When she was hit again on the same left cheek, a deep red mark in the shape of a hand was now clearly visible, and blood was already trickling from her split lip.

“I’ll ask you again. Do you understand what you’ve done wrong?”

Despite the late midsummer sun, the cold tone in her voice froze the air in the room.

“If Your Majesty would be so kind as to teach me my mistake…”

Tana’s hand sliced through the air again, ready to strike again –

“I greet Her Majesty the Dowager Empress.”

A clear, calm voice rang out, deep but unmistakably steady.

Tana paused in mid-movement, her expression twisted as if she saw something terrible. She turned to face the source of the voice.

“Phew…”

From Sienna’s trembling lips came a barely audible sigh of relief.

Then, Freya, standing there with an expression of utmost humility, bowed deeply toward Tana, who was now rendered speechless in disbelief.

“As you can see, I am unwell and unable to rise to greet you properly. I ask for your understanding, Your Majesty the Dowager Empress.”

Tana’s eyes flashed red with fury as she looked at Freya. But Freya, meeting that gaze without the slightest falter, continued calmly.

“I do not know what has caused such displeasure… but these maids were given to me by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“So what?”

Tana’s face visibly twisted in anger.

“And so, I ask that if they have done something wrong, Your Majesty would kindly address it to me, their mistress.”

“Is that so?”

Tana’s gaze slowly swept over Freya. Whatever thoughts she was entertaining, a cruel smile curled at her beautiful lips.

“Then their sins are yours as well, aren’t they?”

The color drained from the maids’ faces as they watched.

“Would you tell me what has made you so angry?”

Freya asked, in a tone that sounded as though she were soothing a child.

Whether it was that tone or the calmness in Freya’s demeanor, something tipped Tana over the edge. She began trembling with rage and finally screamed.

“Do I have to say it aloud for you to know?!”

“How could we possibly presume to know the depth of Your Majesty’s intentions? If you would tell us…”

Freya hadn’t even finished speaking when—

“How dare you steal my doctor? Impudent girl!”

Tana’s angry voice thundered through the room.

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

“I summoned him first.”

“But when he did not appear, I looked – only to find he was here.”

She jerked her chin in the doctor’s direction. Now that she mentioned it, Carter had indeed been shifting restlessly like a nervous puppy the whole time.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

At that, Tana dramatically raised her arm for all to see.

On closer inspection, a bluish mark had formed around her right wrist. It was partially covered by a collection of ornate bracelets, but a large bruise was clearly visible around her slender wrist.

It must have been caused when the Emperor grabbed her arm yesterday when she tried to strike Freya.

She had assumed that he had only been pretending to stop her – but apparently he had grabbed her with more force than she had expected, leaving a painful-looking bruise.

“How did you get such a bruise?”

Tana’s face turned red and pale, clearly humiliated.

Breathing heavily, as if she could no longer hold back her anger, she suddenly thrust her right hand at Freya.

“Stop!”

One of Tana’s maids – who had been pacing anxiously just outside the room – burst in with a near-scream, unable to hold back any longer.

Startled by the scream, Tana froze.

“Your Majesty! Please don’t…”

Just as Tana raised her hand to strike her own maid in a fit of rage –

“The Emperor approaches.”

At the attendant’s announcement, Tana froze, her hand hanging awkwardly in midair.

“I was passing by and thought I’d stop in for a moment.”

A smooth, pleasant baritone swept through the room like a breeze.

‘How much did he see?’

Unconsciously rubbing her bruised wrist, Tana’s crimson eyes flickered with unease.

As always, the Emperor was impeccable.

His lips were set firmly in a composed line. His piercing blue eyes were colder than ice, yet breathtaking. There was nothing about him that wasn’t beautiful.

Bathed in the sunlight streaming through the window, his golden hair shimmered more brilliantly than ever – it looked especially alluring today.

‘If only I could hold him in my arms… run my fingers through that hair…’

It had been four years since she had last seen him.

And now he had become a man.

If she could embrace that broad chest, kiss those lips, she would have nothing left in the world to envy.

The thirst she had never been able to quench had long since become an unbearable agony.

‘I want him.’

Her desire was overwhelming.

She could hardly bear how much she wanted him, this man who was the half-brother of the late Emperor.

She had never meant for it to come to this – never meant to lose him to a woman like her. Regret rose to the sky.

Back in Voltmon, she had taken countless lovers – men chosen for their resemblance to the Emperor.

But none of them could satisfy Tana’s desires. None of them could fill the void inside her.

“How do you feel?”

The Emperor’s gaze seemed indifferent as he looked at Freya, but Tana could tell.

He had feelings for this woman.

“I’m fine. I’m much better now.”

At Freya’s answer, the maids looked at her with surprised expressions. But Rabion just nodded slightly, as if it were nothing.

Then his eyes turned to Tana.

“My, Her Majesty the Dowager Empress is here as well.”

“Her Majesty…?”

His voice was soft – so soft that Tana’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“This is perfect timing. It’s almost lunchtime – why not dine with me in the main palace? I’ll have them prepare your favourites.”

Looking at Tana, whose expression was still stunned, Rabion offered a serene, unbothered smile.

❖ ❖ ❖

The Emperor usually preferred a light lunch.

Burdened with state affairs, he often lost his appetite, so meals were usually prepared with easily digestible foods.

But today’s lunch was anything but ordinary.

“Please, take your time.”

Tana usually loved meat, but the overwhelming spread of meat dishes covering the long table made her stomach feel uneasy.

The table was filled with meat from all kinds of animals, and the smell wasn’t pleasant either.

In front of Tana was a plate of veal – crisply fried on the outside, but dripping with blood on the inside. It was her favourite dish.

“It’s been a while since we last saw each other, and yet I fear I treated you badly yesterday. Please forgive my lapse in judgement.”

“It’s all right.”

Although it was a dish she usually enjoyed, her stomach was inexplicably churning today.

As Tana continued to push her food around, unable to eat, Rabion watched in silence – then slowly rose from his seat.

There was an indescribable sense of pressure as he walked towards her.

“Allow me to cut it for you.”

His familiar voice brushed softly against her ear, and as the breath of the man she so desperately desired brushed the back of her neck, her heart pounded as if it would burst.

The unpleasant smell of flesh from earlier had vanished without a trace.

Only the intoxicating scent of him remained, curling sweetly at the tip of her nose.

‘Am I dreaming?’
Tana could feel her breathing grow more and more unsteady.

Finally, Rabion’s strong arms wrapped around Tana from behind.

Every elegant movement of the knife in his hand caused rich, red juices to ooze from the flesh.

How could anyone hate this man – so beautiful, down to the fingers that looked as if they had been sculpted by the gods themselves?

She wanted to press her lips to those fingers, to take them deep into her mouth and suck them until her throat ached.

The thought of his blue eyes clouding with desire for her made her cheeks flush with heat.

As if sensing the euphoria washing over her, a soft voice followed:

“How happy, Your Majesty, the Dowager Empress.”

“Happy? What do you mean… by that?”

“I was worried… that I’d end up cutting something other than meat today.”

“…Pardon?”

Tana’s pupils trembled wildly at his unexpected words.

“W-what are you talking about?”

She asked again, turning her head only to stifle a scream.

The Emperor’s eyes, once calm and distant, now glowed with a piercing cold – so icy they seemed ready to tear her apart.

Tap.
Rabion dropped the knife without hesitation and let out a long, heavy sigh.

Then his long, beautiful hand reached for Tana’s right wrist.

As he grasped it, Tana forgot how to breathe and trembled violently.

It was the touch of the man she had longed for so desperately – but there was no thrill, no fluttering excitement.

Just cold sweat running down her back.

“This hand.”

“……”

“You almost lost it today.”

“Ah-“

A choked gasp escaped Tana’s lips at the cold tone of his voice.

Rabion slowly released her wrist and gently placed a fork in her hand.

His touch was surprisingly soft.

“Fortunately, my maid was loyal enough to protect her mistress’s hand.”

“……”

“Well then – what a relief, wouldn’t you say?”

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“Please finish your meal. I have many matters of state to return to.”

With a polite bow to the Dowager Empress, Rabion turned and calmly walked out of the dining room.

Clatter.

The fork slipped from her limp fingers and fell onto the carpeted floor.

‘How… how could he… do this to me…?’

Her crimson eyes, completely disheveled, trembled violently as if they were about to spill tears at any moment.