CH 128

This happened before spring came. It is the story of the time before the Crown Prince’s wedding took place and about a month after Cersinia received the title.

* * *

“Uumm…”

Cersinia felt a tingling sensation in her sleep. The movement of lips moved all over her neck, palms, and cheeks. Her eyelids twitched at the familiar feeling. She thought she was dreaming but immediately realized it was reality. It was the touch she felt every day.

Cersinia eventually opened her eyes with a faint smile.

“Ben, stop it. It tickles.”

When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Ben kissing her collarbone. He has been kissing her here and there since before, and it must be her collarbone’s turn this time.

“Ah, Cersinia. I didn’t mean to wake you up…”

Ben lifted his head and hastily parted his lips at her voice. Embarrassment was overlaid on his dark-purple eyes, which were filled with longing.

“It will be strange if I don’t wake up when you kiss me everywhere like that.”

Cersinia burst into laughter as she looked at Ben, who was truly apologizing. 

Ben always gets up first and wakes her up like this. With a kiss full of affection that she can’t help but feel. The kiss swept through her body as if to imprint. There was no restriction area, but one day, his lips turned to the inside of her thigh, and she opened her eyes in awe.

“Ah…”

Her words struck a realization on his face.

Ben loved to see Cersinia sleeping. The gentle breathing that came from her, who fell asleep with a calm expression, and her tender body, which always had a warmer temperature than him, and the slow but regular sound of her heartbeat… Nothing of that stopped his heart from beating faster.

Looking at her for a long time, Ben’s lips were moving unconsciously. Her round forehead, plump lips, peachy cheeks, and everything that made her up, Ben didn’t want to miss a single spot. However, it seems that his desire and greed eventually interrupted her sleep.

“Did you sleep well?”

Cersinia asked with a smile as she looked at Ben, who was reflecting on himself with a serious face.

“Yes. Cersinia, sleep more. I won’t disturb you.”

Ben kissed her on the forehead for the last time. It was regrettable, but it was good to be able to watch her fall asleep next to him. No, everything was all good. The fact that she was by his side when he opened his eyes made him feel overwhelmed daily. His feelings miraculously grew day by day like a tree. His heart, overflowing with emotion, loved her more than today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.

“No, I have to get up now. It’s almost morning.”

Seeing the dawn through the curtains, Cersinia raised her body. She wanted to spend all day in bed with Ben, but she couldn’t. Because she had to enter the palace today. It was Limapheus’s request.

Her expectation of spending time quietly with Ben after everything settled turned out terribly wrong. The day she entered the Imperial Palace at the request of Limapheus, she proposed an efficient modern method for the rapid restoration of the capital and the stable life for the people.

From that day on, Limapheus became obsessed with her. His obsession has intensified since she refused the position of advisor. Throughout the meeting, Limapheus’s eyes shine like a wildcat looking for a chance to recommend that position again, putting pressure on her from time to time… He was a man who really didn’t know how to give up.

The Crown Prince’s advisor. It wasn’t the life she wanted. Cersinia doesn’t like to stand out in the first place, but if she became the advisor, wouldn’t it be obvious that all the attention would be focused on her? That mere thought gave Cersinia goosebumps. She thought the time for her to rest had finally come, so she should never have shown any interest in it.

“Are you alright? If it’s hard, I will tell him.”

When Ben saw Cersinia shivering slightly, he touched her forehead with concern, worried that she was sick. Fortunately, he could feel her warmth in his palm, which was no different from usual.

“It’s nothing. And if I go today, I will be free for a while.”

Cersinia shook her head, placing her hands on his hand that covered her forehead.

In the past month, she entered the palace several times at the call from Limapheus, but that was only until today. She will be on vacation for a month starting tomorrow. All she has to do is suffer until today. Right, until today.

“You don’t have to strain yourself. If you don’t want it, you don’t even have to enter the palace.”

Still unable to erase his worries, Ben reached out and stroked her soft cheek with his other hand. He felt sorry for her and worried about her entering the palace early every morning. Furthermore, call her to enter the palace at such an early hour because she’s an early bird that can’t be forgiven.

Ben gritted his teeth, remembering Limapheus, who grins. From one to ten, he didn’t like Limapheus, the culprit who interfered with the time between the two.

“No, I’m really fine.”

Cersinia noticed that Ben was internally swearing at Limapheus and bursting into laughter. Still, it was refreshing to see him curse Limapheus.

“I will get ready first. If you’re tired, get up slowly.”

She kissed his lips and headed to the bathroom. In order to enter the palace on time, she had to prepare from now on.

* * *

“Okay, Countess Gabieta. You will be on vacation starting tomorrow.”

“That’s right.”

Cersinia answered Limapheus, organizing the documents in front of her. Finally, the long and boring meeting was over, and her vacation began.

“Did you say you were going down to the estate? How long will you be there?”

“It will be for a month.”

“Alex will love it. I can imagine it even without looking at him.”

Limapheus laughed loudly because Ben’s expression of joy came to his mind.

Limapheus, who took part in politics earnestly to become the next emperor, called for Cersinia first to restore the capital. He wanted to hear her opinion, who had experienced the flames on the front line and the one who solved it. However, the more he talked to her, the more surprised he became.

Countess Cersinia Gabieta had something special that was different from the priest. She was well acquainted with policies applicable to the people, especially for commoners. She was different from those who wasted his time in discussing things. She knew how to look at public sentiment and what was needed to improve their lives. At the very least, it was in line with Limapheus’s ideology, which wanted to ensure that there would be no starving people again.

Since that day, the frequency of his meeting with Cersinia has increased. As the conversation with her increased, Limapheus became greedy. He wanted to have Cersinia as his advisor. But the moment he said that he was rejected. He had no choice but to frequently call for Cersinia as the second-best solution. It was good so far, but that action made her lover very angry.  

“Alex might have my voodoo doll.”

Limapheus muttered, recalling Ben’s eyes he had seen before.

It was the day when he personally moved to see Grand Duke entering the palace to pick up the Countess every single day. He had the opportunity to see the face of his close friend for the first time in a while, but he had to come back without even greeting him. Because Ben, who had a friendly expression in front of Cersinia, turned into a scary face when he saw Limapheus. Seeing Ben staring at Limapheus with all his might without hiding his emotions was like seeing a lion from the underworld. Even his eyes were giving warnings like ‘I won’t let you interrupt my time with her.’

Who could send such a warning to the Crown Prince but Ben was originally such a man. He didn’t care about anything, even if it was the Emperor or even God, except something that involved Countess Gabieta. There’s no way it wouldn’t be real love.

“It’s not that bad.”

Cersinia smiled faintly when she realized what the Limapheus meant. Ben didn’t have the voodoo doll, but he certainly was on the verge of hating Limapheus more than he disliked it. Even he gritted his teeth just this morning. If it hadn’t been for the month’s vacation, Cersinia couldn’t guarantee what would happen after that.

“No way.”

Limapheus shook his head as if he was fed up and continued,

“Countess, visit Verne before you leave. She’s overjoyed when you visit her. Please.”

“Yes, of course. Then, I will be going now.”

Cersinia left the office after greeting him. Her footsteps were light as she passed the corridors of the Imperial Palace, which she had now become accustomed to.

“Huu.”

Soon, there was a cool sight escaped from her mouth.

The vacation time finally came. It means that she didn’t have to personally meet with Limapheus for a month. Her face lit up with an indescribable sense of relief. How long did she walk, humming to herself with a light heart like a feather? Before she knew it, she was already in front of the door where Verne was staying.

“Lady Verne, Countess Gabieta is here.”

A few seconds later when the knight guarding the door spoke out.

“Welcome, Countess.”

Verne, who opened the door herself, welcomed Cersinia.