Lewd Courtship - Chapter 74

By the time the final dessert was served, Killian’s gaze drifted toward the window. In the sky where the red sunset had faded, the breath of night was beginning to rise. But dawn was still far off, and the moment to make his decision had not yet fully arrived.

As he planned what to begin with, Killian slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again. When had it started? The time for denial and avoidance had already long passed. He resolved that from this moment on, he would no longer turn away from his own heart.

Once he reached that conclusion, the suffocating tightness inside him loosened, and the heaviness in his head gradually lightened. In the now-empty space of his mind, she settled even more vividly. As he pictured her, Killian’s expression, without his realizing it, softly relaxed.

***

“Will I get married someday?”

When Rachel murmured this while sitting before the vanity, the hands of the maids halted at once.

The question, sounding oddly sentimental, carried an unexpected weight. The maids exchanged looks, each postponing a reply. In the end, Maria—losing the silent standoff—gave a slight wrinkle of her nose.

‘Why is she like this again first thing in the morning…’

Maria thought of the Emperor, with whom Rachel had recently spent considerable time. Guessing that the question must concern him, she opened her mouth.

“Perhaps… it will happen soon?”

The corners of Rachel’s eyes drooped. Maria immediately realized she had guessed wrong. Now she was worried about how to soothe the princess’s mood today.

Fortunately, Rachel soon adopted an indifferent expression. At twenty-two years old, she was well aware of the weight of her responsibilities as a princess.

‘If there’s one thing I regret…’

The man she had been intimate with yesterday crossed her mind. She regretted that if she married, she would never be able to see him again. As the only man who had ever brought her to climax, the attachment ran deep.

But since she had concluded their relationship was ‘purely physical,’ she couldn’t spend her life with him. Even if they continued as casual lovers, it would be problematic. Someday she would marry, and he too would likely enter a political marriage with some noble lady.

‘That’s right… the Emperor will also marry another woman…’

Rachel’s expression turned gloomy this time. A disturbing future unfolded in her mind: he would share sweet nights with his wife every day, while she lived out her days like a nun, never experiencing climax again. In her imagination, her future self wore a deeply sorrowful expression.

…It’s not the Emperor who’s impotent—it’s me.

Rachel let out a wry laugh, mocking her own pitiful situation. Even in the midst of this, her thoughts kept drifting back to that man. It was truly an awful predicament.

Ah, how irritating.

Rachel furrowed her brow and bit her lip. The marks he had left on the inside of her lip yesterday still felt irritating.

As she ran her tongue over the marks, she stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror. Rouge had been applied to her pale face, and her makeup was nearly finished. It felt melancholy to be all dressed up with no one in particular to show it to.

Should I go to a banquet?

At times like these, going somewhere crowded might lift her spirits a bit. And by meeting many people, perhaps another man like the Emperor might appear. Trying to think positively, Rachel held her hand out to Maria.

“Give me today’s banquet invitations.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Maria pulled several envelopes from her bosom. She handed them over casually, but slipped one of them into her own pocket. Rachel’s eyes narrowed like a cheetah spotting its prey.

“What was that?”

“Pardon?”

“What you just put in your pocket.”

“Ah… this is…”

Maria trailed off, visibly flustered. Watching her hesitate, Rachel issued a firm command.

“Give it to me.”

“It would be better if you didn’t see this one…”

“Maria, what are you trying to hide from me?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Maria hesitated, then slowly pulled the envelope from her pocket. Rachel snatched it from her outstretched hand.

What could she be hiding?

Rachel first examined the outer envelope. In the lower right corner was the name of an establishment she’d never seen before. However, the emblem stamped in the center felt oddly familiar.

Where have I seen this before…?

Staring intently at the emblem, she soon recognized it. It was definitely the same one stamped in the corner of the preference survey from Voluptas.

That’s right, it’s from Voluptas.

She recalled the manager fawning over her, begging her to visit again. It seemed that since she hadn’t returned, they had resorted to sending promotional mail.

Even though Maria had tried to hide it, the moment Rachel confirmed its origin, her evening’s plans were naturally decided. She immediately gestured to her other ladies-in-waiting.

“Everyone except Maria, leave.”