Chapter 30
“It’s not possible, Your Majesty. Adjusting the cycle again with medication will put an enormous strain on your body.”
Boute gripped his hands tightly as he spoke. As the Emperor’s loyal personal physician, he had never once yielded to the Empress’s persistent persuasion. However, this time, he couldn’t bring himself to administer the medicine to Edin and had reluctantly agreed to her proposal.
The medication to control the rutting period took a greater toll on the body the longer it was used. Knowing this, Edin had been taking it for over two years. He was now at a stage where only double the recommended dosage was effective. He had concluded it was no longer safe to suppress Edin’s rut cycle.
“Furthermore, even if you take an excessive dose, it’s highly likely it won’t be effective.”
“….”
“Your body has already developed a significant tolerance, Your Majesty.”
“…Is that so? Didn’t they say there was a new medication under development? What about trying that?”
“It’s only 40% complete. I dare not use the precious body of the Empire’s Sun as a test subject, Your Majesty.”
“What does it matter if I’m the one taking it?”
“Then take my head instead, Your Majesty.”
“…Tsk.” He seemed resolute enough to truly offer his neck if it meant refusing the medicine. Edin, well aware of Boute’s stubbornness, clicked his tongue and flicked his hand dismissively.
Boute bowed his head once. “Your rut cycle should begin in about a week.”
“I understand. You may leave.” Edin waved his hand irritably.
After Boute left, Edin leaned his head back against the chair and sighed deeply. He glanced at Zerga, who was busy with work at a distant desk. “Zerga.”
“Yes, Your Majesty?” Zerga answered without looking up.
“Do me a favor.”
“What is it you require?”
“Could you get rid of the Empress during my rut?”
“Be reasonable. I have no such power.”
“Should I ask Theor?”
“Don’t. If you ask that madman… I mean, the Duke, for a favor, you’ll end up having to clean up a mess ten times bigger. After all that, you still want to ask Theor? I mean, Duke Theor?”
“Just pick one, the name or the title.”
“….”
“Hey, friend.”
“Ugh—seriously? Can’t you see I’m busy? Because you feigned illness the other day, the work has piled up like crazy, as you can see. I don’t even have time to eat, and you’re going on about getting rid of the Empress just because you dislike her during your rut?”
“Now, now, such language to the Sun of the Empire. How impudent of my aide.”
“…Your Majesty, please pick one.”
“I really don’t want to see her.”
“Then why did you take an Empress in the first place?”
“….”
“The late Empress’s will only stipulated that you spend your rut with the Empress. If you had taken a concubine first, then before the Empress…”
“That d*mned Marquis Beneretti would hardly leave the concubine alone. He’d kill her before she could bear my child.”
“….”
“…Speaking of concubines…”
“……?”
“Zerga, is there any way to take a Beta as a concubine?” Edin asked, his eyes gleaming.
Zerga, momentarily speechless, furrowed his brow fiercely. Edin, of all people, knew this was impossible. His own mother had been a Nyxna, and even after bearing the Emperor’s only heir, she remained a concubine. The very status of Nyxna had been created because Betas could not be Empresses or concubines.
‘What on earth is my old friend thinking, asking such a question?’
“What kind of nonsense is that, Your Majesty?”
* * *
Trey blushed, seeing Lysei wearing his trousers. In the Empire, where long, elaborate dresses were the customary attire for women, she casually wore trousers—men’s trousers, no less.
‘Just what is this woman?’ he wondered. He seemed to be the only one embarrassed by a woman wearing his clothes. Lysei, seemingly unfazed, smiled comfortably and tied back her dazzlingly bright hair. The image of her with her long hair loose was quite different from when it was tied up. The hairstyle suited the plain, loose top and trousers remarkably well.
She had asked to borrow trousers because she wanted to run, so he’d had a maid fetch clothes from his valet. He hadn’t expected her to actually wear them. He’d been naive enough to wonder why she needed his trousers to run.
“I’ll be playing here!” Lysei, having rolled up the cuffs of Trey’s overlong trousers several times, told the maid and began to jog. Apparently, she intended to run around the flower garden.
“Why on earth…? Wait, Nyxna.” Trey, bewildered, called out to her. “Are you planning to run around here?”
“Yes. Am I not allowed to run here?”
“It’s not that you’re not allowed, but… why do you want to run?”
“…? Because I want to?”
“But why…?”
Seeing Trey’s genuinely perplexed expression, Lysei sighed briefly. “Sir Trey.”
“Yes.”
“You train every day, right?”
“…? …Yes, I do.”
“It’s similar. Where I’m from… well, before I came here, I used to exercise.”
“….”
“So, if I don’t, my body feels stiff. You know that feeling, right? Since you have a physically demanding job.”
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