Chapter 15

“…Achoo!”

“At least you don’t have a fever.”

Alexei wiped under Avgenia’s nose with a handkerchief, murmuring.

“No matter how much you suffer from the heat, Your Highness…”

“I didn’t know. I shouldn’t have slept like that. Now I see why the maids always fussed…”

Her excuse was that she’d bathed because it was so hot, and since she didn’t dry off, it felt cool, so she just fell asleep.

Naturally, Alexei was unconvinced. The tower had strong temperature control magic, making it hard to feel summer, and it had rained for days with no sun.

Did Avgenia really suffer from the heat that much?

Besides…

‘Wasn’t that b*stard attending her last night?’

When did he leave? That guy with no bed manners.

A secretly bitter virgin ground his teeth, never having had a chance to show off his bedroom skills.

Knowing Avgenia slept alone last night, Alexei was confused, but his liege’s health was the priority. He silently fed her potions from the tower’s infirmary, gave her herbal tea, made her eat healthy fruits and teas.

For once, Alexei cared for Avgenia without worrying about his own body. He even forgot how distant he’d been lately, speaking to her with his old sharpness.

“Doing something even a child wouldn’t do—if the old men in the Senate found out, they’d panic.”

“What’s a summer cold? It’s just a bit of coughing…”

“It does matter.”

Alexei’s blue eyes, as he wiped her brow, flashed with determination as he looked down at Avgenia. A faint flame flickered in their depths, and Avgenia couldn’t reply.

But she didn’t even have a fever. Wasn’t this all a bit much?

And besides…

‘He’s being too kind.’

Waking up shivering at dawn, Avgenia had put on a negligee, then bundled up in blankets against the lingering chill. Alexei had started nursing her from that moment, keeping her in bed until midday, just because she coughed a little.

She was a bit groggy, but calling it a cold was an exaggeration; it was all a bit much.

There was a clear gap between her condition and Alexei’s reaction, and Avgenia could only call it kindness.

He claimed to love another woman.

If she could read the patterns in Alexei’s blue eyes, as blue as the aquamarine on her ankle, maybe she’d understand his feelings. Avgenia’s tired eyes met his and didn’t look away.

Their gazes lingered in the air for a while.

Avgenia was the first to look away.

“Actually, I only remembered Rozie wasn’t there after I started bathing.”

“Ha, really.”

The earlier tension dissipated. Avgenia turned her head, following his gaze.

Alexei’s kindness was dangerous.

〈Why can’t you cry, Your Highness? Who comforts you, Your Highness?〉

〈I… I’m going to be Empress. So, sob, I can’t, Mother said…〉

〈She said it’s okay to cry when your mother dies. If you want to cry, Your Highness, I’ll cry first. If you say it’s my fault, maybe Her Majesty the Empress will understand from heaven?〉

So, charmed by the kind words of a child who was just a companion, Avgenia had given a huge part of her heart for nearly twenty years. But now, it was time to let go.

A bitter smile touched Avgenia’s lips.

“You should have called me instead.”

“…You?”

Caught off guard by Alexei’s sigh, Avgenia glanced at his face, her eyes moving slowly downward as a blush crept over her cheeks. Thinking it was just the fever that would torment her all night, Alexei turned away to wet the handkerchief again.

“But you’re a man…”

Alexei’s hand froze.

…She realized, he really was a man, wasn’t he?

Whether he should feel happy about it, Alexei couldn’t say, so he made sure not to show any sign of agitation on his face.

It wasn’t difficult at all. After all, he’d been aware of his feelings for Avgenia as a woman for over ten years.

* * *

Anyway, Alexei attended to Avgenia all day.

Her symptoms really weren’t serious.

So minor, in fact, that even though Her Highness was unwell, the infirmary mages just handed over some potions and herbs.

But Alexei acted as if Avgenia were unable to lift a finger, obsessively feeding her every sip of water and bite of food himself.

Moreover…

“It’s definitely convenient having mages cook. I asked them earlier, so they didn’t have much time to marinate or boil the meat.”

Saying this, Alexei scooped up a spoonful of chicken pieces in thin soup and offered it to Avgenia.

The coq au vin pressed to her lips carried a strong scent of artichoke. It was a taste Avgenia preferred when ill, even though artichoke isn’t usually added to coq au vin. The onion soup at lunch, the orange ginger tea for a snack—all were dishes the Western Palace’s kitchen would prepare whenever Avgenia was sick.

‘It’s really too much.’

Swallowing the coq au vin Alexei offered, Avgenia felt like she might cry.

Ever since Ramantus sided with the First Prince seven years ago, their relationship had become irreparably strained.

They trusted each other, yet didn’t; their conversations about affairs of state were open, but never fully honest.

Years of such distance had piled up, and finally, the day came for Alexei to leave her.

It was only natural.

〈Ah, Your Highness, you aren’t a woman, you’re a monster. How are you better at swordsmanship than me?〉

〈Ah, please don’t do this anymore…! It’s, it’s unpleasant.〉

He hadn’t liked her much since childhood.

〈What if I acted promiscuous with men? Wouldn’t that be more effective than saying I have no interest in the throne a hundred times?〉

〈…Well, given the Senate’s tradition of demanding chastity even from Imperial daughters, it might not be a bad choice. Shall I find you a gigolo?〉

Even after they matured and became fully grown woman and man, Alexei had never once looked at her that way.

So Avgenia had long since given up on getting the kind of love she wanted from Alexei. Even if their hearts connected, the situation with Ramantus made it impossible.

That didn’t mean her feelings faded.

But now, she really had to bury them.

Yet, why was he so kind, stoking the embers again and again…

Perhaps it was the mild fever, or the rare dose of Alexei’s kindness, but Avgenia’s softened heart started to wander to strange places.

〈All men, virgin or not, don’t show it. Try him out, and if he’s no good, just spit him out.〉

Yes.

If her heart was going to ache anyway.

Wouldn’t it be better to try once and get rejected?

Then she could let go of her regrets and keep it as a lifelong memory.

‘Lexie once asked me to teach him about nighttime matters. He’s innocent, right? He’d probably thank me for not fumbling on his wedding night.’

Once a crooked thought takes root, it never stands straight again.

So, after the dinner table was cleared, after all the fruit, tea, and potions Alexei brought had passed through Avgenia’s lips—

Unable to shake the wild idea from her mind, Avgenia finally acted.

After Alexei sat her at the head of the bed and offered cold honey tea to rinse the bitter taste of the herbs from her mouth—

“Lexie.”

Avgenia’s slender fingers softly brushed Alexei’s hand beside her.

Are you uncomfortable?—Alexei’s blue eyes turned to Avgenia’s face, filled with concern. Avgenia’s small, red tongue flicked out, gently licking her lips. Instead of the honey water that had pooled at the corners of her mouth, her lips now glistened with her own saliva.

Gulp—Alexei’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“You know…”

Avgenia, still leaning on the headboard, bent toward Alexei. Through the thin negligee under her robe, the valley of her chest was clearly visible.

“What I taught you that time.”

Alexei’s eyes froze.

“Did you try it?”

Avgenia’s rosy eyes shone with heated intensity as she looked up at him.

“Did it… work?”

Her index and middle fingers began to gently tickle the inside of Alexei’s wrist, as if walking across his hand.

All of it was confusing for Alexei. His eyes began to tremble like aspen leaves, unable to look away.

That was enough.

Just drawing out some agitation from him was half a victory.

Given how every man who’d approached her before had lost control without her even doing anything, this was quite a drawn-out process—but her opponent was her lifelong love, Alexei Ramantus.

And he was a cold man who didn’t see her as a woman.

Just causing a ripple on his dignified, noble face made Avgenia feel she’d gained a lot.

“Of course, my adorable Lexie, you are a stickler for rules, so you’ll wait until the wedding night, but it’s better to be good at it, right?”

Avgenia pressed her upper body against his arm, as if her delicate fingers had struck a vital point. Her chest, pressed against Alexei’s firm arm, formed a deep curve.

“So, I’ll teach you from start to finish.”

A deep dimple formed beside Avgenia’s mischievous smile. She blinked slowly, her eyes raised to his jaw, and her face grew distinctly sultry.

By now, Avgenia’s fingertips were lightly scratching down Alexei’s firm thigh.

“The night is long. Want to practice…?”

All the while, Alexei’s glassy eyes never left Avgenia’s face, as if terrified and unable to look away.

Avgenia swallowed dryly in secret.

‘Please, come over, come over.’

It was the gamble of her life. If Alexei found this dirty and humiliating and stormed out, it would end here.

So what? It was over anyway.

She was gambling everything.

But seeing his agitated face, she felt she might win… Suppressing all her anxiety, Avgenia kept her alluring smile and met his gaze.

‘Please. Please. Please.’