BETRAYAL OF DIGNITY (Bonus Volume)
Part 1 ~ 1
The Mischievous Younger Sister
It was May when Castle Rose of the Kingdom of Swanton was awash with the perfume of roses in full bloom. The usual flurry of activity in Damien's office had intensified into a whirlwind of urgency. While working through a veritable mountain of documents, Weiss had made a swift retreat to the tranquility of his manor. Damien, however, could not indulge in such respite. It was not his dedication to his work that drove him, but a fervent desire to free his schedule for the upcoming Rose Festival, during which he intended to holiday with the Queen.
Though his energy was unparalleled, Damien now found his endurance being tested. The shadows beneath his eyes were growing increasingly darker.
The soft rustling of papers being turned was the sole sound in his study. Damien's expression remained impassive as he scrutinized the documents before him, his eyes cutting through the text like a blade. It had been more than a week since he had shared a bedchamber with Chloe.
Night after night, he returned to his chambers in the deep hours. Since Chloe was a light sleeper, she had initially greeted him upon his return. He had thus stopped entering her room to avoid disrupting her rest.
Ten days of leisure awaited him as a reward.
Damien was determined to ensure that Chloe would be well-rested for their time together. The sweet indulgence he anticipated during those days made his present weariness bearable.
After completing his tasks in the early hours of the morning, Damien prepared for the day ahead. During those moments of solitude when he denied himself the comfort of his wife's embrace and suppressed his desires while watching the sunrise, he found himself longing to cast aside his crown and all his responsibilities. Yet, each time, he strengthened his resolve by remembering the trials he had overcome to make her Queen.
As Damien glanced once more at the papers with weary eyes, acutely aware that fatigue might lead to oversights, a knock sounded at the door of his study. Without raising his eyes from his work, he let out a snort. He was certain that it was Weiss, unable to shake off his sense of duty after having left earlier, claiming exhaustion.
"You may enter," Damien said. The door creaked open. Expecting his adjutant, he joked, "There's nowhere quite like the office, is there? Especially when you don't have a wife awaiting your return."
"Could it be that Lord Weiss is still without a companion because his duties leave no room for courtship?"
Damien's head jerked up at the unexpected voice, and the papers slipped from his grasp, scattering across the floor.
"Chloe," he said in astonishment.
"Leave it there, thank you. You may go," Chloe gently instructed her maid, who had wheeled in a cart with tea.
Damien's gaze flicked to the clock on the wall-two in the morning. A mix of guilt and elation swelled within him as Chloe, who ought to have been nestled in slumber, stood before him. "Come here," he beckoned.
Damien rose and guided Chloe to the sofa. She laid aside her cane and settled beside him. Her eyes, soft as the morning sky, gazed at him with warmth.
"Oh dear, this won't do," she murmured.
"What do you mean?" he inquired. Inwardly, he thought that the day's work would be lost if she lingered.
"Your Majesty seems very weary," she observed, turning to face him and lifting her hand. Her warm palm tenderly caressed the shadows beneath Damien's eyes. Her fingers grazed his golden lashes before sweeping gently over his eyelids, prompting him to moisten his lips in silence.
