Lewd Courtship - Chapter 69

He kept his feet firmly in place, stopping himself from stepping closer. He had intended to offer some words of comfort, but a suitable sentence wouldn’t come to mind.

How should I even say this…

Killian didn’t truly think Rachel was strange. If anything, he found himself more peculiar for harboring a sense of frustration toward her. Above all, the fact that his body was failing him at a moment like this was the most bewildering of all.

Yet he couldn’t confess that as some form of consolation. No other words came to mind, and a cold, bitter taste lingered in his mouth.

“Haa…”

He let out a deep sigh, one of countless others. In the inhaled air, a faintly sweet scent—by now familiar—mingled in.

Killian glanced down at its source and, almost unconsciously, reached out his hand. Hooking his fingers around the teacup, he brought it to his lips without hesitation. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat.

Only after swallowing did the imperial physician’s earlier warning cross his mind. His personal doctor had instructed him not to drink this until the investigation was over.

Recalling the warning belatedly, he briefly ran his tongue along his lips. But there was nothing he could do about what had already gone down.

Killian roughly swept back the strands of hair tickling his cheek and met Rachel’s gaze. In that state, he spoke in a tone looser than before.

“Shall we take a walk? For about an hour.”

Rachel’s eyes, which had been holding back tears, widened in surprise. The man who had been calling her a beast had suddenly picked up the tea—and now, he was suggesting a walk.

Did he take some kind of strange medicine…?

A bizarre suspicion crossed her mind. Yet, for some reason, she didn’t want to refuse his offer.

Rachel glanced down at the empty Semensty teacup, then looked back at Killian. With her face still slightly damp, she nodded and, out of habit, teased him with a playful remark she had once made.

“I’d like that… a walk.”

At her playful words, one of Killian’s eyebrows shot up. Though he found it absurd, his gaze never left her.

***

The garden they stepped into was quiet. The two of them walked side by side in the serene atmosphere.

It could have been awkward, but the silence was surprisingly comfortable. Rachel tilted her face toward the warm sunlight. The gentle warmth brushing her skin slowly eased the tension that had gripped her.

So this garden is a nice place…

As she walked absentmindedly, she felt the eyes of the attendants. Their gazes kept meeting hers, likely because of the traces of tears from earlier.

Is my face really swollen…?

Normally, she would have panicked and fixed her makeup. But strangely, she didn’t care much this time. With her bare face exposed, her mind felt equally relaxed. A lighthearted mood brought a faint melody to her lips, humming softly.

Rachel hummed quietly and glanced sideways. The man walking next to her came into view. His expression was softer than before. Ever since their small argument, he seemed to have changed in some way.

Perhaps this was the moment for a confession. A development where misunderstandings are cleared and the relationship deepens resembled some love stories she had read somewhere.

Hmm… a confession, a confession… the emperor… confessing to me…

Her thoughts stalled there. From what she understood of Killian, he was someone clumsy at expressing his feelings. It was hard to imagine him opening his heart.

As Rachel tried to force her imagination forward, she suddenly realized: he had cleared up the misunderstanding, but he hadn’t said he liked her. Not a word, not a single clue hinting at his feelings.

Does he… not like me…?

Rachel stared at Killian a little more directly. Her gaze lingered on his sharp jawline, firmly pressed lips, and the slight curve at the corners of his eyes. His demeanor had certainly softened, but she couldn’t discern what emotions he held.

Maybe he doesn’t… like me…

Perhaps he had only allowed their physical closeness. Thinking that, a new feeling stirred within her.

Her thoughts grew muddled.

Being intimate with the emperor had undeniably felt good. She had even tossed and turned through the night when he had rejected her.

Yet now, the relief of having the misunderstanding cleared weighed more heavily. She began to wonder whether this was truly love—or just the pride of someone who had been rejected, finally restored.

Maybe I don’t even like him…

As her speculations spiraled, the two of them had gradually walked deep into the heart of the garden.

At a spot where they were rarely disturbed by passersby, Killian stopped.

“Your Majesty?”

Rachel, who had stepped slightly ahead, turned back. Her gaze met Killian’s as he stood still. His cheeks were flushed, and a deep desire gleamed in his turquoise eyes. Through slightly parted lips, short, ragged breaths escaped.

…He’s sudden again today.

His arousal was always so unpredictable. Though she found it hard to comprehend, Rachel stared directly at him. She could feel an irresistible, intense desire. An overwhelming urge to kiss him surged like a tidal wave.

Ah… I don’t know.

Rachel finally summed up her feelings with just four words in her mind: I don’t know. For now, she wanted only to focus on this moment.

Her eyes curved slightly toward Killian, and soon, a faint, curious smile appeared on her lips.