As if he was forcibly swallowing something sharp and uncomfortable.

What could it be?

What was making him grit his teeth and writhe?

“……I’m fine now.”

He did not look fine.

His pale face was stained with an inexplicable fever, and cold sweat densely beaded on his forehead.

But it was the Nikolai I knew.

Only then did he loosen his grip on the handkerchief that he had squeezed until his knuckles turned white.

“You’ve sweated a lot.”

I wiped his forehead with Nikolai’s handkerchief.

He merely looked at me with a very tired expression.

So far, Nikolai had changed his mask many times.

A ruthless emperor.

A decadent womanizer.

A clumsy innocent man.

Some faces were false, and some were true.

Perhaps falsehood contained fragments of truth, and truth was stained with falsehood.

But this was different from any face.

It was like a wild beast had revealed its true nature.

Which face was the real Nikolai?

Why was this man now openly revealing such deep sorrow and loneliness?

“You need to get some fresh air. And wash your face with cold water.”

I spoke with a deliberately cheerful tone.

Nikolai noticed my consideration.

After hesitating for a moment, he reached out.

“Will you come with me?”

Nikolai didn’t know.

That I couldn’t refuse his hand since some time.

I also didn’t know.

Where this unstoppable trembling started and in which direction it was flowing.

“If we’re going, please take me somewhere nice.”

I barely imitated Elizabeth’s sultry smile.

Even as he smirked, Nikolai seemed relieved.

Why was that again sad?

As if the man who owns the world was pitiable.

“Is this a good place?”

I pulled up the stuffy hood.

Indeed, Nikolai in a hood leaned his chin on the sticky, greasy table.

“Get rid of your prejudice and enjoy.”

Because of the drunks’ raucous laughter, I couldn’t hear his voice well.

I leaned closer to Nikolai’s ear.

“What did you say?”

“En. Joy. It.”
Cigarette smoke, the harsh smell of charcoal, and the stench of rotten vegetables filled the narrow room.

All sorts of trash were scattered at my feet, and I could see a fat rat lurking in the kitchen.

“Booze, gambling, and rats, what’s to enjoy here?”

“It’s quite enjoyable. A place I’ve frequented since I was young.”

“You sure have exquisite taste.”

“You flatter me.”

“You shouldn’t have come alone. They would have welcomed you too.”

I pointed to the women with garish makeup by tilting my chin.

Wearing either dresses that revealed their flesh or underwear that looked like dresses, they were skillfully looking for their next partner.

“Handsome guy! Have a drink with me.”

The women seduced the men with their overtly suggestive gestures.

I was the only person in the store whose face turned red.

“Is it okay to act like that in broad daylight?!”

“They like each other, don’t they?”

The mercenary suddenly embraced a woman.

The woman laughed flirtatiously, bending her waist backward.

A passionate kiss between the two followed.

The spirit of the chaste girl momentarily left this world.

“Ahem. I didn’t bring you here to show you that.”

Amid the pouring whistles, Nikolai cleared his throat.

He seemed a bit embarrassed.

“Then why did you bring me here?”

“The kebabs here are delicious.”

“Kebabs?”

“I wanted to show you. I used to enjoy them back in the day.”

I quickly turned my gaze.

Kebabs were piled like mountains on each table.

Shrimp, pork, chicken wings, mushrooms, etc., the charcoalgrilled skewers looked quite appetizing.

I unconsciously swallowed my saliva.

Nikolai signaled to a waiter wearing a dirty apron.

“Bring one of everything.”

“I can’t eat that much!”

It was only ten minutes ago that I had been modest.

I threw away an empty skewer while grabbing a new one.

Chomp, chomp, I sucked my fingers, savoring the bursting juice in my mouth.

“This place is a real gem!”

“Where did the person who said she couldn’t eat much go?”

“How can you resist charcoalgrilled meat? Especially the pork, it’s fantastic!”

Ah, pork belly.

The taste of my tearfully missed hometown!

It would have been perfect with red pepper paste and green chili peppers, but I ate heartily after a long time.

Nikolai didn’t even touch the food, just staring at me blankly.

“Why didn’t you eat the food prepared by the Imperial Palace’s chef?”

“Shall I be honest, or shall I speak politely?”

“Elizabeth and manners do not go together.”

“Then I’ll tell you bluntly.”

I put down the pork belly skewer and wiped my mouth with a dirty napkin.

“It was the worst ever. Salty, sweet, sour, greasy. It felt like various seasonings were fighting in my mouth.”

“Was it that bad?”

“How can you eat that, Your Majesty?”

“I have to survive.”

“What? You’re not someone who has lost their sense of taste.”

“It’s been paralyzed. Quite a while ago.”

I was more surprised by his nonchalant answer.

He chewed mechanically, really not able to taste anything.

I could also feel the agony of the chef who had to pour all kinds of seasonings.

‘Stress can lead to loss of taste. Living as an emperor seems to be quite tough.’

I muttered with a hint of sympathy.

“So that’s why you liked chocolate cake the most.”

“How did you know that?”

“What?”

“Only a few of my closest aides know that I enjoy chocolate cake. Who told you?”

“Who knows? Maybe I saw or heard it somewhere by chance?”

My impromptu excuse did not convince Nikolai.
“We only dined together once, and I did not eat chocolate cake that day. I told them not to bake it, so the chef probably didn’t. But you happened to hear it?”

“Merchants are naturally quick to gather information.”

“You were hardly involved in the Emster trading group. They squandered the group’s money though.”

Should I have used the excuse of being bewitched instead?

How can I move on naturally?

“Not knowing the joy of eating, life must be really dull for you.”

“Don’t change the subject, Elizabeth.”

“Among the three human desires of appetite, sleep, and sexual desire, appetite is the best.”

“I have never felt an appetite.”

“Ah! So all desires are concentrated in sexual desire?!”