I Became the Master of the Empress

247-251 –

As we end the short kiss, she wraps her arms tightly around me and bites my cheek.

“Aa… aaa…”

Even though she’s not looking at me, I’m enjoying the lingering sensation of this moment.

But it’s not just that.

Seeing her cheeks flush as she bites my cheek, I feel like I’m getting too carried away.

But… what do I do now?

As soon as our intense relationship ends, my mind becomes tangled with thoughts of what’s to come.

First, there are the cardinals coming to participate in Theodora’s actions, and to annul our marriage.

I have no idea what to say to my family.

-Knock knock.

I’m thinking these complicated thoughts when…

Theodore’s chest is good for something, and I poked my chest with my fingers.

“Ha ha… A man’s chest is sturdy, isn’t it?”

He’s talking nonsense like that.

“Hurry up and get dressed. I have to go to the ceremony.”

I wonder what he’s going to do with the empty palace.

“Can’t you just… a little bit more? Ah, yes… Oh, my…”

Teddy’s usually not like this, but he’s acting coy now.

He’s even kissing her on the neck.

What’s the situation? It’s not that bad, but it’s chaotic, at least…

“Should I put on some underwear?”

Teddy’s underwear lying on the floor.

I got off her and quickly put on my clothes and handed her the underwear.

“Ugh…”

Teddy looked uncomfortable and frowned.

“That… hurts a little.”

Ah… it’s the first time, I guess?

“Can I support you?”

“It’s not that bad.”

We left the awkward silence behind and headed to the study.

Soldiers from the imperial guard are surrounding us, and Teddy’s soldiers are heading somewhere.

I thought there would be only a few dozen, but there are many more than that. I was shocked.

Is it possible that there are so many soldiers?

“By the way, when you took over the palace… weren’t there any casualties?”

“No, there weren’t. Of course, there might be some who got tired from running around all night.”

Who are those people who ran around all night?

We arrived at the office, and she sat down on the sofa, brewing tea. She left me alone to think about the situation.

When I woke up, I found that the palace had been taken over by Teddy’s soldiers.

And then her minions came and bound me, dragging me before the emperor…

Just the two of them.

What in the world is this?

I wonder what my soldiers, who guarded the imperial palace, were doing.

Aren’t they fools to have surrendered the palace without shedding a drop of blood?

Are the soldiers, the pride of the Grand Duchy, really this incompetent?

It’s absurd. Truly absurd.

What kind of magic did they use?

I take this chance to ask her the question that’s been on my mind.

“So, how did you take over the palace?”

She looks up at me and grins slyly.

“Are you curious?”

Theodora smiles playfully.

She continues.

“If you’re curious, give me a kiss.”

What… What is this?

The always solemn her is asking for a kiss?

“If you don’t, I won’t tell you.”

She’s a bit embarrassed, her face turning bright red.

That aside… Ahem… She is quite cute.

Perhaps it’s because she’s naturally pretty that her charm is on another level.

Look at her, shyly turning her head away.

Looking at her, I feel a rush of blood to my lower half.

“Tch… You won’t even give me a kiss.”

Hearing her voice, sounding almost petulant, I press my lips to her cheek.

“Heh…”

I don’t know what my kiss means to her to make her smile so brightly, but anyway, I asked what I was curious about.

“Ahem… So, how did you do it?”

Seeing her reaction, I feel a bit of embarrassment myself.

And so begins Theodora’s tale.

“How did that happen…”

As she spoke, my expression changed moment by moment.

“Are you… really saying that Müller betrayed us over something like that?”

At my words, Theodora teased me with a faint smile.

“Can you believe it? Even if we work overtime all night and pay a lot, the ones who make it so you can’t even spend it are the ones who can’t escape, right?”

To be honest, I expected Karl to fall for it, but Müller was stubborn enough that I thought he wouldn’t turn even with a knife to his throat…

I never expected such a variable.

Theodora must have felt my shock as she asked,

“Are you hurt?”

I nodded slightly.

“After all, Lucius moved departments because of me, so even if he did it out of spite…”

“Huh? That’s not why Lucius did it.”

“What? It’s not because he holds a grudge against me?”

I asked incredulously at Theodora’s hard-to-believe words.

“Then why did he do it?”

“Did you know that Joy and Lucius are dating?”

Who with… Lucius?

“With… my sister-in-law?”

The news that my sister-in-law was dating Lucius was completely new to me.

Of course, I had planned to arrange a marriage for her someday, but since no one appeared, I thought she would handle it herself, and I stopped worrying about it.

“Yes. They’ve been together for quite some time. I’ve acknowledged their relationship and decided to allow them to marry if Joy agrees.”

Theodora’s words made my head spin, and I eventually gave up.

After all… I had also given Joy permission to marry the person she loves.

But…

“Did you get permission from the mother-in-law?”

She shook her head slightly at my question.

“It probably won’t be difficult.”

First, let’s wrap this up and then hear about how they neutralized the Grand Duke’s forces.

“What? You spread false information that the locusts were resurrected?”

It was a prank so bold, it crossed the line, and I couldn’t help but click my tongue.

“Tsk, tsk, no matter what, that’s crossing the line, isn’t it?”

Rumors of the high demon’s resurrection.

Playing around with that, the Papacy won’t sit still—I felt it was a reckless move.

“If it were that serious, you should’ve checked with me…”

At that moment, a figure flashed through my mind.

“Karl… That guy?”

The Minister of Intelligence, an individual who, aside from me, holds undeniable influence within our ranks.

Officially ranking above Philip and Martin as well.

“But those two aren’t fools either…”

As I began to ponder, Theodora spoke with a faint smile.

“Do you remember what Lucius did back then?”

“If the orders are prepared, there’s nothing we can do.”

The Intelligence Department is conducting various researches.

Forgery of seals is also active, so they must have been easily deceived.

With the two commanders gone, Karl would find it easier to manipulate, deliberately dispersing the imperial troops and pulling in her private soldiers through the gap.

And thus, they surrendered.

Watching my army crumble so futilely, I felt there was much to improve.

“Haah… But what now?”

I understood how things had turned out, but all the preparations I had made up to now were in vain.

As I was lost in thought,

She gently approached me and nestled her cheek against my arm.

“What do you mean, what now? You have to live with me forever.”

At those words, I could only let out a hollow laugh.

“Ha ha…”

-Knock, knock. Your Grace, the Cardinal from the Papacy has arrived.

Ah… If only you had come a bit earlier.

“Show him in.”

As soon as I spoke, the door opened with the sound of a creak, and Cardinal Andrea, wearing a red hat, greeted me.

“Your Holiness, have you been well?”

I sighed deeply.

“I was doing just fine until yesterday. Sigh… Today, not so much.”

I thought I had finally put an end to this detestable life of Roman luxury yesterday.

But it wasn’t a full stop. It was a comma.

And in came Sister Sena and the priests.

They looked at me and Theodora and said,

“It’s been a while, Your Imperial Majesty.”

Andrea greeted her, and she responded.

Knowing full well why they had come, she chuckled with a smirk.

“Thank you for coming so early in the morning. So, what brings you here?”

“Since the two of you did not consummate the marriage, His Holiness has petitioned for an annulment of the marriage, which brings us here.”

As Andrea finished speaking, Sena brought over the orb of chastity placed on a red cushion.

“Well… the thing is, it seems… ahem, the marriage must be maintained.”

A couple who has lost their chastity cannot have their marriage annulled.

Divorce would be different, but that’s not easy either.

Unless one’s spouse is a devil worshipper, the Vatican almost never grants a divorce.

The Pope’s authority is such that not even the Emperor dares to infringe upon it, as the Pope does not exert influence over the secular world.

“What… what does this mean?!”

Sena looked at me and Theodora with shocked eyes.

“Hehe… indeed, what could it be, Sister Sena?”

Theodora, wearing a triumphant expression, sighed.

“Do not smile so frivolously, Your Majesty.”

Sena shivered.

“You two… Did you do it?”

Sena’s expression turned from shock to one about to burst into tears, dropping the cushion.

-Crack…

The orb of chastity rolled off the cushion, hit the floor, and cracked.

“Ah! The orb of chastity?! A holy relic!”

The cardinals and priests were in a panic.

But as Sena sat down in despair, Theodora shrugged with a winner’s smile.

That expression is rather annoying.

Anyway, it was really… unlucky today.

The subsequent events were quickly settled.

Theodora, the emperor, said he would pardon his loyal subjects and release them, and…

“Make it happen.”

I also agreed.

I don’t know what’s going on… I thought I couldn’t leave here now, so I was talking with a desperate feeling.

Originally, I was supposed to be preparing for surgery at this time.

However, due to the unprecedented situation of taking over the palace, I postponed the surgery until next week to conduct an internal inspection.

And… almost at the end of that long and arduous day.

That night.

-Kkiiik.

I entered the honeymoon room with Theodora.

“So, I’ll take a bath…”

As she headed towards the bathroom, I took her wrist.

“Where are you going?”

“What?”

I pulled her wrist and threw her onto the bed, saying, “Today, I’ll show you my true self.”

Theodora blushed and looked embarrassed.

“…I’m a little sore down there… Can I get some relief today?”

“Okay?”

I didn’t expect her words.

Well, it was the first time, so it’s only natural…

I was about to give up when…

“Or… would you rather I do it with my feet?”

“What?”

I couldn’t imagine my hands or feet would come out in this situation.

There was no such scene in this novel.

What did you see, Theodora?

I don’t know what she usually sees, but I felt a slight fear in some way.

It’s impossible to understand what’s going on in this woman’s mind, no matter how hard I look.