CH 18

Cecile lay in a large bathtub, staring blankly at the ceiling. A beautiful mosaic made of small tiles was visible through the white water vapor. But none of its beauty caught her eye at that moment. She remained like that, dazed, for a long while before her gaze slowly moved to her arm. And the moment she saw the red mark on it…

“Uaaagh!” She squealed and sunk her head into the bathwater. In reaction to her voice, the attendants outside called out to her.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”

“We should serve you, after all!”

Cecile hurriedly raised her head at their clamoring and yelled back. “Don’t come in!”

With that, the voices of the attendants stilled and they could be heard backing away again. Cecile sighed in relief at their retreat. She then poked at the red mark on her arm with a finger.

“Ack…” She felt a sharp sting. The pain re-confirmed that what happened last night was not a dream.

‘I did it.’

The words circled in Cecile’s head.

‘I flipping did it.’

Cecile resumed her blank state again, watching water drip from her hair. She slept with him. With the emperor. It was nothing to be surprised about, yet she was. It was only natural to spend the first wedding night together after marriage, yet she could not tell why she was so surprised. Perhaps it was because she was still alive? Or rather because…

“It was so goo-…” Cecile clutched her mouth shut at that point. What the, I’m sure the truth serum stopped working after taking the antidote; what the heck did this mouth of mine just utter? Cecile smacked her mouth, for last night’s sins as well, after which she leaned back on the bathtub and recalled the emperor’s last words as he left the bridal room.

“I wish to stay with you longer, but I have to deal with the goons I tossed out. I’ll finish as soon as possible, so keep resting. After I’m back, we’ll pick up on where we left off last night. I should have done that first, actually, but I was too busy quenching my thirst. See you again soon.”

With that said, his lips covered Cecile’s again. Having suffered throughout the entire night, Cecile could only lie still and accept his kiss. It was only when Cecile began to squirm from lack of air that the emperor drew away from her. Despite having kissed her for so long, the emperor repeatedly looked back in reluctance to part with Cecile before finally leaving the room.

‘You girls told me novels were only novels.’ Cecile recalled what the maidservants at the royal villa had told her every time they lent her books to read. What was it exactly?

“Princess, this is all fantasy. Fantasy. These sorts of men only exist in novels. Don’t ever think that real men out there will be this handsome, well-built, caring, and vigorous. No such man exists in the world! They all went extinct long ago! If you find even one out there, I’ll give you a gold coin!”

That was what they had told her.

“But I did. I did find one…” She murmured. And that man happens to be my husband. Cecile’s face reddened at that point.

‘My husband…?’

Thinking of the emperor with a possessive term? Clearly, she had utterly forgotten her senses ever since yesterday. How could she dare to claim the high and mighty emperor as hers? The emperor possessed only, he was bound to no other.

‘I’m gonna have to be really careful with my mouth.’

She thought back to the officials at the wedding hall, who had seemed ready to rip her apart alive on the spot. If she were to ever voice her thoughts of possessing the emperor, it would not be strange if the officials flew into a rage, bellowing, ‘You must punish that woman’s mouth, Your Majesty! If punishing her mouth alone is too bothersome, then, by all means, include the rest of her!’ and then boiling her alive. Cecile rubbed her arms at the chilling thought before looking beside her at the wall of the steamy bathroom. She then began writing letters with a finger.

My Husband.