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Chapter 4
Has he completely lost his mind?
That was the first thought that crossed Iena’s mind.
He had to be insane.
Completely and utterly insane.
Who would have thought that after talking about “treating her like the Empress,” he’d interpret it as sharing a bed?
If I’d known this would happen, I never would’ve mentioned sleeping alone in the first place.
But then she noticed something strange.
Instead of approaching her, Kalix simply stood awkwardly in front of the bed.
“…What are you doing, Iena?”
He was the first to break the silence.
“I’m thinking that you’re the one who should see the physician.”
Iena answered flatly.
“It seems you’ve forgotten what happens between a husband and wife after all these years.”
“…Forgotten what?”
“How to attend to your husband before bed.”
After saying that, Kalix tilted his head slightly toward his coat, clearly signaling for her to remove it.
Seriously?
Now he wants me to undress him?
Even a seven-year-old could take off their own clothes.
The sheer audacity left her speechless.
“Then why don’t you ask someone who’s actually supposed to wait on you?”
“…What?”
“I didn’t invite you here.”
“So why should I be the one serving you?”
“What exactly is so special about you?”
If he had at least agreed to depose her, she might have gritted her teeth and tolerated it.
Instead, he refused every single thing she asked for and expected her to wait on him?
She honestly wanted to smack him.
“My goodness.”
“If this is what being treated like the Empress is, my blood pressure’s going to kill me.”
This time, Kalix was the one left dumbfounded.
This wasn’t the reaction he’d expected.
Not even close.
On their wedding night…
“I-I’ll help you remove your clothes…”
The shy Iena had blushed bright red.
She hadn’t even dared meet his eyes.
Her trembling hands had carefully helped him undress…
“…Doesn’t he have hands and feet of his own?”
…Hadn’t she?
“Anyway.”
“Stop saying ridiculous things and go back to your own room.”
Iena looked thoroughly fed up.
Now Kalix was the embarrassed one.
He had come all the way to the Empress’s Palace himself.
Only to be thrown out at the door.
“…I’ve indulged you a few times already.”
His face hardened.
“It seems you’ve truly lost your mind, Iena.”
“You’d better learn your place.”
“Before your reckless behavior gets you into real trouble.”
Normally, words like those would have intimidated anyone.
Even battle-hardened generals froze under Kalix’s icy pressure.
Someone as meek as Iena should have crumbled instantly.
Except…
She didn’t.
“What exactly have you indulged?”
She snorted.
“You won’t divorce me.”
“You won’t depose me.”
“You haven’t done a single thing I’ve asked.”
“And yet you’re lecturing me about serving you and knowing my place?”
“If you never give anything, how do you expect to receive anything in return?”
“…”
“And another thing.”
“I never asked you to sleep with me.”
“I asked for one thing, and instead you’re doing something completely unrelated.”
“Anyone listening would think I begged you to share my bed because I couldn’t stand sleeping alone.”
“…Ha.”
Kalix pressed his fingers against his temple.
He could practically hear his anger boiling.
Stay calm.
Getting angry won’t solve anything.
Besides…
He had the distinct feeling that losing his temper wouldn’t work on her anymore.
If anything, it would only make matters worse.
Clenching his jaw, he quietly removed his coat himself.
“Why are you taking your clothes off?”
“Why?”
“I told you to leave.”
“Put it back on.”
“Or if you’re leaving shirtless, that’s your business.”
She had planned to read through the letters exchanged between Iena and her father tonight.
She couldn’t do that comfortably while Kalix was there.
Besides…
To the current Iena, Kalix was practically a stranger.
Sure, she’d read about him in the novel.
But that was just fiction.
Why should she trust this man enough to sleep beside him?
Especially when she didn’t even like him.
“The one who complained about not being treated like the Empress…”
Kalix spoke coldly.
“…was you.”
“Have you forgotten already?”
Damn it.
Iena silently cursed herself.
She really had chosen the wrong words.
Unfortunately, it was far too late to take them back.
Ignoring whatever she was thinking, Kalix casually tossed aside his shirt.
Under the pale moonlight, his well-defined muscles became visible.
…Oh.
So this must’ve been how Odelia first saw him.
Looking at his physique, Iena reluctantly admitted…
He did resemble one of those impossibly perfect gods from Greek mythology.
While she was busy entertaining such useless thoughts…
Kalix climbed onto the bed without the slightest hesitation.
“D-Don’t touch me!”
Startled back to reality, Iena shouted.
“…What?”
“I don’t care if you’re the Emperor or not!”
“If you try anything funny, one of us is dying tonight—and it won’t be me!”
Kalix’s face stiffened.
He had come here because she’d complained about sleeping alone.
Naturally…
He’d assumed…
Besides.
An Empress refusing to share a bed with the Emperor?
He had never even heard of such a thing.
His own mother had reportedly drugged the previous Emperor with an aphrodisiac just to conceive him.
And…
“Your Majesty…”
The old Iena used to smile happily just hearing him say her name.
Yet now…
She was rejecting him.
Oddly enough…
That was the most shocking part.
“Don’t cross this line.”
One pillow.
Two pillows.
Three pillows.
Iena shoved herself against the wall and stacked pillows around herself like a barricade.
Kalix stared at the makeshift fortress in disbelief.
“What the…”
“What?”
“…Unbelievable.”
“I know.”
She nodded seriously.
“I never dreamed you’d listen to me this well.”
Guess that’s why he listened so obediently when the original Iena offered herself as a hostage instead of him.
“If you’re going to listen this much…”
“It’d be even better if you’d just agree to divorce me.”
Sparks flashed in Kalix’s blue eyes.
Iena immediately shut her mouth.
Not because she was afraid.
There was an old saying:
You don’t avoid filth because you’re scared of it—you avoid it because it’s filthy.
That perfectly described her feelings.
Fine.
Forget it.
I won’t bother anymore.
It was obvious by now.
There was no peaceful way to leave the palace.
There was no point wasting any more energy arguing with someone who refused to listen.
“Anyway.”
“I told you not to cross this line.”
“You heard me.”
“You kept talking about sleeping alone.”
Kalix replied.
“Wasn’t this exactly what you wanted?”
“Oh, please.”
“I’d rather die than sleep with you.”
She meant every word.
She had awakened inside a novel overnight.
She was destined to lose her head.
So many impossible things had already happened.
Who knew what else awaited her?
But one thing…
One thing she could say with absolute certainty.
Her relationship with Kalix was finished.
There would never be anything between them.
Not in this lifetime.
“Besides…”
She glared at him.
“You’re the same.”
“Don’t act like you’ve always wanted this either.”
“…How can you be so sure?”
“What?”
“How can you say I’ve never wanted this?”
Kalix actually tried to flirt.
“I already know everything.”
Iena dismissed him immediately.
“So stop saying nonsense.”
Needless to say…
It had absolutely no effect.
“I’m going to sleep now.”
“So don’t talk to me anymore.”
She turned her back toward him.
“So after saying everything you wanted…”
“You expect me to stay silent?”
Kalix muttered in disbelief.
“Yes.”
“So please shut up and sleep.”
Her answer came so quickly it was almost insulting.
“…Seriously.”
Does she think I came here because I wanted to?
Glowering at her back, Kalix finally lay down at the very edge of the enormous bed, facing the opposite direction.
…
His blue eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness.
He couldn’t sleep.
Not because he was nervous.
Not because his heart was racing.
Simply because this entire situation was absurd.
Inside his head…
His anger continued to bubble.
Stay calm.
You have to endure.
He squeezed every ounce of patience he possessed just to keep his composure.
…
He wasn’t the only one unable to sleep.
Iena couldn’t sleep either.
He doesn’t seem asleep either…
Still, she had no intention of speaking to him again.
An unbearably awkward silence settled over the room.
At this point…
Sleeping on the street wrapped in newspapers sounded more comfortable.
At least she’d have peace of mind.
With a quiet sigh, Iena pulled the blanket over her head.
She decided she’d rather force herself to sleep.
Closing her eyes, she began counting sheep.
One.
Two.
Three.
…
Thirty.
Unfortunately…
It wasn’t helping.
Finally, after she’d counted roughly thirty sheep, Kalix spoke.
“…I’m giving you everything you’ve asked for.”
“So you should fulfill your responsibilities as well.”
What’s he talking about now?
I literally told him not to speak.
For someone who looks so cold, he sure talks a lot.
She couldn’t even be bothered to answer anymore.
Instead, she pretended to be asleep.
“No more ridiculous talk about divorce or deposition.”
“Don’t provoke my patience.”
In Kalix’s mind…
Coming to the Empress’s Palace and agreeing to share her bed had been a considerable concession.
Staying here despite being treated this way…
That required even greater restraint.
True, it wasn’t entirely for Iena’s sake.
But still.
He believed she should respond accordingly.
He wanted the old Iena back.
The quiet one.
The devoted one.
The woman who always answered, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
The one who teared up whenever he raised his voice.
The ideal Empress.
Convenient.
Obedient.
And one who never again mentioned divorce or deposition.
“Remember my words.”
Kalix said quietly.
He believed Iena should be grateful for the favor he had shown.
After all…
The Emperor himself had come to spend the night with her.
Surely she understood now.
She didn’t answer.
Kalix assumed her silence meant agreement.
Closing his eyes with a faint frown, he finally tried to sleep.
Completely unaware…
That the Empress lying beside him was silently thinking,
Yeah, right. What a load of crap.
