Chapter 84 – What of Love (1) | 19
Translator: Lunarise
Editor: Larkspur
“Ahh… augh—”
The carnal pleasure that had started in his office didn’t stop after just one time – this was their third time. Viola couldn’t hide her shame at the embarrassing moans that kept slipping from her mouth. Still, despite his rough breathing, Lustian continued to move inside her. It filled her body with pleasure. She felt shocked at the tingling sensations coursing throughout her body. She was very tired. It must have been a good two hours now since they’d started, and he’d come twice already.
He buried his face between her mounds and kissed them. Grasping them both , he licked and nibbled.
“I want to rest now.”
“I know. Soon—”
Viola couldn’t stand it anymore. Her body was powerless, even small movements seemed to sap her strength. At that moment, she felt his rod swelling inside of her once more.
She took a deep breath and bit his shoulder. He thrust his hips forward in response. A terribly strong orgasm came over him. The place where his manhood was touching was her most sensitive area, she had no choice but to moan as well. As soon as her lips had departed his shoulder, he kissed them. At that moment, his hips stopped moving as something hot flowed into her.
Once it was over, Viola was overcome with exhaustion. She couldn’t keep her eyes open. On a day like today, she definitely needed a nap.
“Well, I have a lot of work to do,” he said.
“I’ll return to the concubine palace and rest.”
“No, sleep in my room. Rosha!”
She had mostly put her dress back on by the time Rosha came in, but she hadn’t been able to button the back. Her back was clearly exposed, and her hair was a mess. Dyed brown, her tresses looked frizzier than ever, but as if her appearance still made him ecstatic, Lustian lovingly stroked Viola’s hair. In the end, he kissed her cheek and draped his coat over her loose dress.
“Take her to my chamber to wash up and rest.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Viola didn’t even have the strength to walk far. She had no desire to rest in his chamber, but led by Rosha’s hand, she was compelled to abide. As if prepared in advance, there was a hot bath ready in the room connected to the crown prince’s chamber. Once the maids greeted Viola, they all quickly left.
“Oh no, your makeup has smudged.”
“It’s suffocating. The dress, and the makeup too—”
“Oh, oh my… What should we do? Your hair dye is coming out too.”
Rosha didn’t know what to do. Viola took the small mirror that the little maid offered and examined her own reflection. The dye was really fading. One could see golden hairs scattered sparsely across her head.
“I should bring the hair dye while you sleep.” Rosha suggested.
“Yes, that would be good.”
“No one should be coming in here, other than the crown prince… shall I remove your makeup? I must do it again anyway.”
No one would come into the crown prince’s room. Viola intended to take a quick nap while Rosha went back to grab her cosmetics. She nodded her head.
A few moments later, Rosha had finished removing the smudged makeup from her face revealing the beautiful face hidden underneath. Viola allowed the tub of hot water to relax her muscles. She then climbed into the bed. She was so tired that as soon as she closed her eyes, she fell asleep. Meanwhile, Rosha left the crown prince’s room.
Afternoon, the sunlight pushed its rays into the room for a moment, then quickly disappeared. Interspersed with the rays of sunlight, there seemed to be a dark figure for a moment, but the shadow faded away, leaving only a dry branch swaying in its place.
♛
A knight who had been following orders from the empress stood before her.
The knight was ordered to watch Viola and the crown prince from a distance. He had seen them leave the Concubines’ Palace, then enter the crown prince’s office together, and he had heard the quiet moans from beyond the door. He later saw Viola entering the crown prince’s room. Because he couldn’t bring himself to look into the bath, he had hidden on the balcony of the crown prince’s room. The moment he saw Viola, as she was sleeping, he had doubted his own eyes.
“Is that true? She has been hiding her face with makeup?” The empress’s face looked grave.
“I’m absolutely certain. I almost couldn’t believe my eyes either. It was a beautiful face. And the color of her hair… I think it was dyed.”
“The color… what was it?”
“Blonde.”
“Blonde hair? Hah… what you’re saying is true, that means she deliberately made up an ugly face in order to avoid the last step in her training? Then, she has some other sneaky plan? And what about the thing I asked you to investigate?”
“Here it is.”
The empress had ordered a background check of Viola. Through it, she was able to learn how she had been nominated as a candidate for Crown Princess.
“Half-royal blood? So that’s how it is… I’m sure His Imperial Majesty would have been aware of this fact as well… So why did he allow it?”
“His Imperial Majesty’s intentions are seldom clear. Since he is the only one that is able to communicate directly with the Gods—” the retainer cautiously spoke.
“I’m sure he’ll also attribute this to the will of the Gods.”
The empress clenched the parchment in her hand. She pondered over why Viola would have wanted to enter the imperial palace. Then she remembered her family member, who had died in the Blood War.