Chapter 3.4

As I hugged and pulled him closer, he obediently leaned into me as if it were a lie.

‘I only have today.’

The moment I saw him again, I was certain.

I, Cha Seyoung, had loved a man, married him, and been betrayed by him, but this feeling was distinctly different. Even if this feeling was a part of Claire Ianster, the fact that I wanted this man now did not change.

If Adrian still had a lingering obsession with me, even if it was close to hatred, that brought him to my room, I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Tomorrow, I would be going to the Imperial Palace. And my coin had definitely landed on heads.

“You hate me. Don’t you, Adrian?”

He was speechless, as if his throat was blocked, and his widened eyes showed his panic. I buried my face in his neck. And after taking a long, deep breath, I slowly raised my head and moved toward his lips.

“Take your revenge now, Adrian.”

With my lips lightly touching his lower lip, I continued to speak.

“This is your last chance. You know better than anyone. If I become the Crown Princess, you’ll lose your chance to get revenge on me.”

It was a whisper fit for the devil. When I felt his hands, which had been wandering in the air, rise to my waist, I clung to him even more tightly and continued to provoke him.

“Take me, just as I broke you. Adrian.”

“…Claire, shut your mouth.”

The tautness of his jaw was transmitted to my lips.

Feeling that Adrian was about to push me away, I grew desperate and awkwardly bit his lower lip.

He flinched and pushed me away. But because the door was behind my back, he couldn’t move completely away from me. He wore a fierce expression, but I whispered again.

“Do whatever you want until I beg you with tears. Just like I did to you…”

At my plea, his blue eyes shook violently.

But he put strength into the hand on my waist and started to push me away. I didn’t give up and pushed forward as much as he pushed me back, putting force into my arms that were wrapped around him. Perhaps this was my last chance to see Adrian this close.

Just like Adrian had done to me at the Grand Duke’s castle, I bit his earlobe and spoke one last time.

“Brand me, all over my body, so I can never forget you. Please. Adrian.”

“Get away from me!”

But when Adrian rejected me again, I let out a hollow laugh. With the strength leaving my body, I leaned my forehead on his shoulder and slumped down.

“Leave your traces on me so I can never forget you. Please, Adrian.”

“Claire, stop here. This is your last warning.”

The terrible truth that I wanted him but he didn’t want me felt like an answer to all the questions I had been curious about.

“Alright, I understand.”

My arms that were wrapped around his neck fell away. But I leaned my forehead on his shoulder and took a moment to breathe. My plan to seduce a man, which was so out of character for me, had failed miserably. I let out a self-deprecating laugh and said my final words.

“Don’t regret this later. You’ve just lost your last and best chance to get revenge on the malicious Claire Ianster. You won’t get another chance even if you ask.”

“Regret… Are you sure you won’t?”

“It’s you who will regret it.”

At the moment I thought his voice had lowered slightly, he pushed me away from his body and immediately devoured my lips.

“Gasp.”

After a short but intense kiss, Adrian looked into my eyes.

“Now, I can stop now.”

I understood what he was saying and shook my head without a moment’s hesitation. He pulled me into a tight embrace and whispered to me.

“…You’re a wicked person, Claire Ianster.”

His voice, a gravelly scratch, declared his surrender. After that, I didn’t do anything else. No, I couldn’t do anything else. Adrian, as if he couldn’t stand it anymore, lifted me up and carried me to the bed.

After that, it was a continuous series of stimulation. He put his tongue into my mouth and explored every inch of it. He only gave me a moment to breathe after exploring until I was suffocating. With one hand, he pulled down the strap on my shoulder, and with the other, he grabbed my waist. After his familiar hands, which had taken off my wet dress, brushed against me a few times, my body was completely exposed in the moonlight.

Adrian knelt down and looked down at me for a moment. I tried to pull the blanket up to cover my body to avoid his gaze, which felt as if it would burn me, but he wouldn’t allow it. His blue eyes, which had felt so cold, now felt as hot as fire. And he, who was completely exposed in the moonlight, was as beautiful as if he had been meticulously crafted by the goddess of the moon.

Adrian was gentle throughout. It felt as if his cold demeanor until now had all been a lie, and his kind and cautious actions made me gasp for air. He raised his hand, buried his lips in the inside of my wrist, and looked up at me from near my collarbone.

And his sparkling eyes were probably asking for one last permission. I reached out my hand as a sign of permission, pulled his face closer, and kissed him again.

Adrian’s hand lifted my nightgown and his large palm swept from my calf to my thigh, and an unbearable sensation washed over me. For some reason, I also felt a little sad. Our act, which began late at night, continued until I eventually fainted.

And when the rooster crowed at dawn, I opened my eyes. When I turned my head, I saw the naked Adrian sleeping face down next to me.

I had seen him sleeping so defenselessly on his back once before. It must have been that night when he had been whipped and fell from a high fever. In the dim light of dawn, his back was covered with countless scars. They were all made by Claire Ianster. I kissed each of his scars and traced them with my hand as if to brand them on my heart.

‘I hope it doesn’t hurt anymore, I hope he’s not lonely anymore.’ It was almost strange that this was the only thing I wished for him.

When I, who had fallen asleep again as if I had fainted with my hand on his back, opened my eyes, he was already gone.

***

“Aurelian, you’ve come?”

Though he hadn’t requested an audience beforehand, of course his request was accepted. The Emperor had already been informed that Adrian had come to the south.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor, watching Aurelian stride into the audience chamber of the imperial palace as if it were his own home, swallowed dryly without realizing it. His impatience made him press his son without meaning to.

“As I recall, you swore with your own mouth that you would never meddle in the south again…”

Adrian rose from his bow. He answered the Emperor’s question with a question.

“Before leaving for the Grand Duchy, do you remember I said I would give one thing to you, and take one thing for myself?”

“Of course.”

The Emperor was confident. There was nothing in this empire that he could not grant. And by granting Aurelian’s request, he wanted to cleanse the last remnants of guilt festering inside him.

“Speak your request.”

“Claire Ianster.”

At the sound of Claire’s name, the Emperor’s brow furrowed.

“The second daughter of the Count of Ianster. That lady is rightfully mine.”

“But—!”

“You took everything from me, and yet you’d refuse me a single woman? You wouldn’t say such a thing, would you?”

The Emperor fell silent. But Aurelian did not stop.

“It is the Emperor’s promise. If you give her to me, I will leave without hesitation for the north.”

He had to admit it. Even as Emperor of Quinze-Nouais, there was something he could not give.

“…Aurelian, give me time.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed, searching for his brother’s true intent. What he saw was not the Emperor, but simply a father.

“Three days. No more than that.”

As soon as Adrian left the palace, the Emperor pressed his hand to his brow. It was the first time his son had ever declared that he wanted someone for himself. The Emperor knew Sebastian had spent two years refusing his ministers’ petitions while he searched for Claire. And only recently, thanks to the Crown Prince’s absurd marriage ban, the girl had walked into the palace on her own. On that day, the Emperor had seen his son’s radiant smile for the first time in nearly ten years.

When Adrian left the palace and reached the stables, he saw Sebastian standing under a great tree’s shadow. Having heard that Adrian had entered the palace, Sebastian had hurried to confirm whether it was true. The two men looked at each other but passed by without exchanging a word.

Adrian rode hard to his mansion in the capital.

“An imperial promise that not even a dog would value.”

That was what he thought.

The moment I opened my eyes, I began preparing to receive the Imperial Knights who would soon appear. The Crown Prince had said today, so at the latest, they would arrive before noon.

“The Imperial Knights have reached the front of the count’s estate.”

As expected, they arrived, and soon the butler came to inform me. I dragged my aching body up and hurried to make myself presentable. When I came out into the garden, a familiar figure approached.

“Sir Kai Kaylen.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered me to escort you…”

Just then, Count Ianster appeared, having heard the news.

“What is this commotion?”

“My lord Count.”

“I am Kai Kaylen, commander of the Imperial First Knight Order. His Highness the Crown Prince has issued a command to bring Lady Claire Ianster to the palace.”

“Hmph. It has barely been any time since she was sent home, and now he calls her back again? May I ask the reason?”

“My apologies, Count. I merely follow orders.”

“Orders or not, the child has only just come home and had little rest…”

Celine suddenly appeared, placing her hand gently on the Count’s arm.

“Father, His Highness told me yesterday she must return to the palace today. She has already been chosen through the marriage ban edict. That His Highness allowed her even this brief stay shows his great consideration.”

“But the palace is not far from here… I should go myself to ask His Highness directly.”

I quickly spoke up to stop the Count.

“No, my lord. Celine is right. I don’t wish to trouble the household any further.”

“Claire, what are you saying? Trouble? This is your home.”

The Count seemed truly flustered, but I could not allow the matter to drag on.

“I only mean I don’t want to cause more disturbance in the family.”

“You must leave now.”

Sir Kai Kaylen, who had seemed impatient all along, could finally hold back no longer and cut into our exchange.

“It seems, Sir Kaylen, that we only ever meet on occasions like this.”

I gave him a small smile. Whether or not a new life had taken root within me after last night, I had done all I could. Since I had given my utmost, I had no regrets. Still, where on earth had Adrian gone? A person is departing, and he doesn’t even appear to send me off? Not seeing his face one last time before leaving left me oddly forlorn.

I cast one last glance at the manor gates, drew a deep breath, and stepped forward ahead of Sir Kai Kaylen. But at that very moment, the front gates flew open with a crash, and Aurelian Quinze-Nouais, Grand Duke, appeared.

Every knight and commander in the garden bowed deeply to him.

Adrian did not dismount from his black steed, but rode straight up to where I stood.

“Return to the palace at once.”

Without even asking the circumstances, he gave the order to the knights.

“Your Grace, what do you mean? We are here to carry out His Highness the Crown Prince’s orders.”

“Those orders need not be carried out.”

“Even as the Grand Duke of Quinze-Nouais, you cannot defy an imperial command at will.”

Adrian’s sharp gaze shifted from me to Sir Kaylen for the first time.

“Who says I am defying an imperial command?”

“That is exactly what you are doing right now.”

“Then go and ask His Majesty the Emperor yourself—whether that order must truly be obeyed.”

He dismounted slowly, seized my wrist, and led me back into the house. I could only follow, bewildered. His grip was so tight that my body, still sore from last night’s excess, screamed in pain.

“Ah—”

At my small cry, Adrian froze on the spot. He turned back to me, ears flushed red.

“Does it hurt? I’m sorry.”

I could guess what was running through his mind, and my face reddened just as much. But I couldn’t keep blushing forever.

“Adrian, what is this? Do you realize how dangerous your actions are?”

“I will not let you be in danger.”

I had thought I would have no choice but to be dragged into the palace, but somehow Adrian had blocked my entry. Even when I asked again what had happened, he gave me no answer.

“Don’t worry about anything. Just stay quietly here at the count’s estate.”

Leaving only those words behind, he departed in haste, and before long the knights who had filled the garden returned to the palace.

***

The Crown Prince glared at Kai Kaylen, who was entering his office. He had already heard that the knight had returned empty-handed.

“What is this? A faithful subject of Quinze-Nouais wouldn’t dare disobey a Crown Prince’s order.”

“That is…”

“I didn’t know there was a time when Sir Kai Kaylen would hesitate.”

Kai swallowed dryly. His liege, the Crown Prince, was usually relaxed and generous, but when he had that look in his eyes, he was quite dangerous.

“His Royal Highness the Grand Duke stopped us. And he told us to ask His Majesty the Emperor if the order needed to be carried out.”

“…And?”

“I’ve just returned from His Majesty’s palace. His Majesty said to let the Grand Duke have his way.”

Sebastian stood up quietly. And Kai Kaylen, who knew where he was going, led the way for the Crown Prince.