CH 115

Estian had clung to Cecile through the night and into the morning. Unlike when he stayed over at her palace, her body was pristine and unmarked. This was the third night in a row that had passed with them sleeping while holding hands. It was unexpected… no frankly, it was unbelievable! That night when she had launched herself at the door with the raised chair, Cecile had braced herself for a rough night upon seeing the ravenous hunger in Estian’s eyes. She had walked into the main palace on two feet, and had been prepared to crawl out on all fours… although that had all turned out to be a huge misunderstanding.

“He did strip me…” Cecile’s gaze dropped down to her naked body wrapped in the bed sheets. Her expression was grave. He had stripped her, yet did nothing. Had His Majesty opened his eyes to some new kink? “I mean, why remove my clothes if you’re not going to do anything? Although there was some touching…”

“Were you hoping I do something then?”

“Aaaah!” Cecile screamed, surprised by suddenly hearing Estian’s voice beside her. “Could you please make a sound when you enter!”

‘Seriously. How can he open a door like that so silently?’ She’d been surprised by the emperor many times when he’d suddenly appeared in her room at the empress’s palace, and here he was doing the same thing. Cecile caught sight of the bedroom door slightly ajar, and Cecile was once again surprised at how he’d managed to open the door and cross the carpet so soundlessly. She was struck with the notion that Estian was perhaps more suited to being an assassin than an emperor.

“It’s my room that I’m entering. Is there a need for that?” Estian replied. “Also, so you don’t get the wrong idea, I’m stripping you because it seems like the only way to prevent you from running away. Of course, if you’re dissatisfied with things ending in stripping, I’m all too inclined to advance beyond that.”

“N-no! I humbly decline for now!” Cecile quickly stammered. It seemed her earlier remarks that she’d leave on her own two feet had troubled Estian more than she’d expected. Certainly, there was no way she’d be able to leave the way she looked now.

“Is that right? Then when would be appropriate?” Estian teased.

It was still broad daylight, with the sun high up in the sky. Since their wedding, Estian had only let up on their nightly activities when Cecile had been exhausted… Now, not only was he well rested, it had also been almost a week that he hadn’t embraced her. His pent-up libido meant it would never end with just one round!

“In the evening… Ack!” Cecile’s hands clamped over her mouth and she cursed herself for the thoughtless answer that had slipped out, but it was too late.

“Is that so? Then I will wait patiently until then,” Estian smirked, before dropping his voice low, but still loud enough for Cecile to overhear, “I think it should be fine to have dinner four hours earlier.”

Cowed by his will to move up dinner, Cecile tripped on her bedsheet and stumbled backwards. “Agh!” She yelped. Fortunately, Estian caught her by the waist before she fell over.

“Why are you wandering around wrapped in sheets? You may as well just stay on the bed,” Estian noted.

“I’ve had enough of lying around! I just wanted to do a little exploring before I go stir-crazy,” Cecile grumbled.

“There’s not much to see,” Estian responded. He wasn’t lying. There was nothing interesting about the items atop drawers.

Cecile stared at Estian as he held her in his arms. He’d lived quietly without any presence as the youngest son of the emperor, until one day he suddenly raised a rebellion and seized the throne. It was a mystery where or how Estian had lived before then.

She’d recounted her childhood plenty of times. He’d heard about how it had taken years to fix up the completely ruined fountain of the royal villa, about the time she’d discovered the storage room in the basement and all the treasures she’d found, and even the most insignificant of memories, such as time spent gardening with her maids. ‘I’m curious about his childhood… although I don’t think His Majesty has many good memories…’ Surely, Estian wouldn’t have raised a rebellion if he’d had a good relationship with his parents.

While Cecile was deep in thought, Estian had moved back to the bed and gently placed her down. “Your Majesty, you’re not thinking of…?” Cecile shot him a reproachful look. It was an accusatory expression that seemed to say “You’re such an animal!”

“Don’t look at me like that,” Estian grumbled. “I’m aware it’s not evening yet. I just wanted to tell you I’m setting off tomorrow to conquer the dukedom of Etia. It’s ahead of schedule, but I’ll end things and return quickly.”

“Is it alright for you to be here when the campaign is tomorrow?”

“Everyone’s used to it now anyway. Besides, Kane’s the one doing the preparations.”

Cecile silently offered condolences for Kane, who was likely looking a little worse for wear now. She prayed that all his suffering would one day be rewarded with hefty retirement pay.

“The reason I went out today was to discuss the issue regarding your security, since both Kane and I will be absent for a time.”

Cecile knew better than to claim the imperial guards would be enough. She understood that anyone targeting her in the imperial palace would send agents stronger than the imperial guard. Was there anyone besides Estian and Kane strong enough to thwart such attempts? She was deeply curious about who the candidate Estian had in mind.

“Who’ll be in charge of guarding me?”

Instead of receiving an answer, the emperor only responded with an ambiguous laugh.

* * *

The next day, Cecile got her answer. 

“I don’t need that person!”