* * *
“Well, I wanted to spend our first night here.”
“……Don’t use weird phrasing. It’s misleading.”
First night?
Someone might get the wrong idea.
But Ateol remained completely unfazed.
“It’s not misleading at all. I mean exactly what you’re thinking. But first, you should eat.”
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
With Ateol’s permission, the attendants entered, carrying trays of food.
The faint aroma that drifted in made my stomach clench with hunger.
My body, still lingering at what felt like a mere three percent of its usual strength, was demanding food immediately.
Once the attendants had finished setting the table and exited, Ateol personally picked up a tray, placing a few dishes onto a separate plate and bringing it to the bed.
The smell of the spicy, fire-seared fish stew instantly whetted my appetite.
Roasted quail, crisped in pork fat, stuffed with fragrant glutinous rice—it reminded me of the old-school whole chicken sold from street carts.
Ateol even took it upon himself to serve me, dishing out portions onto my plate while moving back and forth between the bed and the table to bring more food.
Once my stomach had settled enough that I was only picking at the salad and sipping my drink, he had dessert brought in.
The moment I saw it, I knew.
These were the very same desserts I used to eat at the Magic Tower.
Biting into a soft jelly filled with whole cherry pulp, I caught Ateol’s satisfied smile.
“I had it made at the Magic Tower and brought here.”
Ah, no wonder it felt familiar.
“The royal palace’s and Magic Tower’s kitchens will be working closely together from now on.”
“……Why?”
“So that you can always have meals suited to your taste, even here.”
No, there’s really no need for that…
Then it hit me—this bastard has no intention of letting me escape.
And wait, isn’t the coronation banquet happening right now?
“What about the banquet? Why are you here?”
“I can step away for a little while. I’m human too; I need to sleep, don’t I?”
He’s human too, he says.
That’s an obvious statement, so why does it sound so strange coming from him?
I stared at Ateol, and he smirked as if he knew exactly what part of his words I found odd.
“You do have moments where you look at me as if I’m terrifying.”
It’s not just how I look at him.
He is terrifying.
Not as much as before, maybe, but still.
And yet, when he subtly leaned closer, I instinctively reached out and pushed against his chest—broad, solid, thick.
I could feel the firmness even through his opulent clothes, and I frowned without meaning to.
“I’m going to bathe.”
Ateol backed off without protest and gestured toward the bathroom.
I had half a mind to warn him not to follow me in, but he didn’t try.
Good. If he had, I would’ve had to scream.
I took my time washing up, hoping that by the time I emerged, Ateol would have returned to the banquet.
My hopes were thoroughly dashed.
Dressed in the same heavy ceremonial attire, he remained seated, back straight, calmly reading a book.
The title?
In Search of Lost Things.
A title that could either be profound or deceptively simple.
“That, uh… What’s that book about?”
I wasn’t actually curious, but shifting the topic to something else seemed less awkward.
Ateol effortlessly lifted the hefty tome with one hand and showed me the cover.
“It’s about amnesia.”
“……”
Is he still hung up on me saying I lost my memory?
Siwoo has amnesia too, but I doubt Ateol would go out of his way to read a book for his sake.
I hesitated near the bathroom door, lingering unnecessarily, when Ateol rose and approached.
“You need to dry your hair.”
Without a word, I summoned a warm breeze.
The wind swept through my hair, drying it instantly.
Ateol merely raised an eyebrow, undeterred.
“Then allow me to brush it for you.”
Before I could protest, he pulled me into his arms, settling me between his legs.
I tried to think of a way to escape, perhaps by brushing my own hair, but aside from floating the brush midair, there wasn’t much I could do.
Fidgeting awkwardly, I attempted to slip away, but he caught my waist and held me still.
Ateol picked up the brush at his own leisurely pace.
“It’s messy even after brushing. Just leave it.”
“If it’s messy either way, better to brush it, don’t you think?”
What kind of twisted logic is that?
While I was still gaping, the brush glided through my hair.
The gentle strokes sent an unfamiliar sensation down my spine.
Cloden and the attendants had brushed my hair plenty of times, but it had never felt like this.
Was it because the person doing it had intentions?
Just as the thought crossed my mind, Ateol’s lips grazed the back of my neck, where the brush had just passed.
I jerked my head away.
“If you’re going to do that, then just don’t.”
“What do you mean, that?”
Don’t play dumb! So infuriating.
I squirmed, trying to slip away, but his arms wound around me, firm and unyielding, like ancient tree roots—no, like a spider’s web.
And I was the insect caught in it.
His lips continued to press against my skin, his hands sliding forward.
Through the thin fabric of my nightclothes, his fingers grazed over my chest.
My nipples, already sensitive, perked up instantly, catching on his fingertips even through the cloth.
At some point, the brush had vanished, abandoned, as Ateol focused entirely on toying with me.
The atmosphere was shifting, threatening to sweep me along. Just as I was about to lose myself, salvation arrived.
A knock at the door.
“Who is it?”
Ateol’s voice was thick with irritation.
But the person outside remained unfazed.
“It’s Resa, Your Majesty. The guests at the banquet are all asking for you.”
“……Go.”
Seizing the moment, I pushed Ateol away.
He sighed, clearly reluctant, but rose to his feet.
Honestly, he had no business lounging around reading while a coronation banquet was in full swing.
“I’ll be back soon. Get some rest.”
“No need. Stay out there for three days and three nights—that’s the Emperor’s duty and virtue.”
“I plan to be the kind of tyrant who ignores duty and virtue.”
I twitched my lips.
Somehow, it didn’t sound like a joke when he said it.
The knocking escalated from a polite tap tap to a full bang bang bang.
With an exasperated look, Ateol finally conceded.
“I’m coming, stop knocking.”
“Your prompt attendance would be appreciated.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m going.”
Ateol let out a quiet chuckle, adjusted his clothes, and pressed a kiss to my cheek before leaving the bedroom.
Finally, I was alone.
Now that I was alone, I had time to think.
By now, I should have been far from the capital, carrying a bag full of jewels.
Where did it all go wrong?
‘I was deceived.’
It was absurd.
Ateol had deceived me.
* * *
