Contract Marriage Rewritten
Chapter 31
“Thank you! That’s all of it!”
Holding up the final document, Laniakea beamed.
It was the paperwork she had set aside specifically to bring here today.
Just like last time, with Hyperion’s advice, she had been able to sort it out without much trouble.
She hadn’t forgotten her purpose in coming to the Main Palace.
Even so, she thought handling the Empress’s duties quickly would be more helpful to him in the end.
Especially after meeting the newly recruited maids.
Half of them, like Hilde, had genuinely come to serve the Empress, support the work of the Imperial Palace, and contribute to the Empire’s future.
But the other half?
Though they feigned innocence, they were just like Chelsea—always stealing glances, monitoring Laniakea’s every move, their eyes gleaming as they watched who she met and what she did.
“Ah, following Your Majesty’s advice, I brought in the new maids.”
“I received word. I heard you took them all in.”
“Yes. They were all talents the Empress’s Palace needed right away.”
So much had progressed in just two days.
Thinking about it brought an unbidden smile to her face. If not for the latent troubles beneath the surface, she would have loved to keep all of these maids by her side indefinitely.
Yet she knew better. Once she had misled their watchful eyes to a certain degree, the half brought in for surveillance would have to be dismissed.
‘Still, I want the other half to keep working for as long as possible.’
Whenever she looked at those who, like Hilde, devoted themselves wholeheartedly to their work believing Laniakea would remain Empress, her heart grew heavy.
She wanted to ensure that no matter who became the next Empress, these women could keep their positions.
Even if staying in the Empress’s Palace proved impossible, she wanted to secure them places in another department of the Imperial Palace.
“Has there been any trouble with the woman from the Livingston family?”
“If you mean Chelsea, she’s working even harder than Hilde right now. Having lost the Head Maid position, she is desperately trying to win my favor. That is why I’m thinking of calling her in separately.”
“I know you will handle it well on your own, but do not keep her too close regardless. The Livingston family is cunning.”
Seeing the concern written across his face, Laniakea let out an awkward smile.
She couldn’t remember the last time someone had shown such pure worry for her.
An expression neither her parents nor her older sisters had ever offered her was now being shown by a man she had only met a handful of times.
He was her husband, of course, but it still felt utterly unfamiliar.
‘Still… it feels nice.’
Ever since Hyperion had ascended the throne, her heart had fluttered like this often.
Because the sensation remained so strange and unfamiliar, Laniakea never quite knew what to do with herself whenever it happened.
She didn’t dislike it, yet it felt like an emotion that didn’t truly belong to her.
She feared that once she grew used to it, she would keep longing for it even after she left this place.
“Thank you. I will remain cautious.”
“There is no need for thanks. As your husband, this is naturally my duty.”
“Still…”
“More importantly, haven’t your working hours been far too long lately? I looked over your records, and it seems the former Empress never assigned you the proper lessons.”
“Ah, that.”
In the Empire, there were mandatory lessons one had to take as Crown Princess.
During her first year, she had been allowed to attend them all, but in the second year, Laniakea had received none.
‘It’s probably because of that incident.’
Recalling that time, Laniakea stole a tentative glance at Hyperion.
Seeing that he said nothing more, it seemed he remained unaware of what had happened.
That made sense. It had been an affair strictly between Laniakea, the former Empress, and the 4th Prince.
By Laniakea’s standards, it hadn’t been a momentous matter, but evidently, the former Empress had thought otherwise.
After ‘that incident,’ the former Empress had not only stopped inviting Laniakea to banquets, but had entirely excluded her from lessons as well.
If the 4th Prince had become Emperor…
Just imagining it sent chills down her spine. The outcome surely would have been the absolute worst.
“Laniakea?”
Noticing her sudden stiffening, Hyperion called out to her with urgency in his voice.
“I am fine. I simply felt a sudden chill.”
It was an absurd excuse. The weather was fairly warm, and not a single window stood open. She was dressed in several layers besides, leaving no reason for her to feel cold.
Yet Hyperion did not press her further. Instead, he picked up where he had left off.
“In any case, there is no need to rush your work. Even if you begin preparing for the affairs of the Inner Palace from now on, it will not be too late at all.”
‘That would only apply to an Empress with many days left ahead of her, wouldn’t it?’
Laniakea chose not to voice the thought aloud. Instead, she quietly gathered the documents she had finished processing with his help.
Watching her slip the papers back into her bag, Hyperion smiled faintly.
His smile made Laniakea pause mid-movement.
Over the past few days, she had caught glimpses of him from afar on several occasions. Walking surrounded by just as many officials and ministers as she had, his expression had always been utterly stern.
She distinctly remembered the face he wore then.
Yet looking at him smiling before her now, his demeanor was so completely different that she found herself wondering if he was truly the same man.
Naturally, an Emperor ought to carry dignity like the figure she had witnessed by day. That was the image anyone would expect of an Emperor, and yet…
Laniakea found herself staring blankly at his smile.
To be honest, whenever she looked at Hyperion smiling, heat unbidden crept up into her cheeks.
For such a solemn, composed man to wear a completely different expression only in front of her…
It felt as though she had stolen a look at something she was never meant to see.
While Laniakea remained dazed by his smile, Hyperion quietly shifted over to sit beside her.
Though the sofa was quite large and wide, her body tilted toward him the moment he sat down.
Hyperion smoothly caught Laniakea as she leaned into him. Then, he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Despite her thick layers of clothing, the solid arm encircling her waist registered with vivid clarity.
His touch was so natural that Laniakea missed her chance to pull away.
Seeing that she did not push him away, Hyperion tightened his hold slightly.
The span of distance between them vanished entirely, their bodies pressing flush together until his firm thigh rested against her legs.
Laniakea flinched late in response to his body heat. Yet that did nothing to diminish the firm, heavy presence pressed against the length of her legs.
Finding herself drawn practically into his embrace, Laniakea looked up at him as if asking what he intended to do.
As though reading her thoughts, Hyperion spoke.
“Shall we attend to our work now?”
Our work.
Understanding the meaning behind the words, Laniakea swallowed dryly and nodded.
“B-but I haven’t heard what we’re supposed to do today from Mr. and Mrs. Ency yet. And I haven’t washed up either…”
“I received the instructions on your behalf, so you need not worry. And there is no need to wash up. Today will not involve touching anywhere so intimate.”
At Hyperion’s reply, Laniakea ducked her head low.
For some reason, it felt as though she had indulged in scandalous thoughts entirely on her own when he hadn’t even considered such things.
“Today, you need only stay comfortable. I will be the one doing the moving.”
Only Hyperion needed to move?
Just what was he planning to do?
She had received an explanation, yet it only made her more nervous.
Just as she opened her mouth to ask what exactly they would be doing, Hyperion dipped his head slightly. Then, he pressed his lips to her forehead.
A soft, fleeting peck.
It was a light kiss, like the pecking of a young bird. A momentary brush that left behind only a ticklish sensation.
‘Is this all for today?’
Just as Laniakea had that thought, Hyperion’s lips drifted lower.
Because he kissed the curve of her brow, she had no choice but to close her eyes.
The ticklish kisses continued.
Over her closed eyelids, upon her nose, across her cheeks.
She had tensed for a moment wondering if he would kiss her lips, but as if telling her not to worry, Hyperion’s lips continued to wander elsewhere.
The light, gentle kisses lingered for quite some time, and before long, Laniakea grew accustomed to the tickling sensation brushing over her face, her tension easing away.
Right then, he twined his fingers through hers and squeezed firmly.
“Ah…”
As his thick knuckles pressed and rubbed against the tender skin between her fingers, Laniakea inadvertently let out a slow, hitched breath.
Startled by the sound, she clamped her mouth shut. It had been nothing more than the simple friction of his fingers grazing the inner joints of hers, yet the sound that had escaped her lips carried a soft, breathy moan even to her own ears.
Fearing he might misunderstand, she tried to pull her captured hand away, but Hyperion’s thumb began stroking the back of her hand.
It was the very spot that had turned strangely red and itchy after their last meeting—the one she had scratched at for hours.
His thumb rubbed over that exact place with deliberate care.
She had thought it merely ticklish before, yet a strange, tightening heat coiled in her lower abdomen.
Thinking something was definitely wrong, Laniakea tried once more to pull her hand back, but Hyperion whispered near her ear.
“Is this difficult for you?”
“N-no. It isn’t difficult, but…”
“Then do you dislike me holding you like this?”
“It isn’t that either, but…”
She couldn’t bring herself to say that it felt strange. She had no way of explaining where or how it felt so odd.
When Laniakea trailed off and gave up on pulling her hand away, Hyperion’s smile deepened.
“That is a relief. Then let us begin what we truly need to do today.”
What they truly needed to do? Then what had everything until now been?
The moment the question formed in Laniakea’s mind, Hyperion buried his face into the crook of her neck.