For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 35

Karl’s hand slipped beneath Aura’s body.

“Ah…”

His words about not having time to turn off the lights seemed to be true. His hand was urgent, hot, and relentlessly drove her on. Aura let out a moan at the sharp jolts of pleasure that spread through her body.

The brightly lit room and her unrestrained moans created a charged, sensual atmosphere that made her body flush, which, in turn, seemed to excite Karl even more.

“Hah… Aura.”

Aura trembled at his low growl. He had only called her name, yet she felt she had to escape, so she let go of his neck.

Sensing her reaction, Karl pressed even closer. Irritated by her attempt to turn away and avoid his gaze, he began to lick her earlobe.

“Ah! Wait!”

His tongue entered her ear. The sudden, intense sensation made Aura shake her head.

“Please… wait! Ah!”

Karl was persistent, licking her ear until he had caught her helpless hands pushing against his chest and she surrendered to the pleasure. She shivered and flinched, still struggling to bear it even as she gave in.

“Please… ah!”

A tear finally escaped and rolled down her cheek. Only then did Karl pull back his tongue, licking the tear away instead.

She looked at him, her eyes a mix of pleasure and resentment. Normally, he might have joked to lighten the mood, but he was in no state to do so.

He grabbed Aura’s knees and positioned himself.

‘I shouldn’t have seen that bare back of hers.’

Aura, standing in the sunlight with her bare back exposed. He had seen it and still buttoned up her dress. He had pretended to be indifferent, to be a gentleman.

Even though he was just going to tear it all apart like this in the end.

Aura, lying on the scattered pearl buttons, looked at him with a hazy gaze. The entire scene only made him burn with more passion. He put her legs over his shoulders.

“…”

The unfamiliar position jolted Aura back to her senses. Then Karl began to move.

“Ah!”

She could feel it. The pleasure bursting from deep inside.

Aura was startled and covered her mouth. Karl pulled her hands away and pressed them against the sheets. Her moans came tumbling out, unrestrained. He pushed on relentlessly, not giving her a moment to even think about holding back.

If she could have, she would have run away. This… this didn’t feel like her at all. But at the same time, this surrender to pure pleasure was breathtakingly good.

“Aura…”

Karl leaned in and kissed her desperately. Aura closed her eyes tightly and returned his kiss.

“Well, I’ll be…”

Duke Taine’s face was full of displeasure. He had been waiting for Karl in the reception hall for hours. No matter who he was, the Emperor couldn’t just keep a duke waiting like this.

Duke Taine finally pushed on his knee and stood up with a thud.

“Ahem… I believe I must take my leave.”

Elise stood up with him.

Theo and Josh, who were guarding the reception hall, exchanged a look. Theo grabbed Duke Taine’s coat from a nearby rack.

“Your coat is here.”

It seemed helpful on the surface, but a hint of mockery was in his actions. Duke Taine suppressed a feeling of unexplainable offense.

“…Thank you,” he said.

As he snatched the coat away, something fell out of an inner pocket.

Something shiny peeked out of a small velvet pouch the size of a hand. Elise noticed it.

‘A shiny piece… it was in the vault,’ she thought.

But she didn’t know what it was. Duke Taine quickly picked it up and shoved it back into his coat pocket.

“Please tell His Majesty that I am very disappointed.”

“I will be sure to pass along the message. Please have a safe journey home, Duke Taine.”

Theo bowed politely. Josh also gave a polite bow. Duke Taine cursed them under his breath.

‘The Emperor and his lackeys are pros at messing with people!’

“Let’s go, Elise!”

Duke Taine stomped out of the reception hall. She followed him, letting out a sigh of relief.

‘Thank goodness. The audience didn’t happen.’

She didn’t know how, but it seemed the Empress had kept the Emperor occupied. It probably wasn’t for Elise’s sake; the Empress likely had her own reasons. But Elise was grateful all the same.

As she left the room, Elise glanced back and met Josh’s eyes.

She gave a soft smile and bowed her head slightly. Josh, startled, bowed deeply in return.

He thought to himself, ‘I knew it… women are scary.’

On the outskirts of the capital, at the headquarters of the Free Mercenary Corps.

Ruan was on a night watch.

After leaving Ancena, he had established a new identity as the son of a low-ranking noble in the countryside of Kasa. Fortunately, a distant relative of the Meyer family was living in Kasa, which allowed him to change his identity and join the mercenary corps.

Rumor had it that the Imperial Army sometimes came here to recruit knights. Ruan was waiting for his chance. For him, becoming a knight and entering the Imperial Palace was the best option, especially because it would allow him to use his sword freely.

“Emil.”

A mercenary approached him. Emil was Ruan’s pseudonym.

“Time for your shift to change.”

“Oh, already?”

“Man, you get lost in your own world sometimes when you’re alone.”

The mercenary patted Ruan on the shoulder. Ruan gave an embarrassed smile and turned away.

“I’ll head back in then. Good job.”

“Oh, Emil.”

“Yeah?”

“Some Imperial Knights showed up at the headquarters. I thought you were interested in knighthood.”

‘…The time has come,’ he thought.

Ruan shrugged. “A little. Thanks.”

The Imperial family’s recruitment of free mercenaries was a kind of guerrilla operation. They’d show up out of nowhere, test the mercenaries’ skills, and take the ones they chose. It was a brutal way of doing things. Since they couldn’t vouch for the mercenaries’ origins, they chose to test their skills in the most straightforward way possible.

The mercenary added a word of caution. “Still, try not to go. I heard they pit dozens of guys against each other just to pick one.”

Ruan simply smiled without a word and turned away. He walked toward the headquarters. His soft, round eyes shone with a calm light.

‘If they’re pitting dozens against each other, I’d better be prepared.’

He habitually put his hand in his pocket. He felt a small gold button. And, as was his habit, he thought of Aura.

It happened when Ruan was just ten years old. He had followed his high-ranking noble father into the palace of the Kingdom of Zenia, where he first met Aura.

“Princess is here, Ruan. Greet her.”

At his father’s words, Ruan gave a perfunctory bow.

The girl, who wore a simple dress and had her bright blonde hair braided on both sides, greeted him back with considerable politeness.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ruan. It’s an honor to meet the eldest son of the Meyer family.”

Ruan snorted inwardly.

‘Everyone was fawning over her, so I thought she’d be special. She’s just another pretty girl.’

You must pledge loyalty to the royal family of Zenia. It was a phrase Ruan had heard drilled into his head since he was a child.

“You scoundrel! Greet the Princess properly!”

His father pressed down on Ruan’s head. Aura waved her small hands.

“I enjoyed his greeting, so it’s fine. Don’t scold him.”

“Ahaha… Your Majesty is so kind-hearted.”

Ruan sneered again.

‘Pretending to be nice.’

He was the precious eldest son of a noble family. He had no intention of looking up to a girl his age, especially not if she wasn’t the Emperor.

His father began discussing serious matters with the other adults. Ruan was left to spend time with Aura.

“Ruan, would you like to take a walk?” Aura asked with a smile.

‘Why is she speaking so formally? Is she trying to look down on me?’

Yet, he had no choice but to use formal speech. This bruised his pride.

“…If you wish.”

“There are many pretty spots on the hill. I’ll take you there.”

Aura led the way. Ruan followed awkwardly, giving vague answers to whatever she chattered about.

Just as Aura had said, the palace hill was beautiful. It was enough to give Ruan, who was constantly studying to be an heir, a moment of rest.

Eventually, they came to a lake. The two of them stopped there to catch their breath.

“I always came with a maid, but this is the first time I’ve come with a friend my age.”

“A friend?”

“Yes! We’re the same age.”

Aura smiled brightly. Ruan folded his arms and said arrogantly, “I can’t be a friend of the Princess.”

“Why not?”

“I’d be a subordinate at best. I don’t even have any intention of becoming your knight.”

This naive girl who was wandering the hill had no idea how much studying it took just to become one of those subordinates. Sometimes, he regretted being born into the Meyer family.

When Aura didn’t respond, Ruan suddenly regretted his words. He might have been too harsh. There was nothing worse than a princess crying.

Then, Aura took Ruan’s hand.

“I prefer a friend to a subordinate. Do you prefer a subordinate to a friend, Ruan?”

Ruan froze. The princess had not been hurt, but had instead left him speechless. The unfamiliar situation made the young Ruan act on impulse.

“Will you be my friend?”

“Of course!”

Aura smiled brightly. Ruan asked, “Can I play a prank on you, then?”

“What?”

Ruan pushed Aura into the lake. It was a rash, impulsive act. He couldn’t believe she was being sincere with him.

Splash!

Aura fell into the lake. Ruan quickly threw himself in after her.

Ruan was a very good swimmer. Getting a girl out of the water was no big deal. He immediately pushed Aura out of the water. Aura, now soaked and looking like a drowned rat, was gasping for air.

Ruan immediately regretted what he had done.

‘…Ah, Father is going to kill me. What am I going to say? The Princess will surely tell on me.’

But Aura said something he never would have expected.

“Does this mean we’re friends now?”

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