Chapter 22

Alexei had been so gentle and sweet. She could hardly believe this was the same man who used to snap at her irritably.

He’d caressed her until her body melted, moved as she wished, focused solely on her satisfaction with his talented member, and treated her as the most precious thing in the world before and after. Afterward, he wiped her clean with a warm towel, wrapped her in blankets to keep her from catching cold, kissed her tenderly, and even carried her to the bath so she wouldn’t touch the floor, massaging her as if to ease the hardship of their lovemaking. Even the gentle touches without l*st felt like caresses to her.

It was the ideal she’d imagined for making love to someone she truly loved…

So naturally, she became curious about the truth behind his words.

On the other hand, she didn’t want to know anything if the truth was something she didn’t want.

‘It’s just how I feel. Lexie is always sweet. So if I just take his words literally…’

Was he saying he wanted to sleep with her more times than she’d slept with other men, that he wanted to keep this relationship going?

Even though she had a lover.

But this felt… truly like they were lovers.

Maybe because of the image she’d built, he thought she was someone he could just sleep with.

But Lexie was so sincere…

As his arms tightened around her, their hearts beat faster in the closer embrace.

The feeling, likely to end in misunderstanding, only grew stronger.

‘Soon, everyone will return, so I need to get a grip.’

Yes. It was time to break free from all magic.

Avgenia admitted it was time to face the truth she’d put off.

‘The sooner I sort this out, the better.’

Her last few days with Alexei had been blissful. So blissful that even if she never touched him again, she could live with the memory as a lifelong comfort.

So there was no reason to delay the final ending.

As Avgenia pulled away from his embrace and sighed quietly—

“Speaking of which.”

“Speaking of which.”

Their words overlapped, and a small tension settled between them.

“Ah, um…”

“You first.”

“Yes. Well…”

Alexei was briefly flustered for interrupting, but at her command, he forced himself to continue. Knowing it was embarrassing, he found it easier to speak without meeting her eyes, her face still buried near his chest.

“During these past few days… I guess I was with you the most.”

That was only the nights, and he’d been with her the whole time… His voice, sounding above Avgenia’s crown, was hesitant. She was briefly surprised to hear Alexei Ramantus so lacking in confidence.

These past few days? She’d been careful since her slip with Alexei, so what did he mean?

“When I saw you bathing alone and sleeping alone, ,Your Highness, I figured nothing happened that night…”

Perhaps interpreting her delay in answering as uncertainty, Alexei’s voice grew quieter.

Thinking back to the night she’d bathed and slept alone and caught a cold, the only person she’d been with was…

“Oh, Lexie.”

“Yes.”

“It was a woman.”

“What?”

Alexei’s voice sounded dazed.

“The Mage Tower Master is a woman.”

Gasp, the sound of a short breath, and Alexei’s embrace stiffened.

So the handsome man who shamelessly tried to get something from the imperial princess on a business trip wasn’t a man?

Tall, with a nice voice, dressed well… Well, mage robes all look similar. Now that she thought about it, the throat was smooth? But that sly smile…

Alexei’s mind spun as he tried to recall the Mage Tower Master’s appearance, which he’d never really looked at.

‘So who was I jealous of…?’

Avgenia could clearly feel his body and mind freeze. His embarrassment was so obvious she couldn’t help but giggle, even in her own disbelief.

As his arms lost strength, Avgenia was finally able to face Alexei. This was the first time she’d seen Alexei Ramantus so flustered.

Alexei managed to meet Avgenia’s gaze.

“Just in case, I don’t know about the Mage Tower Master, but I’m not interested in women.”

“So, you didn’t spend the night together…”

“We just talked late. The Mage Tower Master is in charge of the contraceptive magic, actually. She’s thinking of commercializing it and distributing it to the public. It’s still in the experimental stage.”

“Ah… So that’s what it was.”

It was time to scold him for starting a business without telling his aide, but Alexei didn’t seem to notice.

At the end of his words was a deeper relief than before.

‘So, this is really…’

Avgenia’s smile faded, her eyes shining like a cat’s.

“Lexie.”

She couldn’t put it off any longer. If she was wrong, she had to forget quickly. Otherwise, this excitement would only grow.

But, maybe…

“Why does that matter?”

“…Pardon?”

“Whether the Mage Tower Master is a woman or not. How many men I’ve slept with. Why is that important to you?”

Alexei’s blue eyes, still full of shock, trembled violently. As Avgenia narrowed her eyes to continue—

“Do you, perhaps—mm.”

Alexei’s hand quickly covered Avgenia’s mouth. Her eyes widened over his large hand.

Their startled gazes locked tightly.

For a long moment, Alexei, trembling, couldn’t say a word. Avgenia’s face twisted instantly.

‘Is he telling me not to even mention that he likes me?’

Her disappointment was clear. But Alexei had no idea how to respond.

Avgenia’s probing of his feelings embarrassed him, and he was even more startled by his own actions.

“J-just a moment.”

Alexei awkwardly got up and hurried out of Avgenia’s bed.

Avgenia, left lying there, just blinked.

But Alexei… started putting on his pants and shirt, fumbling with the buttons, tucking his shirt into his pants, fastening his belt. He even wiped his face several times as if washing without water, then fixed his hair. Aside from the wrinkled clothes that had been left on the floor and the meaningful bulge in his pants, Alexei was now neatly dressed.

He looked as if he could walk out and only be thought a bit rumpled.

Was he really going to run away?

Avgenia watched, her disbelief growing. Unable to hold back, she sat up.

Alexei strode over, and the soft silk of a robe settled on her shoulders.

The question mark on Avgenia’s face grew larger.

He slipped her arms into the robe, fastened the front, tied the ribbon. As if waiting to see what she’d do, Alexei suddenly knelt before her.

Still silent, awkward stillness filled the room.

“…Your Highness.”

After a long pause, Alexei finally spoke.

“Would you consider coming to Ramantus?”

The moment he said it, Alexei wanted to bite his tongue. He cursed his clumsy words and wanted to die on the spot.

This wasn’t how he meant to say it…

“No, I mean, if it’s alright with you…”

“…Are you proposing?”

“I suppose so…”

Ugh, it was all a disaster, and Alexei’s face darkened.

Unaware of how much Alexei was berating himself, and ignoring her own racing heart, Avgenia calmly brought up what needed to be addressed.

“What about your fiancée?”

“…I don’t have one.”

“What?”

Avgenia’s eyebrows shot up.

“You said you were going to the estate. Weren’t you getting married?”

“I never said I was getting married. I said I was going because of Baron Luchin.”

She was about to retort, but realized he really didn’t have one. She’d assumed Alexei was getting married because he was going to the estate, but he’d never confirmed it.

She’d even asked Rozie to check the aide office rumors, but never once heard that Alexei had a lover.

But she was sure—

“You said you liked someone.”

“…”

“That’s why you asked me to teach you how to satisfy a woman… Oh my.”

Avgenia’s eyes widened.

“So that means…”

‘Your Highness, please.’

Alexei didn’t say it out loud, but Avgenia saw the desperate look on his face and closed her mouth.

If this really was a proposal, and Alexei had dressed himself so carefully, she couldn’t just ruin it.

In the calm atmosphere, an awkwardness bloomed. Avgenia, now sitting with her legs over the side of the bed, fidgeted with her toes.

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Alexei reached out and took Avgenia’s small, white foot in his hand. Instantly, his face, leaning in, shone above her knees.

“The woman I said I loved is you, Your Highness.”

It was what she expected, but hearing it directly made her heart pound again.

“No… Suddenly?”

“Suddenly?”

Alexei’s lips twisted asymmetrically. Sometimes, when he was sarcastic or teasing, he looked like this—but now, it was only self-directed, and all he showed Avgenia was kindness.

“I’ve never once looked at another woman but you, my whole life.”

“No… Really?”

‘Really, trust me’—Alexei smiled softly, his mouth still curled on one side, filled with affection for her confused face.