CHAPTER 197: A PRINCESS’S DIRTY THOUGHTS, A TYRANT’S COLD HANDS

[Lavinia’s Pov—Dawnspire wing—Rose garden (Now Ash garden)—Evening]

SLURRRRRRRPPPPP!!!

SLURRRRRRPPPPP!!!

Yes. That was me. Loud, shameless, and absolutely unapologetic.

I was drinking tea—well, technically I was supposed to be drinking tea—but let’s be honest, at that moment the tea was nothing compared to what my eyes were feasting on. My taste buds? Irrelevant. My soul? Ascending. My eyes? Blessed by the heavens themselves.

"Your Highness..." Sera’s voice intruded like an annoying fly.

"Mmm?" I replied, still slurping like a woman possessed.

"The cup is empty," she said, and when I finally glanced at her, she had that smirk.

I blinked. "Huh?"

I looked down at my cup. Sure enough, it was bone-dry. Not a single drop left. So... what exactly was I slurping so passionately like my life depended on it?

Simple. Because the real tea was not in the cup. It was standing right in front of me, dripping wet.

OSRIC.

Naked—Ahem—Half-naked. Muscles on full display. Water glistening on his skin like he was personally blessed by every rain god in existence.

Let me explain before you judge me.

It all started five minutes ago when I told Marshi—our giant, fluffy menace—to get out of the koi pond. The koi were losing their minds, splashing around like their lease had been revoked. But Marshi, being the rebellious beast he is, ignored me and sank deeper into the water like some kind of smug dragon.

So Osric, all noble and heroic, stepped in. "I’ll get him out," he said, like the gallant strong man he is.

Big mistake.

The moment he bent down to grab Marshi, our beloved beast decided to commit first-degree assault. With one powerful swing of that massive tail, **WHOOSH**—water everywhere. Osric was drenched. His shirt clung to his chest for approximately ten seconds before he ripped it off to keep moving freely.

And that’s how I found myself here, staring at a Naked—Ahem again

—half-naked Osric, mentally erecting a shrine to those abs.

Six. Solid. Packs.

Those biceps? Weapons. His chest? I could use it as a pillow. Those shoulders? Broad enough to carry me and my sinful thoughts to hell.

Saints forgive me, but I was already imagining the royal sculptor quitting his job because he could never compete.

"My god, when will the servants arrive with a robe?" Sera muttered, her eyes briefly darting to Osric. She quickly plucked the empty teacup from my hand. "He needs to be covered. Someone is drooling here."

I choked. "W—what?! Who’s drooling? I’m not drooling!"

Her smirk widened. "Mhm...I can see the shine in your eyes, Your Highness."

"I—That’s treason! I can have you executed!"

"Of course, of course," she said sweetly. "A treason called ’Princess Can’t Stop Ogling Her Man.’"

Wow. She made it sound like I was some scandalous pervert.

. . .

. . .

Hold on, isn’t that man mine?

I mean...Osric is my boyfriend. My man. My property. What’s wrong with appreciating my... assets?

So...I continued staring at him, with all rights preserved.

A servant finally rushed in with a robe, and I nearly groaned. As Osric slipped it on, covering all that glorious skin, I muttered under my breath, "Should I just make him my concubine right now?"

Sera didn’t even blink. "His Majesty will plan to ban concubines at this rate."

"Damn it!"

I wanted to weep. There should be a law protecting princesses’ rights to shamelessly stare at their men. Maybe I could invent one when I become Empress.

. . .

. . .

. . .

Now I sound like a pervert.

Then, Osric walked toward me, still damp, still perfect. "Lavi," he said softly.

I snapped my head up and plastered on my most innocent smile. "Yes, my dear Osric?"

He blinked, then chuckled—that dangerous, deep chuckle that could melt glaciers. "I’ll go change."

"WHY?!"

Sera nudged, whispering, "Your Highness...control."

He paused, brows lifting.

"I mean... yes," I quickly corrected, flapping my hands. "Yes, yes, go change. You’ll... uh... catch a cold. Very dangerous."

He stared at me for longer and stepped closer, leaned down slightly, and his voice dropped to a tease. "Is my princess having some... strange thoughts? Something impure."

I gasped dramatically. "Strange thoughts? Me? Please, I am purer than the saints! The goddesses would envy my purity!"

His laugh came again, warm and amused. "Alright then, Goddess, I’ll be back soon."

And then he left. Taking my happiness with him.

I slumped in my seat. "Why does he have to wear clothes like a normal human? Can’t he just... stay like that forever?"

Sera poured another cup of tea, side-eyeing me. "Seems like Marshi and his master are both in heat."

I glared. "Check if Papa sent the letter to the animal keepers yet. Now."

"Of course, Your Highness," she said with that maddening smirk.

I sighed dramatically, leaning back on my chair, before glancing at Marshi—who was still groaning in the koi pond like it was his private onsen.

"You don’t want to come out?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

He groaned loudly, fwipped his head, and very deliberately presented his striped butt at me.

...That meant NO.

I pressed a hand to my forehead. "Rude."

Solena sat perched on a stone nearby, her arms folded and her sharp eyes narrowed at Marshi like a strict nanny judging a naughty child. If tigers could blush from shame, Marshi would’ve sunk himself in the pond already.

I let out a long sigh and tipped my head back, gazing up at the endless blue sky. "What a weirdly peaceful—"

POP.

The sky was ruined. My peace was ruined. And the culprit? Caelum’s head popped into my view like an uninvited cloud.

"Did you miss me?" he asked, his grin far too smug for someone interrupting my moment of zen.

I groaned, sitting up straighter. "In your dreams."

His smirk only deepened as he stepped closer, folding his arms. "So... you missed me in my

dreams?"

I glared at him. "You wish."

"I do," he said far too easily and leaned in close enough that I could count the flecks of gold in his eyes. "So tell me—where exactly were you missing me from?"

I rolled my eyes and asked, "Where were you until now?"

He tilted his head, as though savoring the fact that I cared enough to ask. Then, with the kind of casual arrogance only he could pull off, he said, "The Marquess sent me to take care of some business in the south. His territory."

My brows furrowed. "What business?"

He flashed a boyish grin. "He’s shutting down his wine cellar."

"...For what?"

"Of course..." He sighed, throwing his hands up in mock tragedy. "Some heartless princess raised the nobles’ taxes to ninety-five percent, so the poor man had to close some of his businesses. Such a cruel tyrant, don’t you think?"

I smirked, leaning forward with my chin on my palm. "Should I raise it more?"

He blinked at me, then gave a low laugh. "Wow. So cold. So merciless. I should start calling you the Ice Princess."

"Thanks for the compliment." I flipped my hair smugly.

Caelum sank down onto the chair beside me, his shoulder brushing mine. "Can I have these?" he asked, nodding at the plate of desserts and macarons.

"Sure." I waved a hand lazily, still savoring the delightful mental image.

Because, oh... how glorious. The mighty Marquess Everett, clutching his chest as his precious wine barrels are carted away. I can imagine, His face was red, his pride shattered.

I smirked to myself, the corners of my lips twitching upward like a villainess caught mid-plot.

Ah... I feel so great. I wonder just how much doom will crawl into his life next.

"I heard you’ll be arranging a tea party soon?" Caelum’s voice broke through my wicked daydream.

I arched a brow, turning lazily to him. "Wow... rumors do spread fast."

He smirked knowingly. "That’s the power of whispers. Anyway... is it true?"

I sighed, stretching my arms as if my schedule weighed down on them. "Yes. But not right now. I have far too many affairs to handle before I entertain half-witted nobles with biscuits and tea."

He chuckled. "Busy princess."

Then his eyes glinted, too curious for my liking. "I also heard there’s a hidden Emperor of Irethene roaming somewhere in our empire."

My stared at him coldly. "You sure are asking far too many questions today."

He leaned closer, smirking that fox-like smirk. "It’s because I care about you, my dear princess."

I scanned his face, my eyes narrowing. Something about him felt... off. Off enough that my instincts pricked like thorns under my skin.

I leaned back on my chair, tilting my chin arrogantly. "Sometimes... you sound so suspicious, Caelum."

He blinked, feigning innocence. "I do?"

"Yes," I let a cold smile curl across my lips, my voice dropping into something silk and sharp. "As if... you’re that hidden Emperor of Irethene."

He didn’t flinch. Not even a flicker of fear. He simply stared at me in silence, the corner of his mouth twitching upward.

Then, with unbearable calm, he leaned back in his chair and smirked. "And...what if I am?"

I glanced at him. My eyes darkened, shadows swallowing every trace of softness in me. I rose slowly, each deliberate step striking the ground like a death knell. The air thickened, heavy with menace.

He didn’t move. He just sat there—calm, reckless, like a man foolish enough to cup flames in his bare hands.

I bent low, my hand snapping to his throat with predatory precision, nails piercing his skin until faint crescents of blood welled beneath them. His pulse hammered against my palm, alive and frantic, yet he smiled—as if daring me.

I leaned closer, my eyes burning with fury, a smile on my lips, my breath ghosting against his ear, venom wrapped in silk.

"It would be my greatest honor," I whispered, each word a dagger, "to spill your blood myself... Your Majesty."

His smirk didn’t falter. But for one fleeting heartbeat, I felt it—the sharp hitch of his breath, the crack in his unshaken facade.