Lou wanted to laugh at the hand wiping her tears away.

“You’re crying again.”

“Crying?”

She had even cried, which was truly unbelievable. However, she couldn’t muster the strength to laugh. Literally, the man who was excessively powerful had drained her energy.

“Hey, Lou.”

At the cautious call, she couldn’t even flicker a finger and just listened.

“You’ve been crying since yesterday. If there’s something wrong, maybe…”

What’s he saying? Eventually, Lou managed to open her eyes. Hayden, full of worry, was visible.

“Ugh… Fool.”

Concerned about Lou, who was delicate, and fearing she might collapse, Hayden quickly fetched a cup. After drinking water again, her exhausted throat felt much better.

“When did I cry?”

“Just now…”

“So.”

He now knew the limits of his senses and what words would burst out when they touched the tip of his tongue. Experiencing such a thing in a lifetime wasn’t easy. Moreover, the man who made her experience it laughed as soon as he understood what she was saying.

“For real?”

Asking while knowing. Instead of answering, Lou tapped her forehead on his broad chest. Hayden laughed while hugging her again and lay down.

Lou hadn’t left the bedroom from yesterday afternoon until this morning.

“It was great. It was so fantastic that I wanted to spend this time again.”

“Is there nothing you want? Nothing you want to do?”

Lou shook her head. But the Emperor, who held the woman he loved the most, was so overwhelmed with wanting to do everything for her that he quickly offered a cup. After drinking water again, her swollen throat improved significantly.

“I never thought I would feel like this. Now I understand why an Emperor who is deeply in love can ruin a country.”

“Don’t say that.”

What is he really saying? Lou raised her eyebrows, looking up. Her throat hurt too much, and she didn’t have the strength to speak, but she couldn’t help but say something.

“I just want to do something for you. Is there really nothing you want?”

“I have you, so it’s enough.”

Lou grumbled as if annoyed, then lowered her head again, closing her eyes. But Hayden, looking down at her frozenly, kissed her as soon as he got the chance. She just silently accepted it, unable to resist.

She, too, was a former knight, always diligently engaging in physical training. Yet, she ended up like this. Ironically, Hayden was perfectly fine. It was unfair. Perhaps because he was already a sage, and she was just a young prospective sage?

“Yeah, Lou. I’m yours.”

He was so pleased with that statement that he didn’t know what to do. Lou’s sweaty body might get cold, so he quickly hugged her and lay down again.

Since yesterday afternoon until this morning, Lou had not left the bedroom.
“Uh… I think it’s now or never.”

Hayden nodded with a slight smile. Lou felt awkward receiving his warm gaze, and, perhaps because of what she wanted to say, she kept lowering her head.

“Sorry.”

“…Am I being scolded again?”

Lou raised her head at the somber voice. Unlike the low-pitched voice, Hayden seemed ready to cry at any moment. It felt like he was using both threats and pleas simultaneously, like a dual personality.

“No, not that! No! No, it’s not!”

“Ah.”

Hayden smiled brightly again.

“Okay then. If we exclude that, there’s nothing for you to apologize for.”

“There is. I kept rejecting you. I’m truly sorry. It wasn’t genuine.”

Avoiding eye contact and curling up, she seemed to be unconsciously seeking a place to hide. Was it because she knew that, in the end, she was digging into his embrace?

Feeling uncomfortable with the gaze focused on her forehead, Lou closed her eyes tightly and opened them with difficulty. Actually, she wanted to flip the blanket over her head, but she endured it because covering up and apologizing would be a fatal move.

“Uh… I… I…”

Because it’s pathetic. Because she has nothing. But now, clinging to the title of a sage and going as far as sleeping with him, isn’t it too fatal and materialistic? That’s the truth.

Various feelings of inferiority, wounded pride, familiar helplessness and defeat, and above all, intense guilt, argued among themselves in her head.

For Lou, these were repetitive and tiresome words.

“Your ankles…”

“I know. I told you.”

“Words…”

“I said it. It’s more comfortable being a subordinate, but since you saved me, if you request a dance next time, I’ll dance two songs in a row. I promised, I won’t forget.”

He continued to hand over Lou’s hair that she kept lowering, finding it uncomfortable that her face wasn’t visible. Hayden kept looking at her.

“That was a heartless thing to say.”

“Not at all.”

“No, it’s true.”

“Was it sincere?”

Lou tilted her head, nodded again, hesitated. Hayden smiled again, kissed her forehead, and hugged her tightly.

“Oh, well, since it’s not something to just overlook. I really…”