Chapter 75

Annie stared at Ejed.

The face, with red scars after the mask, was still good-looking. But now, something else stood out.

‘Your expression disappeared again.’

Where was the man who had fun with the child? Ejed, sitting opposite her in the carriage, was staring out the window with indifferent eyes.

As she looked at his stiff lips, she felt regret inside.

‘You look pretty because you smile….’

Wasn’t it a beautiful smile that any woman will fall in love with?

‘You’ll be able to score a point later if you show it to the Lady. And… if other people saw it, the fear of His Majesty would reduce a little…’

Annie, who had been struggling, lifted her plump lips.

“Your Majesty.”

As if waiting, Ejed’s gaze moved quickly. However, Annie, who carefully chooses her words to follow, didn’t notice it.

She took her words carefully.

“Well, that is. Earlier, I saw you playing with children.”

“…”

His stiff, right-angled shoulders seemed to be perplexed.

‘You can’t get out of here.’

Annie pretended not to know anything, and she spoke eloquently.

“It was really nice to see you smiling.”

Annie was relieved when his pupils trembled faintly. He wasn’t even angry.

‘Good. Let’s go with this momentum.’

“Shall we practice?”

“…”

“Come on, practice. Smile.”

“…Now?”

Embarrassment flashed across Ejed’s face. No matter how much Annie asked, it was difficult to accept this readily.

When he was silent, Annie was tightening her neck and said again.

“Yes, now.”

Ejed’s eyes shook. He couldn’t.  Every time he smiled, he only felt like a murderer or disgusting.

He had to show it after at least 100 practices of looking in the mirror and smiling.

“Now is…”

“Didn’t you tell me you wanted to win her heart?”

“…”

“This is a necessary process. Nothing makes people more comfortable than showing a smile.”

Instead of rejecting it, only a weak breath came out of Ejed’s lips.

When there was no answer, Annie smiled inside.

‘I got you.’

After all, Ejed was too weak when it came to love. Every time he did this, she felt his desperate sincerity.

‘Because you really like her.’

As proof of that, even now, Ejed was raising the corners of his lips eagerly.

After a few repetitions, he asked cautiously.

“…Do you want me to do this?”

“No, no. You can’t just smile. You have to smile with your eyes too.”

“Then… like this?”

“Your Majesty, that’s not it. A little more, naturally. Ummm… Excuse me for a moment.”

Annie leaned her body forward and touched his eyes with both her index fingers.

‘Wow, you have nice skin too. How can a man have this skin?’

It feels soft and smooth to the touch of her fingertips. Annie couldn’t help but admire it.

‘I think the cosmetics used by the emperor are of the highest quality… Still, I didn’t think His Majesty would use them. No, this is not the time.’

She had to get rid of her miscellaneous thoughts. Still, shouldn’t she be doing what was right?

Annie moved her index finger up and down around his eyes.

“There, there. Like this, like this. Naturally.”

“…”

“Your Majesty. It’s simple. Imagine that I am Your Majesty’s dear lady, and you want to look good to me. Alright, again.”

The pale cheeks began to blush.

And at that moment, the carriage shook violently.

“You see… Oh!”

Rattle.

Annie’s slender body staggered and tilted forward. As soon as Ejed embraced her, she could not help but be puzzled.

‘Uh… uh…’

Her small hand reflexively grabbed his hard thigh.

You dare to grab the Emperor’s thigh!

‘Crazy, crazy.’

Annie, startled, hurriedly pulled her hands back and tried to touch the floor of the carriage.

“I’m sorry. I’ll move soon…”

Rattle.

The carriage continued to move loudly as it passed the rough road.

‘Oh my God.’

To make matters worse.

This time, Annie sat on Ejed’s thigh. The awkward gazes of the two intertwined in the rattling carriage.

‘Will I be mistaken for a pervert?’

Feeling the need for an excuse, Annie hurriedly said:

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Wait.”

She tried to pull back as far as she could when something hard touched her waist.

“It’s dangerous to move in a shaking carriage.”

The red eyes that got closer were full of warmth as if they had never felt scared. And it was kind. Even his hand gently wrapped around her waist.

The wind that flowed in from the window danced with the fine black hair. But Ejed’s eyes didn’t move at all.

Embarrassed, Annie rolled her eyes upwards, she said.

“…Uh. Well. I’ll keep that in mind. More than that… You can let me go. I weigh a little more than I look.”

“You’re not heavy at all. When the carriage stops, you can move.”

“That’s… I’m a little bit. I am also embarrassed.”

At that moment, the strength in his arms wrapped around her waist was released. But it didn’t completely let go.

Now he grabbed Annie’s hand and sat her next to him. Their hands separated only after that.

‘…What is this?’

It’s the first time they sat side by side like this in the carriage. The atmosphere was very strange.

As the embarrassed Annie coughed, Ejed watched her closely. He looked worried about whether she had sprained her ankle or her wrist.

Annie waved her hand slightly, indicating that she was fine.

“Ah. I’m fine.”

But he bit his lips as if something had displeased him. Unlike before, seeing his emotions fully exposed, Annie felt puzzled.

‘…Are you mad?’

After all, there must be a problem if the person who offers to help the relationship with the Lady gets hurt.

Even more so, there’s someone he liked, and physical contact with a strict woman would not be pleasant.

Annie, who had been speculating about one thing or another, apologized in a solemn voice.

“Your Majesty, I’m sorry. I will be cautious not to let this happen again.”

Kiikk.

‘Thank God.’

As the carriage stopped promptly, Annie sighed inside. With a smile as casual as possible, she pointed to the door of the carriage.

“I’m going to get going. Thank you for your hard work.”

*