****
She fumbled to get away from him, who was in a hurry to get to Liv, who had touched his upper body because of her loss of gravity.
Carius pulled her waist rather tightly. He leaned over her and recited in a low voice, relieved.
“I can finally breathe. Please stay like this for a while.”
Liv did not answer and closed her eyes.
Only the sound of birds echoed from the window in the peaceful silence of the room. And, little by little, she could hear his sleepy breathing at times.
When shw inadvertently touched Carius’ skin, Liv’s face heated up red with the unfamiliar touch.
As time went by, all the senses of her body in contact with Carius seemed to be revived. Especially if Carius’ thick hands, which grabbed her waist, moved slightly.
Liv felt ticklish and irritated.
‘How long he’ll be doing this…’
In the end, her patience ran out, and she gently opened her eyes.
She could see Carius’s face right in front of her. Liv stole a careful look at that face. The image of Theodore seemed to overlap with the sleeping figure.
‘The Prince will be a wonderful man when he becomes a young man……’
Liv imagined a distant future, and a puff of laughter came out without her even knowing it. The sound woke Carius up. Liv faced Carius’ blue pupils.
Carius raised one eyebrow and asked curiously.
“Why are you laughing?”
Liv was momentarily embarrassed by the piercing look in his eyes and pushed him away hurriedly.
“Let me go, Your Majesty.”
But it was Carius who squeezed her waist tightly. He came close to Liv’s nose.
“Can’t you do this for me?”
Carius carefully looked at every detail on her face, as I’d engraving it in his eyes.
Was it because of the innocence in her red eyes? Carius raised his hand and stroked her right cheek.
His eyes were on her lips. Liv’s eyes began to tremble. She slowly close her eyes, unable to push him out as he got closer…..
Knock. Knock. At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
“Your Majesty, Grand Duke Edgar is waiting to see you. What should I do?”
It was the voice of an aide.
Liv was startled at the name Edgar and opened her eyes. Then Carius quickly answered the aide.
“Let him in.”
He did not let go of if arms that were hold Liv tightly, also he wasn’t completely dressed….
“Your Majesty…”
Liv tried desperately to get up, but se wasn’t strong enough to overcome his power. Soon Edgar was inside.
“Your Majesty, I was told that you were with the Empress……….”
Edgar greeted in his proper uniform and looked up. Into his vision came the figure of Liv, who was being held in the arms of Carius, who was not even wearing a top.
For a moment, Edgar’s brow furrowed at the sight.
Liv managed to push Carius away before she was able to stand. She ruffled her hair in a panic and said.
“You’re here.”
And for no reason at all, she fan herself and quickly sat down.
Edgar sat down on the other side with a sullen look on his face, and Carius put on his white shirt and buttoned the front.
“How can I help you?”
Edgar alternated between Carius and the frazzled figure of Liv and tried to speak.
“I went to the Empress’s palace to see her, but I was told that she was here………”
Carius ignored Edgar’s complicated gaze and asked calmly.
‘”What business brings you to see the Empress?”
Edgar finally cleared his throat and said.
“I came to see the Empress in preparation for the Delta Kingdom’s delegation that will visit tomorrow. I waited in the waiting room for about an hour, but when she didn’t show, I retraced my steps this way.”
Carius raised one eyebrow.
“I see you are in a hurry.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We have to prepare for it.”
Although the conversation was casual. The eyes of the two men staring at each other were cold.
Liv hid her expression and asked Edgar.
“How about the Princess……”
Edgar answered her question with a gentle smile.
“I don’t think the Princess is joining us.”
The words made Liv feel strange, but first she breathed a sigh of relief. She already had a lot of things to worry about.
‘I’m sure I’ll meet my nemesis someday anyway, but I don’t want to see her yet…..’
Edgar told her, who was lost in thought, about the information he had heard so far.
“Your Majesty, I have been told that the delegation will include trade personnel, representatives of the metal handicrafts industry, and military experts related to the sea.”
Liv’s eyes brightened momentarily.
“Grand Duke, that’s what you are saying is…”
Edgar nodded.
“Yes, we are going to try to conclude talks about the coastal zone. Inevitably, due to Emporium’s geography, it is impossible to reach foreign lands without crossing the Tibetan’s coast, and they will try to seize on that weakness.”
Emporium was a country surrounded by the sea on three sides, so it often used navigation. This was because they carried the rich products of other countries through navigation.
The most direct way to do this was through the Delta Kingdom, which juts out from the seaway. The Delta Kingdom was a country that now belonged to the Emporium Empire, but it was dissatisfied with the trade agreements signed by the previous emperor.
Moreover, there was a strong antipathy towards Carius, who would not compromise with them. However, it was very important to keep the Delta Kingdom under Emporium’s jurisdiction as the era of the oceans was about to begin. Carius raised his eyes and stared at Edgar.
“To my ears, it sounds like they’re coming to threaten this country.”
Edgar chuckled faintly.
“The Empress and I will make sure they are persuaded. Don’t worry too much, Your Majesty.”
Carius’s expression gradually hardened as if Edgar’s words were annoying.
Edgar skillfully avoided the deadly gaze and turned his attention to Liv. Then, he held out a packaged box hidden on his left to Liv.
“I ordered this specially and brought it to you.”
As Liv gasped and stared at the box, Edgar slowly tore off the wrapping. Inside was a serving of the freshly baked shortbread that Liv had once loved.
“I remembered that the Empress liked this café bread. Since she’s only in the Imperial Palace, I figured she wouldn’t be able to eat it, so I brought it to her.”
The bread had a faint scent of sweet butter, so it fit her preferred taste. But that was when she had the sweet memories. The day she ate this bread was the day she had her date with Edgar.
“Let me cut you a bite to make it easier to eat.”
Edgar deftly cut it into small pieces with a knife and placed them on a plate in front of Liv.
“Please accept this, Your Majesty, as I brought it to celebrate the accession of the Empress.”
“Thank you….”
Liv was forced to grab the fork and picked up a short bread. Edgar smiled brightly, satisfied with the sight. Liv’s gaze dropped to the shortbread.
At that moment, she heard what sounded like a chill in her ears.
“Why didn’t you eat all the lemon cake that day? We wouldn’t have tired each other out if you ate it.” (Edgar’s voice in the past)
When Liv remembered Edgar’s contemptuous gaze and cold voice, she immediately put the fork she was holding on the plate. Her expression hardened in an instant, and she looked up and stared at Edgar.
‘I thought you loved me.’
Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered her baby Edmund.
It was all an act. From the moment they first met until now, he had fooled her by acting in such a way that hid his true feelings.
Edgar’s smile faded at Liv’s cold gaze.
“Your Majesty, is it not to your taste…..?”
“Thank you for the gift….”
Before Liv could finish, Carius called for the maidservant outside.
“Get rid of this right away.”
Edgar stammered at the unexpected response.
“Your Majesty…..”
But Carius beckoned to the maid to put the food away quickly.
Soon the maid took the food, looking at Edgar’s face.
Edgar was embarrassed and his eyes became round.
“How can you ignore my sincerity, Your Majesty..…….”
Carius gave a fierce look to Edgar, who was embarrassed.
“I’m afraid it’s poisonous.”
“Poison………?”
At Carius’ unexpected words, both Edgar and Liv’s eyes turned to him. Carius smiled even more as if he was enjoying his gaze.
“You didn’t come here without knowing the gossip circulating in the air.”
Implicit words, cold expressions. It was a silent warning, indeed. Edgar’s pupils began to dilate in waves. He just clenched his lips in frustration. He couldn’t say anything.
Carius turned to him and spoke firmly.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave now.”
Then Edgar finally rose from his seat, feeling indescribably miserable. Then he bowed his head.
“Then I’ll see you again next time. Your Majesty.”
Edgar could not help but back away bitterly. He bit his trembling lips and walked out. An empty hallway greeted him.
Edgar trudged toward the carriage, not seeming to grasp the complexity of his feelings. Then he turned and looked up at the Imperial Palace. He bit his lower lip.
‘You warn me not to covet what I cannot have. Brother, however, what shall I do?’
He stared even more intently at the palace.
‘The more brother tries to protect her, the more I’ll approach her.’
Liv’s gaze that came to his mind for a moment. Edgar let out a short sigh and lowered his head.
“Of course, it could be foolish…………”
Edgar climbed into the carriage with a faint smile on his face.