HSDOE 07

7. How to Safely Refuse to Share a Bed (2)

“I’d like to eat first.”

She appeared calm on the outside, but Rasilia’s mind was in chaos.

‘Physical contact is only necessary during the Blue Moon, right? Then today shouldn’t be that day yet. During the day, he only brushed his lips against me. Would he have done that if real contact were necessary? …Right, so today isn’t the day.’

Of course, she had pushed him away earlier.

‘It can’t be. He clearly said we’d meet in the evening. If he really needed to make contact—like sleeping together—he’d have said to meet at night. Wouldn’t he?’

Lescale had only meant dinner. It was Rasilia, unknowingly choosing a bridal nightgown, who had shifted the mood in this direction. It was a pity she was completely unaware of this.

‘Right. Stay calm. It’s not today… really, it’s not.’

“If that’s what you want.”

Not knowing what was going on inside Rasilia’s head, Lescale nodded obediently.

This was a first.

Since the Empress’s memory loss, Lescale had strangely been very agreeable to her requests. A change even he wasn’t fully aware of.

“Sit here.”

He pulled out a chair in front of the table.

As he moved his arm, the robe that had just barely concealed his chest shifted, and a glimpse of his chest was exposed.

Flustered, Rasilia instinctively turned her head to the side.

“Why?”

She forced herself to focus her gaze into the air and answered:

“Do you normally eat dressed so… lightly?”

“…”

Lescale stiffened momentarily.

“You don’t like it?”

“Everything feels unfamiliar since I’ve lost my memory. I just thought that outfit doesn’t seem suited for dinner.”

“…”

Another brief silence.

“It might not be the most comfortable.”

“Exactly.”

“But it’ll be comfortable when we sleep together. There’s nothing left to take off.”

“Wh-What…!”

She almost screamed.

‘So much for “not today.” It’s totally that kind of situation.’

This time, it was Rasilia who froze.

Lescale, perhaps sensing her reaction, thankfully said:

“Should I change?”

“Right now?”

“If it displeases you.”

This was her chance—no time to hesitate.

“Yes. I don’t like it.”

“…I see.”

Screeech.

He pulled the chair all the way out.

“Sit and wait here. I won’t be long.”

“Yes.”

But instead of immediately leaving, Lescale stood there with his hand on the chair’s backrest.

“…?”

“Come sit down.”

“Ah…”

Rasilia nervously walked over.

Srrrk.

When she finally sat, Lescale slowly pushed the chair in for her.

But that wasn’t all. As he did so, he leaned down and took a breath by her hair. Remembering what had happened earlier that day, Rasilia flinched and pulled away.

Lescale murmured:

“…How did you know? I didn’t even touch you.”

“…”

So he had intended to do what he did earlier—smell her and possibly kiss her—but she had sensed it before he could.

‘What the heck? I thought they didn’t get along…’

But based on the emperor’s behavior, that didn’t seem to be the case at all.

Rasilia wasn’t well-versed in matters between men and women, but she knew enough to recognize that someone constantly trying to touch another wasn’t the behavior of someone in a cold relationship.

‘Why is he acting so desperate? Like a dog I once saw at the temple grounds.’

Though the Emperor of Eliaden was far too large and dazzling to be called a puppy, his behavior had some similarities.

The dog left tied in the temple yard used to whimper and leap whenever Rasilia walked by. If she petted it once, it would lick her all over and wag its tail so hard it disappeared.

“…Still, I want to.”

The Emperor whispered this and quickly kissed Rasilia on the cheek.

“Ah!”

She snapped her head back, but it was too late. The hot sensation of his lips lingered.

“I’ll be back.”

His gaze, as warm as his lips, lingered on her as he reluctantly turned away.

“…I can’t take this!”

As soon as he left, Rasilia jumped up. Her hand unconsciously rubbed her cheek where he’d kissed her.

It wasn’t about whether she liked it or not. The sensation was simply too overwhelming. Rasilia had never experienced something like this—and it terrified her.

It scared her that a man who might kill her if he discovered her true identity could make her feel so confused.

“I can’t stay here.”

She’d think later.

For now, escaping this room came first.

Looking around again, she understood why the room felt so dim. Instead of oil lamps, only candles were lit, making the room feel far more intimate—suggesting something more than a kiss on the cheek.

Rasilia turned toward the door the emperor had exited from—but suddenly stopped.

There was no way this room wasn’t guarded. He had just sent a full unit of guards to the Empress’s palace.

Clack! Thud!

She turned in the opposite direction and opened the window. Surely, like the Empress’s chamber, the Emperor’s had ledges too. Shadow knights had come in through the windows, so there had to be a path.

“…There’s nothing.”

But frustratingly, the window had no ledge or ornament—just a smooth wall. Though intricately carved, there was nowhere to place a foot.

“What do I do?”

She murmured, face pale with panic.

“Coo coo! Coo coo!”

“Caw!”

Birds, whose shapes she now recognized, flew in.

“Could it be… you came for me?”

—We come, we come. If you call, we come.

Somehow, not only could these birds speak, but they were actively helping her.

“I need to leave here. But the doors are probably guarded. Is there another way?”

Feeling a bit crazy, Rasilia asked the birds.

—No, no. Humans have no wings.

—Too high, too high. Humans fall, fall.

“Then… is there a way to stop the Emperor from coming in?”

—No, no.

—We can’t, can’t. We’ll die.

—Yes, yes. Emperor is mean, mean.

Desperate, Rasilia continued.

“I just can’t be alone with him. If I can hide—or if I’m not alone, it’ll be fine.”

—…?

The birds tilted their heads, exchanged glances, then chirped:

—Then yes, yes.

Flutter!

A sleek, black-feathered bird flew off and returned moments later with a suspiciously red berry.

Plop.

It gently placed the fruit beside Rasilia’s hand.

—Eat, and you sleep. Fall asleep.

—Even alone together, it’s like being alone.

Rasilia beamed.

“Yes! You guys are brilliant. This is perfect.”

Pleased with the praise, the birds wiggled their tail feathers proudly.

—Happy, happy.

—Thank you, thank you.

—Call us, and we come, come.

They left after their adorable farewell.

When Rasilia closed the window and casually mixed the red berry among the fruits on the table, the emperor returned.

“That didn’t take long, did it? Just like I said.”

He entered wearing an almost blindingly formal uniform.

Even his bangs, which had casually fallen earlier, were now neatly swept back. Jeweled cufflinks adorned his sleeves, and his indoor cape was matched with a pendant.

‘Where am I supposed to look?’

Rasilia blinked at his completely transformed appearance.

‘This is… overwhelming.’

He hadn’t dressed this formally even during the day. The man who had earlier resembled a dog now looked like a peacock flaunting its feathers.

“Or… did it take too long?”

He grabbed the chair across from her, then abruptly changed his mind and brought it to her side.

“…No. It didn’t take long.”

“Of course not. I hurried. Just like I said.”

“….”

So what?

Unable to look at his intense gaze, Rasilia turned her eyes away.

“Why are you sitting next to me?”

“…Because it’s far if I sit across from you.”

“But it’ll be hard to eat that way.”

At her words, the emperor tilted his head.

“…Maybe.”

“Then please sit across from me.”

“No need.”

No need?

“You’re really going to sit here?”

“I think I can handle the discomfort.”

“…”

Now he felt less like a peacock and more like a fancy dog again.

“Let’s eat, then.”

“…”

What a strange man.

‘So the rumor that they didn’t get along was false? …No, that can’t be. The Marchioness of Fashard’s reaction proves they really were distant.’

It meant the emperor was acting differently regardless of his past feelings.

‘It must be the timing. The Blue Moon is approaching. He’s desperate for contact.’

For the first time, Rasilia felt something other than fear toward the emperor.

If she had to name it—it would be pity.

But pity aside, things would become dangerous if he learned she wasn’t his true destined partner.

“I’ll serve you some food.”

That meant she had to make him eat the berry.

Rasilia picked up her plate and filled it with food. While pretending to serve a balanced meal, she snuck the berry in.

“Leave that one out.”

But it wasn’t so easy. Lescale stopped her from including the berry. She looked at him, silently questioning why.

“It’s a fruit I’ve never seen. I don’t eat unknown things.”

“Oh… is that a royal rule?”

“You never know what could be in it.”

As a royal, he had to be cautious with food.

‘It’ll be a problem if he doesn’t eat it…’

Thinking quickly, Rasilia remembered—she was technically a royal now too.

“Then I’ll try it first.”

“You probably shouldn’t.”

“Just a small bite. If it’s safe for me, won’t it be safe for you too?”

But Lescale snatched the fruit from her hand.

“Let’s do the opposite.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ll try it first. If it’s fine, then you can eat it.”

And just like that, despite saying he didn’t eat unfamiliar food, the emperor popped the small, bright red berry into his mouth.

‘Well, let’s see…’

Rasilia swallowed nervously, watching him chew and swallow the fruit.