Until just a moment ago, flames obscured the way forward, but now it was difficult to even open one’s eyes due to the heavy rain pouring down.

As if engaged in a contest of strength, the downpour and the surging flames rushed at each other and intertwined. Before long, the dark red smoke that had risen high into the sky disappeared, and only the sound of fierce rainwater could be heard from the burning forest.

The Emperor, who had climbed up to the opposite cliff, exhaled rough breaths without moving. His two hands still embraced Arabel’s back of the head and waist without an inch of space.

Even amidst the sounds of heavy rain and animal cries coming from all directions… Thump thump thump, the sound of a heart about to burst echoed vividly in Arabel’s ears.

Whether it was the Emperor’s heart or her own, it was impossible to distinguish, as the two hearts in their pressed chests beat first out of sync, and now together.

For a very brief moment, a warm weight was placed on the crown of her head, which had been nestled against the Emperor’s chest, and then removed. Soon, two large hands gently gripped her slender shoulders, separating her from his embrace.

As Arabel raised her gaze to meet the Emperor’s red eyes, her thin shoulders began to tremble finely. The Emperor’s eyes were deeply darkened, reflecting nothing, and his handsome face held an icy cold sneer.

It was a face of the Emperor she had never seen before. It was like the calm just before a volcano erupts.

Though frightened, she had a feeling that she shouldn’t avoid the Emperor’s gaze. Arabel suppressed the urge to lower her head and looked up at the Emperor through her finely trembling eyelashes.

Red lips parted to release a chilling voice into the rain.

“Did I not… clearly order you to wait inside the tent?”

“……”

Arabel tried to open her mouth to answer, but only white breath came out, her voice not emerging.

“Do you know how dangerous the situation was?”

“……”

The emotionless, calm voice was colder than the rainwater falling on her face. For some reason, her chest felt cold, and Arabel tried to answer, but her lips wouldn’t part.

As the two hands gripping her stiff shoulders tightened, Arabel’s eyes widened, looking into the Emperor’s eyes. The red eyes that had been frozen coldly were now engulfed by waves of countless indescribable emotions, swallowing up the brown pupils.

A loud shout that burst forth instantly subdued the noisy sounds of the forest.

“You could have died! Do you understand? I’m saying it was dangerous!”

“…Hic, hic, hic…”

Tears that Arabel had been holding back all night poured from her eyes, and thin sobs escaped from her mouth.

“Hic, I’m sorry… hic, hic… I only now realize that Your Majesty was in danger because of my negligence… hic, please forgive my foolishness… hic, hic… I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

The Emperor’s torn clothes and the burns and scratches from branches filled her eyes. Large teardrops flowed down Arabel’s cheeks along with the raindrops.

When he saved me as I fell from the broken bridge, His Majesty the Emperor took a great risk. It was a situation where he could have even lost his life…

Arabel’s whole body trembled with guilt for having put the dignified Emperor of the empire in danger.

[How is it that you’re not helpful at all? You always just cause us trouble. It’s sickening.] [It’s because you’re unlucky that we’re all unlucky. Tsk, how unlucky must you be to be born without even the healing ability that we all have. Don’t even come near!] [How much must your mother have hated you to abandon even her family and run away? If you couldn’t even receive a mother’s love, who else’s love could you possibly receive? Not a chance.]

Father, sisters, and aunt’s family were right. Arabel berated herself as she tried her hardest to stop her burst of crying.

His Majesty has only shown me kindness… I’ve only caused His Majesty great harm. I followed to help His Majesty, but instead, I even put His Majesty’s life in danger.

Arabel had grown up being scolded whenever she cried loudly. She bit her lower lip until it bled, trying not to let her sobs escape.

“Haah…”

Maxwell let out a long sigh, as if dumbfounded by Arabel’s repeated apologies. The strength in the two hands gripping her slender shoulders loosened.

“Do you think I’m angry at you now because I almost died? Do you think I’m this agitated because you almost put me in danger?”

At the low voice coming through his teeth, Arabel lowered her gaze and nodded.

“Raise your head and look into my eyes. Didn’t I tell you? When you’re with me, don’t avoid my gaze.”

At the Emperor’s calm command, Arabel, her eyes blurred with tears, raised her head to look into the Emperor’s eyes.

The red eyes had already returned to showing only a dignified calmness.

“Look into my eyes and tell me. Do you truly think that is the reason I’m angry?”

Arabel, not understanding his meaning, blankly met the Emperor’s gaze.

And then… Arabel’s round eyes grew wider as if realizing something, and again, large teardrops rolled down her cheeks.

“Per, perhaps… Are you angry because… I almost died…?”

Arabel’s tear-filled voice trembled pitifully.

“Now you understand? The reason for my anger?”

It was the Emperor’s voice that Arabel was familiar with, gruff but laced with playfulness.

It was unbelievable. It was the first time someone had risked danger to save me… The first time someone worried and got angry because I might die.

As Arabel covered her mouth with both hands to swallow her increasingly loud sobs, the Emperor’s hands brought her into his embrace.

“If you’re moved, don’t hold back your cries. Cry loudly to your heart’s content. How else will I know how touched you are by me?”

Unlike the Emperor’s teasing words, his hands gently patting Arabel’s head and back were incredibly affectionate.

“Hic, hic, uh… Waaah, waaah…”

Burying her face in the Emperor’s broad chest, Arabel began to cry loudly and freely for the first time.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Your Majesty!”

The Emperor’s knights, who had been waiting outside Lord Lorel’s castle, rushed out upon spotting the approaching white horse.

In the cold dawn as day was breaking, the imperial guards who had scattered to search for the Emperor and Arabel were returning to the castle in small groups to regroup when the Emperor returned.

“I’m so relieved you’re safe.”

Lord Jacob welcomed with a loud voice, placing his palm on his chest in a manner unsuited to his large build. In that moment, the Emperor’s index finger urgently pressed against his lips.

“Shh,”

At the Emperor’s signal to be quiet, Lord Jacob and the imperial guards closed their mouths and their gazes focused on the small bundle the Emperor was holding.

Arabel was wrapped from head to toe in the Emperor’s cloak, nestled in his arms, with only half her face peeking out as she slept.

“I will escort her, Your Majesty.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

As Kyle, the aide, extended his arms towards Arabel in the Emperor’s arms, the Emperor replied curtly.

For a moment, Kyle experienced a chill down his spine, not knowing why, as a chilling gaze flashed by.

The Emperor, holding Arabel with one arm and gripping the reins with the other hand, skillfully dismounted the horse using his long legs.

“Take Casius and let him rest. He has worked hard.”

At the Emperor’s command, two soldiers swiftly led the white horse towards the lord’s stable.

“Is the bedchamber prepared?”

“Yes, the head maid and maids of the lord have finished preparations and are waiting in the guest room on the third floor.”

Kyle, noticing the fatigue in the Emperor, was about to say “I will escort you” again but quickly changed his mind and kept his mouth shut.

The Emperor, holding Arabel, seemed to be building an iron wall around her, as if unwilling to allow even a glimpse of this precious treasure.

Honestly, the word that flashed through his mind wasn’t ‘treasure’ but ‘prey’, which he tried hard to erase.

Kyle wasn’t the only one who thought it would be safer to look elsewhere. Jacob, Sir Peter who had just returned from the mountain, and the gathered imperial guards hurriedly scattered from their positions.

Maxwell’s large hand spread out as he climbed the spiral staircase, shielding Arabel’s closed eyes from the light of the chandelier illuminating the steps.

As the small head, sleeping peacefully, nuzzled into his chest, the Emperor’s long Adam’s apple bobbed once prominently.

As Maxwell carried Arabel into the bedroom, warm steam rose from the snow-white porcelain bathtub prepared next to the fireplace, releasing a fragrant lavender scent.

“We’ve prepared warm bath water lest she catch a cold if she continues to sleep like this,”

The head maid and two maids said as they greeted the Emperor entering the bedroom.

With trembling voices, not daring to look at the face of the Emperor who had turned this place into a battlefield just hours ago.

The Emperor taking the heads of the tyrannical and perverted Count Lorel and his sons was a welcome event for all in the domain.

However, the sight of the Emperor wielding his sword, which they had witnessed while holding their breath, showed not a single trace of mercy or hesitation. It made their knees weak, to the point of wishing it would never appear even in their dreams.

Maxwell nodded and carefully placed Arabel on the bed.

As the Emperor stood casting a long shadow, the faces of the women watching him turned bewildered. They expected the Emperor to leave so they could undress the young lady, but he showed no signs of moving.

‘Ah, so they’re in that kind of relationship. That’s why the Emperor personally carried the young lady in. And here we prepared separate chambers, not knowing.’

The head maid exchanged knowing glances with the maids, as if finally understanding.

As the women approached Arabel and began unfastening the buttons of her ash-stained dress, a voice as cold as frost was heard softly.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“We were unfastening the dress buttons to give her a bath…”

The startled head maid answered, bowing her head.

‘What do you think you’re doing’…

Of course, to help with bathing, they needed to undress the young lady. It felt as if they had been caught secretly touching something that belonged to him without permission.

The head maid’s eyes, who had been in charge of bathing the Countess and her three daughters for over 20 years, darted back and forth, losing their place.

‘Perhaps His Majesty wishes to bathe with the young lady?’

‘Then shouldn’t we leave?’

‘If we stay obliviously, we might catch the sparks.’

As the three flustered women communicated with their eyes, the Emperor’s voice was heard. As if displeased but resigned.

“Then, assist her with the bath carefully.”

“Pardon? Yes, we will serve with utmost dedication.”

The Emperor turned towards the bedroom door after hearing the head maid’s response, when suddenly his red eyes widened.

His two legs froze in place. His downward gaze fell upon a delicate hand firmly grasping his index and middle fingers. The owner of the hand was smiling happily with a clear face while asleep.

The Emperor unconsciously brought his other hand to Arabel’s sleeping face.

As he cupped her soft cheek with his palm, the small head followed, nuzzling into his hand. He felt her soft eyelashes and plump, moist lips against his palm.

‘Haah.’

Feeling every corner of his body warming up, the Emperor clenched his molars tightly.

Arabel must undoubtedly be a spy sent from an enemy country to test his reason, which he had never once lost.

First, she angered him by jumping into the flames to save wild animals, and now she was exciting every cell in his body, driving him into a crucible of arousal.

The astounding thing was that the protagonist who had made his lower body ache was sound asleep, oblivious to everything.

As the Emperor stood there, making no move to withdraw his hand, it was the maids who grew anxious.

Should they pretend not to notice and leave the two alone, or should they undress the young lady under the Emperor’s watchful gaze? Unable to discern the Emperor’s intentions, the maids had to stand there for a long while, exchanging glances.