Chapter 25_Between the Lips of Two People

She should know how important this is before speaking. If she says something wrong now, the incident of running away with Emur will seem trivial in comparison.

“That kiss.”

Once she said it, she wondered why she felt so embarrassed. It’s hard only the first time.

“When we kissed… just before you fell asleep, I saw it. It appeared suddenly and then disappeared.”

The Emperor exhaled heavily. Even if Bellita noticed, it couldn’t be helped. This was an important matter to him. The Divine Beast had appeared once years ago and hadn’t manifested since. Even for a brief moment.

“What… did it look like?”

“It was huge. Big enough to fill my room. It looked fiercely ferocious.”

Just like you.

She couldn’t bring herself to say that last part. The Emperor remained silent, not saying much. He didn’t seem to believe her. But it was true.

The Emperor was at a loss for words.

That big, and ferocious too. Then it’s fully grown.

It’s not a foal like Kuro’s Divine Beast.

It means it’s already complete. If her words are true.

He wanted to believe it. How long had he anxiously awaited it.

But if it’s a lie, he might retract his promise not to kill her within a day.

“It was big enough to swallow both of us in one bite. Its fierce eyes were golden… Ah! They were exactly like your eyes.”

The Emperor took a deep breath. His chest heaved.

His heart swelled. If this was all true, it meant his Divine Beast was already complete and would soon manifest properly. He had wished for even a cub to manifest, but it was already fully grown, which made his heart swell. The previous Emperor’s black wolf was that big. Big enough to fill a room, and so ferocious.

Bellita’s clear, bright eyes told him it was the truth.

Although he had never seen his Divine Beast, at that moment, a sigh of relief escaped him. It felt like he was releasing all his worries and struggles up to that point.

Now it just needs to come out.

His Divine Beast, incomparable to a foal.

He wanted to see it. The tiger Divine Beast with eyes just like his.

Bellita felt she needed to explain more and continued to squeeze her memory. The Emperor’s expression changed with every word she said. Taking it as a good sign, she continued.

“Something exploded behind your back and spread out. It filled the room in an instant. As it became clearer, I realized it was a tiger. I clearly saw the tiger stripes. It opened its mouth wide and stretched towards me, glaring, then disappeared.”

She described it in detail. The Emperor seemed pleased with her words.

Thankfully.

“Is this important enough?”

She could ask confidently. He was focusing intensely on her and seemed satisfied, even happy.

He didn’t respond, just kept staring at her face. As time passed, she became less confident in her judgment. He seemed pleased… The only movement from the Emperor sitting across from her was his hand twitching a few times.

“Shall we have some cool tea?”

What?

Why mention tea now? 

But Bellita quickly understood the meaning and finally smiled in relief.

“Yes. In a large cup, please.”

She was so tense and had talked a lot, making her throat dry. 

Phew… Thank goodness. 

She clasped her hands in front of her chest, expressing her joy.

Watching her, the Emperor was trying to calm himself. It was hard to control his hands from reaching out to her. His breathing became even more labored.

Bellita looked so beautiful and lovely. He had known her beauty but had lost interest for a long time. Now she looked lovely. He wanted to touch her face, and his hand itched. Controlling his hand, his eyes were the problem. They were glued to her lips.

He wanted to touch the lips that had spoken such enchanting words. Everything about her was perfect. The passionate kiss they shared last night made him feel hot. Her words made his heart burn, and her lips made his body burn. 

Why not do it here? 

He regretted not being in his bedroom.

No.

Why not?

I’m the Emperor! This woman is my wife! What does the place matter?

Bellita, suddenly pulled by the Emperor’s outstretched hand, was dragged into his lap, just like when she first possessed this body.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she remembered she was comparing him to someone.

He’s the Emperor. Not someone like Emur, but Emperor Kalik. The same Kalik she shared a deep kiss with.

Her heart pounded under his intense, warm gaze. She anticipated what might happen, making her heart race more. Her lips moved involuntarily.

The Emperor’s gaze immediately fell on her lips, growing darker.

She’s seducing me. Finally.

Today, I must give Bellita a reward for her great work.

He went back to last night.

A muffled moan escaped between their tightly locked lips. Whose moan it was didn’t matter. The Emperor was blissfully confirming if the sensations from last night were the same. They were. No, it was even better. Each kiss felt better, driving him crazy.

Bellita clung to him, receiving his kisses. The Emperor’s arms around her tightened. His lips delved deeper.

No one knew how long the kiss would last. It would last until they wanted to stop. The Emperor had never experienced such a sweet and ecstatic time.

Ah… Bellita.

Bellita, who melts a person with just a kiss.

Bellita must have seduced men this way. This time, her target was him. She was seducing him properly.

He couldn’t pull away from Bellita’s especially attractive lips today. Once again, being in his study felt frustrating.

Tonight, then.

Let’s do what we must. The postponed first night.

The Emperor had to exert tremendous self-control to be satisfied with just a kiss, wanting more right now.

***

Whoosh.

The nanny quickly grabbed the aide’s hand, raised to knock on the study door.

What are you doing! Read the room.

The aide was about to knock, thinking too much time had passed and the Emperor should move on to the next task. But the nanny, with a look that asked what was more important, held his hand firmly and shook her head slowly.

Leave them be. The two who have just fallen in love. We must not interfere. We must push them forward together.

The aide, understanding, nodded and held the nanny’s hand firmly.

They realized they would see this scene of the unopened door many times in the future. The sweet and heated atmosphere seemed to spread even to where they stood.

A very happy smile spread across the nanny’s lips.

***

“Should I come again… tomorrow?”

After kissing to the limit and catching her breath, Bellita asked the Emperor in a heated voice.

Did you not plan to come? We end up like this whenever we meet.

The Emperor was about to get upset. 

If you’re going to come after me, be proactive and don’t confuse me. Is this all a tactic to make me anxious?

“Will you not come unless I order it?”

You should come on your own.

“It’s not that…”

She couldn’t just push her husband away, so she wondered what to do. She had promised to do as he asked, so she felt she should comply.

“I’ll come tomorrow.”

Yes. That’s how you should be, my Bellita. 

The Emperor, already showing possessiveness, didn’t realize this was his first time feeling such emotions.

***

Bellita, still dazed and lost in thought, passed by Duke Logan in the study hallway without recognizing him.

Oh! I didn’t have the tea.

Well, I kissed instead of having tea. He did.

A shy smile spread across Bellita’s face.

The nanny, seeing her dimple, didn’t miss it. 

She must have had a good time.

The satisfied nanny thought, but Bellita didn’t notice.

She was still troubled. 

Even if he’s my husband by possession, it hasn’t been long since I met him. Is it okay to keep doing this? Although he’s handsome. And the kiss…

Bellita wondered what was going through Kalik’s mind.

The Emperor, Kalik, couldn’t focus. Duke Logan was talking, but he couldn’t hear him. The ecstatic kiss with Bellita, the feel of her lips, lingered.

An amazing kiss.

Even knowing everything, her seduction was fatal.

No wonder everyone falls for her.

And she saw the Divine Beast.

It’s the second time it’s shown itself to someone else. 

When will it appear to me? 

His mind was filled with thoughts of the Divine Beast.

Unlike the troubled Bellita, the Emperor’s heart swelled with anticipation.

Kalik couldn’t help but feel good. The kiss alone was enough, but the Divine Beast too.