Chapter 11 – Part 6

Beatrice returned to the Empress’s palace and dismissed all the maids.

Although the marks weren’t very dark, it seemed that she would have to wrap her body tightly for a few days.

‘It should be gone before the next reunion.’

At least she could use her illness as an excuse to stay in her room for a few days, but if the court came to visit, she’d be in trouble.

Even as she changed her clothes and bathed unattended, her anxiety was palpable.

Heinrich visited her that night.

In the dim light, when he opened the door and entered, Beatrice was startled and covered her neck with her hand.

“W-what brings you here…”

“How is your health?”

Heinrich came into the room without her permission and approached her. Then he placed his hand on her forehead.

Beatrice panicked as if he were checking for a fever.

“Your Majesty……?”

“It seems you don’t have a fever, so there’s no need to call for the palace physician.”

“…….”

“Is there anything else that is bothering you?”

It was a question she thought she would never hear from him again.

She was surprised, but the stern look and cold voice were unmistakably Heinrich’s.

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience ……it has caused you, but I’ll be back to work tomorrow, so you don’t need to worry.”

That was the conclusion Beatrice drew.

He was the one who said it would be difficult for her to hold a pen if she hurt her hand while punishing the maids.

So he must be worried that if she is not well, she will have trouble doing her job.

Now that she had given him the answer he wanted, Beatrice thought he would return to his room.

But Heinrich did not return. The hand that had been pressed to her forehead slowly slid down and cupped her cheek.

“Your Majesty……?”

“Did you enjoy your trip?”

The heavy voice sounded so far away. Beatrice felt a twinge of fear.

Did he know and was asking about it, about what she had done with a body that hadn’t even borne an heir yet?

Thump, thump, she heard her heart.

“Thanks to His Majesty’s…… for looking into…….”

“How was the landscape? The staff of the cottage, did they listen well?”

However, Heinrich didn’t bring up Isaac. He just asked about the events at the vacation spot.

What was enjoyable, if the food suited her, how she spent her time, and what she thought about.

It was all so inexplicable.

He wasn’t the person to ask these things. He had always shown no interest in her.

When he finally fell silent, Beatrice asked cautiously.

“Did… you have some wine?”

At her question, Heinrich looked at her silently. Beatrice felt embarrassed, remembering that he never drank wine.

“I thought you might be drunk.”

“I don’t know.”

“…….”

“Maybe so.”

Heinrich laughed low and pulled her face lightly.

When she realized what he was about to do, her lips had already parted.

Beatrice jerked back in surprise.

Heinrich removed his lips and raised his head, his breath not smelling of alcohol at all.

“Please don’t avoid it.”

“Well, it’s not even our scheduled night, so why…….”

There had been a scheduled night to produce an heir, but other than that, this was the first time he’d ever kissed her for no reason.

He hadn’t even asked her to return on the night she had visited him late.

“Do you not like it? ”

“……?”

“You don’t want to do this with me.”

“…….”

“Make your decision. You can either slap me in the face or endure it.”

Heinrich stopped his usual act of allowing her to hit his cheek and looked at her.

But Beatrice just froze. She forgot she was supposed to cover her neck.

When Beatrice said nothing, Heinrich kissed her again. Lips, cheeks, and neck.

When his lips touched her neck, Beatrice pushed him away, startled as if on fire. Heinrich lifted his head.

Her heart pounded uncontrollably as she realized where his gaze was directed.

“Y-Your… Majesty, this is…”

“Did you get bitten by a bug?”

“What?”

Beatrice looked up in surprise at the sudden question.

Heinrich was looking at her as if waiting for an answer. The blue eyes were there, fixed on her.

She had seen them before.

It was the same gaze from that day at the party when she approached him to ask for a dance and handed him a handkerchief—the same gaze that didn’t leave her even when he danced with other ladies…

“It seems there were quite a few bugs around the lake.”

A heavy voice interrupted her reverie. Beatrice, dumbfounded, answered stiffly, as if she had found an excuse.

“Yes, that’s right. A bug, a bug bit me…”

Heinrich chuckled lazily at that answer. Then he brought his lips to the mark.

“Your Majesty.”

Beatrice was taken aback and protested, but Heinrich only kissed each mark left on her skin.

Where his lips had passed, darkened marks were left like flower petals. Only when he had kissed all of Isaac’s marks did he look up.

“No one will be disgraced by the marks I leave behind. It’s hot out, so don’t cover your neck tomorrow.”

Heinrich said, still coldly.

But when his eyes locked with Beatrice’s, who could not hide her confusion, a small smile curled her lips.

“Should Your Majesty cover her neck just for a mere bug?”

“…….”

That night, Heinrich fell asleep in the Empress’s palace for the first and last time.

Beatrice felt like she was dreaming. The devouring kisses, the persistent touches—everything felt unfamiliar.

But the next day, when she finally opened her eyes in the afternoon, Beatrice found the space beside her empty.

Only the lingering marks on her body testified to the night’s events.

Not long after, Beatrice became pregnant.

It was late in the marriage, but Heinrich had been away so often at war, and they hadn’t been together much.

When the palace physicians diagnosed her pregnancy, Heinrich showed little reaction.

Unlike other husbands who might shed tears or embrace their wives, he didn’t even show a hint of joy, leaving the palace bewildered.

“I will reduce your workload so that you don’t strain your body.”

That was his only response. He didn’t offer words of praise or gratitude; he simply returned to his study.

Normally, Beatrice would have felt disappointed, but as a guilty feeling gnawed at her, even feeling disappointed seemed like a sin.

She wondered if he knew what happened in the vacation villa and if he suspected that it might not be his child.

As time passed, regrets about irreversible actions grew stronger.

She should have confirmed that she saw him take the medicine. She shouldn’t have let her weakening resolve show, even if it shows that she didn’t believe in him.

Unable to overcome her anxiety, Beatrice clung to Isaac Salvatore and asked him again and again if he had taken his medication that day.

Isaac laughed and reassured her.

“If you’re really worried, how about this? I’m also preparing my wife for an heir… If Your Majesty gives birth to a daughter and I have a son, or if Your Majesty has a son and I have a daughter, we’ll marry them.”

“…….”

“Would you believe me if I told you this?”

The man laughed, and Beatrice felt a little relieved.

No one with common sense would want to marry off a brother or sister by blood.

She nodded coolly.

Beatrice gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

He had black hair with an invisible reddish tinge and golden eyes.

Beatrice could barely contain her anxiety as she looked at the child, who looked neither like Heinrich nor Isaac.

Heinrich held the child once, but that was all.

“He looks a lot like you.”

After a brief comment, he handed the child back.

Watching Beatrice feed the baby, he added.

“Since you are so ill, I suggest that you stay out of the office for a while and rest. Five months of vacation should suffice, right?”

“No. Two or three months will do…….”

“If you strain yourself after such a big event, your body will deteriorate. You still have many years ahead, so why not rest a few more months?”

“…….”

“At least five months. If you feel you need more rest, let me know then.”

It was unclear whether this concern was for her body or whether he worried that the Empress, who had to perform her duties for so long, would be harmed.

Beatrice suspected it was the latter, for she did not wish to expect anything more from him.

Heinrich did not go to war until she was fully recovered.

Isabelle Salvatore died giving birth to a daughter.

Heartbroken by the loss of his wife, Isaac announced his desire to resign from the Empress’s service.

Beatrice readily agreed and comforted him.

The rest of their lives were uneventful.

Her relationship with Isaac was naturally settled, maintaining a friendly but not particularly intimate bond.

The new aide, Duchess Deferac, became a good friend to replace him.