There was no time to quietly snatch the teacup or explain to him.

I swiftly knocked my cocoa cup out of his hand.

The cocoa cup fell to the marble floor, making a loud noise as it shattered.

Since Lionel had already taken a sip of the cocoa, I didn’t hold back.

He turned his head towards me in surprise, and I immediately covered his lips.

Just a moment ago, Emperor Adrian clearly mentioned that the poison in the cocoa cup would not rapidly spread if mixed with someone else’s saliva.

Without any hesitation, I mercilessly forced Lionel’s mouth open, concentrating on kissing him to dilute the poison he had consumed.

I could feel Lionel’s confusion amidst his usual playfulness.

Surely, paralysis wouldn’t set in his mouth already, right?

He succumbed to my stormy kisses, as if swept away by my lead.

While I focused on erasing any traces of cocoa in his mouth, he grabbed my face with both hands and pulled his lips away.

His blue eyes, facing mine, were shaking severely, whether due to the cocoa or because of me.

“Your Majesty, are you okay?”

“That’s… something I should be asking, right? Empress, are you okay?”

Lionel’s expression seemed to ask, “What happened to you?” But perhaps due to Emperor Adrian’s presence, his tone sounded quite polite.

“Oh… I’m perfectly fine. Um… I think I suddenly smelled the sweet aroma of cocoa, so that might be it. I’m sorry!”

Ah, without a proper excuse, it felt like I was on the verge of death.

Even if that Tebelo Empire’s silverfish had poisoned my teacup, I wasn’t afraid.

Freeze to death as the poison spreads through my veins, causing chills and eventually collapsing? Sure, let’s experience freezing at least once when I’ve lived with a hot body my whole life!

Well, I even had such thoughts.

As long as Lionel was fine, I really didn’t care.

Honestly… it was true.

“Your Majesty, are you really okay?”

I asked again, scanning his condition.

“No, I’m not okay.”

He said seriously.

“What?! Where? Where is it?”

“My heart. It’s getting hot because of the Empress’s provocation. Plus, there are spectators in front of us, so it’s even more so.”

Lionel gestured to Emperor Adrian and said in a shy tone, but his expression didn’t look shy at all.

“Sweeter than cocoa.”

I whispered to Lionel in a hushed voice.

Emperor Adrian’s inner thoughts, who was silently observing this scene, also reached me.

This time, it was not a murmur but a precise message delivered directly to me.

My spine shivered.

I felt like Adrian’s words were scraping my back with a giant iceberg.
Wait, so the statement that poison was in the cocoa cup was a lie just to test if I could really hear his inner thoughts?

To confirm whether I could truly hear his inner thoughts?

I deliberately turned my gaze directly to Emperor Adrian, who had been avoiding eye contact.

“I will ask my servant to bring your Majesty’s cocoa again.”

Emperor Adrian showed no expression outwardly.

“It’s okay. Let’s taste it separately later.”

Lionel lightly declined, tilting his head.

“Yes, as you wish. But the reception room feels a bit chilly. May I light the fireplace? May I have your permission?”

“As you please.”

With his permission granted, Emperor Adrian gathered his five fingers and lightly flicked them towards the fireplace.

Then the fire blazed up on the pile of logs inside the fireplace.

The flames are too strong?

I waited until Emperor Adrian withdrew his gaze from the fireplace and subtly adjusted the firepower inside by glancing sideways.

Controlling such a level of flames was nothing to me.

“The two of you seem to get along better than I thought.”

Emperor Adrian spoke, alternately looking at Lionel and me, running his fingers over his lips.

“Hahaha, Emperor Adrian, please don’t spread what you just saw to other guests.”

Lionel’s tone seemed to suggest that he might be disappointed if rumors didn’t spread.

“Empress, it seems Lionel Emperor cannot control his love for you. But other things… it seems like you can control them well.”

Emperor Adrian glanced towards the fireplace with a subtle smile.

I wanted to throw that silverfish into the fireplace and roast him immediately.

To think he was testing me with a lie about mixing poison in the cocoa.

Emperor Adrian, just who are you?

Why can I hear what you say?

“Since we’ve had tea, I’ll disappear to the star palace now. Ah, by the way, when will the party for the guests be held?”

Emperor Adrian asked Lionel as he rose to see him off.

“I’m thinking of holding it shortly after all the guests have arrived.”

“Ah, I look forward to the party on the Northern Continent.”

“Although there is nothing special, as it’s a gathering of all countries after a few years, we’re paying special attention to it.”

“Of course. As expected.”

Emperor Adrian chuckled and murmured, and Lionel raised an eyebrow and asked.

“What are you talking about?”