Chapter 68

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 68

Chapter Title: A Reward on the Lips

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Evangeline thought.

'Am I dreaming right now?'

The sight unfolding before her eyes was that shocking.

She had heard about the Grand Duchess Aksion from the Empress countless times.

Words that were practically curses.

"That vicious, horrific old hag! If she sent her husband and children ahead first, she should have followed them...!"

This was the first time she had seen her in person.

The aged Grand Duchess exuded such overwhelming dignity that it made even Evangeline hesitate.

Yet this very woman was now bending her knee before Hilia.

Evangeline knew that posture all too well.

It was the formal greeting that noble ladies offered before the Empress.

But the Grand Duchess—who had never even shown it to Empress Isabel herself—was paying homage to Hilia, of all people.

'No way!'

Moreover, the dress she had considered her masterstroke wasn't being taken seriously at all in this gathering dominated by western nobles.

On the contrary, they were all taking Hilia's side.

That was when Evangeline's eyes caught sight of Arpad standing off in the distance.

He was dressed in a pristine white ceremonial uniform adorned with gold epaulettes, his cravat a matching light purple shade like Hilia's.

His cuffs were set with amethysts too, giving him a different air from his usual look.

Arpad's expression was just as it always was.

Neither particularly warm toward anyone nor openly hostile.

Simply gazing down from above, like an observer on high.

Seeing that look in his eyes gave Evangeline a spark of hope.

'Right—the Grand Duchess and the western nobles must be doing this for Arpad's sake.'

There was no way the Grand Duchess or the great western nobles would kneel for Hilia alone.

They were simply following Arpad's lead.

Evangeline shot to her feet.

She ignored Hilia, the target of her slander, and the Grand Duchess who had blocked her path and rebuked her.

She paid no mind to her own allies who had defended her, nor to Mrs. Filern, who had given false testimony as her spy.

She fixed her gaze solely on Arpad and rushed straight to him.

Her eyes brimming with clear tears.

Her face the picture of utter pathos and fragility.

"Brother!"

No one could have anticipated a scene like this.

No one dared to stand in her way.

Thanks to that, Evangeline was able to throw herself onto Arpad's chest without any obstruction.

The light purple cravat brushing against her fingertips felt irritating.

It was as if it were proclaiming Arpad belonged to another woman.

But she couldn't rip or crumple Arpad's cravat right now.

Instead, Evangeline buried her face in it.

Tears began to slowly soak through the thin fabric.

Evangeline wasn't acting purely on impulse.

She had her calculations.

She whispered so softly that only Arpad could hear.

"Choose me, brother. I'll be your shield against the Empress. The west is your stronghold, so let me hand you the capital."

Arpad's broad shoulder twitched, and Evangeline smiled.

I had predicted and prepared countermeasures for every scheme or stunt Evangeline might pull, from Plan A to Z.

'But this one wasn't on the list...'

Evangeline shrieking "Brother!" and snuggling right into Arpad's arms.

That moment.

The instant I saw it...

My chest clenched up tight, like it was blocked.

'What is this?'

My hand twitched without me meaning it to.

I was confident in myself.

Confident I wouldn't waver or falter, no matter the situation.

After three regressions, I'd been through every kind of hell imaginable.

Three miserable deaths—that was just the start. The other ordeals were beyond words.

Seeing Evangeline pull her disgusting acts right in front of me had grown downright tedious.

But for some inexplicable reason, right now I was pretty rattled.

I couldn't muster any response and stood there frozen, stiff as a pillar of salt.

And I could feel my heart pounding anxiously.

Not from excitement or anticipation—just the jittery reaction before witnessing something you desperately don't want to see happen.

That was when Arpad's lips parted.

"...Ma."

But his voice was too quiet to make out.

"Yes, brother?"

Evangeline gazed up at him through tear-filled eyes and asked again.

In that instant, Arpad seized her wrist roughly and yanked.

Thud.

My racing heart felt like it plummeted below my ribcage.

'No way?'

But nothing like my fears happened—no pulling her back into an embrace.

Using the momentum, he spun her around with centrifugal force.

Then Arpad roughly untied the cravat she had soaked.

Tossed it to the floor with a flick.

And turned to his secretary, Yulken, standing behind him.

"It's filthy. Spare."

Yulken promptly produced an identical light purple cravat, as if he'd been waiting.

Not just me—every face around showed the same silent question.

'Why do you even have that?'

But no one dared speak up.

As Yulken moved to tie it, Arpad shook his head.

His crimson gaze turned to me.

"......!"

Those eyes were like spears, like blades.

Piercing straight into my chest, unearthing every hidden secret inside.

I clamped down on my shoulders to keep from flinching.

Before him, it always felt like every single concealed thing was laid bare.

My lips went dry at the thought that he'd caught my anxiety from moments ago.

Then Arpad reached out his hand toward me.

"I have no intention of letting anyone but my wife touch me."

It was still the sort of line that could make a listener's limbs go numb—not quite baby squirrel level, but close.

With a beaming smile, he sauntered over and wheedled playfully.

"Tie it for me, Hilia."

I shoved down the weird shock and unease from before.

Slipped on my familiar mask.

Pretending to be bashful.

"Honestly, you..."

As I tied the cravat, he whispered just for my ears.

"No praise?"

"...Praise for what?"

I couldn't ignore how my voice had softened a touch, even as I shot back.

"Praise my chastity."

"...!"

Good thing I wasn't eating. Anything in my mouth would've sprayed out.

"Ch-cha-stity..."

"I dodged some other woman's touch and came straight to my wife."

The heart that had sunk below my ribs climbed back into place.

The anxious pounding echoing through me slowly ebbed away.

"Fine. I'll praise you."

Well, Evangeline's face had gone the color of dirt earlier.

It was pretty satisfying, truth be told.

Then Arpad pushed it further.

Started murmuring something outrageous right by my ear.

"Just words?"

"I praised you exactly like you asked."

"Gotta give a reward too. That's proper praise."

"Reward?"

What reward?

I widened my eyes, and Arpad tilted his head just a bit.

His smooth, flawless cheek slid into view.

I marveled at it every single time, even though I saw it constantly.

'Wow, not a single pore. Dragon blood perks?'

Lost in that idiotic thought, Arpad kept prodding.

"...No reward?"

Truth was, it was avoidance.

I wasn't idiot enough not to get what he meant, offering his cheek like that.

'But this is the banquet! Grand Duchess is here, nobles packed everywhere!'

Arpad showed no sign of pulling back without his 'reward.'

As I'd said a million times, flaunting our perfect harmony was politically smart.

And above all... Evangeline's expression, visible past Arpad, was what swayed me.

She wore a face I'd never seen once.

Not even the glare she'd shot when we entered the palace.

Like she'd been discarded by her one true existence.

The possessed woman's real hurt face, for the first time.

That instant, I couldn't hold back anymore.

Arpad had offered his cheek.

But what I stole was his lips.

"......!"