To the Imperial Palace – 4

Cold sweat beaded on my back. My mind felt like it was turning blank. What did Kaikilia just say? Did she ask if I had a good time with the Popes?

‘Surely, she didn’t find out what I did in the Holy Nation?’

If my thoughts were correct, this wasn’t just a dangerous situation.

And for good reason, the Popes had even sent an Inquisitor directly to the Imperial Palace to take me to the Holy Nation. This was to persuade Kaikilia, who had an unusually great interest in me.

However, as a result, all the claims made back then turned out to be lies. Didn’t both the Pope of the Sun and the Pope of the Moon willingly intertwine their bodies with me, crossing the line?

Regardless of the intermediate process, looking only at the outcome, it was as if the Popes had deceived the Emperor. A slight misstep could even lead to a conflict between the Empire and the Holy Nation.

All because of just me.

“Why are you silent?”

My consciousness resurfaced at her icy voice. I couldn’t stall any longer. I had to give some kind of answer. I racked my brain as much as possible.

The top priority was to find out if Kaikilia had truly caught on to everything that happened between me and the Popes in the Holy Nation, or if it was just a bluff to test my intentions.

For the two days while the Knight Commanders were all groaning from hangovers after drinking the Moon’s Kiss, I continuously received summons from the Popes even while staying by Rije’s side.

We spent most of our time in conversation. Not the conversation of bodies, but actual verbal conversation. It was also around that time that I learned how to use Lunar Eclipse from Luna.

Naturally, Kaikilia’s story came up, and the Popes had told me that it was impossible for Kaikilia to find out about our relationship, so I could rest assured.

They said there were almost no means for the Empire to monitor the Holy Nation, and even if someone tried to spy on it using magic, they would be able to detect it first.

If the Popes’ words were true, then Kaikilia’s current actions were merely an attempt to gauge my intentions.

If I were to fall for that threat and blurt out the truth, it would be an unparalleled gain for her, and even if I didn’t fall for it completely, she could just crush it with her power and move on.

Even if she were to dismiss her actions as merely testing my true feelings out of curiosity, I wouldn’t be able to express any dissatisfaction.

Considering that, it was right to feign ignorance and deny everything here.

‘……But.’

But what if, by some chance, she really did find out?

What if she used some unknown means, even to the Popes, to discover the truth, and this was an act to test how I would react?

I would have lied to the Emperor. It was the worst-case scenario I could imagine. Depending on how Kaikilia reacted, not only I, but also Aurora and the Knight Commanders, could face her wrath.

“If you remain silent any longer, I shall take it as defiance of my command.”

Kaikilia’s voice rose slightly. There was no more time. If I remained silent any longer, the very fact of my silence would be enough to arouse suspicion.

I quickly gathered my thoughts one last time, made a decision, and then finally opened my mouth.

“……I am sorry, Your Majesty. I do not quite understand what you are saying.”

“You don’t understand? Are you saying you didn’t comprehend my words?”

A chilling voice flowed from between her lips. I instinctively suppressed the fear that threatened to surge.

This was the method I chose. Answering immediately was impossible; I had to extract as much information as possible from Kaikilia.

Of course, if things went wrong, I couldn’t guarantee what would happen next. But then again, if I messed up my answer, the outcome would be equally uncertain. In that case, it was much better to at least try something.

“Yes. Therefore, I ask that you bestow a little more mercy and let me hear precisely what Your Majesty is referring to with your own imperial voice.”

This was a method akin to a gamble, but I had my own reasons for confidence.

The belief that even if things went wrong, Kaikilia, who was unusually concerned about me, wouldn’t immediately grab her Holy Sword and lop off my head. That was my reason for confidence.

What if it went even worse than I thought? Then I’d be utterly helpless. Entering the Imperial Palace and having an audience with the Emperor at this timing was already far beyond my knowledge, so what else could I do here?

“You are playing word games. If you think I haven’t caught on, let me tell you, it’s a useless endeavor.”

Her gaze, fixed on me, grew even more chilling. My heart sank once again at her words and stare, but I somehow managed to compose my expression.

I couldn’t show any sign of wavering. If I did, there would truly be no turning back.

“What Your Majesty has caught on to, I truly cannot even begin to guess. Therefore, I humbly ask that you bestow your mercy with your vast magnanimity.”

“…….”

No answer came. Kaikilia merely continued to stare at me in silence.

The growing anxiety tightened its grip on my heart. I kept feeling a sensation as if my throat was constricted. My chest felt heavy. It felt like I couldn’t breathe properly.

As I tried my best to calm my slightly trembling body, Kaikilia, who had been steadily gazing at me, finally opened her mouth.

“Come closer.”

“……Pardon?”

“Must I truly say it twice?”

“No, Your Majesty! I will move at once!”

I sprang to my feet and walked a few steps forward. Just as I was about to kneel on one knee again, an unenthusiastic voice was heard.

“Closer.”

I stepped forward.

“Closer.”

I stepped forward once more.

“Closer.”

I approached until I was within Kaikilia’s leg-reaching distance.

“Closer.”

Only after I had approached to a distance where I could touch her with just an outstretched hand did her command to come closer cease. I knelt on one knee there and looked up at Kaikilia.

Kaikilia was staring at me with her golden eyes, exuding a terrifyingly chilling aura, no different from before.

A “tok, tok, tok” sound echoed rhythmically. It was the sound of her left index finger tapping the armrest. Her leather boots, reaching up to her ankles, swayed up and down in the air as if keeping rhythm with the sound.

“You have spoken truly interesting words.”

“…….”

“Have you caught on to my intentions?”

The sound abruptly stopped.

Her right leg, which had been resting on her left thigh, tried to return to its original position but was pulled towards her body due to her bent knee. Her heel found its place at the edge of the throne.

Kaikilia, with her knee raised, pulled her thigh towards her chest. *Mulkeong*, her breast, slightly pressed by her thigh, softly spread sideways, changing its shape.

From beneath her extremely short uniform skirt, the jet-black lingerie hidden between her thighs was fully exposed.

“I did not command you to lower your head. Raise it.”

I frantically tried to lower my head, but her sharp voice forced me to look straight ahead. To be precise, at Kaikilia’s underwear directly in front of me.

It was an incredibly provocative piece of underwear. Black lace adorned various parts, and its overall area was ridiculously small, seemingly unable to even properly cover my palm.

Not only was the area small, but it was also incredibly thin, so even the parts covered by lace clearly revealed the curves of her pubic area beyond.

Kaikilia seemed to have no intention of hiding the fact that my gaze was directed between her legs, even though she knew it. Not that she would have done such a thing if she had intended to hide it in the first place.

The moment I tried to avert my gaze even slightly, her golden eyes, fixed on me, widened, so I had no choice but to fix my eyes between Kaikilia’s legs and intently observe the lingerie and the pubic area beyond.

How much time passed in that state? Kaikilia extended her right leg long into the air and then casually placed it on my left shoulder. Her calf pressed firmly against my shoulder.

“That is correct. I shall not deny it.”

“…….”

“Even if it were I, and even if it were Minerva-nim, we cannot confirm what transpired in the Holy Nation. Is that not obvious? There are things I suspect, but since the plan has become useless, it would merely be a pointless suspicion.”

*Kkuuuuk*, the force pressing down on my shoulder with her calf grew even stronger.

“However, you are truly a peculiar man.”

The knee of the leg resting on my shoulder began to bend slightly.

Her calf touched my shoulder blade, and her heel pressed near my side. My body leaned forward. This was because Kaikilia was using force in her leg to pull me towards her.

I hesitated, then shifted my position to avoid falling forward. The distance between my face and her pubic area, encased in black lingerie, naturally narrowed.

“Why, pray tell, are you so unaffected even when meeting my gaze? An ordinary person would tremble and spill the truth just from a brief encounter.”

“…….”

“You certainly brushed off my gaze without issue last time too, didn’t you? And you’re doing so again now.”

“…….”

“If you truly cannot believe it, I can test you with the women from that place. I can even expose every single one of my shameful secrets, things I dare not utter as a human. Do you wish for that?”

“……No, Your Majesty.”

In truth, I was feeling such emotions even now.

Because even when I first met the Emperor at the mansion, an unknown chill and ominous feeling had spread like a jolt through my spine and entire body.

It was also the common testimony of NPCs that standing before the Emperor made one feel as if their innermost thoughts were completely seen through, and I had keenly felt that fact myself.

It was an undeniable truth that there was some special power contained within Kaikilia’s gaze.

However, now, the feeling of fear was clearly less intense than before. The reason was unknown. Was the black magic cast on me acting much more strongly, or was there some other reason?

“How curious. Truly curious. Never in my life have I met a human as intriguing as you.”

Kaikilia’s knee bent further. My body was pulled further forward. Kaikilia stopped only when she had pulled me to the point where my face was almost buried in her pubic area.

It was a distance so close that I could lick her underwear just by extending my tongue. A sweet, fruit-like scent wafted into my nostrils. I even felt a slight dampness.

The leg pressing down on my shoulder held me firmly, preventing me from moving recklessly. Even if I tried to avert my eyes, all I could see was Kaikilia’s thighs, whether I looked to the left or directly at them.

Upwards, I could see the lower part of her chest, encased in her tight-fitting uniform, and even if I cast my eyes down to look at the throne’s floor, most of my vision was filled with black lingerie.

“This is how I am, but what about you?”

Kaikilia bent at the waist. Even as she pulled me, practically burying my face in her pubic area, her surprisingly flexible waist obeyed its owner’s command without any strain.

“Are you interested in me?”