Chapter 26

“Lina, too…”

Evelina stared blankly at him and closed her eyes nervously when she saw him getting closer. Then she woke up to a soft touch on her cheek. His lips touched her cheek and fell off. She grinned as she realized that his heart sounded loud as if it were right next to her ear.

“I want to repay you, Kaiden.”

She said so, hugged his neck and leaned back. Evelina was perplexed because she didn’t think he would lie on the ground. Suddenly he laid down his body and hugged her neck.

Realizing that her posture was a little strange, Evelina still couldn’t stand back, so she looked at him gently as Kaiden did to her.

“I have a favor to ask of you before I repay you.”

“Whatever. Just say it.”

As Kaiden raised his body, he tickled her lips every time he spoke. When she saw his eyes, she felt ashamed and couldn’t act anymore. Because she knew she’d avoid him.

“It’s been a week since we got married.”

“Yes, it is.”

As Evelina lowered her eyes, he grabbed the back of her neck with his hand. Then he licked her ear as if he were about to kiss her. Evelina felt the itchiness of the hand stroking her waist, but she felt the chills of being eaten by his eyes.

No matter how good he tried to be to her now, he was a scary man. The thought gave rise to fear that came up unconsciously every time she looked into his eyes.

“I miss my parents.”

Kayden frowned at her words. Evelina pressed her lips on his when he seemed to answer something. So that he won’t say no.

“Well…”

Evelina obviously intended to brush her lips briefly and fall off. Contrary to her expectations, however, Kaiden was holding Evelina back from running away. When Evelina got up, he got up the same way. She opened her mouth to remove her lips. But when she opened her mouth, he began to move, coveting the inside more roughly.

“… Huh…”

He pressed the back of her neck and pressed it deeper as she turned her head because of her tongue, which was so overwhelming that she couldn’t breathe. Evelina felt like she was really being eaten. She struggled to push him on the shoulder and slipped. She felt dizzy for a moment, and realized that she was lying on the ground again.

Her hair was scattered over a beautifully laid cloth, some stretched out on the grass. She couldn’t run back any longer. Then he took his hand off her neck and clasped her hand. Evelina was distracted by the pressure of his hands and the mouth he was digging through.

“Well…”

He moved slowly as if to give her a moment to breathe, and then began to press down on Evelina. She had a fever because of the texture of his hard, stiff fabric that she felt on top of her thin clothes. And every time the cloth rubbed, the heat increased.

“Kai, Eden… Ugh….”

He swallowed his lips as if he didn’t want her to say anything else. Her back trembled as he persistently swept and tickled the furrows of her mouth. The dominant act of pressing down on the flesh immediately followed.

“Sigh…”

When he took off his lips, Evelina’s vision had turned foggy. She knew her body was sensitive, but she didn’t expect her to have such a hard time just from kissing. The main character may be the main character, but if the kiss was one without any emotion, how was he so good?

Evelina was ashamed of the ticklish touch she felt.

“I’ll listen to everything. It’ll just take a little while.”

Evelina held Kaiden tightly, her face buried in his chest. Her hair tickled his upper chest, but it was difficult for him to do more different things here.

“You promised, Kaiden.”

“…Yes.”

As he sighed and replied, Evelina smiled relievedly.

~~~~

“Of course, shouldn’t you mainly use red for construction?”

Evelina realized that all the documents and items of the Foundation Festival left to her by Princess Elsius were a mess.

The Foundation Festival was a festival in honor of hard work and blood the heroes shed during the founding of the empire. Therefore, red and gold decorations were most common.

However, the items brought by princess Elsius are mostly white or blue. What was even more vicious was that some of the cloth that covered it was red, so she didn’t suspect it at the time when it was handed over.

Even the ritual tools used in the Foundation Festival. It was all broken. It was what was used last year.

When the new emperor was crowned, all the ritual items used were news well. It was written during the Emperor’s reign in the sense of being clean.

Three days remained until the Foundation Festival, but getting new ritual tools would be a problem. They were all custom made.

“Where is Princess Elsius?”

Evelina sighed after checking the problematic fixtures.

“Princess Elsius is having a tea party at Lake Heliben.”

Evelina didn’t want to go when she realized that Lake Heliben was the same lake she fell in last time. However, if the national Foundation Festival was not properly held, it was not known how it would damage her family.

The emperor was never an easy opponent. He was not at the level of a psychopath that she had only seen in the original. He was a genius in acting, and he was such a great person that if she hadn’t read the original, she would have been really smitten by him.

“Come… let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Evelina was not so pleased, but she had to go to Lake Heliben. It was obvious that the reason why Princess Elsius did not pass it over properly. Enough for Evelina to see through it at once.

It was clear to her that Princess Elsius wanted the work of the Foundation Festival to return to her. It was the first event since the Emperor ascended to the throne. How did she take over the event after pushing out the Dowager Empress? She was resentful that it was taken away by Evelina.

When she arrived at Lake Heliben, Evelina freaked out when she saw the behavior of Princess Elsius there.

“Princess. What’s all this?”

“Oh, my sister-in-law. Welcome.”

Princess Elsius needed Evelina, not as her superior, but as her subordinate. She thought the Emperor really loved her. Princess Elsius had to lead the Foundation Festival as planned. To do so, it was necessary to educate Empress Evelina even if it looks a little demented on the outside.

“What the hell is this?”

“It’s a tea party with close friends.”

Evelina flagged the brazen words. The tea party used the ritual tools for the Foundation Festival. All the ritual items were made of gold. But the ritual tools were used for a tea party. It was an altar covered with tools throughout the table.

Evelina was angry at the seemingly deceitful act.

“It looks like they’re for the Foundation Festival.”

“Oh, it’s a mistake. You must have misunderstood me because I have taste for antiques.”

“What you gave me for the Foundation Festival won’t work.”

“Oh, really? It’s weird. Why is that?”

Evelina glared at Princess Elsius as she looked at the cloth embroidered with red and golden thread decorating the table.

“Is there a setback in the Foundation Festival? This is my brother’s first event, so it’s very important.”

“…”

“If there’s a problem, why don’t you hand it over to me?”

“Isn’t it the princess who didn’t properly hand over the goods to me? Why should I?”

“I gave you all the items properly. Most of the things the Emperor used were destroyed, so I only gave you the rest.”

“You know you can’t use what you used to use during the reign of the previous king.”

“Oh, was there a law like that? I don’t know.”

Princess Elsius looked at Evelina with a troubled expression as if she didn’t really know. But Evelina wasn’t fooled by the look.

“I have all the statements that the Princess spent to prepare for the national Foundation Festival. I’m going to check the items based on the spending history. So give it to me properly.”

“Oh, check it out.”

Princess Elsius manipulated the books before giving them to Evelina. If she could lead this event, she could use her slush fund for that amount. However, she needed quite a lot of money because she pretended not to spend it. Moreover, as she said earlier, the ritual tools were all made of gold.

Evelina sighed when she saw the attitude of Princess Elsius, because she didn’t think she would give her anything.

“If you ruin this national Foundation Festival, sister could be in danger, too.”

The ladies around her were quietly holding their tea at the words of Princess Elsius. Evelina glanced at them, saw their faces, and said,

“Everyone sees the ritual tools, but they’re drinking tea and enjoying a tea party. I’ll keep an eye on everyone here. His Majesty will ask you about it.”

“Oh, my. Sister-in-law. If we ruin the Foundation Festival, my sister-in-law will never have a chance to talk to my brother.”

Evelina laughed quietly and indignantly at Elsius’ words.

“Just leave it to me again. If my sister says she will, my brother will think about it.”

But Evelina turned away without answering Elsius’ words. Elsius smiled gracefully, looking at Evelina, who was moving away, anxious but thinking she would return.

~~~~

Evelina, who returned to the palace, looked at Ianathas, who returned after a long time. He said he was her escort, but he seemed to be escorting Kaiden more often.

“Ianathas.”

“Yes, Lina.”

“You need to help me.”

Evelina knew he was also a member of the Imperial family. In addition, she intended to hold the national Foundation Festival as usual. It was less than a month left anyway.

But not anymore. There was only one thing left to play more splendidly and better than anyone else, so that the Princess Elsius and the Dowager Empress could not touch her and her family.

“Yes. How can I help you?”