Chapter 23

“Raise your head.”

At Serwin’s command, the nobles looked up at him. Gold, the symbol of the emperor flashed for a moment. The nobles were depressed when they made eye contact with him.

“I thought I was sick of your faces, but it’s been nice to see it after a long time, isn’t it, Count Eldona?”

“P-pardon? Yes. It’s an honor. Your Majesty.”

“Hahaha, then are you sick of my face?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Or are you dissatisfied with my safe return to the palace?”

Count Eldona’s lips were blue. Serwin rolled his eyes and looked at the other nobles. All together, they were afraid that questions would come back to them, so they acted indifferently. Serwin smirked and laughed.

“I know there are people who didn’t want me back.”

“……”

While Serwin was away from the palace, the imperial nobles were in a festive mood day after day. They indulged in freedoms, doing things they couldn’t do because the emperor wasn’t fond of it. The problem was that it was a little too much. They should have thought about what would happen after he came back and celebrated in moderation, but there were those who were relieved of their reins and were tasting freedom after a long time.

“The kidnapping of women, family murder, illegal gambling, bribery, and embezzlement. Complaints are coming out endlessly.”

“Y-your majesty…”

“Catch them all.”

When the order was given, the emperor’s knights came. After the trip, they didn’t have time to change their clothes, and their clothes were still wet. Nevertheless, they were full of power, and quickly arrested the resisting aristocrats.

Serwin drew his sword and came down from the throne. He liked to punish the aristocracy himself. Holding a trial would be meaningless. Even if they had committed a crime that wouldn’t normally call for the death penalty, it was their payment for having offended him.

‘Who should I behead first to be the most effective.’

Serwin walked slowly in front of them. It didn’t matter who he cut, it would have scared them in the end anyway. His heart started beating fast when he thought of seeing blood. The corners of his mouth kept going up without realizing it. But the moment he picked up the sword, he suddenly thought this:n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

‘It’ll smells like blood.’

No matter how much he washes, the smell of blood on his hands doesn’t go away easily. For someone as sensitive as Amelie, she may smell blood. She must be nervous to come to a strange place, but she would be more scared if she was surrounded by the smell of blood from the first day.

‘That’s a tough one.’

He wanted to avoid the smell of blood that would make her reluctant to be around him, he wanted to only create a good atmosphere. Seeing that little body terrified and trembling might be cute, but it didn’t seem like she would feel very good.

“Take them.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Imperial knights dragged out the sinful nobles. Serwin looked back at the nobles, picking up the sword. The nobles trembled to see if his blade would face them.

‘How does the Emperor know what happened in the capital?’

The fact that they don’t even know how far the Emperor’s eyes and ears could reach became a great horror. Today they didn’t see blood in front of their eyes, but the Emperor had a reputation built up. At any time he could kill all of them.

“My eyes and ears are everywhere in this empire. If there’s anything that hasn’t been revealed, it’ll come to my ears in less than a day.”

Serwin slowly looked back at them, driving fear into them.

‘This should be enough.’

Then, his eyes met with Marquis Lewin’s eyes.

Looking at the wickedly smiling face, Serwin felt like his stomach was twisted. The poison he felt suddenly in his veins was enough to fill a bottle.

‘We’ve achieved our goal.’

Serwin gritted his teeth and endured the murderous feelings.

Kkkkkkk.

There was the sound of disaster’s laughter, whether it was laughter or cackling. A brief separation from Amelie allowed the disaster to be brought to life again.

Serwin ignored the disaster and escaped  into the hall. Behind his back, the nobles burst out in uproarious laughter. It was an auditory hallucination created by the disaster.

‘Shut up.’

When Serwin ignored it, the laughter disappeared in an instant. He was stronger than ever, mentally and physically. He was confident that no matter what kind of tricks the disaster played, he wouldn’t lose his body to it. As long as Amelie was there this fight would be his victory.

‘I can’t wait for the night to come.’

Serwin smiled, recalling a small pink bird.

******

It was deep in the night when Serwin returned. At the news of his arrival, Amelie went to meet him with the maid.

“Your Majesty!”

Amelie tried to approach him, but stopped. He was only away for half a day and he was back looking like bloody Emperor Serwin. What the hell did he do, he looked very tired. When she saw him, she forgot everything she was going to say to him.

Amelie reached out her hand carefully. Serwin held her hand, as if enchanted, leaning his head on her shoulder. The maids watching the two were surprised and looked as if their eyes were going to pop out. But in reality, Amelie was indifferent. On the way here, Serwin leaned on Amelie’s shoulder or thumped on the back of her neck constantly.

At first, she was nervous, but it was repeated so often that she now felt like she was dealing with a big dog that was a little annoying.

‘You’re doing this again. You must have been very tired.’

Amelie plucked up her courage, gently sweeping Serwin’s black hair. Having been waiting for him outside, Amelie’s hands were colder than usual.

“You don’t have to be with me from now on.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

‘She must have been worried about the disaster’, he admitted internally but Serwin was heartbroken for some reason. Leaning like this, Amelie’s scent seemed to blow away the fatigue of the day.

******

Amelie washed herself and came out of the bathroom, getting herself ready for bed. She didn’t have to move a bit because the maids cleaned her up without saying anything.

‘What a luxury.’

Amelie led her tired body back to the bedroom. And stopped by the door.

‘What’s this?’

The atmosphere in the bedroom was unusual. It was dark in the room, and there was only a small light next to the bed, a quaint orange lamp. The bed was covered with opaque white cloth, and the narrow table also showed a beautiful bottle and glass. There are roses, too.

‘Why does this really feel like ‘first night’ decorations—?’

Amelie looked at her maid Milena in bewilderment. Milena lowered her eyes shyly as she met Amelia’s eyes.

‘Why are you embarrassed—?’

Amelie’s face turned red too.

‘No wonder they wiped me so thoroughly. They give me a slippery dress, too.”

Rejecting one-piece pajamas, Amelie sighed, changing into plain pajamas. It was clear that the maids had misunderstood something firmly.

Her sleeping with Serwin was an extremely platonic activity. It was just in case the disaster takes over his body while he sleeps. She has to stop it from the side.

‘To put it mildly, it’s medical practice. It sounds really weird to say this, uh—’

Amelie pondered how to solve this misunderstanding. Meanwhile, Serwin returned to the bedroom. The maids quickly left the room leaving no time to resolve the misunderstanding. Amelie looked at the disappearing backs of the women in a daze.

“Is there anything you want me to do?”

“No…”

Amelie glanced at the bed. The bed, which couldn’t look so cozy during the day, now felt strange.

‘So, I’m supposed to be lying on that bed with the Emperor soberly? This is my first time.’

Yesterday she dozed off while looking at Serwin’s face. So this was the first time they were going to bed together sober and unexhausted.

‘Ugh…’

Suddenly, in Amelie’s head, Serwin’s face that she saw this morning came to mind. A drowsy beast looked at her, and she really felt that he was handsome and her face become hot.

Amelie fanned her hand at seemingly nothing.

“Amelie.”

Serwin called Amelie. He was already on the bed. He looked calm about the situation. Rather, he seemed tired and wanted to go to bed quickly.

‘I feel like I’m the only one who’s conscious.’

Amelie’s face turned red.

“Come here.”

He said, reaching out his hand.

‘I’m not some kind of scented pillow or pet—’

As Amelie sighed and climbed onto the bed, Serwin pulled Amelie’s arm.

“…..!”

He laid Amelie down and looked down at her from above. In the shadow of Serwin’s face, Amelia swallowed some dry saliva.

“Your Majesty?”

“Did you use perfume?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes—”

“Don’t use that from now on.”

Serwin knitted his brow. Maybe because she applied something strange, the scent of Amelie was faint. It didn’t smell if he didn’t get close.

He took his nose to the back of her neck. A hot, damp breath played with the hairs on the back of her neck. Feeling dizzy, Amelie closed her eyes.

‘Ugh, really—”

Even if she repeated it to herself that everything was a medical practice, she couldn’t calm down easily. They were breathtakingly close with only thin pajamas on, and it was even stranger to be calm in this situation.

Amelie gave Serwin a gentle push on his chest.

“Your Majesty… Y-you’re too close.”

“Ah—I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

Serwin was already in a sleepy voice. Amelie took his hand and laid him down quietly next to her. Serwin looked up at Amelie with dazed eyes.

“Lie down a little further. Don’t stick to me.”

Only then did Amelie lie on the bed, as Serwin lay aside a little.

“Good night.”

“You too.”

Unlike Amelie, Serwin didn’t immediately close his eyes. He quietly looked at Amelie’s face. After a while, when Amelie fell asleep completely, he snuggled himself up next to her.

A languid scent and body temperature were delivered.

‘It feels nice.’

He thinks he’ll fall asleep right away, but strangely he didn’t want to. He hoped that time would go a little slower.

Serwin looked for a long time at Amelie’s face, then closed his eyes. And not long after, he fell asleep. It was a quiet and cozy sleep, something he felt after a long time.