Chapter 14

“…Am I seeing this right? Is His Majesty the King entering with the Queen?”  

“That’s what it looks like to me. Goodness, what’s going on? They even went separately at the wedding reception.”  

“Did something change between them? For example…”  

“There’s no way. I’ve never heard of the King sharing a bed with the Queen.”  

“They’re probably just entering together. They did that at the reception, too, didn’t they?”  

“Still, she looks beautiful today. She really is Agnesa’s daughter.”  

As soon as they entered the ballroom, the same chatter echoed from all sides, making it impossible to pretend not to hear. Nadia glanced awkwardly at the man beside her.  

She thought he would leave for another spot now that they’d arrived. But for some reason, he stayed by her side.  

Nadia wondered why, then realized—  

‘He’s waiting for me to move first.’  

Yes, she couldn’t dare ask the King to move. Quickly reaching her conclusion, Nadia offered him a polite farewell.  

“Thank you for escorting me, Your Majesty. Then I’ll…”  

She was about to step away after a proper farewell when she felt a grip on her wrist.  

The pull turned her back toward the King, who asked with a puzzled expression,  

“Where are you going?”  

“Uh…”  

Nadia blinked in confusion.  

“I was going to give you space.”  

“Why?”  

“Well… It’s only right for me to move rather than you, Your Majesty.”  

“I don’t understand what you mean.”  

Lev was still holding Nadia’s wrist.  

“So you want us to show these newly adult young men that we’re at odds.”  

“Well, everyone knows whose daughter I am…”  

Nadia glanced at him, thinking it was a strange topic to bring up, as if he wanted to stay together.  

…But that couldn’t be.  

“More than anything, I thought you would be uncomfortable, Your Majesty.”  

“It’s lonelier being alone on a day like this.”  

Was he doing this because Countess Vellevin was absent?  

That theory, which came to her late, explained everything. True, it wouldn’t look good for the King to be without a partner.  

‘Still, being alone is better than being with the daughter of his enemy.’  

As Nadia hesitated in silence, Lev asked again,  

“Are you the one who’s uncomfortable?”  

“…Of course not.”  

It was a white lie. No one could be comfortable with someone who hated—and had every reason to hate—them.  

“I thought so.”  

The King’s arrogant gaze seemed to say, How could you dislike me?  

Nadia nodded as if she would stay with him. Only then did he release her wrist.  

Even though he hadn’t gripped it tightly, the spot tingled. Nadia rubbed her wrist and watched the King’s expression.  

The silence was unbearable. She wished someone, anyone, would come over.  

“This must be your first debutante ball.”  

His voice came again from beside her.  

“You must regret not becoming the May Queen. You would have, surely.”  

“Me?”  

“You don’t think so?”  

The May Queen was the debutante who danced with the most young men at the ball. Nadia laughed weakly and waved her hand.  

“That’s too much praise.”  

“You’re the one being too modest.”  

Lev replied with a crooked smile.  

“You are Agnesa’s daughter, after all.”  

Nadia swallowed dryly at his “kind” reminder of her birth, just when she was about to forget.  

“I don’t think that connection has ever benefited me.”  

If anything, it was a disadvantage, she thought but didn’t say aloud.  

Her mother being the King’s mistress was only a reason for others to look down on her.  

Not worthy of being a legitimate wife, only fit to be a mistress like her mother.  

So she still didn’t understand why the King was to make her his Queen.  

“If my position were switched with the Countess Vellevin, it wouldn’t be strange. That seems more fitting as the reason you spared me, Your Majesty.”  

“The reason I let you live.”  

It was a topic neither had ever directly mentioned. In fact, they’d hardly spoken at all.  

Lev, surprised Nadia brought it up first, asked with interest,  

“What do you think it was?”  

“Didn’t you want me to live in a pain worse than death?”  

Lev answered with silence. Nadia watched him nervously.  

Maybe she’d been too direct. She regretted it, but also thought it didn’t matter.  

Everyone believed he hadn’t spared her out of kindness.  

“Why do you think that?”  

As soon as she had the thought, the King asked. Nadia quietly met his unreadable gaze.  

He leaned in and gently cupped her cheek.  

To someone who didn’t know, the scene would seem romantic, enough to spark whispers about the King’s sudden behavior.  

“Maybe I spared you out of kindness. Maybe I was enchanted by this beautiful face, the spitting image of Agnesa.”  

“…Exactly.”  

As his face drew closer, she could feel his breath. It tickled, her throat was dry. The cheek he touched felt as if it was burning.  

“You wouldn’t like a face that resembles Agnesa Turik.”  

She was afraid to see his eyes as she said it, worried he’d know she’d seen through him. Nadia looked away and spoke honestly.  

“Unless you hate it.”  

She didn’t believe the recent change in his attitude was genuine kindness. There had to be an ulterior motive.  

He was the kind of man who should hate her. She couldn’t believe “Sorry I was distant” at face value.  

“Either way, it doesn’t matter. My life and death are in your hands. I can only… do as you wish.”  

“You say dangerous things so casually.”  

Lev raised an eyebrow. Do as he wished. He mulled over her words for a long time before asking,  

“If I really wanted that, would you do it? You seem pretty satisfied with your life right now.”  

Of course, life here was better than being forced to leave her homeland.  

But if things continued like this, he wouldn’t get the result he wanted.  

‘Is he acting nice all of a sudden because…’  

Just as the theory flashed through her mind, Lev’s hand, which had lingered on her cheek, slowly slid down her neck and along her shoulder.  

A tingling sensation shot through her, like being struck by lightning.  

Nadia stared blankly at the man, who traced her shoulder with his thumb. His gaze was dry as he asked quietly,  

“What if I want you to serve me another way?”  

His slow thumb movement was suggestive. His gaze traveled down her face, along her jaw, lower and deeper still.  

When his thumb pressed firmly into her shoulder, Nadia involuntarily drew a quick breath. Even though she thought it was impossible, her heart pounded.  

“Your Majesty.”  

The tense atmosphere was broken then. Lev slowly turned his head to see who had called him.