The Princess Imprint A Traitor - Chapter 33. A Toast to Sisterhood in the Belladonna's Poisoned Cup (1)

In the winter rainy season, it wasn’t torrential storms but a gentle drizzle that fell. Unlike the summer rains, it wasn’t enough to paralyze the economy, so the people of the Empire continued their lives, taking only brief holidays or avoiding unnecessary outdoor activities. The imperial palace, soaked in watercolors of soft rain, was bidding farewell to the last moments of autumn.

Pitter-patter. Tap. Pit-pat.

Raindrops tapped gently against the windows. Amid the gentle sound and dim light, Eve slowly opened her eyes. Lying amidst rumpled sheets, she stretched luxuriously before glancing at the warm spot beside her, smiling softly.

To fully shake off her drowsiness, Eve walked out onto the balcony. As she slid open the glass door, cold, damp air rushed into her lungs. Wearing only a slip, her exposed shoulders shivered from the chill. She reached out a hand, as if to measure the rain’s temperature—

“Eve.”

“Ah, Mikael.”

Before she knew it, her lover had come up behind her. Mikael wrapped a fur blanket around her shoulders, embracing her from behind.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

“I have a warming spell, you know.”

Despite her words, Eve tightened the blanket around her with her hands. Enjoying the warmth and comfort, she turned to look at Mikael — who was clad in little more than his bare skin.

“You’re the one who should be cold, Mikael.”

“I’m fine.”

Mikael caught her hand as she was about to cast a spell and intertwined their fingers, stopping her. Well, considering he was a homunculus, it made sense — naturally hardy, strong, and full of energy. Eve accepted it without question. But then Mikael smiled with crinkled eyes and added:

“Because you’ll warm me up.”

“…”

Of course, Mikael wasn’t the type to ruin the mood by mentioning magic. The meaning behind his words was unmistakable, and the deepening heat in his gaze confirmed it. Eve reached up and stroked Mikael’s cheek, her voice turning playful:

“One night wasn’t enough?”

“Don’t pretend you’re the only one who’s composed, Eve.”

Mikael chided her softly, then pulled her even closer. Nuzzling his nose against her cheek like a mischievous beast, he was charmingly affectionate for a moment — But then, he gently cradled Eve’s head, turning her face toward him, and captured her lips.

“Mmh…”

Eve melted against him, her upper body leaning into his. Mikael wrapped his arms around her protectively, slowly drawing her back inside from the balcony.

Click.

The glass door closed behind them, and almost immediately, the windows began to fog with warmth. The room grew heavy with the damp, heated air of the rainy season.

❇

The single day of self-imposed vacation had ended. Eve lazily clutched a large bed cushion and buried her face in it. She didn’t want to leave this warm and cozy space just yet.

Rustle.
Beside the bed, Mikael was adjusting the fit of his uniform. The uniform clung neatly to his solid body, with every crease in place.

Wow.

Was it because the Imperial Guard uniforms were designed for beauty? Or because she knew how disheveled he had been through the night and early morning? To Eve’s eyes, Mikael’s uniformed figure seemed less ascetic and more… tantalizing.

‘As expected, a true national treasure… Watching him put on clothes just makes me want to rip them right off… oh, cough, cough.’

Feeling embarrassed by her own thoughts, Eve hastily moved the cushion aside and opened a book on imperial studies at random to cover her face. But she couldn’t stop herself from peeking at Mikael again and again.

Sensing her gaze, Mikael paused while adjusting the golden trim of his sleeve and turned toward her. Then, with a mischievous but charming smile, he asked:

“Should I take it off again? There’s still a little time left.”

“Ah!”

Caught red-handed for sneaking glances with impure thoughts, Eve blushed furiously but tried to act calm.

“No, no. You just got dressed after all.”

A playful glint flashed in Mikael’s eyes.

“Hmm, really? So you prefer it with clothes on?”

“W-what?”

Just as Eve flinched in shock, Mikael had somehow approached her without her noticing, sweeping the book away. He leaned in close, his devastatingly handsome face just inches from hers, and feigned a troubled look.

“Only stripping as much as necessary… it kind of feels like rushing at someone’s body more out of desire than love, but if that’s your preference, I suppose I should give it a try.”

“M-Mikael?”

“Yes, Eve. For you, I’m willing to become a debased beast if needed.”

“No, that’s not…”

Ignoring Eve’s stunned reaction, Mikael continued smoothly.

“Come to think of it, you once said that when we’re together, it’s always nighttime and in bed. If you get busier in the future, that might literally become true. Maybe this is practice for then.”

“Gasp?!”

Flustered by his suggestive comment, Eve hurried to gather her wits. She grabbed Mikael’s shoulders, trying to stop him as his shadow loomed over her.

“N-no, it’s fine!”

“It’s fine?”

“L-let’s… save that for later.”

“Hmm, alright. Then, during the next banquet, when we’re both perfectly dressed up, we’ll try it.”

“…”

Just as suddenly as he had advanced, Mikael casually backed off, as if nothing had happened. Eve, face burning, fanned herself with her hand. Then she caught him suppressing laughter, his throat bobbing slightly.

“You were teasing me.”

“Please don’t look at me like that. I was half-serious, you know.”

“Half-serious? How much?”

“More than half. Honestly, if I have you, nothing else matters.”

As always, Mikael’s confessions, dropped whenever he found the chance, made Eve’s heart race. In the end, she helplessly forgave his teasing once again.

Staying in bed any longer would only make the atmosphere more dangerous. Eve slipped out from under the covers, threw on a robe, and sat down at the table.

Knock, knock, knock.
It was around that time that Sedella entered the bedroom with a knock.

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

“Morning, Sedella.”

Upon seeing Mikael was present, Sedella’s pale green eyes discreetly flicked toward the side table. Mikael quickly shifted to block the empty potion bottles with his body. Eve distracted Sedella.

“What is it, Sedella?”

“A letter just arrived via express golem post from Young Master Redmon.”

“Alvin sent a letter? Hand it over.”

Officially, Alvin was on vacation from the protocol office, traveling to the Serenita domain. In truth, he had gone south, deep into territory dominated by Belteor’s faction, on a secret mission ordered by Eve. She broke the seal on the spot and quickly scanned the letter.

“Pfft.”

It was so typically Alvin that Eve couldn’t help laughing. The letter was full of flowery praise for the Serenita domain, concerned inquiries about Eve’s wellbeing, and extravagant declarations of loyalty.

Of course, hidden between the flowery words was important information, phrased in a way only Eve would understand. To satisfy Sedella and Mikael’s curiosity, Eve spoke up.

“He succeeded in making contact with the target.”

“So he’s passed the first stage. Young Master Redmon is very capable; he won’t disappoint Your Highness.”

“Yes. If he pulls this off and comes back, he deserves a splendid reward.”

Eve smiled softly.

She burned the letter to ash with magic. The flattery that might have earned her points with Desmond II was a pity to lose, but destroying evidence took priority.

The fleeting joy of planning to crush Brigitte’s remaining forces quickly faded. As soon as she returned to her official duties, a long-forgotten worry resurfaced. Eve asked Sedella in a subdued tone:

“Any news from Rosie’s side?”

“The Scarlet Room remains sealed off.”

“…I see.”

It had been exactly a week since news came that Rosenitte had awakened from magical hibernation. Yet Eve hadn’t even glimpsed a single strand of Rosenitte’s hair. Emperor Desmond II had strictly barred anyone but handmaids and healers from entering the Scarlet Room, keeping Rosenitte’s condition hidden.

Given that both healers and cursebreakers had already given up hope and she had merely awakened, it made sense they would need to monitor her closely.
But for the blockade to continue day after day for a whole week was alarming.
Even her own mother, Empress Cornelia, and her full brother, Seventh Prince Rondel, were forbidden entry.

Naturally, disturbing rumors began to circulate within the palace. Some said Rosenitte had gone mad and that Desmond II was confining her to her room.

The source was those healers and cursebreakers who had briefly been inside the Scarlet Room. Even under strict gag orders, outsiders’ mouths were hard to control.

-She kept mumbling incoherently, as if in a nightmare. Something about how insane it was to make enemies of the two strongest people in the world…

-She seemed terribly unstable. She’d scream under the covers, then hug a pillow and cry, then lie on the floor staring blankly at the ceiling… It was impossible to predict her state.

-One day she even started banging her head against the wall, saying she wanted to forget everything…

-Once, she even climbed onto the windowsill, muttering that this life was hopeless.

Every account consistently depicted her as someone who had lost her mind. Even the maids who served Rosenitte no longer tried to deny it; they just silently obeyed the gag order. It practically confirmed the rumors of Rosenitte’s madness.

‘It seems like her condition isn’t normal. I want to check on her myself, but who knows when the access restrictions will be lifted.’

The indefinite waiting made Eve anxious. For a moment, she even considered sneaking into Rosenitte’s room. But the impulsive thought wasn’t solely because she needed to confirm the success of the imprinting.

‘She was always mentally fragile… I wonder if she’s really alright.’

At this point, Eve decided to be honest with herself.
Whether she liked it or not, she had grown somewhat fond of Rosenitte — she was genuinely worried about her. Just then, Sedella, carefully watching Eve’s gloomy expression, delivered some news.

“This is something I heard this morning, Your Highness. The meal that was brought in by her personal maid came back completely empty.”

“The meal?”

“Yes. She had barely eaten anything for so long, so it’s possible her appetite suddenly returned… but either way, it seems like a good sign.”

“I see.”

Eve fell into thought. She realized that just piecing together bits of secondhand information wasn’t enough to form a clear judgment.

‘I hope they lift the restrictions soon. Or at least let her come out for a walk.’

Suppressing a sigh, Eve stood up. It was about time to leave the bedroom and start getting ready. When she entered the powder room, Lianne and Piony were already waiting, having prepared everything. After Eve finished washing her face, Lianne handed her a towel and gave her a report.

“Your Highness, the list and schedule for this week’s morning greetings have been finalized.”