Chapter 27
He took Jia’s trembling hand and guided the sharp blade to his throat. The slightest touch was enough to break the white skin, beads of blood welling up. Jia’s eyes widened in surprise.
There was a flicker of hope. Perhaps, with enough force, she could drive the blade deep. You can do this, Yoon Jia. With their hands clasped together, Jia gripped Lewandal tightly, channeling her holy power into the blade. His eyes narrowed with anticipation as the holy power shimmered, brighter than before.
Kill him. The voice echoed in her mind. As if possessed, Jia plunged the blade deep into his throat. Blood erupted like a geyser, drenching her face and hair. What? Why? How…?
“Haah…” A low sigh escaped the Emperor’s lips, a moan laced not with pain, but with pleasure. Jia stared at him, her face slick with blood. The crimson liquid blurred her vision, clinging to her lashes. She dropped the sword with a thud, her hands flying to her cheeks. They were sticky. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, and a scream tore from her throat.
“Aaah!”
Blood. Red blood. Not hers, but someone’s. No, no, no. Mom, Unni, please, get me out of here. Jia babbled frantically, burying her face in her hands and sobbing. The Emperor frowned, seizing her arms and forcing them down.
“Quiet.”
Slap. Her head snapped to the side, the sharp sting silencing her whimpers. He shoved his blood-soaked hand into her mouth.
“Ugh.”
She expected a repulsive taste, but nausea didn’t come. Gasping, Jia swallowed the blood that filled her mouth. It was… sweet.
Her blood-red vision began to clear. The taste of blood, the blood on her cheeks—it all vanished as if it had never been.
“Ah…”
“Does the blood taste sweet to you, too?”
Confusion swirled within her. Jia frowned, her lips moving like a fish out of water. Everything felt strange. Was it Erendia? Was it because she was an outsider? Or was it because she and the Emperor were somehow similar? Why? Why?
“You win.” The Emperor smiled, tracing the wound on his throat. He deliberately dug his fingernails into the cut, drawing more blood. It trickled down his fingers, staining the sheets. While the blood on their bodies had vanished without a trace, the bed was a bloody mess. Enough to raise eyebrows…
Two swords clattered against the marble floor, the sound sharp enough to make her ears ring. The Emperor pulled her down onto the bed, her back pressing against the bloodstained sheets. She stared blankly at his face looming above her. His brilliant blue eyes curved into crescents. His smile was picture-perfect, and Jia felt like she was gazing at a work of art.
“I’ll allow you to meet with Archbishop Sadnia.”
“…”
“And from now on, you’ll be staying in my bedroom.”
Before Jia could respond, his lips were on hers. His teeth grazed her tongue.
“Hngh!”
A fleeting moment of pain, and she found herself clutching his head. Their bodies were pressed together, leaving no space between them. It was an unconscious act, yet it sent a jolt of shock through her. This man hurt me, and I’m holding him, embracing him… It’s strange. I feel like I’m going crazy. No, no. She pulled away as soon as she realized what she was doing, but the shock lingered.
Kill him. Whose voice was it that had compelled her? As the night wore on, Jia couldn’t identify the source.
***
The news that the female slave was now residing in the imperial bedroom, after her time in the Guinaicheum, spread like wildfire through the Eustanville Imperial Palace. It was unprecedented in the 307 years since the Emperor’s ascension.
Several high-ranking nobles gathered, their social gathering a thinly veiled political discussion. Of course, Saville Disteban, the Elder of the Senate, was present.
“Has His Majesty finally fallen in love?” Baroness Loctana clicked her tongue, taking a large gulp of wine. She glanced at Saville, gauging his reaction. He had pulled strings to get his younger sister a position as a maid, only to be met with this news. He might appear composed, but she imagined he was seething inside.
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