Lewd Courtship - Chapter 77

The door opened and the Imperial Physician entered. Killian straightened his posture. He had already finished his lunch and taken his medication. There was no other reason for the physician to visit at this hour.

The physician’s face, after bowing, was clearly marked with awkwardness. Killian closed the drawer, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“What is it?”

“Well…”

The physician opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to continue. Only after Killian furrowed his brows did he speak in a small voice.

“That… the princess’s lady-in-waiting said two words and then disappeared.”

“Two words?”

“Yes. I asked her what was wrong, but she didn’t answer and just ran off… Since we are within the palace grounds, we did not pursue her. My apologies.”

The physician bowed his head, but Killian didn’t react. An apology wasn’t important right now. He was far more concerned about the words the lady-in-waiting had left behind.

“What were the words?”

The physician, still bowing, answered promptly.

“She said ‘Villa’ and ‘Voluptas.’ Voluptas is the goddess of happiness and pleasure… but this isn’t a riddle, and I have no idea what it means.”

The Imperial Physician, unaware of the princess’s previous club visit, muttered the words as if to himself. However, Killian, who knew the truth, felt his expression slowly harden. His eyes wavered, and his fingers clenched into fists so tight they turned white.

Why is she going to a place like that again…?

Amid his chaotic thoughts, Rachel’s voice echoed, asking him, ‘Don’t you have anything to say to me?’ Her retreating back, as she left the garden with her lips tightly sealed, haunted him.

The unease that had been lodged in a corner of his heart finally took shape. His previously buoyant mood plummeted in an instant.

“…The villa.”

A faint whisper escaped Killian’s lips.

“Pardon, Your Majesty?”

When the physician, who hadn’t understood, asked for clarification, Killian fired off his next question in a rush.

“Where is the princess’s villa?”

“Ah… I would need to check on that—”

The physician wrung his hands, looking troubled. Seeing his flustered state, Killian let out a short sigh.

He realized then that he had been too hasty. No, the situation was urgent, but he had asked the wrong person.

I need to calm down…

As if trying to settle his churning stomach, Killian pressed his palm to his forehead. But calming down proved difficult.

In the end, he failed to regain his composure and spoke. His voice was low and subdued, but clearer and more urgent than ever before.

“You, go confirm whether the princess is currently in the palace, and summon Darius immediately.”

“Yes, understood— Ah, Your Majesty!”

Before the physician’s reply even finished, Killian was already opening the door. The moment he stepped outside, he recalled the deployment area for the escort knights. He hurried his steps, searching for Darius.

***

The villa was a space that perfectly reflected the princess’s tastes. Delicate patterns were embroidered on sky-blue wallpaper, and a large chandelier cast a soft glow from the ceiling.

The bedroom, in particular, was the most luxurious and cozy. A bed large enough to comfortably hold five people was draped in high-quality fabrics. A pristine white rug on the floor softly cushioned the bare feet of its occupants.

Rachel pressed her foot firmly into that rug as she leaned against the sofa. The men seated on either side subtly reached out their hands. The man on her right stroked her thigh over her skirt, while the one on her left trailed his fingers along her side, slowly moving upward toward her chest.

“Hmm…”

She let out a soft moan and tilted her head back. She could see the incense smoke clouding the ceiling white. An exotic fragrance swirled above her head, lifting her mood.

“Ah… haah…”

Rachel squeezed her thighs and opened her eyes, her vision slightly blurred. The effects of the alcohol she’d drunk earlier seemed to be gently taking hold. As she took a deep breath, the fingers tracing her chest tickled her. A giggle burst from her lips, which had just been moaning.

Her laughter spread through the thick door and into the hallway. Kyle’s expression, who had been standing stiffly, gradually hardened.

‘How can she mingle with men like that…’

He was in a position to follow orders, and his relationship with her had already ended in failure. He knew he couldn’t interfere anymore.

Even so, he felt uneasy. Just as he let out a frustrated sigh, a clattering sound came from the staircase. Kyle’s hand reflexively reached for his sword.

He stared at the staircase, gripping the hilt tightly. He was the only guard. The thought of dying a heroic death while protecting the princess flashed through his mind.

Just as his mouth was drying up from tension, a familiar man came into view. He was breathing heavily as he ran up the stairs. Following him, panting imperial knights appeared one by one.

…Why is the Emperor here?