Lewd Courtship - Chapter 57

Rachel blinked. The events at Voluptas came to mind, but there was no need to mention them to Killian. It hadn’t been an outing in the first place. She had only gone to confirm her inclinations. She shook her head.

“No, I was on a brief covert inspection.”
“…Covert inspection?”

That was a word used when a king or crown prince went among the people to observe their lives. Killian gave her a puzzled look, and Rachel met his gaze squarely.

“I am royalty too, a princess. There was something urgent I had to confirm.”

Her tone was firm, and her eyes did not waver. Killian felt the strength drain out of him, wondering if he had misunderstood for no reason. Even if it was a lie, until a spy’s report came, he had no choice but to believe her.

More than that, he felt uncomfortable realizing how much he was concerned about her whereabouts. Didn’t it almost make him seem jealous? Suppressing a sigh that rose in his chest, he heard Rachel suddenly toss out a proposal.

“Let’s go on a date tomorrow.”
“…What?”

Caught off guard, Killian was visibly flustered. His eyes widened in surprise, but there was no trace of displeasure in his expression. Watching him intently, Rachel repeated her words more clearly, enunciating each syllable.

“Da-, te, with me.”

The three emphasized syllables rang out clearly. Loud enough that the attendants of the two, the soldiers guarding the city gate, and the passersby around must have all heard it.

Killian froze at her attitude—blurting out whatever she wanted without hesitation in a place like this. When he didn’t give any response, Rachel pouted, her lips jutting out sulkily.

“I’ll keep following you until you say you’ll go on a date.”

She was being obstinate—reckless and willful enough to trouble him. And yet, Killian said nothing, only staring at the corners of her lips. For some reason, those lips sticking out kept catching his eyes.

He licked his own lips without thinking. The physician from Porhen’s advice still echoed in his ears. ‘A natural s*x life…’

At those words, the only person who came to mind—then and now—was Rachel.

Killian briefly lowered his gaze, then lifted it back to her. Dismissing all this as simply following the physician’s counsel, he gave a nod. That silent affirmation made Rachel beam at once.

“Great. See you tomorrow, Your Majesty!”

Cheerfully, she started walking toward the Imperial Princess’s Palace. Her red hair fluttered softly, bouncing in rhythm with her lively steps.

Watching her retreating back, Killian pressed his temple. His chest pounded, his insides stifled.

Her mind spun from the intensity of their encounter. Her cheeks, flushed with heat, refused to cool, so she buried her face in her palms.

He stood motionless for a moment before slowly lowering his hands. When he finally looked up, his gaze caught Rachel’s retreating figure growing distant in the deepening twilight.

***

Late that night, a heavier darkness than usual settled over Killian’s chambers. The moonlight outside was too faint to penetrate the room, leaving a single candle as the only source of light.

Seated at the edge of his bed, Killian’s face flickered in the candle’s unstable glow. Dars, standing before him, chose his words with caution.

“The princess visited a club called ‘Voluptas’—an establishment specializing in S&M.”

Dars glanced subtly at the emperor’s reaction. Killian’s expression remained unreadable as he gestured for him to continue.

“According to employees there, she summoned two men to her room in succession. The first was dismissed almost immediately. The second left about ten minutes later.”

Killian’s eyebrow lifted almost imperceptibly.

“Are you saying no physical contact occurred?”

“Yes, both men came out without incident. And…”

Dars paused mid-report, glancing at the Emperor. The candlelight flickered across his perfectly chiseled features. Seeing that face, he could almost understand the princess’s heart.

“We could not confirm the reason she dismissed the second man, but as for the first, it was said to be because of his appearance.”

This time, Killian’s brows lifted ever so slightly.

“After leaving Voluptas, she boarded a carriage and returned directly to the royal palace. No other unusual occurrences were noted.”

Finishing his report, Dars carefully gauged the Emperor’s expression. The atmosphere had eased somewhat since the beginning, but still, no trace of emotion could be read on his face.

After a brief silence, Killian gave a small gesture to dismiss him. Dars bowed and withdrew.

Silence descended upon the room once more. Killian reclined slowly, mulling over what he had just heard. So, she has recognized her own inclinations.

It was not difficult to conclude that Rachel had realized her disposition. The men there had failed to meet her standards, and in the end, she had made her proposal to him instead.

A relationship where both gain something, is it?

From Killian’s perspective, their mutual understanding was not a bad arrangement. Their desires aligned, and so they seemed like an ideal match—one that could fulfill each other’s deepest needs.

But Killian had never favored such superficial connections. He was an emperor who had publicly declared he would not even take concubines. He had long been cynical about relationships built on physical desire alone.

If asked whether Rachel was empress material, the answer would undoubtedly be no. A woman who slipped away from her attendants to visit an S&M club and casually brushed it off as a stroll could never become empress.

Absolutely not. So why…?