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13. Physical Contact Is Not Restricted
Nikolai’s brow furrowed deeply.
The strange tension in the room dissolved, leaving only a sharp, oppressive silence.
Was I being too brazen? Still, if I want to cure Franz, I need the “Eye of Morasincia”…
Maybe it was because he was the Emperor.
Maybe it was because he was the villain who would decide my fate.
Even though I had agreed to play this seduction game, being alone with Nikolai always made me anxious.
Those unwavering green eyes staring at me felt unnatural.
That excessively beautiful face was impossible to get used to.
Whenever he spoke of buying me jewels, or “winning my heart,” saying things only a lover should say, my heart bounced like a ping-pong ball.
On top of that, Franz might be watching all of this.
My mouth felt dry.
Without knowing what was going through my head, Nikolai suddenly asked,
“Is Douglas that important to you?”
This time it was my turn to frown.
“He’s got nothing to do with this.”
“Isn’t that relic the one he offered to save you?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“He brought it along with a marriage pledge. You could call it a bridal gift.”
“Marriage—what?!”
“You’re asking me to give it back. Does that mean, even while you flirt with me, your love for him hasn’t changed?”
“Wait! I think you’re misunderstanding something!”
“You said yourself you’re a woman of fidelity. How steadfast you are!”
A dangerous grinding sound came from between Nikolai’s teeth.
His blazing eyes alone made my knees tremble.
If a black panther were prowling the plains for prey, it would look like this.
Don’t be scared, Elizabet! He’s not a real beast—he’s a man! A tyrant who could do anything, but still a man!
Even when the curtain of a play rises, an actor can always be replaced.
Would a self-centered, arrogant director like Nikolai really tolerate an actress who got on his nerves?
Especially when he was convinced I was mocking him.
I wanted to grab him by the ear and shout:
I’m doing this for your son! That cursed relic has my soul as collateral!
I forced down the heat rising in my chest and tried to smile as best I could.
“I truly don’t understand why Your Majesty is angry.”
“The woman who’s contracted with me insists on confirming some petty man’s love—am I supposed to be generous?”
“Sir Douglas is not a petty man.”
“A man who couldn’t even protect his own family and clung to his fiancée—if that’s not petty, what is?”
“At least Sir Douglas doesn’t speak ill of people behind their backs. He only tried to keep his promise to protect me with his life.”
“How touching! Truly admirable.”
Nikolai clapped sarcastically.
The aura of menace around him stirred dangerously again.
I worried another spark might jump to Douglas.
“And besides, what does it matter to Your Majesty whom I love?”
“What?”
“There’s no clause forbidding me to love another man, is there?”
I shot the words like a dart.
Nikolai pressed his lips shut.
“So please keep out of my private life. I’m not curious about what you do with your concubines and empresses, either.”
“…You don’t care what I do?”
“That was the contract, wasn’t it?”
For a brief moment, indescribable emotions swept over Nikolai’s handsome face.
But soon it returned to a picture-perfect blankness.
“Yes. I’d forgotten for a moment.”
“I’m glad you remember now.”
“I was foolish.”
“Everyone makes mistakes. I’m glad you’ve realiz—!”
I couldn’t finish my sentence.
Nikolai had touched my lips.
“W-what do you think you’re doing?!”
“Have you forgotten clause three of the contract? Physical contact is not restricted.”
“That doesn’t mean you can just force yourself on me!”
“What part of this is forced? I’m being very gentlemanly.”
What kind of gentleman touches a woman’s lips—without even hand sanitizer in this world?!
I wanted to snap at him, but instead my overly sensitive nerves trembled.
I glanced under the table where Franz had been hiding.
He was gone—he must have slipped away during the commotion.
But there was no time to relax.
A tingling current followed the trail of Nikolai’s fingers.
For all his rudeness, his hands were as soft as petals.
Heat flared in my cheeks as if fire had been lit there.
The familiar air was laced with Nikolai’s scent, making me feel dizzy.
His stubbornly furrowed brow, those emerald eyes glowing nobly, the lips slightly bitten—all were silently pleading with me.
For something I had never allowed anyone.
“Elizabet.”
He only said my name, but my head spun.
My mouth filled with saliva.
I wanted to push him away, but my body felt paralyzed.
Nikolai tilted his head toward me.
His breath tickled my skin.
His lips descended slowly; instinctively, I understood what he wanted.
I clenched my fists.
When my nails dug into my palms, I finally managed to speak coldly.
“Is this how you usually seduce women?”
I was supposed to be the one seducing him—not the other way around.
If my magic didn’t work on him, then at least I had to pretend contempt.
I had to hide even the momentary flicker inside me.
I couldn’t lose this game.
“That may have worked until now, but not with me. Go play your playboy games with someone else.”
Nikolai’s eyebrow twitched.
He looked angry, but maybe he was only pretending, to hide his own confusion.
“Then let me ask you. Is harassing a caged woman Your Majesty’s tactic?”
“…”
“If so, then Your Majesty will never win.”
A heavy silence pressed down the air.
If only Nikolai had, as usual, threatened me with treason against the Emperor, it wouldn’t have felt so uncomfortable.
Finally, at the end of that uneasy quiet, Nikolai spoke.
“I’ll reconsider the contract.”
“Does that mean you’re giving up the seduction game?”
“If you can’t become the crown prince’s tutor, the contract isn’t valid at all.”
I belatedly recalled the first clause of the contract:
Nikolai Rob Yevrei and Elizabet Emster will live together and seduce each other until a winner is decided.
If I refused to be a queen or a maid but still wanted to stay in the palace, I had to win over Franz’s heart first.
I have to get the Eye of Morasincia back. I need information on other relics. I have to stay in the palace to track Claudia’s moves. Only by winning this game can I avoid the death ending.
The conclusion?
No matter what, I had to keep playing the seduction game.
I had gone from running from an “unfair contract” to the opposite situation entirely.
“I’ll give you one week. Become his tutor on your own within that time.”
Nikolai tossed me something that glittered.
A small piece of metal—the key to the Canary Room.
Franz was supposed to be easy to persuade.
But the next day, and the day after, he didn’t come to see me.
I circled restlessly around the little tunnel.
How much did Franz see in the Canary Room? If he saw his father openly making moves on me, he must be shocked.
Time kept slipping away with my worry.
I ran to the Crown Prince’s palace.
The two guards Nikolai had assigned to me followed like shadows.
Nikolai was using them to watch me.
Even with that burden, I had barely managed to come here—but Franz still wouldn’t see me.
He saw me cry—doesn’t that count for something? He even stole my food—how can he do this?
I plopped down on the steps of the Crown Prince’s main entrance.
I was ready to sit there for hours until Franz came out.
After about two hours, the chief attendant of the Crown Prince appeared with a displeased look.
“You can’t stay here like this. Waiting is pointless.”
“I must see His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“His mind won’t be changed easily.”
“Neither will mine. Won’t you help me?”
“I cannot and must not.”
He flatly refused.
I smiled with narrowed eyes.
“You’ll want to help.”
“What are you talking about?”
The chief attendant’s eyes widened as I winked—a hint of magic in it.
“Well? Have you changed your mind?”
He glanced around, then cleared his throat.
Leaning close, he whispered in my ear:
“This is a secret, but His Highness is currently at the training grounds.”
“I didn’t see him come out.”
“A little hole—no, a secret passage exists.”
“Where is it?”
“I’ll guide you. But it’s confidential.”
Thanks to the chief attendant’s help, I shook off the guards and sneaked into the Crown Prince’s private training grounds.
Franz was striking a wooden dummy with a practice sword bigger than himself.
His movements were clumsy, but his attitude toward training was sincere.
His shining blond hair and training clothes were drenched in sweat, yet he didn’t stop.
He’s overdoing it. Is he okay?
I watched Franz train in secret.
His fencing instructor was a large man in a crisp knight’s uniform.
According to the information Kares had given me, he was Simon, eldest son of the Marquis of Brenden—one of the Four Great Houses.
He was also Empress Rose Brenden’s older brother.
“Faster!”
“Haap!”
“Excellent! Truly splendid!”
No matter how I looked, Franz seemed like a poor student, but Simon didn’t stop praising him.
Encouraged by his teacher’s cheers, Franz raised his sword again.
He looked pitifully unsteady, yet Simon seemed proud of his pupil.
“Once your stamina improves, the practice sword will feel lighter.”
“I know.”
“If you want to rest, just say so.”
“I won’t rest.”
“As expected! I’ll report Your Highness’s effort and passion to His Majesty.”
For a moment, Franz’s face brightened.
But he still looked too exhausted to continue training.
No wonder his hands were covered in cuts.
At this rate, they might break the poor boy.
“Franz. Drink some water first!”
I’d asked the chief attendant to prepare cold water for this.
I’d thought it would be my chance to score points with Franz.
But instead of welcoming me with a crystal water bottle, Franz looked at me like I was something disgusting.
Simon approached and greeted me politely.
“I’m Simon Brenden, the Crown Prince’s fencing instructor. I also serve as vice-captain of the Imperial Second Knight Order.”
I liked his unpretentious manner.
I lifted my skirt and bowed lightly.
“Pleasure to meet you, Sir Brenden. I’m Elizabet Emster, appointed as His Highness’s tutor.”
“Congratulations, Miss Elizabet.”
Simon extended his hand.
Just as I reached for it, Franz blocked me.
“Who said you’re my tutor? I never gave permission.”
“Franz?”
“How dare you call the Crown Prince by name. Do you want to die?”
“But…”
“Don’t come looking for me again. This is your last warning.”
His eyes were far too cold for a child.
I thought we were starting to get along.
He seemed to have forgotten the tears, the advice, everything.
Maybe I’d just been mistaken—this might be Franz’s true self.
Simon looked troubled.
“His Highness must be tired. Please allow me to apologize on his behalf.”
“It’s my fault for coming unannounced.”
“Don’t say that. In truth, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“For me?”
