Chapter 14
14
Maria was disoriented. Humans are said to be rational animals, but all that remained for her now was the instinct to survive. Gunther standing before her was meaningless. All she saw was the wine to quench her thirst and the food to satisfy her gnawing hunger. To hell with appearances, she just wanted to stuff something, anything, into her mouth.
Truly, it was the first time she had ever felt such hunger. She knew in her mind that a person could starve to death, but she never imagined she would actually be on the verge of it herself. Then, Gunther poured the wine he was drinking onto the floor in front of Maria.
"Drink."
Maria reflexively reached out with both hands and drank the wine pouring down, catching it in her hands.
'Ah…!'
The elation she felt as the liquid flowed down her throat, quenching her thirst, was indescribable. Once, she had been Maria Stuart, the noble Empress of Lastonia, but now she was nothing more than a wretched creature, staining her face red as she quenched her thirst with wine. But it wasn't enough. She needed more wine and food to completely satisfy her thirst and hunger. Maria looked at Gunther with a desperate expression. To hell with pride.
"All the food and wine here is yours."
Maria's face lit up at Gunther's words.
"However."
"?"
"You will eat as I give it to you."
'He wants me to eat like a dog?'
Maria was taken aback, and Gunther's lips curled up mischievously.
"Why? Can't you do it?"
'Of course, I can.'
If it had been the old Maria, she would have considered it humiliating and preferred to die. She was a noble being who valued appearances and honor more than her life. But now she was just a weed trying to take root in barren land. She wanted to know for herself just how tenacious that weed could be. Whether she could completely abandon herself, who had been a princess of the Stuart family and the Empress of Lastonia. Then, Gunther picked up a grape. Maria went straight to him and bit the grape from his hand.
'Sweet.'
She felt nothing but the taste. When he held out a piece of meat, Maria grabbed his hand and bit into it at once. She was even greedy for the sauce on his hand, and unconsciously sucked on Gunther's fingers with her lips and tongue.
"!"
Maria was focused on satisfying her hunger and acting on instinct, but it was Gunther who was greatly flustered. He was amazed by the transformation of the elegant Maria Stuart, but her licking his fingers was a huge stimulation. It sent shivers down his spine. Soon, a strange light flickered in Gunther's eyes.
He deliberately held out a well-cooked chicken leg to Maria. To some, it might have looked like he was giving a piece of meat to his pet dog. But Maria, unconcerned, firmly grasped Gunther's hand holding the chicken leg and ate it voraciously. After tearing off even the smallest pieces of meat attached to the bone, she licked the sauce off his hand again with her tongue.
Her plump lips were glistening with oil, and the soft sensation of her red tongue darting between them against the back of his hand made his whole body stiffen. His heart pounded as if it would burst.
'Interesting.'
It wasn't interesting at all. Desire was honest, and it grew as she did. The beast within him writhed as if it would burst out at any moment because of Maria's gluttony. At the same time, he was curious to see what kind of daring actions she would take. No, he was consumed by a desire to receive even more stimulation.
Gunther put a piece of fig in his mouth. Maria would surely hesitate. And she would be ashamed. But Maria didn't think at all. She went straight to Gunther, grabbed his face, and took the fig from his mouth with her own. As she tried to pull away, Gunther reflexively pulled Maria into his arms. Consumed by the desire to take back the fig that was being chewed in her mouth, he forced his tongue into her mouth.
"Ugh!"
The fig passed back and forth between their mouths. Their tongues intertwined as if fighting, and saliva mixed. Maria, not wanting to lose a single piece, put her tongue into his mouth and licked it. But Gunther, as if he had been waiting for it, intertwined her tongue with his own and sucked it roughly. Suddenly, Maria, who had been stubbornly clinging to him, pulled away from Gunther.
"Why? Are you full now?"
Maria didn't even answer Gunther's words, but stared blankly at him. She seemed to be lost in thought.
[No! When eating, you should use a fork and knife, not your hands.]
It seemed to be a memory from a long time ago. She remembered teaching a young boy table manners. When the boy ate food haphazardly with his hands, she put a fork and knife in his hands and taught him the order in which to eat. But the boy's face still appeared as a faint shadow, and she couldn't remember it clearly.
'Who was it?'
Then and now… Was it just a simple déjà vu? Or was it something that actually happened? Maria suddenly felt confused.
"It seems you're full, so I should have it cleared away."
At Gunther's words, Maria shook off her old memories. She shook her head violently, saying no. Far from being full, she hadn't even started yet. Then, Gunther filled a crystal glass with wine and brought it to his mouth, saying.
"Maria, now you can eat as you please…"
Just before he finished speaking, the wine sloshing in the crystal glass he was holding drenched Gunther's neck and chest. Naturally, Maria sucked the wine flowing down his body with her lips. He had told her to eat as he gave it to her, so she had to be faithful to his command.
'Gasp!'
Gunther was greatly surprised by Maria's unexpected actions. The sight of her licking the wine spilled on his body gave him the illusion of being caressed. No, the feeling was the same. Only her intention was different. Gunther slowly let out a suppressed groan. At this point, even a normal man would have reached the end of his patience.
He raised both hands and tried to grab Maria's breasts. Whatever had started it, the desire to have her right now was boiling to the top of his head. As Gunther lay back on the chair covered with white fur, Maria diligently sucked the wine flowing down his curved chest muscles. Anyone who saw it would misunderstand it as a very lewd scene. Then, the door opened and a dull voice was heard.
"Great King!"
'That damn bastard!'
Gunther wanted to kill Solskjaer, who had entered without any sense. Solskjaer, who had been frozen like a statue for a moment, staring at Gunther and Maria, soon closed the door and left without saying a word.
* * *
Henry and Monica were spending time together for the first time in a while. A maid beside them handed them teacups filled with fragrant tea. Today, there was an important issue to discuss with Monica, not Nancy and Laurent.
"Mother, I'm worried about who to appoint as Empress, Laurent or Nancy."
"Who do you love more?"
"Of course, I love Laurent."
If he was still worried, it meant that Nancy had offered a condition that Henry couldn't refuse.
"That beast from Helland likes Maria. As long as he has Maria, he won't give her back even if we repay the debt."
Henry told Monica the story he had heard from Nancy. About the connection between Maria and Gunther that had happened 10 years ago. That was why Gunther had lent Henry money without collateral in the first place, and why he had come all the way without hesitation when Maria was in danger. It was just a coincidence that it coincided with the date the debt was due.
"Is that so? Then there's no more information to get from Nancy, is there?"
"That's not true."
Henry recalled what Nancy had said to him.
[Even if you repay the debt and ask for the return of the deposed Empress, the Great King of Helland will not accept it.]
In other words, the debt was of little significance.
[Rather, you can use the deposed Empress to get more.]
[That beast is not so easy to deal with.]
[Your Majesty, please make me Empress. If you do, I will become your strength. I know a lot about the Stuart family.]
[For example?]
[She has assets in the name of the deposed Empress.]
[What? That can't be. All the Stuart family's assets were confiscated when Maria was deposed.]
When Henry was surprised, Nancy looked at him intently and smiled. It seemed to mean that she would only reveal it if he made her Empress.
But Henry turned away and hesitated. How much had he done to make Laurent Empress, whom he loved? Moreover, thanks to the mercenaries sent by Laurent's family this time, he was able to destroy the Stuart family without difficulty. Laurent's contribution was very great in winning against the family that possessed Lastonia's best holy knight. But to appoint Nancy as Empress?
[I betrayed my master only because of my love for Your Majesty.]
Nancy sobbed as she looked at Henry, who was agonizing. In fact, she didn't regret betraying Maria. But that didn't mean she wasn't tormented. She had nightmares every day. She had not hesitated to commit evil deeds only because she loved Henry and wanted to protect the child in her womb.
"I knew it. Just like her master, that Nancy is no ordinary woman."
Monica, who had been listening to Henry's words all along, put down her cup and sighed. Then, the maid beside them spoke politely to the two.
"Your Majesty, former Empress. The tea has cooled. I will bring you warm tea again."
"Do so."
At Monica's permission, the maid picked up the teapot and hurried out. The maid kept looking around and bowed to Laurent, who was standing across the hallway. As soon as Laurent nodded, the maid followed her.