Emir's Solidified Emotions, and Baekseol's Temptation
"W-Why me?"
Mary Jane looked utterly flustered. Probably because of Luis sprawled on the floor before her, having climaxed countless times.
"Nngh... ugh... haaa..."
Luis was still crawling across the floor, letting out lascivious moans. She didn't care that her own piss had splashed onto her body. She was simply savoring the lingering pleasure still rippling through her flesh and mind.
"If you want, I could tell you how. Or no—transcendents can have sex too, can't they?"
Free from base pleasures, sure, but that didn't mean they lived without sex entirely.
Mary Jane had no response.
"You've had sex with someone before, right? You've told me stories like that plenty of times in the past."
"..."
Mary Jane averted her eyes from mine.
"No way... you're not a virgin, are you?"
"N-No! I-I've done it too!"
But her voice lacked conviction, contradicting her words.
"Really?"
"Y-Yes... I have..."
Her responses to my questions sounded just like an inexperienced virgin's. Still, if she insisted, I'd take her word for it.
"Sure, I suppose. Someone who's lived over a thousand years must have tried it at least once."
"H-Hey! Th-That's none of your business, Minister!"
Mary Jane flushed and shouted indignantly.
"Why yell like that? If not, just say no."
"Th-That's...!"
She looked away again.
"Don't tell me your voyeuristic habits stem from trying to forget that you've never actually done it?"
Mary Jane puffed out her cheeks. I was teasing her a bit harshly, venting frustration over her not telling me about Lilith sooner. But her reaction was amusing enough to keep going.
"Anyway..."
I pointed once more at Luis collapsed on the floor.
"Shall I explain why this woman obeys me?"
"No need. I think I get the gist."
"Too bad. I thought it might cure your voyeurism."
"It's my one and only entertainment while trapped in this tower."
"If you ever get bored of it, just say the word. I'll satisfy your curiosity anytime."
"N-No thanks. If I got involved with you, it'd be real trouble."
Mary Jane hurriedly gathered Luis and fled my words.
Solarion's second training grounds.
Emir was alone, sweating profusely as she focused on her sword training.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Her workout clothes clung tightly to her body for ease of movement, soaked through. This accentuated the soft curves of her figure perfectly.
The knights passing by couldn't help but stare.
"She's been really dedicated to practice lately."
"Shows up at the training grounds every single day."
"It's gotta be... because of Minister Dmitry, right?"
"Shh! Quiet down. What if the lady hears you?"
The knights whispered among themselves.
Ever since Emir had been rejected by Morris Dmitry, her daily visits to the training grounds were common knowledge to anyone in House Solarion. Yet no one dared mention Morris's name.
Everyone knew how much heartbreak Emir had endured. Even Duke Solarion avoided the topic in front of his daughter.
"Tsk tsk, poor lady."
"But hey, maybe this is our chance?"
"Chance for what?"
"Honestly, Lady Emir is the empire's flower, but her marriage prospects are a bit delayed, and there aren't many promising nobles lately. No talk of betrothals with hotshot knights either?"
As the knights snickered, Solarion's knight captain, Bartlam, bellowed.
"You lot! What are you doing instead of training? Get back to the grounds now!"
"Eek! S-Sorry, sir!"
Bartlam was infamous as the strictest in Solarion's knight order. With his over-two-meter frame and veins bulging in his neck, the clustered knights grabbed their weapons and scattered.
"Pathetic. If the duke heard that, your heads would roll."
Bartlam knew the knights' ambitions well enough, so he let it slide this time.
'Full armor, 200 laps around the grounds.'
Most knights craving status elevation were from knightly baron families. Which of them didn't dream of marrying a noble lady to rise in rank?
Confirming the area clear, Bartlam approached Emir in the center of the second training grounds, immersed in practice. Sweat drenched her from head to toe, yet her sword swings never faltered.
"Hah! Hah!"
"Milady."
No sooner had Bartlam drawn near than—
Whoosh!
Emir swung her blade at him. Bartlam blocked with his sheathed sword.
Thud!
Emir's sword clattered to the ground.
"You've grown much sharper."
"Ah, as expected of Sir Bartlam. I gave it my all, but it wasn't enough."
"No, it's impressive. I can vouch for it myself. Your strike was keener than most swordsmen's just now."
Bartlam picked up her fallen sword. He could tell from it how earnestly she'd trained—the hilt worn smooth, the blade chipped in places. He'd heard she cut sleep for practice, but seeing the proof was something else.
'Was she always this dedicated?'
He was inwardly surprised. How long had she seriously trained? Yet her movements were crisp and lethal. Even he, a Swordmaster, had been startled for a moment.
'As expected of our lord's blood.'
Bartlam offered the sword without betraying his thoughts.
"Practice is good, but pushing like this will ruin your body."
"I don't care."
"It's been mere months since you rose from your sickbed. The physician said to rest fully..."
"Bartlam."
"Yes, milady."
"I consider this body dead a month ago."
"But... the duke worries."
"I know. But I..."
Emir's hand trembled on her sword hilt.
"Can't forget him yet?"
"No. I've forgotten. Completely. Even the last lingering feelings for that man."
"Then why still train with the sword?"
Emir met Bartlam's gaze.
"To beat him."
"A tall order. Even I, a Swordmaster, can't guarantee victory."
"If alone is hard, then with numbers."
"Why fight him?"
"He's inscrutable. Could threaten House Solarion anytime."
"Is that why you cut your hair?"
Bartlam nodded at her golden locks, now shoulder-length. Once, her flowing waist-length tresses had been her pride.
"Yes. Sword training needs maximum freedom."
"...You're serious."
"Yes. Deadly serious. But Father—no, the duke—keeps telling me to quit the sword."
Bartlam watched her silently.
"Then I'll help you."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'll hone your blade to razor sharpness."
"With Sir Bartlam's help, I'd feel secure."
"But in training, obey only my words."
"Don't worry."
"Here, your sword."
Bartlam saw a spark of vitality in Lady Emir for the first time in ages.
'The last time she looked this alive was returning from Minister Dmitry's mansion.'
He vowed to fan this determination to its end.
"This girl wishes to bear Morris's child."
The moment I returned home from work, Baekseol declared it.
"You want to bear my child?"
"Yes. In our homeland, bearing the strongest man's child is a woman's greatest joy."
"To carry my child..."
I mulled it over, then shook my head.
"Impossible."
"Why, my lord?"
"I'm unmarried. Can't have a child yet."
"This girl knows imperial law well. Only children born in wedlock join the house. But my child needn't join yours. I simply wish to birth a strong one."
"I understand, but no."
"Worried I'll flee home with it?"
"No."
"Then why? Why just say no?"
I stroked her cheek.
"Whether you're my wife or a Crui tribe gift, if you bear my child, it belongs in my house. That's only natural."
Many reasons. Premarital pregnancy meant two paths for the child: hide their noble father forever, or live in dishonor as a bastard slave.
That's what she meant by not joining the house. An unacceptable demand.
Even as Crui tribute, she was a princess. I couldn't condemn her child to slavery.
"Thinking of me?"
"Something like that."
Baekseol blushed.
To me, empire-raised, I couldn't grasp what embarrassed her. But if she was pleased, mission accomplished.
"Um... well."
"Speak."
"Today is a safe day. So..."
Baekseol fidgeted her fingers.
"May we spend the night together?"
I met her eyes. Her moist gaze sparkled seductively.
"Tempting me now?"
"If sharing a room at midnight for love is 'temptation' in imperial tongue, then yes."
"Is that so?"
"Not allowed?"
Her unusually long silver lashes caught my eye.
"Convince me."
"Convince... you?"
"Show me why I should let you into my arms."
Baekseol met my gaze. She approached slowly, burying her face in my chest. Then lifted it to look at me.
"This girl wishes to stay the night with Morris—no, my husband."