Chapter 16
The sound of birds in the morning was always beautiful.
Sometimes, I would wake up to that pleasant sound, only to be startled by the situation in bed, my heart racing wildly.
Today was one of those mornings. I woke up feeling good, but even before I opened my eyes, I could feel a warm presence covering half of my body. That was enough to make me realize what had happened.
The silly thing Sasha had done during the day had come true that night. He had brought me to his bedroom, laid me on his bed, and climbed on top of me.
It had been a long time since we had been this close. The intimacy was intense, and his movements were even stronger. Every time he pushed in deeply, my mind felt like it was going blank. To be honest, I could not even remember how many times it happened.
“Did he tell me to build stamina because of this?”
Sasha shut her eyes tightly. Just thinking about it made her face burn with embarrassment.
His bare body was wrapped around hers, warm everywhere it touched. This morning, he was still sleeping while she was already awake.
She wanted to get up without waking him.
But his arms were holding her so tightly that she had no room to push him away or slip out. She tried twisting her body to find a way out, but eventually gave up and let her body relax.
This was too difficult.
“Stop squirming. It’s dangerous.”
She nearly screamed in surprise. Apparently, he was awake and could feel her moving in his arms.
“Dangerous? What do you mean? Just let go of your arm so I can get up.”
“By now, you should know exactly what I mean by dangerous, even if I do not say it.”
Sasha felt a sudden tension in her lower abdomen. The firmness pressing against her skin made her flinch.
“I really need to get up now. I cannot do this anymore.”
She spoke in a trembling voice, and above her head, she heard him let out a quiet chuckle.
“Even if I wanted to, I cannot do anything today. I have to get ready and leave soon.”
“Where are you going?”
“I am going to see His Majesty, the Emperor.”
Sasha went silent, surprised by the unexpected answer. Even though she came from a different place, she knew very well who the Emperor was. So when he said he worked for the Empire and came from a noble family, he really meant that he was personally connected to the Emperor.
“Would you like to accompany me?”
“What? Why me?”
Someone as important as Duke Kyler should be more than enough.
Her body tensed up as anxiety crept in, and Kyler noticed it immediately. He let out a soft laugh and spoke again.
“Come to the palace with me today. His Majesty will be pleased to see you.”
If they were really close friends, the Emperor might allow a visit from his friend’s wife. He probably would not be upset.
“If the Duke is alright with it, then I would like to go. I want to come with you.”
Strangely, she did not want to be apart from him. So, she accepted without hesitation. Her thoughts began to pile up. What kind of dress would be suitable for the Duchess of Ignotus? What should she avoid doing once she arrived at the palace?
She felt like she needed to get up quickly and start preparing. Lost in thought, Sasha suddenly came back to reality. She needed to move. Now was the time.
But then, the same worry from earlier returned.
How could she escape from his arms? Even if she managed to get away, she was still naked. How could she get up and leave without him seeing?
It felt like she was worrying over something impossible.
“Why are you still so nervous? I will be with you when you face His Majesty. If anything makes you uncomfortable, I will take care of it. You do not have to worry.”
Even though her concern was different, his words still gave her some comfort. Her problem was not solved yet, but at least her heart felt a little lighter.
“Um, we really should get up and start getting ready.”
“Then let’s get ready.”
“That means you need to let go of me first.”
Sasha could not help but say it directly. She could not do anything because he was still holding on to her.
But Kyler, who had been speaking so easily just moments ago, suddenly went quiet. His hot body felt like it was clinging even closer. Just as her face started to turn red, his silence became even more noticeable.
“Uh…?”
He was being too quiet. As Sasha began to lift her head to look at him, Kyler still did not release his arms. In fact, the pressure from his legs seemed to grow stronger. Was she imagining it?
Was he enjoying her flustered reaction? Whether he found it amusing or not, it was definitely time to get up.
“Then I will close my eyes. Get up and gather your clothes.”
“You are really keeping them closed, right?”
She still felt unsure, but decided to trust him. Once she made sure his eyes were shut, she gently removed his arms and slowly sat up.
Her lower back ached slightly, a dull and lingering pain. But once she moved around, it seemed manageable.
She quickly dressed, and by the time she was ready, Kyler had already opened his eyes, as if he knew.
“You can save time if we bathe together.”
“What?”
She looked up at him in disbelief. Did he really just say that? What shocked her even more was how calm and natural his expression was, as if he had said nothing unusual.
So, he was completely serious about that suggestion. Maybe I was the one overreacting and worrying too much.
“I will have to decline. Excuse me.”
She politely but firmly refused and then stepped out of the Duke’s room. For some reason, her heart felt a little fluttery today.
Visiting the Imperial Palace to report to the Emperor was always a bothersome task. The most tiresome part was dealing with the constant stares from those who followed him everywhere.
If he arrived when there were not many nobles around, it was manageable. But at times, even getting out of the carriage became difficult as nobles rushed toward him, blocking his way and trying to catch his attention.
It felt ridiculous, like something out of a game. Every time he entered the palace, something like this happened. He had become quite good at avoiding them, but constantly treating people like obstacles was starting to lose its charm.
“Wow.”
Sasha quietly gasped as she looked out the carriage window at the magnificent palace. She seemed too shy to express it aloud, so she only mouthed the words, barely making a sound.
Today, unfortunately, was one of those busy days. She did not know why, but it was clear they would not be able to pass unnoticed. She sighed to herself, realizing it would not be a quiet entrance.
The moment they arrived, the outside atmosphere shifted. Kyler tried to stop the carriage as close as possible to the main building so they could step out quietly, but it was already too late. As long as he was present, attention would follow.
“Duke, everyone is looking at us,” she whispered as soon as she got down from the carriage. Her voice trembled slightly, a quiet plea for help. From afar, they looked like a married couple sharing a peaceful moment.
“Sasha.”
“Yes?”
Startled by his voice, Sasha answered loudly, then quickly stopped herself. She reminded herself that she had to be cautious in front of all these eyes. As the Duchess of Ignote, she had to protect the family’s reputation. Acting too nervous or jumpy was not acceptable.
Kyler also noticed the many nobles staring at them. He was not sure if there had been a meeting or another event today. Normally, he would ignore it and move on, but with Sasha by his side, he became more aware of everything.
“Is it too overwhelming?”
He truly hoped she could endure the attention. That was the most important thing for her, standing beside him through all this. If she found it too difficult, he was already considering turning back.
“It’s not unbearable. I just keep telling myself they are just watching. If we keep walking, it will be fine. The real problem is if someone tries to start a conversation.”
“If you ever attend a social event, you will have to respond to people like this. It can be exhausting.”
“A social event?”
Sasha froze for a moment. That was something she had not even considered.
“A social event,” she repeated slowly.
“That is something you can decide for yourself. Think about it and tell me what you want. We have arrived.”
While they were talking, they had already reached the large doors of the palace. Standing in front of them was a man who appeared to be guarding the entrance. Their conversation naturally came to a stop.
“You have arrived. I will inform His Majesty.”
The servant bowed politely and went inside. Sasha tried to listen carefully, wondering what he would say to the Emperor, but there was no need to strain her ears.
“The Duke and Duchess of Ignote have arrived,” he announced loudly.
The official title sounded oddly formal to her. Hearing it out loud felt strange.
“I see. Let them in.”
A cheerful voice answered from inside. It was quite different from how Sasha had imagined the Emperor. But there was strength in that voice, even if it sounded unusually bright.
“Please come in.”
The attendant returned, and Kyler stepped forward to enter the audience chamber.
“There you are. Goodness. If you were going to bring someone, could you not have given me a little warning?”
The Emperor, Lydian, welcomed them with a warm smile and a voice full of energy.
Sasha followed behind Kyler and was surprised by how lively the Emperor was. She had imagined someone cold and authoritative, someone who controlled everything from a distance. But this man felt completely different.
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Sasha… Ivern, no, Ignote.”
Without thinking, she almost said her old last name and quickly corrected herself. Embarrassment rushed over her and cold sweat formed, but neither Kyler nor the Emperor seemed to mind.
“So, this is our first meeting. I look forward to seeing you often. Kyler and I are very close. A man with such a beautiful wife should not be off traveling all the time. He should be staying home and taking care of his family.”
The Emperor’s strong voice filled the room.
