Lewd Courtship - Chapter 75

The ladies-in-waiting swiftly exited, leaving Maria standing in place, her eyes darting nervously. With only the two of them left in the room, a mischievous smile crept onto Rachel’s lips. She looked like someone who had just made up her mind about something.

“Maria, there’s something you need to do for me.”

“…What would that be, Your Highness?”

Maria’s voice trembled slightly. She was frustrated with herself for getting caught failing to properly dispose of a single envelope. She worried that Rachel might be about to suggest another visit to the S&M club.

Unaware of Maria’s anxiety, Rachel’s smile only deepened.

“I need to go to the villa. Make the preparations in advance.”

“…You mean the villa on the outskirts?”

“Is there any other? On the way, stop by Voluptas and tell them to send over any available men.”

“Any… available?”

Maria’s eyes widened as she repeated the words. Rachel shrugged as if it were no big deal.

“Yes, I’ll only take Kyle as my guard. We need to be back before the palace gates close, so hurry.”

“……”

Maria stood silent for a moment. Her worries were steadily growing.

No matter how open-minded this kingdom was, this plan was far too reckless. Engaging with multiple men at once, especially men from an S&M club, was not beneficial for a princess’s reputation.

If rumors spread, it would severely damage her reputation. Furthermore, excessive s****l activity could pose a threat to her health.

‘She was already worn out that day she was with three men…’

As Maria hesitated to respond, Rachel’s eyes narrowed sharply.

“This is something I can only do before marriage. Once I’m married, I won’t be able to do it even if I want to. Now hurry up and get moving.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

Though still uneasy, Maria nodded. The princess she served was someone who always followed through on her whims. The royal family, including the king, doted on her so much that they rarely stopped her, even from her more wayward actions.

‘Why seek out those men instead of going to the Emperor…?’

Just yesterday, she had been so excited about her date with the Emperor. Maria couldn’t understand why she would now seek such vulgar encounters. But she couldn’t defy the princess’s orders, so she swallowed a sigh and quietly set about her task.

***

The villa on the outskirts was quite a distance from the palace, and Voluptas was even farther. Maria hurried in the luxurious carriage Rachel had prepared. Even so, by the time she completed her tasks and returned, it was already past noon.

After passing through the palace gates, Maria immediately stepped out of the carriage. As she began walking toward the princess’s quarters, she suddenly remembered Rachel standing before these very gates, eagerly asking the Emperor for a date.

‘She was so happy back then…’

The night Killian accepted the date, Rachel had kept her ladies-in-waiting late, insisting on choosing the perfect dress to wear. Maria had stayed with her the longest and had even woken up early the next day to style her hair.

The curls had held particularly well that day. Recalling that small pride, Maria let out a long sigh. She glanced toward the princess’s quarters, then abruptly turned on her heel.

Soon, Maria found herself standing before the guest palace where the Emperor was staying. The gazes of the imperial attendants passing by felt scorching. Even the knights stationed around seemed to be watching her. She tried to avoid their eyes, but her shoulders kept hunching involuntarily.

Am I doing something foolish…?

She had come here impulsively out of concern for the princess. But now that she was actually trying to approach the Emperor, her feet felt rooted to the ground. She was at a complete loss for what to say or how to say it.

A series of ominous imaginations followed. If she were perceived as tattling on the princess’s behavior, she couldn’t even guess what punishment she might face. It was clear that not only she, but her entire family would face trouble.

…My head might roll.

Only now did the recklessness of her actions sink in. As a chill ran down her neck and she was about to turn back, she spotted a familiar face at the end of the corridor.

The Imperial Physician?