Chapter 39: The Emperor’s Fiery Return

Erich’s thoughts aligned with theirs. Evening Flam was indeed a woman capable of inspiring affection.

She was neither arrogant nor irritating, and her readiness to say ‘Thank you,’ ‘I’m sorry,’ and ‘I love you’ made her endearing.

Though a unique aspect of her personality made her somewhat difficult to understand, she was far from detestable.

Whenever the atmosphere threatened to turn sour, her tendency to prostrate herself and plead was, without a doubt, a form of flattery. Yet, it was never unpleasant to witness.

He wouldn’t go so far as to say she was drop-dead gorgeous.

Still, he acknowledged that she was certainly likable.

She possessed enough charm to win over the imperial guards, Erich’s own trusted retainers.

Articulating these thoughts aloud brought him a sense of relief.

It was easier to accept his feelings gradually leaning towards a woman of undeniable charm, rather than being drawn to someone utterly devoid of appealing qualities. The latter, after all, only made him feel pathetic.

“Th-that’s right, isn’t it?”

“She’s diligent, articulate in her responses, and consistently kind and pretty to everyone.”

Like it or not, he had to admit it. Even the ladies-in-waiting, personally chosen by the Emperor, had already grown fond of Evening and sided with her.

While they hadn’t fallen so deeply as to betray him, Evening had swiftly positioned herself at the center of their affections. She seemed to possess a knack for burrowing into people’s hearts.

Realizing that everyone seemed to like Evening, he felt a certain lightness of heart, no longer feeling like an isolated fool.

“Then, why not truly foster a good relationship? We’d be absolutely thrilled.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Erich warned. “She’s the Margrave’s daughter. She might be sweet to you, but she could be ruthless with me.”

“But isn’t she incredibly kind to His Majesty?” one person interjected.

At his words, the other knights suddenly joined in, their voices growing fervent.

“Exactly! She thinks of His Majesty every single day. She must be in love with him!”

“That’s right. She always says, ‘Yes, I like it, thank you.’ She wouldn’t be able to do that if she didn’t like him. With such devotion, Your Majesty should reciprocate at least once.”

Having heard the Emperor speak favorably of Evening, the imperial guards abruptly began showering him with obvious flattery.

“She’s completely smitten with His Majesty.”

“Indeed. How could anyone not be smitten with His Majesty? He’s wealthy and highly skilled.”

“Stop with your baseless talk.”

Such hopeless flattery was worse than saying nothing at all. Hearing them praise him without any real thought felt like mockery.

“But…”

“Unless you wish to lose your heads, you’d do well to keep your mouths shut.”

How foolish. What did they hope to achieve by spouting such absurdities? To think they saw him as a half-wit who would revel in such words.

Erich sharply cut off his subordinates’ chatter.

The imperial guards, who had been attempting to boost his spirits with flattery, fell silent.

In the ensuing silence, the capital steadily drew nearer.

It had been seventeen days since his departure.

****

The knights’ flattery had been hopelessly optimistic.

Flattery should have its limits. Offering praise like, ‘Any woman would naturally fall for His Great Majesty—’ only made him feel ridiculed.

Erich’s conviction that Evening could never truly like him remained unshaken.

“Lord Erich! You’re back? Did you get a haircut on your way? Your bangs look a little shorter.”

Even when she subtly noticed his changes.

“Let me take your things. I’ll tidy them. If I’d known you were arriving, I would have prepared a meal already… I’ll get it ready for you as soon as you’ve washed up.”

Even when she greeted him with such warmth upon his long-awaited return.

“Please eat. Since it’s been a while, I asked them to prepare your favorites. Don’t you think the chef’s skills are improving daily? I’ve come up with a few more tomato dishes; you should try them later.”

Even when she thoughtfully anticipated his preferences without him having to utter a word.

“Where did you go? To the North? Oh, wasn’t it cold? I feel like I’d freeze to death in a cold place. You didn’t freeze to death, did you?”

Even when she inquired about his well-being with a jest…

“Oh, suddenly? You’re thinking of… doing it? Here? Kyaaah!”

Yet, reaching this point, a thought occurred to him: perhaps she *did* like him.

From his first fiancée, he had learned the meaning of contempt.

From his second, he had learned fear.

The third—she was neither.

Evening neither despised Erich nor feared him like some monstrous beast.

Erich buried his face in Evening’s neck. He untied the ribbon at her back, then trailed kisses from her shoulder down to her chest.

[Cute Eve]

“Lord Erich?”

Evening pushed against Erich’s shoulders as he lunged at her like a starved man. Though she’d said it was fine, his desperate advance made her a little afraid.

Yet, no matter how much force Evening applied with both hands, she found it difficult to push Erich away. Powerful as his physique suggested, he remained unmoving, pulling her even closer.

Her clothes were already half undone, her collarbone and upper chest stained with Erich’s lip prints. Had she been wearing lipstick, her entire décolletage would have been covered in scarlet marks.

“Are you really going to do this in your office?”

Clinging tightly to Erich, Evening squirmed her hips, struggling to pull away.

That they were igniting with passion the moment he returned after more than half a month away from the palace—well, that was fine.

Her body was clean, and seeing him again after so long filled her with a familiar warmth.

But this was still his office.

Like a classic study, it was piled high with parchment and paper, and outside, administrators bustled about their work. Anyone could knock and enter at any moment.

Erich ignored Evening’s modest protest and targeted her lips.

A reddish bruise blossomed on her left collarbone.

Evening turned her head, evading Erich’s kiss. She felt as though a heated kiss, toying with her tongue, would make her lower abdomen ache. The very edge of her inguinal triangle was already tingling dangerously.

“If someone walks in while we’re d-doing this here, it’ll be awkward, won’t it?”

“Why awkward?”

“Why, you ask… Ah!”

Pushed by Erich, Evening flinched, trapped between him and the office desk.

There was no more room to push her hips back. With no escape, her heart began to pound erratically.

Beyond the firm forearm wrapped around her lower back, the sensation of his engorged member softly rubbing against her belly was almost unbearable.

Wherever his swollen body touched, a thrilling shiver ran through her, as if those spots had become erogenous zones.

She had to regain her composure. Staring at Erich’s face so closely, she feared she might lose all reason and lift her skirt right there.

“Eve,” Erich murmured, “there isn’t a soul in this palace who doesn’t know you and I are intimate.”

It was unclear whether he was coaxing her or treating her like a fool. Yet, accompanied by kisses, his words certainly held a tender quality.

Erich lifted Evening with a swift motion and seated her on the office desk.

He swiftly pulled up the hem of her skirt, which had already ridden up slightly. Silk stockings reaching her knees and underwear covering half her thighs embraced her bare legs, leaving little skin exposed.

“There’s no need to suddenly be shy; these are the same people who already see our marks on clothes and in our bedchamber.”

“But they haven’t heard anything vulgar,” Evening whispered.

As she lowered her voice to whisper, Erich lifted one of her legs and placed it on the desk.

“You just need to keep your voice down.”

He gave her a sweet, charming smile. Evening swallowed a rising hiccup, pouting slightly.

“I don’t think I can keep it down.”

“You can’t help but cry out in pleasure?”

“No, I can’t.”

Though his words could have been insulting, Evening leaned against Erich’s chest, gazing up at him softly.

“How could I not make a sound when I’m with Lord Erich?”

Indeed, who could possibly hold back their cries? Even with her mouth shut, moans would surely vibrate in her throat.

She had no confidence in remaining quiet while in his embrace.

As she pleaded with genuine sincerity, Erich’s hand, which had been diligently kissing and caressing Evening’s waist, stilled.

He stepped back, his lips pressed tightly together. Slowly, he clenched his fists and sighed, staring intently down at Evening.

Unlike her own face, which was flushed and disheveled as if drunk from Erich’s touch, his bore a mixture of emotions.

On his contorted face, resentment and satisfaction towards her mingled in an odd proportion.

Without a word, he retreated and turned his back on Evening. Left perched alone on the office desk, Evening’s lips parted slightly.

With the person who had been gripping her waist and pressing firmly between her legs now gone, a hollow emptiness settled there.

Evening brought her parted knees together, staring blankly at Erich’s retreating back.

He had pounced on her like a flame the moment they met after more than half a month, only to turn away cruelly just as things were about to begin. Serving such a capricious tyrant was truly no easy task.

Erich’s retreating figure quickly diminished, then vanished beyond the door. Before Evening could fully shake off the lingering heat, he re-entered the office.

Erich strode back, then pushed her closed knees wide apart once more.

“I’ve instructed no one to enter this corridor,” he declared.

“Ah!”

“Now you have no complaints, do you?”

His expression suggested he found this task bothersome, yet his cheeks and the corners of his mouth had softened slightly. Her face flushed intensely at the low words he whispered into her ear.

If he was going to send everyone away, it would have been better to do it in a proper room.

Even if everyone knew they were intimate, advertising that they were about to *do it* to the whole neighborhood felt shameful.

But it was too late now. Evening had lost her excuses, and she wasn’t in the mood to flee. Erich’s hand, gripping her thigh tightly, was firm and scorching hot.

His hand slipped beneath her underwear, which covered half her thigh.

His large hand caressed the inside of her thigh, then moved lower. Trailing down her leg, his hand stripped off her long stockings. It felt as though cool air was tracing patterns on her skin.

With Erich standing between her parted legs, it was difficult to pull down her underwear. Instead of tearing it, he simply flipped the loose fabric aside, revealing her skin.

His hand swept up the outside of her thigh, then grazed her buttocks. Each time his firm hand caressed her body, her lower abdomen pulsed with heat, and her hips and knees twitched.

Having sufficiently explored her legs, Erich unfastened the front of his trousers. His hidden member, previously concealed by his slightly lowered underwear, sprang forth.

Evening reached out her hand towards the slowly approaching member. The large mass, seen after so long, felt strangely familiar.

Beginning with a light touch on the shaft, then encompassing his entire penis with her palm, Evening caused Erich to narrow his eyes. His blue gaze fixed on her with an intense stare.

“Where did you learn to be so coquettish?”

“Huh?”

“I’m curious as to whose heart a princess who has never once shown such coquetry in her life is trying to win over by acting so endearing now.”

His sarcastic taunt, as if probing who she had been “playing around” with, struck her with coldness. His tone was always aggressive.

Yet, from a slight distance, there was a charming innocence to it. Evening composed her crumbling expression and offered a wry smile.