Moreover, compared to a little while ago, his voice strangely seemed to have cleared up.

“…?”

Renève quickly lifted her head and examined his expression.

Fortunately, his eyes were languidly relaxed, and the corners of his mouth were slightly lifted.

It seemed like he wasn’t displeased but rather unsure because he liked it.

“Your aegyo is increasing.”

“So… do you dislike it?”

Twisting one corner of his mouth, Icarus whispered softly into Renève’s ear.

“There’s no way I dislike it.”

Rather, he liked it too much, causing a problem.

Speaking almost inaudibly, Icarus turned his head at an angle.

As his face gradually approached, Renève slowly closed her eyes.
As his face slowly approached, Renève closed her eyes slowly.

Terrifyingly, as their faces met, Icarus scrutinized Renève for a long time.

Icarus’s somewhat excessive love for Renève, which started late at night, didn’t cease until the morning sun brightened the sky.

As if determined to receive all the compensation for the time they hadn’t seen each other.

Even after scrutinizing Renève for quite a while, Icarus tried not to let her go from his embrace.

Helplessly, Renève, without a chance to insert a piece of paper, opened her mouth tightly pressed against his chest.

“Your Majesty, it’s a somewhat delicate question, but… there’s something I want to ask.”

Icarus slowly nodded, caressing Renève’s waist with his head lowered.

It seemed like he was saying she could ask anything.

“Do you happen to know any rumors about Your Majesty circulating in Paradisium?”

“Well.”

Icarus casually tilted his head.

“It’s not exactly favorable…,” Renève spoke cautiously. She was careful, fearing that Icarus might be offended.

But he just chuckled lightly, seemingly indifferent to any rumor about him.

“It’s difficult for favorable rumors to stick to the empire’s ruler. How about spreading rumors of me being a tyrant at will?”

Icarus’ attitude, not caring much about any rumor, gave Renève the courage to delve deeper into a more concerning rumor.

Of course, she chose her words carefully.

“There’s a rumor that Your Majesty… has many women.”

Icarus, who was blinking his eyes slowly, pointed to his broad chest with his finger and asked in response.

“Me?”

Renève observed Icarus’s reaction attentively.

‘He doesn’t seem surprised; it must have been just groundless gossip.’

As she felt relieved, Icarus made an expression that seemed to pinpoint something.

‘Could it be…! Was the rumor actually true?’

Naturally, Renève’s forehead slightly wrinkled.

Icarus was an adult, and he had a long career as a mercenary, so she didn’t think he had no experience with women.

He was quite skilled at physical contact, and just a few minutes ago, hadn’t he satisfied Renève several times?

Thinking about it made her feel stifled, and a boiling sensation surged within her.

“Jealousy is fine, but I hope it doesn’t hurt your feelings.”

Icarus lightly kissed her on the forehead, which was furrowed with displeasure.

“There haven’t been any temptations since I became emperor.”

Renève, looking up at Icarus, blinked her eyes slowly.

“Why?”

Paradium, Basquerc, nobles—whether they were women or men, spared no expense on grooming.

During the proper social season, they endured with only a little vegetable or survived on plain water to maintain their weight.

This was all done to enhance their appearance, especially when the Imperial Court ball, where nobles should shine the most, approached.

Certainly, in the Imperial Court ball, nobles should be at their best.

Was it possible that Icarus, who had the high status of an emperor, had refused all the advances of noble women with exceptional beauty?

“Why did you refuse all of them?”

Renève asked again.

Icarus, appearing quite displeased, growled with his forehead heavily narrowed.

“In the eyes of the beauties, did I appear to be a trashy man mixing with any woman?”

‘Ah…!’

Renève instantly realized that she had made a significant mistake.

Rumors were just rumors; they had nothing to do with Icarus’s moral principles.

Moreover, Renève was in a better position than anyone to know the truth. She had become the target of criticism just based on the rumors of being a villainess.
“My intention wasn’t like that…”

Renève opened and closed her lips repeatedly, tilting her head back and forth.

After watching her flustered state for a while, Icarus lightly kissed her lips and then spoke.

“I wasn’t really paying attention… but someone probably spread such rumors.”

With her lips tightly sealed, Renève waited for his words to continue.

“Some of the rejected women glared at me as if they wanted to kill me. There were also cases of spreading malicious gossip.”

“…”

“After that incident, I felt that the gazes of the nobles who looked at me changed somehow.”

Only then did Renève’s lingering question, which she couldn’t ask Icarus directly, get resolved.

Considering the high pride and dignity that those noblewomen possessed, Icarus’s rejection must have been humiliating for them.

It could have been a blow to their considerable pride, and they might have wanted revenge.

While she, as a woman, understood their feelings to some extent, Icarus was the one who suffered.

Given his personality, he might not have refused them politely…

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”

Renève promptly apologized to Icarus.

The fact that she partially believed those rumors and argued in front of Icarus had already caused him some distress.

“If you’re sorry, then let me kiss you.”

Icarus arrogantly lifted his chin, looking down at Renève with narrowed eyes.