“Your Majesty…”

“Carlisle.”

Cornelia opened her mouth but couldn’t bring herself to speak.

She knew she probably looked foolish, but she had no idea how to respond.

Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined a day would come when she would address Emperor Carlisle by name.

It felt like she had been caught off guard by a surprise attack—her mind was blank.

“I’ll call you Lia,” Carlisle said, deciding on their terms of address while she hesitated.

“I’d like you to call me by my name as well.”

“Is there a need for that?”

His firm tone shattered her last bit of hesitation.

Cornelia didn’t want to be swept along by his intentions so easily.

Perhaps surprised by her unexpected response, Carlisle let out a soft chuckle.

He was every bit the composed and seasoned negotiator.

“And why shouldn’t you?”

“You already know why, Your Majesty.”

“Do I?”

“I am Cornelia Olsen. And you are Emperor Carlisle de Rommhein.”

By speaking their full names aloud, she reminded him of their positions.

“And?”

“Your Majesty.”

His unshaken composure made her voice, which had been gentle, turn firm.

Carlisle’s smile twisted slightly.

“You don’t need to remind me of your name—I already know it well. So tell me the real reason.”

“The real reason?”

“The real reason.”

“Our relationship… it was just a coincidence. Yes, an accident, something that could happen unexpectedly…”

“So, do you regret it?”

For a moment, Cornelia felt a strange sense of vertigo, at a loss for words.

The infamous Carlisle, known for his ruthless, cold-blooded nature, looked at her as if her words had wounded him.

That was unfair.

‘Is his reaction even genuine?’

Her mind blared warning signals, but her heart reacted differently.

“Of course, it’s not that I wasn’t… satisfied. In fact, it was… good… Oh, what am I saying?”

As the conversation strayed further and further from her original intent, Cornelia clutched her head in frustration.

She meant to say that they should end this ridiculous situation and forget about it entirely.

No matter how she looked at it, this was a relationship that could never be.

But when she met those wounded crimson eyes, all her carefully crafted words and thoughts scattered.

In the end, she had basically admitted she was drawn to him.

She had no intention of denying that their night together had been more than satisfying.

But she hadn’t meant to acknowledge it so openly, either.

“So, last night was immensely satisfying, but you don’t want us to be close. Is that it?”

Carlisle didn’t bother hiding his amusement and let out a carefree laugh.

As if he had never been hurt in the first place.

‘Damn it, this man is cunning!’

She should have been irritated by his obvious play, but his smile was just so captivating that she completely missed her chance to refute him.

She hated to admit it, but his words were precisely how she felt.

But she refused to say it out loud.

If she nodded, she would be walking straight into an irreversible situation.

It was oddly relieving to have him articulate her tangled thoughts, but it left her feeling uneasy.

He, more than anyone, should understand the reality of their situation.

‘What is he thinking?’

Carlisle’s true intentions remained a mystery.

But at the very least, Cornelia knew one thing—she didn’t want their affair to become public gossip.

In the end, she was the first to raise the white flag and choose honesty.

“You’re right. I don’t want to put any deep meaning into what happened last night. And I definitely don’t want nicknames.”

“Lia.”

“We can’t get close. We shouldn’t get close. We are… in different positions.”

“A difference in position, huh? How unfortunate.”

Though he spoke as if he regretted it, Carlisle’s expression told a different story.

If anything, he seemed pleased by her words.

“Your Majesty, you know exactly what I mean.”

“Well, one thing is certain. Last night, we were perfect for each other.”

He smiled teasingly.

“Your Majesty…”

“Carlisle. Call me that.”

His voice was firm, as if offering a final negotiation.

“I—”

“I understand your concerns. If it makes you uncomfortable, I won’t ask to see you publicly.”

“And if you don’t ask publicly?”

“Then we’ll meet in secret.”

“But—”

His hand, which had been resting at her waist, slid up to gently cup her delicate face.

As if reassuring her, telling her to trust him completely, he gazed at her with sincerity.

“I promise I won’t ask for more than you can give.”

“……”

“I know what worries you. Just once, trust me and take my hand.”

The Emperor of Rommhein, a man who had never once humbled himself, was now offering to yield everything to her.

Cornelia was honestly a bit shaken.

What exactly did he stand to gain from this?

“May I ask why you are doing this?”

“I like you very much, Lia. And as you already know, our physical compatibility is… absolutely perfect.”

Physical compatibility. He said such an embarrassing thing so casually.

While Cornelia’s face flushed with embarrassment, Carlisle flashed his signature, charming smile. With his free hand, he seductively traced the curve of her waist.

“Letting go of someone who fits me so well in both body and soul would be foolish.”

“Sometimes, even if you want to hold on, you must let go. Especially if the only reason to stay is… physical compatibility.”

As soon as she uttered the scandalous phrase, Cornelia cleared her throat, her cheeks burning. Carlisle let out a low chuckle and encircled her with his imposing frame.

Though they had known each other for less than a day, he found her company utterly delightful.

He would regret letting her go so easily.

She seemed to think of him as carefree in love and relationships, but in truth, Cornelia was the first woman to spend the night in the emperor’s chambers.

For the first time in his life, his emotions had been shaken.

Carlisle’s crimson eyes gleamed with newfound intrigue as he gazed intently at Cornelia.

“Lia, if I let you go, I know I’ll regret it. A wise ruler seizes an opportunity before it slips away.”

“But wouldn’t a wiser ruler ensure there’s nothing to regret in the first place?”

Cornelia whispered quickly, trying to push him away.

“Fortunately, you’re an exception to that rule. The concept of regret doesn’t apply when it comes to you.”

“I’m surprised to hear that I’m such an extraordinary person,” Cornelia said, letting out a light chuckle as she shrugged.

Carlisle’s playful remark eased their tension, softening the charged atmosphere.

“Lia, accept that we’re perfect for each other.”

“Can you really determine that after just one night? What if it was just a misunderstanding?” Cornelia mumbled.

“One day, a hundred days, a thousand days—it doesn’t matter. I can recognize what’s mine at a glance. There’s no room for doubt.”

His gaze burned with certainty.

Cornelia was momentarily speechless at the sincerity in his eyes.

Her heart pounded, and her breath caught in her throat.

Silence stretched between them.

Carlisle seemed to be deep in thought.

His fingers, which had been caressing her chin, stilled. But the intense desire in his crimson eyes continued to hold her captive.

Moments later, he spoke again.

“Are you hesitating to get closer to me because you’re afraid of developing deeper feelings?”

“Maybe…”

A crease formed on Carlisle’s handsome forehead.

“In that case, you don’t have to worry.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. If you’ve heard the rumors, you might understand. The story of the late emperor and empress.”

Cornelia inhaled sharply at his sudden mention of them.

The late imperial couple’s infamous promiscuity had been a frequent topic of gossip among the Roman Empire’s nobility, and Carlisle had endured the consequences of their actions while growing up.

“I…”

“Because of their ‘free-spirited’ nature, I’ve always been skeptical of deep emotions between a man and a woman. That so-called ‘love’—I don’t believe in it.”

Carlisle stretched out his arms and shrugged, his tone oddly indifferent for someone discussing his parents’ disgrace.

Oddly enough, it was Cornelia who felt a pang in her chest.

It was ridiculous—what they had was purely physical attraction, yet the warmth he exuded had momentarily softened her heart.

She lifted her gaze, locking eyes with his smoldering red ones.

“You’re not expecting such feelings from me, are you?”

“Not at all…”

She shook her head slowly, her voice slightly hoarse from her lingering thoughts.

Love. Even the word itself evoked a primal, instinctive fear within her.

Cornelia longed for a passionate, fate-driven love—one that burned like fire—but she knew it was impossible.

The very emotion he dismissed was equally unattainable for her, the daughter of one of the empire’s most powerful noble families.

A man and a woman falling in love and living happily ever after?

That was not her reality.

Especially not when the man in question was Emperor Carlisle.

“Could we even be together? As lovers?”

Even in the night they had shared and any moments they might share in the future, love was an impossibility.

“Your Majesty, I—”

“Carlisle.”

His unwavering gaze made her hesitation dissipate.

“Ha… Fine. Carlisle.”

There might not be deep emotions between them now, but that didn’t mean the possibility had been completely erased.

Even if Carlisle had no faith in love, Cornelia—who still believed in the kind of love found in stories—felt that pursuing a relationship with him was a dangerous gamble.

She needed to push him away.

How could she phrase it? If other reasons weren’t an issue, what about his long-time lover?

Cornelia recalled the rumors surrounding him.

“I agree that we won’t be swayed by emotions.”

“And?”

Carlisle raised an eyebrow, meeting her steady gaze.

“We have to think rationally. Our situation is far from simple.”

“I’m willing to accept the consequences. I want you.”

“But what about your long-time lover?”

“My lover?”

“Lady Citran, the Count’s daughter! Right now, we’re… we’ve wronged her.”

The moment she unconsciously grouped herself with him, Cornelia’s voice trembled.

“I don’t want to be a homewrecker. I don’t want to be condemned by others.”

She meant it.

It was undisputable that Carlisle had a lover and that their relationship had been ongoing for years—it was one of the most well-known rumors in the empire.

“You don’t need to worry about that. It’s not what you think. It’s merely an arrangement.”

Contrary to her expectations that he would change his stance and become more cautious, he showed no hesitation.

As if her concerns were nothing, he simply waved his hand dismissively.

‘Them? An agreement? What does he mean by that?’

Countless questions and thoughts flooded her mind, but Cornelia couldn’t piece them together.

“Enough. I know exactly what’s making that little head of yours so complicated.”

Carlisle, who had been reclining at an angle, straightened up and sat properly.

“Let’s meet ten more times.”

“What?”

“You and I. Let’s meet ten times. Then you can decide—whether having me as your lover is reasonable or not.”

With his large hand, he carefully cradled her delicate face, his red eyes gleaming as he made his firm proposal.

The intense heat that had burned in his gaze earlier was now so well-contained that no trace of it remained.

“But…”

‘Is this really necessary?’

This wasn’t a matter she could just nod along to and easily agree with.

Considering both of their positions, meeting him wasn’t something she could simply do—it was something that would bring consequences she would have to worry about later.

“Lia. You must realize it too. The pull between us… it’s not something that ends after just once.”

“You can’t know that.”

“No. I’m certain. We’ll seek each other out again.”

Carlisle’s voice was smooth and persuasive, reading her hesitation with ease.

His words were more tempting than the sweetest chocolate, making Cornelia waver.

Her light brown eyes trembled ever so slightly.

“I know whose daughter you are. I know why you hesitate.”

“And yet—”

“And yet, I still want to know more about you.”

His red eyes shone sharply with unwavering confidence, but, unfortunately, that confidence did nothing to ease her anxiety.

Instead, it made her fear that she would be the only one to crumble when all of this ended.

The mere thought of it heightened her unease.

In all other matters, Cornelia was composed and levelheaded.

Yet, in this moment, at the prospect of simply meeting someone, she was nothing more than a coward—utterly afraid.

“Carlisle.”

“Don’t even think about running away. I will never let go of this perfect opportunity. You know that too.”

His strong hand wrapped around her slender wrist.

Then, with deliberate gentleness, he gently kissed each of her delicate finger joints.

“I will take care of the Lady Citran’s matter so that it no longer concerns you.”

Did he mean he would end that relationship?

Before she could ask, Carlisle’s long arm reached out and swiftly pulled her slender waist into his embrace.

“Lia. For now, just focus on one thing—how perfectly we fit together.”

And as if to silence her, he pressed his lips to hers, then scattered lingering kisses across her pale cheeks, marking her as his own.