Whose Child Belongs to the Emperor - Chapter 9 - Part 2

Chapter 9 – Part 2

“Don’t leave me anymore.”

His strong arms constricted around her. Tenere, feeling stifled, gently grabbed his arms.

“I will do anything…….”

“Your Majesty.”

“I will do anything for you… So please, don’t do this again.”

The voice in her ear was plaintive. Tenere gently took his arm.

“I know I scared you a lot.”

“…….”

“In the future, I will make it a priority to ask your Majesty’s permission for any urgent matters. I am also deeply sorry that I have not acted appropriately as Empress and that I have embarrassed those below me…….”

She spoke slowly, but Leonard remained unmoved. His breath was hot against the nape of her neck.

Tenere turned her head toward Leonard and met the gaze that had been fixed on her.

“…Tenere.”

Tenere swallowed hard as he leaned his head on her shoulder.

The deep-set golden eyes were fixed on her.

It was the usual calm gaze, but strangely, there was something different about that look.

Was it because of the flickering red light from the fireplace? Or was it because the lips seemed so close, almost as if they were about to touch?

‘Why is this so?’

“Can I kiss you?”

The whispered voice was incredibly sweet. Tenere couldn’t even bring herself to answer; she just stared at him.

Leonard was looking at her as if waiting for permission.

After hesitating for a moment, Tenere nodded.

“……If your Majesty wishes.”

Even though she gave permission, Leonard didn’t approach immediately.

Should she close her eyes? Or should she approach first? In that moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth again.

“You don’t want to, do you?”

“I’ve never disliked it. Even now… it’s the same.”

Tenere’s words were true. She had never disliked being close to Leonard, not even before she fell in love with him. In the world of political marriages, love was deemed unnecessary, even in the bedroom.

Moreover, Leonard had never hurt her in their obligatory union for the sake of successors. Tenere had never disliked kissing him, let alone more.

After Tenere’s answer, Leonard slowly raised his hand.

As he brushed aside her slightly dry hair and cupped her cheek, Tenere looked at him without any movement.

Her faint blush slowly spread. It was a sign of acceptance.

It was faster to move than to think.

Leonard quickly leaned in and kissed her.

The deep, lingering kiss seemed to quench a long thirst.

“But I won’t love Your Majesty like before.”

It was impossible. She was kissing him with no sign of dislike.

Not even a hint of rejection.

She didn’t push him away when he hugged her tightly, nor did she resist when their bodies pressed against each other.

—

With the permission given, his heart was relieved.

Although she had declared that she wouldn’t expect love from him and wouldn’t love him anymore, human emotions were not something that could be easily overturned.

Since that day, she hadn’t shown any signs, but Tenere still loved him.

And now, Leonard could sincerely respond to her feelings.

He would cast away the ghostly voice of whether he was his father or not, return to the palace with her and their child, and exchange everlasting love.

‘As long as you still love me.’

“Tenere.”

It took a while before Leonard finally pulled away his lips. The raspy breath made her heart flutter.

He wished the reddening of her face wasn’t just because of the warmth of the fireplace.

“Tenere.”

The momentarily separated lips met again. Tenere slowly wrapped her arms around his neck.

Every time she responded to him, Leonard felt like a boy experiencing his first kiss.

Anxiety turned into certainty, and certainty turned into joy.

‘You still love me, and I still love you from before…….’

Leonard buried his face in Tenere’s neck. As his breath touched her bare skin, she shivered, but that was all.

“Tenere.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Call my name again.”

“…”

Perhaps it was an unexpected request; Tenere momentarily closed her mouth.

Reluctant? Or was he mistaken? In that moment, anxiety gripped his mind.

“Leon.”

“…”

“Leonard.”

A gentle touch delved into his hair. The low voice echoed in his ear.

Even just that made his heart pound.

Leonard lifted his head. He pressed his lips against her lips, cheeks, forehead, eyelids, ears, and neck without hesitation.

“Tenere, Tenere.”

There was a desperate tone in his voice, and there was a responding touch.

Leonard quickly embraced her. The old bed, barely accommodating one person, creaked loudly when Tenere lay down.

Sounds of horses and carriages from beyond the wall intermittently reached their ears.

Looking at Tenere lying on the bed, Leonard swallowed a dry mouthful.

The red cheeks under the less-dry hair, lips moistened by her breath, a slender neck that was exposed only to him, and those eyes that contained only him.

A person who gave him an irreplaceable sense of fulfillment and, at the same time, an unquenchable thirst.

And Leonard knew how to satisfy this thirst.

“I love you.”

When he finally spoke the words that had been kept silent for a long time, a corner of his chest that had been tight seemed to open only now.

Tenere showed no movement.

Leonard grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers as if not allowing her to escape.

“I love you, Tenere.”

He said it again. But Tenere still did not respond.

The frozen expression on her face was there at that moment. Leonard’s touch also stiffened at the same time.

“Tenere…”

“Your Majesty.”

Leonard didn’t miss the change in the way she addressed him.

The warmth that once mirrored his own in her eyes had now cooled down.

However, it was only temporary. Tenere cautiously lifted the corners of her mouth while looking into his eyes.

“Aren’t you the one who said not to dwell on these emotions?.”

It was a somewhat awkward laughter, the kind often exhibited by the timid.

Tenere gently pushed his chest. It was a very subtle resistance, but it was enough to make Leonard step back.

Tenere slowly stood up, letting her clothing fall down to her shoulders.

“You don’t need to do this; I will return to the palace, so there’s no need to act like this.”

Her voice was affectionate, but there was an underlying disbelief in it.

Leonard hurriedly denied it: “It’s not like that. I really…”

“Then, wasn’t I acting well enough?”

“…”

“Did I act poorly in front of the servants? If not that, then…”

As if avoiding eye contact, Tenere looked down. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“…Did you enjoy that night so much?”

“…”

“I didn’t know you were into such things.”

Leonard’s face was twisted in disbelief. It was unbelievable that these words were coming from the same person who, just a few minutes ago, was kissing him passionately.

Why…

“Did I seem that… vulgar?”

“I’m not thinking badly of you. I know that love and desire are not the same, and I have never disliked spending nights with Your Majesty.”

“…”

“If I burdened you that night, I’m sorry, but if you enjoyed it, I’m relieved.”

Her attitude remained consistently gentle and dignified. It felt strange to be the one feeling insulted by those words.

“Is it so unbelievable that I love you?”

Is he doing this to keep me from leaving without another word? To make me act naturally in front of the servant? To make her cling to him like she did that night?

He burst into a bitter laugh at the string of words.

And Tenere, with lowered eyes, responded.

“I just don’t want to go through that again.”

He had already been a man who deceived her feelings once.

He came to take the crown prince, yet he pretended not to know about the existence of the child and whispered love to her.

And when that was revealed, what did he say?

‘…You’ll raise the child born in the palace as a mere bastard.’

For the sake of the child and for the sake of the future emperor, it was better to follow him obediently, but she still had enough self-respect not to fall for the same words again.

It would have been better to punish her for coming to her mother without asking permission or to ask her to be more intimate in front of his people.

She didn’t want to experience the disappointment and frustration of being deceived by his feelings—the shame she felt at that time.

After Tenere’s response, Leonard looked at her with a foolish expression.

But it was only for a moment. He then grimaced. The desperate touch that grabbed her rough hands was urgent.

“I was wrong, Tenere.”