‘Sharing a bed….’

Pedro, now back on the throne, was deep in thought.

Cogette had maintained a composed demeanor, but how much must her pride as a woman have been wounded internally?

“Hm.”

Many vassals and nobles had already been closely observing the king’s actions. Since the king, who had shown no interest in concubines, had taken a woman into his court, they were curious about what would happen next.

If he continued to delay sharing a bed with her, word would undoubtedly reach Icarus eventually.

‘If it’s something that must be done anyway….’

Delaying wasn’t always the best solution.

Eventually, Pedro made up his mind. He summoned the knight commander.

“Sir Henry.”

“You called for me, Your Majesty.”

“I will visit Cogette tonight.”

“……!”

Henry, startled, raised his head. He was surprised to see the king, who had seemed so resolute, change his stance.

“Oh… You’ve finally decided to go.”

“I will leave before midnight.”

“I will send a letter of notice through a servant.”

***

“His Majesty is coming tonight?”

Upon hearing the sudden news, Cogette’s maids hurriedly prepared her for the evening.

Meanwhile, Pedro, having finished his preparations, walked slowly toward her chambers. The moonlight flowed softly between the castle towers, casting a serene glow.

Strangely, the closer he got to her, the more resolute Pedro’s heart became. It was almost as if he were a general heading into battle, carrying a solemn determination.

At last, he arrived at the door to Cogette’s bedroom.

“Your Majesty, we shall take our leave.”

The attendants withdrew to allow the two their private time.

Pedro hesitated, unable to open the door immediately. After a moment, he finally grasped the doorknob and opened it with effort. A dim, sensual light from the candles inside spilled out into the hallway.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Your Majesty.”

Cogette’s voice, trembling with both nervousness and anticipation, reached his ears.

Even without any effort to enhance her beauty, she was stunning. Now, dressed even more elegantly, she waited for him. She looked so breathtaking that even the king, who had previously felt indifferent toward her, was momentarily taken aback.

“……You’re beautiful.”

In truth, Pedro had needed a great deal of courage to come this far.

However, seeing her smiling warmly at him melted away all his worries, like snow under the sun. He wondered why they hadn’t spent such intimate time together sooner.

Ironically, Cogette possessed a very human charm, so different from Icarus.

“I am simply grateful that you came to see me so late at night, Your Majesty.”

“Have you been waiting for me every night?”

“……Without realizing it, I think I have.”

“Is it simply because you are my concubine? Have you done so to fulfill your role to the best of your ability?”

“That’s not it.”

Cogette hurried to explain her feelings.

“At first, I was interested in life at the palace. Even if my role was to serve the king up close, I found it intriguing. But after meeting you, my heart changed. I could sense what a wonderful person you are, and I found myself waiting for you every night.”

“I see.”

“I don’t want to simply remain as your concubine. I want to become a woman who holds a special place in your heart.”

Hearing the sincerity in her voice made Pedro feel uneasy.

He had confirmed her genuine feelings, but he didn’t want her to fall too deeply for him.

“I feel sorry for not spending more time with you.”

“There’s no need for that, Your Majesty. I don’t want to pressure you. Everything should flow naturally. Even if your heart hasn’t fully reached me yet, there’s no need to feel guilty. I only ask for one thing.”

“One thing?”

“Please visit me regularly. That’s all I ask. I’m confident that I can make you happy, Your Majesty.”

The atmosphere grew increasingly tender, and the candlelight flickered in the breeze.

Before they knew it, the two were standing close enough to observe each other’s faces in detail. Pedro’s golden hair, characteristic of royalty, complemented his boyish features perfectly.

Cogette, though maintaining an outwardly calm appearance, felt an overwhelming desire to possess him.

“Close your eyes.”

Pedro cupped her cheek with his large hand and tilted her head slightly. As he brought his lips closer to hers, he, too, closed his eyes.

The sound of their faint breaths filled the space, rendering her unable to move.

Just as their lips were about to meet—

‘……!’

Pedro’s body froze as if some inexplicable force had wrapped around him.

Why, at this moment, was another face suddenly coming to mind?

He should have been focused entirely on the woman before him, yet Pedro found himself overwhelmed by confusion.

Ertel’s face had suddenly taken over his thoughts.

‘Why?’

Even worse, Cogette’s face began to overlap with Ertel’s in his mind. Though he hadn’t taken any intoxicants, it felt like he was experiencing hallucinations.

Flustered, Pedro pulled back and stepped away.

“Your Majesty…?”

Cogette opened her eyes, startled that their lips hadn’t met. Her voice betrayed her confusion.

“What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

“Cogette.”

“Are you feeling unwell…?”

“I’m sorry.”

Not only had he failed to share a bed with her, but he hadn’t even kissed her.

It was at that moment that Pedro realized something about himself.

Unlike other men, he couldn’t engage in physical intimacy without genuine feelings. For him, love required both body and heart to be in harmony.

“All I can say is… I’m sorry.”

“Your Majesty….”

“I feel as though I’ve come here in vain.”

“…….”

“Rest well.”

Unable to face her any longer, Pedro rose hastily.

As he tried to leave the bedroom, Cogette grabbed the hem of his robe. It was a desperate gesture, close to a plea.

“No, Your Majesty. I’m the one who should apologize.”

“What do you have to apologize for…?”

“I asked for intimacy when you weren’t ready. I’m sorry. Please don’t leave.”

“There’s nothing more I can do for you tonight….”

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“……!”

“Just stay by my side.”

Seeing her trembling hands clutching his robe, Pedro felt a pang of guilt.

She must have been so happy when she received the letter saying he would visit tonight.

“If you don’t do anything, that’s fine… Just sleep beside me.”

“Will that be enough for you?”

“It will.”

Softened by her words, Pedro lay down beside her.

She hoped he would at least hold her hand, but he didn’t. He simply lay there, like a companion, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After a while, a single tear rolled down Cogette’s cheek.

Even though she had said it was fine, her pride as a woman was undeniably wounded. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was because she lacked feminine charm.

Hearing her shift beside him, Pedro sat up.

“Are you crying?”

“I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“I’m not blaming you, Your Majesty. I just… feel upset.”

“Sigh.”

Without a word, Pedro reached out and wiped away her tears.

It was time to explain why he had kept his distance from her.

“Cogette, listen carefully.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The truth is… there’s someone I hold in my heart.”

“……!”

Cogette wiped her tears and sat up, focusing intently on his words.

“Someone… other than me?”

“Before you came into my life, there was someone I cherished deeply. That’s why I’ve been acting like this. I thought time would help me move on, but it hasn’t. It’s not because you lack charm.”

“……!”

“It’s just that my heart won’t follow, so please don’t misunderstand.”

She felt relieved to know it wasn’t dislike, but the revelation still shocked her.

As the king’s only concubine, she had never imagined there might be another woman in his heart.

“I’m sorry.”

“So that’s how it is….”

“I couldn’t keep it to myself after seeing your tears.”

Cogette suddenly felt more alert.

She realized she had been far too naive in her pursuit of love.

“May I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“If you already had someone you loved….”

“…….”

“Why did you accept me as your concubine?”

“…….”

“And as your only concubine, at that.”

Her innocent question left Pedro speechless.

The very fact that she could ask such a fundamental question showed how different she was from Icarus.

It seemed Icarus hadn’t shared his ambitions with his sister.

Or perhaps Cogette simply didn’t understand Icarus. She didn’t even seem to realize that Pedro was under subtle pressure from the Juan family.

The king’s voice grew heavy with regret.

“All I can say is that I’m sorry.”

How could he tell her that his heart was too preoccupied with worry over Ertel’s life and death to care for anyone else?