169 – 173
I gently hold her hand.
And as Theodora’s eyes, which were closed, open slightly, there is a glimpse of something warm in them.
Uh… What should I do?
I gently stop kissing her.
“Haa… Haa…”
She breathes heavily with a flushed face.
Looking at her face, a mix of annoyance at being restrained and something warm, I feel a sense of fear.
Oh well, I don’t know. I embrace her tightly and push her onto the bed.
Her eyes widen slightly in surprise.
I kiss her white neck.
“Ugh… Huh!”
As she hugs me tightly, she starts to let out soft laughter.
Her white neck.
I take my tongue there, licking it, and leaving kiss marks with my lips, savoring the moment.
“Ugh!”
Theodora hugs me roughly.
Feeling her legs wrapping around me, as I slowly kiss her collarbone, watching her waist twist and her chest heave, a burning desire ignites within me.
“Haa… Ugh…”
My tongue dances on her white skin.
And as she closes her eyes tightly, following my caresses, her body trembling with pleasure, and her moans stimulating my desire.
If one doesn’t get excited in this situation, they might as well be a statue.
First, when the effect of the aphrodisiac wears off, I must quickly escape, thinking so, I passionately caress her with all my desire and passion.
How long did we embrace and caress like that?
I gently remove my lips from her neck and look at her.
I gaze at her trembling with pleasure.
Is it because I did nothing?
As her closed eyes open and meet mine.
The flush has subsided. Perhaps the aphrodisiac effect is almost gone now.
“Ahem… The banquet is still ongoing, so I’ll leave first. I need to rest a bit.”
Saying so and trying to get up from the bed…
– Rustle…
Something is tugging at my sleeve.
“Hmm?”
Theodora, with a deeply thoughtful expression, nods her head vigorously.
“Shall we… go? Th-there are… guests, you know?”
With a face now deeply flushed at my words, she nods with moist eyes.
“You… you don’t have to go. Just… just a little longer…”
Saying so, she nestles into my embrace.
Feeling her sinking into me, I inwardly sigh.
It’s not yet sunset.
If the emperor hosting the banquet is unwell, it is proper for his consort or a grown child to be present at the gathering.
Moreover, with no intention of being with her or engaging in such affairs, I, wanting to flee this place as soon as possible, know she won’t let me go so easily…
I gently stroke her head and speak with a compassionate voice.
“Theodora, we’re in the middle of the banquet, right? After the banquet ends… then, we can continue. They’ll all be waiting outside by then.”
She tightly embraces my neck, whispering softly in my ear.
“Okay… you promise?”
“Yeah.”
Only then does she release me, turning her head shyly.
“Don’t drink too much… alcohol.”
“Y-yeah. Anyway, take a rest, okay?”
Saying so, I nod at her and head back to the banquet hall.
What should I do? Should I study hard today?
***
Watching Devian leave, the kiss we shared a moment ago comes to mind, making my face flush.
From Noble mtl dot com
Ugh… So this is what a kiss feels like.
There was a time when I kissed him at a wedding.
Unlike now, it was just a touching of lips.
Back then… I hated it so much.
It was incomparable to the forced kiss at the wedding.
His lips, his breath.
And even his warm embrace.
Despite our current strained relationship…
It felt so good.
Unconsciously, I touch my own lips.
Was a kiss… this good?
It was so good, almost impossible to compare to the descriptions in novels I’ve read before.
Without realizing, I hold him close and grip his hair tightly.
I couldn’t help but want to feel him more, to hold onto him tighter.
Ugh… Strange. It’s like I’ve become a really… sensual woman?
I’ve never once thought of myself as lewd in my life.
However, just a moment ago, that situation… It looked like a lewd woman to anyone.
A woman with no experience trying to undress a man first.
It was like a scandalous scene one might see in a novel.
If she were a modest woman… she should have quietly let the man do as he pleased, but I feel ashamed that I couldn’t do that myself.
But… Devian won’t think strangely of it, right?
As the thought crossed my mind that Devian might be disappointed, my excitement waned, and I could feel my state.
A faint lingering sensation of dampness and a chilly feeling on the lower body, along with a peculiar sensation of feathers tickling the inside of my stomach, still remains.
“Ugh… Feels incredibly wet.”
Feeling uncomfortable with the sensation of wet undergarments, I head towards the bathroom.
***
Heading towards the banquet hall, I ponder how I can avoid sharing a bed tonight.
As I return to the banquet hall.
-Oh!
-Wasn’t it His Imperial Majesty who said he wasn’t feeling well earlier?
-Oh my…
Seeing astonishment and sighs on their faces as they look at me, I feel puzzled.
What? Why is everyone like that?
Not understanding, I head back to my seat at the banquet hall…
Joy and my mother-in-law’s faces turning red, Mary and Agrippa asking with cheerful expressions.
“Oh? Why did His Highness the Grand Duke come to the banquet hall? Wouldn’t it be better to take care of the ailing Empress instead of leaving her alone?”
I feel puzzled by Mary’s mischievous tone.
“Huh? What are you saying?”
As I inquire, she points to my head, smirking wickedly and whispers in a low voice.
“While it’s nice for a couple to get along well, don’t show it off, fix your hair and come.”
Her words bring back the memory of when Teodora roughly grabbed my head when we kissed earlier.
Oh… I messed up.
When men attend banquets, they put grease in their hair to style it.
Thinking she must have messed it up while grabbing it roughly, I look at the mirror in the banquet hall.
“Ha ha…”
Seeing my hair sticking out in all directions, I sigh.
“I’ve shown such an ugly appearance. Excuse me for a moment.”
I tidy up my hair and return to the banquet hall.
Mary and Agrippa laugh softly at my appearance, which is somewhat annoying, but I ponder how to get out of this situation tonight.
Option 1: Sleep at the 1st Grand Duke’s place.
This isn’t a bad idea either.
Option 2: Get drunk and stagger in.
This seems fine too.
Option 3: Smoke a lot and go in.
I feel like this isn’t a bad idea either.
“Hmm. Son-in-law. Please go in early today.”
When my mother-in-law spoke, I turned my head to ask, “Yes?”
With a slightly reddened face, she continued without meeting my eyes, “Hmm… I’ll be at the gathering. I told you to go in early.”
A thought crossed my mind at my mother-in-law’s words. Could it be… a fertility medicine… prepared by my mother-in-law? No, it couldn’t be.
But with a strange intuition, I looked at the whiskey glass beside me.
Surely not?
“hahahaha… Mother-in-law, even if…”
– Ting!
I changed my words, looking at my flushed mother-in-law. “Perhaps His Majesty isn’t feeling well, so I’ll go in early.”
As she finally gave me a cold glance upon my words, I sighed inwardly and gestured to Rachel behind me, handing her the whiskey glass.
“Did you call me?”
Handing her the glass, I said, “Yes. Analyze this, and also, there’s a poetry book on my desk. Bring me several poems from there.”
As I spoke softly, Rachel nodded in confusion and took the whiskey glass.
Now, I only have three chances left, right?
Thinking this, I pushed the food on the table onto my plate.
By the time I finished eating, Rachel approached me.
“I’ve brought the poems you mentioned.”
Three poems.
Accepting them, I said, “Your Highness. Weren’t you quitting smoking?”
Suddenly, Mary intervened, “Hmm… you quit smoking, but how can you resist on such a fine day?”
“Son-in-law, I heard that smoking is not good for health, especially on days like today,” my mother-in-law added, joining forces with Mary to dissuade me.
Ah… But if I don’t smoke, I’ll be assassinated during pregnancy, right?
“Even Empress Consort Mama says so…”
– Whoosh!
Mary’s hand was so fast that it seemed invisible as she snatched the poems from my hand.
“I’ll confiscate these. Surely… the obedient son-in-law won’t object to it, right?”
With a wicked smile, Mary said, “Well done, Lady Mary. I trust my son-in-law, but with you taking care of things, my mind is at ease.”
Looking at my mother-in-law’s bright smile…
I couldn’t help but think that in 10 months, it might be me facing a fatal fate. Cold sweat ran down my back.
Oh no.
Something really big has happened.
Lately, the relationship between me and Theodora is practically the worst it could be.
But there doesn’t seem to be any sign of improvement.
She hates me so much that she’s almost declaring war on me.
And if a child comes into the picture…
Will it be a confirmed homicide?
Thinking that, I roll my eyes, desperately seeking a way out of this situation.
Ah… I guess I need the help of the Information Bureau.
With that in mind, I get up from my seat and head outside.
Hwangung Garden.
I sit next to the hourglass on the corner bench.
“Your Highness, the snake has been cornered.”
Here, the term “snake” refers to an assassin.
“Well done. But I need something from you right now.”
I tell the Information Bureau what I need to save myself.