Chapter 8: A Calculated Embrace

Chapter 8

The engagement banquet abruptly ceased amidst chaos, and the Imperial Guard was already preparing for departure. Having concluded her discussion with her father, Evening, laden with her hastily packed belongings, found her luggage unceremoniously tossed into the Emperor’s carriage, immediately followed by herself.

The carriage’s interior was more spacious than that of an SUV. Erich sat precisely in the center of a seat ample enough for two. Evening carefully settled herself a couple of hand-spans away from him.

“I apologize for the delay. Are you feeling well?”

“I’m perfectly ordinary.”

“Please have some detox water. It’s supposed to flush out toxins and make you feel more comfortable.”

Evening offered him the water she had hurriedly prepared before leaving the mansion. While its efficacy was questionable, the apple mint and lemon infused within it would at least offer a refreshing taste.

“I’ve never heard of such a beverage, and I certainly hope it’s not another poison.”

Despite his sarcastic remark, he promptly took the detox water and drank it.

“Ugh.”

After drinking, Erich made a show of gagging, as if something had caught in his throat.

For a brief moment, her heart lurched, but it quickly subsided.

Evening watched Erich calmly, a wry smile gracing her lips. When she simply shook her head from side to side without a word, Erich, looking unimpressed, finished the detox water.

“Sour.”

Having emptied the bottle, he stuck out his tongue slightly and grumbled. Evening took the bottle from him and placed it beneath her legs.

It was the kind of prank that would make someone less perceptive clutch their heart in alarm. A chilling jest, only possible for one who had returned from the brink of death.

“By the sound of it, you seem fine. I was quite startled when you collapsed.”

“I, too, was surprised to see you turn so pale. It seems you’ve grown quite fond of me overnight. Perhaps I’m rather skilled, wouldn’t you say?”

“Indeed. It would be a catastrophe if your noble body were to be harmed before we’ve even married. Any injury to you, Erich, would be a national loss. You’re completely fine, from head to toe, aren’t you?”

Any blemish upon his splendid, noble form would be as grave as the destruction of a national treasure.

As she conveyed her concern, laced with a touch of exaggeration, Erich responded with a sneer.

“What are you worried about? I always revive perfectly fine.”

“How ‘perfectly fine’?”

‘What exactly constituted ‘perfectly fine’?’ ‘If he died from a contagious disease, would he revive completely cured of it?’ ‘What if he suffered from a chronic illness?’ ‘The specifics of immortality varied across different stories.’ ‘She wondered what kind of immortal ability Erich, who revived so cleanly, possessed.’

“Mind your own business. More importantly, are you truly alright leaving your hometown like this, not knowing when you’ll return?”

“I am perfectly fine!”

Her overly cheerful demeanor caused a flicker in Erich’s expression.

Erich, who had been sitting askew with his legs crossed, let out a snort.

“Perfectly fine, you say? Your scope of movement will be severely restricted once you become Empress. If you leave today, there’s no telling when you’ll see your home again.”

Despite his outwardly boorish impression, every word Erich uttered was refined. No matter how roughly he behaved, he was undeniably a member of the wealthy, educated elite.

“It’s quite alright. If my father wishes to see me, he will visit. As a Margrave himself, he will understand the demands of state affairs.”

‘Thus, it would be troublesome to simply accept his previous question with a grateful nod.’

‘One must dissect a superior’s words two or three times to formulate the optimal response.’ ‘When asked, ‘Isn’t learning the ropes difficult?’, which new employee is better: the one who replies, ‘No, I’m fine!’ or the one who whines, ‘Yes, I’m so exhausted I could die…”

Lee Nabin—no, Evening—forged by her internship at a major corporation and her experience in a public enterprise, understood precisely how a subordinate ought to conduct themselves.

“What? You sound like a vassal.”

Erich, who had rested his right ankle on his left knee, propped his elbow on his knee and cupped his chin.

“Am I not virtually Your Majesty’s vassal?”

Erich’s left eyebrow shot up in response.

“You?”

“The Empress is but a retainer to His Imperial Majesty. Since you have judged me suitable for the role of Empress, I shall endeavor not to disappoint you!”

It was such an obvious truth that she couldn’t fathom his surprise.

The notion that spouses should be inherently equal was either a sentiment held by commoners with nothing to lose, or a concept from an egalitarian society.

The Emperor was a status, a position, and unequivocally, an occupation. An Empress chosen by such an Emperor was naturally not his equal.

It was akin to how, regardless of any personal equality between a First Lady and a President, her official standing remained significantly below his.

While their marital bond might not necessarily imply a hierarchy, in public, she would be subordinate to him, both nominally and practically.

That was surely the correct understanding, yet Erich wore a displeased expression, as if he had heard something utterly unwelcome.

“It’s quite unexpected for the noble daughter of Margrave Flam to suddenly declare her devotion to serving as my retainer. What sudden whim has taken hold of you?”

“I had been contemplating it long before we met.”

It was no lie. Evening, well aware of the Empress’s position, had intended this from the start and had swiftly received the necessary training for an Empress from the Margrave.

“Ah, is that so? …Of course, my dear Eve. I would be pleased if you diligently worked for me.”

Erich, who possessed no talent for acting, often forgot the pretense he had established.

Furthermore, his lack of sincerity, coupled with his belated attempts to feign affection for Evening, made his words sound particularly caustic.

“However, I would prefer you prioritize the duties of a wife over your work.”

“Pardon?”

No sooner had she questioned him than Erich shifted his body closer to Evening. He slipped an arm behind her slightly raised waist, roughly seizing her outer flank.

“Ah!”

A small cry escaped Evening’s lips the instant his hand made contact.

Though his grip wasn’t painful, the spot where his hand rested felt strangely hot and startling.

After a single squeeze of her side, Erich’s hand boldly ventured lower.

The hand that had been caressing the top and side of her hip lightly slapped her plump backside.

“Kya!”

Evening’s hips jolted upwards.

Though the strike from his large hand wasn’t painful, it made her want to leap. Her heart pounded, followed by a strange tingling sensation between her lower abdomen and thighs.

“Why suddenly—”

Turning to retort, Evening found herself face-to-face with Erich, his features alarmingly close.

“Why?”

His nose and lips were so near they threatened to brush against her own.

His face was obscured, yet his breath was a palpable presence at such proximity.

Involuntarily, Evening leaned back, attempting to evade him.

“Why do you recoil?”

As his face receded, Erich’s expression came into view. Noticing the sharp intensity that had replaced his usual impassive gaze, Evening pressed a hand to her startled chest and stammered.

“Because I was startled.”

Her heart, which had begun to pound furiously at his sudden proximity, refused to settle.

A single night shared had not instantly fostered intimacy. While he had been quite proficient, it wasn’t enough for her to embrace him with tenderness. A sense of distance still lingered between them.

As if reading her thoughts, Erich let out a scoff. He then drew the hand that had been wrapped around Evening’s waist upwards, resting it on her shoulder.

Erich, now with his arm around Evening, pulled her closer. His lips, near her ear and cheek, uttered in a low voice,

“You still flinch from my touch.”

“That’s, because I was startled—”

“To pretend obedience while attempting to shirk your duties as a wife. It’s a clumsy ploy, isn’t it?”

“……”

Evening, held fast by him, opened and closed her eyes and mouth like a goldfish.

“Doesn’t it seem rather laughable, even to you? If you’re going to humble yourself for your family, you should do so more convincingly.”

His fingers lightly traced Evening’s face.

“To win the favor of a man who swallowed his pride to propose to you, mere pleasantries won’t suffice. You should be willing to kiss him yourself and open your knees.”

Even as he spoke words laden with carnal desire, she felt a cold dread rather than anxious anticipation.

His tone suggested he suspected her of plotting. It wasn’t a casual warning, but a serious threat, and her mouth went dry.

Perhaps because they were alone in the carriage, there was no longer any pretense of affection.

“Do you understand?”

His words, both careless and sharp, were like a serpent’s. Evening struggled to suppress the chilling sensation creeping up her spine.

“…Ah, uh, yes.”

Still disoriented, Evening rattled off a nod. Barely clinging to her composure, she found her parted lips unable to fully close.

It wasn’t his blatant demands that flustered her.

Nor was it Erich’s renewed lust that made her uncomfortable.

‘That’s not it at all…’

‘Because it’s all a hackneyed dispute, merely a poorly staged farce.’

She had realized after their first night that he didn’t desire a sticky relationship of love or lust with her.

Erich had been good. While she had no one to compare him to, his skill at melting a woman was extraordinary.

Yet, neither the hand caressing her skin nor the eyes gazing down at her conveyed any true passion.

It wasn’t as if he embraced her while suppressing aversion, either.

Still, it wasn’t the look of a man touching her because he truly desired her.

Last night, at the banquet today, and now in the carriage.

All his physical touches were the result of calculated reason rather than instinct. Perhaps they were merely attempts to assert dominance over Evening.

Indeed. The man who would be Evening’s husband did not like her at all.

He could share a bed with her, but he didn’t particularly desire it, and he wouldn’t miss her if she were gone. At least, that was how it was for now.

“If you understand, then stop freezing and start acting.”

No matter how arrogantly he commanded her, stroking her lips with his thumb, his cold demeanor could not be mistaken for passion.

So what was she afraid of?

‘This man…’

She was afraid of what his constant provocations implied.

‘He truly did poison himself.’

Despite Evening’s defense, her father’s ominous and chilling prediction had come true.