Chapter 46
46
Maria was happier than anyone else at the news that Aiden had become Gunther's aide. It was good for the Helland royal family and for him as well, as he could unleash his abilities without letting them rot.
"Maria, this."
Aiden handed Maria a familiar-looking piece of paper.
"It's an invitation from the Lastonia Imperial Family."
There was no way she wouldn't recognize it at once. To think she would see the emblem of the Lastonia Imperial Family again in Helland. There was a time when she used to write those invitations one by one. Anyway, she was filled with mixed emotions. Henry must have sent it whether they wanted to or not, as it wouldn't be good for him to be disliked by Gunther. Nora, who happened to be nearby, burst out in anger.
"They're such brazen people. How dare they send an invitation to Helland?"
"The Helland royal family is separate from me."
That was the answer, but she didn't feel very good.
"His Majesty said he would follow your decision."
"I'll think about it, Aiden."
That's what she said, but she had already made up her mind.
"Okay. I'm busy, so I have to go."
Aiden hurriedly left. Soon, Maria tore open the wax that sealed the invitation with trembling hands. What could it say? She guessed it would be about Empress Monica's birthday banquet in two months. Gunther must have sent the invitation as a formality, as he was conscious of Gunther. Maria read the invitation as calmly as possible.
'It's a mess.'
You could tell the atmosphere of the Imperial Family just by looking at the invitation. More than anything, the fact that the Emperor's seal was stamped on it, not the Empress's, meant that the Empress's seat was still vacant.
"Maria, are you going?"
"I have to go."
Nora's eyes widened at Maria's firm answer.
"I also have a gift to give."
"I feel a little awkward saying this, but Maria isn't the Queen Consort of Helland yet, is she?"
"I can't be Queen Consort anyway because I'm not divorced from Henry."
She had to be executed and die for the divorce to be automatically granted, but because she was alive, the process was complicated.
"Then you have to get a divorce first."
'That's not important.'
Maria pondered in silence for a while. They would have to meet someday, but it was still too early to carry out her revenge. The plan for revenge was very systematically laid out in her head, but she wasn't going to rush it.
'It doesn't matter if it takes 10 or 20 years. What I want is something else.'
Then Maria carefully looked Nora up and down. Nora asked, embarrassed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I need Nora to become the Head Maid."
"Head Maid? That's something noble ladies do, isn't it?"
"You can do it. I'll make you a perfect noble lady."
"Are you going to take me to Lastonia too? What about Ero?"
"We have to go together. Ero has a separate role to play."
But before that, it was urgent to get a proposal from Gunther. She had to be recognized as the Queen Consort of Helland for anything to begin. But recently, a slight problem had arisen. In the past, he would try to kiss her or want more whenever he saw her, but lately, he had become a man who would sleep in the same bed with her and only hold her hand.
At times like that, she herself felt wronged and couldn't sleep. What was even more absurd was that Gunther's naked body flickered before her eyes from time to time. Like a woman possessed by lust, so frivolous. Maria told Nora about this situation for consultation.
"What? So you two still haven't done it?"
Nora looked even more surprised. She couldn't understand how a vigorous man and woman could sleep in the same bedroom every day and nothing happened. Nora nodded and listened to Maria.
"I think His Majesty is being considerate of Maria."
"Considerate?"
"Maria said to do that first, right? To take time to get to know each other. And that you wouldn't do anything before that?"
"Yes...? Yes, I did."
She remembered it very clearly.
[We have a 10-year gap. Let's get to know each other from now on. Let's not rush. I won't consider you my man until I have faith in Gunther. Of course, no sex either.]
Since when did Gunther listen to her so well? In fact, she had spoken harshly at the time because she felt wronged by Gunther.
"Maria needs to be a little bolder."
Nora patted Maria on the back and laughed. To be bolder, does that mean she should openly seduce him since she's no longer wronged by Gunther? She's not good at that.
"Maria, do you want me to tell you how?"
"Yes...? Yes, please tell me if you have any ideas."
"You can fight fire with fire."
"Fight fire with fire?"
"His Majesty is doing that with Maria right now, isn't he?"
Nora only said things she couldn't understand at all. What is that? Is there something else she doesn't know?
"I mean push and pull."
"Push and pull?"
A flash of lightning struck her brain. Deliberately acting indifferent to her to draw attention instead?
"It's not complicated at all. Just knock him down!"
"Knock who down?"
Maria looked at Nora with a clear face.
* * *
Maria took a bath with great care and applied plenty of Scented Oil all over her body. Following Nora's advice, she wore a Chemise that exposed her shoulders and let her hair down long. Nora assured Maria that if you fight with your body at night, the woman is guaranteed to win.
[Comb your hair by the window where the moonlight is pouring down.]
[Why?]
[No man can resist a woman soaked in moonlight.]
She didn't know if it was credible, but as she was told, Maria stood by the window and brushed her long hair. But Gunther was late today.
'How long do I have to keep brushing?'
She was starting to get tired of waiting. She wondered if she really had to go this far. Just as she was about to give up, she heard the bedroom door click open. Maria quickly looked out the window indifferently and brushed her hair gracefully.
Gunther, who opened the door, doubted his eyes for a moment when he saw Maria brushing her hair indifferently. Looking at her from a distance, she didn't look like a human. The being that was all shimmering silver must have been a goddess. Especially her sky-blue eyes, sparkling like beads in the moonlight, were beautiful. An innocent expression that couldn't read any emotion. She looked as pure as if she had never suffered a single small wound in her life. At the same time, she looked even more pitiful because she exposed her white, round shoulders. Also, the supple curves of her body were very sensual.
"Are you done with work?"
"More or less."
Gunther couldn't take his eyes off Maria even as he answered. Then Maria tilted her head slightly to the side and smiled.
"!"
She was so beautiful it was maddening. She's someone he sees every day, but he doesn't know why his heart is beating so recklessly.
"Are you going to accept the Lastonia invitation?"
Gunther said anything to hide his embarrassment.
"I'm a hostage of Helland, not a Queen Consort. Do I have the right to decide?"
At her words, Gunther lost his reason. He was annoyed that she still didn't seem to trust him. He strode towards Maria and glared at her as if he would devour her at any moment.
"That's right, Maria is not my Queen Consort."
"!"
That's not the reaction she wanted, so the fight fire with fire strategy wasn't so easy after all. Besides, Gunther was more experienced than expected. But the problem was that his eyes were still deep.
"Don't you know yet?"
"I know. That I'm a hostage, not a Queen Consort."
"No, Maria is my Queen."
Gunther's turquoise eyes flickered with excitement, and Maria was so surprised that goosebumps rose all over her head. Soon, Maria's heart pounded.
"Is that a proposal?"
"It's fate. It was already decided 10 years ago."
His voice cracked softly. Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him first. No, they hugged each other without anyone going first. Hot breaths mingled and the two bumped into each other. Gunther, who took his lips off for a moment, asked Maria.
"Is there anything else we need to get to know about each other?"
"No."
"Then I won't let you go from now on."
"!"
At that moment, a look of satisfaction of a winner filled Gunther's face. But that didn't matter anymore. What's important is that she wants Gunther right now, at this moment. But he took Maria to a place where the rope was hanging, not the bed.
"It's just you and me time. It doesn't matter if it's very decadent and lewd."
Gunther tore Maria's Chemise and threw it far away. Maria stood before him completely naked.
"What... are you going to do?"
'Could it be that he's trying to tie me up?'
An ominous prediction always comes true accurately. Gunther went to the bed and brought the silk cord of the gown placed on it. He soon tied Maria's arms to the rope with the silk cord.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt you."
She's not worried about that. Gunther was careful not to hurt her even as he tied her wrists with the silk cord. But she was embarrassed to have her bare body with her arms tied up. Gunther slowly approached, tilted Maria's head back slightly, and pushed his tongue in. Her mouth was hot like a boiling pot. Soon, two tongues became one mass of desire and explored each other. At the moment of rising to the peak, Gunther took his body away from Maria. Maria trembled with unfulfilled desire and desperately craved him. She wanted him not to stop.
"I'm going to make you want me like crazy."
Gunther stood a little away from Maria and began to take off his clothes one by one.