Chapter 1297: 55. The Empress in a Fluster

"I'm still going to punish you!"

That jade-like foot finally reached that place, stripping away the last of Muen's defenses along with it.

The poor, fragile thing was completely exposed just like that. Perhaps humiliated by being bullied so mercilessly, the Tower of Babylon once again rose proudly into the air.

Celicia glanced at it from the corner of her eye, and her breathing immediately grew a little heavier.

It had been several months for her too...

But before that, she had to make sure he learned his lesson.

And so, that jade-like foot came down hard. The Tower of Babylon immediately became the Leaning Tower of Babylon. Beneath the Empress's torment, no matter how unyielding it was, it could only bow and submit.

"Hiss... Your Majesty, have mercy..."

Muen hurriedly begged for mercy.

It was far from the first time Celicia had tormented that particular place, but this time, her assault very clearly carried all the resentment she had accumulated over the past several months.

Whether in force or ferocity, it had undergone a qualitative improvement.

Before long, Muen's entire body had gone taut, leaving him "in agony beyond endurance."

"You're already done? We've barely even started."

Celicia looked at him with utter contempt.

But she soon stopped what she was doing there.

That had only been an appetizer.

Playing with it for too long was not particularly interesting either.

Besides, if she simply let him enjoy himself to completion like this, then the punishment would lose its meaning.

She knew perfectly well just how much of a pervert this bastard was. This time, she had even deliberately refrained from wearing black stockings precisely so that he would not enjoy himself too much.

"Next, I'm going to punish you even harder."

Celicia slowly bent down and reached out, gently stroking Muen's cheek.

Her movements had changed, becoming incomparably tender, yet the chill in her words rose to an entirely new level.

"Look forward to it."

"..."

Muen immediately shuddered.

He had no idea what kind of punishment Celicia was hiding up her sleeve, but he knew perfectly well that it would definitely not be easy.

Compared to things like knee strikes, kicks, or having her jade-like foot step on his face, it was bound to be on an entirely different level.

After all, her anger this time far surpassed anything before.

But trying to guess exactly how an angry Empress would punish a disobedient subject like him was truly difficult.

I have to think of something...

Muen's thoughts raced.

Although, deep down, he did indeed feel the tiniest bit of anticipation toward this so-called punishment, he was not some perverted masochist.

As an ambitious man, how could he tolerate being kept beneath someone else's foot forever?

Just as Celicia feared no powerful enemy, his own lofty ambitions when it came to being on top had never faded either.

So...

"Come on!"

Muen turned his head away and spread himself out flat in a starfish position.

"Whatever tricks you've got, use them all!"

"...?"

Celicia froze slightly.

Judging by his expression just now, she had thought he still had some ultimate counterattack he had not yet used.

But in the end, he was merely...

Lying flat and letting her do whatever she wanted?

"What kind of trick are you trying to pull now?"

Naturally, she would not so easily believe that Muen had truly given up resisting. Seeing him take this posture only made her somewhat more vigilant.

"There are no tricks. Only sincerity."

"Sincerity? Ha."

"I know I made Your Majesty angry. It's only natural that you don't believe me. I don't blame you, and I don't blame anyone else."

Muen looked off to the side. He squeezed a little moisture into the corner of his eyes, while his words sounded incomparably sincere.

"All of this is my fault. I'm the one who made you sad. I'm the one who made all of you uneasy. As a man, for me to be like this really is an utter failure.

"Since that's the case, of course I deserve punishment.

"Come on, Your Majesty.

"If you want to punish me, then punish me as much as you like!

"Don't hold back. Just treat me like a delicate flower you can trample however you please. Even if you completely break me, I won't have any complaints!"

"You're retreating in order to advance?"

Celicia raised an eyebrow.

"No."

Muen turned his head back. His clear blue eyes gazed deeply into Celicia's.

"I'm showing you my love. I love you, Cia. So forget making a mistake—even if I hadn't done anything wrong, I would still willingly let you torment me."

"..."

For a moment, the entire room fell silent.

Celicia remained high above him, looking down at the "guilty subject" beneath her.

Her expression was still cold, yet ripples unexpectedly appeared in those eyes that had always resembled an icy lake.

"You think saying a few sweet words will make me go soft?"

Celicia still sounded disdainful.

Yet in a moment even she herself failed to notice, her vigilance and defenses were suddenly weakened from within by her abruptly accelerating heartbeat...

Chance!

Muen's eyes flashed.

The deep affection in his gaze instantly transformed into excitement at seeing his scheme succeed, and his movements were no slower. Taking advantage of that tiny lapse in Celicia's guard, he suddenly pounced like a starving tiger and pulled her into his arms.

The distance between them vanished in an instant.

Skin met skin, flesh pressed against flesh.

Feeling the soft, fragrant warmth in his arms, Muen did not dare relax in the slightest.

Because he knew this was still Celicia's home ground. Although he had seized an opening, one moment of carelessness could reverse the situation.

Without the slightest hesitation, he rolled over on the spot and pinned Celicia beneath him. At the same time, he leaned down and directly kissed the soft lips that had just spoken so many cold words.

But those cherry-red lips were scorching hot.

And soft.

Muen was already thoroughly familiar with the way in. It took him almost no effort to part those lips and pearly teeth, find that nimble little tongue, and entangle it wantonly with his own as they exchanged sweet saliva.

At the same time, his two shameless hands did not stop for even a second. They advanced beneath the loose nightgown along separate routes, quickly reaching Her Majesty the Empress's most private and mysterious regions.

"Mm..."

Her Majesty's delicate body twisted and struggled beneath him, but such direct friction still caused the temperature in the room to rise once again.

After struggling several times, she finally managed to temporarily break free from Muen's reckless assault.

"Do you know what you're doing?"

Celicia's cheeks were flushed, fragrant breath spilling from her lips, yet her gaze remained incomparably cold.

"Doing this will only make the punishment I give you afterward even more terrifying."

"I know."

Muen gritted his teeth.

"That's why I've decided to attack first. Before Your Majesty can punish me, I'm going to make sure Your Majesty doesn't have the strength left to punish me!"

"Ha."

Celicia laughed in sheer irritation.

"You think you can do that?"

Did he really think she was like those shameless, seductive sluts who would immediately go soft in his arms and start begging for more just because he hugged and kissed them a little?

Ridiculous!

"Under normal circumstances, Your Majesty would of course be flawless. But who told Your Majesty to have one tiny little weakness?"

"Hm?"

A weakness?

Even more ridiculous.

What weakness could she possibly have...

Muen said nothing more.

He merely leisurely took out a small transparent container and shook it in front of Celicia's eyes.

The crystalline scarlet liquid inside made the fearless Empress's pupils suddenly contract.

Red wine!

As the Empress of the Empire, the woman with the greatest authority on the entire continent, a single word from her could make rivers of blood flow across the land...

And yet even someone like her feared this tiny amount of alcohol.

"When did you..."

"Fortunately."

Muen smiled.

"When I was drinking with Father earlier, I conveniently saved a little."

"Despicable!"

This time, it was Celicia's turn to grit her teeth.

Her slender waist twisted as she struggled even harder.

"But you think this alone will work? If I refuse, do you really think you can force me to drink it?"

"That... would indeed be rather difficult."

She was the dignified Empress of the Empire, a Crowned powerhouse who also wielded the authority of the Empire itself.

Forcing her to drink something would be no easier than walking beyond the world's barrier, raising a middle finger at an Evil God, and then returning safely.

Therefore...

"I can only use a slightly special method to test just how stubborn Your Majesty's mouth really is!"

Muen's smile grew increasingly wicked.

Since things had already reached this point, he had completely thrown caution to the wind.

As for what kind of punishment he would suffer afterward...

He could worry about that afterward!

And only then did Celicia suddenly realize that because of her earlier "little punishment," at some unknown point, there was no longer any barrier whatsoever between the two of them.

Even his previous movements, which had looked like nothing more than a simple surprise attack, had actually been a diversion.

Without her noticing, he had quietly gotten everything into position.

In other words, this treacherous subject could now, with practically no effort at all, launch a direct assault on the most vulnerable place of the Empress of the Empire.