Chapter 44

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“Why does His Majesty call me for?”

“He wants to have dinner with the Princess.”

“I see.”

Raha turned around without hesitation.

“Lady Jamela is still in the palace, call her to join us.”

“……Yes, Your Royal Highness.”

The servant nodded his head in a somber tone throughout. Raha did not show the slightest hesitation, but rather walked toward the main palace as if she had been waiting for Karzen to call her.

Her steps were infinitely slower when she slowed down. However, she was graceful in appearance, and one of Raha’s specialties was that she dared not forage.

With such slow and graceful steps, Raha arrived late at the Imperial Palace.

“Raha. You’re late.”

“Karzen.”

Raha, smiling, shifted her gaze.

“There you are, Lady Jamela.”

“Your Royal Highness.”

Jamela stood up and bowed lightly. Thanks to Raha’s efforts, Jamela came to the dining room of this imperial palace first and sat down with Karzen.

“Thank you for all your hard work in preparing for the New Year’s banquet.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

The chamberlain guided Raha to a seat to the left of Karzen. It was about time for Jamela to take this seat, but it looked as if Karzen had no intention of removing Raha from this seat just yet.

If he did this after they were married, it would be in real trouble.

There were countless advantages to Karzen’s marriage. One of them was this.

“You look tired. Your Majesty. There were too many guests at the New Year’s banquet.”

“The Young Lady doesn’t look too good, either.”

“I am tired, too, having been present for three days.”

Raha lifted her fork as she listened to Jamela and Karzen’s conversation. She wanted the two of them to continue talking like this. Before Jamela, Raha had to constantly chatter like a broken bird at the dinner table in order not to go against Karzen’s mood.

In fact, Raha preferred to eat quietly. The atmosphere was quiet. It was when Raha cut the steamed beef dish with herbs with a knife.

“Raha.”

Karzen asked as he lifted his glass.

“Is your doll still alive?”

“Yes.”

Raha was moderately respectful because Jamela was present. Karzen asked, feigning a nonchalant look.

“Don’t you get sick of it?”

“I don’t play often enough to get sick of it. You know that, Karzen.”

“That’s right.”

Karzen gazed at Raha.

“You have to play often to get bored.You’ve been pretty busy lately.”

At this point, if Raha told him that for the time being she was not busy, so she was going to stay in the bedroom with her slave to the point of boredom…. Then what would Karzen look like?

Despite the wild thoughts in her head, Raha changed the subject.

“The Marquis of Duke was curious about the prize of the combat competition.”

“Good luck to him.”

“You’ll be at the Imperial Palace this time, aren’t you?”

“Of course. There are a lot of noisy people.”

Karzen looked uncomfortable. It was good to have that noble Holy Land under his feet, but he did not like the idea of having to appear a peaceful monarch for a while.

It was more like that originally. Karzen always trampled on what he didn’t like, but how painful it would be if he didn’t. As his twin, Raha could guess some of his feelings.

“Your Majesty.”

Jamela, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between the twins, gently opened her mouth.

“Then how about holding a big combat competition? In the past few years, we haven’t had one. What do you think, Princess?”

Raha smiled and replied.

‘Good thinking indeed. The young lady is very sensible.”

“I think you give me too much praise, Princess. It was an embarrassing opinion.”

Jamela asked Karzen with a smile.

“Your Majesty?”

“It’s not a virtue of a gentleman to refuse when two ladies ask in this way.”

Karzen accepted with a slight nod.

“Then, Karzen. What will be the prize?”

“Well…… I can’t think of anything.”

Perhaps it was the same for Jamela, who didn’t particularly open her mouth. Raha opened her mouth while cutting the meat.

“Then how about following the previous tradition?”

“Previous tradition?”

“Give the winner a vacant territory. Even during the reign of the previous Emperor.”

Although it was a single victory knighthood, the previous emperor gave the winner an estate. The imperial combat competition at that time was of that magnitude.

“Come to think of it, it was like that.”

Karzen tapped his armrest. He seemed pensive.

There was one suitable territory.

“Giseln estate.”

“Giseln estate would be good.”

The name of the fiefdom that had been circling in Raha’s head came out of Karzen’s mouth.

“Chief chamberlain.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will have it ready.”

The chamberlain bowed his head deeply. Jamela listened as she raised a finger lightly to her chin.

“If it’s Giseln territory, isn’t it too far away from the capital?”

“It doesn’t matter because there will be a lot of second-born aristocrats who jump on it because it’s good.”

Actually, Karzen wanted to jump on the idea that Raha liked it too. It was really far from the capital. The road to get there was steep and the mountain range was wedged in the middle, so it was hard to go back and forth unless they were determined and willing.

To be the lord of such a nice land.

Raha cast a light glance at Jamela. The reason Jamela dared to bring up the subject of spring events at the dinner table with Karzen was probably because she wanted to bring all the leadership of the palace to her side as the future empress.

There was nothing better than looking competent.

Jamela will do her best to prepare for the competition. Raha was very grateful. In the old days, she had to go into the palace and work all day because there was helping here, but not anymore. Besides…………

‘Then I’ll accept that it’s okay to ask the participants to put on some masks.’

Raha chuckled.

For the first time in a long time, she had an appetite even in front of Karzen. Karzen’s gaze stayed on Raha, who was a little more enthusiastic about her meal than usual, for a long time.

* * *

That night.

Karzen didn’t let Raha go easily again this time. They had to drink champagne together, and when he went to his office and checked the agenda, Raha had to sit next to him and hand him the paper.

He hoped that Raha would get tired of the slave, but didn’t want to let her go to sleep with him again?

Despite her cynical view, Raha served Karzen faithfully. Because the others would get hurt if she made Karzen angry.

“It’s too late.”

When Karzen checked his watch, it was already well past midnight. Raha complained with a tired face.

“How long do you intend to keep me here, Karzen?”

“Oh no. I must have offended my twin.”

“All right, then let me get some sleep. I’m really tired.”

Raha was quite serious when she said she was tired. Because she really needed sleep. Karzen chuckled. He put down his papers and pulled Raha and sat her on his thighs.

“If you are very tired, why don’t you sleep here?”

“What do you mean?”

Raha frowned lovingly.

“There are no bedrooms for guests in the imperial palace.”

“Why do you need a guest bedroom?”

Karzen’s arms wrapped Raha’s waist.

“The emperor’s bed is spacious enough. You know that it is three or four times larger than the imperial Princess’s.”

“Sleep with Karzen on the bed?”

“Yes.”

He whispered.

“Is there anything you can’t do, Raha?”

Was he aware that they were fully grown twins?

Was he going to let her sleep in the first place?

Perhaps he might rip Raha’s pajamas off as soon as the lights go out.

Raha answered in a calm voice, despite the fact that she wanted to punch Karzen in the cheek right away.

“No, Karzen.”

The gentle rejection caused Karzen’s arms, which were gripping Raha’s waist, to gain strength.

“Why?”

“I want to sleep until noon tomorrow. By the way, Karzen has to attend a meeting. It’s going to be really loud in the morning and I’ll wake up really sick.”

“I can make arrangements elsewhere if that’s what you want.”

“How can a mere Princess kick the emperor out of his bedroom and sleep.”

Raha whispered with a faint smile.

“I really don’t want to do that, Karzen.”

Karzen stared into Raha’s eyes. He had hugged her from the beginning and the distance between them was very close. Raha did not avoid Karzen’s gaze. The twin eyes, which at one time were the same color, had long since become an unfamiliar kind for Raha.

“Yes, that’s right. I can’t afford to spoil Lady’s good mood.”

“Yes.”

Karzen grabbed Raha’s chin. He then pressed his lips down on her cheek and slowly lifted them. While kissing her cheek, Karzen did not blink. He just stared into Raha’s blue eyes.

Eventually, with his head fully lifted, Karzen reached out with his arm and tugged on the rope behind the chair.

“You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?”

Karzen jawed lightly at the chief chamberlain as the door opened and he entered.

“Go see the Princess off.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Raha stood up from Karzen’s thighs. She returned her usual gentle smile as she answered.

“Then, I’ll be on my way. Good night, Karzen.”

* * *

When Raha returned to her palace, only some of the attendants were awake. She changed her clothes, took a bath, and looked at the clock with her hair half dried.

It was 2 am.

Raha, distressed, went to the inner palace. The winter wind in the courtyard froze her undried hair.