《Your Majesty, I Want You》 Chapter 1 - The Emperor (1) Chapter 1: The Emperor (1) The series is a dark romance novel. Some scenes may have you feeling sick to the core. Be warned. Don¡¯t read if you can¡¯t handle the first arc. The hunters returned with their hunted beasts at dusk. Echoing sounds of merry laughter, chatters, hoofing, and ironing quickly spread all around, creating a noisy environment. The Emperor, sitting under a large shaded area, frowned faintly. She was forced to watch the event despite her blatant despise of hunting for the sake of mere amusement. As the scent of the beasts neared closer, the Emperor endured, feeling slightly nauseated. The nobles who arrived before her proudly displayed their beasts they¡¯d caught during their hunt for it was the Emperor¡¯s decision to distinguish the honorable and award the title of winner among the participants. After a brief discussion, the candidate for the prize was picked ¨C¨C Countess Francis. She caught a fox with vivid red fur¡­ the others caught a humongous boar, a surprisingly rare silver deer species, and¡­ The Emperor turned her gaze away from the last candidate and raised her finger to the fox. ¡°The bright vivid scarlet caught my eyes. There are a few scratches on the leather, proving the hunter¡¯s skills are excellent. That¡¯s a fact. Countess Francis, you are this year¡¯s winner.¡± It was considered a great honor to win the Konkuk Hunting Competition. The Countess was surprised. Not only her but the others hungry for the title. The Countess quickly knelt down on her knees and spoke in a polite manner. ¡°It is of great honor for Her Majesty to find my humble hunting skills appreciable, but, it¡¯s too much of an honor for someone like me. With all due respect, Your Majesty, it would be reasonable to grant the honorary title to Grand Duke Roark for the capture of the rare and beautiful silver deer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too reasonable. It¡¯s a valid decision and a reasonable one choosing you as the honorary winner. Behold, the Marquise¡¯s wild boar was stabbed in the guts, its skin all damaged, and the Grand Duke Roark¡¯s deer looks promising but its mouth is bloodstained, a sign of harassment through the passing hours without intentionally killing it. On the other hand, your fox, it has no blemishes except for the fatal wound in its neck. From the strike alone, your intent was to lessen the fox¡¯s pain. In hunting, one must be polite and respectful when taking a life. Sure, there are others who¡¯d hunted far better ones than you, but there is no hunter here more qualified than you.¡± At the Emperor¡¯s reasoning, the Countess could no longer remain stubborn. ¡°Yes. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± She responded and bowed her head. Only then did sounds of applause rang out. Now that the winner had been decided, it was time to return to the Imperial Palace and enjoy the banquet in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the empire¡¯s inception. This year¡¯s banquet was rumored to be far grander and bigger than its previous predecessors. As the servants diligently waited on their masters to make their way over after the game, the Marquis of Bjorn approached Grand Roark, who at this time, climbed his steed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Grand Duke. Isn¡¯t this the prize you deserve? Oh my god, to choose a fox over a silver deer? Her Majesty believes herself to be too knowledgeable. I hope you¡¯re not feeling too hung up over it.¡± ¡°No, Her Majesty is right. I was so excited when I found the silver deer that I¡¯d forgotten the etiquette and mannerisms one must keep. The Emperor was able to enlighten me. That much is enough.¡± The Marquis grumbled at the Grand Duke¡¯s humble words. ¡°You¡¯re the most loyal subject in the empire. I do not know why Her Majesty would¡­¡± ¡°Marquis.¡± The Grand Duke cut his word shortly and his pupils shone a cold, bloody red. The Marquis grew nervous and swallowed the dry saliva in his throat. He¡¯d been guarding the border half his lifetime. And though he was older, the Marquis was confident that he wasn¡¯t lagging behind the young ones. But now, he was like a mouse who had met a tiger ¨C¨C that tiger was the Grand Duke who was younger than his son. ¡°Watch your mouth, Marquis. There are many knowing ears. And you, a noble, should mind what you say.¡± At the end of the sentence, the Grand Duke pulled on the steed¡¯s reins and approached the carriage the Emperor was on. Looking at the Grand Duke¡¯s back, the Marquis of Bjorn swallowed his cursing. He didn¡¯t want to admit a young man put him in his place. The thought of it angered him so. ¡®That bastard! Does he not know that his nickname is the loyal dog of the Emperor? What ears?! Aren¡¯t you the Emperor¡¯s knowing ear¡­?!¡¯ When the Grand Duke stood behind the Emperor¡¯s carriage, like an escort, the carriage suddenly stopped and the window curtain opened. The Emperor¡¯s face was shown. She looked like she had caught motion sickness. ¡°Are you all right, Your Majesty?¡± The Grand Duke Roark approached the carriage and thrusted out his handkerchief. The Emperor turned her head coldly, staring at the handkerchief and at the Grand Duke¡¯s face before pulling the curtains to a close without a word. Shame as it might be, the Grand Duke casually handed the handkerchief to a nearby maid. ¡°You may need it. Keep it for use.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maid¡¯s face reddened as she shyly accepted the Grand Duke¡¯s handkerchief. The maid, for a brief moment, could hardly comprehend the Emperor who disregarded the wonderful and friendly man¡¯s kindness. All the way to the Imperial Palace, the Emperor did not request for the handkerchief, allowing the maid to enjoy the small fortune of keeping the Grand Duke¡¯s personal belonging. Chapter 2 - The Emperor (2) Chapter 2: The Emperor (2) The Emperor left the banquet early on the pretext of not feeling well after barely showing her face at the banquet hall. Some nobles wore a bitter sardonic look. It was a shame the Emperor could not play with them. When the Emperor returned to her quarters, she immediately changed into comfortable attire and pulled off the robes that seemed to weigh her down. She felt a little relieved. But then she remembered those red bloody eyes and it caused her to stumble, albeit slightly. He must have been dissatisfied with the results of the Konkuk Hunting Competition, but that didn¡¯t matter much to the Emperor. She¡¯d been worrying lately to the point of her health deteriorating. The Emperor sighed, a little too heavily. ¡°Your Majesty, how about dinner?¡± Asked the maid standing beside her. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The Emperor shook her head slowly. In her current condition, she barely had the appetite. She sat down in a chair, holding back her dizziness. She felt light-headed. Her work was endless and she could not skip it. Her royal duties forbade her to. There was a roar of laughter, shouting, and music in the distance. They usually had the bearing of a decent aristocrat, but today, all their masks fell off. They drank as much as they were given in excitement; even shouted and roared in merriness. The Emperor suddenly remembered the figure of a man. Was he playing part in the fuss? He¡¯d probably whisk a noble lady off her feet and pull her closer for a kiss. The Emperor bit her lip. No matter. Whatever he did was none of her business. She focused her mind on the letters, trying to dispel her mixed feelings. Fortunately, she was able to drown herself in her work, forgetting the outside noise and the man¡¯s face. She did not know how long time had passed. She looked up, realizing someone was knocking on the door. ¡°Who¡­¡± The door sprang open without warning. ¡°Are you still drowning in paperwork?¡± A tall man set foot in the Emperor¡¯s bedroom without permission. The Emperor slowly raised her head, not replying. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be alright. You didn¡¯t answer and you looked distracted.¡± He clicked his tongue. The Emperor looked at the door. Before she knew it, the maids were gone. She couldn¡¯t keep them if she wanted to. They weren¡¯t her people. From the closest attendant to the escort knight and all those assisting her in the inner circle, they were not hers. As she heard the door closing, the Emperor¡¯s face turned white. ¡°The banquet hadn¡¯t finished yet. Why not enjoy it some more?¡± She tried to stay calm, but she could not help but let out a shaking voice. ¡°The Emperor¡¯s not feeling well. We can¡¯t enjoy the feast in peace. As your servant, it is my duty to check on your well-being.¡± The man¡¯s tone was full of worries, but the Emperor knew it was all a lie. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so¡­¡± She was keen on ordering the man to head back to the banquet, but before she could, the man quickly came up to her. A light flashed across his face; it was incredibly beautiful. But to the Emperor, his eyes looked like a messenger from hell. Matter of fact, he did take and killed countless of lives. The man reached out and stroked her face and neck. The Emperor shook off his hand. Rather than an angry gesture of his rudeness, her actions looked more like a desperate gesture of a frightened animal. The man grabbed the Emperor¡¯s hand and kissed it lightly. ¡°You look pale. I¡¯m worried because you¡¯re always pushing yourself too hard.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes, I¡¯ll need to take a rest today. So, why don¡¯t you go back now, too.¡± The Emperor took a step backward and shook her head. The man, he was the Grand Duke who had red eyes the color of blood. She was always frightened when facing him, even more so when she saw innocent blood today; she trembled remembering the face of the silver deer. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go back. After making sure your jade body isn¡¯t feeling uncomfortable.¡± The Grand Duke smiled softly. Then he placed his hand on the Emperor¡¯s back waist, who at this time, stumbled. Chapter 3 - Desire You (1) Chapter 3: Desire You (1) Due to the wide difference in power, the Emperor was forced into the arms of the Grand Duke. She was taken away by him. She wasn¡¯t short as a woman, by no means, but the Grand Duke, he was tall to the point that she could hide her entire body when hugged by him. The Grand Duke¡¯s temperature was hotter than usual. The area that seemed hotter was the thing that poked her in the stomach. The Emperor looked down, stunned at the thing¡¯s flaunting presence that hid behind the Grand Duke¡¯s attire. ¡®I hadn¡¯t done anything¡­¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t the point. She recalled that all she wore was a thin nightgown. It was her regret thinking that she¡¯d not meet anyone until dawn. The Emperor shook her head bitterly. The Grand Duke lifted up her quivering chin. As their eyes met, the Emperor shrugged off her nervousness and closed her eyes tightly. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t feel like it today¡­¡± In front of him, neither the Emperor¡¯s dignity nor authority would do her any good. All she could do was plead. ¡°Normally, I would ascend to your request, but I can¡¯t do it today either.¡± It was a half-joking tone, but his voice was subdued with a deep sense of honesty. The Grand Duke eased off his grip on her waist; the wind brought down the hem of her dress, revealing her alluring shoulders and upper chest. She had fair skin, the Emperor, and seductive neck and clear skin that, strangely, could stimulate men. Then, her naked body was pecked away and her panties ripped open and fell to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m really not feeling well today. Please go back for now.¡± The Emperor tried to act coolly and calmly, but her mind went black when seized by a big hand. She tried to twist her body out of the Grand Duke¡¯s embrace, but the more she resisted, the closer she was to his chest. With all his might, the Grand Duke remained as still as a rock. Unlike his obedient self, he was a completely different person. He relentlessly and resolutely suppressed the Emperor¡¯s resistance, then dipped his head and kissed her long neck, upwards to her lips; as if heated by the sensation, he gradually slid downward and bit off her erect bosom. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± With her sensitive spot bitten, a small moan broke out unknowingly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it might be a little rough today,¡± the Grand Duke whispered with her bosom in his mouth. Was he upset because of the hunting competition, or was it because she ignored him in the carriage? She did not know. ¡°It was just a prey that I thought would please Your Majesty. Didn¡¯t you like it?¡± the Grand Duke spoke again. He grabbed her chest, flicking his finger over her erected spot, albeit somewhat painfully. The Emperor managed to answer, quelling the mysterious pain arising from within. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t mean to denigrate your kill. But your methods are too cruel¡­ I¡¯m sorry if I offended you.¡± The Grand Duke looked up at the Emperor. There was a smile on his cool mouth. ¡°Your Highness¡­ I wasn¡¯t asking asking about that.¡± He kissed her on the cheek and whispered, a faint smell of wine in his breath. Only then did the Emperor realized that she had been deceived, again. The Grand Duke turned her helplessly up and prostrated her upper body on a table strewn with papers. ¡°Wait a minute. I don¡¯t like this¡­¡± ¡°Lies. Don¡¯t you like it best when you¡¯re stabbed from the back?¡± He licked her entrance, tasting her whole. The Emperor shuddered. ¡°No, I¡­!¡± She denied strongly, but she could not keep a proper stance. ¡°Your Highness is very cute. I would do as you ask of me, but today, I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to hurt you, so please, relax,¡± he said gently. She knew he was reaching his patience and limits. In the end, the Emperor lowered her eyes. She had given up. She¡¯s learned from experience that it was better to give him what he wanted. The words on the document was blaring. It was the document she had been looking at a while ago. ¡¾Report On the Port Trade In the Torner Sea¡¿ She recklessly read out the letters to forget her current situation. She needed something to make her forget, even if she knew it would be of no use. ¡°Don¡¯t think about anything else. I¡¯m starting to get annoyed.¡± The Grand Duke clapped her perky butt with his big hand. It didn¡¯t hurt, but that alone made her dizzy. The Emperor nodded hurriedly. She had to please him first. Soon, he unwrapped his trouser buckle and placed his shaft next to her womanhood. Chapter 4 - Desire You (2) Chapter 4: Desire You (2) ¡°Ugh¡­¡± He let out a groan, one she could never get used to. The Grand Duke slowly inserted in her garden. ¡°Restrain your strength.¡± The Emperor wanted to, she really did. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible and have the Grand Duke satisfy his own lust so he can go away. She wasn¡¯t in the mood. However, her body was nervous that she wasn¡¯t able to open up easily. And most of all, he was too big to begin with for her to accept him even when she was dripping wet. After a series of failed inserts, he grew irritated. ¡°Really, you¡¯re such a handful.¡± An angry and untold desire smeared his every word. The Emperor trembled and awaited for her punishment. The Grand Duke held her neck and laid her upper body completely on the table. The trade report document crumbled up. She could feel the paper getting wet from her tears. By tomorrow, it¡¯s unlikely that she¡¯ll be able to recognize the document report. ¡®I can¡¯t¡­¡¯ His long fingers touched her flowerpot; her thoughts faded to white. The frightened Emperor raised her body reflexively. The Grand Duke placed his hand on her gently to keep her from moving. In the meantime, his finger slid deeper inside her. ¡°Hhh¡­¡± Her dried-up flowerpot was tightly closed, refusing to allow anyone entrance, but still, he moved his finger back and forth. Without consideration, the Emperor muttered out in pain. ¡°It¡­ hurts¡­¡± She gasped for breath, feeling his finger wriggling inside her. A hand with nowhere to go clutched the papers on the table, her joints turning white. Moans of pain mingled with swishing sound. ¡°Only one finger is in. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± The Grand Duke spoke coldly. It wasn¡¯t too painful, as he said. It was the fear that overpowered the pain she felt. A little while later, her little tight nether region loosened slightly; one more finger dug in without missing a gap. ¡°Ahh¡­!¡± Every time his finger stabbed her garden, her body rose slightly to the beat. The flickering sound further aroused her shame and the Grand Duke was aware of it, even relished in it. His grip on her waist quickly turned red. Every time she felt his fingering, her insides tightened. ¡°You must be feeling better, seeing you bite my finger like this.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± The Emperor shook her head vigorously. But, surely, a little tickling was mixed in with the dull pain. She was slowly getting wet, proving true to his words. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm down her burning body. Contrary to her intention, she could feel the tingling sensation from her lower area. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s another woman like you. Surely, you feel the pleasure but you¡¯re resisting so fiercely. It¡¯s amusing. Looks like I¡¯ll have to work harder.¡± As he said so, he steadily worked his fingers inside her. His skill was smoother than before, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The sound the Emperor made was akin to a painful groan than sweet, melodic moans. The Grand Duke briefly clicked his tongue and rubbed her sweet spot, his thumb covered in fluids that dripped out. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Like an open dam, the Emperor twisted her back unknowingly and let out a shriek. She could hear his dull laugh, her face red with shame. ¡°Ha¡­ no¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°But you¡¯re holding on to me too tight.¡± ¡°No, no¡­! Unnh¡­.¡± The fingers that rubbed her sensitive areas poked her over and over. The Emperor shook her hips to avoid his hand. But to the Grand Duke, her action looked all too different, almost like she was enjoying it. The last resistance and patience from his handsome face soon disappeared. His fingering became rough all of a sudden. The tickling sensation of her lower abdomen turned to something prickly. The burning heat in her nerves seemed to be concentrated from below. The Emperor shook her head vigorously, suppressing a groan that was about to leak. The thin string that tied her hair broke and a long, golden hair cascaded down and covered her back. The Grand Duke, who was focused on her flowerpot, suddenly stopped. Was he finished? She hoped so and took this time to breathe. His hand, which held her head, fell down to her neck, caressed it, then combed his fingers through her light, golden hair; and then his lips fell on hers. The Emperor did not resist, afraid the man¡¯s fingers would work again. As if praising her for her immobility, the Grand Duke kissed her neck and ear affectionately. And much to her expectancy, his fingers started moving again and pricked her insides. Unlike his lips, his hands moved roughly. There was wet sounds that played out each time he moved in and out. ¡°Just¡­ nghh¡­ I¡¯d rather just do it¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty is too confident. If we continue like that, we¡¯ll probably keep on going till tomorrow.¡± ¡°Please¡­¡± He continued to rub her tenaciously. Love juice overflowed and dripped down her thighs. ¡°Do you really hate it?¡± ¡°I¡­ stop¡­ please¡­¡± The Emperor sobbed and pleaded. Tears trickled down her eyes; it was one of absolute misery and shame. She was the Emperor of the empire ¨C¨C she held the throne, but here she was crying on the table and being held down by a man beneath her no less. He wasn¡¯t even properly undressed. Chapter 5 - Addicted (1) Chapter 5: Addicted (1) It bothered her, that despite her not wanting this, her body begged to differ. ¡°You can be honest with me. I am your eternal servant. You need not be ashamed,¡± the duke growled in her ears. He liked this. It was amazing. Why does such an amazing woman exist? He loved looking at her, loved watching her growing full of shame and loved her response. Deep down, he knew she loved the humiliation. The Emperor could not think clearly. Her fingers were tightened deepy and her toes curled, her garden continuously provoked from an outside invasion. ¡°Ah¡­ haah¡­¡± At last, she was at her wits end and nearing climax. She sobbed out a soft moan while her waist, hips, and thighs trembled violently. Her wet insides convulsed as she bit her lip, attempting to contain her escaped groan. Once her body calmed, she breathed and stretched her body on the table. Tears streamed down her pretty face. It was over. No it was not. It was just beginning. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the Grand Duke called out to her soothingly. ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­¡± She wanted this to finish, but her body was weak. She could not lift a finger even if she tried. ¡°Aah¡­¡± She moaned, again, feeling her lower body tightly opened. The Grand Duke inserted his manhood inside her, slow and steady. The Emperor closed her eyes, feeling a distinct thickness digging her insides. It was hard to tell what she was feeling ¨C¨C fear or excitement? ¡°Haaa¡­¡± he sighed deeply, inserting all of him inside her roots. Then, he bent forward and kissed her weet cheek. ¡°I would have never expect an Emperor as beautiful and alluring as you to exist in this sinful world. Any man would shrivel up once they have a taste of you, my dear angel. And I know for one that I am addicted.¡± ¡°Stop¡­ please¡­¡± The Grand Duke, all at once, plunged his sh*ft deep inside her. ¡°Nnngh¡­¡± He had endured long enough; he began to move back and forth. The Emperor¡¯s body swayed at his gesture. ¡°Ah¡­ haaah¡­ haa¡­.¡± Burst of desires roused her delicate flesh that was being rammed over and over. Every time his manhood pierced her garden, her eyes seemed to flash white. Before she knew, her inner walls that had been gently loosened clung obscenely to his manhood. She felt ashamed. Her moans of denial became one of acceptance and fear turned to one of excitement. She shook her hips frantically to match his movements. The sordid sounds of flesh meeting one another and separating only to meet again rang through the Emperor¡¯s bedroom quarters. The Grand Duke, who held her waist and pelvis strong enough to leave a hand print, slowly raised the Emperor¡¯s long hair with one hand and raised her upper body. The Emperor swallowed her breath and instinctively grabbed the documents on sprawled on the table. The papers crumpled under her grasp. He pounded her, again and again, his sh*ft poking her insides while her chest shook up and down. Her bosom, he found it enthralling, so he clasped her ch*st and pinched her hardened n*pple with profound excitement. ¡°Ah!¡± The Emperor yelped, immediately biting her lips to hold back her groan. The Grand Duke opened her mouth forcefully and slipped a finger in ¨C¨C it moved inside her mouth and explored every single inch of her. Froths of wet saliva slipped out of her mouth and covered his palm. The Emperor was at nigh pleasure; he pulled her hair harder. ¡°Nothing good comes from being stubborn, Your Majesty,¡± his voice seemed lower and rough, more so than the usual. ¡°No¡­ I¡­ ah¡­¡± Enjoying her attempts to deny herself, the Grand Duke pulled his manhood out for a slight moment before plunging deeper and harder inside her. The shock sent her toes curling tightly, her lips wide open and leaking erotic sounds. ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ hah¡­¡± she moaned. ¡°¡­ha¡­¡± He fooled around with her mouth, ¡®till finally, he was fully satisfied. He pulled his finger out of her mouth and grazed her lips sensually. ¡°Nngh¡­¡± He held her slender neck tightly, biting and sucking her lips as if it was a sumptuous meal. ¡°Well¡­ actually¡­ since the annual hunting competition, I had wanted to do this with you, Your Majesty,¡± he grunted. His eyes overlapped and gazed at the eyes of the dazed Emperor. She looked like a frightened deer ¨C¨C a deer he loved to prey upon. Chapter 6 - Addicted (2) Chapter 6: Addicted (2) Looking at her, his prey, he felt a sudden urge to devour her. But he could not. She was unique and once broken, the damage could never be undone. The Grand Duke held himself back and kissed her cheek. ¡°You amaze me, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor moaned in reply. She was nearing close to climax, he could tell. He pulled out of her for a moment and turned her body around, her back now lying on the table and her front facing him. ¡°Haaa¡­. what¡­¡± The Grand Duke stretched out her legs and hung it over his shoulder and pulled her hips closer to him. Subconsciously, the Emperor clenched the edge of the table as if she was going to fall. It was an uncomfortable position, but it was better than holding on to the Grand Duke. He seemed to have read her mind; he snorted. The Emperor habitually lowered her gaze and saw histhing.It was long, thick, and ugly. How it managed to fit¡­ she did not know¡­ Feeling her gaze, the Grand Duke smirked and drove his m*nhood inside her, penetrating her wet insides easily. ¡°Your Majesty, do you see how well your hole swallows men? Sometimes I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be the only one to monopolize this er*tic hole. Your Majesty loves and cares for her nations, so why not happily swallow the humble stablemen and your servants¡¯ thingwith your hole.¡± ¡°No..! That¡¯s¡­¡± the Emperor shook her head desperately and shut her eyes. The Grand Duke kissed her closed eyelids, wiping away the tears flowing from the corner of her eyes. He tightened his grip on her waist lightly as if to punish her for keeping her eyes closed. The Emperor was in danger, she was close to reaching her peak climax. But the Grand Duke did not go easy on her and continued hammering and thr*sting inside her. ¡°Your Majesty, I want to see the face you¡¯ll make.¡± ¡°Aahhhh¡­ haaaaa..!¡± the Emperor could not reply for a rush of pleasure drowned her whole body. Her body and head rose high in the air and her ch*st heaved dramatically. She felt weak. Eventually, she fell back but she did not feel the pain from falling for the Grand Duke wrapped his arms around her back and head to prevent herself from falling hard. When she opened her eyes, she saw bright red eyes before her. She was afraid and tried to turn her head but the Grand Duke locked her lips with his before she could move. ¡°Nnmm¡­¡± His waist stopped moving as he focused on the kiss. Meanwhile, he clutched on the Emperor¡¯s p*lvis while hot liquid caressed her insides. It was not until the last drop was released inside her that he removed his m*nhood. The Emperor, weak, drooped on the table. She wanted to leave and wash herself thoroughly but she was too tired to lift a finger. She was completely exhausted while the Grand Duke was still full of energy and vigor. ¡°Please stop¡­¡± the Emperor implored with great difficulty. But that was a mistake. Her voice sounded ever so sensual and carnal, causing her partner¡¯s genitals to harden again. The Emperor¡¯s face turned white. ¡°No, I can¡¯t do this anymore¡­¡± But he did not comply. He stretched her legs open. Again. The Emperor and the Grand Duke drowned in euphoria all night long. *** Aranrhod Linister, Aran for short, was the 17th Emperor of the Linister Empire. It was purely thanks to Grand Duke Roark that she was able to overtake Orabi¡¯s throne and become Emperor. She was a daughter born to the imperial family. The previous Emperor thought her precious. She monopolized his love the moment she was conceived into the world. But despite the great love shown towards her, she was far from power for the first prince, five years older than her, had already been designated as successor and the crown prince. Moreover, the Emperor wished for his daughter to live in peace with a husband who loved her dearly rather than to jump into troublesome political disputes. The Emperor who loved his daughter far too much had once tried to marry her to a nobleman of low nobility who had little to no ambition of seeking power for he feared she may die in the process. He sought to have his daughter live a peaceful life even after marriage. But the Empress objected. The man she was to marry was unqualified and unfitting of her status so the Emperor was forced to create a list of men who had nothing but good looks and redeeming qualities. Under her father¡¯s extreme love and affection, Aran grew up as innocent and beautiful as a deer. Her weakness was her innocence, but that, too, was her strength. At the age of thirteen, a marriage agreement was made to Enoch Roark, son of Prince Roark. The Emperor disapproved of Enoch, stating his red eyes full of rebelliousness. But Aran disagreed. She was fascinated at once by him. On the other hand, Enoch, who was sixteen at the time, was not particularly attracted to her. Still, as her fianc¨¦, he treated her with courtesy and politeness. Chapter 7 - Aran And Enoch (1) Chapter 7: Aran and Enoch (1) But their engagement did not last long. A year after their marriage agreement, the Grand National Party revolted. Enoch Roark¡¯s mother and father were found guilty and executed immediately. Enoch¡¯s life was saved by Aran¡¯s innocent cries and pleading, her arms wrapped around him. Though he was demoted as a common folk thereafter, he did not become a slave. Meanwhile, Aran refused to eat her food for three days straight, causing the king to become nervous. He quickly placed Enoch inside the royal palace for fear that his precious daughter may do something tragic. Although no longer her fianc¨¦, Aran took care of Enoch gently. There were times she intoxicated herself in the thought that she was the only one who could help the man she was infatuated with and content that her lover was safe despite his tragic fate. There were times she saw Enoch weeping in tears and she did nothing but wrap her arms around him like the time she pleaded for his life. Unfortunately, her happiness ended as quickly as her marriage agreement. Her most reliable ally, her parents, met a tragic accident during their journey. The emperor died instantly and the empress became crippled and confined to bed. The crown prince ascended the throne and immediately enlisted Enoch in the army, kicking him out of the royal palace. Aran desperately opposed the idea, but her brother, Ourabi, was not her father. Ourabi noticed Aran¡¯s beauty and femininity. He planned to sell her to the wealthy Marquis Maxwell. The Marquis was an old man fifty years older than Aran. The newly ascended emperor, Ourabi, pushed for the wedding of Aran and Marquis days after his ascension. On the day of their wedding, Enoch, who infiltrated the royal palace in advance, made his appearance. The imperial family and their loyal subjects were beheaded by his soldier. Aranrhod Linister was the only surviving royal blood. Enoch spoke in a carefree tone as he looked up at his ex-fianc¨¦¡¯s face in horror. ¡°A long time ago, you saved my life. In return, I¡¯ll give you a choice. Will you kill yourself with honor, or will you live sucking my d*ck?¡± Aran, afraid to die, chose the latter without a second thought. Wearing her blood-stained wedding dress, she clumsily bit Enoch¡¯s manhood in her mouth. As a reward, Enoch appointed her not as empress, but emperor, an evident proof that she was the only surviving royal family. *** By the time Aran opened her eyes, the sun had risen, filling the skies with orange and red before the blue skies overtook them. When she saw the warmest hues of rainbows, she jumped up in amazement. Well, she was going to¡­ but a little bit of movement caused her body to flutter and she fell down back to her bed again. Her body was as heavy as wet cotton. There were no maids nearby. ¡®Today¡¯s schedule is¡­¡¯ Yesterday¡¯s important events she needed to go through had been completed. She had a small window left to attend the banquet, but she missed all of them. Aran curled up in shame. She worked her muscles, her lower muscles in particular, deep and hard last night. Literally. The thought of it sent a shiver down her back. Aran bit her lips. Even though she requested, pleaded even, Enoch did not let her go. She knows he did it on purpose. That rough little play they did would quickly raise her fever and keep her immobile for the time being. She fell asleep right after their deed was finished. The embarrassment¡­ Aran turned her head a little and looked at the table. Her face lying down on the table and the papers sprawled every seemed like a dream, an illusion. She carefully touched her nether regions. There were no signs of bodily fluids. Someone must have wiped her sweaty and sticky body clean. ¡°Ah¡­¡± But her coochie was swollen enough to the point of Aran groaning at the slightest touch. It would be uncomfortable to sit down for a few days. As Aran pulled her hand out from her nether regions, the door opened and someone came in. For a moment, she crouched and lowered her head at the thought that it would be Enoch, but fortunately, it was one of her maids. ¡°Your Majesty, are you awake?¡± the maid asked, putting down the tray next to the bed. The tray had cool honey water and watery soup. ¡°You didn¡¯t wake up yet and here I was wondering whether to wake you up, but it¡¯s good that you¡¯re up. Would you like to eat?¡± She was polite but indifferent. Aran did not bother her attitude. She knew her position as emperorwas merely a false title with no power. It was Grand Duke Roark who wielded the true power. All those loyal to the imperial family since the rebellion was removed from power or beheaded. Enoch filled the empty position with his loyal men thereafter. Aran was simply a nominal emperor who the Grand Duke sponsored. Without his support, she would be brought down from her position immediately. Aran knew that Enoch Roark was the true emperor of the empire. ¡°I have no appetite.¡± ¡°But the Grand Duke told me to make sure you eat well. He was worried because of what happened last night.¡± At her comment, Aran¡¯s face turned red. Aran¡¯s personal maids were no stranger to their nightly throes of passion. Aran was weak, as of recent. Maybe it had to do with her schedule or the deeds with Enoch, so it was natural that her maid worried for her. Of course, Aran knew that but the thought of them hearing her groans all night long caused her cheeks to turn a rosy red. Chapter 8 - Aran And Enoch (2) Chapter 8: Aran and Enoch (2) Aran begrudgingly listened to Enoch¡¯s command. If she refuses to eat, she and the maid would meet trouble. This was certain. Outwardly, the Grand Duke was a calm and cool-headed man, but the truth of the matter was that Aran saw him as a volatile and crazy man. She never knew what to expect from him. Like yesterday night¡¯s deed¡­ Aran forced herself up and roughly pushed the soul into her mouth. ¡°Who cleaned the documents?¡± Aran asked. ¡°The Grand Duke took it with him,¡± the maid said. That was fortunate. If confirmed by Enoch, the trade case could be approved in time. After all, they did not need to ask Aran of her opinion or consent. It was Enoch, not her, who dictated the matters of the kingdom. Though strangely enough, she had no anger at her loss of power. Aran knew best that she was no emperor material long before the rebellion. Nevertheless, she would cling to political and state affairs until she could no longer do so. It helped her to forget her situation when she drowned herself at work. After a spoon or two, Aran finished and the maid removed the dish away from her. It was time to take her medicine. After swallowing the bitter medicine, her tongue was numb, but at least she had the slight energy to stand up. The maid changed her clothes. She had wanted to wash up because she sticky and full cold sweat, but she could not. She was wrought with fever. Aran sat in a chair and opened a book. Since her schedule was messed up, it was best that she study. She knew next to nothing about being an emperor due to her reluctance and disinterest in politics at a young age. Sitting on the chair, pain ran through her n*ther regions. She turned the page over, concealing her discomfort. The maid wrapped a thick blanket over her shoulder upon noticing her body tremble and said, ¡°Just relax today, Your Majesty.¡± Aran nodded but stubbornly refused to take her eyes off the book. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You should go take a rest.¡± ¡°How can I rest at ease knowing Her Majesty is ill?¡± the maid said awkwardly., Aran was grateful for her kindness but slightly agitated. She could not switch to a comfortable position in the maid¡¯s presence. What¡¯s more, the maid¡¯s words reminded her of what Enoch said yesterday, causing Aran to feel frustrated. In the end, Aran was forced to evict the maid out. Soon as she went out, Aran sat on the chair with her feet up and knees bent. She sighed comfortably. The pain had gone away. Then she leaned over and looked at the book. ¡®What a helpless emperor¡­¡¯ There had never been an emperor more pathetic than her¡­ a helpless emperor who knows nothing and could do nothing. Sometimes she thought it better to fall in the abyss that is death. Aran looked at the book blankly and sighed. She could not give up easily. Her reason for living was not a matter of pride or face but something¡­ that aside, while she sits on the throne, she hoped to do good to the people and the common folks. Aran picked up the book again and forced herself to read but with the pain tingling from her lower region, it became a difficult feat. ¡°You haven¡¯t done anything all day, so why are you having trouble reading?¡± Aran rubbed her temples. ¡°I can¡¯t spend the rest of my life like this in vain.¡± Meanwhile, footsteps from afar could be heard. The heavy, wide-footed echoing sound was not that of a woman¡¯s step. There was only one man who¡¯d come to the emperor¡¯s bedroom at this time of the hour. Aran was frigid. ¡°It¡¯s me. May I come in?¡± a low, resonant voice said, betraying Aran¡¯s hopes. Aran looked around, as if looking for a place to hide. She hurriedly closed her book and laid back down on the bed. She thought it better if she pretended to sleep. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Enoch called Aran¡¯s name again, this time more rushed. Aran closed her eyes tightly and pulled the blanket over her head. She did not expect to see him again, not today, not when she was in no condition to plunge herself in pleasure. It was obvious that his lower weapon would only cause her pain. Aran bit her lips. What if he grows angry? The thought scared her. Enoch had never threatened to beat her or throw her away, but she¡¯s not sure it will remain the same in the future. He could kill her, take the throne if he so wished. Aran could never forget her brother¡¯s blood scattered on the floor. Enoch lost his patience. He opened the door and approached the bed where Aran laid with a steady gait. Chapter 9 - Get Well, Your Majesty (1) Chapter 9: Get Well, Your Majesty (1) ¡°Why did you not answer?¡± Enoch asked. ¡°¡­I was not feeling well¡­ I could not hear you.¡± Lying was never Aran¡¯s specialty. Enoch looked at her amusingly and smiled, staring at her with glittering eyes. He picked up his feet and flopped down on the edge of the bed next to her. Aran quivered. ¡°I see,¡± Enoch nodded. ¡°I¡¯m here to make sure you¡¯re feeling well, Your Majesty.¡± He said that yesterday and looked at what occurred thereafter¡­ Aran was in disbelief. His words were a lie. Enoch shrugged and turned his head, eyes landing at the book resting on the table. ¡°Were you reading a book?¡± Aran gave up and nodded. Lying would only anger him. ¡°Hmm¡­ don¡¯t do that, Your Majesty. You¡¯re sick. Just relax and rest.¡± He was the cat chasing her, the mouse. ¡°If I knew this would happen, we should¡¯ve played more last night. Now you¡¯re stuck in bed all day.¡± Enoch grinned softly, finding her current predicament enjoyable. He leaned forward, reaching out and touching Aran¡¯s forehead. His large hands, which was once hot yesterday, was now cold as ice. Aran flinched and suddenly the blanket covering her came off. ¡°Wha¡­!¡± A startled Aran pulled on the covers. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t wrap your body with this thick blanket when you have a fever,¡± Enoch said calmly. Aran let go of the cover. ¡°¡­Okay¡­¡± She did not have the strength to argue with him, so she did as he instructed. Though her nerves were walking on thin ice for fear that at any moment he would ask her of the thing she could not do at this very moment. Aran could not relax nor could she let her guard down. Being in the same room with him at her current state was uncomfortable. What more when he was at her bed¡­ their distance only a few short inches away. ¡°Why do you act like this? You look like you want to run away. It¡¯s like I¡¯m the bad guy,¡± Enoch frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not running away¡­¡± Aran managed to speak her thoughts out loud, but her voice wavered that Enoch might¡¯ve noticed that she was lying through her teeth. Cold sweat suddenly broke out not from fever but the fear instilled from the man before her. ¡°You¡¯re sweating. Didn¡¯t the maid bring you the medicine? ¡°Yes¡­ earlier.¡± ¡°You should drink up another one.¡± Enoch called for the maid and ordered her to bring a tray of simple dishes and medicine. Not long after, the maid walked in carrying a tray of soup mixed with medicine. Aran stared blankly at the bowl and looked at Enoch. ¡°Eat it,¡± Enoch said. But she hesitated. ¡°Do you want me to feed you, Your Majesty?¡± Startled, Aran shook her head and hurriedly picked up the spoon and ate as much as she could. ¡°Have some more.¡± But she did not want more. Fortunately, she managed to finish the soup and looked at the cleaned medicine bowl proudly. ¡®Is he really not going to do anything today?¡¯ Normally, he would seek her body, but today, he seemed controlled. Maybe things would turn out well today. Aran was relieved. Meanwhile, Enoch pulled the strings on the back of her dress. The strings unraveled and her dress rolled down. A startled Aran struggled and covered her chest as her naked form suddenly came to view. Enoch ignored her fidgeting as he unrolled the rest of the strings one by one with finesse. ¡°D-don¡¯t¡­! I can¡¯t do anything today¡­!¡± As she struggled, Enoch grabbed her two wrists and pressed down on her body. She could not budge even if she wished to. How pathetic it was to think that he would not do something. ¡°You¡¯ll get a fever,¡± Enoch said, stripping her bare in the process. Aran looked at him with a puzzled look. ¡°We¡¯re not doing that. Don¡¯t worry.¡± But his fastened breathing said otherwise. Aran nodded and covered herself with her arms. She found it shamefully embarrassing that she was n*ked ¨C the only one n*ked, but it was better than having their bodies entertained. But¡­ however, Enoch¡¯s gaze was extremely uncomfortable. In particular, his red eyes looked at her erect mounds rising from the chilly cold. Aran shuddered and covered herself, subconsciously pulling on the covers but Enoch would not let her. ¡°You must be cold,¡± Enoch said. After a moment of thought, he suddenly lifted her up and placed her on his lap. His warm heat passed through her over his thin shirt. It was still cold, but much better than before. She leaned her back on his ch*st. She wanted warmth and she sought that warmth, but she dared not move any closer for fear of touching that thing of his. Aran moved her hips to avoid his cr*tch. ¡°If you move like that, it¡¯ll be hard on me. Or are you thinking of something er*tic, Your Majesty?¡± Chapter 10 - Get Well, Your Majesty (2) Chapter 10: Get Well, Your Majesty (2) ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Aran quickly denied. Ignoring Enoch¡¯s hardening from below, she remained still with great effort. Should he change his mind, the deed from last night would replay again. But¡­ his manhood seemed ready to break through his pants, and slowly, his hands began touching her naked body. Aran turned around briskly and avoided his touch, her hips touching his manhood in the process. Enoch grunted lowly and he whispered in her ear and bit it lightly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything, but my will is shaking.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this¡­¡± Aran pleaded. ¡°What am I to do, Your Majesty?¡± He clasped her ch*st; his other hand penetrated the inside of her th*ghs and caressed her smooth crack. Aran stiffened. ¡°Is this too much?¡± Aran could not reply so she nodded, fearing that she¡¯d cry out when she parted her lips open. She could feel his thick fingers. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to do that. But asking to do it with your mouth is okay, right?¡± Enoch kissed her ear. Aran closed her eyes tight and endured his touch. ¡°Just listen to me, alright?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Aran thought this was better than last night. ¡°Loosen my belt, Your Majesty.¡± Aran went down between his legs, knelt down, and loosened his belt. She was at a standstill after doing as Enoch instructed. Enoch laughed softly and patted her head. ¡°Stop pretending to be naive, unless you intend to give me something else.¡± Aran unbuttoned his pants with trembling hands desperately wondering what to do. His vicious m*nhood popped out and patted her head and cheek laudably. ¡°This reminds me of our first time,¡± Enoch smiled. He had a fishy smell and Aran unconsciously quickened her breath, not because she could not stand the smell but because her mind wandered back to that day where she saw blood ¨C blood in the floor, blood in her dress, in her hands while she caressed Enoch¡¯s manhood to survive. She remembered Enoch pushing his manhood deep in her throat. He smiled merrily at her, at Aran whose body was tainted with blood, tears, and white fluid. It was at that moment that Aran grew afraid of blood and its mere sight alone. ¡°It was a pleasant experience, Your Majesty.¡± Aran could not answer. Enoch¡¯s m*nhood crushed her lips. Enoch picked up a small bottle next to the bed. Liquid poured out and he spread it on her ch*st and stomach. Her body glistened with oil. ¡°Stand a little bit higher and get on your knees.¡± She did as she was told, her mounds now touching his manhood instead. Enoch sighed pleasurably. ¡°Wrap it in between.¡± Aran tried to place his manhood in between her ch*st, but due to the oil, her hands kept slipping. Embarrassed, she looked up at Enoch who remained silent all throughout. Enoch thought her behavior clumsy but it was not so bad to see his towering manhood being crushed between her ch*st. In particular, he thought it interesting that Aran was trying her clumsiest best to meet his demands. He saw her long, voluminous eyelashes quivering with humiliation. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not¡­ working¡­¡± Aran opened her luscious lips as if asking for help. Enoch clicked his tongue exaggeratedly. ¡°If you can¡¯t, then stop.¡± Soon as he said those words, Aran knew how this would play out thereafter. She quickly moved her body and rubbed her ch*st against his m*nhood by diligently moving her upper body. They had done many salacious acts, but this was their first. She knew this act was embarrassing despite her being ignorant of carnal pleasure. If she had the choice, she¡¯d rather be doing other things, but she had to follow his orders. Her soft ch*st and erect n*pple grazed his manhood. Enoch managed to resist the urge to grab her hair and plunge his shaft deep in her mouth. If he had done as his instinct told him to, Aran would be stuck in bed for days. He needed her. Her presence as Emperor was needed. Aran may not believe it, but Enoch treated her with great care like a glass doll that could break at any moment¡¯s notice. Aran, who had no clue what Enoch was thinking, sought to satisfy him and get out of the uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. Chapter 11 - Her Dignity (1) Chapter 11: Her Dignity (1) Aran placed her hand on Enoch¡¯s thigh and continued to rub his manhood with her ch*st. Disgrace and shame sprung across her face, but she ignored it. At this moment, she was no emperor, nor a fianc¨¦, but a toy that needed to prove her usefulness. When his hot pillar touched her n*pple which had become sensitive due to her rising fever, Aran trembled. She did not know why she felt breathless, why her body had reacted in such manner. Had she truly become a lewd woman as Enoch said? The thought of it frightened her so. Aran shut her eyes tightly. If Enoch learned of this, he¡¯ll surely laugh at her. ¡°Ha¡­¡± But eventually, a quiet groan unwittingly came out and Enoch snickered. Arans¡¯ face turned red. ¡°So, you¡¯re feeling it too.¡± Enoch patted her head gently while smiling. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Your Majesty.¡± Aran ignored Enoch¡¯s shameful remarks and continued the disgraceful act. Enoch grunted, and soon, white fluid splashed all over Aran¡¯s face and ch*st. It was over. Aran sat still on the floor panting heavily. The hot fluid dripping down her face and ch*st was unpleasant, but even so, she could not wipe it off in his presence. She could feel his intense gaze despite her lowered gaze. That piercing red eyes made her feel miserable. Even a thousand words couldn¡¯t describe this feeling. But, regardless, she could not rebel. She had chosen shame instead of honor. As if appreciating her deeds, Enoch brought a wet cloth and wiped her face and body. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡± But her words were ignored. And then, Enoch was finished. ¡°Wait¡­ I¡­ I want to take a shower.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. Rest first. You have a fever.¡± Enoch shook his head and placed the palm of his hand on her forehead, his touch friendly and loving. He pulled back her sweaty hair and brushed it aside. And then, he pulled her up and pulled her close to his embrace and onto the bed. Aran had no power to answer and stretched out her limbs as if she had given up. Even after wiping off all traces of the white fluid, her body smelled fishy. Perhaps he intentionally buried his fluid in her body as if to insult her more. Aran bit her lip. The medicine soon kicked in and she¡¯d soon sleep. She tried to open her eyes forcibly to keep awake, but Enoch covered her eyes with his large hand, his other hand rubbing her head back and forth. Before falling asleep, Aran asked him, ¡°You know, today¡¯s schedule is¡­¡± ¡°Rest.¡± His soft lips fell on her forehead and Aran suddenly remembered Enoch¡¯s old self which caused her heart to ache. But her thoughts did not last long and she fell asleep. *** Despite the maids¡¯ failed dissuasion that the empress regnant rest a few more days due to her accumulated fatigue, Aran stubbornly refused. The lady-in-waiting who saw her body trembling, asked anxiously, ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you rest?¡± Aran shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve had too much rest.¡± The lady-in-waiting did not ask again. Aran, who changed in a new set of clothes, requested that she wear thick makeup. She usually did not enjoy wearing makeup. It made her feel stuffy, but she was not confident at this very moment. It was a matter of self-esteem. She did not want to show weakness, even if it was a trivial matter, to the aristocrats bent on biting her neck at any moment¡¯s opening. ¡°What do you think, Your Majesty?¡± The maid brought her a mirror after finishing her makeup. Reflected in the mirror was a face that looked tired veiled with dark makeup. ¡°I like it. Thank you.¡± Aran nodded. She did not look weak. The maid smiled proudly. Before leaving her bedroom quarter, Aran took a deep breath. Her trembling body was hidden under her dress. She straightened her back and looked up squarely. Like her thickly painted makeup, her false dignity and bravado were the only means she could protect herself with. Note: Because I have trouble labeling Aran as the Emperor¡­ since she technically is in KR raws¡­ though it doesn¡¯t exactly translate well in English. With that said, Aran¡¯s position as Emperor will be localized as Empress Regnant or Empress for short from this point forward. An Empress Regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire. She possesses and exercises sovereign powers in the absence of an Emperor. Chapter 12 - Her Dignity (2) Chapter 12: Her Dignity (2) The empress, sitting majestically at the head of the table, looked at the aristocratic nobles donning a stiff face. Her unusually thick makeup made her look more like a doll. She was beautiful, powerful, a face rarely found. Though not many remembered her as the girl who once smiled as bright as a spring flower. ¡°Why are you all deathly silent?¡± Her voice was cold. A while ago, an uncomfortable air hung in the conference room when she proposed a lowered taxation amongst their citizens. The oldest participants, Marquis Kelon, opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, taxes have not risen significantly compared to previous years past. And with all the budget put in place the following year, a sudden tax cut would erroneously hurt our budget.¡± ¡°Indeed. But I can¡¯t allow my subjects to suffer in poverty for three consecutive years. Don¡¯t you think so, marquis?¡± the empress replied coolly. Marquis Kelon clenched his fist. ¡°Your Majesty, while I find it mirthfully pleasant that you care formypeople, you do not need to worry too much. Each territory has its own remedy.¡± The latter spoke exaggeratedly, voice tinged with soft sharpness. He hinted that the empress not meddle euphemistically at his affair in a roundabout, childish manner. A sneer slipped out from the mouth of some aristocrats. The empress did not budge. ¡°Relief to the subjects is what we need to think about after the precedents of tax breaks.¡± Having spent her entire life enjoying the pleasant privilege of wealth within the corridors of the palace, she did not know the experiences of the common people, but, still, a small analytical calculation could show that their lives, at this moment, was in dire need of help. The three-year crop failure and famine had brought the households of the common people to impoverishment and some extreme poverty. Many would die before the winter season ends should the discussion lead to failure. Puppet or not, she¡¯ll use her power as empress regent to make sure her subjects are fed. ¡°Your Majesty, the reduction of taxes will only reduce the tax revenues flowing into the royal family. How do you intend to fill the national treasury? Do you have a plan?¡± asked Duke Silas, an official prominent figure despite his young age. The empress confronted him without avoiding his keen gaze. ¡°I will send an audit to each estate to collect illegal taxation. As you may already know, there are aristocrats who enjoy excessive luxury and pleasure, yet never care to pay a penny in taxes for their expediency. They¡¯ll be fined for illegal use of taxes. It¡¯s more than enough to fill our national coffers. I should note that luxury items will end up taxed. It is not a necessity but awant. We cannot afford luxury in times when our subjects need our help.¡± ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Duke Silas did not care to hide his ired countenance and continued, ¡°do you think there exists a nobleman who would accept such proposal?Think carefully.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to accept the proposal. Is it not our duty as nobility and of the ruling class to give when the country is in times of trouble, our duty to serve the people?¡± Heavy silence fell. The empress¡¯ recalcitrant words were like cold water poured down onto them. A tense tension of energy poured between the empress and the aristocrats. Aranrhod Linister was a usually calm empress regent, but at times, she was stubborn and often stuck to her views. She was unaware of it. Duke Silas kicked his tongue inwardly and looked at the empress with a determined face He himself was too weak to sit on the throne. Duke Silas always made enemies playing devil¡¯s advocate though he could hardly protect himself. He was fond of the empress, fond of her kindred spirit, something he found the other aristocrats lacking. But, he, too, did not want to involve cutting his flesh to give to the masses. The duke glanced back and looked at the Grand Duke. He was the empress¡¯ loyal supporter and wielded more power than anyone in the room combined. Because of him, the empress was able to speak her thoughts out freely without obstruction. Duke Silas wondered how the proceedings of the meeting would turn out. Everything was in the Grand Duke¡¯s hands. All the great events that occurred as of late came from his very own hands. He would be hit the hardest should the audit take place. Duke Silas turned to the empress again. Her face hidden under heavy makeup was bound to turn pale. A few other aristocrats who noticed the Grand Duke had yet to side with the empress began to protest their thoughts loudly. The empress remained silent all throughout as the atmosphere of the conference room grew more and more heated. The less-than-expected Duke Silas came up with a compromise. ¡°Your Majesty, realistically speaking, it is difficult to lower taxes, but as your will is stubborn, we can consider freezing it to last year¡¯s level. Your Majesty, please make concessions.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± The empress hesitated, not readily able to give a proper answer. As her silence grew longer, the aristocrats¡¯ sneering eyes grew harsher. The Grand Duke had yet to give his opinion, so until then, they grew bolder. The empress clasped the hem of her clothing. She predicted vehement reactions from them. Never did she naively believe that all her intentions would be carried out. But she thought she could persevere¡­ she did not realize that both her mind and body were too tired. She was tired. She wanted to get away, to escape. ¡®¡­Do we have to compromise when our people are suffering?¡¯ She should not have expected much from them. It might be better to make a compromise as the duke said than nothing at all. The empress straightened her back and looked squarely at the aristocrats. Dozens of pairs of eyes looked at her wolfishly as if ready to pounce on her at any moment. She clenched on her clothing tighter. She knew she had been defeated. Their eyes spoke of victory. A deep sense of helplessness struck her in the chest. ¡®¡­Do I have to sit on the high throne as I watch my subjects suffer helplessly? It was when the empress was about to hopelessly accept the duke¡¯s proposal that the Grand Duke, who watched the proceedings from the sidelines, opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, I, Grand Duke Roark accept the audits and reduction of taxes.¡± Chapter 13 - Loyal Subject (1) Chapter 13: Loyal Subject (1) ¡°Grand Duke!¡± Marquis Kelon looked at Enoch with an air of embarrassment. Enoch ignored him, his blood-red eyes fixated solely on Aran. ¡°Empress, I am willing to pay a fine for any taxes I owe,¡± Enoch repeated. Aran¡¯s eye flickered and slowly she raised her head. When their eyes met, Enoch¡¯s lips drew a gentle smile. He remained loyal to the emperor since her ascension, always deferring to her decree and recognize it to existence. ¡°I will always follow your will, Your Majesty.¡± In a flash, the tables had been overturned. The aristocrats flocking and vying to bite the emperor¡¯s neck at a moment¡¯s notice drooped their head and wagging tails at Enoch¡¯s edict. Duke Silas, watching the scene from the sidelines, hid his innermost thoughts.¡®Are you still that friendly fianc¨¦, Grand Duke?¡¯ Duke Silas thought it amusing. He looked at the Empress¡¯ expression. Towards the Grand Duke who saved her, she said no word of thanks, only a reluctant nod. Such demeanor played an integral part in the Empress¡¯ reputation among the aristocrats that she treats the Grand Duke, the head of nobility, with begrudging inclination. The Grand Duke placed her at the seat of power, on the throne as sovereign of the nation prior to being sold off to a marquis fifty years older than her. In the eyes of the wolffish aristocrats, the Empress brushes off the Grand Duke¡¯s kindness without grace. Some diehard loyalists of the Grand Duke once openly spoke that it would be for the best that he hangs the emperor¡¯s head and take the throne. The Grand Duke did not take to their words kindly, thus resulting in heavy punishment. But Duke Silas understood the Empress¡¯ train of thoughts to an extent. He recalled the event known as theBloody Wedding.Duke Silas remembered that chaotic day when he attended Aranrhod Linister and Marquis Maxwell¡¯s wedding. He saw the deathly still bodies of the royal family scattered over the marble floor, their pools of blood fusing together. It chilled his core. He did not know the details occurring between Her Majesty and the Grand Duke that very day nor could he understand why the Empress flinched faintly at the Grand Duke¡¯s sight each time. Though whatever the circumstances, she was able to achieve her goals at the Grand Duke¡¯s support despite the aristocrats detesting her view that undermined their territorial rule. ¡°This concludes today¡¯s meeting. Until then.¡± Aran declared the end of the meeting and hurried out of the conference room. She was no longer present, but none mouthed a word of complaint. Enoch Roark remained in the conference room. ¡°Her Majesty is truly blessed. It is rare for an emperor to have a loyal subject as great as the Grand Duke himself,¡± Duke Silas said to Grand Duke Roark, his voice tinged with subtle sarcasm. The Grand Duke¡¯s expression did not change. Duke Silas was disappointed. ¡°Is that so? I don¡¯t think so,¡± the Grand Duke answered bluntly. ¡°You are cold, Grand Duke, but you remain ever so loyal to Her Majesty.¡± Enoch laughed at the duke¡¯s remark. To witness his laugh outside the emperor¡¯s presence was rare and Duke Silas was floored. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m a loyalist,¡± he answered lowly and followed after the emperor. Regardless, Grand Duke Roark was a military god and Duke Silas shrugged, pondering over something. *** Aran was in misery. She was to meet the foreign envoys in an hour, but her sour mood had not gone away. She comforted herself, said to herself that it was fortunate the taxes were lowered, but the sense of helplessness washing over her grew bigger. She was perplexed. Her decree did not garner the support of the aristocrats and instead relied on the support of the Grand Duke. She sat on the bench, the sunshine bough drifting through as the gentle wind soothed her melancholic heart. She felt the presence of her servant and said without turning her head, ¡°Did I not say that I wish for time alone?¡± ¡°I came to check up on you, Your Majesty.¡± That familiar voice¡­ Aran hurriedly raised her head. ¡°Why are you here?¡± he asked. ¡°¡­To rest.¡± Enoch sat next to her, his large hand cupping her cheek. Aran pushed his hand away and whispered weakly, ¡°Please, Grand Duke, when others see¡­¡± ¡°I wish you¡¯d value me more in the eyes of others.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Enoch held Aran¡¯s chin and turned it towards him, their eyes meeting. Aran gazed into his blood-red eyes. His lips were slightly open. ¡°You don¡¯t look good in dark makeup.¡± He rubbed his thumb over her lips. Aran shut her eyes. She did not notice the sad look on his face. ¡°I put you on the throne to close your eyes and cover your ears and merely enjoy the luxury provided to you. Why do you act a saint?¡± ¡°¡­But taxes needed to be lowered. The harsh winter last season was¡­¡± Aran said carefully but shut her mouth seeing his cold gaze. ¡°And do you think they¡¯ll be grateful to you? They do not know that the seat of power has changed. They know not your name, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Enoch Roark brutally penetrated Aranrhod Linister¡¯s mind. Chapter 14 - Loyal Subject (2) Chapter 14: Loyal Subject (2) Enoch knelt before her and Aran looked down at him. Her hair ran freely down her shoulder, revealing her slender neckline. Nervous, she swallowed her throat dryly. He gently caressed her legs, his long fingers grazing against her skin. She looked at him with frightened eyes. Those eyes she once thought beautiful was now a nightmare. His eyes indicated sadism. He did not wait long. To him, spreading her legs in a secluded area where no one came was easy like a child rubbing their wrist. His fingers on her legs slowly climbed the inside of her th*ghs. Aran read his bestial intentions and swallowed her breath roughly and before she knew it, she laid on the bench with her legs open and the hem of her clothes pulled upwards. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s still daytime¡­!¡± She made futile attempts to close her legs but Enoch skillfully blocked it without much trouble. Aran desperately grabbed hold of Enoch¡¯s wrist. Their eyes intertwined and Aran shook her head with eager eyes. ¡°At night, I¡¯ll do anything, but¡­ not now¡­¡± She held back the tears forming from the corner of her eyes and begged. ¡°I¡¯ll finish up quickly,¡± he said. The hem of her garment rolled up to her waist. Aran resisted his advancements desperately, but no matter how difficult she pushed, Enoch would not budge. He was a stiff rock. She exhausted herself after several rebellions and gave up thereafter. She could feel the warm air looming over her n*ked body in full view under the blue sky. She closed her eyes tightly and turned her head away. Hot hands swept through her thighs¡­ her p*lvis¡­ her lower abdomen¡­ each time Enoch¡¯s hand touched her all over, her ch*st swelled. Since it was like this, Aran was eager to finish their deed quickly, however, Enoch had yet to move on to the next stage, only looking at her body quietly. He¡¯d never seen her beauty clearly at night, but when daylight was in full view, he saw traces of theirlovemaking. Her thighs, in particular, were full of bite marks and discoloration, the original color of her skin unable to be seen. He¡¯s sure that it¡¯d be the same as well on her ch*st. ¡°I¡¯m an animal.¡± His desires subsided. He desired Aran, but not like this. Sighing, he pulled down her clothes. Aran, nervous and waiting for the action to begin, opened her eyes carefully. ¡°¡­What¡­¡± Enoch raised her up and pulled her closer to his ch*st. The bench in the palace garden was wide but too small and cramped for two people to lie down. And Enoch himself was much larger than the average man. Aran flinched unconsciously at his touch. Pulling Aran closer to him, her face ended up being buried in his arms. She could feel his pulse beating vigorously. Enoch cupped her cheek and whispered in her ear, ¡°You¡¯ll be having lunch with Henen¡¯s envoys.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She did not know what went through his head, but this was fine, no, great. Though his touch brought her a sense of shameful excitement¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll have food prepared for your liking. Though I¡¯ve told you before, don¡¯t leave anything behind. Eat all your food.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Aran carefully raised her head and looked at Enoch¡¯s face. His eyes were closed and he looked asleep. His hand was still pressed against her. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°That¡­ you¡¯re not doing it?¡± ¡°If you want, we can do it now.¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s fine!¡± believing that he¡¯d change his mind at any second, Aran answered urgently. With his eyes still closed, Enoch smiled a little. ¡°Though I am disappointed that you¡¯d so stubbornly deny me.¡± Aran blinked. Yes. She never knew what went on his head, but this time, it did seem like he had no intention to commit the deed. She could relax. Her body, once nervous, calmed over time. The sound of Enoch¡¯s pulse beating rhythmically and the warm sunshine made her drowsy. She was in the arms of the most dangerous and capricious man she knew¡­ the man who killed her family, the man who insulted her, that man¡­ but¡­ somehow¡­ she was able to sleep comfortably in his arms. Chapter 15 - Enoch (1) Chapter 15: Enoch (1) Flashback¡­ Aranrhod Linister, the empire¡¯s first and last imperial daughter, slipped out of the bed and pulled out the clothes hidden under her bed. She managed to obtain loose-fitted-shirts and tight trousers by coaxing a young servant who had similar height and built like her. To the young servant, it sounded akin to a threat but to Aran, it was sincere. She changed her clothes, tied her long platinum blonde hair in front of the mirror. She looked at herself. It was a man¡¯s clothing and it looked awkward, but it was not too bad. Rather¡­ she liked it. It was more comfortable than the everyday dress she wore. ¡°Okay.¡± She stirred under the bed one more time and grabbed the wooden sword and book. She carefully picked up the wooden sword and looked around, stumbling slightly due to the weight. She fell, almost¡­ but she was not discouraged. She¡¯d come to admire the female knights of the Imperial Knights these days. She¡¯d steal a furtive glance each passing day as she watched them in their black uniform while skillfully handling the sharp sword. Forgetting her weak body, she imagined herself a knight. Once upon a time, on her thirteenth birthday, she asked her father to teach her swordplay as her birthday present. Her father doted on her and would always ascend to her request but this one¡­ he almost fainted attempting to appease her. He tried, albeit a failure, to reject her, but the look on her face was not something he could ignore. Eventually, he was forced to accept her pleading. She would learn the way of the sword when she grew of proper age. But she had no intention of waiting till she was of age. Fine. If it was like that, then she¡¯d learn the way of the sword on her own. Aran slipped out of the bedroom through the window with the sword tied around her waist with a string. She was glad that her bedroom was not too high up, otherwise, she¡¯d have a difficult time escaping her bedroom. Hiding in shades of darkness, she trotted to the place she longed to be in during the day. When she arrived at the place, she took out the candles fastened under her arms and lit it on fire. Then, she opened the book and looked at the knight. She copied the knight¡¯s posture as written in the book, but all efforts were sloppy. But she did not give up. Each time she swung the wooden sword, her breathing grew heavier and heavier till she was out of breath. Unable to continue any further, she flung away the wooden sword to the side and laid still on the floor. It was in the midst of the night, but the moon had yet to shine. Though it looked like it looked to break free alongside the twinkling stars. The breezy night cooled her damp forehead and Aran closed her eyes pleasantly. At that moment, a sudden movement echoed. ¡°Who is it?¡± Aran questioned as she quickly rose up. She picked up the wooden sword next to her. No matter how late it was in the night, the chances of an imperial daughter facing imminent danger was as low as that of a commoner being struck by lightning in the middle of the street, but, still, Aran wielded the wooden sword tightly. ¡°¡­..¡± The only folks who¡¯d come out at this time of the year were the maidservants. Maybe they planned to scare her or snitch on her father that they saw the empire¡¯s imperial daughter sneaking late at night. At that thought, Aran¡¯s eyes flashed and she stared at the darkness intently. ¡°Who is it?¡± she asked again. ¡°It¡¯s Enoch¡­ from the House of Roark,¡± the voice said. Then a boy appeared. ¡°House of Roark¡­?¡± Aran opened her mouth blankly, immediately forgetting her determination to scare the stranger. Maybe she was not as confident as she thought, similar to the moon who had yet to make its appearance in the night sky. The boy looked at Aran¡¯s hair. Blonde hair that was pale enough to appear silver at first glance¡­ was the imperial family¡¯s symbol. Recognizing Aran, the boy immediately knelt. ¡°You are Princess Aranrhod. It¡¯s a pleasure meeting you, Your Highness.¡± Aran was embarrassed at the sight of the boy greeting her politely. She¡¯d never seen such a beautiful human being in all her life. Her heart began to beat. ¡°Um¡­¡± She was relieved that it was late in the night. That she was veiled with darkness, the boy would not be able to see how much of a mess she looked with sweat and dirt. And her cheeks¡­ it was red like a ripened apple. Enoch, unaware of Aran¡¯s circumstances, tilted his head and looked at the princess hesitantly. ¡°Are you unwell, Your Highness?¡± He did not know what she¡¯d been doing here all this time, but her posture¡­ it looked clumsy. Was she in danger? Was he hurt? Enoch stood up at the immediate thought that something terrible occurred to the princess. ¡°No! Stay away!¡± Aran stepped back and shouted sharply. She was embarrassed. She smelled of sweat. Shame¡­ it was an unfamiliar feeling. She, who was always praised, never felt this way. The thought shocked her. Was she a shy person? Her pleading cries stopped Enoch from approaching. ¡°You¡¯re not hurt?¡± he asked. ¡°No. I¡¯m not hurt. So¡­ don¡¯t come any further, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± With his calm disposition, she realized the stupidity of her act. Her response was in no way or form rational, but what she was certain of was that the longer she lingered, the higher the possibility that she would do something ridiculous. She decided to leave before she made a complete fool of herself. ¡°K-keep it a secret that you saw me¡­ otherwise¡­¡± Aran hesitated, unable to speak out the words lodged in her throat. How could she dare threaten this beautiful boy? She quickly turned around and left. Returning to her room, Aran threw away the wooden sword and slumped on the bed. She had trouble sleeping. Her heart kept pounding. The image of that beautiful boy pervaded her mind. ¡­Was this love? The next day, she learned the boy was her fianc¨¦. It was the happiest day of her life. Chapter 16 - Enoch (2) Chapter 16: Enoch (2) Flashback¡­ Rumors of their imperial princess following the tails of her fianc¨¦ like a duckling spread through the nobility, but Aran did not care. She was entering her stage youthfulness. She had no care for the rumors as her mind was full of Enoch. Enoch, on the other hand, was somewhat bashful and shy by the princess¡¯ overly active tendencies. He, who was sixteen years of age and was almost as tall as an adult, treated Aran as his sister, the princess whose height barely reached his chest. The emperor resented the sight of his daughter being overly fond of Enoch. She began growing indifferent to him. Each time there was an argument involving Enoch, his daughter sided with him and the emperor had no choice but to swallow his bitter disapproval inwardly. Unfortunately, Aran was unable to see Enoch often. She had a weak constitution and sickness always plagued her weak body. Especially during the winter months, Aran would suffer from severe cold and thus the emperor had to limit her and Enoch¡¯s meeting to once a month. ¡°I miss Enoch,¡± Aran mumbled. ¡°Get well soon. Isn¡¯t that the only way you¡¯ll see him more often?¡± the Empress said. ¡°Why was I born weak? Why can¡¯t I be strong and healthy like the others?¡± Aran voiced her thoughts loudly. The immature and young Aran did not know that her words broke the empress¡¯ heart. Looking at her daughter with pitiful eyes, she secretly invited Enoch to the palace. Enoch, after journeying to the palace for several days, nodded upon hearing that his fiance¨¦ was afflicted with sickness. The empress¡¯ face turned ashen cold at the sight of the boy whose face remained unchanged even when hearing that Aran, his fianc¨¦e, was sick. ¡°Enoch.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°This is probably troublesome for you. That the Empress called your presence in the palace probably irritated you. If that is so, how immature of you.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± The empress did not miss a moment to voice her thoughts. Enoch was mature for his age, but he was still a boy, and a boy could not hide all his thoughts. ¡°Since she was a child, my daughter was always at death¡¯s door. The Emperor and I never scolded her despite her faults. After all, it¡¯s our fault that Aran was born like this¡­¡± the Empress said with bitter voice and looked at Enoch¡¯s eyes, ¡°Though I may not look like it, I see my daughter as something so dearly precious that not even all the riches of the world could be traded. Enoch, I want you to be kind to her, even if it¡¯s a little bit. I won¡¯t forgive anyone who hurts my daughter.¡± The Empress¡¯ voice was soft but it was tinged with warnings. Enoch nodded. ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡± At that, a kind smile appeared on the Empress¡¯ lips. She looked like a gentle and loving mother. *** Enoch and the empress knocked on the imperial room before entering. ¡°Aran, I have a present,¡± the empress said gently. ¡°If it¡¯s medicine, I don¡¯t want it,¡± Aran buried her head in the pillow. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You¡¯ll change your mind once you know who your mother brought. Come on, get up.¡± At the empress¡¯ words, Aran looked up reluctantly. Her eyes bulged immediately at the sight of Enoch standing before her. Enoch looked at her silently. Aran screamed inwardly and immediately covered herself with a blanket. ¡®Wh-why is he¡­¡¯ It was Enoch, the boy she dreamed of. He¡¯s here. But¡­ no¡­ she didn¡¯t want him to see her like this. She was sick and she couldn¡¯t wash herself properly, let alone dress up. And¡­ what¡¯s more¡­ the clothes she wore where childishly patterned pajamas suitable only for children. Enoch, on the other hand, was dressed in perfect gentleman-like clothes from head to toe. ¡°Aran.¡± It was the first time she heard her mother¡¯s voice sounding somewhat strict. ¡°Then¡­ wait¡­ could you come back in a minute? I¡­ I need to change my clothes¡­¡± The empress immediately noticed Aran¡¯s heart and thoughts. She covered her mouth with raised lips. She never thought her daughter would grow embarrassed at the sight of the opposite sex looking at her with childish clothing. It was amusing. The empress looked at Enoch. ¡°Then Enoch¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Your Majesty. Her Highness is always lovely. She should continue wearing comfortable clothes if she¡¯s not feeling well,¡± Enoch said as he approached Aran¡¯s bed. If Aran had been a little less flushed with embarrassment, she¡¯d realize that those words held no truth, but she was unable to judge from false to truth with fever afflicting her. She poked her head out of the blanket and asked, ¡°Really?¡± Enoch nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± The empress noticed his white lie but said nothing. Regardless of Enoch¡¯s sincerity, it was fine as long as her daughter was happy. After all, happy times often never lasts. Chapter 17 - Climax (1) Chapter 17: Climax (1) Flashback¡­ ¡°¡­Thank you for coming,¡± Aran said shyly, ¡°It probably took you many days to journey from your home to the Imperial Palace.¡± Enoch nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Oh, the Empress asked me to deliver this to you, princess. She said you must eat it.¡± Enoch passed her a small paper bag stuffed with powdered medicine. Aran wore a sullen look and grabbed the bag hastily. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take medicine¡­¡± Enoch pretended that he did not hear her grumbling. Aran looked at him for a moment and asked carefully, ¡°Um¡­ can¡¯t you feed me?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Enoch¡¯s face reddened. He¡¯d grown a little embarrassed at her unexpected request. He, too, was of noble blood and the heir to the Grand Duke Roark¡¯s dukedom and the House of Roark. He¡¯d never done anything like this. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± But upon recalling the Empress¡¯ warning, he nodded vehemently. He opened the medicine bag with a slight clumsy hand and put it in Aran¡¯s mouth. Aran did not complain. It¡¯d be unfair for Enoch who made every effort to feed her the medicine. She took it all in with great strides. She expected Enoch to praise her and she to revel in it, but Enoch, unaware of her current thoughts, said nothing and stuffed more medicine into her mouth like it was candy. Aran¡¯s eyes widened and Enoch let out a sudden laugh at Aran¡¯s bulging cheek. Aran¡¯s heart warmed. She did not know why he laughed, but she liked it. She liked his smile. Enoch stroked Aran¡¯s head unconsciously. ¡°You¡¯ll be okay,¡± he said. Aran was pitiful. She spent most of her time in the bedroom at an early age. Enoch was aware that though she looked calm, her heart must¡¯ve longed to journey outside and leave the confines of the palace walls. The her who bravely wielded the wooden sword in the midst of the night suddenly came to mind. Enoch¡¯s hand cupped her cheek and Aran¡¯s eyes opened wide. She carefully leaned against his hand. The temperature of her body rose. Enoch could feel it. ¡°It¡¯s strange,¡± she muttered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Enoch, you¡¯re sweet,¡± Aran smiled weakly, ¡°If it¡¯s like this, I hope I¡¯ll be sick every day.¡± ¡°Everyone looks forward to your speedy recovery, Your Highness.¡± Aran looked up at him. ¡°You too?¡± Enoch nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll get better soon.¡± Looking at Aran¡¯s innocent face, Enoch could see why the Emperor would not allow his daughter to experience much of the terrible world. Maybe because she¡¯d grown up protected due to her weak constitution, but the princess was overly naive and frank. And she was weak. She¡¯d become the target of everyone should she hold a clumsy grip on power. The Grand Duke, Enoch¡¯s father, had always traditionally been at odds with the Imperial Family, but regardless, the Emperor pushed ahead with the engagement of his daughter to the Grand Duke¡¯s son to prevent others from using her. Enoch wondered what it felt like to be loved. Both father and mother were always mercilessly¡­ Aran twisted her body and saw Enoch¡¯s gaze. He looked down and smiled lightly. ¡°Enoch,¡± she called his name. ¡°Speak.¡± She smiled softly. ¡°¡­I¡¯m happy you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His answer was blunt, but Aran did not care. She laughed and enjoyed his simple presence. But in Enoch¡¯s eyes, the princess lived in a completely different world. He and his parents lived in an estranged relationship. No¡­ he disliked them. How does it feel to like someone else the way the princess liked him? He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to. Maybe he¡¯ll figure it out one day. But for now, the thought of having to keep the Emperor¡¯s daughter happy and in a good mood for the rest of his life seemed to tire him. Flashback End¡­ *** The zephyr wind from outside blew. Aran, the Empress Regnant, was in the office busying herself with work. The Grand Duke had yet to visit her. She was fortunate for that. But much to her dismay, whenever time allowed it, he¡¯d bother her at every opportunity. And she was aware of what would become of Enoch¡¯s occasional rendezvous to visit her. And right¡­ now¡­ she was looking at the man buried in between her legs and eating her flesh like sweet nectar. She wanted him to stop, but she did not have the power to speak. If she did, a groan would slip out of her mouth. Despite the building excitement of pleasure, Aran looked at the door uneasily. She could hear passersby busily wandering around outside the office. An hour ago, she had no idea she¡¯d be spreading her legs wide open on the desk. She never thought they¡¯d commit to passion and pleasure in broad daylight when she accepted Enoch¡¯s request for an audience. Aran bit her lips and covered her mouth with her hands to avoid making a sound. Meanwhile, Enoch flicked his tongue around and bit her tender and hard cl*toris lightly. Aran¡¯s waist twisted slightly and a nasal sound leaked out. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Chapter 18 - Climax (2) Chapter 18: Climax (2) A beautiful finger dug into her hot pot and poked her fleshy meat thoroughly. Aran felt it and she shivered, her soaked flesh accepting his finger without qualms. Slurping wet sounds echoed in rhythmic notes. It was melody to his ear. She was nearing her peak and he knew it. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Aran stiffened at the rough voice calling her. Enoch opened her legs wider and bent down to inhale her sweet, sweet entrance and lick the outer lips lightly. Aran quivered. Perhaps she did not hear him. He called her again. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± He¡¯s sure she had heard him this time. He stopped his act and looked up at her. Aran sighed in relief and said, ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°Duke Silas requests an audience with you. What do you want me to do, Your Majesty?¡± Duke Silas? She tried to make a reasonable judgment but her mind was hazy. She¡¯s sure the duke was not among the people she¡¯s to meet today. ¡°¡­What do you mean? Wait¡­ ah¡­ haa¡­!¡± Suddenly, Enoch¡¯s tongue penetrated her wet insides. She had almost reached the dam of breaking. Her senses stood at its height peak. She was sensitive and she trembled with each lick Enoch¡¯s tongue tended to her flesh. ¡°Your Majesty, are you ill?¡± When Aran said nothing and simmered down, Enoch asked lowly. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± she said with a muffled voice, ¡°ask him what the matter is and if it is not urgent, then order him to go back.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Aran, who overcame the crisis, stared at him with a ball of bundled resentment. Unlike the nervousness corroding her, Enoch was too relaxed. ¡°Please, not right now. We¡¯re in the office.¡± No one would willingly enter the empress regent¡¯s office without permission, but the mere thought of people passing by and standing at the foot of the door heightened her sense of nervousness. Aran had tried to push his head away from her, but Enoch caught her wrist and gazed into her eyes. ¡°Why? Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Of course¡­! Nnghh¡­¡± Enoch dived inside her garden without a moment¡¯s hesitation and licked the fleshy lips of her taco. He moved upwards and flicked his tongue on her erect cl*t. Aran bit her lips. A mildew of blood slipped out, but despite it all, she could not help but let out a low moan. Her toes curled up as she twisted in the caress of Enoch¡¯s tongue. ¡°I hope you enjoyed it, Your Majesty.¡± Aran was unable to refute. Even she could not believe the irregular gasps akin to a lustful animal belonged to her. Under Enoch¡¯s lead, he grabbed onto her leg with one hand while the other moved its way onward to her wholesome flesh. ¡°Stop¡­¡± But stop he did not. His finger touched her s*xual zone and he moved his finger up and down voraciously. Aran could not withstand the waves of pleasure that she let out that she came lightly. She was drenched with wetness and her moist green eyes the color of evergreen had been thrown in a whirlpool of pleasure. Enoch kissed and sucked on her cl*t while inserting a finger inside her. Aran¡¯s hot inner walls quickly accepted him while contracting vigorously as his thumb pressed down on her swollen cl*t. ¡°Ah!¡± Aran shrieked in astonishment. ¡°Your Majesty? Is something wrong?¡± One voice called for Aran when he heard her voice piercing through the door. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± the voice asked. Enoch did not stop moving his hand and pleasured Aran as freely as he could. Arian¡¯s waist arched up. Coincidentally, Enoch¡¯s tongue slipped inside her inner flesh, causing Aran to let out a muffled sound. The voice noticed something was strange when there was no answer from the other side. ¡°Your Majesty, may I come in?¡± Aran tried to resist desperately from Enoch¡¯s touch without making a sound, but the body that was immersed in pleasure was not strong enough. She looked at Enoch with a pleading look but he wore a mere look of amusement. ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll be opening the door.¡± At the voice¡¯s words, Aran stiffened and she could hear the doorknob spin. ¡°You don¡¯t need to come in. The cups spilled,¡± Enoch said before the door opened fully. His voice was incredibly dry. ¡°I¡¯ll have the maids clean it up.¡± The voice heard Enoch¡¯s rough voice and he immediately stopped. Meanwhile, Enoch¡¯s hands did not stop his playful banter. Aran¡¯s lips were wide open. She moaned silently. On the other side, the voice still held onto the door. Aran closed her eyes hopelessly. She¡¯d no longer be able to endure the moan this time. As she felt the burst of groan leaking from her small voice, a large hand covered her mouth. ¡°You can leave now,¡± Enoch said. ¡°Yes, Grand Duke,¡± the voice said meekly. Enoch watched the doorknob twist. He could hear the footsteps moving further away. He turned his head back to Aran. ¡°Haaaah!!¡± At the same time, the struggling Aran let out a pent out groan while a terrible climax that she had long endured followed. Even after experiencing her nigh peak, Aran was unable to recompose herself properly and she trembled intermittently. ¡°If I knew you¡¯d like it this much, we¡¯d have done this more often,¡± Enoch whispered as he left a kiss mark inside her trembling thighs. Chapter 19 - Between Lovers (1) Chapter 19: Between Lovers (1) Enoch casually pulled out his handkerchief and wiped Aran¡¯s moist lips clean. Aran shook and twisted her head, perhaps unable to bear the stimulus. Enoch snorted while wiping her. His sleeves grew damp from her wetness. He could feel an air of sorrow scattered all over the room. He thought of poking her a bit more, but he noticed her shoulders fluttering. A small, quiet sob followed. Was she happy? Was this the reason for her tears? Enoch wondered, finding her figure cute and endearing. Aran stood up, but she had trouble doing so. Regardless, she shook it off fiercely. She stumbled and came down from the desk. As her feet touched the ground, she staggered. Had Enoch not quickly help her, she¡¯d have injured herself. ¡°Let me go¡­¡± Aran twisted herself out of his embrace. Enoch let her go without a hitch. Aran stood upright and looked at him. Her strained body trembled visibly. A mixture of sorrow and anger rolled over her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Her voice was coarse and broken. Aran let out a deep breath. ¡°¡­ Do you find this amusing?¡± Aran drew out her courage and spit out the words she longed to say. The man¡¯s presence choked her like a mountain weighing her back. The act they had done early was nothing as their rendezvous had all been done in secret, but today, Enoch brutally trampled down the smallest bit of pride she had left. ¡°Tell me, do you find seeing me in misery amusing?¡± Aran let out an angered and seething voice. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more important to me than you,¡± Enoch¡¯s calm voice further fueled Aran¡¯s anger. ¡°Why not put me in the dungeon for the rest of my life? Why do you continue to trample me down like this? Why not mock me more¡­?!¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Enoch asked. It seemed he did not understand. ¡°Your Majesty, I am a servant ready at your command. You need not feel shame or pride. What you need and what, ask away.¡± ¡°Lies¡­ even at this moment, you¡¯re deceiving me¡­ you¡¯ve never once followed my will!¡± His arrogant lips drew to a haughty smile. ¡°What I gave you, that¡¯s what you truly wanted.¡± Aran felt her eyes turn white. The next moment, a sharp frictional sound cut the air. Aran surprised herself. She swallowed a breath and stepped back. There were clear handprints belonging to her printed on his beautiful face. Enoch reached out his hand towards her, his countenance expressionless. The fearful Aran tried to escape in a hurry, but he was faster. She stiffened reflexively and curled her shoulders as tears welled up in her eyes. Contrary to her expectations, Enoch swept over her disheveled hair. Enoch laughed as their eyes met. Aran came to the sudden realization that her defiance further egged him on and further amused him. Her defiance was but a mere cat scratching its owner. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of me, Your Majesty. I won¡¯t do anything to harm you.¡± Aran looked at her handprint on his cheek. ¡°This isn¡¯t what you do to the empress you serve¡­¡± Aran answered powerlessly. Her anger did not subside, she had lost all her fighting spirit in a moment of fear. Enoch pressed his luscious lips on her cheek. ¡°But you chose to be my pawn in the first place, Your Majesty.¡± Aran shook her head at his whispers. He was right. It was she who chose a miserable life at his shallow mercy. If she was unable to withstand this life any further, she could merely run away and meet the hands of death. Countless of her forefathers were willing to die in the name of fame and pride. Unfortunately, she did not inherit those traits from them. ¡°I¡¯ll always be here for you, Your Majesty.¡± The palm of Enoch¡¯s neck slowly stroked Aran¡¯s neck. Aran realized that he was warning her. His lips came down hers and bit her tightly closed lips. Aran could not refuse his kiss. The tongue which licked her lips several times gently penetrated into her mouth. Aran opened her mouth as Enoch wished. The hot tongue scoured her teeth and the roof of her mouth. Much to her dismay, Enoch knew her weak points. ¡°Unngh¡­¡± As he sucked her tongue slightly and bit her lips softly, Aran let out a small nasal sound. Enoch chuckled lowly. The vibrations from her throat were transmitted through her lips and to Enoch. Fearing that she¡¯d fall, Aran hugged his neck and Enoch lifted her body firmly. It looked like a sweet kiss between lovers, but Aran and Enoch knew that it was a cruel violence full of deception. Aran trembled with fear throughout the kiss while Enoch licked her teardrops in the most cordial way. Chapter 20 - Between Lovers (2) Chapter 20: Between Lovers (2) Enoch left the emperor¡¯s office. Those who saw him hurriedly bowed their heads and struggled with all their might pretending they had not seen his swollen cheeks glowing bright red. They heard the Empress¡¯ anger directed towards the Grand Duke and they heard the clear and crisp slap too. ¡°Are you alright, Your Majesty?¡± asked the aristocratic noble with a blushed look. ¡°¡­..¡± Aran said nothing. ¡°Her Majesty is in a terrible mood. Pay extra attention.¡± Though the nearby onlookers were curious about Enoch¡¯s behavior who they knew to be cold-hearted and vicious remained calm and gentle to the Aran, they said nothing. They knew his keen senses and wits were the foundation that kept the Imperial Palace and the empire together. They could only guess that the Grand Duke said words that made the Empress feel helpless. Enoch walked down the hall and touched his red and swollen cheek. Today¡¯s incident would bring Aran into the limelight and he had no plans to clear up any misunderstanding. The more isolated she was from the outside world, the more fun it would become. Before long, he encountered Duke Silas. The duke looked at his face and reacted wonderfully. He, too, heard the rumors of the Grand Duke angering the Empress, but he was not aware that she had slapped him. ¡°Oh! Good Lord! I can¡¯t believe this happened¡­ Her Majesty is too much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a given. I offended her. She had given me mercy with only a slap in the cheek. This is nothing,¡± Enoch answered faithfully with a stunning smile. ¡°I wonder what you did that she would raise her hands at you, Grand Duke,¡± Duke Silas said curiously. ¡°You¡¯d not be able to imagine.¡± Duke Silas tilted his head at his words, but Enoch had no intention to explain any further. ¡°You seem to have more in your hands than I expected. You look tired, Grand Duke. I regret applying for an interview right away. Who knows what would become of me. Will I get a slap too?¡± Duke Silas spoke jokingly. ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± Enoch replied with a calm smile. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m the only one in the world who can make Her Majesty upset.¡± Enoch¡¯s voice was full of conviction as his red eyes flashed for a moment. Duke Silas frowned faintly. The world venerated the Grand Duke as a saint, but somehow Duke Silas felt a strange air whenever he was near the Grand Duke. No matter how gentle he seemed, Duke Silas felt an aura of danger and a conscious warning not to get too close. ¡°But what brings you here?¡± Enoch asked. ¡°Oh! I have something to speak to you about the consensus decided at the last meeting.¡± Enoch looked back at the Empress¡¯ office. He was lost in thought for a moment before parting his lips, ¡°Her Majesty is upset right now, so if you don¡¯t mind, let me hear what you have to say first.¡± Then he reached out his hand to the document Duke Silas was holding. Duke Silas lowered his gaze and looked at Enoch¡¯s wet sleeves. ¡°It¡¯s from spilt tea,¡± Enoch answered calmly seeing his gaze. ¡°Ah! So Her Majesty slapped you in the cheek and dared to spill a cup of tea.¡± At the duke¡¯s joke, Enough gave an impervious and meaningless smile. ¡°What is it that you need to speak to Her Majesty about?¡± Enoch asked. ¡°Well¡­¡± Duke Silas trailed off without much thought. He felt an impending sense of doom and incompatibility with Enoch. It was a great sin to have the documents be read by anyone else before the ruling empress could take a look, yet Enoch had no qualms with it. It was the first time the duke saw Enoch exceed his authority despite serving as a de facto. Even so, he felt a slight sense of fear from Enoch, but when he saw the marks on his cheek, he suddenly shut his mouth. He remembered that small, pale face desperately holding on to her opinions despite the wolfish aristocrats hounding at her earlier. It fascinated him. Duke Silas had seen the Empress once as a child. She was stubborn and kind and never one to easily anger despite her rough personality. What was it that caused her to become angry? ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good to share right now. Maybe later.¡± Enoch¡¯s red eyes flashed and stared squarely at Duke Silas. Chapter 21 - Duke Silas (1) Chapter 21: Duke Silas (1) As soon as Duke Silas entered the room, he felt strange heat floating in the air. It was subtle. No ordinary man would be able to miss it, but it did not miss Duke Silas¡¯ notice. Was it an illusion? Meanwhile, Aran kept her eyes down. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty,¡± Duke Silas said. ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the matter?¡± the empress asked away. The empress looked several times more precarious than when he saw her at the meeting a few days ago. He doubted whether she¡¯d been slapped in the face for a moment, but upon a closer look, her white face was smooth and without a small blemish. ¡°First of all, I apologize for the sudden request to meet you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m very tired today, so let¡¯s hurry and get down to business.¡± The empress waved her hand weakly. She had picked the wrong day. It was unpleasant to see a new face and to suddenly drown in piles of work. Yes. What a terribly, horrid day. ¡°It¡¯s about the tax agenda you spoke of at the last meeting,¡± Duke Silar said. ¡°Hasn¡¯t that agenda already been decided?¡± Aran cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Yes¡­ but there¡¯s strong backlash amongst the older members. Several of them have expressed their intention of not attending the next meeting. We¡¯ll need to discuss the matter of reconsideration, Your Majesty.¡± The empress gave a slight sigh, her long and thick eyelashes blinking. The duke realized that her eyelashes were wet and moist. And when he looked closely, her eyes were red and there were marks on her lips. Was she crying? ¡°I see. So they¡¯ve probably chosen you as their mediator.¡± ¡°¡­Y-yes.¡± The duke laid down the documents he brought. ¡°This is the renegotiation they asked for.¡± The empress looked over it with tired eyes. She, who had always maintained a perfect persona even if it was all a mere lie, did not care to hide her tiredness today. The duke, staring at her figure, hurriedly bowed as his eyes met with hers. ¡°What do you think?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you unhappy with the decision? It¡¯s not sincere.¡± Perhaps because of what he had seen, the duke looked at her lips closely. He felt his heart-stirring. He had almost forgotten what he came here for. His gaze turned away from her, a sense of dizziness flooding his mind. Then, he saw a cold cup of tea. It had been spilled earlier¡­ The duke blinked. ¡°What do you think, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to blame you. Tax evasion is a custom that is prevalent and age-old amongst the aristocratic nobility, Your Majesty.¡± The duke could not concentrate. His thoughts were on other things. He wondered why the crumpled documents laid on the empress¡¯ desk, and the liquid soaked sleeves of the Grand Duke¡­ The empress read the proposal while leaning on the chair in a drowsy manner disturbed Duke Silas¡¯ concentration. He looked at her beautiful face before looking down at her white wrist for a moment. The hem of her sleeve was dripping wet. ¡°You must know that it¡¯s felony to look at the face of the empress without permission,¡± the empress said without taking her eyes off the document. ¡°I apologize.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear your apology. Leave, now,¡± her voice was sharper than usual. Duke Silas bowed his head deeper. After leaving the empress, office, the duke¡¯s wild thoughts continued. He couldn¡¯t remember their conversation. Only the afterimage of her light-green eyes, white wrists, and the crumpled documents remained in his mind. He had never thought of the empress as a woman. She tried to play the part of an emperor, not a woman, in front of the nobility, but today, she showed him something that shook his wild heart. It was obvious the Grand Duke did not want him inside her office. Perhaps he, too, found the empress a little too strange today and did not want others to see her woman-like appearance. The two were once engaged. It was a well-known fact that she, a princess at the time, chased after the Grand Duke¡¯s love persistently. Maybe¡­ The duke shook his head with a bitter laugh at his sudden thought of nonsense. What crazy thing was he imagining now? Whatever their relationship was in the past, the moment the Grand Duke killed off her bloodline and family members, the two then had an irrevocable relationship that could never be amended. No matter how loyal the Grand Duke may be, one could clearly see the great hatred in the empress¡¯ eyes. The duke looked back at the palace before mounting his horse. He had a hunch that he would never forget the face of the empress he saw today, and perhaps¡­ for a very long time. Chapter 22 - Duke Silas (2) Chapter 22: Duke Silas (2) After the duke left, Aran was left in a troubled state of mind. Enoch said that he¡¯d support her will and not many people openly opposed it, but some of the higher-ranking aristocracies were keen on making trouble. Aran sighed and looked over the documents Duke Silas left her. Cleared Changeback, Duke Heston, Marquis Bjorn¡­ The names on the document were the all-powerful aristocracy. Aran rubbed her temples and singled out those who were likely to be persuaded and those who she¡¯d have trouble convincing. Clared Changeback was a man whom she could persuade and sway to her side. She had known him since childhood and the late emperor helped his father oftentimes. It was worth making the effort to change his mind. Duke Heston seeks a marriage partner for his successor. There¡¯s potential to conciliate with him on the condition that she introduces him to a suitable and stable house. And¡­ Aran¡¯s face darkened when she saw Marquis Bjorn¡¯s name one the list. He was tough, vicious, and a difficult person to work with. He had no antipathy towards her. Duke Silas agreed to persuade him, but even he was skeptical of the outcome. He wasn¡¯t sure how effective the plan would be. If she was unable to change Marquis Bjorn¡¯s mind, her plans would all but go down in smokes. The only reason the aristocracy accepted her will was due to the power of the Grand Duke she borrowed. They¡¯ll readily accept Enoch¡¯s will but it didn¡¯t mean that they¡¯d not snap back. Aran looked down at her palm and bit her lip like a bad habit. She could still feel the sting in her hand. Was he angry? Would he reverse his decision? Aran knew this well¡­ without him, she was nothing but a weak empress. She was in a precarious situation. She despised him, loathed him to the core, yet she had no choice but to rely on him. With a heavy heart, Aran wrote letters to Clared Changeback and Duke Heston. It was too much for an empress to send a personal letter with hopes to change the minds of noblemen, but¡­ she was helpless and she didn¡¯t know what else to do. Finishing the last two letters, she put it to the side and pulled out another paper. The previous two letters had been difficult, but this one, this one stumped her. In the end, she couldn¡¯t write a letter to Marquis Bjorn. She knew she couldn¡¯t avoid conflicts with him forever. Still, her mind told her to avoid him so. She hoped that Duke Silas would be able to persuade him. *** The first person to reply to the empress¡¯ letter was Clared Changeback. He expressed his intention to visit her and exchange opinions as soon as he found the time. Aran¡¯s downtrodden face brightened after a long time hearing a positive answer she did not expect. They were estranged now, but they were once friends. It would be easier to deal with Marquis Bjorn if she could change Clared Changeback¡¯s mind. Maybe she¡¯d be able to solve the problems without borrowing Enoch¡¯s powers. Aran¡¯s face, reminded of that man, sank again. She hadn¡¯t seen him since that day. She was pleased that he hadn¡¯t shown himself before her at first, but as the days passed and grew longer, he hadn¡¯t visited her once and she began to feel uneasy. Things had changed the first time she met him. At first, it was she who took the initiative, always anxious to see him, to see his face. A large hole filled her heart whenever his presence was not around. Especially when he was a servant. He was always on edge, always afraid, always angry. His life turned upside down. The thought of it broke Aran and she could do nothing but throw away her pride and hug him tight. But things have changed since the Bloody Wedding. Perhaps Enoch hoped to see her plead and clinging crazily to him like she used to. She suddenly felt a sense of loss thinking of it. Aran never thought of a life without him. She had loved him affectionately when they were young and now, when she loathed him, she couldn¡¯t do anything without him. She gave a mixed, complicated sigh. Marquis Bjorn was nothing compared to Enoch. Regardless, it was better to deal with the marquis herself than to ask for Enoch¡¯s help. Aran finished her day a bit late due to her prolonged worries, returning to her bedroom quarters thereafter with heavy steps. She placed the letter from Clared Changeback on the table and took off her heavy dress. Dressed in thin layers, she refused to allow her maidservant to follow her and headed to the bathroom alone. Only after she was alone did she take off her panties. Since the Bloody Wedding, she had never undressed in front of anyone other Enoch. No matter how skilled the maid was in cleaning, Aran was embarrassed to show her dirty body in front of others due to her s*xual intercourse with Enoch. The habit still lingered even when the purple marks were no longer visible. Aran threw her body in a bath of hot water without hesitation. Unlike her troubled mind, her body quickly warmed up. Soon, sleep washed over her and darkness came. Chapter 23 - Water (1) Chapter 23: Water (1) How long had the time past? Aran opened her eyes wide. The warm water cooled off during the amount of time she slept. But the cold was strangely unfeeling. Later on, she realized that a hot body temperature was tightly wrapped around her body from behind. A big band gently covered her mouth, which was about to scream in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± It was a voice she grew far too familiar with. Aran looked back slowly. Enoch smiled as their eyes met. Aran couldn¡¯t keep up. She expected that he¡¯d visit her sooner or later, but not like this, not so suddenly¡­ and in a bathroom no less. She had never dreamed that they would commit to salacious acts in the bathroom. ¡°When did you get here¡­?¡± Aran asked, hiding her surprise. ¡°Not too long ago. You were asleep and I didn¡¯t want to wake you up.¡± ¡°Did you¡­?¡± Aran replies slowly, pretending to act natural as she tried to free herself from the man holding her tightly around the waist. When she managed to pull his arms away, Enoch pulled her back in and roamed his hand around her belly, waist, and thighs. ¡°You¡¯ve gained weight in the last few days.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve been comfortable while I was away.¡± The hands of Enoch wandering around her waist moved upwards and grabbed her pillowy marshmallows which gently fluttered in the water. ¡°This here seems to have grown bigger, too.¡± A voice mingled with laughter could be heard right next to her ear. He nibbed in her ear. Aran, who wasn¡¯t ready yet, was frightened, her body stiffening. ¡°You won¡¯t ask what I¡¯ve been doing?¡± said Enoch, tone full of sadness. ¡°¡­How have you been?¡± Aran asked reluctantly. The large hands touching her legs and other parts of her troubled Aran, but she decided to endure it. In broad daylight, this was tolerable if not for what had occurred in her office. ¡°I went to visit a certain marquis.¡± ¡°Is it Marquis Bjorn?¡± Aran asked back in surprise at the unexpected information. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why¡­ what¡­!¡± Enoch¡¯s elegant but calloused fingers grazed over her nipple. The stubborn nipple hardened and stood up. ¡°You didn¡¯t disapprove of him, so I went and gave him some advice.¡± It was true that she was having a difficult time with Marquis Bjorn, but she never expressed her thoughts out loud. How did he learn of this? ¡°Every time you look at him, you frown a little,¡± Enoch replied as if he had read Aran¡¯s thoughts. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ too much¡­ for¡­ a¡­ simple marquis¡­nngh¡­!¡± Suddenly, his hand dug between her thigh and he inserted a finger inside her fleshy garden without warning. At the sudden act, Aran swallowed her breath and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ ha¡­ tell me¡­ you¡¯re¡­ here to¡­¡± The tearful Aran looked back. Her heart sank when she saw the eyes of the Grand Duke burning with desire. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, slap me in the face. I¡¯m willing to accept that much.¡± One more finger clung to her coiled flesh, immediately tightening. Instead of saliva, the water helped facilitate the sudden invasion. His hot finger stabbed her deepest parts with obvious intentions. Aran trembled with fright. She was prepared to have a relationship with him since the Bloody Wedding, but she never dreamed that they¡¯d do it in the bathroom. A finger hastily pressed down her sexual zone. ¡°Huguuuh¡­¡± As she groaned, Enoch squeezed her pillowy mounds and sucked her nape and slender shoulders hard. It was an unusual hasty move from Enoch who¡¯d usually take the time to persistently harass her until she heated up to the point of no return. Before Aran was ready, he slid his fingers out and lifted her body so her fleshy entrance sat on top of Enoch¡¯s manhood. ¡°No¡­ wait¡­ hold on¡­ ahh¡­!¡± As she struggled, Enoch¡¯s hand grabbed her knees and spread her legs wider. A hot, thick rod rushed inside her flower, the water swirling around. Aran was unable to make a sound under the pressure of the water and opened her lips wide. It was more difficult to take Enoch¡¯s manhood in since it had been a while. ¡°Ah¡­ it¡­ hurts¡­!¡± Aran complained of pain, but Enoch continued. Finally, his manhood poked her deepest parts. ¡°Ha¡­ alright.¡± a sigh of contentment rang out in Aran¡¯s ear. Then, Enoch immediately began to lift her waist. The water splashed, in line with his movement. ¡°No¡­ not yet¡­ don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Just hold on a little, Your Majesty.¡± She couldn¡¯t feel any calm composure in his voice. ¡°No¡­¡± Aran¡¯s body was turned around so she was facing him. It wasn¡¯t easy to resist his intentions for Enoch had easily handled her. He lifted Aran from the waist up and lowered her down, her coiled flesh devouring his shaft. It wasn¡¯t fast because they were in the water, but when her flower ate his manhood, a surprised pleasurable moan came out and her insides immediately tightened. Enoch uttered an incomprehensible curse and quickly thrust his waist forward. ¡°Uguuuh!¡± Chapter 24 - Water (2) Chapter 24: Water (2) A nagging groan rang in the bathroom. Enoch¡¯s hot manhood and the cold water kept Aran awake. Then, at some point, her body began to heat up, too. ¡°Ah¡­ ha¡­ ah¡­ ah¡­!¡± When Aran began to exhale a nasal moan, Enoch stopped thrusting and looked at her face. Aran looked at him with hazy eyes gasping for breath. As Enoch moved his waist around lightly, she groaned and flinched. It was evident that the inner walls squeezing his manhood tight were hotter than before. The liquid swirling around inside was also becoming sticky. Her wait hair curled back; her long neckline and watery collarbone were more visible and exposed. Enoch kissed it as if he possessed ownership of it. As he explored her again, Aran¡¯s heart shook accordingly. ¡°Ahhh¡­!¡± Aran reached out desperately and clung to Enoch¡¯s neck. It was something she¡¯d never find herself doing, but she couldn¡¯t help it because there was only water all around her and she had nothing to hold onto. Her legs, which also didn¡¯t know where to go, were wrapped around his waist. Enoch soon realized that she was reaching her peak. ¡°Ha¡­ haa¡­ ¡° Aran groaned, biting Enoch¡¯s shoulder. At the same time, Enoch pounded and ravished her. Aran swallowed her breath and tried to lift herself up by giving strength to her limbs hanging about languidly, but Enoch embraced her harder, causing her to lean in his arms. Without the strength to fight back, Aran gently laid her head on the nape of his neck. Her soft marshmallows were crushed under the firm, hot chest of a man. Her arm, which wrapped around his neck, lost its strength and scratched Enoch¡¯s muscular back. Enoch¡¯s naked body was full of scars. Traces of it were from the time spent around the battlefield. Enoch¡¯s body flinched for a moment as her fingers touched the scar on his back. The half-dazed Aran didn¡¯t notice it, but she could feel him becoming hot. It was very rare to be tangled up with each other like this. Enoch would usually never take off his clothes, and Aran didn¡¯t intend to either. After all, what he wanted from her was neither communion nor warmth, Aran thought with a hazy mind. In the meantime, Enoch continued to play with her body. When she trembled she could feel his manhood stretching, causing her grip around his neck to tighten. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Not having the strength to answer, Aran nodded lightly. Her body had cooled down and she felt a chill. She couldn¡¯t help but get close to his warmth to escape the cold. Enoch held her waist firmly and thrust again. ¡°Ah¡­¡± In succession, when her body was lifted into the air, a startled Aran hung from his neck. She could hear a short chuckle. And before she knew it, a lump of completely erect meat pierced her. ¡°Ungh!¡± Aran clung to him and groaned. When Enoch opened the door and walked across the bathroom, Aran suddenly came to her senses late. She shook her head and asked, ¡°The lady-in-waiting¡­?¡± Usually, whenever Enoch arrived, her servants would walk away, but today she felt uneasy. She couldn¡¯t confirm whether there was no one outside. Anxiety immediately flashed through her eyes. She didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have done this with her servants on standby. She couldn¡¯t predict his unpredictable nature at times. ¡°Are you worried that eyes are watching?¡± Enoch looked at her with a look of amusement. ¡°I guess you shouldn¡¯t go out then. Her Majesty doesn¡¯t like to show her naked body to others.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ that means there¡¯s someone out¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, Enoch stood up and walked towards the door, her back pressed against the wood. Without realizing what was happening, Aran unconsciously wrapped her legs around his waist and tightened the grip of her arm around his neck. As Enoch hammered her fleshy coils, his manhood going in and out were clearly revealed. Only then did Aran realize his intention with an astonished face. ¡°St¡­ st¡­¡± Enoch moved around roughly before she could speak out. His manhood poked her womb each time he thrust forward. Aran swallowed her moaning scream. Every time he thrust forward, her body bumped against the door and thumped. The uneasy posture in the air made Aran anxious. Her cold body began to heat up after several pounding from Enoch¡¯s thick rod. The rattling of the door and the clatter of flesh mixing together sounded dizzying. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Every time his shaft stabbed her deeply, a spontaneous sound came out of her lips. If her servants were outside, they¡¯d surely wonder what she was doing. Her back and plumpy bottoms tingled, but she couldn¡¯t care less about it. ¡°Ah¡­ stop¡­ stop¡­ ugguh¡­!¡± Aran cried and begged, but Enoch didn¡¯t listen. Rather, he began to move violently listening to her cries. He stabbed her harder, pounded her roughly, hammered her insides as if to incite tears from her. Aran could not recover her senses from pain, pleasure, and fear. Whatever reason that ran through her head had all been melted away and she let out tears. Enoch kissed Aran several times around her furrowed brows. Then, he licked and swallowed her tears greedily. Chapter 25 - You鈥檙e Mine, Your Majesty (1) Chapter 25: You¡¯re Mine, Your Majesty (1) Hugging her completely exhausted body, Enoch looked at her with eyes full of greed. He shuddered, releasing his white fluids inside her. The white fluids mingled with saliva and soaked Aran¡¯s bottoms. Enoch opened the door thereafter. Frightened, Aran searched the bedroom in a hurry. There was no one. Only then did she realize that he was playing with her. At the same time, as the tension eased, a sense of shame surged in. Enoch slowly pulled himself out, looking at her face stained with anger and shame. ¡°Are you going to slap me again?¡± Aran didn¡¯t answer. Her clumsy anger would only entertain him further. Enoch walked all the way to her bed, keeping her hold and making sure she not slip from his grip. A fluffy sheet touched her back. The sheets got wet but there was no one who cared. Enoch climbed onto her. She tried to get up, but he pressed her shoulders down to keep her from moving. ¡°Stop¡­¡± Aran shook her head. He stroked her pale face with his big hand. The touch at first glance was friendly. ¡°You must reward the servant for his service.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give you what you want¡­ so hurry up and leave¡­¡± ¡°I want you,¡± Enoch smiled, slowly spreading her legs. Aran¡¯s eyes widened and she tried to close her legs back, but it was futile. Enoch¡¯s strength was greater than hers. ¡°Stop¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, all you can offer to me is this body. You¡¯re mine, Your Majesty.¡± Before Aran could reply, a large swelling meat entered her roots. The sensitive inner walls spat out moist wetness and coiled around his shaft in full. ¡°Ah!¡± Aran unknowingly dug her nails on Enoch¡¯s back. Enoch didn¡¯t care even though her sharp nails hurt. His manhood repeatedly devoured her and all Aran could do was writhe under his arms. *** Aran had washed herself earlier and already she¡¯d been ruined by Enoch¡¯s white fluids. He embraced her with all his might and enjoyed himself to the fullest. Her sticky body felt unpleasant. Aran turned her head towards the table, ignoring the persistent stroking of his manhood. ¡°?¡± There was nothing on the table. She blinked her eyes. She was sure that she put Clared¡¯s letter there. ¡°Are you looking for Clared¡¯s letter?¡± Enoch asked, pressing down on the nipple which rose with excitement. Aran bit her lip and nodded. ¡°I threw it into the fireplace.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± asked Aran in a restless voice. Instead of answering, Enoch took his hand off her and rose from the bead. ¡°He said he¡¯d visit the Imperial Palace sooner or later.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to meet,¡± Enoch replied. The sound of water pouring into the empty glass echoed and Aran felt a great thirst when she heard the noise. Enoch returned to bed with a glass of water, but she didn¡¯t have the slightest strength to lift her hand. Enoch was aware of it and didn¡¯t bother to hand over the glass. Instead, he supported Aran¡¯s back, raised her upper body, and pressed the tip of the glass on her lips. The water, apparently preheated, was moderately cooled, neither too cold nor too hot. Aran carefully stuck out her lips and drank the water, but she couldn¡¯t swallow properly and most of the water spilled. ¡°You¡¯re cute,¡± Enoch said. Enoch smiled, drank a glass of water, and kissed Aran¡¯s mouth. The water from Enoch¡¯s mouth came through her lips. Aran gently swallowed the water he handed her. After repeating the action several times, her thirst had been quenched. Aran looked up at Enoch with wet eyes as she demanded an explanation. Enoch looked at her cold face and light-green eyes. Her eyes glowed as if the disgrace from before was nothing. Her ever-consistent stubbornness was something he loved but sometimes it got annoying, like now. ¡°He¡¯s an influential nobleman. If I don¡¯t persuade him, people against my will become aggressive,¡± Aran said. ¡°And how will you persuade him?¡± You¡¯re helpless. It was as if Enoch looked at her with those silent words in mind. Aran bit her lips. ¡°¡­But I can¡¯t let go of the chance. Clared¡¯s a sweet guy, so if I tell him, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll help me out.¡± Aran¡¯s voice grew smaller and smaller. She knew how stupid her words sounded. Clared Changeback was a great lord defending the southern border before he was her childhood friend. But Enoch was right. She had nothing to offer him. ¡°If you knew how he looked at you, you¡¯d have no desire to meet him.¡± Enoch smiled and caressed Aran¡¯s cheek with his long fingers. Aran didn¡¯t understand a word he said and blinked blankly. Chapter 26 - You鈥檙e Mine, Your Majesty (2) Chapter 26: You¡¯re Mine, Your Majesty (2) Enoch¡¯s eyes narrowed, Aran unaware. The foolish empress still believes that Clared Changeback was a friend, but that shallow friendship had long gone sour. Clared Changeback, remembered by Enoch, was an absent-minded man who always looked at Aran¡¯s neck and ankle with passionate perverted eyes. When Enoch was still Aran¡¯s servant, it was hard to count the many times Clared bullied him. The passing time would not have waned that perverted man¡¯s shady desire. The thought of Aran, who had no sense of humor, sitting in front of him and talking of the perverted man made him upset. Why? He didn¡¯t know why¡­ he simply didn¡¯t like the idea of her seeing him. ¡°If you want to change the mind of Clared Changeback, it would be faster for you to ask me than to meet him in person and convince him.¡± Enoch, hiding his innermost thoughts, raised Aran¡¯s helpless hand and kissed it. ¡°I don¡¯t care how you treat me in front of others. If you act cute and pretty like this on the bed, I¡¯m always willing to play as the empress¡¯ voice. Isn¡¯t that easy?¡± Aran¡¯s face trembled with contempt. As she blinked slowly, tears flowed down silently. Somehow, the look on her face made Enoch¡¯s heart bleed. ¡­Why was she crying? Enoch drew her in his embrace without hesitation. The weak woman clung to his arms without resistance. She was calm even when he was touching her pillowy mounds and groping her wet crevice. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was his condescending words or that she didn¡¯t have the strength to resist, but it didn¡¯t matter. She allowed her to vent his pent-up desire inside her. * * * Aran sat still with a stiff face, lowering her gaze. Sometimes, she was required to attend a banquet because she was empress. She sighed a small sigh that no one could hear. Today¡¯s banquets was to mark the first anniversary of her succession as empress. The banquet was smaller than all previous banquets. Aran had a difficult time leaving the banquet in the middle for she was the main character of the show. Though it wasn¡¯t so large, there were a few aristocrats attending. They made false congratulatory remarks to the empress while their eyes searched for the presence of the Grand Duke who they were sure was hiding somewhere in the banquet hall. Aran moistened her lips with wine in celebration. She couldn¡¯t drink well, but she thought she¡¯d be able to endure this time, but eventually, her head became dizzy. She put down the glass of wine that was not even half empty. When she was young and immature, she yearned to attend a banquet several times, now she despised it and loathed the backbreaking work. Back then, when she had no worries in the world, she¡¯d excitedly change into many dresses throughout the banquet and danced joyfully. It felt like a dream. What she was wearing now was a worn-out dress with a dull green color and high collar covering her neck. Her hands were covered with gloves. The weather now was in late spring, and it felt a little too hot to wear such clothes, but she had no choice. Enoch left marks all over her body. Aran pulled the black mesh gloves up to cover her slightly exposed wrist. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Aran raised her head to the voice of a poet. Only then did she realize that the eyes of the aristocrats watched her keenly. ¡°The first dance should be performed by Her Majesty,¡± someone shouted. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. They can dance without me.¡± ¡°But only after Her Majesty dances can the others dance.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Aran looked at the aristocrats with a flushed face. She had no choice but to dance with one of them because there was no Enoch around. And besides, she didn¡¯t know who to dance with. The young noblemen were aware of these and looked at each other. The empress¡¯ current position was ambiguous. Her popularity among the aristocrats due to the tax audit was at rock bottom. However, there were many people who greedily sought after her as the position of emperor was vacant. ¡°Would you dance with me, if you don¡¯t mind, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Aran asked with a perplexed face. ¡°It¡¯s a joke,¡± the poet said. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Aran breathed deeply. No matter who became her partner, it would be uncomfortable. She intended to grab the person closest to her and quickly dance to put an end to this embarrassing situation. And just in time, she saw Duke Silas not far away. In conclusion, she would¡¯ve ended up dancing with Enoch, the Grand Duke who handled those who opposed her, but Duke Silas, he was simply trying to help her out of goodwill. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to thank him on this occasion. As soon as Aran took a step forward, someone grabbed her hand. ¡°Where are you going, Your Majesty?¡± Enoch looked at her with a curious face. ¡°If you haven¡¯t decided on a partner, why don¡¯t you dance with me?¡± Enoch knelt, kissing her hand. His hot lips touched the back of her hand, his fingers brushing the inside of her wrist. Aran bent her fingers unknowingly. Those red eyes she was unable to read stared at her. The young noblemen after the unmarried empress lost their motivation as soon as the Grand Duke appeared. No one would be willing to dance with her now that Enoch stepped out. Aran, who knew him, nodded reluctantly. It wasn¡¯t a seemingly strange combination. Aran was the empress of the empire and Enoch was the noblest man in the empire. Besides, he was always at the empress¡¯ side. Chapter 27 - A Proper Partner (1) Chapter 27: A Proper Partner (1) Enoch naturally led Aran to the center of the hall. The musicians played an elegant song and soon, the dance began accordingly. ¡°This reminds me of your debut ball. I danced with you for the first time that day,¡± Enoch laughed, recalling those happy memories. Aran¡¯s face paled. She, too, clearly remembered that day. Her fourteen-year-old self wore a white dress she long prepared months ago. She was happy and eager to hold her fiancee¡¯s hand tightly. Until then, she didn¡¯t have the slightest idea what would happen to her and Enoch in the future. When the young lover finished dancing, the knights suddenly rushed into the banquet hall. The knight, who looked to be the highest-ranked, ordered his men to bring down Enoch and his family down with a cold face Aran had never seen before. The House of Roark was a noted house of warriors, but it was not enough for the Grand Duke to deal with the fully armed knights without weapons. The once-elegant Grand Duke rolled onto the floor in a disarray. Their son, Enoch, was also overpowered by the knights. ¡°What are you doing? Stop! Stop!¡± Aran tried to stop the knights, but all was futile. ¡°Father!¡± Aran looked at the emperor with hopes that her father would intervene. Staring at his daughter¡¯s face for a moment, the emperor shook his head coolly. ¡°Take the princess to the bedroom.¡± ¡°Wait a minute¡­! Father! No, Enoch¡­!¡± A knight dragged her back as she clung to Enoch. When their eyes met, Enoch said calmly, ¡°Nothing will happen, Your Highness. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Those words were the first lie Enoch had ever told Aran. The Grand Duke and his wife were executed the next morning. News of Enoch¡¯s execution date was set a week later. When the shocked Aran refused to eat, eyes devoid of life, the emperor showed mercy to Enoch and demoted his status to a common servant. Aran, who recalled those old memories, shivered. She was sure that day was a terrible memory for Enoch. Enoch laughed, finding her expression amusing. ¡°Why are you so nervous? Are you afraid I¡¯ll commit a crime here?¡± he whispered in a small voice, lips pressed close to her ear. Aran couldn¡¯t face him and turned her head. She couldn¡¯t remember how the dance ended. In a few minutes, her fatigue grew and Aran went back to her seat with a dazed mind. Meanwhile, a duke followed her and sat on the table next to her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you dance, Your Majesty. You haven¡¯t grown rusty.¡± Aran turned her head towards the man speaking to her. It was Duke Heston. ¡°Of course. It was a pleasure to dance with the Grand Duke,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Thank you,¡± Enoch answered absentmindedly. Duke Heston frowned faintly. His purpose was the empress, not the Grand Duke. Putting his composure together, he said, ¡° It would have been better if your partner is your husband.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Aran expressed a face of embarrassment at his abrupt remark. ¡°You¡¯ve passed eighty seasons, Your Majesty, making you twenty this year. It doesn¡¯t make sense that you¡¯ve no emperor next to your side yet.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of getting married,¡± Aran answered sincerely. She wasn¡¯t in a proper place to properly love someone. Duke Heston clicked his tongue. ¡°That can¡¯t be, Your Majesty. It¡¯s important to have someone by your side to strongly rule over the empire. And who will succeed after you?¡± Succession. Aran¡¯s face hardened. She knew this. However, she doubted whether she¡¯d be able to fulfill her duty well. Years had passed since she last had her menstruation. Originally, her monthly cycle was irregular, but it hadn¡¯t arrived after ascending the throne. The thought of it embarrassed her and she wasn¡¯t willing to relay the information to the duke. ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s position will be enhanced with a proper partner of strong background and a successor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not easy to decide on a national marriage, right? But I¡¯ll sincerely consider your suggestion.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young, but you might miss the door of opportunity after a year or two. You¡¯re not a man, so you don¡¯t have much time left.¡± The longer the duke spoke, the more flushed Aran became. When Duke Heston tried to speak more, Enoch, who was listening, intervened. ¡°Didn¡¯t Her Majesty say she hasn¡¯t considered it yet? She¡¯s still young. It¡¯s not too late to wait and see,¡± said Enoch. Duke Heston furrowed his brows. ¡°Pardon my words, but it¡¯s not strange for Her Majesty to have two children at her age. The issue of succession isn¡¯t something of a problem, it¡¯s the when. If you, the Grand Duke, are a proper candidate, why not propose yourself?¡± Chapter 28 - A Proper Partner (2) Chapter 28: A Proper Partner (2) Duke Heston was feeling somewhat uneasy. He didn¡¯t fear the Grand Duke. He¡¯d even recently visited a spy agency for an audit, but his attempt to monopolize the empress was distorted. ¡®You still think you¡¯re the empress¡¯ fiance,¡¯ the duke thought. He believed Enoch was responsible for eighty percent of the empress¡¯ failure to marry. It was not unreasonable to hear rumors of both the empress and the Grand Duke in their prime and single and that the two still harbored past affection. The Grand Duke¡¯s attitude of being so close towards the empress also stirred up many rumors. But those who watched the two closely knew that it was all nonsense. The empress was cold to the Grand Duke, and it was the Grand Duke who acted plainly to the point of holding affection for the empress alone. Duke Heston could not understand why the Grand Duke stuck to the empress¡¯ side and claimed to be his loyal dog. The empress didn¡¯t even have a decent bone of loyalty to throw at the Grand Duke. One this was for sure, the Grand Duke won¡¯t do good for Duke Heston¡¯s plan. He had the ambition to place his son on the seat of the throne as the emperor. The weak and docile empress was the perfect fit to string around in his grasp. Duke Heston would have a rocky path, but he was confident in his plans. ¡°It isn¡¯t too late now, so why not try to figure out suitable candidates as your partner, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Stop talking about the matter, Duke,¡± Enoch spat out coldly. Duke Heston¡¯s flushed face turned red. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say this, but it seems as if you don¡¯t know your place. Her Majesty is the ruler of me, the ball, and the empire, not some seed that she¡¯ll give birth to. Oh, but if she does, her partner won¡¯t be from the House of Heston.¡± The surrounding air cooled down. At Enoch¡¯s wild and blatant words, Aran forgot what to say. When the two of them were alone, she knew Enoch loathed the aristocrats in official positions and poured out all kinds of vulgar words, but in public, he¡¯d keep his manners in mind. What was he doing now? Duke Heston¡¯s face looked like it was about to burst. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Grand Duke a bit too unbecoming? How dare you criticize me for putting out a suggestion?! How dare you say such vulgar words¡­¡± ¡°I only speak of this because I can see right through you,¡± Enoch continued his words, not bothering to hide his ridicule, ¡°As you said, Her Majesty is a woman, not a man, so why don¡¯t you find someone else for your son to give birth a descendant to without involving Her Majesty?¡± ¡°Wh¡­ what?¡± ¡°Grand Duke¡­¡± Surprised, Aran unwittingly grabbed Enoch¡¯s arm, but he showed no signs of stopping. ¡°Are you suggesting that we put an illegitimate child on the throne? Seeing that you have ignored the legitimacy of the six-hundred-year-old royal family¡¯s history, I doubt you¡¯d have a different mind!¡± Duke Heston protested loudly. ¡°I¡¯m merely speaking the truth. Whether the child is illegitimate or not, whether the father¡¯s of high status or low, whether he¡¯s a mere commoner, it doesn¡¯t matter. Whoever Her Majesty chooses doesn¡¯t matter. What are you planning? And who in the world has more legitimacy than a child born of the empress¡¯ womb?¡± Duke Heston shut his mouth. He thought about how to refute the Grand Duke¡¯s words, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything. If he were to deny the legitimacy of whom the empress gave birth to, it would be tantamount to insulting the imperial family. ¡°Stop it, both of you.¡± Aran eventually could not stand the sight any further and intervened in between the two men. Except for Enoch, she, who had no experience with men, was perplexed and embarrassed by the topic that drove her wild. ¡°I still have much to take care of in terms of the empire¡¯s affair. I¡¯ve only recently ascended the throne. It¡¯s better we talk about the matter of a partner and succession after the political situation has stabilized,¡± said Aran, calmly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Enoch bowed his head. ¡°I, too, was rash. Know that I had no other ulterior motives, Your Majesty,¡± Duke Heston reluctantly apologized. ¡°I understand.¡± Of course, Aran didn¡¯t believe it, but she accepted the duke¡¯s apology to quickly remedy the boiling situation. However, the cold mood hadn¡¯t been easily resolved. The duke secretly clenched his teeth and glared at the Grand Duke. The empress hesitated when speaking about the matters of succession. A little push might have led to a meeting with his son¡­ but the Grand Duke had to interfere. Now the guarantee that the empress would listen to his plea disappeared. Enoch ignored Duke Heston¡¯s blazing glare while Aran, nervous, picked up a glass of wine and took a sip. Enoch frowned, knowing she had low resistance to wine and alcohol. ¡°Such matters only occurred because of their excessive loyalty, so don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s a good day, so enjoy to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Aran forced a bright smile to calm the awkward atmosphere. Enoch looked at her strangely. Meanwhile, some brave souls approached him while Duke Heston, with an astringent face, went away, glaring at the Grand Duke.