Chapter 20_Is it finally my turn now?

Could it be…

No way. Maybe it is.

But still, no way. Why me now?

Or is it finally my turn now?

If so, what’s wrong with enjoying it? We’re officially married anyway.

Hmm… But doing this all of a sudden feels a bit unsettling…

A low sigh escaped the Emperor’s lips.

“Your Majesty. Do not worry. The tributes from each country are still under negotiation and will likely increase.”

Oh dear.

Even Dein, known for his sharp intuition, could miss the mark sometimes.

It wasn’t because the tributes were insufficient that he sighed.

However, the Emperor didn’t correct him. Meanwhile, he continued to ponder in his mind.

***

As Dein left the study, he touched his chin, deep in thought. It was his habit whenever something serious was on his mind.

He’s unable to focus. His Majesty the Emperor. This should never happen during such an important meeting. The Empress has changed, and now His Majesty too? What kind of phenomenon is this? 

Whether all this was good or not, he couldn’t tell yet.

Hmm…

His Majesty’s laughter, the Empress’s sincerity, and nothing unusual happening despite their daily meetings.

He already knew that His Majesty often smiled in front of the Empress, that the Empress massaged his legs and behaved obediently.

The chamberlain reported that their meal was in a harmonious atmosphere this time. 

Is there a change happening between them?

He wasn’t worried about the Empress, but he was worried about His Majesty. Obsessed with unification, His Majesty was quite ignorant in this area.

Trying to enchant His Majesty… 

No. If it were the former Empress, he would have opposed it with all his might. No, if it were like that, His Majesty would have rejected and pushed her away first. The problem was the Empress had changed. So, His Majesty continued to see her.

Because of the sudden change in both of them, Dein couldn’t even pick up his pen in his study. He had to write letters to send to each country. However, he didn’t dwell on it for long. It wasn’t something that would be resolved immediately. Believing it to be part of a greater plan from the heavens, Dein finally picked up his pen.

***

“Madame, you look so beautiful.”

After helping Bellita with her attire, the maids showered her with compliments.

“Look at this. You should go to His Majesty like this tomorrow.”

Bellita should have thanked the maid who brought the large mirror before her, but she couldn’t. She had deliberately kept the mirror tucked away in the corner to avoid looking at it. Since these were her maids, she couldn’t scold them and reluctantly looked at her reflection.

Ah! I knew it.

She looked like an angel.

No, even Aphrodite would cry seeing this beauty.

Moreover, the maids had done such a good job with her makeup that her blue eyes sparkled even more, and her slightly flushed cheeks looked fresh. Her pink, beautifully drawn lips were as attractive as a dewy flower bud, and her red hair, lightly tied and cascading down, shone with a glossy sheen. It was the first time she had seen herself so clearly.

Sigh…

To think this is my face.

This is why I didn’t want to look. It feels even more alien.

Feeling an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity, she blinked. The Bellita in the mirror blinked back. She let out a small laugh. It was natural for her reflection to move the same way, but not being used to this face made her feel like she was looking at a stranger.

This stunning appearance is now me.

The inside is all rotten… No. Now, that inside is also me.

I just need to become the awakened Bellita. So, let’s not be too distressed by this situation. I just need to be recognized by the Emperor and survive well.

Bellita’s beautiful lips curved into a brighter smile.

Seeing Bellita smile like a blooming flower, the nanny gazed at her in a daze. Though such occurrences were frequent, it seemed that Bellita’s beauty had recently reached a new level.

Her beauty seemed to have gained a new depth. The nanny closely observed Bellita’s expression. She has been like this lately. Such radiant beauty usually comes from being in love… The nanny had a hunch.

But now, she planned to act more cautiously. The nanny had been so embarrassed when she misjudged what Bellita wanted last time. She vowed never to let that happen again. One mistake was enough.

“Madame, I’ll bring more goba oil.”

Goba oil needed to be sealed for several days to maximize its efficacy. It should be mature enough by now, so the nanny headed to her workshop to fetch it. The workshop, specially prepared by Bellita, was practically a pharmacy.

Hohohoho.

Another change over the past few days. As the nanny walked through the Empress’s Palace, she enjoyed the frequent laughter of the maids heard here and there.

As Bellita changed, so did the atmosphere in the Empress’s Palace. The tense atmosphere, where everyone tiptoed as if walking on thin ice, was gradually softening.

Laughter could be heard for the first time. Everyone used to avoid being seen by Madam, but now they gathered in small groups, chatting about Madam.

Why is she like this? Can you believe it?

Has she become human?

It’s been continuing for days. I’ve never seen someone change so much.

I hope it lasts long. The atmosphere is so good right now…

Whenever they gathered, everyone talked about Bellita.

In the past, they would gossip about bizarre rumors… To be precise, facts. But now, everything was very desirable. Positive and good words were spreading. The nanny walked briskly, a satisfied smile on her face.

***

Damn it.

[I’m currently on my period, so today is not possible.]

Kuro cursed profusely at being turned away by one of the women he had seduced, a widow.

Arrogant wench.

Fuming, he got back into the carriage and changed his destination.

There are others besides you.

But being rejected by his first choice and heading to a backup left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Signs of the Divine Beast had suddenly appeared. It hadn’t been long since its last manifestation. What a significant omen.

Thinking it was growing and completing in this way, he hurried to the woman’s house. But now, being rejected and heading to another woman made Kuro’s anger boil.

Of course, he could just embrace any woman and be done with it. But sleeping with that woman would make the Divine Beast stronger and more mature. The euphoria afterward was incomparable, which was why he sought her.

Kuro repeatedly wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief inside the carriage.

The signs before the Divine Beast’s emergence.

His body burned with heat.

Unlike a fever from illness, this heat spread throughout his body, making his fingertips and toes tingle as if they were about to explode. He needed to release this explosive feeling with a woman. Usually, he would feel drained after intercourse, but this time, more energy gathered within him, and he felt it flow out through his back. That was the Divine Beast.

So, when the signs appeared, he needed to sleep with that woman, but being rejected and changing directions made him feel bitter. Not recognizing the body destined to become the Emperor.

At least this time, the signs appeared at night, making it easier to sleep with a woman. There was no risk of being caught visiting her house. Last time, the signs appeared during the day, and he had urgently summoned the woman he was just rejected by through his butler.

He liked that she didn’t mind the location, as long as she was given a hefty purse afterward. After the Divine Beast manifested, he had confidently returned to the palace and flaunted the Divine Beast to the Emperor.

He couldn’t forget that ecstasy, but now it felt like cold water had been poured on him. He needed to replace her or something. He had sought her too often, and she had become arrogant. 

She would probably demand more money next. Hmph!

Snorting, Kuro got off the carriage and took the hand of the second woman who welcomed him, entering her house with a mask of love.

***

Damn it.

Curses burst out repeatedly.

Having completed his task grandly and left the woman’s house, Kuro hurried to a wide open space. Standing in the middle of the empty ground to release his overflowing energy, Kuro confidently manifested the Divine Beast. However…

Nothing changed. That alone was infuriating, but the state of the Divine Beast was strange. The horse Divine Beast, which used to fly through the sky, couldn’t run properly and kept gasping mid-air. It was as if it had eaten something bad. But it wasn’t alive, so that couldn’t be the case. It was driving him mad.

Pulling at his hair, he let out a scream. If the foal Divine Beast, which he had painstakingly raised, perished, he would be relegated to a filthy sewer. Who would follow and support him then?

Argh!

Is that damned Divine Beast desperate to die?

The sight of it coughing and burying its head between its legs was infuriating. 

Did it come out just to show this?

Argh!!!

If only I had slept with that woman first. It would have been better than this. I’ll kill her.

His desperate scream echoed eerily in the empty ground.

***

Wondering if he would ask her to massage his legs again, Bellita sat quietly on the square rug carpet, waiting for the Emperor’s command.

“The weather is really nice.”

We can just talk about the weather and part ways, and that’s fine with me.

Nodding appropriately, Bellita observed the Emperor’s face. He looked a bit tired. Being the Emperor, he must have a lot of work and worries. He seemed somewhat pitiful.

Sitting near the lakeside where they had previously sat, the two of them spent time in silence. The Emperor, unusually quiet, made Bellita feel a bit strange.