Had she been waiting without realizing it?

Perhaps, had she been longing for those violet eyes?

Above all, had she been missing the scent and hot temperature of the man who said he wanted her?

“Yes. Without a doubt. His Majesty has returned!”

Even combining the time from her previous short and fleeting life with the time since she got a second chance and faced him, it couldn’t be called long at all……

Yet all kinds of emotions she didn’t know existed made her heart swell.

“My lady……!”

Everyone seemed to have heard the announcement of the emperor’s return, as they hurried breathlessly to the reception room where Elia was.

“Hannah, help me…… stand.”

Elia, still looking dazed, reached out her hand to Hannah.

Soon Hannah supported Elia, and Elia, leaning on her cane, stood still as if unsure where to go.

“Now that His Majesty the Emperor has returned, we must return to our original duties.”

At head chamberlain Victor’s words, Marienne also nodded. Both were originally in charge of assisting the emperor, and now that the real master had returned, they had to go back.

“Yes…… that’s right.”

Victor bowed respectfully.

“Though it was a short time, it was an honor to serve someone as noble as you, my lady.”

Though they would still see each other often, the days of serving Elia as their master had ended.

“I’m grateful too. We can share longer conversations later…… Go to His Majesty now. Marienne, you go too.”

Elia gestured, setting aside the disappointment of this sudden parting.

“My lady…… I too was honored to serve someone as kind and dignified as you.”

As both of them bowed their heads, it finally began to feel real that he had returned.

“May I ask one last thing? Now that His Majesty the Emperor has returned, what will the procedure be…… I mean……”

Elia wanted to know when she could meet the emperor.

She struggled to find the appropriate words for such a simple question.

“Since he has returned from war, he will first go to the imperial shrine to perform the return ceremony…… then proceed with events to commemorate the victory.”

Marienne nodded at Victor’s words.

“According to imperial family protocol, there will be a victory ceremony and a grand banquet inviting the nobles. I believe he will come to the inner palace after that.”

Marienne, sensing Elia’s feelings, subtly added the answer she was hoping for at the end.

“Unfortunately, since you and the princess have not fully recovered, attending the banquet would be difficult. Nevertheless, His Majesty will come to the inner palace soon.”

She had vaguely known that Rockfort would return, but didn’t know at all how things would proceed afterward.

To directly confirm the well-being she had only inquired about through letters, to see if he was still the same, to check if he was injured anywhere…… an emotional reunion filling the gap of their time apart was not something included in the imperial palace protocol.

“I see. His Majesty’s return is a significant event, and imperial family protocol is strict, so that’s natural.”

It was very different from the reunion Elia had imagined, but he was the emperor and this was the imperial palace.

There wasn’t even an opportunity to show her numb heart and dazed face at the fact that he had finally returned.

Whether that was fortunate or regrettable, Elia was still confused about her own feelings.

“You both need to attend to His Majesty. You should go now.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Both of them bowed deeply, filled with gratitude for the past days. The loud trumpet sounds were no longer heard. His procession seemed to be moving away.

“Hurry. Before His Majesty gets too far.”

Elia moved toward the window, leaning on her cane. Though they would see each other again as long as they were in the imperial palace, the parting still felt awkward.

Soon the reception room grew quiet as the two left.

“I can’t see well from here. Has he already…… gone to the main palace?”

Countless thoughts filled Elia’s eyes as she gazed out the window.

The greetings they had exchanged through letters, the kiss before he left, the seasons that had passed…… her thoughts seemed unlikely to stop.

“That’s impossible.”

A low voice sounded behind Elia.

It must have been an auditory hallucination. Probably.

“No way……”

Her hand gripping the cane tightened.

“How could that be possible?”

Again, his low voice resonated.

She couldn’t deny the expectation in her slow, trembling movement as she turned around.

“Your Majesty……?”

His unfamiliar military boots entered her blue eyes first. The muddy, dirty boots gave off a faint smell of war.

Instead of a neat uniform, he wore just a white shirt with a jacket casually thrown over it, but it was definitely him.

“How could I possibly pass by you.”

Rockfort’s violet eyes watched Elia. The palace servants had all left the reception room at some point, leaving just the two of them.

“When the woman who always wondered about my well-being is here, how could I simply pass by?”

His imperious tone remained the same, but there was warmth in his gaze and voice as he silently looked down at her.

“I finally…… see you standing.”

A smile slowly spread across his face. Though his cheeks were dirty with dust, his inherently dignified presence remained completely intact.

“I missed you.”

At his honest words, Elia unconsciously took one stumbling step toward him.

He silently watched her unsteady steps.

“Have you been well?”

Instead of answering, Elia took another step. Each difficult step revealed her determination.

“I’m glad to see you’ve been well.”

Rockfort read Elia’s quiet answer. Overcome with an inexplicable emotion, she could only nod.

“I look like this because I came in a hurry……”

He looked down at his own hands. The entire way here, he wanted to hold her delicate hands and caress her cheeks when he met Elia again……

Small scratches were visible on his large hands. They were also stained with dirt, likely from holding the reins until recently.

“Welcome back.”

Elia finally parted her lips.

“I’m glad you returned safely……”

It was an emotion that couldn’t be reasoned with. Seeing him truly safe, not just words written on paper, brought a sense of relief.

“You’re sincere.”

Confirming her sincerity in those blue eyes, Rockfort gathered courage to cup Elia’s cheek with his rough hand.

“I was also sincere when I said I missed you.”

“……I know.”

There was no need to think about how he had deliberately stopped his procession to see Elia, breaking protocol.

His violet eyes simply conveyed his sincerity.

“Indeed, merely asking about well-being doesn’t suit my temperament.”

More precisely, it wasn’t satisfying. He wanted to caress Elia’s fair cheeks like this, to hear the breath and words from those lips.

“May I kiss you?”

Perhaps because he had come covered in battlefield dust, those plump, pink lips full of vitality now looked like sacred ground.

“When have you ever asked for my permission……”

Before Elia could finish speaking, Rockfort cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers.

It was a more impulsive, bolder gesture than any kiss they had shared before. Fueled by heat and long-held hunger, Rockfort’s desire was fully unleashed.

“……!”

His soft tongue invaded deeper than ever before, his lips pressed down hotly—it was maddeningly hot.

“Hmm……”

Elia barely breathed through the gap between her parted lips. The sound coming through her moistened lips resonated so faintly that Rockfort’s instincts surged even stronger.

“I won’t ask for permission.”

His deep voice flowed in as their wet lips remained pressed together. Each word tickled Elia’s lips unbearably.

It wasn’t impatience or tension. Something felt lacking, insufficient, and yearning.

“Not now, not ever.”

Just as he was about to bury his lips deeply again, Elia’s lips parted slightly.

It was literally just a moment, but it was enough for both of them to clearly feel it.

“Cast away your confusion.”

Out of habit, he caressed the wet corner of Elia’s lips with his thumb.

“You are my woman……”

The breath felt through their tightly pressed lips was hot.

“And I am your only husband.”

Unable to contain his passion any longer, Rockfort stopped speaking and bit Elia’s lower lip.

“Ah……”

For the first time, his arms wrapped around Elia’s slender waist.

Elia collapsed into his arms as she lost her balance, but Rockfort’s firm embrace didn’t waver. Instead, their upper bodies pressed together without any gap between them.

“Ha.”

With a short sigh, Rockfort traced her defenseless nape with the thumb that had been caressing Elia’s lips. Each time the saliva of unknown origin slid down, her white neck turned red.

This strange sensation, which Elia had never felt before in her life, made her heart beat irregularly. Hot breaths kept escaping her, her cheeks flushed, and she couldn’t look at him directly.

“Close your eyes.”

His hot lips brushed against Elia’s earlobe.

“And…… forget everything except me.”

Elia simply couldn’t bear this overwhelming sensation that felt like a massive wave crashing over her.

His lips came down on her again, dominating her. Unlike his roughened touch, his soft tongue invading deep into her mouth carried the same subtle scent as before.

It was too faint to call sweet, and too intense to call subtle…… a scent infused with his desire and body heat. Elia finally closed her eyes. To accept his aggressive invasion that left no time to catch her breath, there was no other way.

She couldn’t gauge how much time had passed.

The time they had been apart melted away as if it were nothing. The vague waiting, anxiety, and incomplete well-wishes melted away together.

“It seems I’ve missed a lot during this time.”

Rockfort lovingly looked down at Elia, who wearily leaned against his chest after their long kiss.

He caressed Elia’s flowing platinum blonde hair, realizing that he had truly returned safely.

“We’ll talk in detail over dinner.”

Seeing Elia in her half-dazed state, a smile naturally spread across Rockfort’s face.

This innocent woman became more lovable with each taste. Her face showed no awareness of how much her defenseless appearance stimulated a man’s instincts.