The cool breeze entering through the open window made his voice resonate. Patricia’s heart swelled at the voice mixed with the wind touching her ears.

Was there such a sentence? It sounded intimate, as if the emperor was confessing his inner thoughts.

Though Patricia had read it yesterday, it was delivered resonantly, perhaps because it was in the emperor’s voice.

“I understand this feeling fully, how about you?”

“I think I know too.”

“That crow made quite a cute gift. I’ll read this sonnet repeatedly until you understand it all. When love someday blooms in your heart.”

The emperor lowered his head further and placed his lips on her nape.

“Then confess to me, your love for me.”

A cool breeze blew. Summer was ending. The emperor would leave the palace at dawn tomorrow. He said it would be about a ten-day schedule. Patricia felt for the first time that she didn’t want to be apart from him.

“Patricia, I’ll miss you.”

She tilted and turned her head. His sharp nose bridge touched her lips. The emperor cupped her cheek, met her gaze, then looked down intently.

It felt like she would be sucked in by the stare looking down at her. His thumb touched the corner of her lips.

“You’ll miss me a lot too.”

It seemed so. Patricia sensed that she would miss him greatly for those ten days. However, she didn’t show it.

“Hmm? Answer me. Won’t you miss me?”

A lot. Patricia somehow felt like a tide was rushing into her heart. It was an overwhelming emotion, and if she had to express it, it was affection for him.

“I think I’ll miss you a little.”

“What, just a little? I’ll make you miss me more intensely.”

Harchen completely lowered his body and pushed her against the sofa backrest. Embracing her shoulder with one hand, he traced the contours of her lips.

Taking that as a signal, they shared a tender kiss that fully revealed their deep emotions.

His moist lips, the cool yet subtle scent, the green eyes staring intently, and above all, his voice calling her name. She would miss it all greatly.

Patricia actively received his kiss, but when his hand moved lewdly, she grabbed his large hand.

“Harchen, Eva will come.”

“So?”

Knock knock knock.

“It’s Eva, Your Majesty. The meal preparations are complete.”

Harchen, who had collapsed over her body, raised himself and roughly brushed back his hair.

“Your maid is really…”

Patricia pressed her cheeks with the back of her hand. Harchen grabbed her arm and raised her. Leaning in, he brushed her disheveled hair and rubbed her nape with his fingertips.

“What should we do, it seems like it might leave a mark. I don’t mind though.”

“What are you saying.”

Patricia glared at the emperor with her eyes and went to the mirror, tilting her neck long to examine it. There was no trace.

Huh huh, she’s not getting too angry. I should make one later. He folded his arms and smiled leisurely, adjusting his angle so that his figure overlapped behind hers in the mirror.

He wanted to take the entire mirror reflecting her image and put it in his pocket.

*

During the meal, the emperor saw the folding fan Patricia put down beside the table. The folded fan had jewels dangling from each folded edge. He frowned as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

“That fan?”

Patricia unfolded the fan given as a gift by the princess. The fan was gorgeous and pretty like the princess.

“Isn’t it splendid? Princess Leak made it herself as a wedding gift.”

She stretched out her right hand holding the open fan. Black lace was added to the edges, and diamonds were embedded in each fan rib.

These aren’t cubic zirconia, but real diamonds.

It was excessively ornate.

Though it didn’t suit her taste, Patricia decided to use the fan for a while since it was a wedding gift.

Patricia showed the unfolded fan with a swoosh. Harchen hesitated for a moment, staring at her holding the open fan. The black silk fan embroidered with elaborate floral patterns evoked unforgettable cruel memories.

“It doesn’t suit you.”

Patricia misunderstood his words. She interpreted it to mean that while the gorgeous and beautiful fan would suit a sophisticated person like the princess, it didn’t suit Patricia.

“Why? Do I have to only have things that suit me? Am I that… inadequate?”

Patricia herself knew it wasn’t her taste when she first received the fan, but she was being contrary.

“You what? The fan and Princess Leak don’t match you, I mean don’t associate with her.”

“So, why?”

Harchen recalled how Patricia had misunderstood his relationship with Julia before she lost her memory. He had explained it then, but she would have forgotten everything.

“I despise Julia.”

“What?”

“I once witnessed the princess slapping a friend of lower rank with that fan. She used that fan as a tool to hit the faces of the maids of Pana Castle.”

“Ah! Really?”

Patricia folded the fan and put it in its leather case. No matter how pretty and expensive it was, she couldn’t believe the fact that it was used to slap someone’s cheek.

Moreover, even being hit with just the tip of the fan ribs would leave a mark, let alone a jewel-studded fan. It gave her goosebumps.

Princess Julia was beautiful and didn’t seem cruel or vicious enough to take out her anger on subordinates.

Seeing Patricia’s terrified expression, Harchen brought the steak she had left over to his plate and ate it.

“Should I ask for more to be brought?”

“No, I’m eating what you left, as if tasting it. By the way, did you meet the administrator?”

“Yes, ah. Harchen. Is there a women-only academy in Karsick by any chance?”

“There isn’t.”

“I heard there’s one in Tane. Of course, it’s a basic academy with subjects like etiquette, embroidery, and general education.”

Harchen looked at her with an interested expression.

“Hmm, so you want to build a women-only academy?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

Her bright blue eyes sparkled. Like the dazzling sunlight shining on the sea. As if mocking himself for getting excited by her every glance, he smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“Of course, I want to add one more department. Female knight training.”

“Wh-what?”

“An academy for training female knights. Of course, I’m not saying I’ll establish it right away, I’m trying to save money.”

“Empress, the projects that past empresses have undertaken are poorhouses, charity donations, auctions or exhibitions, visits to children’s protection organizations, operating library book clubs, tapestry or quilt-making gatherings, etc. A female knight academy is a bit…”

“Most events are run by the Empress Dowager and the princesses.”

“There are plenty of skilled male knights overflowing, is there really a need to train female knights? Who would enroll?”

“In terms of skill, women’s swords are delicate and precise. Compared to men who push with strength, women’s delicate techniques are something male knights can’t match. Moreover, there are cases where female bodyguards are needed more than male bodyguards.”

Harchen clenched his fist tightly. He tried to hold back until blue veins popped out on the back of his hand. He tried to endure, but he just couldn’t hold back.

“Delicate techniques compared to men who push with strength.”

The emperor’s face flushed red. His mind was already in the process of setting fire to a flower garden.

“Your Majesty, then. If there’s even one person who registers, can we establish it on a small scale?”

“Name!”

“Just now, Your Majesty called me Empress first.”

“Haa, I just… can’t stand it. Get up, chamberlain.”

Harchen went behind Patricia and lifted her chair back. Then he grabbed her arm and made her stand.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Bring the dessert and fruit to the Empress’s reception room.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“But, the meal isn’t…”

He hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear.

“I can’t stand you tapping and tempting me.”

“What are you saying? When did I ever.”

“Always, you do.”

Just staring at her with wide eyes was enough to make him lose his mind. When she spoke like a babbling brook, no, like a small cute bluebird chirping, Harchen couldn’t think of anything else.

Especially when she was arguing something point by point, all he could see were her plump lips.

Wanting to swallow them… If this isn’t madness, what is?

He gently hugged her from behind and left the corridor. When Bern tried to follow, he gestured with his head. He also gave Eva, who was waiting in the reception room, a look ordering her to leave.

“Haa, now we’re alone.”

Patricia almost screamed when the emperor suddenly came from behind, lifted her chair and all, and grabbed her arm. It was hot like a heated piece of metal had touched her.

She felt scared. But she couldn’t understand at which point she had stimulated him.

The emperor hugged her from behind like a light doll and walked down the corridor. The heat transmitted from behind her back and the sound of his heartbeat shook her. Her pulse quickly became entangled roughly as well.

Shouldn’t he go to the main palace to prepare for tomorrow’s departure?

“You should go now.”

Though she said that, Patricia also didn’t want to send him to the main palace like this. She wanted to feel his firm and hot presence a little longer.

“Why do you keep telling me to go? I’m going to sleep in your bedroom.”

“Please rest comfortably since you’re leaving early tomorrow morning.”

“We’ll be apart for ten days, so husband and wife should sleep together.”

Harchen carried her straight to the bedroom.

“How about it? I think it’s good just like this.”

“I need to wash up.”

“I’ll wash you.”

Harchen exerted superhuman strength and washed her obediently. After washing Patricia first, he wrapped her body in a large towel and sat her on the rattan bench in the bathroom while he washed standing up.

Patricia turned red like a ripe tomato at the sight of him washing so nonchalantly right in front of her.

“Turn… turn around and wash.”

“Why should I? We’re married, I’m grateful you’re watching and blushing.”

“You have no conscience.”

Patricia turned her head sharply. But even though she turned away, the statue-like form of his that she had already seen didn’t disappear from before her eyes.

“Why are you looking for conscience here? Are you secretly looking because you have a conscience?”

“What do you mean looking? I didn’t look.”

Patricia turned to glance at just his face, then quickly turned away again.

This is killing me.

“You’re cute.”

Harchen leisurely walked in front of her and bent down sharply towards the chair she was sitting on. When she flinched and clutched the towel in front, he smirked and picked up the towel draped over the rattan bench to dry himself.

Ah I shouldn’t look. She was annoyed at her own weak will that kept turning on its own, but at some point her head turned. Harchen hugged her as he was, with water still dripping from his hair.

“I need to dry my hair.”

“Okay, I’ll dry it for you.”

“Then to the dressing room.”

Harchen went to Patricia’s bedroom and laid her on the bed. Then he was about to lie down beside her as well.

“Wh-what? Why is the bed so hard?”

“Ah, they said it was a bed mat made of palm tree…”

“How wonderfully you’ll dream… you’ll see.”

Harchen lifted her upper body and put his arm under her to embrace her. He slowly lowered his head, following her supple curves.