Chapter 200

Chapter 200

I tried to push him away, but my hand slipped and I froze in terror. However, he calmly continued, either unaware or uncaring of my reaction.

“Why are you like this? Oh, I see. You’ll get wet if you stay like that. Wait a moment, okay?”

As he spoke, he began to dry himself with a white towel. I couldn’t look away, mesmerized by his chiseled physique, but quickly regained my senses and asked him:

“Are you dressed now?”

“Yes, I am.”

It was a bit disappointing, but I couldn’t let myself be seduced so easily, even if it was still early in the evening. Reciting a passage from the teachings of the Theresian Order that I had yet to learn, I slowly turned my head away.

“No, I’ll just dry off in the bathroom,” I stuttered, my voice barely audible. But as soon as I turned my head, I froze again at the sight before me.

“What’s in the bathroom?” Ridrian’s voice was calm, but his gaze was intense.

“N-nothing, just… I’ll be in there.”

I stumbled over my words, unable to form a coherent sentence. The Emperor was too overwhelming, his honey-colored eyes glistening with a seductive charm.

Even as he covered himself up, drops of water dripped down his smooth neck, revealing a firm and unblemished chest. My gaze followed the drops unconsciously, and when I looked down, my world spun.

My face grew hot, and I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks.

“Clean it properly if you’re going to wipe it!” I scolded him, feeling the anger in my voice.

“Iona?” Ridrian exclaimed, surprised by my outburst. He quickly came to my aid, supporting me as I staggered from the dizziness.

“Give me the towel!” I demanded, reaching for the white cloth in his hand.

“The towel? Is there something better than that?” he teased, refusing to let go.

I almost snatched it from him, not willing to back down. “It’s fine, give me the towel!”

Ridrian seemed taken aback by my sudden display of assertiveness and relented, handing over the towel.

“Sit down,” I instructed, gesturing to a nearby chair.

“What?” He asked, confused by my sudden change in demeanor.

“Sit down here,” I repeated, my voice softer now.

In a semi-dazed state, I guided him to the nearest chair and carefully helped him sit down. Despite his confusion, he complied without protest, and I stood behind him in a combative stance, ready to tackle any sudden movement.

“Iona?”

“Stay still,” I instructed firmly, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.

With the emperor in front of me, patiently waiting, I took the comb and began combing his wet hair with all my might. The sensation of running my fingers through his hair was surprisingly soothing, and I found myself slowly relaxing as I worked.

He seemed to have given up on resisting, allowing me to work without further protest. With a single thought to dry his hair, I combed it diligently, making sure to remove any tangles or knots along the way.

‘This damn instinct! It’s definitely cool, but now is not the time for this! It’s not even night yet!’

I scolded myself silently. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t just the time of day that was the issue. I shouldn’t be having these thoughts at all, especially not about someone like Ridrian.

“How on earth did I hold hands and sleep with Rian every night?” I wondered, shaking my head to clear my mind. I had to focus on drying off and getting dressed, not on the appealing sight of Ridrian’s white nape.

But as I almost finished drying myself with the towel, I deliberately kept my hand still and allowed myself a moment to appreciate the view. “No, why is a man’s nape so pretty?” I murmured to myself, almost forgetting Reudrian was right in front of me.

“Pretty?” he echoed, sounding confused.

I froze, realizing I had spoken out loud without meaning to. My face flushed with embarrassment as I took a step back from him.

“Where are you going?”

But I was just a herbivore in front of a carnivorous animal anyway. Before I could take a few steps, he approached and grabbed my waist.

“Let go of me!”

“If you answer my question.”

“What question?!”

“Is my neck pretty?”

“Ha-!”

I was embarrassed by his question and my face turned red.

“I’d rather die! I’d rather die than this embarrassment!”

I was half-clinging to his side and swaying as he chuckled and lifted me up, as if he was going to put me on the bed. But as he moved to place me on the bed, I pushed him away and stumbled back, my movements stiff and awkward.

“Let’s sleep separately tonight,” I muttered, my voice low and hesitant.

“I haven’t slept for two days,” he protested, his tone slightly annoyed.

Ignoring his complaint, I tried to assert my own space, telling him about the room I would take for the night. But before I could finish, he stepped closer to me, his face hovering just inches from mine.

“The scent of the forest,” he murmured, his eyes fixated on me.

I swallowed dryly at the familiar scent that quickly entered. “I think I’ve told you before. If you keep trying to run away, I’ll tie you up next to me.”

I froze at his low voice, even though we were on good terms now, I felt like he could really do such a thing if he wanted to.

“What are you thinking, my capable assistant?”

“R-Rian, please.”

“Why? I haven’t done anything yet.”

‘Yet? Yet?’

He buried his face in my neck with a lazy expression as if playing with his prey in his hand. He purred like a cat for a long time, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart racing. It was me who was dying. It was because I couldn’t just think of him as a big black panther like before.

“Don’t, my ears are sensitive.”

I closed my eyes tightly and followed his movements with my senses, but Ridian suddenly relaxed his body, and I felt his weight pressing against me. As a result, I was unintentionally pressed flat against him, my body molding to his like a puzzle piece.

It was a strange sensation, being so close to him, feeling his warmth and the rise and fall of his chest with each breath he took.

“Rian?”

“….”

He was silent for a moment.

“Are you okay?”

“…I made it this time.”

His words snapped me out of my daze. He must have been a little worried too, although I hadn’t noticed.

He was worried that he would lose me.

I hesitated for a moment before running my fingers through his smooth hair, which was still as fluffy as ever.

“I believed that you would protect me. I will always be by your side, Your Majesty.”

“Yeah, I believe you.”

He held me in his arms and we remained in silence. I patted his back as always. It was a peaceful silence.

After a while, it felt like enough time had passed that he might have fallen asleep.

“Iona.”

“Yes, Rian.”

“I’ve never talked about my childhood. About my trauma.”

His voice didn’t have the usual gruffness. I realized he wanted to talk about Lilliana, the starting point of the original story and one of the events that formed the foundation of Ridrian.

“You know, don’t you?”

“What?”

I smiled gently at him as he looked up at me in surprise. It was time to tell him, even though I already knew. What I knew was based on a very objective perspective.

“What do you mean?”

With a skeptical yet trusting gaze, Ridian asked me. If he shared the story about Lilliana with me, I had something to reveal to him as well. It was time to speak.

[Now that the child also needs to know.]

In that moment, I realized that was the meaning behind what Theres had said.