The sunlight hurts, was what Isla thought the first time she regained consciousness.
"Would you like some water?"
Isla heard a familiar voice.
"Hot chocolate, maybe?"
The voice asked again.
"I'd like... chocolate, please..." Isla answered with a raspy voice. She was shocked hearing it herself, like she had almost lost her voice entirely.
She could vaguely see a shadow of a man... busily walking around the bed to prepare her a warm drink.
Her blanket fell down as she sat up. The red and blue marks on her body were revealed. But before she was left bare and naked, a robe was placed on her shoulders.
"Here."
Adam put the warm chocolate mug in her hand. When he saw her eyes finally fluttering awake, he tried to smile.
But it was poorly attempted.
Isla wondered why she couldn't smell anything chocolatey before until she tried to take a deep breath. Her nose was clogged, and her throat was sore. She held her groan with a deep sigh.
"How did you know I want something sweet and warm?" Isla asked.
"Your sister asked for warm chocolate the morning after we..."
Adam sighed despite his tight chest. He tried to keep himself together. "I thought it would help you feel better."
"It does," Isla smiled at him. "It seems that I am the same as her in this case too."
'Of course not.'
Adam whispered bitterly in his heart. Ava gave her virginity to him in the act of love while Isla was... raped.
He sat there, looking into the figure who resembled his lover, battered and blue. It did make him remember the morning after he took Ava's virginity, and the scene in front of his eyes today broke his heart even more.
"He said he didn't touch her," Isla suddenly mentioned.
Adam raised his eyebrows. "What?"
"He didn't touch my sister before he killed her," Isla repeated.
She saw Adam staring at her with something unexplainable in his eyes. She tried to smile once more, and this time, a genuine, relieved smile.
"My sister died keeping her honor, chaste and untainted by that demon," Isla whispered, "I don't know why, but it... comforts me... that she didn't get through any... of this..."
Adam didn't know what to say. In fact, he didn't know what to think either. As he was forced to stay dormant in this madness, what could he even think of doing?
"Do you hear it too?"
The man raised his face. He saw Isla's beautiful face smiling helplessly at him.
"Do you hear her voice too?" she asked once more.
Ah.
Adam almost broke down in tears.
"I do."
"I hear her voice whenever my mind goes numb."
***
"Sir, please reconsider your decision. Is one evening's pleasure with her worth letting us exiled from her backyard?"
Sebastian chuckled. "Your charm is in your lack of tact, Callum."
The man with a knight uniform who was tailing him in that corridor frowned as he felt a shiver down his spine hearing Sebastian's laugh. Callum Zoran, Sebastian's close aide, knew very well that his laugh was never a good sign.
"Is it too much this time? Did I hurt your feelings, Sir?" he asked.
"No. Keep being blunt. Living dangerously has a limited lifespan, after all," Sebastian said.
"Your threats never get old, Sir..." Callum sighed the moment he could control his goosebumps. He continued, "However, please do reconsider it. If you drive us away, who's going to protect you?"
Sebastian glanced at him, expressionless and cold.
"...I mean... your pride, Sir," Callum exemplified. "If I am being correct, she only allows you to enter her kingdom. What Emperor would enter someone else's kingdom without his guards and soldiers?"
"Cassiopeia is already mine."
For Sebastian, this small and prosperous kingdom had become his little playground, a garden where he imprisoned his little bride. She just didn't know that yet.
"Alright. You're going to treat this little plot of land as your backyard, huh?" Callum sighed. "Still, though, let some of us come with you on the times you decide to stay here."
Callum knew that the Emperor was just trying not to scare his new plaything. And it seemed that the Princess was still on a tight guard against him.
Still, it was rare to see Sebastian backing down in front of others' demands. No. It was the first time Callum witnessed someone manage to demand something from Sebastian and get it.
Was the Princess' pussy that great?
Well, he wouldn't worry too much. Worrying about Sebastian's well-being or decision was a waste of brain cells, after all.
No. Not because of his stubbornness. But because the man was too cunning and strong, Callum should be worrying about his enemies instead.
"How is Jigen's side?" Sebastian suddenly asked.
Callum cleared his throat before answering. "They're almost done with the war on the South. They'll report to you directly---"
When Sebastian suddenly stopped walking, Callum was also forced to stop. He peeked into Sebastian's face from the side, and he saw him looking into something.
Near the back garden of the castle was a little hilly field filled with a beautiful black rose garden. Over time, it was made into a simple garden maze, but its tilting terrain allowed people from the castle to see into the maze itself.
Sebastian spotted two figures walking inside that maze. Compared to the dark-colored flowers, they stood a whole lot.
One was blonde, and one was white-haired. Even though both wore darker-colored garments, their presence was undeniably vivid.
"It's the Princess and her Cherished Knight. Ah, are they visiting their servant’s burial?" Callum muttered.
When he turned back to the Emperor, however... he saw something interesting.
Sebastian Leodegrance was irritated.