Chapter 1.2

“Huff, this is the Aibayan… the one they only produce 30 bottles of each year…!”  

As soon as she entered the Emperor’s private quarters, Olivia’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the liquor bottles set before her. Aibayan was produced in the Emperor’s direct territory, and all of it went exclusively to the Imperial Family, making it impossible to purchase even with money.  

“Drink as much as you like.”  

“Thank you!”  

Olivia cheerfully opened a bottle without hesitation. As the cork popped, a rich aroma filled the air.  

“Oh, the taste is exquisite… Ugh.”  

Excitedly, she took a sip, enjoying the smooth texture and heavenly flavor, only to feel nausea rise suddenly.  

“I think I’m going to throw up….”  

Her tolerance had reached its limit. The consequences of drinking too much strong liquor out of frustration were catching up with her. She felt even more miserable knowing there was such a fantastic drink right in front of her. Eloin, however, remained indifferent as he pointed toward the bathroom.  

“Then leave immediately. The bathroom is over there.”  

“I’m dizzy… you know? …And my stomach feels heavy… Ugh.”  

Her stomach churned painfully, and her tightly bound corset made it unbearable. Olivia leaned back against the chair, trying to breathe deeply.  

“I told you formal speech doesn’t suit you.”  

“Ugh… And then you’ll accuse me of disrespect later, right?”  

“Don’t argue. Speak comfortably. Consider it punishment for trying to assassinate my foot earlier.”  

Olivia glared at Eloin suspiciously, but his deep, ocean-blue eyes showed no signs of wavering. With the same calm expression, he sat down beside her and asked,  

“If it’s too much, should I loosen your corset?”  

“What?!”  

“Informal speech.”  

“…….”  

“If you throw up on me, you’ll face another punishment.”  

Now that they were alone, Eloin’s tone became more relaxed, referring to himself as “I” rather than “We.”  

“What are you planning to do by loosening my clothes? We’re only pretending to spend the night together.”  

“Do you think I’m a scoundrel? I just don’t want my bedroom to smell like vomit.”  

Ugh. Olivia felt slightly hurt by his blunt response.  

‘Maybe I should just leave.’  

The thought briefly crossed her mind, but if she left now, she’d continue to be introduced to disastrous suitors like today. Her father and brothers wouldn’t have chosen such men willingly, but the reality was that eligible gentlemen her age were either already taken, preferred their own gender, or were aspiring priests.  

Moreover, if she left so soon after arriving, rumors might spread that the Emperor was impotent. Knowing how vindictive Eloin could be when upset, that possibility terrified her.  

She decided to endure and make the best of the situation. Taking a deep breath, she spoke.  

“Then… loosen it for me. I mean, loosen it.”  

A faint smile briefly appeared on Eloin’s face before disappearing. Wondering if she had imagined it, Olivia watched as he gently turned her around.  

“It’s tied rather tightly. No wonder you can’t breathe properly.”  

“When they tightened it, three people had to pull together… Sometimes young ladies even break their ribs.”  

“For such a small waist… What a pointless practice.”  

Clicking his tongue, Eloin carefully untied the silk strings one by one.  

Though he was simply loosening her corset to help her breathe, Olivia couldn’t help but freeze as his warm breath brushed against her neck and shoulders.  

‘It tickles….’  

Olivia was already sensitive to tickling, and the sensation of his breath on her bare skin was unfamiliar and unsettling. It felt both ticklish and as if she might be bitten, warm yet sending shivers down her spine. Her body tensed involuntarily.  

Her stiff shoulders and arms didn’t escape Eloin’s notice. After skillfully removing the corset from underneath her dress, he lightly stroked her back.  

“Breathe.”  

“…Hic!”  

Startled, Olivia trembled and gulped down air. Disaster struck immediately afterward.  

Buuuuurp.  

As the pressure in her chest eased, a loud belch escaped her lips.  

‘Ahhhhh!’  

Internally screaming, Olivia covered her face with both hands. Forget pretending to be lovers—she felt like she’d never be able to face Eloin again. But as he watched her turn crimson from her shoulders down, he struggled to suppress his laughter.  

“Do it again.”  

His voice came out calm, a testament to his effort to remain composed. To show he wasn’t joking, he let her lean against him and patted her back naturally, as if soothing a child.  

“Wh-what do you mean, do it again?!”  

“Burp.”  

“Why are you being so gross?!”  

Though Olivia flailed in protest, Eloin didn’t stop. The occasional brushing of his hand against her partially undone top made her squirm, but it seemed to help as her stomach gradually settled.  

The problem was that her suppressed drunkenness surged all at once.  

“Huuu….”  

“Olivia?”  

Seeing her suddenly slump forward with a deep sigh, Eloin’s heart sank.  

Carefully lifting her chin, he saw her dazed eyes and carefree smile. Relieved for a moment, he froze as her hand began to wander across his chest.  

“Tommy, you’re unusually firm today.”  

“Firm…?”  

Eloin dumbly repeated her words, his face darkening. Who was this Tommy?  

“Olivia Helvetica. It seems you’ve been enjoying yourself quite a bit during my two years of confinement.”  

His grip tightened on her slender wrist. The thought of this hand touching someone else’s chest made him want to tear it apart, but Olivia’s whining brought him back to his senses.  

“Ow… It hurts….”  

Though he loosened his hold, he didn’t let go entirely. Feeling wronged, Olivia glared at him sulkily.  

Gothishr wasn’t a sexually repressed nation. Just as courtesans frequented men’s clubs, male courtesans were common in women’s salons. Tommy was one of them.  

“…You’re not Tommy.”  

“Of course not. I’m….”  

“Loin.”  

Eloin’s fiery demeanor cooled, and the area below his ears turned slightly red. “Loin” was the nickname she used for him as a child during their happiest days, when they were inseparable.  

But in her drunken state, Olivia didn’t notice his mood shift. She grumbled as she kneaded his chest through his shirt.  

“Who are you calling indecent? Everyone knows the Imperial Family receives s*x education from a young age.”  

“That’s true for most, but I….”  

Eloin tried to say something, but Olivia’s indignant roar drowned him out.  

“I haven’t even kissed anyone yet!”  

Yet, yet, yet!  

Her voice echoed so loudly in the spacious bedroom that it even reverberated. As the echo faded, another sound rang out briefly.

Chok.

Olivia’s violet eyes widened like a tray. Eloin smiled at a slant, with a hint of mischief.  

“Now you’re someone who’s had a kiss.”  

He lowered his head again. He could vividly feel her lips pressing and melting against his own.  

He wanted to stay like this forever, or rather, he wanted to devour even what lay beyond, but Eloin suppressed his desire, pulled away, and gently moved her to the bed. Her stomach seemed to have settled, so there was no need to worry about her throwing up in her sleep.  

“Now, sleep.”  

But drunken Olivia was a formidable opponent. She was the strongest drinker in the Marquis’ household, yet once drunk, she became unpredictable.  

“Loin.”  

As Eloin tried to pull away, she grabbed his neck and pulled him into her embrace.  

“Not that kind of baby kiss. We need to do a grown-up kiss.”  

What on earth was a grown-up kiss? Before he could even be puzzled, Eloin’s mind went hazy. Olivia’s tongue boldly parted his lips and slipped inside.  

Yet, despite her boldness, her movements were quite awkward. Her small tongue clumsily explored his mouth and tapped his tongue before quickly retreating. It was a short and clumsy kiss, but it was enough to completely change the air between them.  

“…So you wanted to kiss.”  

“Mm, that’s it.”  

“It’s my first time too.”  

“What?”  

Eloin’s looks were beyond just handsome. His deep eyes, straight and long brows, well-balanced nose and lips seemed as if someone had sculpted them intentionally. Combined with his cold expression, he looked like a flower blooming on a cliff.  

And since he was still single, women constantly schemed to pluck that flower, even at the risk of danger. If he had desires, he could have chosen any one of them, yet he claimed never to have kissed anyone before? Olivia almost scoffed, but Eloin was quicker.  

“It’d be a shame to end our first kiss like this.”  

“Mmph!”  

A strange sound escaped as their lips met, but Eloin’s eyes curved in amusement. Unable to withstand the gaze that seemed to find her cute, Olivia unconsciously closed her eyes.  

But with her eyes closed, her senses grew sharper. Every time his tongue grazed her palate, every time their tongues intertwined, she felt a ticklish flutter in her stomach. She engraved in her memory how his tongue moved, how the wet sounds echoed.  

“Breathe.”  

Eloin, as if reading her mind, gave her a moment to catch her breath when she seemed overwhelmed. Of course, even in those brief moments, he showered her jawline, neck, and earlobe with light kisses, making her chest rise and fall rapidly.  

“Mm……”  

So this is what a kiss feels like. With the repeating pleasure, Olivia admitted honestly, her throat trembling. She’d never imagined Eloin would be her first kiss, but to make her feel this good—he wasn’t a bad choice at all.