CH 6

6. How to safely refuse to sleep (1) 

They could’ve sworn. They’d never seen Lescal smile like this before. 

Even the shadow knights who were closest to Lescal, not to mention others. 

“Your majesty…. how do you feel? Are you okay?” 

Serben asked with a puzzled face. 

“Do I feel okay? Why are you asking me that?”  

To be honest, even Lescal had never seen himself like this. He didn’t even know why he was smiling.  

“Because you look happy.” 

“I don’t believe that is true.” 

“Oh… I see.” 

When Lescal, who wore a pleasant expression, said such a thing, the shadow knights tried to look away. 

“But what do you mean that her wearing pajamas is related to the amnesia?” 

After a while, Serben, who shook off the awkwardness, asked. Riyan quickly opened her mouth as if she was dying to switch to some other topic.  

“Let’s say you have a terrible relationship with someone. But you have no choice but to face them, and this relationship can’t stay the same for much longer.  

“Hmm…well, I’d suppose I’d try to have a conversation with them.” 

“What if you can’t do that because you have a shitty personality?” 

“Huh? Is there a person like that?” 

“You know, her majesty.” 

“Ah…that’s right!” 

As if he understood, Serben patted his head. 

“You want to change the relationship, but you can’t come forward and admit you were wrong first. You’d rather die than apologize…what do you do then? Pretend as if you’ve never been on bad terms at all.” 

“That’s why she brought up amnesia.” 

“I wonder if it’s like that.” 

Riyan smiled a little mischievously at Lescal. 

“Well, her majesty’s change of heart is beyond my wildest guesses. Still, she seems to be making some efforts to improve her relationship with his majesty.” 

“I see.” 

Lescal laughed again. 

He might not see it, but it was clear to the eyes of the two knights. 

“So why don’t you try a little bit, Your Majesty?” 

“What kind of effort would I try?” 

“Well, like other husbands, you can give flowers.” 

Serben stepped in. 

“Her Majesty likes Gardenia.” 

Riyan looked at Serben in surprise. 

“What? How do you know that?” 

“By chance. Last winter, the courtiers of the Empress’s palace couldn’t procure the Gardenia flowers, so it was all in chaos.” 

“Chaos? Did someone die?” 

“I heard that the gardener was divided into three. I don’t know if he’s dead or alive.” 

“…If that’s the case, you should just say he’s dead. Anyways, your majesty, by all means, Gardenia.” 

To their surprise, Lescal nodded.  

“Do it.” 

“All right, Your Majesty.” 

Riyan, who answered quickly, poked Serben in the side. 

“Go ahead.” 

“Ugh…fine.” 

Serben, who would have usually resisted by saying ‘Don’t make me do such annoying things’ didn’t argue as much today. 

It was too important a day for that. 

* * * 

“…what?” 

Lasilia couldn’t believe what she had just heard, so she asked again. 

“That’s what contact means…is that right?”  

“Yes, your Majesty.” 

The maids looked at the empress without knowing why. They wanted to think on why she was pretending to not know even this much if they all knew the amnesia was a lie, but they couldn’t.  

The empress’ amazed face looked so sincere right now.  

“So it’s…it’s basically a married couple’s act?” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“That….so, on the blue moon…” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“…….” 

Lasilia at last shut up. 

‘Was it true that the blood of the demons flows through the Eliaden Imperial family? I thought it was just an old tale.’ 

Well, there was no way to explain those golden eyes if not for the blood of the demons. 

‘So, that’s what it was.’ 

She could now understand why the emperor had come to her bedroom in the morning. She could also see why one of the shadow knights threatened her to do her part. 

‘Then it’s really bad.’ 

Regardless of the marital relationship she was now in, she was not the real empress. So she couldn’t be a companion of fate. Suddenly, she felt a chill. 

‘That dream…don’t tell me when he finds out I’m not the real empress…is he going to kill me?’ 

In her dream, she desperately said she loved him. The emperor said that such love wasn’t necessary.  

The desperation could be understood if it was to not die. 

‘But that’s not all.’ 

Lasilia clenched her fist. 

It was a very serious matter that she was a fake. They said the blood of the demons could not be controlled without the companion of fate. She didn’t know what would happen if the emperor completely mutated into a demon after his 30th birthday. 

‘How the hell am I supposed to deal with this?’ 

They say the blue moon will come up in a few days. She had to find a way within those few days. 

Knock knock! 

“Your majesty! His Majesty the Emperor has sent you a present!” 

An unexpected thing penetrated through gap in my thoughts. 

“What?” 

“What’s going on?” 

The maids were more surprised than Lasilia. 

The doors opened from both sides, and a huge amount of flowers came into view one after another in a vase as big as a basin. 

“Oh, my God…” 

After the servants from the Imperial Palace retreated, the Empress’ bedroom became a flower garden. The courtiers had to open the window quickly because the strong scent of the Gardenia flowers seemed to suffocate people. 

“You must be very happy, Your Majesty.” 

The Marquis of Pasha spoke without knowing what was going on. 

“These flowers he’s sent to the Empress’ palace are not just any flowers, they’re flowers are your majesty’s most liked flowers. He’s never done this before…doesn’t this mean his majesty is finally falling in love with your majesty, the empress?” 

After biting her teeth, Lasilia opened her mouth. 

“I don’t think that makes sense.” 

“……Yes, Your Majesty?” 

“When you say ‘finally fallen for you.’ it means that he didn’t love me before. Amnesia is no reason to fall in love with someone, so his majesty has no reason to be in love with me. The flowers must have come for comfort.” 

“Well, that’s….” 

The Marquis of Pasha mumbled her words and couldn’t finish her sentence. 

Seeing this, it made Lasilia realize the emperor and empress weren’t on good terms with each other. It wasn’t just that they were bad together, but they were openly monitoring one another. 

‘There was also a rumor in Delarta that the Emperor of the empire was mistreating the Empress. The rumor might have been exaggerated, but there must have been a problem to begin with. Seeing that the knight from earlier said that the empress had not played her part, It could have led to abuse.’ 

What the hell was the reason? What kind of couple were the Emperor and Empress? 

Her thoughts continued. 

Meanwhile, time passed steadily towards the evening. 

* * * 

Count Felson, the chief chamberlain of the Imperial palace, was a very capable man. 

His presence was minimal, overshadowed by the two shadow knights, but he was a person who made sure to do his part. He was also told that the empress would visit the emperor, although a little later than the knights.  

Of course, he knew the emperor ordered to pluck all the Gardenia flowers in the garden and send them to the empress. It was he who worked the gardeners like crazy. 

Anyways, he was fully prepared for today, when the bedroom sharing might finally happen after 4 years. 

Dozens of candles were lit in the emperor’s bedroom, and curtains were all lowered on the windows. They moved a table and set up food for the two of them, and served the sweetest wine in the palace. 

Above all, they worked the hardest on the emperor’s clothes. 

The empress was said to be wearing the pajamas she didn’t get to wear on their first night, so the emperor should be wearing something similar. Sadly, there were no pajamas built to wear on the first night. But there were so many new pajamas that you could step on them. 

Felson, who’d been agonizing over dozens of pajamas, decided to recommend a nightgown instead of pajamas. 

The gown had to be black to make the most of his shining gold eyes and blonde hair. 

It had embroidery, but the golden thread might be too much, so he had to do something. The pattern was not too big, but it wasn’t good if it was too modest either. 

After much consideration, Felson sprayed perfume based on Gardenia flowers on the night gown he chose. When asked to wear a gown on top of his bare body, Lescal stared at his face. 

“Well, well, you’ll look very good, Your Majesty.” 

Persson was a person who was proud on the fact that no one could match his aesthetic sense in this palace. 

“Mingled with the subtle and sensual atmosphere in the bedroom, Her Majesty won’t want to sleep anywhere else tonight.” 

“……if so.” 

Eventually, Lescal put his arm in the gown. 

Felson, who tied the cord around the robe moderately loose, but invisible as intended, trimmed Lescal’s hair himself on behalf of the courtiers. 

“You’d better put your bangs down today, Your Majesty.” 

“Do as you please.” 

When granted permission, Felson’s hands moved swiftly. Felson clenched his teeth and maintained a polite expression as he held himself back from humming. 

“That’s all, Your Majesty.” 

Even as he let go, Felson felt infinite pride in the work he had just completed. 

“Her Majesty will surely fall in love with you.” 

Felson also knew the empress’ character was going through a ‘personality improvement’ class. However, no matter how twisted her and her heart was, it would have no choice but to melt in front of the dazzling beauty in front of her. 

He couldn’t have celebrated the emperor’s 30th birthday like this. 

It was clear that the emperor was also trying to restore the marital relationship, which he had neglected so far, knowing that there was not much time left. 

If so, it was reasonable to help one’s body be on fire. 

But what Lescal spouted next made Felson freeze. 

“If the empress doesn’t like it, you must take responsibility.” 

“Oh, …your Majesty…….” 

Lescal, who turned his head away indifferently from the blushing Felson, looked at the wall clock. 

It was time for the empress to come soon. 

* * * 

There was no way to avoid it. 

In fact, I initially thought about hiding somewhere. However, the emperor persistently sent people in advance and positioned them in the passageway leading from the bedroom. 

“Your Majesty, the time has come.” 

“…….” 

Lasilia looked at a short man named the Chief Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace. 

From the moment he arrived at the Empress’ palace, she could feel his strong determination to bring her to the emperor – even counting the time in seconds. 

‘It’s understandable because ‘I’ve’ refused them several times before…I can’t avoid this.’ 

She couldn’t do it. If she couldn’t avoid facing the emperor, she had to find another way. 

Lasilia nodded after swallowing her dry saliva. 

“You’ll be guiding me, I assume.” 

“Yes, your Majesty.” 

The maids, servants, and royal guards headed to the emperor’s palace, surrounding Lasilia from front and behind. 

The number of people were so large that people would have thought they were going to war somewhere, not to meet the emperor. 

[Percussion] 

Anyway, they arrived at the Imperial Palace, exchanged etiquette that they had to exchange with each other, and the door closed behind her back after everyone else stepped away. 

“…….” 

Lasilia felt somehow that the emperor’s bedroom, dimmer than the room designated for the prophet, was stuffy. Compared to other places, the air was several times heavier – it seemed to press her whole body flat. 

Among them, the man with the heaviest presence opened his lips toward her, sweeping up his shiny blond hair alone in this dark place. 

“Well, now,” 

“…….” 

“Tell me what to do.”