Returning to the princess’s palace, Laurencia headed straight for Ashar’s room.

Hurriedly entering his room through the reception area, she stopped dead at the unexpected sight.

‘What the h*ll is this?’

The absurd state of the room left her speechless.

She’d never had reason to enter this place, so she’d never thought about what condition it might be in.

Still, since it had once been used as a rest area for maids, she’d vaguely assumed it would be reasonably furnished.

But all the room contained was a worn bed barely big enough for one person, a single wardrobe, and a small table with two chairs.

Her impassive expression twisted slightly.

She hadn’t realized the state was this bad.

Even the servants’ quarters would be better than this.

Of course, he wasn’t really her lover, but publicly he was the princess’s only paramour—wasn’t this too much?

She was so dumbfounded she could have laughed hollowly.

This wasn’t disrespecting Ashar—it was disrespecting her as his mistress.

Heat flared up instantly.

She was just about to turn around after savagely surveying the ownerless room.

Ashar, who’d been opening the door to enter, froze when he saw her.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now. Where have you been?”

“Ah, I was taking a walk…”

Trailing off, he glanced outside the door then quickly closed it and approached her.

“Did something happen? Why are you in such a—”

“You! Haah…”

She’d raised her voice without realizing it, then pressed her forehead and let out an irritated sigh.

Even knowing she shouldn’t be angry at him, she was furious at the man who hadn’t said anything to her.

He usually babbled on about all sorts of trivial things, yet he’d kept his mouth shut about this—it infuriated her.

Eventually, grumbling, she turned around. Then she returned to the reception room and pulled the bell cord.

Shortly after, a maid came running in.

“D-did you call for me, Your Highness?”

Emily, who’d rushed in breathlessly, quickly bowed her head upon seeing Laurencia looking thoroughly angry.

Ashar, who’d followed right behind, quietly observed the situation, not understanding what was happening.

“Summon the head maid.”

“Pardon? Ah, yes. Your Highness.”

Emily, who’d glanced at Ashar, hurriedly left the room.

Watching Emily’s retreating figure with a hardened face, he soon approached Laurencia, who looked quite low-spirited.

“Why the head maid all of a sudden? Did something happen at the banquet—”

“If your room is in that state.”

Shooting him a sharp look, she calmed her anger with a short sigh and continued calmly.

“You should have told me.”

“My room? What… Ah!”

Finally realizing the situation, he looked at her with widened eyes then chuckled.

“Don’t tell me you’re this angry because my room is too shabby?”

At the man’s teasing question, the corners of her eyes lifted sharply.

Acting like she shouldn’t be angry over such a thing, he approached with a grin and naturally embraced her waist, acting coquettish.

“I don’t mind. But I feel good that you’re this angry for me?”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m angry because them treating you like nothing is the same as looking down on me.”

“Mm, I hadn’t thought about it that way, but that could be true. Still, I feel good either way.”

Though Laurencia frowned at Ashar’s reaction—smiling brightly without depth—she didn’t avoid him as he gradually drew closer.

Soon, having approached close enough for their lips to touch, he suddenly opened his eyes sharply and quickly stepped back.

“Seems the head maid is already here. What terrible timing.”

Pouting his lips, he stared into space like nothing had happened, and soon the sound of the door opening was heard.

Then, as he’d predicted, the head maid entered and bowed her head.

“You summoned me, Your Highness?”

Laurencia, who’d glanced at Ashar—his senses were extraordinary—soon turned her gaze to the head maid.

Then, in an unprecedentedly stern voice, she commanded decisively.

“Refurnish Ashar’s room. I’ll judge your loyalty to me by how you handle this.”

Three years ago, after Jedrian seized imperial power, the woman who’d become the new head maid belonged to one of the aristocratic faction families.

But back then, it had been hard enough just managing herself, so she’d had no capacity to care who came and went.

By the time she’d come to her senses, everyone around her had been filled with Jedrian’s people from the aristocratic faction.

That too had been brief—shortly after, she’d been driven away to Asram, so despite being nominally the head maid, she didn’t even know her name, let alone which family she belonged to.

So even knowing the woman had no loyalty to her whatsoever, she’d deliberately spoken that way.

One reason was to remind the head maid who her true master was, and the other was a warning to clearly show she wasn’t that foolish princess from before.

Laurencia sternly scrutinized the head maid, who was Jedrian’s lackey.

Seeing her wavering eyes, she seemed to understand she’d fallen into a predicament.

Her head was probably complicated right now.

She’d seen up close what Jedrian thought of her and in what sense he cherished her terribly, so she knew well enough.

Now she had to furnish that princess’s lover’s room with her own hands—how awkward.

This situation would be reported to Jedrian anyway. Even so, there was nothing he could do about it.

At most, he’d just threaten her again.

Since things had come to this, Laurencia deliberately made even more excessive demands, thinking to vent her earlier frustration.

“He’s a lover I cherish, so prepare everything with the highest quality. Do your utmost as though furnishing my own room.”

Either way, she’d suffer the same, so she wanted to at least upset that vile man.

Just then, Ashar played along.

“I’d like the bed to be large and spacious. That way there won’t be the slightest discomfort when serving my mistress.”

Standing naturally behind Laurencia, he embraced her ostentatiously and kissed her cheek.

The head maid’s eyes trembled at the sight.

Though Laurencia was also flustered by the man’s sudden action, since the head maid’s reaction was quite satisfactory, she quietly accepted Ashar’s embarrassing behavior.

But then he went one step further.

“May I stay in my mistress’s bedroom until my room is ready?”

When his sultry voice seeped into her ear, goosebumps rose all over her body.

His wicked intentions were obvious, but right now deceiving the head maid’s eyes took priority.

With a pleased expression, Laurencia stroked the head of the man standing behind her like petting a large dog and answered readily.

“You state the obvious.”

“Ah… my nights won’t be lonely anymore.”

Meanwhile, the head maid, who’d blushed at Ashar’s behavior—openly letting out sticky moans like he was excited—averted her gaze.

Thinking Ashar’s provocations would only escalate at this rate, Laurencia wrapped up the situation.

“If you understand, go prepare immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The head maid, who’d finally answered reluctantly, hurriedly left the room.

As the room’s atmosphere quieted, Laurencia finally removed Ashar’s hands and scolded the man who constantly crossed the line.

“You can’t stay still for even a moment.”

“You seemed to want to put the head maid in a difficult position, so I just played along a little.”

Stepping back refreshingly, he wore a leisurely expression.

However, having already felt his condition, Laurencia—whose perception was as quick as her body’s reactions—openly stared at the man’s lower body.

“Your master must be wicked, because your body acts very well too.”

Ashar, who’d glanced down, saw his already bulging lower body and retorted shamelessly.

“Mm, when did this happen? I had no such intention at all.”

“Even a beast wouldn’t be in heat as much as you.”

“Then what does that make you, willingly coming to such a beast?”

Ashar, who’d approached in the meantime, pressed his lower body against hers ostentatiously and rubbed seductively.

Her brow furrowed faintly at the man’s actions, trying to heat up the atmosphere again so quickly.

Since she didn’t dislike it, Laurencia briefly considered giving in to the temptation, then coolly pushed him away and headed for the sofa.

“I have questions, so sit.”

Ashar, smacking his lips regretfully, obediently sat before her.

Quietly observing the man who looked back calmly, she soon brought up what she was most curious about.

“The King of Morzen. Do you know him?”

A clear crack appeared in Ashar’s leisurely expression.

As though his suddenly fierce face was answer enough, Laurencia continued with her next question.

“Is he also an enemy?”

Only then did his tightly tensed lips slowly open.

“Yes, he’s someone I want to kill as much as that b*stard Jedrian.”

At Ashar’s rage-filled answer, a flash of interest crossed Laurencia’s golden eyes.

There was an inconsistency in his words.

He’d said precisely that he would kill Jedrian, but this time he said ‘someone I want to kill.’

That meant while he hated the King of Morzen enough to want to kill him, he hadn’t decided to kill him yet.

Though she was curious about his relationship with the King of Morzen and what had happened between them—claiming to be a knight from the fallen Silvarnel—that was Ashar’s personal matter.

Recalling their agreement not to ask about each other’s personal affairs, Laurencia decided to satisfy her other curiosities first.

“Where is the Kingdom of Morzen?”

At those words, Ashar’s eyes widened.