After closing the window with bleary eyes and having such thoughts, Lysith calmly caught her breath.

And Verheigen, who was embracing such a Lysith while breathing out contentedly like a purring lion, slowly rose from his spot. He laid Lysith, whom he had been preciously holding in his arms, on the bed and moved to drink a cup of water that was placed on the table.

Still without the energy to move even a finger, Lysith just blankly watched his actions.

Glancing at her, Verheigen took a new mouthful of water and climbed onto the bed.

Then very naturally, he embraced Lysith in his arms again as he lay down, then lowered his head to kiss her.

When Lysith naturally opened her mouth, he held the back of her head with one hand as if pleased, and through their tightly pressed lips, he passed the cool water to her gulp by gulp.

Like a baby bird receiving food from its mother bird — his sharp eyes, which were already notably softer than usual, melted into a completely relaxed expression at the sight.

After their lips parted, he licked up the water droplet that had slightly leaked down Lysith’s chin with his tongue, then kissed her lips one final time with a satisfied expression.

They looked like a pair of ordinary lovers spending an affectionate time after making love.

Though he was always like this these days, the Emperor handled her especially carefully during these times, as if she were a glass artwork that might break at any moment. At the same time, as if he couldn’t bear to be apart for even a moment, he embraced her and nuzzled his face against her neck.

‘Or maybe not. Maybe it’s just the same as always.’

This time too, as expected, he crumpled his huge body to snuggle into Lysith’s embrace. When she gently stroked Verheigen’s head, a pleased groan was heard.

Sometimes physical expressions like these could be more truthful than strings of ‘I like you’s or ‘I love you’s.

As if he liked her so much he simply couldn’t control himself. As if he couldn’t bear being separated from her even slightly. Wanting to touch her, hold her, kiss her…… That sort of thing.

It was always emotion, or rather the body, that overcame reason. Like how reason screams that something shouldn’t be done, but the body refuses to listen.

Verheigen was the same. Though his manner of speech was still that of an emperor, it was worlds apart from how he spoke to others.

And what about his actions? Who in the world would imagine that the Emperor of the Faeous Empire would curl up his massive body to snuggle while purring like this?

While having such thoughts and gently stroking Verheigen’s head, Lysith moved her hand as a curious thought occurred to her.

First she touched the man’s firm shoulder and arm muscles a bit, then touched her own arms which seemed to have no muscles at all.

‘They’re definitely very different……’

Seeming puzzled by Lysith’s sudden action, Verheigen lifted his head from where it was buried in her neck.

“Why?”

“No, just… You seem to particularly enjoy embracing……”

And this wasn’t just about Verheigen. Ashites had wrapped around her like some kind of octopus or squid during their first time together.

From her perspective, it just felt like a firm, large, warm hot pack. Apart from the comfort and peace felt when being embraced, honestly speaking, the physical sensation alone didn’t make her want to stay embraced for long.

But she thought it might feel a bit different from the perspective of the one doing the embracing. Since she was relatively soft and squishy.

And as if confirming her guess, Verheigen nodded and answered.

“That’s true. You’re soft and tender….. Though that’s not the only reason.”

“Not the only reason?”

“When I’m with you like this, it feels like my soul is being filled……”

……What does that mean?

She didn’t feel like asking that out loud. As if there was no way to explain it further, as if it was simply natural, that’s how he spoke of it.

After giving his answer, he casually mentioned something like he’s talking about an interesting rock he saw  while passing by. Though the content was nothing so trivial.

“You’re the first to call my name as a nickname.”

“……What? The former Emperor and Empress……”

Lysith instinctively realized this conversation was a thread of his affection, even as she was taken aback by his sudden words.

What was the reason for this affection that drenched her like a sudden downpour, what was the reason for this deficiency that kept greedily craving for her.

“His Majesty the Emperor, well. The times he called me by my name were countable. Mother…… while she did call me by name, it wasn’t often. She never used any nicknames.”

“……”

“Why make such a face? That’s just how being crown prince is. Well, in my case, the reason might have been a bit different……”

Lysith wasn’t sure what expression she was wearing now, but she was certain it wasn’t an indifferent one.

She just stroked the back of his head while keeping her lips sealed, and he followed up by saying he didn’t care what happened to his past.

Only after hearing his words did she start to understand.

Though she couldn’t know exactly, his family life must have been quite desolate. Regardless of when his earliest memories began. And if his childhood was that level of bleakness, naturally……

“What? Do you pity me?”

“……”

“If you pity me, give me a kiss.”

……One becomes starved for affection.

Lysith, who had been quietly gazing at Verheigen, lowered her head and kissed his forehead.

He seemed not to have truly expected a kiss, grinning contentedly even at this simple contact. Seeing that face somehow made her feel like she’d done something wrong.

‘……I have to go back.’

Hearts are called hearts precisely because they can’t be controlled at will.

However, if she completed the main quest and escaped this game, this body would either die or return to the original Lysith. That was obvious. Then what about this man?

The latter case might somehow be acceptable — though Lysith didn’t know it, he had already realized she wasn’t the Lysith he knew, making it a meaningless assumption — the former case was the problem.

After permanently losing the person who filled his deficient affection?

Could he return to how he was before?

‘Probably not.’

Lysith hugged Verheigen’s face again to hide her darkening expression and kept thinking. Whether this was really inside a game, whether she could really go back, and…

Whether her memories could really only be recovered through quests.

Not recovering her memories wasn’t an option.

Even if she chose to stay here like in romance novels, getting back her original body’s memories was a separate matter. She couldn’t live her entire life parasitizing someone else’s memories and body.

When she felt empty because she lacked the very memories that made up who she was, how was she supposed to fill this void? She couldn’t think of any other way to fill this empty heart except recovering her memories.

Though the system hadn’t told her anything about it, even if it was just her guess and instinct, this path felt right. Since the main quest’s reward was a way back, naturally she’d get her memories back if she returned.

That was roughly her thinking.

“Lysith.”

“……Yes?”

Verheigen called out to her, perhaps finding it strange that she showed no reaction.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

“Ah…… No, just a little.”

Since she couldn’t tell him about the system or quests, Lysith chose to brush it off vaguely.

Trying not to show it, she lightly bit her inner lip with her front teeth and gathered her thoughts.

For now, for now. Let’s do what can be done right in front of me.

“Um, Your Majesty.”

“Name.”

“……Ver.”

“Mmm, speak.”

His tone, which had been sharp as a knife when she called him ‘Your Majesty,’ instantly turned soft as pudding when she used the nickname ‘Ver.’

Shaking her head internally, Lysith briefly rolled her eyes to bring up the system window.

[Sub Quest Prepared For You]

‘LV.8 – Try Having s*x in the Bathroom!’

TIP! Using items in the bathroom can double the fun!

She swallowed nervously.

“I want to take a bath.”

* * *

When Lysith said she wanted to take a bath, Verheigen prepared warm water in the tub without a word, wearing an expression like a well-tamed beast.

He lightly lifted Lysith and placed her in the tub first, then seeing her face relax from the bath water, he let out an uncharacteristic chuckle. His face showed such obvious affection that if some nobles had witnessed it, they would have rubbed their eyes thinking they were seeing things.

After naturally sitting beside her, he eventually sat her on his thighs and started touching here and there.

He couldn’t help but find the body completely leaning against him lovely, exhausted from what he had done earlier. Hunching his upper body to press his cheek against hers, he grinned feeling her warm, soft cheeks.

Ah, I really want to devour her whole.

But since he couldn’t predict what kind of look she’d give him if he did that, Verheigen decided to melt the woman in his arms slowly.

She probably said she wanted to wash because it felt uncomfortable between her legs. Thinking this, his lecherous hand was sneaking between her legs when…

“Ver.”

“……Mmm.”

Did she notice? He answered naturally, but the slight delay in his response from her sudden call bothered him. If she noticed and said not to, said she hated it…… No, but today is still mine. Still, if she really said she hated it, he would have no choice but to yield.