Chapter 77

Jaeyon looked at Adelina as if he couldn’t understand.  

He seemed a bit angry.  

“I decided to receive the queen’s allowance.”  

With my body.  

Not wanting to surprise Jaeyon, Adelina didn’t speak the last words aloud.  

She just gave a bitter smile because she didn’t know why herself.  

“Ha… When the war is over, I’ll offer you better terms.”  

Jaeyon sighed in frustration and released Adelina from his embrace.  

“Do as you wish. Try to charm me.”

“Be prepared.”  

Adelina gave a bitter smile to Jaeyon, who was whining for her attention.  

+++

Early the next morning. A massive sailing ship from the Tiola Empire anchored at the port of Petrus.  

Duke Austin secretly loaded ten people from the ship into a black carriage and headed for the imperial palace.  

“Hahaha, so you are the skilled shipbuilders!”  

When Emperor Grain greeted them in the audience chamber, attendants placed a large box in front of each of them.  

The technicians, who were scouted by Leophris as soon as he arrived in the Tiola Empire, set foot on Petrus soil for the first time.  

According to a note delivered by carrier pigeon, surveillance had intensified, making it unlikely that more shipbuilders could come.  

Isabelle approached them and shook hands with each one personally.  

“Welcome. Petrus will value you greatly.”  

“Oh, Princess. We are honored…”  

The technicians were deeply impressed that the princess shook hands with them, commoners, and bent their waists in half, holding her hands with both of theirs.  

When the attendants opened the lids of the boxes, they were filled with dazzling jewels they had never seen in their lives.  

“Now, you are citizens of Petrus.”

“We are honored, Your Majesty.”  

They prostrated themselves on the floor.  

With these jewels, they could live without worrying about money for generations in this empire.  

Isabelle watched them leave the audience chamber with the guidance of the attendants and called for Duke Austin.  

“Yes, Princess.”  

Sensing something unusual in Isabelle’s gaze, Austin stepped closer.  

“Duke, the second person standing was not a technician. Interrogate him.”

Isabelle lightly touched the second knuckles of her right fingers with her left hand.  

Unlike the others, that person had calluses there.  

“Understood, Princess.”  

Austin bowed slightly to Isabelle and left the audience chamber.  

‘A knight. And a well-trained one at that.’  

When Austin signaled with his eyes, several Imperial Knights followed him.  

+++

That night, Lexion stared at the powdered medicine prepared for a long time.  

“Your Majesty, it’s an anti-inflammatory pain reliever.”  

“Powdered medicine? Not pills?”  

“Since you’re constantly straining your arm, I made it into powder for faster effect. The wound from the arrow hasn’t healed and has worsened, so people are starting to doubt my skills. At this rate, even if I quit being a royal physician, I won’t be able to open a clinic even in the countryside.”  

“Alright. I’ll take my medicine properly.”  

Lexion swallowed the powdered medicine in one go and washed it down with water at the physician’s nagging.  

Even when the physician shouted, “Your Highness! You mustn’t!” he still participated in battles, worsening his wound.  

Yesterday, he even went into the sea, causing the physician to struggle all night to disinfect the wound and reduce the fever, so this level of nagging was understandable.  

After the physician left, Lexion, now alone, lay on the bed.  

Stephan would be angry if he knew, but he removed the uncomfortable armor and even took off his shirt.  

He couldn’t cover himself with a blanket due to the fever from the wound.  

‘Did I overdo it yesterday?’  

Lexion took out a mirror, laid down the cloth, and closed his eyes, waiting for Adelina to contact him.  

+++

The physician, leaving Lexion’s bedroom, curled his lips upward into a smile.  

Stephan approached him secretly and brought his head close.  

“Did it work?”  

“Yes. I gave him a sleeping aid. He will sleep soundly tonight.”  

“Good job. You should… rest well today too. Haven’t you stayed up several nights?”  

“I’m fine. I’ll be waiting in the next room. Call me anytime if you need anything.”  

Stephan watched the physician enter the next room and then moved his steps.  

+++

Last night, Adelina, who secretly met with envoys from other countries, didn’t converse with Lexion through the mirror.  

Perhaps… Lexion had the same thought.  

He might regret saving her and bringing her from Petrus…  

She couldn’t even think of taking out the mirror.  

‘Should I unwrap the cloth… or not?’  

After the second day’s banquet ended, Adelina sat on the bed, holding the mirror wrapped in cloth, pondering whether to unwrap it.  

“Lexion might be waiting…”  

Lexion might not want to see me…  

After much contemplation, Adelina got off the bed and looked at the mirror once.  

• Always pretty.

Ridiculous. Lexion said he couldn’t see her face in the mirror, so what does it matter if she’s pretty or not?  

But since she felt gloomy, she applied a bit of red to her lips and dabbed perfume on her wrists and neck.

Even her pajamas… she changed into the most daring one, which Seyra insisted she shouldn’t pack.  

“Oh my! So this is what they call a negligee!”  

Since Jaeyon wasn’t coming tonight, when else would she have the chance to wear something so revealing?

Feeling much more confident after dressing up a bit prettier, Adelina climbed back into bed and unwrapped the cloth around the mirror.  

‘Just you try to say something! I’ll leave you and go straight to Jaeyon!’

She steeled her resolve.

There are plenty of men in the world. Among them, Jaeyon is not one to be looked down upon.

‘Ah. Ah. Lexion, come out. Over.’  

She called him confidently.  

+++

“Haa… Haa…”  

‘Lexion?’  

Lexion’s figure didn’t appear in the mirror, only his labored breathing was heard.  

“Haa… Rather… kill me…”  

Was he having a nightmare? Or had an assassin entered? Or… poison?  

‘What to do! Lexion! Can you hear me?’  

Not knowing Lexion’s condition, Adelina felt like her blood was drying up.  

“Adel… lina…”  

Even in his struggle, Lexion squeezed out his voice and called her name.  

‘Lexion…’  

At his earnest call, a tear fell from her eyes.  

Thud. The sound of the mirror dropping on the blanket was heard, and her figure disappeared from the bedroom.  

+++

• ‘Rather kill me…’

The 13-year-old boy opened the wooden box that reeked of blood.

From the moment he received the box, the boy’s hands trembled violently.  

He wanted to collapse and lose consciousness under the gazes of the surrounding adult men.  

• ‘If only I could close my eyes and go to Rose’s side…’

The long sword scar on his back, engraved not long ago, seemed to have burst again, burning hot.  

• Lexion. Watch carefully. If you refuse what I give, you’ll continue to receive things like this.

The man, as giant and majestic as a god, looked down at him and spoke.  

• Yes, Your Majesty. I will accept anything from now on.  

Struggling not to drop the box, he bowed deeply.  

He knew this child…  

He was the son of an attendant who worked at the Ernst royal palace.  

They occasionally met secretly and played together as peers.  

<Lexion…>  

From the edge of his faint consciousness, Adelina’s voice was heard.  

At that voice, Emperor Grain’s face distorted and wavered.  

<Lexion… open your eyes… I’m wearing a daring nightgown.>  

Her voice dispelled the sticky darkness enveloping him and brought a dazzling bright light.  

‘Adelina Ernst…’  

He saw her on their wedding day.  

Wearing an Ernst-style wedding dress and a rose tiara. 

My wife.  

• In that case, someone else must come in place of the Duchess. To replace the Duchess, 100 unmarried women from Ernst must come.

Emperor Grain’s vile and arrogant voice was heard again.  

He stood tall before him like a giant god once more.  

‘Adelina Ernst.’  

The woman who came to share his name.  

A family he gained after ten years.  

He wanted to bring her.  

He thought perhaps he deserved to enjoy such small happiness once.  

<Lexion. I might go back into the mirror soon. Please open your eyes quickly.>  

Her voice, tickling his ears like a canary’s song, made him open his eyes.  

‘Adelina Ernst… Should I regret my decision?’  

“Lexion, are you conscious? You were sweating a lot.”  

It seemed to be a dream.  

Adelina, wearing a nightgown she would never wear, was pressing a towel on his forehead.  

“How dare. Without fear.”

To appear in my dream now.  

Lexion pulled Adelina’s hand and hugged her tightly.  

As he deeply inhaled the sweet scent from her neck, it felt like his mouth was filled with that fragrance.  

“Lexion… I’m sorry… I should have stayed…”  

Was she regretting following me?  

As moisture seeped into Adelina’s voice, his heart ached.  

“I never regret bringing you.”  

Changing his position, he trapped her beneath him.  

The tears hanging from her eyes bothered him, so he devoured them all.  

“Ugh…”  

As he deeply inhaled the fragrant spot, Adelina let out a soft moan.  

Seeing her, who always resisted, quietly accepting his lips, it must be a dream.  

If so…  

“Without fear.”

He caressed Adelina’s face, now carrying bewilderment instead of tears.  

“Lexion?”  

“To appear in my dream.”  

Her already big and round eyes widened even more in surprise.  

He pressed her lower lip with his thumb, slightly parting it.  

His lips curled slightly at the sight of her alluring appearance.  

“Did you come prepared?”  

Before she could answer, he began to kiss her.  

+++

‘Lexion…’  

Adelina moistened his dry mouth, parched from fever.  

His hand, caressing her neck, was still too hot, as if the fever hadn’t fully subsided.  

“I’m going to devour you completely.”  

Even thinking it was a dream, Lexion’s entire body turned red, as if embarrassed by his words.  

“Too… cheesy.”  

“I know. It’s my dream. I’ll do as I please.”  

Seeing goosebumps rise all over Adelina’s body, Lexion chuckled and kissed her forehead as if to fulfill his words.  

His lips, lingering long on her forehead, slowly moved downward.  

He pressed her eyelids to keep her from opening her eyes and tickled her ears to prevent her from hearing anything else.  

He kissed and bit the taut tendons of her neck, ensuring she couldn’t make any sound other than moans.  

As she arched her back to suppress her moans, he buried his head in the hollow of her chest.

“Adelina.”  

When his breath burrowed into her chest, she trembled all over.