TER𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

X

.𖥔 ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ᰔᩚ.ᰔᩚ ⭑. ݁ ˖₊˚✩.𖥔 ݁ ˖๋ ࣭ ⭑
Under No Criticism

Even though the maid claimed she knew nothing, was it possible that she had at least heard something—anything—about Guinev? Unfortunately, in response to Viola’s questioning, the maid confirmed again that she had been nowhere near the Royal Villa until recently. Viola had thought she would be able to hear about Guinev as soon as she entered the palace, but now she realized that finding information on the missing princess was going to be much harder than it seemed.

‘Then again… of course it can’t be that easy to find out what happened to her. I should observe the situation more before I decide where to look next.’

♛

After Lustian dropped Viola off at the Royal Villa, he headed for his office.

“… For crying out loud…”

His breathing suddenly became rough and hurried, and his body felt exhausted, like he had reached his limit. Soon after, his head began to ache.

“Your Highness… Is it beginning?”

Lustian stumbled forward and tried to steady himself by placing his hand on a nearby table. After a while, his condition steadily returned to normal, and his lips curled into a hardened smile.

“The cycles have become shorter,” the knight attending Lustian observed with worry, “and it is also concerning that the orcs are coming out of their lairs more frequently. Don’t you think this is a sign the God of Judith is no longer granting his blessings to the Arpen Empire? Are we in danger?”

“I’m not sure whether I consider this change a crisis or an opportunity, but no matter how many orcs there are, I will handle them with my hands.”

Irritated, Lustian furrowed his brows and massaged the stiffness from his eyes. Rather than his sudden pains, most of his resentment was directed towards the emperor, who spent his days traveling leisurely and ignoring the current state of the empire.

“We must find the god’s companion as soon as possible. That’s the only way you can escape your duty as crown prince.”

“It’s too troublesome and boring.”

“Why is it that you alone lack s*x drive…? The previous emperor also said the same thing.”

At the mention of the empire’s absentee leader, Lustian scoffed.

“He was only making excuses to downplay the fact that he’s just a playboy masked by lust…”

Lustian burst out in laughter as he swept a hand through his sweat-slicked hair. His knight did not find the topic as amusing as he did.

“But… There is something different about the Crown Princess entering the palace this time,” the knight continued. “She is certainly noteworthy for managing to pique the interest of the Crown Prince, unlike the other princesses.”

“She is eye-catching,” Lustian murmured.

It seemed that others were thinking the same about Viola. Then again, how could they not? Even Lustian’s eyes were drawn to her. He admired the way she maintained her bold, upright posture even upon entering a foreign land. Her presence was magnetizing and strangely charming. She was certainly different from the other candidates.

Lustian realized that he was starting to feel feverish, and his mouth was salivating. He touched his arms and neck, feeling goosebumps spreading across his skin. For a brief moment, he was filled with the desire to seek out and touch Viola. Upset, he glanced at how flushed his skin had become and gulped.

As soon as he did, he became conscious of his thirst, and his throat started to burn. Lustian raised a hand to rub at his neck while the area below his abdomen, little by little, grew warmer. He shook his head and glanced down to see his lower body changing shape. His loins were agitated, and he desperately wanted to bury himself somewhere warm and tight.

‘Even with my lack of desire, have I been abstinent for too long?’

Come to think of it, when was the last time he needed to satisfy his lustful urges? They came up so rarely he couldn’t even remember. Unlike the other males in his family, he normally enjoyed hunting orcs more than seeking sexual gratification, so he didn’t usually experience these urges.

Instead of continuing to his office, Lustian began heading in the direction of the Concubines’ Palace. However, he didn’t walk far before his steps came to an abrupt halt. None of those women were at all whom he wanted. Instead, another face came to his mind—one that was not in the concubines’ palace.

He thought of her yellowed skin, plain face, and coarse, straw-like hair… no matter how unappealing the rest of her looks were, her crystalline blue eyes were undeniably beautiful. They glimmered like a pair of aquamarine stones. Before he knew it, Lustian was overcome with a strange sensation and his palms glistened with sweat.

If it weren’t for these troublesome feelings, he wouldn’t have even thought about the final requirement for his duties that he so vehemently rejected…

Another knight next to Lustian chuckled and opened his mouth.

“You know,” he sneered, “I’ve never seen such an ugly face. I’m sure she is the ugliest one out of all the princesses who have come into the palace so far.”

Lustian’s muscles spasmed momentarily. He didn’t know if it was his arm or his head that moved first, but the next thing he knew, he was holding the knight’s neck in his hand.

“Kuck…” the knight gasped.

The veins in the knight’s neck popped from his skin as Lustian tightened his hold on the other man’s throat. Terror flashed across the knight’s eyes. At the sight of the knight’s pitiful expression, Lustian immediately relaxed his grip, and the knight coughed dryly.

“Shut your mouth,” the prince growled. “Though she is only here as the empire’s hostage, a Crown Princess Candidate cannot be criticized by anyone, even if that person has high-ranking noble blood.”