Your Majesty, I’m Not that Man - Chapter 6: Days and Nights of Bliss II (3)

Permission to leave was granted around dusk, as the evening shadows began to fall. Albert looked ashen, but Maxim was utterly delighted. Regardless of the emperor’s circumstances, not having to meet him today was a relief.

Albert cast an annoyed glance at Maxim but skillfully hid his irritation. After all, Maxim was the Duke of Wendell, and Albert needed his support at this time.

What could this duke truly offer, though?

He was a man interested in nothing beyond his own gain. He lived for pleasure, frequenting various balls and gentlemen’s social clubs with his lover Hans, indulging in sports and hunting. His tastes were rather refined, which required a fair amount of money, but the wealth of the Wendell Ducal family made it possible.

Still, that was only feasible when Lavinia was there to support the Wendell family. If she had married into another family, maintaining their current lifestyle would have been difficult.

Maxim knew nothing of the family’s business, and Hans was similarly clueless but full of greed. Albert was certain that if only those two remained in control of the Wendell family, they would fall victim to swindlers and end up penniless in no time. The only ones oblivious to this truth were Maxim and Hans themselves.

Lavinia was well aware of her situation. Even before her marriage, she had diligently managed her own finances, acquiring various assets that could generate income. However, it was said that she had sold off most of her possessions before entering the palace and distributed the proceeds to the old retainers of the ducal family.

“In the end, Lavinia must have planned to escape. To flee from that emperor. But… the person she chose to escape with wasn’t me.”

Albert was Hans’s son, and that alone made it impossible for Lavinia to accept him.

Recalling that fact, a deep despair welled up within him. Even if he managed to rescue Lavinia from the emperor’s clutches, he knew she would never be his. Not because of their difference in social status, but because he was his father’s son.

“No, this isn’t the time to dwell on such thoughts. I need to focus on Lavinia and only Lavinia.”

The Wendell family’s carriage was parked on the main avenue of the palace, just as it had been when they arrived. Maxim’s steps were light, if only because the day had ended without meeting the emperor. Albert followed behind him, pondering just how much use the identity Maxim had provided would be.

Although he had been disowned, Albert was posing as a minor noble. At least for now, he could pass as a member of the aristocracy.

There were rumors that an anti-imperial faction was hiding in the shadows of this capital. Most nobles were too oppressed by the emperor to even consider opposing him, but wherever there was overwhelming force, resistance was inevitable.

Albert intended to join forces with them. If he could at least kill the emperor, Lavinia might finally escape from his grasp. No one would care about a concubine who had fled from a dead emperor.

Since Lavinia had already prepared to leave the empire, Albert believed she could settle down and live anywhere on the continent.

When Maxim approached, the duke’s attendant and coachman, who had been waiting in the carriage, got down. Maxim barely acknowledged their polite greetings, instead barking at them to depart immediately. His attitude made it clear he wanted to leave this intimidating place as soon as possible.

The attendant quickly opened the carriage door, and the coachman climbed back into his seat. Maxim scrambled into the carriage, and Albert followed him. Though his body moved to board the carriage with Maxim, Albert’s mind was elsewhere.

“Leni…”

Lavinia could never have imagined the lengths to which Albert was willing to go for her. Hoping fervently that her suffering would not be prolonged, Albert’s face darkened with worry.

The attendant quickly shut the carriage door and climbed onto the back of the carriage. The coachman cracked the whip, setting the horses into motion. The Wendell family’s carriage hurriedly made its way down the grand road of the Imperial Palace, eager to leave.

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By the time they sat down for dinner, the stars had already begun to rise. When the small chandelier hanging from the ceiling was lit, the dining room became far more elegant than expected. Cassion carried Lavinia, who wore a languid expression, into the dining room.

With persistent hands, he had bathed her and even dried her off. He had prepared not only fresh undergarments but also an entirely new set of clothes. Cassion dismissed all the maids and personally attended to Lavinia.

Lavinia, now dressed in everything from delicate lace undergarments to a voluminous, flowing dress, looked at Cassion with a slightly pouty expression. While his touch felt pleasant, it was embarrassing to be dressed by him.

Cassion, of course, didn’t miss an opportunity to sneak in mischievous touches here and there.

“Why are you upset?”
Seated beside her, Cassion pressed his lips to her cheek as he asked. It seemed he intended to attend to her during dinner, just as he had done at lunch.

Lavinia instinctively glanced at him with a wary look. Her heart had unknowingly fluttered at his actions earlier, and she found it bothersome how casually he intruded on her space. She shouldn’t be angry with the emperor… not when she was preparing to escape soon. She needed to play along and keep him in a good mood, but her emotions were showing on her face.

Cassion, however, simply looked at her expression as if it were endearing.

“I’m not upset. It’s just… Your Majesty keeps embarrassing me…”

“Is that so?”

Cassion grinned and playfully touched Lavinia’s flushed cheeks. His smile, filled with happiness, made her heart soften. Lavinia quickly looked away to regain her composure.

“…Why do you keep avoiding my gaze? It’s suspicious.”

Her heart skipped a beat. Had he caught on to her plans to escape? Lavinia glanced at him nervously, but Cassion was smiling as he gazed into her eyes.

“Am I starting to cross your mind, just a little?”

“Your Majesty’s presence is too significant to ignore, so of course, I notice you.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean as a man.”

Cassion took her hand and pressed a kiss to her fingertips.

“In the bath earlier, your heart was racing for me, wasn’t it?”

Her mouth clamped shut. How had he noticed that? It was true that her heart had raced, but…

“T-That wasn’t it! It was just…”

She instinctively denied it but immediately regretted raising her voice. She knew better than to shout at the emperor, especially since she couldn’t risk upsetting him.

However, Cassion didn’t seem particularly offended. With a faintly bitter smile, he rubbed his face against her palm.

“I know. I know you don’t love me. I just… I just wanted to remind you that I’m still a man to you, at least a little.”

At least the possibility…

“Can’t I dream, at least?”

Hearing his calm words, Lavinia was momentarily stunned. This man…

“Who are you?!”

Where had the arrogant emperor gone, the one who had mocked Albert as he held her in his arms? In his place was a man who seemed to be begging for love. It was a stark contrast to the domineering man who had once demanded affection from Albert. Of course, that emperor had knelt before Albert only after slaughtering the entire Wendell family, but…

Lavinia looked at Cassion with a confused expression. He, in turn, smiled softly and let go of her hand.

“There’s no need to look at me like that. I won’t force you to love me. For now… just having you by my side is enough.”

Every night, he watched Lavinia experience pleasure under his touch. Wouldn’t her body, now accustomed to the sensations he gave her, eventually lead her heart to open up as well? Earlier, he had even seen her react to his confession. Cassion was in quite a good mood.

While Lavinia was lost in thought, the food was served. Faced with a meal just as exquisite as the one at lunch, Lavinia gladly set aside her thoughts and focused on the food.

Though it might be unfortunate for Cassion, his feelings were not a priority for Lavinia, who was planning to leave the palace soon.

＊ ＊ ＊

The starry sky above was visible through the ceiling. If not for the metallic window frames, one might have mistaken it for the outdoors. Even so, the wide gaps between the frames made them appear like faint cracks, resembling spiderwebs rather than a barrier.

It felt as though they were outside, with a bed placed under the open sky, about to make love. This caused Lavinia to hesitate briefly. As if sensing her discomfort, Cassion leaned in and whispered.

“…No one can see inside. No one will ever get to steal a glimpse of your beautiful, lovely self. So you can rest assured.”

As he undressed her and laid her down on the bed, he reassured her. Lying on the bed under the open roof, Lavinia gazed at Cassion and the stars beyond him.

“You said you’d tie me up. You talked about using aphrodisiacs, too… Are you just going to hold me like this instead?”

“I have a feeling tonight isn’t the right time for that. I’ll save it for another time. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten what you’ve permitted me to do.”

He was an eerily perceptive man. If he had tied her up and used an aphrodisiac tonight, the faint flutter of her heart that had surfaced earlier would have vanished completely. Lavinia wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or regretful about his decision.

As she remained uncertain, her expression caught Cassion’s eye, and he chuckled softly.

“Don’t be disappointed… Someday, I’ll do it. I’d love to see you begging, unable to bear it any longer.”

“You already do that every day.”

“And yet, I still want more. You’re so beautiful… you drive me insane.”

He murmured as he lowered his head, leaning in as though to kiss her. Lavinia blinked slowly and gazed at his face.

There were no lights in the room. Countless starlights poured in through the windows, making lamps unnecessary. She couldn’t clearly see Cassion’s expression, yet she felt as if she knew exactly what it looked like.

“I love you, Lavinia… I love you.”

To say he didn’t want her to love him back right now would have been a lie. He had always wanted that. The only difference was that he knew it wasn’t possible.

Afraid of rejection, yet unable to keep the words locked inside his heart, he murmured them into the darkness once again. He wanted to see her expression, yet he was also thankful for the night that obscured it. After all, she was the first person capable of making Cassion feel fear.

As his kiss descended slowly, Lavinia closed her eyes. She knew this kiss, which she did not refuse, would give Cassion hope. But rejecting him outright would mean danger.

She had always thought she was merely enduring, accepting what she couldn’t avoid.

Yet now, her hesitant hand reached out and wrapped around Cassion. In the dim, shadowy darkness, he could feel her touch him cautiously. Cassion surrendered to her tentative embrace, his breath catching. Despite her inexperience, her touch ignited a fire within him.

I wish you would want me. I wish you would want me so much that you couldn’t live without me. How happy and reassured I’d be if that were true.

Cassion held Lavinia tightly in his arms, beginning to plant waves of pleasure within her body. As she received the familiar yet ever-unfamiliar sensations, Lavinia let out soft moans.

Her increasingly sensitive body now responded with pleasure even to Cassion’s lightest touches. Though embarrassed, she opened herself to him, melting sweetly and fervently under his touch.

“Leni… Lavinia…”

Finally, when Cassion entered her, he let out a groan. Feeling her body tremble as she lightly reached her peak, he began to move his hips. Each time his desire moved within her, Lavinia’s body arched and recoiled, her reactions bringing him joy.

Only he could make her feel this way… and Lavinia, too, was tasting pleasure within his embrace. The thought filled Cassion with such joy that he became utterly consumed by her.

My woman.

She was his woman.

Lost in rapturous ecstasy, Cassion brought Lavinia to climax over and over again. Even as she squirmed in his arms, moaning that she couldn’t take it anymore and that she felt like she was going to die, he gently soothed her. Still, he held her until his own satisfaction was finally reached.

“Ah… ahhh…”

Eventually, Lavinia lay limp, softly gasping for breath. With a face full of contentment, Cassion left kisses and love marks all over her body.

Could there be a happier moment than this? The past month spent with Lavinia had been the happiest time of his life. Pressing his lips to her soft skin, leaving passionate marks on her body, Cassion finally seemed satisfied as he leaned in for a long kiss on her lips.

He even tasted the saliva that had dripped down her cheek as he kissed her. Despite her exhaustion, Lavinia moved her tongue in response.

Believing without a doubt that tomorrow would bring another day like today, Cassion smiled. After finishing the kiss, he lay beside Lavinia, pulling her into his arms.

By the time the kiss ended, Lavinia was already half-asleep. Worn out, she buried her face into Cassion’s chest and fell soundly asleep.

Cassion gazed at her sleeping face for a while before closing his eyes. He thought to himself that, sometimes, it wasn’t so bad to enjoy a “date” like this.

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