At this point, I was getting anxious. Come to think of it, it was the first time that Raniero had not felt life-threatening for more than thirty minutes since he visited.

For a moment, I wondered if he had become dull, but I did not think that was the case.

It was because it had not been long since he stormed into the empty Empress Palace and was furious, so I was in a state of great vigilance. If my vigilance was not broken, it meant that Raniero must have been acting strange.

'As soon as I told Eden that the Emperor remains the same as in the original novel, he changed like this?'

I asked cautiously.

"Has Your Majesty been the son of Actilla since birth?"

Raniero furrowed his eyebrows.

"What does that question mean now? And, you* haven't answered my question yet."

"Oh, it was nothing."

He was still Raniero Actilus...!

What a relief!

At the thought, I smiled brightly.

Meanwhile, the scarlet gaze was still staring straight at me without taking his eyes away for even a second. It seemed to tell me that I should answer the question of "What do I like" quickly.

'Ha... I want to get out of the Actilus Empire and live in another country. If that doesn't work, please don't come to the Empress's Palace.'

That was the most earnest wish though I was certain it would not be granted.

"The subjugation to conquer the beast, I want to go with Your Majesty... Can I?"

"That..."

"I-I know it's not the answer to the question. But, Your Majesty was asking about something that I'd be happy to receive, right?"

Raniero glanced up at me with an attitude of wanting to hear what I had to say instead of replying with a tone that would chill my spine, and I spoke my following words hurriedly.

"Right now... if Your Majesty let me follow you, I think that would be something that would make me happy..."

Since I had to ask him to let me go with him someday anyway, I thought it would be better to get permission when Raniero was in a good mood like now. If he were in a bad mood, he would keep asking, 'Why?' and it might put me in trouble. I never knew when he would bicker with me again.

As Raniero was silent for a moment, I became nervous.

'Isn't this kind of strange? I'm a coward though I said I wanted to go to such a bloody scene...'

At that moment, as I was searching for reasonable excuses while trying to rack my brain to the fullest, worrying if Raniero would not fall for it, he parted his lips in a voice that was so sweet that it seemed to melt.

"Fine."

My eyes went round.

When Raniero took his head away from my lap and raised his torso up, a shadow was cast over my upper body.

"If you want to follow me, fine."

Making eye contact with me, he continued.

He was smiling brilliantly.

The malice and arrogance that had always been visible with a strong presence on his face were nowhere to be found. At the same time, those red eyes, which I had always felt reluctant to, just gleamed beautifully as if they were a well-crafted diamond.

I was so thrown away.

It was the first time I had seen such a face.

In the first place, it was never described in the original novel as he had always been portrayed as a godson of Actilla. His nature, which I have seen so far, was also close to that.

However, he was now harmlessly splendid to the point that even the cowardly me, who was not attracted to dangerous things at all, was enthralled. I never expected to see such an expression on Raniero Actilus, not from anyone else.

My hand moved towards his cheek as if possessed.

Raniero leaned slightly against my hand. His body, which was always cold like a snake, was warm.

"Uh, uh..."

I hurriedly let go of my hand as I came to my senses. My fingertips were hot as though the heat had moved from his cheek to there.

"Do... Do you like it?"

I asked, still leaving a piece of my mind somewhere else.

"Yes."

The response came back too obediently.

The heat from my fingertips spread in an instant, and my face flushed.

As I could not ask him why it was good, I thought it must have been my instinct to protect myself. If I asked why, it felt like I would foolishly get rid of all the fences in my mind.

'...Am I an idiot who's weak because of beauty?'

It felt strange and tickling.

I thought to myself that I should not be deceived. Looking into his eyes, it seemed that any decision would be useless, even with my gaze slightly averted. Still, he was someone who could make me fear at any moment. In addition, his attitude would change depending on his mood... Remember a few days ago?

...Think of his nature.

I tried to be discerning since only then would my heart seem to calm down a little.

However, as soon as I did so, I was embraced by Raniero Actilus.

I could not push him away, so I was just being held quietly in his arms with one of my hands half-heartedly floating in the air as I pretended not to feel the dizzying happiness that constantly flowed out from him. I tried not to think why he was doing this.

'...It's only for a moment.'

Let's not think too deeply.

He is a capricious man, so tomorrow, he will return to the Raniero Actilus I know.