CHAPTER 27 …………..
A Night Where Love and Schemes Bloom
The gift Ralph handed to Millie was a shawl that looked incredibly warm.
“I really wanted to return the favor… I don’t know if you’ll like it.”
“Thank you, Sir Ralph.”
Millie immediately draped the shawl over her shoulders. Loving the soft, warm feel of it, she brushed the hem of the shawl against her cheek again and again.
“I absolutely love it.”
“…I’m glad.”
As he watched Millie rub the shawl against her cheek, Ralph’s gaze went blank, and a red flush crept down his neck. He couldn’t even look her in the eye when he spoke.
“The gloves you gave me last time also fit my hands perfectly, as if they were made for me.”
Millie held out her gloved hand and turned it back and forth. Ralph gently cupped her left hand in both of his.
“Then, Millie. Will you give me another scarf before my next campaign?”
“What?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected request, Millie looked flustered.
Last time, she had handed him a scarf on impulse, but for him to deliberately ask for one now, when they weren’t even in that kind of relationship…?
CRASH!!
Just then, something fell to the floor near the banquet hall entrance.
Startled, Millie and Ralph turned their heads and saw William’s back as he hurriedly rushed away.
What? Don’t tell me he saw me with Sir Ralph and ran off like that?
It was obvious William had misunderstood, and that annoyed Millie greatly.
“Sir Ralph, thank you so much for the gift. I’ll make good use of it. I’ll be going now.”
Millie hastily waved goodbye to Ralph, then turned and ran in the direction William had gone. Ralph’s face twisted into an expression full of dissatisfaction as he watched her leave.
He had known from the start that Millie cared a lot about William.
After receiving the scarf from her, he couldn’t deny that he had acted smug in front of William, who was obviously on edge. That was why he deliberately kept sending Millie gifts.
It had all started as a prank…
So why did he feel such a surge of irritation whenever Millie looked at William? Ralph himself couldn’t understand it.
Am I… actually serious about that maid? No way…
But no matter how much he denied it inwardly, Ralph’s face grew darker and darker.
****
“Mic, it’s time to get up now.”
“Mmm…”
With his eyes still closed, Mic reached out and wrapped his arm around my waist.
“You invited all these people here. If you don’t show your face for so long, what will everyone say?”
“What will they say? They’ll be very jealous.”
“Mic!”
I blushed furiously. Even after the bath, in bed, he had embraced me countless times.
No one had seen us, of course, but the fact that people could easily guess what we were doing at this hour was mortifying.
“Hurry up and at least show your face in the banquet hall. Go on!”
“No need. By now, everyone will have gone back to their quarters. If we go now, it’ll just be a bother.”
On second thought, he was right. I sighed involuntarily. Mic raised one eyebrow, looking displeased.
“I’ve been feeling this for a while…”
“What?”
“Leah, you seem more interested in my knights than in me.”
The absurdity of it made me laugh.
“How can the man who’s been monopolizing me all this time say something like that?”
“No, it’s still not enough.”
He buried his nose in my hair as he spoke. I stroked his sleek, ebony-black hair gently.
“Then promise me this—tomorrow morning, you’ll at least go down and greet them. Give the knights’ families the honor of meeting Prince Freetan.”
“They already saw me in the banquet hall earlier, didn’t they?”
He muttered halfheartedly, then started teasing my earlobe with his lips. Heat spread through me like a flame catching on dry wood.
“Mic…”
“We’re not leaving this bed for the next three days and nights.”
“The Duke of Zenon will be looking for you…”
“For the next three days and nights, no one’s allowed to touch me.”
Three whole days and nights! That was too much—my protest was swallowed by his lips.
His caresses and his burning kisses soon turned my mind completely blank.
Our night was unbearably long.
****
Once the banquet hall had emptied out, William finally allowed himself to relax.
The feast Queen Leah had prepared tonight was flawless.
The hall was splendid, the food delicious, and the entertainments charming enough to captivate both children and adults alike.
It was a joyful time filled with eating, drinking, laughter, and chatter—more than enough to soothe all the hardships endured. But above all, the chance to reunite immediately with their long-separated families had been an unexpected and moving gift.
Even William, usually unshaken by most things, had been close to tears when he saw the faces of his parents, the Count and Countess of Giles, glowing with pride as they looked at their son.
Thanks to this, Queen Leah had won over the proud and fiercely loyal hearts of the Freetan Knights in an instant.
Yes, this is a perfect conclusion.
After seeing his parents off, William, lost in sentimental thoughts, wandered back to the now-empty banquet hall.
But contrary to his expectation, there were still servants cleaning up. And on one side, he saw Ralph holding Millie’s hand tightly.
He didn’t want to admit it, but the two standing together looked close… and very well matched.
Suddenly, William’s heart started pounding. Before he knew it, his grip slackened, and his sword scabbard slipped from his hand.
CRASH!!
The heavy scabbard hit the marble floor with a loud clang.
“Sir William, are you all right?”
“I—I’m fine. Carry on.”
As the servants glanced his way, William hurriedly grabbed the scabbard and fled the scene.
Idiot! Acting so flustered only makes it more obvious!
He knew it in his head, but his legs carried him away too quickly to control.
He strode into a quiet garden. The cold wind rushed against his body, calming his tangled emotions somewhat.
“Sir William.”
“Ahhh!”
Lost in thought, he jumped in fright at the sudden voice tugging at his ear, even letting out an embarrassing yelp.
“Why are you so startled?”
“It’s because you snuck up silently, Millie!”
William scowled as if everything were her fault. Millie, out of breath from running, looked dejected at his scolding.
Seeing that, his heart softened, and he quickly changed the subject.
“Has His Highness not called for me yet?”
“After being apart for months, do you really think he’d leave Queen Leah’s chambers to look for you?”
Millie scolded him as if telling him to be sensible.
This girl—give her the smallest opening and her confidence soars.
William glared at her, annoyed, though the corners of his lips kept wanting to lift into a smile he refused to acknowledge.
“Why did you come out in the cold?”
“I’m not cold. Sir Ralph gave me gloves and a warm shawl. It’s so soft—would you like to feel it?”
“No!!”
William’s eyes darkened dangerously as he looked at the shawl on her shoulders. He wanted nothing more than to snatch it away and tear it to shreds—but he had no right to. Damn it!
“And besides, I have this.”
Millie pulled something from her pocket and held it out before his eyes.
“What, did Ralph give you that too?”
William asked gruffly without even looking. Millie gave a little laugh of disbelief.
“This is what you gave me, Sir William.”
“Huh?”
At last, William glanced down, embarrassed. In Millie’s hand was the heating magic stone he had given her earlier.
“Thanks to this, I’ve been able to endure the bitter Freetan cold.”
“…Then I’m glad.”
A flush spread across William’s neck. Thankfully, it was dark all around—surely she wouldn’t notice!
“Oh my, Sir William. You must be cold—your neck is already turning red. Would you like to borrow this?”
Millie started to unwrap the blue scarf from her own neck to drape around his. William angrily shoved her hand away.
“You really… just give yourself to anyone…”
“What did I do?”
“…Forget it!”
He bit down on his lip and turned away sharply. But Millie’s urgent voice stopped him in his tracks.
“I’m just so glad you returned safely.”
It was as if nails had been driven into his feet—he froze, but didn’t turn back. He hated how her single sentence made his heart race uncontrollably.
“I really wanted to tell you that.”
With that, Millie’s footsteps pattered away toward the castle. Long after the sound had faded, William still stood frozen in place.
****
Under cover of night, a black carriage slipped quietly into the Empress’s Palace of the Haron Empire.
Out stepped Marchioness Julie Wootskal and a stranger.
The stranger had faded red hair, heavy makeup, a shabby dress, and smelled of cheap perfume—a stark contrast to the dignified marchioness.
The marchioness glared at her disapprovingly, but the woman only looked around with a bored expression.
At that moment, a lady-in-waiting from the palace approached the marchioness.
“Welcome. She is waiting for you.”
The maid didn’t even glance at the woman behind her. The marchioness nodded and hurried inside.
The maid led them to the bedchamber of Empress Hailey.
“Oh, my goodness, Your Majesty…”
Even under the dim light, the purple bruises around her eyes and neck were vivid. Seeing her daughter’s face, the marchioness let out a tearful cry.
Damn that emperor! She had heard rumors of his violent hands in bed, but to see the proof on her daughter’s body…!
But Hailey only looked at her mother with a cold expression.
To her, this woman was nothing more than the incompetent one who had failed to protect her from a ruthless father.
Hailey shifted her gaze to the red-haired woman.
“You’re Yulan, the so-called Fallen Angel of the Crossroads?”
“Don’t know about ‘Fallen Angel,’ but yes, I’m Yulan.”
She answered carelessly. The marchioness, unsure where to vent her anger, directed it at the insolent woman.
“How dare you speak so rudely!”
She tried to scold the lowborn woman, but Hailey cut her off impatiently.
“Mother, go home.”
“I cannot! How can I leave such a base creature with Your Majesty? I brought her here, so I’ll take her back out as well.”
“Enough, Mother!”
At her daughter’s icy gaze, the marchioness flinched. Though she had birthed her, Hailey seemed like a complete stranger in that moment.
“Don’t make me repeat myself. Go.”
At last, escorted by maids, the marchioness was practically driven out.
Left alone with Yulan, the courtesan slowly rose and approached Hailey.
“What could Your Highness the Empress possibly want from someone as low as me?”
“The talent everyone says you have.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Teach me every technique you know in bed. I’ll pay you more money than you could ever dream of.”
