I Once Thought I Had No Place, Being Married Off to An Enemy Nation as A Token of Apology but That Was Only for One Night - Chapter 13

Several days passed, and we returned to the Imperial Capital. Leaving the teleportation magic circle in the palace courtyard behind, I returned to my room. I assumed Frieda would handle the report, but Emperor Albert visited me that night.

“Emperor Albert, what brings you here so late at night?” “I apologize for the hour. I heard you had returned from Eisenwald and came to see how you were faring. I intended to come sooner, but I was delayed by work.” “I see. Thank you for your consideration.”

I invited Emperor Albert into the room. He looked around and then spoke.

“I heard you were quite active during your stay. Is your health alright?” “Active, you say?” “Frieda told me. She said you helped with the purification.” “I did, but I am surprised Frieda mentioned that.”

She must have managed to report the results successfully while keeping the details of the Hexagram Hall hidden. That made me a little happy, and I felt the corners of my mouth lift slightly.

“And is there any problem with your physical condition?” “No, I am fine, thank you.”

Albert’s expression softened. I wondered for a moment if he was actually worried about me. No, that was unlikely for someone like him. Instead of dwelling on it, I placed my palm against his chest. As I suspected, the miasma had grown denser in the short time I had been away.

“Emperor Albert, please take off your clothes.” “I see. This is for the purification, is it not?” “Yes. Not much time has passed, but the miasma clinging to you has thickened again. It would be best to purify it now, would it not?” “Do not worry. I have the blessing of the Saint of White Snow. I will not die so easily.” “But surely it is painful for you?”

Or perhaps he simply disliked being touched by me? Even if he acted normally on the surface, he might loathe me deep down. That was a distinct possibility.

“Listen, it is not that I dislike it,” he said. “You do not have to force yourself. I am, after all, the sister of that Crown Prince.” “No, that is not it. What I am concerned about is…”

He scratched his head in a troubled manner.

“Are you truly alright after using your powers so frequently?”

What? Was he trying to refuse because he was worried about me?

“Thank you. But I am fine if it is just a little.” “I see. Then I shall take you up on that offer.”

He let out a breath, removed his shirt, and lay facedown on the bed.

“Emperor Albert?” “It is wider than the sofa and should be easier for you to work, right?” “Well, I suppose so.”

Last time, the only reason I ended up straddling him on the sofa was that I was focusing on deciphering the magic circle, not the purification itself. But regardless, I climbed onto the bed and knelt beside him.

“Now then, I am starting the purification, so please do not look back.”

I gave him that warning and began purifying the miasma surrounding him. Even though I had performed a treatment recently, the miasma on his body was quite thick. Still, it was less than the first time, and I could manage it without putting in too much effort.

“Noel, how was Eisenwald?” “It was a bit surprising. It felt like a fortress.” “Yes, those from the outside are often surprised by it.” “I never dreamed it served such a role. I heard this land suffers greatly from monsters. Is that the cause?”

I spoke vaguely, and the Emperor replied, “So, you saw the Hexagram Hall.”

“It is a fact that monsters tend to gather there.” “Is that to break the Demon King’s seal?” “Who knows? Whether that is the reason or if they are simply drawn to the pool of miasma is hard to say. We have never had an intruder reach the hall yet, so I cannot judge.” “Then I can only hope it remains a mystery.”

Because if they ever found out for sure, it would mean the monsters had breached the hall. I continued the purification while we talked.

“By the way, I plan to hold a party soon.” “What kind of party is it?”

I checked the status of the purification while responding. The color of the snow had almost stopped changing. The moment I confirmed that, a sudden, overwhelming drowsiness washed over me.

“It is a debut for the nobility.” “I see. The other day was for the commoners, was it not?” “Correct. Therefore, I would like you to attend as well. Noel? What is wrong? Are you alright?” “What? No, I am fine. A party, I understand.”

I stopped the purification and rubbed my heavy eyes.

“Do you truly understand? If you attend the party, you will encounter people who are quite outspoken.” “I am not exactly happy about it. But I decided that I would make a place for myself in this Empire.”

Oh, this is bad. I am so sleepy. I felt that I shouldn’t fall asleep, but that thought was washed away by sheer exhaustion. I collapsed onto the bed right there.

“Hey, Noel? What happened? Are you asleep?”

I heard the voice of the man I admired close to my ear. He was the one who had given me a goal in life. I reached out and firmly grasped what I had touched.

“Hey, what are you doing, Noel? Good grief, I suppose it cannot be helped.”

I thought I heard him grumbling, but soon a gentle voice said, “Goodnight.” Whether I responded or not, I cannot say. My consciousness cut off there.

That was what happened last night. When I woke up in the arms of a half-naked Emperor Albert, I let out a silent scream. After thinking for a few seconds, I realized I had fallen asleep during the purification. In any case, I had to get out of this situation before he woke up.

“So, you are finally awake.” “Emperor! You were already awake?” “In a sense. More importantly, now that you are awake, could you please let go of me?” “Let go? Let go of what? Oh! My apologies!”

I realized I was still gripping his arm and hurriedly released him. Once he confirmed I had let go, he got out of bed and quickly threw on the shirt he had discarded. He headed toward the door, but just before leaving, he turned back.

“I feel much better thanks to the purification. You have my gratitude. Also, you must be exhausted. I will tell Frieda to let you rest a little longer.”

With those words, he left. I stared at the door for about ten seconds in silence, then suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment, I pulled the sheets over my face.

I must have been tired from using too much of my power in such a short time. But no matter how tired I was, falling asleep in front of the Emperor was a disaster! It was so humiliating.

And honestly, what was he thinking? Even if our relationship is complicated, we are technically spouses. He spent the night in the same bed as a girl. He could have been at least a little more flustered!

I punched my pillow and then looked into the full-length mirror, whispering, “I am cute, right?” In the reflection, amethyst eyes looked back at me anxiously. My long platinum-blonde hair was silky, and I believed my features were well-defined. My brother had once insulted me by saying my only redeeming quality was my looks, so my face had to be at least decent.

But perhaps the sense of beauty is different between Ashtar and Rayvel?

I considered Emperor Albert to have the beauty of a perfected work of art. Yet, there was not a single rumor of him being involved with anyone. If the standard of beauty in this country is different, I might not be his type at all. Or rather, he likely hated me simply because I am the sister of the Crown Prince.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, I felt a sharp sting in my chest.

“What was that? Perhaps it really is from overusing my purification powers.”

I had pushed myself too hard lately. I collapsed back onto the bed, wanting to rest. That was when Frieda visited.

“Imperial Highness Noel, I heard you were tired. How are you feeling?” “I am just a bit exhausted, so I will be fine.” “Is that so? Your complexion is not bad. Could it be that you and Emperor Albert finally progressed your relationship?” “What!?”

That was impossible. How did she even know he spent the night here? Oh, of course she knew. He is the Emperor, and there are guards outside the room. This means everyone thinks that he and I…

“It is a misunderstanding! We were talking last night and I just fell asleep. Apparently, I was holding his hand, so nothing happened.”

The moment I said that, the sting in my chest returned.

“Ah, so that is why His Majesty was yawning earlier.” “Wait, Emperor Albert was yawning? I see.”

He was yawning, which meant he was short on sleep. So, he was actually unsettled by the situation after all.

“Frieda, I need to get ready for the morning. Please help me.”

I got out of bed and moved toward the dressing table with a light step.