Chapter 39: Chains of Gold

Haeryeong looked at the Emperor quietly with a smile on his lips.

The Emperor scooped up more pumpkin porridge, placed it in Haeryeong’s mouth, and then wiped away the residue on his lips with his own hand.

Licking his own thumb with his tongue, the Emperor asked in a casual tone.

“So, how was the horsemanship training?”

Haeryeong hurriedly swallowed the porridge he had been rolling around in his mouth.

“It was enjoyable.”

The Emperor let out a soft exclamation as if Haeryeong’s response was unexpected.

“Oho. I thought you would find it grueling, so it is quite a relief to hear you enjoyed it.”

“It is all thanks to Your Imperial Majesty’s grace.”

The Emperor rubbed the spoon against the bowl to clear the leftovers and gave a sly smile.

“If it was so enjoyable, then why did you shed tears?”

Haeryeong felt his heart drop inside his chest.

“Pardon?”

It felt as if his heart had rolled down into his lower abdomen, leaving a dull, throbbing ache behind.

‘Has the report already reached him?’

‘How incredibly fast.’

‘At this rate, I must assume he is being updated in real-time.’

He felt as though he were bound tightly with thick ropes, unable to move even an inch.

Feeling a constriction in his lungs, Haeryeong breathed cautiously and could find no words to answer.

The Emperor brought the spoon to Haeryeong’s lips while patting his back with the hand that had been supporting his waist.

“I am simply asking because I am curious about what made you feel so burdened and sorrowful.”

Haeryeong accepted the porridge that kept approaching his lips, swallowed it instantly, and shook his head.

“It was nothing of the sort. Your servant was merely… distressed by such a large horse jostling me while my body is still quite weary.”

The Emperor nodded slowly.

“Indeed, you were quite overextended during your heat cycle. How are you feeling now?”

Haeryeong replied while cautiously observing the Emperor’s complexion.

“Moving my body has actually made me feel as though my energy is returning.”

“Even so, you will likely ache here and there by tomorrow. Especially around your thighs and waist.”

The Emperor seemed less concerned than expected.

Watching him smile so casually, Haeryeong picked up a spoon.

“Your Majesty should try some as well. The pumpkin porridge is quite sweet.”

In his haste to shut the man’s mouth, a drop of porridge from the bottom of the spoon fell onto the palm Haeryeong had held beneath it.

Haeryeong intended to quickly put the porridge into the Emperor’s mouth and then wipe his hand.

The Emperor quietly accepted the porridge Haeryeong fed him.

His gaze remained fixed on Haeryeong’s face the entire time.

He caught Haeryeong’s hand as he tried to withdraw it and licked the porridge spilled in the center of his palm.

As the warm porridge was spread across his palm by the stroking tongue, a strange sensation washed over him.

His fingertips curled involuntarily.

“Please maintain your dignity, Your Majesty.”

Haeryeong whispered softly and exerted strength to pull his hand away, but the Emperor would not let go.

When he finally gave up and relaxed his arm, the man pulled his hand closer.

The Emperor’s gaze was still locked on Haeryeong’s face.

Every time a lapping sound occurred, Haeryeong hunched his shoulders, while the Emperor’s soft, chuckling breaths tickled his exposed wrist.

Just as he felt his own breathing grow heavier, the scent of peach blossoms began to fill the inner chamber.

Unable to even curl his fingers, Haeryeong flinches until he finally pleaded in a voice so quiet only the Emperor could hear.

“Please… let me go.”

The Emperor tilted his head the other way and drew closer to peer into Haeryeong’s face.

“If I let this go, I shall have nothing left to lick.”

The meaning hidden in the Emperor’s whisper near his lips was a demand for a substitute.

Bewildered, Haeryeong first clenched the hand the man had licked into a tight fist.

Still chuckling softly, the Emperor urged Haeryeong as if he were owed something.

“Since you have snatched away what I was tasting, you must give me something in its place.”

“Please, your dignity…, mmph.”

As if he had heard enough, the Emperor sucked Haeryeong’s lips into his own.

When Haeryeong squeezed his eyes shut and hunched his shoulders, the man rubbed broadly across his back and nipped at his lips.

“Haeryeong-ah.”

He whispered like a passing breeze.

A tongue slid out from the Emperor’s murmuring lips to lightly lick the spot he had bitten; when it pulled away, the area felt strangely cold.

He felt suffocated by the intensifying scent of peach blossoms.

“Hng.”

Bursting into short gasps, Haeryeong pulled his thighs together toward his chest.

He felt a small ember beginning to burn deep inside his body.

Even as the heat steadily warmed his frame, a strange chill ran through him.

The Emperor cradled the shivering Haeryeong and continued to press short kisses against him.

Every time he quietly called Haeryeong’s name, the Empress’s tightly closed eyelids trembled.

“The… the meal is getting cold.”

The Emperor let out a long sigh against Haeryeong’s face.

“So it is. It would not do to disturb the Empress’s meal any further.”

As if he did not intend to trouble Haeryeong further, the Emperor seemed to pull back.

Feeling the scent of the man’s breath recede, the eyes-closed Haeryeong swallowed a sigh of relief and opened them.

In that momentary lapse of guard, the Emperor grabbed the back of Haeryeong’s head and yanked him forward.

The tongue that immediately delved inside sought out Haeryeong’s tongue, which had retreated deep into his mouth, and began to rub against it.

After mixing their saliva with wet sounds and pulling Haeryeong’s tongue forward to suck on it forcefully, the Emperor finally broke the contact.

“This is the last of it.”

The Emperor pressed his lips firmly against the slightly swollen, wet mouth once more before pulling away and whispering.

Haeryeong let out a low groan at the throbbing tightness in his lower abdomen.

“I shall tease you no more, so finish your meal in peace.”

The Emperor pulled a nearby chair closer and set Haeryeong down upon it.

Only then did Haeryeong let out a breath of relief.

He unconsciously traced his palm slowly from his chest to his lower belly, only to realize the Emperor was watching him.

Meeting Haeryeong’s questioning look, the Emperor leaned back against the table and smiled.

His gaze was lingering near the thighs Haeryeong had pressed together.

“It seems you have begun to react quite well to my scent.”

Upon hearing the Emperor’s words, Haeryeong pulled his long sleeves over to hide the space between his thighs.

Heat flooded his face in an instant.

The Emperor gave a sly smile and extended his free arm.

He swiped the back of his hand across the heated cheek before withdrawing it.

“You must gradually become accustomed to such jests. If you blush like that every time, it only makes me want to be even more mischievous.”

The Emperor finally picked up his spoon as if intending to eat properly now.

“Tell them to prepare something more substantial starting with dinner. If you keep eating only porridge like this, even the strength you’ve regained will surely vanish.”

Haeryeong quietly swallowed and gave a slight bow.

“I shall do so.”

Though the end of his voice wavered slightly, the Emperor began his meal without further word.

Haeryeong also began to eat his porridge while keeping a watchful eye on the man.

As the Emperor finished his meal in silence and cleansed his mouth with water, he spoke up.

“How is the horsemanship training proceeding?”

“While your servant remains atop the horse, the stable master holds the reins and guides the horse to run in a circle.”

Mmm. The Emperor let out a light hum and nodded.

“Shall we pick a day soon to go out for a run? Your skills will not improve much if you only run in the training grounds. The terrain of the hunting grounds is not so flat, so you must not become accustomed only to the arena.”

Haeryeong’s eyes went wide at the suggestion to go out for a ride.

‘Does he mean we are leaving the Imperial Palace?’

‘But how?’

As an Eumin, Haeryeong had almost never stepped outside the palace even back in Yeonseo.

‘Am I truly allowed to go?’

He knew that leaving the palace was a natural part of going on a hunt, but was that not usually a special permission granted only for that specific day?

When Haeryeong failed to answer quickly, the Emperor let out a soft chuckle as if he understood.

“What is there to worry so much about when you are following your husband?”

Haeryeong blinked rapidly.

“Is Your Majesty going out as well? What about state affairs?”

Even as an Emperor, surely he could not just vacate the palace at will.

“It is only for an hour or two. Did you happen to see the Imperial Steed at the stables?”

“Yes. I saw him.”

Assuming he was talking about the black stallion the Emperor had named himself, Haeryeong nodded silently.

“That fellow used to run every single day when I was in the military; he must be itching to go after being trapped inside a fence for so long, so I intend to let him run this time.”

The Emperor gave a wink and a smile.

“Surely you do not dislike the idea of going out with me?”

Startled by the gaze that felt cold despite the smile, Haeryeong quickly denied the suggestion.

“It is not that. Your servant merely feared I might be a burden to Your Majesty… Furthermore, since the Imperial Steed is so large, I worried my own horse could not keep up.”

“Do not worry about that. Although he is small because he is not yet fully grown, the horse you chose is also one of our few legendary steeds.”

Haeryeong blinked with a look of bewilderment.

‘A legendary steed? Nureongi?’

‘That disobedient, rough creature is a legendary horse?’

Reading the doubt in Haeryeong’s eyes, the Emperor explained in a kind tone.

He said that Nureongi was an Akhal-Teke, a descendant of the wild horses that lived on the northern plains.

Haeryeong found the words simply absurd.

It was surprising enough that they had let him ride such a precious animal, but the Emperor’s smile—as he remarked that he hadn’t expected Haeryeong to choose that horse—actually looked quite benevolent.

“I simply chose the horse the stable master recommended. Your servant had no idea it was such a precious creature.”

He had only chosen it because its shimmering golden coat was beautiful.

The fact that it was slightly smaller than the other horses had also been a factor.

He felt a horse too large would be difficult to handle with his own strength, and a horse too tall would be frightening.