any chance?”
The emperor always finds himself looking for Riella at the end of every conversation, no matter what topic is brought up.
Loriell smiled desperately and looked at the table set beside the Emperor. A bouquet of flowers and a small velvet box containing a ring. And two glasses of champagne.
“That’s…I don’t know. Maybe she noticed. While Your Majesty was away on a business trip, Riella’s behavior was a bit—”
“What happened to Riella? I didn’t get any special reports.”
Herhan’s face was distorted with tension.
“I am sorry to say this,…”
Loriell deliberately opened her eyes meaningfully.
Every time she hesitated to speak, Herhan’s lips would twitch, which seemed strangely erotic.
‘Will you now desire me like a beast with those noble lips?’
Loriell hid her impatience and picked up the champagne glass on the table. Then she quickly poured the medicine she had hidden in her sleeve into the Emperor’s glass.
“Your Majesty, I think it would be best for you to clear your throat before you listen to what I have to say.”
Herhan hesitated. The champagne was meant to be a toast with Riella.
But Loriell’s ominous expression continued to increase Herhan’s tension.
It’s just alcohol, he can just pour it again.
Herhan drank all the champagne Loriell had handed him in one gulp.
As soon as he put down his empty glass, which had been soothing his burning throat, Loriell suddenly came from behind and hugged Herhan’s back.
“Lady!”
Herhan was startled and shook Loriell off. Until then, he was just worried that something might have happened to Riella.
But the sight that unfolded before his eyes was beyond all expectations.
Loriell takes off her robe with her own hands. A silver dress is revealed beneath the black veil.
That was the dress he had instructed Riella to wear.
“What are you doing now…?”
Only then did Herhan’s voice begin to show anger. His eyes, which had sparkled like blue jewels, were filled with a murderous suspicion.
Loriell panicked. She thought the Emperor would have pounced on her without even bothering to speak to her.
‘It takes time for the medicine to take effect…?’
A cold sweat ran down the back of Loriell’s neck.
“Your Majesty, let me explain.”
The emperor’s gaze was eerie.
Loriel swallowed hard. When on earth would this damn thing show up?
“It’s Miss Riella,… It’s what Miss Riella told me to do.”
“What?”
“Actually, Miss Riella left last night. She said she didn’t want to be by Your Majesty’s side anymore. She gave me all these clothes and jewels and told me to stay by His Majesty’s side.…”
Loriel spoke as slowly as possible.
She deliberately sniffled and took deep breaths mixed with tears in between to buy as much time as possible.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
But the Emperor was indifferent. He did not believe Loriell’s words at all.
Rather, he began to move toward the exit with a sneer on his face, as if he were dealing with a very dull joke.
As if he was going to visit Riella in person right now, whether it was a proposal or something.
“It’s true! Your Majesty! If you don’t believe me, search the palace right now. Miss Riella is nowhere to be found.”
Loriel rushed at the Emperor and grabbed him by the leg of his trousers.
All the while, she was desperately reciting the spell in her mind. ‘The medicine will take effect. When will the medicine take effect!’
“Aide El….! She left with aide El!”
Only then did Herhan’s feet stop.
Loriell immediately got up on all fours and stood before the Emperor.
‘Ah, finally!’
Herhan’s eyes widened.
Was it because he was shocked by the ‘Aide El’ name, or was the medicine finally taking effect?
“Your majesty…I know it hurts, but…calm down, okay? Your Majesty, look at me.”
Loriell carefully placed her hand on the Emperor’s chest.
At that moment, the emperor flinched greatly.
Loriell’s heart sank as well, but fortunately the Emperor did not push away her hand. Instead, he lowered his head slightly and looked at her with great intensity.
‘It worked. The medicine worked!’
Loriell was certain that the thoughts in the Emperor’s fierce gaze were lust surging towards her.
It was thrilling enough to make her feel sick.
What should I do, cuddle up here right now? Isn’t it a little promiscuous on the lawn, or is it not? Isn’t the more promiscuous the better?
Loriell went one step further and touched the Emperor’s cheek with her other hand, then stroked it up to his chin.
As soon as her hand touched his bare skin, the Emperor’s pupils trembled again with excitement.
Loriell spoke in a dreamy, hazy voice.
“I will be by your side now, Your Majesty. I am different from her, Miss Riella. I will always be yours, so please embrace me.…”
That was when.
Herhan regained focus and with a flash of his eyes, he pulled Loriell away with rough hands.
“Ugh, Your Majesty!”
Loriell, who was thrown around like a piece of luggage, tried to find her balance by leaning on something and ended up falling over along with the table next to her.
Champagne poured over Loriell’s head, and food that had fallen to the floor was crushed and clung messily to her arms and legs.
A shadow fell over her as she was losing her mind.
Loriell couldn’t even raise her head because of the fear that was creeping up on her.
“It’s promiscuous, as you wish.”
The Emperor’s words flew like an arrow and pierced Loriell’s heart.
Herhan slowly bent down and firmly grabbed Loriell’s chin, which had become as hard as stone.
“I’ll take my time figuring out how to make your death even more promiscuous, but first, tell me where you sold Riella.”
“Your Majesty. Uh, me—”
“Come on. I can’t stand it anymore.…Before I kill you.”
As he demanded to know where Riella had gone, the hand that was holding Loriell’s chin as if it were going to crush it became even stronger.
Loriell struggled with shame and pain, but only drooled under her gaping jaw and said nothing.
* * *
