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Chapter 32 – My Teachings Are Intense

“Hic!” Gloria hiccuped at the beast’s low growl and hot breath tickling her neck. As Kaien smiled and teased her red hair with slow hand movements, Gloria felt her vision spinning.

“I- I should be taught!”

…That was how she dug her own grave.

“I see.”

At Gloria’s desperate cry, Kaien nodded seriously and released her from his arms.

‘What’s this?’ Gloria bit her lip in a strange regret that came up from the corner of her wildly beating heart. While Gloria was confused as to why she felt regretful, Kaientook a few steps back in order to hunt the little rabbit and said with his eyes shining.

“Then I will teach you, Your Majesty.”

Gloria was startled by Kaien’s sudden approach, and before she could even scream, her vision started spinning as she felt like she was floating.

“Ah?”

When she came to her senses, Gloria, who was lying on the sofa, alternated her eyes between the on the side and Kaien above her stomach. Kaien bowed his torso towards Gloria, who was contemplating how to escape.

“…!”

Their faces were so close that they could feel each other’s breath. Kaien moistened his lips with his tongue, looking at the frozen, tempting rabbit with her eyes wide open, and then he said with a deep smile.

“My teachings will be as intense as that of a beast, Your Majesty.”

“!!!!”

Kaien’s low, deep growl was enough to cause her hair to rise and struck Gloria’s brain. She let out a silent scream in Kaien’s face as it slowly descended. She couldn’t say anything at the sight of Kaien, who towered over her. Because he blocked both sides of her face with his arms so she couldn’t run away, she could only look at Kaien.

“Your Majesty.”

Gloria had forgotten to breathe at the dizzying sight of the man with the alluring smile and was suddenly awakened by the low-pitched voice. She said, pushing Kaien’s chest, unable to hide the briskly rising heat.

“This is quite impertinent, Duke. Mind your manners.”

“Do you want me to, Your Majesty?”

She spoke with difficulty, struggling to avoid Kaien’s eyes, yet, he kissed Gloria’s hand softly and asked with a subtle tone. As he swept the back of her hand with his long finger and looked at her with a strong gaze, Gloria closed her eyes tightly.

‘Why the hell are you doing this to me?’ Gloria trembled at the stimulation that touched her skin. Then she looked at Kaien, who was looking pleased. It would be nice if he was discouraged by the Emperor’s fierce gaze, but a smile spread on Kaien’s lips as if even that behavior of hers was lovely.

He wanted to swallow her. He felt an unknown hunger as he saw Gloria trapped in his arms unable to escape. That hunger was like an appetite for something, but it was like a different desire. Kaien’s purple eyes grew even darker.

‘I’ll never let you go.’ The deep purple eyes began to reveal a desire for monopoly and obsession. At that gaze, Gloria took a deep breath as her heart seemed to burst. The man’s gaze seemed familiar, but she couldn’t possibly know. Gloria let out a silent scream as the anticipation slowly increased inside her.

‘After returning, you really became crazy! What are you looking forward to? You idiot!’

When Kaien’s arms tightened, the sofa made a small noise, and Gloria looked at him with blurred eyes.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence and hard breathing flowed in between. Kaien opened his mouth while gently arranging Gloria’s red hair.

“Your Majesty, do you know how many I killed to give you up?”

“Why… Did you give up?”

Gloria asked in a trembling voice at Kaien’s words full of regret.

‘Every time you run into me, you avoid me because you don’t want to get involved.’ She bit her lip and swallowed her thoughts.

The days when she was a Royal Princess. Gloria felt a sprout from the depths of her heart, and as time passed, her debut day. When she was escorted by Kaien, she realized what color the flower buds were. As soon as she realized it, she couldn’t breathe because of the purple rose vines that were so terribly entangled in her heart.

And Gloria had to tear off the flower with her own hands as the nobles clapped their hands to congratulate her at her father’s announcement that her fiancé was Erun, not Kaien.

‘But is it coming now and blooming again? At times like this?’ It wasn’t even funny.

Seeing Gloria’s surprised expression, Kaien slowly brought both foreheads together. Then, each felt a warm yet strange tickling sensation. Kaien closed his eyes and said,

“Because I was the only Duke. I thought it was too greedy of me, who was unstable, to dare to embrace you. How dare I reach out to you, having cut down so many people to survive?”

“Before that, you hated me for a long time. Avoiding me, frowning.”

“That…”

“That?”

At Gloria’s words, Kaien’s face darkened, and her sweet lips finally closed. She looked at him like that and said,

“Anyway, now that you come here and tell me these things, you want me to believe you? You’ll make me laugh.”

“Because he’s dead.”

“…”

“Because the Kaien Ludenberg you already knew died that day. That’s why I’m saying it now.”

Kaien answered Gloria, who looked at him with a similarly troubled expression on her face. What was given to him after giving up on her was the destruction of his household and the death of the person he buried in his heart. When he returned, it was the past, and in front of his eyes, the woman he wanted so much held out her hand first.

“Be my Empress, Duke.”

Unlike before, she was dotted with revenge, but the flame of life was hotter than ever. Like Gloria’s red hair. Kaien put his lips to her forehead. The kiss was soft and tender, and she felt like she was about to burst into tears. He kissed her cheek and spoke in a quiet tone.

“I will never hand you over to that damn bastard again. If he approaches you, I will remove his legs, and if he looks at you, I will pluck out his eyes. Even the hand that reaches out to you, I will destroy it all.”

“How-”

“…”

“How can I believe that!”

Slap! At Kaien’s words, Gloria pushed him roughly with her hand. He was not completely pushed away due to her weak strength, but Kaien’s heart throbbed at Gloria’s refusal. As he moved away, she rose from the sofa. Kaien’s face darkened in an instant as her dark blue eyes were filled with anger and resentment.

Gloria spoke to Kaien in a business-like tone.

“You and I are only getting married by contract. Let’s put love and other emotions in the trash can. I don’t have time for both love and revenge.”

Gloria’s words hit Kaien like a sharp sword. Although she had not loved him heartily, the wound of being betrayed by Erun, whom she trusted, left a big scar in her heart. And as she heard Kaien’s talk of giving up and making concessions, her face contorted greatly with anger.

Gloria tried to stifle the complicated emotions rising in her as she looked at Kaien facing her with a dark look.

‘What I need is the Duke of Ludenberg, not Kaien!’ Gloria closed her eyes tightly. A soft feeling in the corner of her heart began to rise.

Kaien tried to say something to Gloria, who refused him with her whole body, but a sudden knock resounded in the audience chamber.

“What’s going on?”

It was a polite knock. Gloria had completely escaped from Kaien and hastily arranged her appearance and asked.

“This is Diana, Your Majesty. It’s time to head to the main palace.”

The voice of Princess Ludenberg, Diana, could be heard beyond the door. Diana, knowing that Kaien and Gloria were together, announced her presence without opening the door.

“I’ll be out soon,” Gloria answered in a tired voice. She heard Diana step away after her reply.

Before leaving the room, Gloria began to tidy her messy dress and hair, and Kaien stared at her. Gloria rolled her eyes and said to him, feeling embarrassed by the purple eyes which followed her every move as if not to miss a single movement.

“Isn’t it polite to look away when a Lady is tidying her skirt?”

“Your Majesty is so beautiful that I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

“…”

“I apologize.”

Gloria kept her mouth shut at Kaien’s apologetic attitude that somehow didn’t show any regrets at all. He chuckled softly at the sight of her turning around as soon as she heard his answer. All he could see was the nape of her neck, dyed as red as her hair. Kaien stood up behind Gloria, who was about to leave the room.

“What are you trying to do, Duke?”

Gloria asked with a wrinkled face at Kaien’s act of sticking behind her like a lover. He replied with his eyes folded.

“To escort you, of course.”

“I don’t need it.”

With a cold reply, Gloria opened the door. Then bam! Did you all hear it? As the door swung open in surprise, the court ladies were standing in front of it politely. Gloria ignored their appearance, but Kaien noticed.

‘You stuck to the door to hear secretly.’ Kaien glanced at the court ladies’ appearance. Messy hair, perhaps organized in a hurry, and cheeks strangely red. The ends of their skirts were wrinkled, perhaps after sitting there and listening.

“…”

“…”

A quiet hallway. No one opened their mouths. Kaien gently covered his own mouth with his hand, and the court ladies bowed more deeply.

“This…”

Gloria’s face, whose heart already wasn’t in good shape because of Kaien, turned bright red, and Kaien noticed Gloria trembling.

“Pffft!”

A peal of laughter burst out.

“Duke!!!”

At his laughter, Gloria forgot her surroundings and shouted.

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