Chapter 12.
Three Hours Should Be Enough, Right?
After the whirlwind of the wedding ceremony, I somehow found myself in the Eastern Palace bedroom—our bridal chamber.
The Eastern Palace was primarily used by King Miklok and included not only the bedroom but also a study, lounge, office, reception hall, and even a banquet room.
I was told I’d be staying in the Southern Palace from now on, which was designated for the queen. But with everything the Eastern Palace offered, I wondered—would he ever actually come visit me there?
“Wait… was I just disappointed?”
Shaking off the unfamiliar feeling, I looked around. This bedroom, decorated for the wedding night, was apparently Miklok’s usual sleeping quarters.
The large bed was neatly made with luxurious linens, and the air carried a faint, pleasant fragrance.
On the table beside the bed sat a fancy bottle of champagne and a tray of fresh fruit. An arched doorway led from the bedroom to a small sitting room.
Just looking at the bed made my cheeks flush as I remembered his intense kiss from earlier.
Exhausted from the long day, I sat at the edge of the bed and waited for Miklok.
Wearing the wedding dress was uncomfortable, but taking it off myself felt… strange.
Traditionally, it was the husband who removed the bride’s wedding attire on the wedding night. So, I figured I should wait.
Then my gaze landed on a suit of armor and helmet placed near the arched door.
Immaculately polished and looking battle-ready, the gear felt out of place in a bridal chamber. I stepped closer to examine it—
Knock, knock.
The door opened urgently, and Millie rushed in.
“Lady Lea—no, Your Highness! Did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“His Majesty Miklok is heading out on a campaign—immediately!”
“I already heard. He’ll probably leave at dawn.”
I nodded calmly, but Millie shook her head, clearly agitated.
“No, not at dawn! Right now! He’s leaving tonight—without even spending the wedding night with you!”
“What?! Are you serious?”
“Yes!! You know what happens to brides who don’t consummate the marriage on their wedding night in Haron!”
Of course I knew! Brides who didn’t share the first night were treated like outcasts.
“They say this campaign will last at least four months! What if rumors reach Haron? What if the Marquess of Uzkal hears about it…?!”
I went rigid. I hadn’t thought of that! If word got out that I’d been rejected on our wedding night, the Marquess’s wife and my sister Hailey would be thrilled.
‘Look at her! Acting all high and mighty because she married a king. Now the queen of nothing! Ha—what a joke!’
I could already hear their mockery ringing in my ears. No. Absolutely not. That could never happen.
I bit my lip until I tasted blood.
“Millie, I have to spend this night with him.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“I’ll convince him. Even if I have to cling to his leg and beg.”
Seeing how serious I was, Millie nodded gravely and exited.
Left alone, I paced around nervously.
“What do I say? How can I keep him here—just for a little while?”
Could I really delay a military campaign with just words? Anxiety churned in my chest.
“Ugh… This is driving me crazy!”
“That could be a problem.”
A sudden voice startled me. I spun around to see King Miklok, a few buttons of his formal attire undone, lips curled in a smirk.
He had exuded cool, regal charisma during the ceremony, but just two undone buttons had completely changed his aura. He looked… dangerously seductive.
Looking at his red lips, I remembered that deep kiss from earlier. But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that!
“You’re leaving right now?”
“Yeah. I was going to eat before leaving, but things got delayed.”
Scratching his forehead with a long finger, he added,
“I wanted to have dinner with you—sorry. But I’ll be off soon, so you should wash up, eat, and rest. You’ve had a long day.”
“Dinner isn’t the issue here!”
His casual tone finally made me snap.
“Then what is the issue?”
He looked puzzled as he slowly unbuttoned the rest of his shirt.
Gulp.
Damn it, why did I have to swallow my spit just as he was undressing?!
I looked away quickly, worried he might misunderstand. Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice. He draped his shirt over a chair and walked toward the armor.
“No!!”
I dashed forward and stood between him and the armor, clutching his helmet to my chest.
Hands on his hips, he tilted his head and looked down at me.
“And what exactly are you doing?”
“You absolutely cannot leave right now. You need to stay in this room for at least an hour—no, three!”
“And why is that?”
I clutched the helmet tighter. I had to say it. No matter how embarrassing.
“…You can’t leave this room until we’ve consummated the marriage!”
“What?”
His deep blue eyes widened, filled with surprise and confusion.
Of course he’d be stunned. But I couldn’t back down.
“You must stay for at least an hour. If word gets out to the Marquess’s household that I was rejected tonight, I…”
I huffed, cheeks burning.
“Seriously…”
The mere thought was so humiliating I felt my face catching fire. As I trembled with frustration, Miklok finally spoke.
“You truly…”
He looked me straight in the eye.
“…want to consummate the marriage with me?”
“W-What?”
Oh god. I’d been too wrapped up in my own panic—I hadn’t explained myself properly!
“Who said I actually wanted to do it? I have standards too, you know!”
I waved my hands frantically, trying to clear the misunderstanding. But he just looked even more confused.
Since the wedding had started, Miklok had been completely distracted.
He couldn’t keep his eyes off Lea in her wedding dress.
She stood beside him like a living painting—and the urge to rip that dress off her grew stronger with every passing minute.
But he had restrained himself. He didn’t want to frighten her.
Then came the priest’s declaration:
“As ordained by the sacred goddess Vestia, I, Priest Urius of the Holy Empire, hereby pronounce King Miklok Pritan and Queen Lea Pritan as husband and wife.”
Lea Pritan. Now officially his wife.
A kiss at this moment was tradition. Calmly, he kissed her.
But the moment her lips met his—snap. His restraint snapped.
He hadn’t planned on a deep kiss in front of the priest, but now all he wanted was more.
He tugged on her soft lips, parting them, tasting every inch inside.
Her kiss was sweet enough to rob him of reason. So this… was kissing.
He even thought of his parents—his father had often stolen kisses from his mother whenever he got the chance.
Once, at five years old, he’d gone to ask his mother for a story, only to be kicked out by his father five minutes later.
He’d looked back from the doorway—and seen his father practically devouring his mother’s lips. It had shocked him then.
But now, he understood.
After the ceremony, Miklok had made up his mind.
“William! We ride out immediately! Clean sweep. I’ll be back like the wind. Get everyone ready!”
Then he had run to the bedroom.
If he changed into armor quickly, he could leave—and return to her all the sooner.
But then she’d clutched his helmet to her chest and shouted in anger:
“Don’t you dare leave for war without consummating the marriage! If word spreads that I was rejected on my wedding night—especially to the Marquess’s family—I’ll just—”
In that moment, Miklok wished she would clutch his head the way she held that helmet. Damn it all.
Seeing her so flustered and fired up, he hesitantly asked,
“You truly wish to spend the wedding night with me?”
“Who said anything about actually doing it?! I do have some decency!”
He’d asked with high hopes… only to be shot down.
“What??”
His eyebrows shot up. Was she saying yes or no?!
“I wouldn’t dare demand such a thing from my husband who’s heading off to war. I’m not that shameless.”
She clutched the helmet tighter, looking down.
“I mean, I wouldn’t mind if you were shameless,” Miklok muttered. “Then what is it you want from me?”
“Just stay here for one hour. That’s it.”
She lifted her head, eyes shining.
“Just long enough for everyone to think we consummated the marriage. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“Of course! If we don’t, people in the Pritan palace will treat me like a joke.”
Miklok scoffed.
“Anyone who dares mock you in my palace—just say the word. I’ll rip their mouths open in front of you.”
“N-No, please don’t!” Lea frantically shook her head. He really was a tyrant sometimes.
“All I ask is for a little of your time.”
Miklok sighed.
“Will an hour do?”
“Three would be better but… okay, even one is fine.”
He pulled the cord by the bed. Millie burst in.
“You called, Your Majesty?”
“Tell William the campaign is delayed by three hours.”
“Y-Yes! Right away!”
“We’ll eat first. Prepare something in the lounge.”
“Right away, Your Majesty!”
Unable to hide her joy, Millie dashed out.
For the first time in his life, Miklok decided to let desire win over reason.
Watching Lea, with her innocent face and desperate plea for him to stay just a little longer, made him realize how foolish it was to put the wedding night off until after the war.
Sure, she probably had some other scheme, but it was too late now.
Did she even know what kind of beast she had just awakened?
Now that he’d embraced desire, it surged through him like fire.
Lea had asked for one hour.
Delaying the campaign by three?
A brilliant decision.
Three hours should be enough, right?
