Chapter 23
“Ha. If you’re going this far, then I have my own thoughts as well. Do you think I don’t know why you called me here under the excuse of this useless comb? Clearly, you wanted to have a private chat with me, even just one more time!”
The Duke of Simand delivered what he thought was a decisive blow, his face flushed red. To me, though, it was nothing but a wild swing that didn’t even come close.
I blinked innocently.
“But everyone else says it works?”
I blatantly shifted the topic to the comb, refusing his attempt to twist this into some kind of seduction.
Basically, I was telling him, ‘Why twist my pure intentions into an affair?’
The duke hissed through his teeth and whipped out his own comb.
“You’re all sorely mistaken. This comb isn’t medicine. How could it possibly help with insomnia or fatigue?”
He sounded desperate. He needed to prove—no matter what—that the comb was useless, so he could claim I’d lured him onto the balcony with ulterior motives.
“Look closely, everyone! I feel absolutely nothing from this comb!”
Well, even if it was a Lindo creation, it wasn’t a cure-all.
But between the strong herbal scent and the placebo effect, the crowd was already firmly on my side.
Alright then—time to use that to my advantage.
“If you insist that much… Maybe the duke is right. Maybe it doesn’t work after all.”
I spoke hesitantly, eyes wide with innocence.
“You’re finally acknowledging—!”
“Lindo. Didn’t you say there were cases where the comb’s effects wouldn’t work?”
I redirected attention, and everyone looked toward Lindo.
The Duke of Simand let out a snort, grinding his teeth.
“Ah, yes. But… it’s something delicate. I should speak to you alone about it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Speak now, or else! If you’re playing some trick, I won’t let you off!”
As Lindo hesitated, the duke screeched at him to hurry.
It was obvious he intended to expose whatever Lindo said as a lie on the spot, and punish both of us.
“My apologies, but… in certain medical conditions, the comb’s effects do not appear at all.”
“Oh my, what kind of condition? Duke, have you been ill?”
I asked with faux concern.
The duke clearly thought I was trying another escape tactic.
“Hah! My body is in perfect health. How dare you try to deceive me? If it’s a lie, everyone here will be my witness. Speak now!”
“Your Grace, it’s a very private condition. Please, let me speak elsewhere—”
The more Lindo tried to avoid it, the more the duke raged.
In the end, Lindo had no choice but to say it right there in front of everyone.
“Your condition is…”
Even passing attendants stopped to listen.
With a grave expression, Lindo declared:
“Erectile dysfunction.”
“Pffft!”
“Ahem, hm! Kik.”
Gasps, murmurs, and laughter filled the hall instantly.
The women especially scrambled away from him as if they’d heard something they absolutely shouldn’t have.
The duke’s face turned molten red from all the pitying glances.
He couldn’t exactly prove it wasn’t true. And he couldn’t admit it either.
“N-no, no!”
“Ahem! Thanks to Her Majesty, this ball has ended most delightfully.”
“In my entire life, I’ve never attended such a unique and memorable party!”
Feeling sorry for the duke, a few nobles tried rushing the event to a close. But that only made it seem even more like they were trying to cover up the erectile dysfunction comment.
“Hahaha! Her Majesty’s gift will surely be unforgettable!”
“Such foresight! Something rare yet friendly—it’s perfect for building rapport. Truly witty and wise!”
And so, with only one unhappy participant, the ball ended splendidly.
Naturally, Duke Simand was dragged away by his guards in disgrace.
“Shall we go?”
Having neatly stomped on the business of a descendant of a sexual predator, I left the ballroom with Sian, smiling brightly.
“His Majesty is heading to the main palace.”
We walked together out of the ballroom, but Sian—who’d been silent since the glorious chaos earlier—slipped his arm out of mine and stalked off alone.
“What? Not to the Empress’s Palace?”
The chief attendant rushed over to report, and I stared blankly at Sian’s retreating figure.
Did he misunderstand something?
The public didn’t know about the Empress’s supposed “harem” situation as well as the imperial palace workers did.
They only knew I was… a special kind of mess.
That’s why the duke’s scandal accusation didn’t really stick, and why the gift-giving event was brushed off as, “Haha, how curious!”
But someone who sees me every day, eats with me, sleeps next to me?
He might think it was strange.
Maybe he thought I was giving the duke a gift out of fondness?
Well, it was true that the only thing I’d obsessed over lately was Sian’s health. Everyone saw me as the emperor’s stalker.
Actually, it was just that the duke’s hair composition was great, and Lindo asked me to retrieve some more.
I awkwardly scratched my cheek.
Explaining that straight up would lead to questions like:
“What are you using hair for?”
“Why do you need antidotes?”
“How do you know you’ll be poisoned in two years?”
No thanks.
I’ll just explain tonight when he comes to bed.
Thinking of how to phrase it, I headed back to the palace with Lindo.
“You could say you were practicing to comb His Majesty’s hair better. That you wanted to observe someone else’s combing technique.”
“Would he believe that? Sian isn’t a kid.”
I sighed, and Lindo shrugged as he worked on the antidote.
“You saw him in the hall. Normally, His Majesty would have spilled the duke’s blood without caring about the consequences.”
Hmm… true. He had held my hand tightly just before everything happened, signaling me to stay still.
And then he really did just stand behind me like a decorative screen.
Yes! We’ve built plenty of trust by now.
If I coax him a few days and explain I had no ulterior motives, everything should go back to normal—meals and sleeping together included.
Confidence surged.
“Your Majesty, here is the newly prepared antidote.”
Lindo handed me the all-purpose antidote containing fresh hair, then left.
He said I should drink only one a day, as it was toxic in large doses.
“Okay.”
I hid the bottle in my dressing table.
After washing and changing, I headed to the bedroom.
I hope he likes the new ASMR…
Knock, knock.
“Sian?”
I entered with a cheerful voice, trying to ease the tension.
“Huh? He’s not here?”
The black panther who was always punctual—bathed and waiting—was gone.
“Loren, where is His Majesty?”
“Um… he is practicing swordsmanship.”
“At this hour?”
Loren bowed awkwardly.
I was too stunned to do anything but dismiss him.
“He’ll come eventually…”
He was mad. Definitely mad. This was a protest.
I paced in circles, biting my lip.
If he came here, I could explain and soothe him! Why is he protesting like this?
What if he was truly angry?
What if all the effort I put into building our relationship fell apart?
I don’t want to go back to how things were…
Sure, even if he mistreated me again, I’d eventually break him down with persistence.
He’d cave once he needed sleep. Always did.
But after learning why he was called a tyrant, after watching him fall asleep peacefully beside me…
I don’t want to hurt him again.
I couldn’t even tell if I was acting like a worried pet owner or a best friend trailing after a troublesome buddy.
I prepared myself and went to the main palace.
“His Majesty forbade anyone from entering the training grounds.”
“What! Even me?”
“Especially Your Majesty the Empress…”
The guards—remembering the time I’d barged in before—formed a human wall with grave expressions.
Even I couldn’t overpower trained knights at midnight. I waited for hours.
“Your Majesty… it’s dawn now. We fear for your health…”
Ugh. He was really mad.
Shivering in the cold, overwhelmed by the dark, I trudged back.
I turned on the bedroom lights and waited—but Sian didn’t come.
So I slumped into my private room and sat before the dressing table.
Guess he’s really not coming.
It was three hours past his usual sleep time.
Since I couldn’t sleep, I took out the antidote.
I opened the strongest one and drank it, watching in the mirror.
A sweet but intense liquid burned down my throat. Then the reaction hit.
“Cough—khck!”
Hot blood dripped out.
I spat the blood into the basin, where it quickly turned transparent thanks to the special liquid Lindo had prepared.
How should I soothe him?
Should I sing for him? But I can’t sing. What if I wake him up and he gets even angrier?
Thinking while coughing up blood, I noticed even more blood than usual.
Ugh… dizzy.
My face in the mirror was ghostly pale—like someone terminally ill.
At least I took it while alone. My private room connects to the bedroom, so no one could see.
After cleaning everything thoroughly, I returned to the bedroom.
“Maybe drinking again would be good…”
I had even hosted that horrible ball for him. Maybe I should use alcohol again to seduce him?
Should I get special cuffs to keep him from running away?
But my stomach turned—too recently after the bleeding.
Ugh. Why is this my life?
“But still… there isn’t much time left now.”
