Chapter 42

“Why didn’t you do it?”

Evelina approached him as if she was intending to kiss him, but she didn’t. Perhaps because of his lump of flesh stabbing her in the hip, she’s nervous and motionless.

“You told me not to do it.”

She smiled at him as he frowned. He was going to approach her, then she naturally came into his arms. Yet, no matter how unpleasant he was, kissing like that could be dangerous to her.

Evelina was a well-known young lady in society. Profuse confessions came to her, so she wasn’t completely ignorant of men. Of course, she had never seen a man’s naked body so close. But it was undeniable that Kaiden was impeccably handsome.

Maybe she wouldn’t have felt this threatened if he wasn’t as attractive as his brother, Prince Ashes.

“Lina.”

“Yes?”

“…No, I want to tell you to be careful because I’m a terrible person.”

She smiled at the words and tightened her arms with her chin resting on his neck.

Evelina felt like the hot body temperature was transferring, perhaps because their bodies were in contact with a sheet of negligee. Although she was in warm water, she felt the body temperature hotter than water so clearly that she was heating her chest.

She moved slowly, listening to his heartbeat mixed with her beat. Her hair was half wet with water, and he touched her hair with his wet hands to make her face completely visible.

As Evelina’s hair fell all over behind her ears, her clear features came into his eyes.

“Let’s go first.”

“Yes.”

At his words, Evelina tried to get up from her seat.

“Lina.”

“What?”

“Your negligee has become dirty. Let’s leave it.”

She realized the meaning of the word and tried to pretend to be fine.

“I will.”

So she found a towel nearby. Then she touched the wet negligee.

“You can’t turn back.”

“Yes.”

She spoke in a frightened voice and he answered straight away. Evelina turned away from him just in case and took off the negligee. Then she spread a large towel and wrapped herself.

“I’ll wash over there.”

“…Yes.”

She said so and quickly fled into the inner corridor. Then she headed to the small bathroom.

Listening to Evelina’s rumbling footsteps, he sighed as her wet footsteps disappeared. He couldn’t stop being nervous until he completely moved away from the bathroom and heard the door close.

So he came out of the water when she completely disappeared and there was no sound.

“Ha.”

Then, looking at the wet negligee she left behind, he laughed, turning only one corner of his mouth. Then he lifted the wet negligee and held it in his hand.

It was long after he got out of the bathroom.

~~~~

Evelina washed very slowly in the small bathroom and changed her clothes. She tied it very tightly so that the gown wouldn’t come loose and looked at the peony on the table next to the bed.

Peony petals were small next to the vase, and it was nice to see. Evelina swept the peony petals with her fingertips.

‘Why do you always give me peonies?’

‘Because I’m shy when I see you.’

“What?”

She couldn’t really tell who she was talking to when the conversation suddenly came to her. Maybe it was Ianathas, given their childhood.

– Knock knock.

“Your Majesty, take your medicine and go to bed.”

“Yes.”

At Evelina’s answer, one of the maids, unknown by name but familiar only by the face, entered, brought a tray of medicines and put them on the table.

“If you leave it, I’ll eat it on my own.”

“His Majesty told me to make sure that you eat it.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Evelina thought she couldn’t avoid taking medicine anyway. Whether she ate it or not, her life span was now about three weeks. And it was not clear whether the drug he gave was a catalyst. However, the side effects of not eating it were severe, so if she didn’t eat it, he’d know right away.

Was there any reason to continue this life?

She just thought it was the wisest way to safely evacuate her parents to another country and die within a set three-week period. Even if she survived, she didn’t seem to see such a happy future.

“Okay. Can I eat it now?”

“Yes.”

She suddenly remembered that he had been taking medicine himself every time, so she smiled. She wondered if he would be prepared for a situation where he couldn’t come.

Evelina picked up a red round pill and put it into her mouth. Then, she swallowed calmly with the water in the crystal glass given by the maid in her mouth.

She could feel a big medicine passing through her throat and going down the esophagus. She suddenly could feel her stomach.

When she drank more water and put down her glass, the maid greeted her and began to pack things back in the tray.

“Did you take medicine?”

When she turned around, Kaiden was out with only a towel around her waist. The maid, who saw him like that, took the tray as if she were running away with a pale, tired face.

“Yes, that took Kaiden a long time.”

“I even dried my hair.”

She saw her negligee in his hand. It was drooping, perhaps because it was wet. And there’s a strange smell of soap and something fishy.

“Lina hasn’t dried her hair yet.”

“I just came out.”

She actually took a long shower on purpose. That way she knew he’d be asleep when she came out.

But somehow, he came out later than she did. There, Kaiden opened his eyes strangely languidly, and the corners of his eyes went down like a tired person.

“Lina loves to drink.”

“Yes, I do.”

Evelina laughed nervously as he approached her.

“Would you like to have a drink?”

When he asked, she said with a smile.

“All right.”

She readily replied because she thought she could not sleep with him sober. Then, he said as he opened the door to call his attendant.

“Liquor and ice.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As if there was already someone out there waiting.

Evelina looked at the emperor’s bedroom again and said,

“I think this room is soundproof.”

“Yes, it is. So if you want to speak inside, you have to speak very loudly outside.”

“I see. Then if I shout in this room, you can’t hear me well outside?”

“…Yes.”

She touched the strange softness of the wall with her hands and said, and Kaiden, who answered, had strangely red ears. There was no reason for him to be ashamed of the scream, but she tilted her head wonderingly as she saw his ears red.

Meanwhile, the attendant knocked on the door. Two maids appeared through the door that opened with the sound of “clapping,” greeted them with two glasses of rum and ice on the table and a basket of ice, and left.

He poured rum into the glass and handed it to Evelina while it was strangely quiet.

“I think it’s stronger than last time.”

“Yes, it is. Lina likes strong things.”

“That’s right.”

She looked at the glass he poured for her. Then she slowly drank the dark blue rum. The alcohol content was obviously very high, but it was cool, perhaps because of the ice. But when it went down her neck, it was like a ball of fire.

“Ha.”

She drank rum and looked at him as if she had lost her breath. Then he smiled at her and he drank the same.

“Lina shouldn’t drink too much.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not very patient.”

He poured rum back into the empty glass. By the time she emptied one, he had three.

Evelina’s face was hot from a little drunkenness, and her hair felt frizzy. Originally, she would have her servants apply perfume to her, but now she has omitted all of that. Besides, it’s been a long time since her previous life that she washed alone.

“I’m going to bed first.”

“Let’s go together.”

Evelina put down her glass and headed to bed first. He put down the glass he was holding and followed Evelina to bed. When he pulled the string next to the bed, the light went out and the canopy’s insignia came down.

Evelina began to get nervous as it got dark everywhere. The eyes quickly adjusted to darkness and recognized the contours of the surrounding objects.

“Kaiden.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you nervous?”

Then he laughed with his breath. She tried to lie down as he lay next to her first. Then she suddenly felt dizzy and her body stiffened. It wasn’t vertigo. The bed was wobbly.

She was taken aback by the dominant weight felt over her body.

“I’ll wait slowly until I’m ready.”

“…Yes.”

Evelina was embarrassed by the damp touch on her thighs. The fishy smell seemed to have gotten worse than before. However, it was not the smell of fish, but something unpleasant, fragrant, and strange.

Like a chestnut flower.

“Ah… Ugh…”

She cringed in surprise at the damp touch on her neck for a moment.

“Kaiden…”

She was surprised to feel something slick and slippery on her neck, but she had to hold on. She stroked his hair and held back her grip. Then he raised his teeth and pressed her stomach.

“I can’t stand it anymore when you call my name.”

She drew in her breath and shuddered again as he touched her collarbone. She couldn’t tell if it was painful or itchy at the warm touch she bit. But he doesn’t seem to stop.

“I told you to wait, hmm… You’re doing it.”

“I have to help Lina prepare.”

His voice seemed to be heard just above his chest. And then soon.

“Ah…”

Whether tied to the waist or under the strap, it seemed to be under pressure.

– Hot!

She opened her eyes wide in surprise at the sound of the cloth tearing like paper.

For a moment she realized. That the gown that was covering her was torn and completely opened.