Chapter 1295: 53. High Above

The bed was very warm.

Warm enough that a person could unconsciously sink into it and become unable to pull themselves free.

Like spring after a long winter, like a stove in the middle of a snowy field.

The only tiny problem was......

Wasn't it a little too warm?

Wasn't a bed supposed to feel like the cold of winter when you first climbed into it, only gradually becoming warm afterward?

Cold sweat seeped from Muen's forehead, his heart pounding like a great bell and drum, while one hand instinctively reached toward the side......toward the source of that warmth.

Instantly, an astonishingly soft sensation came through his fingertips, indescribably wonderful, yet also like an electric shock, making him instinctively pull his hand away.

A terrifying thought began to surface in his mind——the person lying there right now couldn't possibly be......

"No, no......"

Muen shook his head hard."

No matter how he looked at it, that thought was simply too absurd.

In broad daylight, beneath this clear and righteous sky, the Empire's great Empress should currently be inside that majestic palace, beginning another day of work and laboring diligently for the countless citizens of the Empire.

Instead of lying in bed enjoying herself when the sun was already high in the sky!

The Empress he knew was definitely not that kind of foolish ruler!.

So......fake! Fake! This was all just his imagination!

Thinking this, Muen drew in a long breath.

At the end of the day, he was only frightening himself.

Father had already said there wouldn't be any traps in the estate now, so what was he still worried about?

This so-called warmth was probably just an illusion created through some special magic or something like that.

Seriously, since when had even Father started enjoying this sort of prank?

Muen smiled and turned over, preparing to expose this tiny prank directly, but the moment his gaze shifted to the side, a flash of silver-white stabbed his eyes so brightly that he could barely keep them open.

"......".

He had seen wrong. Again.

Muen cautiously opened his eyes, only to see a familiar figure quietly sleeping right beside him, within arm's reach.

The young woman's features were cold and flawless. Even in sleep, she resembled a tranquil snow lotus, sacred and noble. Her silver-white hair lay casually scattered across the golden silk pillow, and beneath her snow-white jade neck, a breathtakingly smooth curve extended beneath the covers, seemingly without the slightest adornment. Even though she was a flower blooming atop an unreachable peak, the sight still couldn't help but inspire all sorts of imagination.

"......".

Still wrong. Again!

Muen squeezed his eyes shut and silently recited several prayers for the Goddess's blessing before opening them again.

......The Goddess did not bless him.

The sleeping silver-white Empress was still there.

She looked so unreal that she might have stepped straight out of a painting, yet that warmth, that breath, that touch were all incomparably real.

No matter how much Muen wanted to deny it, argue against it......he could neither deny nor argue it away.

"......".

Muen withdrew his gaze and stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment before suddenly letting out a melancholy sigh.

What, exactly, was the meaning of life?

What, exactly, was this thing called familial love?

If even one's own biological father couldn't be trusted in this world, then what was there left to believe in?

Was fate tormenting him like this simply because he was yellow-haired?

So infuriating that he was trembling with cold. When would yellow-haired men finally rise up?

Muen pressed his hands together in a posture of prayer to the Goddess and continued pondering these philosophical questions filled with the profound truths of life, pouring out to the Goddess in his heart all the injustice fate had inflicted upon him......and then, with his mind full of philosophical contemplation, he made his body slide sideways beneath the covers in an extremely strange posture.

His powerful control over his body, combined with the strength he had only recently increased by leaps and bounds, made his movements utterly silent.

Even the blanket covering him was barely disturbed. At this moment, Muen moved swiftly and smoothly like a fish. Within the span of a few breaths, he was already about to leave this bed that was no longer beautiful in his eyes, shifting toward the direction opposite the silver-white figure.

Fuck fate!

My fate belongs to me, not Heaven!

As long as he could leave the range of the bed, as long as he could reach that place, with his current strength, even Celicia would find it difficult to......

"Stop."

In the end......he failed to reach that place.

The cold voice sounded like jade striking jade, like the soft cry of a lark.

But to Muen, this voice was not beautiful in the slightest.

For the first time, he regretted so deeply......why had he made this bed so damn big?

If it hadn't been large enough for seven or eight people to sleep together, would he have failed to notice the beauty already lying on his bed while half-asleep? Would he, a mighty Crowned One, have somehow failed to escape even a single bed?

Although a thousand thoughts and sighs twisted through his heart, Muen understood that beneath the authority of the Empire, at their current distance, even he had no possibility of escaping. He could only give up on continuing to move, squeeze out a smile, and turn around in an incomparably handsome and carefree manner.

"Good morning."

Muen propped his cheek on one hand, looking as handsome as a marble statue illuminated by sunlight.

"Did you sleep well last night? My dear Cia."

"Don't act as though you slept with me all night. Are we that close?"

Under Muen's gaze, those long eyelashes, seemingly coated in fallen frost and snow, trembled slightly, and those beautiful eyes slowly opened.

Her eyes were as deep as an icy lake, without the slightest trace of warmth.

"Not......not close?" Muen shivered and smiled awkwardly. "My dear Your Majesty, my dear Cia, our relationship is like a teacup and its lid, the sky and its clouds, Pink Bear and durian. We're simply the most harmonious and intimate pair in the entire world. Neither of us can live without the other."

"An intimate relationship?"

Celicia sneered. "From where I'm looking, you seem to avoid me like a tiger or leopard."

"No, no, absolutely not!"

Muen hurriedly shook his head again and again, patting his chest as he swore, "All I ever think about is how close I am to Cia. How could I possibly avoid Cia?"

"Then why were you running away?"

Celicia suddenly turned onto her side as well and shifted closer through the soft bedding.

She moved toward Muen little by little, that warmth drawing close once more, then gently raised her head and met his gaze.

Muen lowered his eyes. While looking at that cold little face, the corner of his vision inevitably fell into a certain unfathomably deep ravine.

The Empress of the Empire, having just awakened, had an icy gaze, yet her body still carried the warmth of the bed, making her several degrees more alluring than usual.

"Hm?"

"Ahem, I wasn't, wasn't running."

Muen snapped back to his senses and hurriedly answered, "My dear Cia, you've misunderstood. Of course I wasn't running. I just didn't expect you to be here, so I was startled for a moment."

"Startled?"

Celicia tilted her little head. "Am I frightening?"

"......N-No."

Muen wanted to cry.

Not frightening?

Who was he supposed to fool?

His legs were practically going weak from fear.

The mighty Empress of the Empire, whose status could hardly be put into words, wasn't properly staying in the Imperial Palace, but had actually come to a subject's home to play such an insidious waiting-for-a-rabbit-by-the-stump trick?

Was there still justice under Heaven? Was there still law in this land?

......All right. As far as the Empire was concerned, Celicia herself was both justice under Heaven and the law.

So forget merely waiting for him by the stump. Even if she really transformed the entire ducal estate into a "harem" specifically designed for him, those old bastards in the Empire who were going blind waiting for an imperial heir might very well turn a blind eye.

But forget Celicia for a moment. As for that other old bastard......

This was what you called showing you a little consideration?

This was what you called no traps?

This was what you called the warmth of home?

I must have been fucking blind back then to believe that coward would really grow a spine!

"Don't misunderstand. I had no intention of deliberately laying a trap for anyone, nor did I force anyone to do anything."

As though seeing straight through Muen's thoughts, Celicia said leisurely:

"A certain someone isn't worthy of making me expend that much effort and ignore the pressure of the entire Empire to do something so absurd. I merely heard recently that my beloved subject Grand Duke Campbell's home suffered considerable damage. I was deeply distressed, so while sending him a few small gifts to help restore the estate, I decided to stay here for a few days as a gesture of consolation."

"I-Is that so?" The corner of Muen's eye twitched.

Whether it was consoling or not, he had no idea, but......

Was this really just staying for a few days?

His gaze rapidly swept around, and details he hadn't noticed earlier now entered his eyes.

For example, the pattern on the incense burner was unmistakably of Imperial design.

The carpets had all been replaced as well. They were softer, and their colors were gentler.

And inside the half-open wardrobe, his original men's clothing had been almost completely replaced by simple yet elegant women's clothing.

There were even nightgowns.

"Heh heh......"

"What are you laughing at......"

"Nothing. I just suddenly realized Father really didn't lie to me, and I couldn't help clenching my fists a little."

His room really had been cleaned every day......

Cleaned far too well.

It was practically fucking turning directly into the Empress's bedchamber. Was there any room in the world that had been cleaned better than this?

Muen ground his teeth, wanting to go back and settle accounts with that old bastard, but knowing perfectly well that he couldn't escape for the moment, he could only immediately put on a handsome and gentle expression again and continue gazing affectionately at the beauty not far away......

"Cia......"

"Hm?"

"You're really beautiful."

"Mm."

"Beautiful, charming, considerate toward your subordinates, capable and gentle. You're simply the finest possible model of an Empress."

"Mm."

"Even though I'm already so familiar with that pretty face of yours, every time I see you, I'm instantly bewitched all over again, sinking so deeply into it that I can't pull myself free, almost to the point where I can no longer breathe."

Muen took one of Celicia's small hands and held it tenderly in his palm:

"Sometimes I really can't help wondering how someone as perfect as you could possibly exist in this world."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Celicia raised her eyes. Those icy-lake eyes remained perfectly still, without the slightest ripple.

"Nothing."

Muen continued smiling. "I'm simply expressing my love for you."

"Have you finished expressing it?" Celicia asked.

"No."

Muen answered seriously:

"My love is endless."

"......".

"......".

The two of them simply stared at one another in silence.

Sunlight leaked through the gaps in the curtains and flickered across Muen's face, making his sincerity appear all the more striking.

In the end, Celicia's skin was still slightly thinner, and she was the first to lose.

"Stop putting on that ridiculous act. Do you know what crime it is to attack the Empress of the Empire?" Celicia snorted coldly.

"When did I attack......"

"Didn't you touch me just now?"

"Th-That was completely deliberate on your part!"

Muen was speechless.

If the mighty Empress of the Empire truly wanted to defend herself, she could arrange the entire ducal estate so tightly that not even a mosquito could fly inside, much less someone as large as him.

If anything, this absurdly empty ducal estate was itself a kind of misdirection aimed at him.

"Forget it. Since you showed at least a little sincerity, I'll forgive your offense for now."

Celicia lifted her jade-like chin slightly, looking down from above. That expression of pure disdain made a person's entire body go numb.

"Wonderful! I knew Cia was the best."

Muen was overjoyed and let out a long breath, believing his efforts had worked.

Thankfully, his reaction had been quick.

And he also understood extremely clearly that when facing Celicia, he absolutely could not try to meet force with force.

Unless there happened to be liquor-filled chocolates here, trying to take the hard approach with her left him only one road——death.

"However......"

But before Muen could celebrate for long, Celicia suddenly changed her tone.

"I can temporarily pardon the crime of attacking me. As for your other crimes, however, we should have a proper discussion."

"Eh?"

Celicia suddenly rose.

The soft silk slid down along those perfect curves, and Muen's gaze rapidly followed its descending path, revealing a large expanse of pale, smooth skin before him.

In the end, however, he still failed to glimpse the entire view, because a soft nightgown, like a loyal knight, faithfully protected Her Majesty the Empress's most important areas.

But even so, when that obviously somewhat provocative nightgown, hanging from her body with only a few slender straps, swayed gently with the cold and aloof Empress's movements, Muen's mouth still went dry.

"Wh-What crime?" Muen asked nervously, his voice trembling.

But Celicia did not continue that line of conversation. Instead, she asked:

"That dragon came to Belrand too?"

"......".

The flame that had only just begun to rise was instantly extinguished, and Muen's heart jolted.

Judging by the current situation, how could he possibly fail to understand that Celicia's feelings toward Miss Dragon were definitely far more complicated than simple dislike?

Thinking about it carefully, those other shameless women had merely wanted to probe Miss Dragon's intentions, but the woman before him......

She genuinely held a grudge.

After all, her wedding had been ruined and the groom snatched away in front of everyone. Any woman would probably find that unbearable.

"Don't worry."

As though seeing through Muen's concern, Celicia said, "No matter what, I won't actually attack that dragon. I'm merely asking."

"......".

"Answer me."

A soft jade-like foot suddenly rose.

Then, with seemingly merciless determination, it immediately pressed down hard against Muen's chest......

It looked vicious, but in reality, there wasn't much force behind it. At least without using the authority of the Empress, an action like this couldn't cause Muen any actual harm.

Instead, the stimulation from both touch and sight brought Muen an entirely different sort of punishment.

"You're losing your composure......Your Majesty, you're losing your composure......"

Naturally, there was nothing beneath the nightgown, and as the hem fluttered, certain things that ought not to be seen became visible.

But as a gentleman, and also the Empire's future Imperial Consort, Muen naturally would never commit anything so disrespectful as profaning the Empress at a moment like this. He could only firmly grasp the Empress's foot, particularly certain sensitive areas, in an attempt to stop her, while widening his eyes and loudly warning her.

Celicia seemed completely unaware. While letting out an almost imperceptible soft hum from the strange sensation coming through the sole of her foot, she suddenly straightened it, her toes continuously sliding across Muen's chest as they tore apart the obstructing clothing.

Very soon, Muen was like a little lamb that had been stripped bare, submitting beneath Celicia's feet.

The Empress of the Empire looked down from high above and once again issued an imperial command that allowed no defiance.

"Answer me."