PG | Chapter 13: Rationalization

What was even more absurd was that the Crown Princess herself accepted this kind of treatment as if it were natural. Did she not even consider it unjust, or was she incapable of doing so?

It was probably closer to the latter.

She hadn’t been receiving proper purification. Just maintaining her sanity must have been a struggle.

The Crown Princess was being exploited by the empire without even the most basic protection.

Perhaps that was why…

Cassius couldn’t leave her alone. Perhaps that was why he had included the clause about diligently providing purification in their contract.

In fact, he didn’t have to go that far. He only needed to purify her enough for her to fulfill her obligations. However, Cassius had shown her consideration.

It was only until the contract ended, anyway. He rationalized it by telling himself that having the Crown Princess indebted to him would be useful in the future.

As the ruler of Bedua, Cassius had always been ruthlessly cool-headed to ensure his people’s safety.

He never let himself be swayed by sentiment or personal feelings. That was what a leader should do.

He was a man as steady as a mountain. But the Crown Princess… this woman…

She kept shaking him.

She held onto him with her faint, fleeting smile and her small, bird-like voice, as if she might disappear at any moment.

Who could refuse such a fragile hand, trembling so precariously? Who could turn away from such a vulnerable person who had fallen into their arms?

“…You should be grateful for our contract.”

Cassius caressed Aloissia’s pale, cold cheek. The sight of her lifeless face left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“To think you’ve undone my efforts so quickly. You’re a troublesome woman.”

Cassius effortlessly lifted Aloissia’s frail body into his arms and began walking towards her bedroom.

* * * 

A chill permeated the Crown Princess’s bedroom.

Even though it was still summer, the nights were quite cool. Yet, the fireplace remained unlit.

It seemed the Imperial servants weren’t even providing the most basic care. Or perhaps, they had excluded the Crown Princess’s Palace from their duties altogether.

Cassius laid Aloissia down on the bed. The cold sheets bothered him, but she would warm up during the purification process. Her body would regain its warmth.

“I don’t usually have the habit of forcing myself on sleeping women.”

Cassius muttered to himself as he removed his shirt. Aloissia was drenched in cold sweat and trembling all over. Her hands and feet twitched, as if she were having a nightmare.

She was clearly in a dangerous state. He had to bring her back to her senses first. Considering she had already fainted, hugs and kisses wouldn’t be enough.

But it was worth a try.

Cassius leaned over Aloissia, placing his hands on either side of her face and lowering his lips to hers.

He gently nibbled on her soft lower lip and slipped his tongue into her mouth. Since her lips were parted, it wasn’t difficult.

He lowered his body further, positioning himself between her legs, and began to deepen the kiss.

First, he wrapped his tongue around hers, still stiff, and infused it with purifying energy. He gently caressed the inside of her mouth and cupped her chin.

“Ha…”

Cassius’s brow furrowed as he focused on the kiss. The rustle of fabric and the wet sounds of their kiss filled the room.

Cassius diligently warmed Aloissia’s mouth. Perhaps thanks to his efforts, her trembling subsided. It seemed he had managed to prevent her from losing control, at least for now.

However, the kiss seemed to have its limits, as her eyelids remained firmly closed.

“Your Highness, open your eyes.”

Cassius spoke softly, lifting his head. He gently pressed his lips against her closed eyelids.

He trailed kisses from her eyelids to the bridge of her nose, then to her still cheek, and finally to her sharp jawline.

Slowly kissing along the line of Aloissia’s neck, Cassius’s lips descended to her chest.

Aloissia was wearing a simple dress. For some reason, she was always lightly dressed like this.

Seeing Princess Leda tightly laced into a corset and wearing layers of petticoats, almost excessively so, it seemed the proper attire at the Imperial Palace was much more intricate.

Aloissia, however, only dressed simply, more like a country noble than royalty. She had dressed appropriately for the funeral, but afterward, she always wore these casual clothes.

The dress she was wearing now was no exception. It seemed as though her breasts would be exposed if Cassius simply tugged at the bodice.

But he didn’t want to do that.

Aloissia was still unconscious. He was already hesitant about kissing an unconscious person, so undressing her was even more unappealing.

However, he couldn’t provide deeper purification like this.

Cassius felt like he had suddenly reached a dead end. He sat up and sighed.

Just then…

“Mmm…”

Aloissia whimpered, her face contorted. She reached for her bodice and tugged at it, as if trying to rip it off, while her eyes remained closed.

“Are you awake?”

Cassius leaned closer and asked, his ear near her lips, as she stirred. But instead of answering, she clutched the top of her bodice.

“I can’t… breathe…”

Aloissia gasped, her legs twitching. Lying down, the bodice seemed to be constricting her chest. Even though her fingernails caught on the fabric, she kept fumbling.

“Stay still. Don’t do that.”

As Aloissia began to scratch at her chest, Cassius quickly grabbed her hands to stop her. With his other hand, he took hold of the bodice and pulled it down.

The bodice, which hadn’t budged despite Aloissia’s efforts, yielded easily to his strength. As her breasts, which had been constricted by the fabric, were exposed to the air, she took a deep breath.

“Haa…”

Aloissia breathed easier, her expression much more relaxed. Oblivious to the fact that her full, milky-white breasts were now exposed before Cassius.

“…”

When she finally caught her breath and opened her eyes, Cassius’s stunned face came into view.

He was sitting on top of her, staring at her with silent shock, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have, something completely unexpected.

“You…”

Cassius stared intently at Aloissia’s breasts. More precisely, at the small mark nestled between her ample cleavage, where her breasts met.

A tiny symbol was etched in the center of Aloissia’s chest. As small as a pinky fingernail, it resembled both a character from some unknown language or perhaps a drawing.

She didn’t know how long it had been there.

It had been on her body for as long as she could remember.

Aloissia had once tried to find the meaning of the mark, hoping it might provide a clue to her origins. But no one in the empire knew what it meant.

So, she had given up on trying to understand it. At some point, she had forgotten about its existence altogether.

But now, in this completely unexpected moment, an unexpected person reacted to her mark. Cassius traced the mark with a trembling finger and asked,

“Why is this etched on Your Highness’s body?”

“It’s always been there.”

Aloissia replied, bewildered. She thought she had been with the Empress just a moment ago. But when she came to her senses, she was in her bedroom for some reason.

Moreover, she was half-naked with the ruler of Bedua. 

What was going on?

‘My memory…’

She couldn’t remember.

The brief clarity she had experienced after being purified by the Cassius had become muddled, like water mixed with various colors of paint.

“Always been there…”

Cassius repeated her words, lost in deep thought. Aloissia, looking up at him, tried to sit up.

However, as soon as she raised her head, a sharp pain pierced through her head.