“I am honored to see the glory of Atlan.”

Ariel took off her shawl and held it in her hand, making a gesture of respect.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, I’m glad. But, your face seems a bit bruised…”

Ariel studied his expression.

In an unbelievable scene, Leopold’s eyes widened for a moment, in astonishment.

Ariel shrugged her shoulders, unable to understand the reason.

But there was a reason for his surprise. It was because he noticed Ariel’s hunting attire.

For Leopold, who had always seen her in dresses, her outfit was a breath of fresh air.

Ariel’s hunting outfit, which she had tailored to be black because she was nervous about getting demon blood on it.

It was tailored to fit snugly to her body, allowing easy movement and accentuating her graceful beauty.

The visual contrast between her slender waist and ample chest made Leopold dizzy.

He felt an impulse to wrap his arms around her waist and touch her soft and warm flesh at will.

His heart raced, and the increased blood flow made his heart tickle.

‘To have such feelings for someone who’s not in good health.’

Leopold endured with difficulty as he acknowledged her greeting.

Puzzled by his restless gaze, Ariel wondered.

‘Why did he suddenly summon me? What on earth is he doing?’

She waited for him to say something, even just a greeting.

But contrary to her expectations, Leopold silently took her hand and turned away from her.

He walked towards the sofa.

Ariel’s legs moved quickly to keep pace with Leopold’s long strides, and her gaze lingered on his retreating figure.

His flushed cheeks and hesitant movements made Ariel feel flustered in this situation.

‘Did I make a mistake?’

Ariel pursed her lips.

She had come in sweating as soon as she was ordered to come, without even having the chance to freshen up.

She felt upset that Leopold did not seem pleased to see her and didn’t say anything to her.

Unaware of Ariel’s predicament, Leopold silently seated her on the sofa and then went straight to the fireplace to add firewood without sitting down himself.

He then promptly walked towards the door.

Worried about the cold draft entering the room, he left the door slightly ajar and instructed Richard, who was standing outside, to prepare a bath.

“No need for a maid to assist with the bath.”

He added in a deep, subdued voice. After hearing Richard’s response, Leopold closed the door.

He didn’t bring a maid to assist because he wanted Ariel to bathe comfortably.

‘If I had known this, I should have added that she could bring in that maid with her.’

Realizing that unauthorized individuals cannot enter the palace without the Emperor’s permission, he realized that Ariel hadn’t brought May with her.

Leopold frowned and lifted the blanket on the bed as if cradling it in his arms.

Ariel’s attention followed Leopold’s busy movements.

But Leopold did not meet her gaze.

When he saw that sight, Ariel had all sorts of thoughts.

‘I’ve always been well-dressed, but maybe after seeing me in this disheveled state, I wonder if he regretted entering into a marriage contract.’

Ariel gazed weakly at the table. She soon let out a small sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

In response, Leopold covered her with a white, warm blanket.

Standing behind Ariel, watching her adjust the blanket, Leopold thought he was fortunate that she had come to cover herself with the shawl.

If she hadn’t, he might have gouged out the eyes of those who saw her in that state.

“Wait a moment. The bathwater will be ready soon.”

His voice cracked due to the strained emotions he was trying to contain.

‘A voice filled with affection…’

Ariel released all her tension at his gentle voice.

She felt relieved. Her anxious feelings subsided.

‘After I arrived, everything Leopold did… was for me.’

Thinking back, his gaze and attention had been directed towards Ariel.

Ariel turned her head to look up at Leopold.

Tears began to well up in her large eyes.

It seemed like tears would flow down at any moment if she blinked.

Leopold couldn’t overlook this.

He was taken aback, but he nonchalantly used his thumb to wipe away her tears.

Where his warm fingers touched, the chill disappeared and warmth spread.

“Ariel, are you not feeling well?”

“I came straight from sword practice. So, that’s why…”

Unable to cope with his awkward appearance, Ariel couldn’t continue speaking.

‘Why… Why do I feel so overwhelmed? What are these emotions I’m feeling right now?’

She was curious about the answers to these questions.

But her pondering didn’t last long.

“From now on, always prioritize yourself. I will also strive to do so for you.”

In his kind tone and expression, and in his heart that was dedicated to her, Ariel’s emotional fortress crumbled.

‘Aah… Something unexpected has happened.’

Ariel bit her lip to stifle the sobs that were pouring out one after another.

It might not be love. It might not be love, but it was certainly an affectionate emotion.

She became aware of it. The instinctive emotions she had ignored until now.

A surge of warmth rose from within her. The heat made Ariel’s face flush red.

Worried about Ariel’s sudden flush, Leopold brought his hand to her forehead and said,

“You don’t have a fever.”

He smiled gently and continued,

“If anything is uncomfortable, please tell me. I need to know so I can help solve it.”

Was Leopold always this handsome?

Unable to grasp the approaching heartache, Ariel instead placed her hand on her chest.

‘Pull yourself together, Ariel Clark. You must not forget that you have to leave in 2 years.’

She must gather her overflowing emotions towards him.

Since he is destined to fall in love with Liese, there is no place for her by his side.

“Good. And I hope you won’t wear these clothes again.”

Ariel opened her eyes as if asking what he meant.

“I want to be the only one to see you, and I want to know only you. Like this.”

As Leopold finished speaking, his large hand caressed Ariel’s head, melting her heart.

She couldn’t resist the warm and gentle touch.

No, she wanted to throw herself into his arms like a cat surrendering to its owner’s touch.

Once she became aware of her feelings, she couldn’t regain her composure. She couldn’t hold back.

But with the last remaining patience, she pushed away his hand covering her head.

“And if I don’t want to?”

Her emerald eyes trembled slightly, halfway between defiance and anger at her own feelings.

Strange. Clearly, her gaze was challenging, and her response was defiant, yet why was my desire so strong to the point of overwhelming my reason?

Leopold took hold of her chin. His fingertips touched her soft skin.

In his deep red pupils, her red lips gleamed.

‘Should I swallow it without saying a word?’

Leopold bent down and approached her face. His gaze stubbornly fixed on her lips.

The two exchanged each other’s breaths, as if they were about to touch.

The sweet scent emanating from her made Leopold’s mind dizzy.

Ariel was equally dazed.

He knew exactly what he was about to do, but she couldn’t resist him.

As the blurred reason failed to exert its strength, her heart pounded fiercely. As if her heart was attached to her ears, the sound of her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

She wanted to yield to him in a position where she couldn’t refuse the emperor.

‘Now it’s really the limit…’

Ariel let go of her reason. Her trembling eyelids covered her eyes.

Knock, knock.

“Your Majesty. The bath is ready.”

It was Richard.

Ariel opened her eyes. She looked at Leopold. His eyes were filled with regret.

Her eyes also held a deep desire for him, but Leopold didn’t notice.

“Unfortunately, the water has all been drawn. Here, take this.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Ariel, who had regained her composure, removed the blanket that was covering her body and wrapped her upper body with the blanket Leopold provided.

Then he lifted the blanket around her chest area and said,

“Hold onto the blanket tightly with one hand. So it doesn’t slip down.”

As Ariel grasped it, Leopold locked eyes with her.

His eyes, unglazed with red paint, shimmered softly like a blood-red lake reflecting moonlight.

It was his intense desire to possess Ariel, contained in his pupils, that flickered in his gaze.

As a result of his gaze, Ariel’s heart began to beat rapidly once again.

‘To be able to be together like this every day from now on. It feels like a dream.’

His firm and rough hand covered Ariel’s hand. That hand led her to Leopold’s bathroom.