1. I Will Take Responsibility, Your Majesty

“Hm……”

The sunlight streaming through the window was dazzling.

Judith frowned and hid in the chest of the man next to her, avoiding the sunlight. As she groped the man’s chest, she could feel the firm muscles.

‘Hmm, a man must have a big chest……’

Wait. A man’s chest…..?

The hazy sleep fades away and her eyes open. She could feel her heart beating hard as she touched the man’s chest.

She looked up anxiously. A handsome blond man was asleep holding her.

“Ahh!”

Judith paused.

‘Hey, what the hell is this? Am I dreaming?’

She blinked several times, but the man was still in front of her. Judith traced her last memories with a confused mind.

Last night, she attended a masquerade ball held at the Imperial Palace to commemorate Coming-of-Age Day. Then she met a wonderfully handsome man and came into a quiet room……

‘I must have gone crazy……’

She drank alcohol which she didn’t normally do. Still, she didn’t know she would.

Judith calmed her confused mind and organized her thoughts.

It was common for young nobles to have relations with each other at a banquet. It wasn’t just a one-night stand, but in many cases, they became lovers.

Judith secretly looked at the man’s face. He was still asleep. After all, they did it all night without a break, so maybe he was exhausted.

‘You look better in bright light.’

It was only one night, but Judith liked him. He has a friendly personality, a deep and soft low-pitched voice, a body with a cool scent, more importantly, a handsome face and a strong body.

‘Still, it’s too early to start a serious relationship, so should we meet more often first?’

The reason Judith attended the masquerade was to find a decent man and take him as her lover. But before that, she wanted to know more about what kind of person the man in front of her is. Of course, if the man is interested in her too.

‘Then if you don’t like me, we can break up.’

The plan was established. Now all she had to do was wake up.

‘How do I wake up…..?’

Last night, with the courage gained by drunkenness, she put the man on the bed, but this morning, she was sane. Just looking at the man’s naked body reminded her of the heat last night, and her face burned.

At that moment, the man just woke up.

Judith stopped breathing without herself realizing it. The first reason was that she was embarrassed by the sudden meeting, and the second was that the dark blue eyes of the man facing the sunlight were breathtakingly beautiful.

The man who was looking at her with his half-closed eyes pulled Judith closer. Then he kissed her on the forehead and asked softly in a still submerged voice. “Did you sleep well, Judith?”

“Oh, umm….., yes.”

Judith gently pushed the man. It wasn’t that she hated contact with him, but the warmth of his bare skin reminded her of last night, and she was embarrassed. But instead of moving away, the man pulled Judith closer. Her heart was pounding as she got closer enough to feel his breath.

Judith avoided his gaze. The man frowned his fine brows and looked at her puzzled, then quickly put on his apologetic expression on his face as if he realized something.

“Are you mad?”

“Sorry?”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t control myself because it was my first time……”

The man’s words suddenly reminded her of last night.

‘Was it your first time? But it wasn’t like the first time at all…..?’

His movement and manners were too perfect for a beginner. Besides, his stamina was so good, he pushed on without mercy despite Judith’s cries.

Even though she thought she would lose her mind if she did any more, she couldn’t push him away because of his sweet whispering voice and soft touch, unlike his ruthless lower body. Then she fell asleep as if fainted.

“If you’re in pain, should I call the doctor?” asked the man who was looking at Judith with concern.

Judith waved hastily. “Oh, no! I’m fine!”

Calling the doctor makes it even more difficult. Besides, what do I do when the doctor comes? How am I going to explain the situation? I almost died from the pain of working so hard all night long? No way!

“By the way, where are we?”

“My house,” answered the man with a firm voice.

Judith tilted her head.

‘Have we moved places? Why can’t I remember?’

Judith can’t remember when she moved. However, it was fortunate that she was at the man’s house.

‘If I dared to do such a thing in the Imperial Palace and lay there until the wee hours of the morning like I do now, would I be captured by that tyrant who had no blood or tears and my throat would be slit by him?’

The man who was looking closely at Judith sighed in relief asked, “Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’m fine. I usually don’t eat breakfast….., I’ll go home and eat lunch.”

By now the Duke must have panicked. The poster ‘Looking for someone who witnessed Princess Peregrine’ had probably spread all over the capital. Considering the attitude of her father and older brothers, it was nothing.

“If you move your body right away and skip meals, only your bones will be left. Eat before you go.”

The man ignored Judith’s opinion and rang the bell next to the bed. But Judith was in a hurry. She must go home quickly to appease the three men who might be looking for her.

When Judith was about to pick up the dress that had fallen by the bedside, she stopped trying to get up. The thought of being naked in front of that man made her face heat up.

“Hey, I’m sorry…… Can’t you just turn around for a moment?”

“Even though we’ve seen each other’s bodies?”

The man, noticing Judith’s intentions, frowned and fiddled with her pink hair.

He continued, “And you should have called me by my name.”

Judith quickly recalled her memories.

<Haaa, why….., why don’t you tell me your name?>

Judith asked. Then the man just annoyed her more as he evaded the answer.

<Theo, Theodore.>

It had been a long time since she had been ‘tortured’ by him. Just before Judith burst into tears, Theo pressed his lips to hers and whispered his name.

‘Ahh!’

Recalling the hot night spent with him, Judith screamed inwardly and buried her face in the blanket.

His face that whispered his name vividly comes to mind. At that time, in the flickering candlelight, those sexy eyes that couldn’t suppress the desire, with his voice mixed with sighs……

“Remember?”

“……Theo.”

Having managed to calm her pounding heart, Judith peeked out of the blanket, revealing only her eyes. Theo smiled in satisfaction.

She suddenly remembered something she should ask him. Judith thought, before she went home, before they parted, they had to establish a relationship.

“I have something to ask you……”

“What?”

“What are we……”

knock knock.

Knocks were heard before Judith asked the question. Judith, who was about to ask what they were going to do next, swallowed the unanswered question. Theo wrapped her in a blanket and held her in his arms so that her naked body couldn’t be seen.

“Come in.”

“Did you call, Your Majesty?”

Your Majesty? It was a name that made you doubt your ears.

“The Emperor…… Your Majesty?”

With a bewildered look on her face, Judith repeated the name the servant had mentioned.

“Yeah, Judith.”

In fact, Judith had a crush on Theo.

Until she found out he was the tyrant she had been avoiding all her life.

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