Chapter 50
“I am not in a position to speculate on His Majesty’s intentions, Your Majesty.”
“That may be so.”
Anel replied calmly.
Whatever that man wanted, Anel had to play along.
It was her duty.
She was also a Morata duchess.
Anyway, Johann was the Emperor of the Stein Empire.
His will was the will of the Empire, and Anel was devoted to the Empire.
Today, all she had to do was smile by his side.
That was all.
Anel reminded herself.
“The grooming is all done.”
“Now all that’s left is to put on the jewels.”
Anel wondered what jewels Sandman had brought and looked around, but she couldn’t see any jewels anywhere.
“Where are the jewels?”
“They were supposed to be sent from the Imperial Palace, but it seems they haven’t arrived yet. I’ll check and come back.”
As Sandman left, Anel took a deep breath.
“Verdi, Could you give me a glass of water? My throat feels a bit dry.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Leaving Verdi in that way, only Anel was left in the two-wallet room.
Anel stared blankly at herself in the mirror.
There sat a woman who looked so thin as to seem unattractive.
She had never been someone with a particularly plump figure, but this level of thinness was unprecedented.
Anel sighed, suppressing her anger.
She had to hide her wretchedness somehow.
She couldn’t let the world see her like this.
Clack.
At that moment, the sound of the door opening was heard.
“I should apply a bit more powder, I’m worried I might cause concern with my complexion not being so good these days.”
“I’ll gladly apply it for you.”
“!”
Anel jumped in surprise and turned around.
“Hmm.”
There stood a man in a white military uniform.
His figure, deliberately accentuated by the fitted uniform, exuded an overwhelming aura.
In his hand was a small jewelry box.
It seemed like he had brought the jewelry himself.
“If anyone saw, they might think I’m starving you, Anel.”
“…I’m sorry, I’ve been focusing on my health-”
Anel couldn’t continue speaking.
Johan stepped closer and gently grasped her chin.
“You’ve gotten thinner.”
He lifted her chin to make her look at him.
“Indeed, you were quite thin when I touched you a few days ago.”
Her touch was undeniably gentle, but Anel felt as if he was being completely dominated by him.
He couldn’t move a muscle.
“If it hurts, it’ll be troublesome for me.”
“…I’ll try not to inconvenience you.”
At that remark, a displeased expression flickered in Johan’s eyes.
Anel wondered why he was acting like this when she was obediently complying with his wishes.
He placed a jewelry box on her lap.
Then he blatantly scrutinized her face.
Anel was bewildered.
Was there something wrong with her face?
“Your Highness.”
Anel called out to Johan, but he didn’t seem to be listening.
His gaze slowly descended from Anel’s neckline to her shoulders.
With each point his gaze reached, Anel flinched.
Finally, his gaze reached her hand, clenched in his.
Johan removed the clenched fist from her hand.
Then he placed it on the dressing table.
“In my opinion, your problem doesn’t seem to be on your cheek.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Because your lips lack color.”
Johan brought his thumb to Anel’s lower lip.
“Of course, you’d look like a corpse without it, Anel.”
“That’s…”
“To add color to your lips, what should you do?”
Anel was taken aback.
She desperately turned her gaze towards the dressing table.
“Um, the thing you apply on your lips—”
At that moment.
There was something touching her lips.
Hot, soft.
But very unfamiliar in texture.
Johan licked her lower lip once with his tongue, then gently bit it.
Just enough not to hurt, just a little.
Anel froze in place at the strange sensation.
It felt like her mind was completely empty.
The contact between their lips lasted quite a while, and the intent was so obvious that Anel couldn’t grasp the situation.
That’s how much Johan didn’t give her a chance to come to her senses.
Anel’s instinct to survive was the only thing that made her regain her senses.
She desperately grabbed Johan’s arm tightly.
Then Johan’s lips slowly descended, as if showing mercy.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I really don’t know much about women’s cosmetics.”
He smiled affectionately, as if with genuinely pure intentions.
“Well, well, it seems you’ve turned a lovely shade of red.”
There was a sense of predatory satisfaction on Johan’s face.
Truly, it was an unusual satisfaction to behold.
Anel was stunned, her mouth hanging open.
She couldn’t speak.
“But, there’s one downside to this method,” Johan said with a hint of regret, furrowing his brow.
“The duration is a bit short.”
He tilted his head slightly and found a light red lipstick from her vanity.
“What do you say, Your Majesty? I can do it for you whenever you want.”
“Are you insane?”
“It’s not a big deal now, is it?”
“Are you out of your mind?”
Anel glared at Johan in response to his audacious reply.
“You’ve done this kind of thing one or two times before. You seem to know so well,” she accused.
“Are you trying to make me jealous?”
“Of course not.”
“So you think there’s no problem?”
“There shouldn’t be… right?”
“What kind?”
“This, um, contact. Doing something so sudden… without any consent is the problem.”
Johan smirked as he twisted the lipstick.
Then he looked down at Anel’s lips.
“No matter how you think about it, this color seems prettier now, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll pass.”
Anel reached out to snatch the lipstick from Johan’s hand.
But Johan easily evaded her grasp.
“I’ve taught you one thing, so shouldn’t Your Majesty teach me something in return?”
“What did you teach me?”
“Well, my wife isn’t a good student, Looks like she needs some revision.”
As Johan lowered his head again, Anel hastily averted her gaze.
Only then did she realize what this man meant by ‘teaching.’
“Twice is unnecessary!”
“So you admit it then? That I’m a good teacher?”
Anel just glared at him in bewilderment.
Johan shrugged.
“Now it’s my turn to teach you.”
“What?”
“This, How should I apply it?”
Johan lightly shook the lipstick.
“Please, I can do it myself.”
As Anel shot him a look, Johan, pulled out a pocket watch to show her.
The clock hands pointed to 5:16.
“It takes 40 minutes to the opera house.”
In other words, did she want to waste more time?
“If you want to be known as the Emperor and Empress who are often late, go ahead.”
“Your Majesty!”
“You know, I have no intention of losing to you.”
He really was someone she disliked from start to finish.
Anel eventually realized she had no choice.
“…Fine.”
“Can’t do it.”
Anel grabbed his hand holding the lipstick and brought it to her lips.
“Start from the center of the lips and spread outward slowly.”
Anel tried to speak as calmly as possible.
She knew that showing any signs of wavering was what this man wanted.
“Don’t apply it multiple times, just once.”
“Hmm.”
With a smirk, Johan applied the lipstick from the inside of Anel’s lips.
It was a single, neat gesture.
Seeing how proficient he was, Anel cursed inwardly.
Was this man really applying lipstick for the first time?
“Now-”
“Shh.”
“Johan lowered his head slightly.
“It’s common sense not to talk when applying lipstick, Anel.”
He slowly traced the inside of her lips with his finger.
It was a delicate movement.
To ensure the lipstick didn’t smudge outside her lips, he carefully pulled back.
Then, he smiled satisfactorily.
“Beautiful.”
