Chapter 14 - Empress Izumi

Assume that the guy in the picture is wearing a proper gold Japanese crown similar to the one on the book cover instead of just the hair ornament.

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Izumi pov:

"I still can't believe you accepted the mission." Haji san said. He was leaning against my room's door frame with his arms crossed over his chest and a displeased frown etched onto his face.

"It's an order from the Blood Emperor. I don't exactly have a choice in the matter, do I?" I snapped back and shoved a few more of my belongings into my bag. I was to move into the palace and into one of the so called Royal Chambers during the time I was to pretend to be the Blood Emperor's Empress.

"That is true, I suppose, but I'm not happy that you're going to be doing something so dangerous."

Tired of having him nag me and voice out his displeasure since he found out this morning, I threw whatever I had in my hands onto the floor roughly and looked up at Haji san. He didn't cringe in the slightest under the sharp glare I was giving him and merely watched me with his displeasure in place.

"That's all you've been saying this whole time! I'm annoyed enough that I have to play a part I thoroughly hate and it's even more irritating hearing you say that you're worried for me because it's a dangerous mission! What's so dangerous about pretending to be the Empress, huh?? I won't have anything to do besides act like a pompous spoilt brat who can't live without any luxury! It's just to make Prince Taheji jealous anyway." I hollered. "And for the record, I didn't want to come serve as a member of the Elite Division in the palace in the first place! I was forced to take on this responsibility and now I'm just being shoved even more out of my comfort zone!"

"I'm afraid there is much more than wanting to make Prince Taheji jealous, Sweetheart. He has been plotting things for many years now – ways to dethrone His Highness with the most extreme solution – killing him. Having an Empress is a sign of stability, authority and order and gives the message that the Emperor is being diligent in his responsibility of watching over the people. An Emperor's love is power in itself. With you in the picture now, Prince Taheji no longer sees only His Highness as his enemy but you as well. He will do whatever it takes to kill you to ensure that there is no heir to the throne and make people begin to doubt the strength of the Blood Emperor. If he couldn't protect his own wife, how can he protect his Empire, correct?"

"What exactly has he plotted before?" I asked, now a little calm and mildly curious.

"Many things. He is a master of deception and can strike when one least expects it and from where one would least expect it. Many have lost their lives to his onslaughts and I too have nearly become a victim. If it wasn't for His Highness stepping up in the very last moment, I wouldn't be here today." Haji san explained.

"You do realize you didn't give me any useful hints on Prince Taheji's plots, don't you?" I deadpanned.

"I can't quite give you details of instances that really happened, however, I can give you a heads-up on what you should be careful about." Haji san said. "Poisoning, assassination and misleading into a fatal trap by someone you trust and have absolutely no doubt on. It can happen with the one leading you knowing about the trap or completely unaware of it until it's too late. The strongest and most reliable advice that I can give you is – don't trust anyone."

"Not even you and Koharu?" I close to mocked.

"Not even Koharu. But perhaps you can trust me a bit because I can tell when there's a trap around the corner. It may not sound like much but I promise that I will look out for you and protect you as much as I can."

"Look out for me." I stated with a disbelieving scoff and looked to the side for a brief moment. "In any case, how is it that you were informed about this mission? I can understand that Ichirou san would know about it but why you too? You are just a regular soldier of the Elite Division, aren't you?"

"You don't really think that everyone in the Elite Division are 'regular soldiers', do you?" He mused, giving a small smile. "There are a lot of things going on in the dark, Sweetheart – a lot that you and most of the others don't know about. Let's just say me being aware of such details is one of them."

I let out an annoyed laugh before stuffing more of my stuff into my bag. "This is absolutely ridiculous. I feel like I've been made a fool by you, Ichirou san and the Blood Emperor and possibly a lot more people than I know."

"You don't have to be so formal with him, you know?" Haji san said with a teasing hint. "He is your 'husband' now so you can call him Ryuusei sama or maybe even come up with a romantic nickname."

"Shut it, Haji san." I snapped, thoroughly irked by how he was taking all of this as a joke.

"Relax, Sweetheart. I was just trying to lighten your mood." He said while holding his hands up in defence.

"Well, it's not helping."

He stayed silent for a moment and I could feel his penetrating gaze on me. I was edging for him to leave so I could pack some more personal things I had in my possession – the secret data sheets under the floor boards and of course the few remaining stuff I had from the modern word – but he didn't leave. I was about to kindly request him to get out but he pushed away from the door frame and came to crouch next to me. He reached out to hold the side of my head in both hands so he could make me look at him. I was about to question him as to what he was doing but I didn't get the chance to because leaned forward to press his lips against mine with his eyes closed.

My eyes went so wide in surprise that they hurt. I was completely stunned by what Haji san was doing but I snapped back to my sensed when he parted his lips to caress mine gently. I shoved him away from me causing him to fall onto his rear and I immediately rubbed my lips with the back of my hand. His gesture was plain rude, all the more because he didn't even ask for permission.

"What the hell, Haji san?!" I yelled.

Even though this was my first kiss and the first more-than-friends moment I had had with anyone of the opposite gender, I wasn't in the least flustered. I was annoyed and angry and just frustrated. I never had thoughts of having a sappy romantic first kiss – you know, the kind where I'm on a fancy date with the love of my life on a beach with the sunset in the background and we come to a stop in the middle of nowhere so we can kiss and one of my legs can go up with an imaginary 'ting' sound. But I was expecting it to be a calm and pleasant moment where I would actually kiss someone because I had genuine feelings for him.

I glared at Haji san as harshly as I could and with all the frustration I was feeling right now but faltered just a bit when he met my gaze. He looked anxious and almost pained and it surprisingly made my heart skip a beat. I saw a very strange emotion flash through his eyes for a brief second before he chuckled and stood up. Turning around, he held up one hand in a casual wave.

"That was for good luck, Sweetheart. See you around." He said and walked out of my room without another word while sliding the door shut behind him.

Even more annoyed than before and now mildly confused by what he had done, said and expressed in his eyes, I threw one of my clothes at the door with a frustrated yell. I shoved my half packed bag away from me fiercely and ran my hands through my hair with my eyes closed. My head was pounding because of all the mixed thoughts I was having and I groaned.

"What is going on here? First the Blood Emperor and now Haji san....what in the world is happening?" I asked to myself and finally let my hands fall to my sides.

I took a few deep breaths to compose myself and get back to packing whatever I had left with me. I pulled out the data sheets from under the floor boards below the table and folded them neatly. I wrapped them in one of my clothes and placed it in the side of the bag. I also packed the few books I had with me, including the one Ryuusei sama had given to me when he caught me in the Royal Library.

Having finished the major part of packing, I looked into my cupboard and reached of the small zipped bag I had hid at the very back. I unzipped it and held up my smart glasses. I put them on and pressed the power button. The battery was drained though and it didn't turn on. I took it off with a deep sigh and put it on the table in the sunlight so it could recharge for a bit. I had a feeling that it might come in handy soon so I wanted it to be ready to use.

I looked at the sky from my window thinking back on what had happened since yesterday. I had realized that I had been kept under watch under the orders of the Blood Emperor, I had met him and unknowingly made a very disadvantageous deal with him – well, disadvantageous to me anyway – and now I had to pretend to be his Empress to help him put an end to the clashes between him and his closest sibling who was threatening to overthrow him. Rumors had already been spread about the Blood Emperor having married a peasant and was planning to make her his Empress – it had been passed on by Ichirou san's underlings almost two weeks ago around the palace and in Sei'an. It had become a hot topic of discussion and was sure to spread to the other provinces like wild fire. Of course, since Prince Taheji was expected to have spies working for him within Sei'an as well as within the palace, the rumors were sure to have reached him as well. And he would use any chance to get rid of the 'helpless' peasant and uproot the trust and fear that the people had for the Blood Emperor.

All of these plans were being put into action discreetly and effectively and I'm sure that making me the Empress and as bait was the Blood Emperor's plan all long. That's why he had been keeping tabs on me. He probably assumed that I was the best person for the job after seeing my skills and my contrastingly normal and slender appearance. I wouldn't look like a threat but with the real me hidden behind the fragile mask, I could hold my own against most of the dangers that I would face while gathering secret information.

I was broken out of my thoughts when I heard a knock on my door. I looked at the door and narrowed my eyes at the two shadows of the people standing on the other side.

"Who is it?"

"Your Highness, we have come to escort you to your chambers in the Royal Palace." One of them said. "We are to be your personal attendants from now on. We are here to solely to serve the Empress."

I felt a spark of annoyance as I was yet again reminded of taking on the title of the Blood Emperor's Empress but I took a deep breath to quell my anger. I didn't respond to the attendants outside and finished up with the rest of my packing. I stood up and hauled the bag over my shoulder and walked towards the door. My eyes scanned the room once to make sure I hadn't left anything behind, especially something that could rouse unnecessary suspicion, and also to take in the feel of solitude and privacy that was now going to be stripped from me. I then slid the doors open and greeted the two attendants who were waiting for me with their heads bowed deeply and their eyes closed.

They offered to carry my bag but I kindly refused and had them lead the way to my new accommodations in the palace. The room I was going to stay in was huge in comparison to the room I was allotted in the barracks. There were huge cupboards which I'm sure were overflowing with much too fancy royal wear, a huge dressing table with all kinds of primeval cosmetics stacked on its shelves, a king size double bed with fancy net curtains hung around it, a Pai Sho table with luxurious cushion seating and, of course, an attached bathroom. The bathroom was just like the bathhouse in the barracks – a hot spring with a waterfall on the side as a bonus.

"Well, isn't this real royal treatment?" I mused to myself as I stood near the doors of the hot spring.

"Do you like it?" I heard a voice and looked behind me to see none other than the Blood Emperor himself.

Unlike the other times I had seen him, he was dressed more formally. He wore robes of royalty with gold thread embroidery on the fabric. The Imperial Dragon Emblem was embroidered, yet again in golden thread, on his chest as well as the flowy cover over his hakamas. Half his hair was tied up and a golden crown held it in place at the very top of his head. His face was covered by a dark blue mask with golden and silver patterns painted on it. His turquoise eyes shined through the eye holes even though the room was dimly lit and reflected curiosity and sharpness.

The attendants who were still in the room had got down on their knees and were bowing low with their heads touching the floor as if they worshipped him. They looked tense and my skin crawled at how thick and icy the atmosphere had become. The presence of the Blood Emperor was unbearably overwhelming at the moment but I remained unruffled.

"It's too big for my liking, actually." I stated indifferently while looking him dead in the eyes.

The attendants let out a gasp which didn't go unheard by the Blood Emperor. He didn't make even the subtlest move of his head but looked down at the attendants with a narrow gaze. I could clearly see the flicker of malice in his eyes but it disappeared when he landed his gaze on me again.

"Get out, servants." He said simply, sternly, and it caused the two attendants to flinch. They stood up, gave nervous deep bows and hurried out of the room.

It was then that the Blood Emperor took off his mask. He didn't smile or look over me amused like how he usually did. His expression remained stoic and I clenched my fists as he walked towards me slowly. He came to a stop just about two feet away and looked down at me in mild disapproval.

"You should know better than to speak so bluntly to me in the presence of others, Love." He said.

I frowned a bit wondering what he meant. But I understood soon enough – I was pretending to be his Empress, his wife, and so I couldn't be rude to him even in the slightest when there was anyone else in a close enough proximity to hear our conversation. It could start negative rumors about the Blood Emperor and that would pretty much work against what I was brought here to achieve.

"I'm sorry those words just slipped out – forced habit, I suppose. I'll make sure that I'm more cautious of my surroundings when I speak from now on." I said and sufficed with a chaste bow of my head.

"Good." He commented and finally gave a small smirk. "So my dear Empress, how would you like to take a short tour around the palace with me before we make the official announcement of you becoming my Empress? Since you'll be here a while, you should know your way around the palace. It will also give us a chance to show my subjects how close we are so the mission can commence."

I let out a deep sigh but nodded. It's not like I could do anything else anyway.

"Why don't you change into something more presentable before we head out? Ah, and since we are now husband and wife, you should be more casual while addressing me – you may call me Ryuu sama." He said and took a seat on the bed which was about ten feet from where I stood.

"Ryuu sama?" I asked with a raised brow. "I think I'm more comfortable calling you Ryuusei sama. It's awkward enough having to pretend to be your Empress."

"I'm afraid that won't do. You have to act as convincingly as possible for Taheji to fall for it."

I narrowed my eyes just a bit at his words. Why did I have the feeling that it wasn't just nickname-calling that I would have to do from now on to prove how 'close' I was with the Blood Emperor? As much as I knew I didn't have the option to refuse the mission, I think I should have put up more of a resistance before accepting it. I had a feeling of uneasiness settled in the pit of my stomach – not because I would have to stand up against a dangerous person but because I would have to pretend to be romantically involved with someone I wanted to keep as far away as possible. It was even worse because this guy, the Blood Emperor, was not what he pretended to be. In the instances I had come across him, spoken to him and found out the truth about him, I knew very well that he was cunning and calculating, planning out every move flawlessly and secretly. No one could even predict his move; heck, even I couldn't and I was trained for several years to be successful in such situations. He was not one I should even consider standing up against.

I knew an opponent when I saw one – this guy was no fun business.

"Alright. I'll try to be as convincing as possible, Your Highness." I said in an even tone.

"I expect no less of success from you, Love. And to ease any doubts or uneasiness you have, I want you to know that I will have one of my best men watching you from the shadows at all times. I will protect you." He said and stepped closer to me.

I resisted from slapping his hand away when he cupped my face with his hand and looked down at me with a smile. That's right – not a smirk but a small smile. He ran his hand through my hair and brought it forward so it would sit on my shoulder. Thankfully, he let go after that and walked to the bed so he could sit and wait while I changed. I rolled my eyes with an inaudible scoff before rummaging through the cupboard for a fancy dress to wear.

All of them were made of the finest quality silk, just like the robes that Ryuusei sama himself was wearing, and I groaned at the thought of having to wear such flowy and restricting clothes all day long. I picked out a red dress and headed into the hot spring bathroom to freshen up a bit and get changed. When I stepped out of the bathroom, Ryuusei sama looked at me and I was almost sure that his eyes went just a tad bit wide in surprise.

I ignored it though and headed to the dressing table to groom myself. Having combed my hair and rid it of all its tangles, I tied half of it up in a bun and adorned it with a very simple ornament on the side. Much against my liking, I also put on some makeup – a light pink blush on my cheeks to make sure I would appear to be flustered and blushing when I smiled. Upon the insistence of Ryuusei sama, I also applied a very light pink coloring onto my lips.

I then came to stand in front of him, presenting myself and hoping that he wouldn't ask me to get any more dolled up. If he did, I might as well ask him to fire me instead of have me go through any more of this discomfort and annoyance.

"You look beautiful. Radiant even. Perhaps it's because you are not a pretender like those women of my harem." He complimented making me raise a brow. He noticed my curiosity and smirked amused before giving me an explanation. "Political marriages are always so corrupt – those who offer their daughters to me for hand in marriage always expect something profitable in return. Land, money, power – they are always greedy to have more and more in their possession and unfortunately, I cannot refuse their requests because marrying one for their family gives me an advantage in one way or the other. But you are a common pheasant – well, perhaps not entirely common – and you show no hesitance in expressing your true feelings. You do not pretend to impress those around you for positive favors that you can get from them. Having you for company while this mission lasts with definitely be an interesting experience. Don't you think so too, Love?"

"Whatever you say, Your Royalness." I said with another roll of my eyes. "So I don't have to dress up anymore, right? Not that I'm going to even if you tell me."

He chuckled as he put on his mask and came to stand beside me with an arm around my shoulders. "You look stunning as you are, Love, and that's more than enough dressing up for anyone to understand why I chose you as my Empress."

"I appreciate your compliments on my 'beauty' but aren't you supposed to chose an empress with other more important qualities?" I asked and tried to shrug his arm off my shoulders in vain.

"And what qualities do you think I should be looking into?" He pressed and led us out of the room and down the hallways.

"I don't know. Maybe political strength, intelligence and such?" I asked in a whisper and with a smile, hoping that the blush makeup would do a good job of enhancing my acting in front of the attendants we passed by in the hallways.

"Oh? You call those important? I suppose they are somewhat important but the most important quality of being able bearing me a strong heir seems to have slipped your mind, Love." He teased and I felt warmth creep up onto my cheeks making me blush in embarrassment for real this time. However, I also felt irked and clenched my jaw while maintaining my smile and looking away from the smirk on his face that I was so tempted to slap off.

"I'm just teasing, Love." He said with a muffled laugh and looked ahead. "The Empress' job isn't as much as you think it is. It is true that all of the women in my harem are political marriages, advantageous to me, but their job is to just live in luxury and pamper me when I wish to be pleased. The Empress' job too isn't any different except for the fact that the heir she bears will be the rightful successor to the throne."

"Well, isn't that such a tough job." I stated sarcastically.

"A tough job indeed." Rryuusei sama said amused. "But I believe your job is much tougher. Isn't that right, Love?"

I let out a soft sigh at his words and didn't bother answering because we had entered the throne room now. I clenched my fists when the fifty odd people gathered there looked at me the moment we entered. Most looked angry and disapproving while a few looked curious and skeptical. They all gave deep bows as Ryuusei sama passed them but didn't see the need to show me the same respect. I didn't let it bother me though and held my head high while walking a step behind Ryuusei sama until we both had made it to the throne dais.

The net curtains had been drawn and revealed the luxurious throne he sat on. It was a chair with velvet cushions and gold embossing on the handles and the backrest. There was a similar chair on its right, but slightly smaller in size. I assumed that was where the Empress, aka I, would have to sit.

"I cannot believe His Highness chose a common peasant woman as his Empress!" I heard someone seethe as I passed by him.

"What can he possibly gain from a beggar like her? She's not even beautiful!" Another said making my brow twitch in annoyance.

"Look at her arrogance! She should know to keep her head down and be docile in the presence of the Emperor and his High Ranking Governors!"

"I already dislike her."

"Perhaps we should ask His Highness to reconsider his decision. But will he not get angry if we speak against his decision?"

"A useless woman like her shouldn't be sitting on His Highness' right side. It should have been my daughter."

I resisted from rolling my eyes at all the incredulous comments people were throwing. They were saying it loud enough for me to hear because they wanted me to react and probably put my head down showing weakness. But I showed no change in expression or posture and walked on confidently.

In my peripheral vision, I spotted Soutarou san standing at the base of the throne dais while watching me with narrow eyes. He too looked quite displeased like many of the others watching me but he hadn't voiced out anything. When Ryuusei sama and I stepped up onto the dais, Soutarou san gave a deep bow with his eyes closed before turning to face all the people gathered in the throne room.

"I'm sure all of you are well aware of the reason we are gathered here today." He spoke loudly, confidently. "It is today that His Highness officially announces the woman who will be his Empress and ensure a strong successor to the throne. The rumors of the Blood Emperor taking a commoner as a wife is not unheard of by anyone in Sei'an and just as the rumors have progressed, it is, in fact, the commoner whom His Highness has deemed worthy to become his Empress."

The throne room was filled with whispers the moment Soutarou san spoke those words. Yet again, I could see that most were unhappy about the sudden development.

"Long live the Blood Emperor! Long live Empress Izumi!" Soutarou san said and it was repeated by those gathered here several times.

I was a little surprised when the curtains around the throne dais were drawn to cover us from view and Ryuusei sama turned me to face him. He took off his mask and looked at me with a mischievous smile to which I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

"Now my dear wife, it is time we show everyone that we have officialized you becoming my Empress."

"Show them?" I asked, not like where this was going.

His smirk widened and he looked down at my lips. He closed the gap between us so he could kiss me but I was quick to react. As much as I knew that we were merely putting on a show, I refused to be toyed with in such a way. Just before his lips could meet mine, I lifted my arm from the side that was out of view to the audience and covered Ryuusei sama's lips with my fingers. My hand separated the direct contact of our lips, well enough to negate even the slight possibility of a kiss. We stayed like that for several seconds while staring into each other's eyes and I could tell that Ryuusei sama smiled in amuse at my evasive tactic.

I was annoyed enough with Haji san kissing me and I had no wish to be kissed by another person I barely knew, especially when it was just as a part of acting.

When Ryuusei sama pulled away, he laughed inaudibly. "Smart move, Love. I'm impressed and I'm coming to like you more and more."

"I'm glad for that, Your Highness." I said while intending to take a step back but I couldn't because Ryuusei sama still held me against himself with his arm wrapped around my waist in a tight grip.

"I thought I told you to call me Ryuu sama. You're not following my orders very well, Love, and I might have to force you into doing it the hard way." He said and glanced at my lips again with a playful smirk.

"No need for that, Ryuu sama. I have no intention of becoming your wife in reality." I said and he finally let me go to stand on my own.

"Good girl." He mused and took a seat on his throne while putting on his mask again. "You may take your seat as well, Love. The governors will be coming by one at a time to wish us prosperous years ahead."

"This is going to be a long day...." I said with a deep sigh and sat down comfortably on the chair next to that of Ryuusei sama's.

It was several hours before the throne room cleared out. The noisy chatter and sitting in one place had really made me grumpy and restless and I was glad when I was finally back in my room. I stripped out of the numerous layers of silk clothing I was wearing and took a relaxing soak in the hot spring to ease the stiffness of my body. I got into a comfortable single layer dress when I had dried off – similar to the ones that I wore while in the Elite Division – and walked to the bed while drying my hair with the towel.

I sat down on the rather cushiony bed, threw the towel aside and fell back onto the mattress with my arms sprawled out on the sides and my eyes closed.

"That was exhausting. Who knew living in such luxury with nothing to do could be so tiring? I'm already starting to miss my life in the barracks and that of the modern world even more." I mumbled and let out a long sigh.

I opened my eyes to look up at the ceiling after a few moments of lying in silence. I was almost blank but there were fleeting thoughts that flashed through my mind every now and then. Ten more minutes of the calming silence passed but was interrupted by the door of my room sliding open.

I didn't get up from the bed but merely looked down to the side to see Ryuusei sama enter and close the door behind him. He took off his mask and crown with a sigh and placed it on the dressing table before making his way towards me. I sat up when he took a seat on the bed and scooted a little away to make sure there was enough distance between us as we sat.

"Good work today. You did a fine job as my Empress." He said with an oddly tired smile.

"Thank you, I guess." I said and looked to the side feeling a little awkward.

It only increased because Ryuusei sama didn't speak after that. I suppressed the urge to fidget and when I couldn't bear the awkwardness anymore, I decided to get up and do some light reading while waiting for him to leave. However, just before I could get up, Ryuusei sama fell sideways and his head landed on my lap. I looked down at him with raised brows and then frowned.

"Um, Ryuusei sama? What are you doing?" I asked noticing that he already had his eyes closed and his legs comfortably on the mattress.

"Resting on my wife's lap. Isn't it obvious?" He asked smartly.

"I think you know what I mean." I deadpanned and he opened his eyes to stare into mine.

"Let me rest for a while, Love. It's very rare that I get to be myself when in the presence of others. It's tiring to be a tyrant all the time and even more tiring to be alone." He said with a sigh and closed his eyes once again.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done to the real Blood Emperor?"

"Is it so surprising to see me this way, Love?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Quite." I replied curtly.

We were enveloped by silence and the only thing I could hear besides the murmurs of the crickets outside was Ryuusei sama's deep breathing. I was mildly surprised about how I was sitting so comfortably now. In any other time, I'm sure I wouldn't have bothered about who it was lying on my lap – I would have shoved them off me immediately. But now, with Ryuusei sama sleeping on my lap looking so defenceless – not that he was actually defenceless, per se – I didn't feel like shoving him off me. In all the times I had met him, he always appeared crude, stoic and dangerous; not transparent and vulnerable like he did now. Knots of stress were visible between his slightly knitted brows and so was the slight darkening under his eyes indicating lack of sleep. His breathing was deep but also like huffs of fatigue.

I looked away from him disbelieving of the thoughts that had just crossed my mind. Since when was I nice enough to let a stranger sleep on my lap just because he looked stressed? All the stress I had been going through since I accepted the mission of becoming this guy's Empress seemed to be getting to me.

"Oi Ryuu sama, you mind getting off me now?" I finally asked and jerked my legs to shake his head.

He opened his eyes to look at me and they were slightly red – he had almost fallen asleep on my lap.

"You're such a cold wife, Love, not even letting your husband take a short rest on your lap." He said but didn't get up.

"Would you stop saying that when we're alone?? I'm not your wife and you're not my husband. All of this is just acting so don't annoy me with it when there's no one watching." I huffed.

"You're no fun." He sighed and finally got up.

He released his hair from the restraints holding it up and ran his fingers through the strands once. His dark hair was smooth and silky and fell softly over his shoulders and back. I was amazing that guys of this time period actually had the patience to work with hair this long – I was sure that I would find it not only difficult but too much of a hassle. That's why I restricted its length to my mid back.

I pushed away the unnecessary thoughts and decided to ask Ryuusei sama something I was hoping I could do despite having to pretend to be his innocent and helpless wife.

"Hey, I was wondering...." I started and he stopped massaging his head so he could look at me and listen with full attention. "I still want to train to keep up my endurance and skills. How do you propose I do that?"

"You can train in my personal training room whenever you want. You are pretending to be my Empress but you are still a member of the Elite Division. You can train with Ichirou, Haji and anyone else of the Elite Division as and when you please – but in secret. The fact that you are a part of the Elite Division will not be known to anyone besides them and of course, Soutarou."

"So no one should know that I have enough strength to kick butts?" I asked without bothering about how unrefined and unladylike I sounded.

Ryuusei sama watched me silently for a moment with a placid expression. He then gave a soft chuckle and shook his head.

"The answer to your question is a yes but I should warn you never to talk so crudely when in the company of others. It's not very Empress-like." He said with a hint of order.

"Of course. I know how to carry myself in different situations. I'm not stupid, you know?" I scoffed.

"Of course you're not." He replied in amuse. "Well, why don't we turn in for the night, Love? I believe it's been a long tiring day for you and sleep would do you well to improve your mood. Which side of the bed would you prefer?"

"I was thinking the same thing actually. I'm not only still crabby about the sudden change of events but also exhausted from the long greetings we had to receive from all you governors. It was such a pain sitting through all that and..." I paused and narrowed my eyes when something clicked. "Wait a second, what do mean 'which side of the bed do you prefer?'?"

"I believe that question is self explanatory." He said nonchalantly.

"There is no way we are sleeping in the same bed. It's extreme enough that I've agreed to this stupid mission and I don't need to be put in any more of an uncomfortable situation." I snapped. "Besides, I was told that this is the Empress' room so why don't you go back to your room – the Emperor's room?"

"Surely you must be jesting, Love. You are my Empress, my wife now. It is obvious that we would share the same room and sleep on the same bed at night. Sleeping in different rooms would only start uncanny rumors which I believe we both would want to avoid." He mused and cupped my face with one hand. "Now tell me, Love, which side of the bed would you prefer?"

I didn't bother holding in my displeasure. I looked to the side with an infuriated huff which caused Ryuusei sama to pull his hand away from me. I looked back at him after a moment, smiling through deep vexation. He watched me curiously, skeptically, waiting for my reaction and response. I shook my head in disbelief and finally spoke what I had been holding in until now.

"This is the most ridiculous and bothersome mission I have been on in my entire life."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bwahahahaha!!! XD Izumi is in such a predicament! She's annoyed, awkward and working so hard to hold back from exploding and Ryuusei isn't helping her one bit! In fact, he only seems to be making it worse. Man, I really pity Izumi ^^'

Aww, she didn't let Ryuusei kiss her! But before that, why in the world did Haji kiss her?! o.O Complications, complications. But don't they look good together? ;) His Highness looks powerful, handsome and just so overwhelming in the picture, doesn't he? Hats off to the artist who drew the picture! TwT

What did you guys think of that one moment when Ryuusei sama let his guard down in front of Izumi? He was lying on her lap and looked exhausted and almost fell asleep! An emperor can be so relaxed only when he's in the presence of someone he really trusts.

...

So does that mean he trusts Izumi?

Left you all with so much to guess now, didn't I? XD I bet you're all like 'Nuuuuu!!! Why isn't there anymore to read? T.T'

Well, stay tuned for updates! And you know what to do if you want quicker updates, right? So go ahead and overflow the comments section!

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:D