Lust for the King’s Wife

Chapter 2: Matryoshka of Loss (1)

“I like you, Alf.”

“…”

“This is a royal command. You have no right to refuse.”

“…”

“You know I’m joking, right?”

On a quiet night, under the twinkling stars of our return journey, the princess of the kingdom threw out a playful but sincere-sounding confession, winking as she spoke. 

At the same time, the faint smell of a crackling campfire brushed past my nose, and, without realizing it, tears welled up in my eyes.

It was a coincidence, just a bodily reaction to the smoke. But the princess mistook it for genuine emotion and let out a bashful laugh.

“What’s this? Were my words that touching? You’re about to cry!”

“No, Princess.”

“I know. There’s no way a hero would cry over something like that. But if you were truly moved, I’d be a little happy, too.”

“Princess.”

“Don’t say it. I know what you’re going to say. ‘We shouldn’t be doing this,’ right? One nagging sage is more than enough for me, thank you very much.”

“Princess, I…”

“Ah, I’m so tired.”

Suddenly, the princess rested her hand on my shoulder and leaned her body against me. It was an obvious move, one whose intent I could clearly see, but I couldn’t just push a member of the royal family away.

All I could do was wait for her to leave on her own. But since crossing the border, not a single one of my wishes had come true.

“Shall I escort you to your sleeping quarters?”

“Your chest is much more comfortable than that cheap pillow. Not that I’m ungrateful for the effort you put into finding it.”

“Please, Princess, stop joking and go to sleep.”

“I’ll sleep right here. Right now, being by the hero’s side is the safest place in the world.”

“If you sleep like this, you’ll catch a cold.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to make your body warmer.”

Her hand slid off my shoulder and rested on my chest. Next, it moved to my neck, then my cheek. Her hand traced upward, inch by inch, until it finally reached my flushed earlobe.

“Princess.”

“Shh.”

With one swift motion, her fingers pressed lightly against my lips, silencing me. Her breath, soft and gentle, washed over my face, making my vision blur again.

Through that hazy view, the princess’ face bore a striking resemblance to Mirian’s, the woman from my dreams. My body stiffened on instinct, muscles locking into place as if I’d been struck by a spell.

“See? It’s warm now, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Right?”

Certain of her victory, the princess laid her head against my chest and whispered softly, just for me to hear.

“When we return to the kingdom, tell my father you want to marry me.”

“Princess.”

“You’ll do that, won’t you?”

Her low, sultry tone sounded exactly like Mirian’s. But a counterfeit is still a counterfeit. The fog of confusion lifted, and I returned to clarity.

“I cannot do that.”

“How stubborn.”

With those final words, the princess drifted off to sleep. The future she had so selfishly decided on now lingered in her unconscious mind, blossoming into a desperate dream.

And before long, that dream would become an obsession — something I should have noticed far earlier.

***

“Y-yes! That’s it, Alf!”

“…”

While I was lost in that daydream of the past, Seha’s sharp voice suddenly rang in my ears, yanking me back to reality. She grabbed my shoulders and shouted with an exaggerated, dramatic tone.

“You did it! You did it, you amazing fool!”

“Huh?”

“Stand up straight! You did it, you absolute legend!”

Despite the heavy silence that still lingered in the air, Seha’s voice echoed without a care for the atmosphere. 

I didn’t need to think hard to understand why she was acting this way. She hated loud noises, so for her to be this vocal, it was clear she was forcing it.

“A princess? Pfft, forget that. Think bigger! Queen! King! The crown! Demand it all! We saved the future of this kingdom, so isn’t that the least they owe us?”

“…”

“Take everything! That shiny crown is mine! Just hand it all over!”

“…Seha.”

“Ask for it! Hurry!”

Her bold declaration echoed through the room, and she gazed at me with desperate eyes, silently begging me to join in her little performance. But even though I understood her intentions, I couldn’t bring myself to play along.

That’s when Jorfe stepped forward. His face contorted in fury as he marched over and shouted.

“Seha! Don’t tell me you’re behind this!”

“Of course, I am! If I hadn’t, this fool would’ve played it all modest and humble again. After everything we went through, we deserve proper compensation, don’t we?”

“That’s what we call humility and royal etiquette! And even if Alf did say he didn’t want anything, do you really think His Majesty would have sent him away empty-handed? Use your head!”

“Oh, yeah? Fine. I take back what I said. But I’m keeping that crown for myself, no matter what—ugh!”

The moment Seha ran her mouth again, Jorfe pinched her cheek and yanked it hard. Her shriek was so loud and genuine that it was hard to believe she was still acting.

“Ow ow ow! Let go! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

“This isn’t something that can be resolved with a scolding! Get on your knees and apologize to His Majesty right now!”

“Alright, alright, just let go! It really hurts, I swear!”

“Not until you swear to apologize!”

“You brat! Let go of me before I kill you! I’ll kill you!”

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Just as their playful antics reached their peak, the king’s booming laughter filled the room. He clapped his hands, watching with delight, and raised both hands to call for calm.

“Alright, that’s enough, Sage. How untrustworthy must humans be for this noble elf to play such tricks on them?”

“That may be so, but she’s certainly committed a grave offense. I’ll apologize on her behalf. Please, Your Majesty, forgive my companion’s foolishness.”

“Come now, don’t be like that. Thanks to her, I got to see something rare and precious. Watching an elf get her cheeks pinched by a mortal — where else can you see that?”

“Your Majesty…”

“I haven’t laughed like that in ages. You’ve got some truly entertaining companions, hero.”

With a broad grin, the king gave my shoulder a playful pat. Jorfe, seeing that the matter had been settled, let out a sigh of relief only I could hear.

Around us, the tension finally eased, and bursts of quiet laughter followed. But not from the princess. She, still wearing a scowl, mumbled to herself with barely restrained irritation.

“It was her again… It’s always her. That elf never does anything I like.”

“…”

“Elves…ugh.”

“Ahem. That’s enough, princess. It was just a joke, so let it go. Hero, I don’t know why you suddenly decided to play along, but it wasn’t serious, was it?”

“…”

“Come now, let’s leave it at that. Right?”

The king sternly scolded the princess before turning to me with a subtle smile. His gaze was as kind as a father’s, his voice warm and gentle.

“Well, with that little commotion over, it’s time to enjoy the party for real. Tonight, we drink and feast until we drop. Isn’t that right, hero?”

“…”

“Don’t worry about your companions. I’ve already forgiven them, so don’t let it weigh on your mind.”

“…”

“Hero?”

“…”

I couldn’t bring myself to speak. To be honest, I had already resigned myself to the idea that I’d lose my head for what I’d said.

But if I kept being stubborn now, it would only cause trouble for my comrades, who had gone to such lengths for me. With that thought in mind, I steeled my heart and finally managed to move my stiff lips.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. It seems that, since it has been so long since I last drank, the alcohol is hitting me a bit too quickly. If it’s not too much trouble, may I be excused to rest for a moment?”

“Ah! I see. I hadn’t even considered that. Of course, of course. Take a short rest. The party will be going on all day anyway, so there’s no rush.”

“I am deeply sorry for my weakness, Your Majesty.”

“No, no. Every warrior needs rest, and I, of all people, understand that best. This is a royal command — go rest for a while.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Of course, don’t take too long.”

The king gave me a playful wink before gesturing toward the maids. As if they had been waiting for this moment, they promptly stepped forward, ready to guide me and my companions to the rooms.

The only flaw in this arrangement was that no one had prepared a litter or carriage. My legs were trembling, likely because I had been kneeling for so long. It got so bad that, midway through, Seha had to support me with her shoulder.

Or maybe, deep down, I was just afraid of letting her slip away now that she was within reach.

That thought alone filled my mind with the image of the woman I had locked eyes with just moments ago. It was a memory so vivid it left no room for anything else. The daydream was shattered, however, by Seha’s thunderous shout.

“Hey! Get your lazy butt moving, you idiot!”

“…Urgh.”

I let out a shallow groan as Seha shoved me into the unfamiliar room, causing me to collapse to the ground. She glared down at me and even spat on the floor in frustration.

“What the hell were you thinking, huh? Do you have any idea how tense it got back there? Even I was nervous!”

“…”

“I might not know much about how humans handle things, but even I could tell that was some dumbass move. If I hadn’t stepped in, you’d be dead right now, wouldn’t you?”

“…Sorry, Seha.”

“Sorry, huh? Well, it’s not just you. That idiot Jorfe didn’t do anything either. All that ‘wise sage’ nonsense, and he just sat there like a fool.”

I hung my head, unable to argue with Seha’s scolding. Meanwhile, Jorfe, after a moment of deep thought, spoke in a heavy voice.

“You’re right, Seha. If the king hadn’t let it slide, we’d all be in serious trouble. I thought I’d gained the wisdom to see through everything after all my years of study, but I can’t even understand the heart of a single man.”

“…”

“And it’s even worse since that man is a comrade I’ve shared life and death with. How long have you been hiding this, Alf?”

“Since the beginning.”

“…What?”

“Since the very beginning.”

It didn’t take long to confess a secret I’d hidden for so long. But Jorfe immediately fell into deep contemplation, while Seha stared at me, her mouth agape in disbelief.

“W-wait… Are you saying it’s not the princess you want, but the queen?”

“Yes, Seha.”

“Are you serious? I knew you weren’t interested in the princess, but still…”

“I love her with all my heart.”

“And from the beginning? From the first time we had an audience with her?”

“From the moment I first laid eyes on her, she became the only one in my life.”

“…You’re insane.”

Faced with my heartfelt confession, Seha could only sigh and groan, overwhelmed. I knew no amount of explanation would help her understand, so I stayed quiet.

It was then that Jorfe raised his head, his face more serious than I’d ever seen.

“Is it true, Alf?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me? Did I seem that unreliable to you?”

“If I had told you, would you have been able to help me?”

“That’s…”

Jorfe’s words trailed off. No sage, no matter how wise, could think of a way to steal the king’s wife.

Silence returned. As the ticking of the clock echoed louder than ever, Jorfe finally spoke.

“Alf…”

“Excuse us.”

Before he could finish, a knock echoed from the door. The maids didn’t wait for a response before stepping inside, bowing so low their heads nearly touched the floor.

“We apologize for the interruption, but His Majesty has summoned the guests back to the party hall.”

“I see.”

“We have been away for quite a while.”

“Tch. Looks like we have to go back, huh? Alright, lead the way. Make sure to announce it properly — ‘The great Hero’s Party is on its way!’”

Even as everyone else’s spirits were low, Seha remained lively and energetic. However, the maids stepped in front of her, bowing their heads once more.

“Apologies, but the two of you are to return to the hall, while Sir Alf must come with us. His Majesty wishes to have a private word with the hero before the festivities officially begin.”

“What? Since when do you get to decide that? If you want to talk to my lackey, you ask me first. King or not, he’s mine.”

“This is a direct command from His Majesty.”

“You little—do you know who I am?!”

Seha flared up, her brows furrowed in anger. But this time, Jorfe stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Stop, Seha. If we cause trouble, the ones who suffer will be these maids.”

“Fine, then I’ll go talk to the king myself. No one messes with my guy like this.”

“We don’t even know what it’s about. It’ll only take a moment. There’s no need to cause a scene.”

“You sure about that?”

“The princess just returned after being kidnapped. The last thing the king wants is more trouble.”

He had a point. No matter how reckless the king could be, even he wouldn’t risk harming a hero. Most likely, he just wanted to have a private chat and set the mood back to normal.

In other words, all I had to do was stay calm, and everything would be fine. Knowing this, Jorfe gave me a firm warning.

“Of course, that’s only if you stay calm, Alf. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let me ask you one last thing.”

Jorfe fell silent for a moment, as if debating whether to say it. When he did, his words came slow, heavy, and deliberate.

“Do you truly love that witch?”

“…”

This time, it was my turn to hold my breath. But my silence didn’t last long.

“You already know my answer.”

I kept it short, knowing that was all he needed. Jorfe didn’t ask any more questions and let the matter rest.

But in the end, I learned it hadn’t been enough.

I learned it too late — after it was no longer possible to answer his questions.