Chapter 127

On the night the banquet ended, the two were naturally escorted to the guest quarters of the temporary palace.

“Please rest well.”

A servant stopped in front of a room and bowed to them. Unlike last time, there were no mistakes in assigning them two separate rooms. Then again, they couldn’t have even if they had tried this time.

“What about those handcuffs?”

The nobles didn’t stop talking about their handcuffs throughout the banquet. The older nobles would say, “The young people these days have such passionate romances,” which made Rodella’s face turn bright red. ‘It’s not like that!’

To a fuming Rodella, the emperor had even asked, “When do you plan to take them off?”

‘Did it look like we could take them off but chose not to?’

“Unfortunately, I think we will have to take them off soon,” Aivert replied, as if he regretted that they couldn’t take them off because the key hadn’t been found yet.

“Oh, is that so?” The emperor gave a knowing smile, leaving her to wonder how he had interpreted that, and then turned away.

“It seems you are reluctant to take them off.”

“Well, you two are so busy. When do you have time to be together? Even if you’re in the Azure Knights together…”

…And so, with misunderstandings piling up, the banquet ended, and the two were finally lying in bed. Rodella tried to ignore the presence next to her. But the more she tried, the more her mind was filled with one person.

“You’ll be getting married soon, won’t you? Congratulations in advance.”

“Thank you.” Aivert seemed particularly excited today. It was the first time she had seen him smile so brightly, not with a ceremonial smile, but with a genuinely happy one, as he replied to people who spoke to him. It was as if he was truly looking forward to getting married…

Marriage. And twenty-five.

‘…The day is finally here.’

Rodella swallowed a sigh. Once, when she was younger, it was a day she had counted down to. The whole point of their contract was to avoid marriage in the first place. She had been sure she would feel free on her twenty-fifth birthday. The stuffy old-fashioned men who considered her to have a “flaw” at that age wouldn’t even approach her. She had thought she would be able to fully showcase her abilities and work without those annoying men bothering her.

But…

[Would you be available for a short tea time?]

[If you have no plans tomorrow morning…]

The seemingly secret, yet not-so-secret, proposals that had poured in before she and Aivert were seen with the handcuffs. They were all pointing to something different: the position of husband to Rodella Syveric, a likely candidate for the next Chancellor. It was a position that would have normally been out of their reach, but now that she had a “flaw,” many thought it was worth a shot. It was so absurd. And the most prudent and reliable shield against all of this was…

“…”

She could hear Aivert’s steady breathing next to her, feigning sleep. Rodella’s lips tightened into a firm line.

‘Should I try to extend our contract?’

That absurd idea vanished in a second. The Royden family would need an heir.

More than that…

…She no longer wanted to continue a relationship with Aivert that was based on the premise of eventually breaking up.

“You’ll come, won’t you, Rodella?”

The image of Aivert standing with another woman in her dream came to mind. A strange feeling, one that made her fatigue disappear, washed over her as she thought of the unknown woman.

‘I don’t want that. Go to your wedding as your best friend? I don’t want to.’

She could say it clearly now. I don’t want to.

Her hands clenched into fists.

“…”

Aivert next to her continued to breathe steadily, still pretending to be asleep. There was no one else next to him. It was just her.

—Rustle.

As she carefully turned on her side, she felt his body heat so close. It was a warmth so tempting that she resented the distance she had always kept, even though she knew she could sleep more comfortably if she moved a little closer.

“…”

Rodella watched him for a moment, then cautiously snuggled up next to him. His warmth enveloped her.

“Huu…” she let out a small sigh.

“Without you, how will I ever sleep?” Her true feelings escaped in a whisper.

* * *

There was a date Aivert could never forget: two days from now, Rodella’s birthday and the day their engagement would end. Since the day they got engaged, his entire life had been focused on that day; he had never forgotten it for a moment.

That was why, when a young master at the banquet reminded Rodella of her birthday…

“Happy early birthday.”

…he almost let out a murderous aura. Rodella might be looking forward to that day, but he wanted to delay it by every minute and second.

“…”

Aivert pretended to be asleep, listening to Rodella’s every move. Her breathing wasn’t even, which meant she hadn’t fallen asleep either.

‘Are you excited for two days from now?’

It wasn’t even two days from now. After tonight, it would be tomorrow.

‘I wish time would just stop.’

Aivert thought, maintaining his steady breathing.

“Should I not go on the overseas tour?”

She would say something that made his heart flutter, then casually cover it with other words.

“Yes, don’t go. Or, go with me.”

He must have been so direct it seemed abrupt. He didn’t want to miss his chance. But even as he said the words, he anticipated her answer. She would say things like, “Who will take your place as the vice-commander of the Azure Knights?” or “You’re too busy with work.” When it came to Rodella, his predictions were rarely wrong. They were always at least close.

But this time, it was different.

“…”

Her emerald eyes looking up at him were pure and sparkling. He felt as if he couldn’t breathe, not knowing how to interpret the expression that held no negative emotions. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her slightly parted lips, from which a word of refusal might drop at any moment. But in her eyes, which sparkled with only kindness, he couldn’t see any of the darkness he felt.

He couldn’t dare to reveal his dark heart, the murky desire that contrasted so sharply with her clear eyes. The desire to get closer to her, to get deeply and intoxicatingly close. He almost resented Rodella, who had just smiled faintly, as if to test him while he struggled to suppress his feelings.

‘Are you really okay? Are you okay with us breaking up? I feel like I’m going to go crazy if things go on like this.’

Just as his seething emotions were about to consume him, a test was placed before him.

“Without you, how will I ever sleep?”

Her voice, impossibly sweet, tickled his ears, and her soft breath touched his arm. Aivert almost forgot to breathe.

“What?”

The man who had suppressed everything opened his eyes.