Lewd Courtship - Chapter 21

He was handsome enough to make her doubt her own eyesight, but thankfully, she wasn’t feeling any heart-pounding or heat pooling in her lower belly this time. Her underwear, which had gotten damp just from thinking about s*x with him before, was perfectly dry now.

‘Whew, thank go—… Hmm? Is that a good thing?’

The emperor was definitely someone she should avoid. And yet, thinking she’d never feel the kind of pleasure he gave her again made her oddly disappointed. It was a confusing, conflicting mess of emotions even she couldn’t make sense of.

‘So like… I shouldn’t sleep with him, but it felt really good. But when I look at his face now, I feel nothing… but I still can’t stop thinking about his d**k? Ugh, whatever. I don’t know anymore.’

Rachel, frustrated by her own conflicting feelings, gave up trying to figure them out. Her head was starting to ache, so she just turned her gaze to the king instead. He had descended the platform after officially announcing the start of the hunting event.

At these sorts of formal events, her father always went to her mother first. Rachel was usually next in line after that.

Naturally, she prepared to receive him as usual. But this time, the king veered off course—heading toward Killian instead and striking up a conversation.

‘That bastard insulted Father, and yet—!’

Seeing the two of them chatting so cordially made Rachel’s blood boil. Killian had insulted her father, yet because part of it was her fault, she couldn’t reveal the man’s true colors.

A heavy sigh slipped out. And as she exhaled softly, her eyes met her father’s across the field. A moment later, Killian also briefly glanced her way then looked away as if nothing had happened.

They’re definitely talking about me…

Suddenly feeling anxious, Rachel decided to get out of their line of sight. She tried to slip into the crowd, but the king was quicker—he beckoned her over with a wave of his hand.

Oh wow, should I just bolt?

She seriously considered running away for a moment, her leg muscles twitching in preparation. But then she sighed in resignation. The look in her father’s eyes was far too firm—if she actually ran now, she’d be in big trouble.

What had seemed like a long distance away didn’t feel so far once she started walking. And the closer she got to the two men, the louder and more forced their laughter became.

Rachel hated the sound of it. To delay reaching them, she slowed her steps as much as she could.

When she finally arrived, the king stopped laughing and addressed her with a gentle tone.

“Our princess is an excellent shot. I’ve asked her to assist Your Majesty. She’s participated in the royal hunt every year and always ranked highly, so I’m sure she’ll be of great help.”

Wait—I’m assisting the emperor? Me?

This was the first she’d heard of it. Rachel barely managed to keep herself from shouting her protest. A royal princess defying her king in public was unacceptable.

I might not be able to say no… but if the emperor refuses, then Father won’t be able to insist either. Not like he’d actually agree to this anyway.

Killian clearly disliked her, so there was no way he’d accept.

Rachel quietly waited for his refusal.

After a brief pause, Killian finally spoke. And what came out of his mouth was not what Rachel expected.

“…It would be an honor to have the princess assist me.”

“Haha, she really is an excellent shot. I’m sure she’ll be of help. I leave the princess in your care. I’ll go attend to my queen.”

There was one crucial detail Rachel had overlooked: Killian and the king had already discussed all of this in advance.

In exchange for pushing his daughter into assisting Killian during the hunt, the king had agreed to hand over a small but fertile granary region on the outskirts of the kingdom. Unaware of this behind-the-scenes deal, Rachel could only stare blankly at her father’s retreating back.

Once the king left, silence settled between the two remaining figures. Killian glanced sideways at Rachel, who was still watching her father walk away.

She was not a woman he liked—but the land the king had pledged was of considerable value. And truthfully, he felt a tiny bit guilty for how harshly he’d treated her last time. Not enough to apologize, of course. But just enough to offer the first word as a gesture.

“Princess, are you skilled with a bow…?”

He caught himself mid-sentence, switching from informal to formal speech. The shift was deliberate—people were watching, and she was still a royal princess. It was, in his own way, a small sign of respect.

Look at him pretending to be all noble just because we’re in public. Doesn’t suit him. Disgusting.