Contract Marriage Rewritten
Chapter 22
Chapter 22
- Until It Works
“Are you feeling a little better now?”
Laniakea nodded at the gentle voice. Even so, tears kept spilling over, forcing her to dab at her eyes with a handkerchief.
Gemma glanced sideways toward the door Hyperion had just exited.
‘Goodness, why did he have to snap at her like that of all times!’
Knowing Hyperion well, Gemma could guess the true intent behind his words.
But Laniakea did not. Even as she repeatedly wiped her eyes with the handkerchief, the image of Hyperion from moments ago kept replaying in her mind.
She had thought she was growing accustomed to his intimidating presence, but his rigid expression and tone had sounded like nothing less than blame.
“I… should have… endured it better…”
She tried her best to remain composed, but she could not hide the trembling breaks in her voice.
Gemma shook her head.
“Not at all. It is the Emperor’s fault for being reckless and failing to notice before Your Majesty reached such a state.”
Laniakea looked at her in surprise. Guessing what had startled her, Gemma bowed politely.
“Forgive my tardy introduction, Your Majesty. I am Gemma Ency. I served as His Majesty’s Imperial Doctor while he was stationed at the border. Thanks to that, I have earned the privilege of speaking rather freely in front of him. Now, I have been appointed the Imperial Doctor of the Imperial Palace.”
Gemma then informed her that she had examined Laniakea while she was unconscious.
“Fortunately, there does not seem to be any major injury, but do you feel any pain or discomfort deep inside?”
Injuries in such places could not be fully assessed by sight alone. It was far safer to hear directly from the patient and examine her again.
The only problem was that embarrassment might keep the patient from speaking candidly.
So Gemma took on a more earnest tone as she addressed Laniakea.
“Your Majesty’s well-being is directly tied to the future of the Empire. Please do not feel ashamed. Think of me merely as an instrument meant to ease your physical comfort, and speak freely.”
Gemma added in a solemn, reassuring voice:
“No one in the Empire will ever know of Your Majesty’s condition, save for myself, my husband who prepares the medicine, and His Majesty.”
At Gemma’s words, Laniakea nodded. Her voice and manner inspired trust. Moreover, the soothing way she held Laniakea’s hand brought a sense of calm.
She now understood why Hyperion had bypassed the existing imperial physicians to summon this couple all the way from the border.
“Well… truth be told, it still aches a bit. No, rather than pain, it feels more like… a stinging soreness.”
Hearing Laniakea’s answer, Gemma nodded knowingly.
“It is likely a common dull ache. His Majesty was probably too rough, which startled your inner muscles. The interior of our bodies is composed entirely of muscle as well, so utilizing areas that have rarely been engaged can naturally cause soreness.”
Laniakea let out a sigh of relief as she listened to Gemma’s explanation.
It was not severe agony, but the persistent throbbing had made her fear something was terribly wrong. Hearing that it was merely muscle soreness eased her worries. Before she knew it, her tears had dried up as well.
“Aside from that, you must have been terribly frightened, yes?”
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t. But more than that, I just feel ashamed. It is my duty as Empress…”
Laniakea thought back to Hyperion.
Before leaving the room, he had turned back multiple times to check on her. Unlike when he had yelled asking why she hadn’t spoken up, he had looked completely at a loss.
‘His Majesty must have felt embarrassed as well.’
Of all the stories Laniakea had heard, none had ever mentioned that a partner being well-endowed made the act so agonizingly difficult. If anything, she had only ever heard tales of pleasure.
“Am I the problem after all?”
Caught up in her thoughts, the murmur slipped past her lips unbidden. Gemma answered without a moment’s hesitation.
“Certainly not. What happened today is primarily His Majesty’s fault. However, it cannot be said to be solely his issue either. After all, neither of you had any preparation before suddenly ascending to these positions. Therefore…”
Gemma gave a bright smile.
“Starting tomorrow, I propose we hold lessons for the sake of you both—and the future of the Empire.”
Gemma’s voice lowered to an intimate whisper.
“I will do everything in my power until the two of you are able to fully enjoy your nights together.”
* * *
The next morning, Laniakea returned to the Empress’s Palace accompanied by Lucy, who had rushed over at dawn to wait for her.
She noticed several maids casting furtive glances as she returned at daybreak.
‘Those girls must be someone’s eyes.’
She knew all too well how rife the Imperial Palace was with watchful eyes.
In times like this, when rulers changed in a whirlwind and the new sovereigns lacked an established power base, the watching eyes would only multiply.
Later, they would report back to their true masters about how Laniakea looked upon returning from the Main Palace.
‘In that case…’
Though her body was exhausted after fainting, she was not about to act foolishly.
Laniakea deliberately rested a hand on Lucy’s shoulder and let her steps falter slightly. As a startled Lucy moved to support her, the maids’ eyes gleamed with renewed interest.
They would report that the Empress had returned from the Main Palace looking utterly exhausted.
And upon hearing that, everyone would let their imaginations run wild.
‘Nothing good can come from anyone finding out that His Majesty and I failed to consummate our night.’
Producing an heir was the paramount duty not just among imperial royalty, but across the entire nobility.
To fail at that? Laniakea had seen with her own eyes how cruelly those burdened by such rumors were scorned.
If what had transpired in the Main Palace were exposed…
An Emperor enthroned without a solid foundation of support, and an Empress who had received neither an envoy nor even a single congratulatory letter from her homeland.
The ground beneath her and Hyperion would inevitably crumble.
And those bared fangs would undoubtedly tear into the Empress first.
Under current circumstances, replacing the Empress with one of their own allies was far easier and more profitable than trying to overthrow the Emperor.
Once inside her bedchamber, Laniakea dismissed Lucy and stepped into the prepared bath, sinking into the warm water.
“Ahhh…”
A soft groan escaped her lips as the pleasantly warm water enveloped her body.
Washing her face several times with the soothing water, Laniakea cautiously rose and rested against the edge of the tub.
Her thoughts drifted back to Hyperion.
‘He looked so terribly sorry.’
When she was leaving the bedroom of the Main Palace, Hyperion had held her back, hesitating for a long while without managing a word.
Then, he had forced out with great difficulty:
“I am sorry. I was… too clumsy…”
As he bowed his head with those words, none of his usual imposing confidence was anywhere to be seen.
His apology had caught Laniakea off guard.
Men were said to be excessively sensitive about matters in the bedroom, their pride refusing to let them admit any shortcoming of their own.
Yet Hyperion had done none of that; he had immediately taken the blame and lowered his head. Even if he had rebuked her for being unable to endure it, she would not have had any right to complain.
Laniakea submerged herself into the bath once more. Sinking completely until the water covered the crown of her head, she thought:
‘He said to come back to the Main Palace in two days.’
In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. Ency were supposed to prepare lessons for the two of them.
Not together, of course. Gemma would instruct Laniakea, while Tamil would instruct Hyperion.
‘And then, practical training, was it?’
She could not fathom in the slightest what that practical training could possibly entail or how it would be done.
Feeling out of breath, Laniakea broke through the surface of the water. Wiping away the streams flowing down her face, she steeled her resolve.
No matter what it took, she would give it her all.
With effort, it would surely work out.
Please.