Chapter 7: Embarrassment

Cecile reclined in a spacious bathtub, her gaze fixed upon the elegant mosaic crafted from tiny tiles, visible through the misty white vapor of the water. However, in that moment, none of its beauty captured her attention. She remained in a dazed state, her eyes eventually shifting to her arm. And the moment she caught sight of the crimson mark adorning her skin...

"Uaaagh!" she exclaimed, submerging her head in the bathwater. Her outburst prompted the attendants outside to inquire.

"Your Majesty! Are you all right?"

"After all you've been through, we should attend to you!"

Cecile hastily raised her head upon hearing their voices and shouted back, "Do not enter!"

The attendants fell silent at her command, their footsteps retreating once again. Cecile breathed a sigh of relief at their withdrawal. She then prodded the red mark on her arm with a finger.

A sharp sting affirmed that what had transpired the previous night was not a mere dream.

I did it.

Those words reverberated in Cecile's mind.

I actually did it.

She once again slipped into a state of emptiness, observing water droplets cascading from her hair. She had shared a bed with him—the emperor. While it was not surprising, she found herself taken aback. It was only natural for a couple to spend their first night together after marriage, yet she couldn't fathom why she was so astounded. Perhaps it was because she was still alive? Or maybe...

"It was so..." Cecile clamped her mouth shut at that point.

What in the world did I just say? I'm sure the truth serum's effects wore off after taking the antidote. Why did my foolish mouth utter such words?

Cecile lightly smacked her own lips, chastising them for the sins of the previous night. Then, she reclined in the bathtub once more, recalling the emperor's departing words from the bridal chamber.

"I wish I could stay with you longer, but I have to deal with the intruders I ousted. I'll wrap things up as quickly as possible, so rest for now. When I return, we'll continue from where we left off last night. Actually, that should have been my priority, but I was too busy quenching my own desires. I'll see you soon."

With those words, his lips met Cecile's once more. Enduring the tribulations of the entire night, Cecile had no choice but to lie still and accept his kisses. Only when her lack of air made her squirm did the emperor reluctantly part from her, repeatedly casting longing glances before finally leaving the room.

"You girls always told me that novels were just fiction," Cecile recalled the words of the maidservants at the royal villa, spoken every time they lent her books to read. What exactly did they say?

"Princess, it's all fantasy. Fantasy. Men like those only exist in books. Don't ever expect real men out there to be as handsome, well-built, caring, and vigorous. Such men do not exist in this world! They went extinct a long time ago! If you ever find one, I'll give you a gold coin!"

That was what they had said.

"But I did find one..." Cecile murmured. And that man happened to be my husband. A blush colored Cecile's face at that realization.

My husband...?

Addressing the emperor with such a possessive term? She had truly lost her senses since yesterday. How could she dare to claim the mighty emperor as her own? The emperor belonged to no one; he was bound to no other.

I must be cautious with my words.

She recalled the officials at the wedding hall, ready to tear her apart on the spot. If she ever voiced her desire to possess the emperor, it wouldn't be surprising if the officials erupted in rage, bellowing, "Your Majesty, punish that woman's impudence! If punishing her words alone is too lenient, then include her whole being!" They might even condemn her to a boiling death. Cecile rubbed her arms at the chilling thought before glancing at the steamy bathroom wall beside her. Then, she began tracing letters with her finger.

My Husband.

Cecile sketched the words on the wall and giggled softly, but her amusement quickly turned to surprise when she heard a low voice behind her. "What are you doing?"

"Uaaagh!"

Startled, she splashed water, erasing the words on the wall. Cecile turned around, exclaiming, "Your... Your Majesty! How did you...!"

"Is there any place in the imperial palace I cannot enter and exit?"

"Ah, I see."

Realizing the foolishness of her question, Cecile discreetly reached for a towel within her reach. She had glanced at her reflection before entering the bathroom. Apart from the marks on her body, her forehead, which had struck the floor the previous night, sported a bruise that had turned black and blue, accompanied by a slight swelling.

How embarrassing…

For some reason, she felt doubly embarrassed in front of the emperor, standing there with utmost confidence. She needed something to cover herself, but just as she was about to grab the towel outside the bathtub, Estian's hand moved faster. He snatched the towel she was reaching for and flung it aside. The towel collided with a flower pot in the corner of the bathroom, causing it to topple over.

"I apologize."

Unsure of her offense, Cecile felt an urge to beg for forgiveness, even if she had to invent a transgression.

Estian shook his head at her apology and said, "It's fine. Next time, don't cover yourself when you're in front of me."

"I understand. But I truly don't have anything dangerous on me. The attendants thoroughly checked before I entered."

She recalled her conversation with the attendants before entering the bridal chamber the day before. When she had asked, "Why am I wearing such revealing attire? Isn't there anything more modest?" The attendants had responded elegantly, saying, “Who knows what you might be hiding?” and asserting that no such clothing was available. This was likely the emperor's concern just now.

Cecile stood up abruptly from the bathtub, arms raised in an attempt to prove her innocence. Her breasts were exposed, accompanied by the sound of water spraying, but she paid no mind. After all, she had already bared everything last night; what was the point of hiding now?

Estian clenched his lips upon witnessing Cecile's sudden movement, then scanned the surroundings for something. He spotted a large towel, which he picked up and tossed over to Cecile.

"I changed my mind. You may cover yourself."

Silent, Cecile swiftly wrapped the large towel around her body, grateful for the reprieve, before turning to face him. Suddenly, Estian extended his hand. Startled by the sudden gesture, Cecile instinctively stepped back, causing his hand to freeze.

"I only wanted to inspect your injuries. Although I saw the court physician waiting outside, I thought it best to examine you myself first." With those words, the emperor reached out his hand once more.

Cecile closed her eyes as his fingers made gentle contact with her forehead, a cool sensation contrasting the warmth she had felt in the bath. If he were to apply his tremendous strength and squeeze her forehead, she would bid farewell to this world in an instant. Tension filled her, but to her surprise, his touch was tender and cautious.

"It has become more swollen since this morning. The bruise has worsened as well," he mused.

Cecile couldn't fathom why the emperor took an interest in her forehead, even as she listened to his murmurs.

Ah, perhaps...

She had overheard the attendants gasp upon seeing her body before she entered the bathroom. They must have thought that the injury on her forehead was inflicted by the emperor as well. That explained it. He wanted to inspect it, offended by the false accusation. After all, he had been labeled a womanizer out of the blue.

"I shall take my leave now."

"What?" Cecile's eyes widened.

"What's the matter?"

"No, I was just wondering if you came here because you had something to attend to..."

"I have accomplished what I came for." His finger gently pressed against Cecile's forehead before he concluded, "All that remains is to deal with a few matters."

* * *

Kane, the commander of the imperial knights, sensed that something was amiss. When he arrived at the emperor's office in the morning, Estian was nowhere to be found. Never before had the emperor been late to his own office, leaving Kane bewildered. Just as Kane stood there, perplexed by this unprecedented occurrence, Estian entered the office. However, something seemed off about him. Despite facing intruders during the night, he displayed none of the usual signs of annoyance on his face.

Kane cautiously inquired, "How was last night, Your Majesty?"

Four assassins had infiltrated the palace. It had been a while since any intruders breached its defenses, yet they had chosen the wedding night to strike, as if lying in wait.

"It was... a bit strange," Estian replied.

Kane nodded, understanding the implication behind Estian's words. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the four assassins were unrelated to one another. Four assassins dispatched by four separate entities? Such a thing had never occurred before.

"I comprehend. It must have been your first encounter with such an occurrence."

"It felt far more insignificant than I had anticipated," Estian remarked.

"Is that so?" Kane wondered.

Were the assassins small in stature? The body floating in the pond didn't appear small at all.

"And softer than I imagined," Estian added.

"Pardon?" Kane's face contorted in confusion at the mention of softness.

What softness was the emperor referring to? Had he effortlessly pierced through the assassin's abdomen? Estian harbored an aversion to physical contact with others, a consequence of his upbringing. He even preferred not to have Kane, a loyal subject for a long time, standing close to him unless absolutely necessary. And yet, he had touched an assassin? And it felt soft? The assassin was undoubtedly a middle-aged man, so where did the softness come from?

Gradually, a disturbing picture began to form in Kane's mind as Estian continued speaking.

"And even more beautiful in the darkness."

"Your Majesty, forgive me, but to whom are you referring...?" Kane asked cautiously.

"The empress, naturally. Who else could I be referring to?"

"The assassin," Kane replied.

"Are you mad?"

It finally dawned on Kane that something was off. But just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he halted as a crucial realization struck him. Wait a minute. What did the emperor just say? The empress was small and beautiful?

The shock came belatedly. As Kane stood there, dumbfounded, the emperor proceeded to sit at his desk and sign several documents. Suddenly, he ceased his hand movements and rose from his seat, heading toward the door.

"Your Majesty? Where are you going?"

"To see someone."

Kane refrained from asking who that someone was. Estian departed, and a considerable amount of time passed before he returned. The instant he entered the office, Kane caught a faint whiff of roses mixed with the scent of blood.

He inquired, "Where have you been, Your Majesty?"

"I met with the empress and then remembered the assassin from yesterday, so I dealt with him."

"How on earth did you end up thinking of dealing with the assassin after meeting Her Majesty?"

In response to his question, Estian threw something in his hand toward Kane. Acting on instinct, Kane caught the object and widened his eyes upon seeing it. It was a small metal emblem stained with blood and flesh.

"This..."

"I discovered it inside the assassin's body when I examined him. You are familiar with the symbol, aren't you?"

"This is the emblem of the zealots from the Holy Kingdom, is it not?"

"Indeed."

Estian's eyes emanated an icy coldness. The assassin who had orchestrated the attack the previous night had targeted the empress instead of him. But why?

"I will find out why the Holy Kingdom dared to send an assassin and why they targeted the empress instead of me."

* * *

After Estian appeared with the swiftness of a gust of wind and disappeared in the same fashion, Cecile exited the bathroom. The attending servants promptly whisked her away to begin dressing her. Once that was done, they led her to another chamber.

"What is this?" she inquired.