Lust for the King’s Wife

Chapter 3: Matryoshka of Loss (2)

I still can’t forget her bright blue eyes.

Or the silver hair that brushed against her pure white shoulders.

Or her small hands resting gently on her slender thighs.

To be honest, there’s no point in counting all these little details. I remember everything about her.

When did I fall in love with her? Was it the moment I first saw her? Or was it the moment the king told me her name — Mirian?

What’s certain is that even after I learned she was the queen, my love for her didn’t waver. Not even when the king subtly suggested that marriage to the princess would be my reward.

It was never a rational decision. She was someone I should have forgotten the moment I felt the stirrings of love.

And yet, my feelings didn’t change. They lingered gently for a long time, then grew stronger and stronger.

That’s when I realized love isn’t a concept that can be defined by logic.

***

“Your Majesty, the hero has arrived.”

…

“Your Majesty.”

…

“Your Majesty?”

…

“It seems His Majesty has briefly stepped out. How about you wait for him inside the room?”

Despite calling out multiple times, there was no answer. The maid respectfully gestured toward the door. But I wasn’t comfortable entering the king’s chambers without his presence, so I politely declined.

“No, I’ll wait here until His Majesty returns. It would be rude for a guest to enter an empty residence without the host’s permission.”

“It’s alright. His Majesty has given explicit instructions for you to wait inside. If you were to stand outside, he might feel more uncomfortable.”

“Then I will wait in the side chamber.”

“The side chamber is currently under renovation, so it wouldn’t be suitable for you to wait there. Please, don’t feel burdened and make yourself comfortable inside.”

There was no way to refuse after that. With an uneasy step, I moved toward the room. The maids seemed to have been waiting for this, as they swiftly closed the door behind me.

“We’ll be right outside. Call for us if you need anything.”

“…”

That was unlikely. Left alone in the room, I knew I would wander aimlessly in search of her scent. The maids, whether aware of my inner turmoil or not, shut the door tightly and left.

Silence descended. But to me, it didn’t feel silent at all. Over the past three years as a hero and a detective, I had never once been left in complete silence.

The proof of that lay in the room itself. The traces of people who had passed through it called out to me, their echoes vying for my attention. 

Just a glance at the surroundings made their stories flash before my eyes like a vivid panorama.

“…Haah.”

Curiosity is ultimately a kind of desire — an urge that gnaws at you like an itch that must be scratched.

Unable to resist that compulsion, I let out a sigh and approached the traces left in the room. The first place my feet took me was the desk where the king did his work.

There, I found stacks of documents and two solid chairs. I examined them carefully, muttering to myself like a madman trying to stay sane.

“One chair for himself. One for guests. Both made from trees felled in the Elf’s Forest.”

The quality of the materials was luxurious, but there wasn’t much of a difference between the two chairs. That alone said a lot. It probably reflected the king’s modest nature. Given his rise from commoner to king, it made sense.

Or maybe it was an intentional display. A way to hide his authoritarian tendencies behind a facade of humility. If I had to trust my instincts, I’d say the latter was more plausible. The king was a man driven by ambition and desire.

He cared deeply about how he was seen by others. Proof of that was displayed on the walls of his office, which were covered with his trophies from his days as a hero.

“The fang of Hetroi, the giant lion.”

And next to it, a branch from the World Tree of the Hern Forest.

“The hood of Mordo, the last necromancer.”

Beside it, the crystal orb of Nerian, the Witch of a Thousand Leagues.

“The fang of the Hydra, the snake chewed a thousand times.”

And next to it…

“…”

I stopped. My eyes were drawn to a chair in the corner of the room. Unlike the other relics, it held no legend, no magic, no legacy. It was an unremarkable wooden chair.

Of course, it wasn’t a trophy. It was a chair meant to be used. Someone must have sat in it from time to time. It was placed there for the use of a specific person who, though they didn’t visit often, had a reason to be there.

That chair…

That chair was where I had first met her.

“…Ah.”

Just seeing it again brought back the memories in perfect clarity. The scent that brushed past my nose, the humidity of the room, even the distant laughter of the maids — I remembered it all.

The cursed intellect I had been given did not permit me the blessing of forgetfulness. Even an event from three years ago could feel like it was happening right now.

Perhaps that’s why normal people are able to live unburdened. They can let their love cool, forget, and move on. They can say “that’s just how it is” as if it were common sense.

“Heh…”

I let out a hollow laugh, ashamed of my jealousy toward ordinary people. Such feelings were unbecoming of a hero. Shaking off the negativity, I focused on the chair in front of me.

“Width, 35 centimeters. Height, 80 centimeters. Backrest length, half of that.”

Smaller than I’d expected. But judging by the cushion’s size, the person who used it was likely taller than average. If they rested their arms on the armrests, their wrists would dangle just off the edge.

“…”

I almost ran my fingers over the armrests. But I held back, resisting the bizarre urge, and instead looked down at the cushion.

“Silk cushion filled with cotton. But the chair itself is plain oak.”

The difference likely reflected the personalities of its users. She probably didn’t care about appearances and just brought over any chair she found in the castle. But the king, unwilling to tolerate something so plain, had a luxurious cushion made for it.

It’s not hard to understand. She was a “trophy” unlike any other, and that chair was far too ordinary to befit her.

“…Trophy.”

I quietly mouthed the word, letting it roll on my tongue. If I had been her, I would have bitten down on it until my mouth filled with blood.

So how had she felt when I declared that I wanted her? I had no idea. No matter how much I pondered it, I couldn’t guess. Without hearing it from her directly, I’d never know.

That thought alone led me to stand in front of the chair. I gazed at the place where she had once sat, and my lips moved on their own.

“Mirian.”

…

As expected, there was no answer. The chair where she had sat was now covered in the dust of passing years. Nothing remained.

But I did hear a response — not from the chair, but from behind the door.

“Excuse us, Sir Hero.”

“Ah.”

Startled by the sudden voice, I turned my head. At the same moment, the door opened, and someone stepped inside.

It was not the king.

No, this figure was smaller, more delicate — and far more dangerous to me.

Her presence alone was more threatening than any weapon.

The moment she entered, she flashed me a bashful smile and greeted me.

“Hello, Alf.”

“Princess.”

“Sorry, did I scare you?”

Faced with her sudden arrival, I couldn’t say a word.

Seeing me standing by the chair, she tilted her head with a casual, indifferent tone.

“What are you doing? Sightseeing?”

“I was looking for a place to sit and wait.”

“Oh, I see. You could’ve just sat in the guest chair at the desk. Didn’t know that, huh?”

“Yes. But more importantly, I was told His Majesty would be here.”

“He’s not coming. Because I lied.”

The princess revealed the truth with a nonchalant smile. Before I could process her words, I heard the heavy thud of the door closing behind her.

“Father’s busy greeting all the important guests who’ve gathered because of you. The whole kingdom’s big shots have come together just to meet the hero, after all.”

“So that’s why the room was empty. I was wondering why His Majesty would call me over, only to leave me waiting.”

“To be fair, he did want to talk to you. But I told him to give it a rest. It’s not like you two have anything useful to talk about anyway.”

“Then may I ask why you called me here, Princess?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Her answer was just as I’d expected. Her mischievous smile widened as she turned to face me fully.

Then, without warning, she threw herself at me.

Her weight crashed into me, and I staggered back, nearly falling over.

“Ugh.”

“What’s this? Why are you so weak, Alf? Are you tired or something?”

“More like… you’ve put on a little weight, Princess.”

“That’s treason. Want me to lock you up in my room forever?”

“I only meant that you’ve grown healthier over the course of the journey. You look much better now than when we first left, Princess.”

“Hmph. Always quick with the flattery, huh? Not that I mind. I even love that part of you.”

With that, she leaned in, aiming for my lips. When I turned my head to avoid her, she pulled away with a small pout and grumbled.

“What’s with you? You could’ve just let me kiss you. There’s no one else around anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean I have the right to touch the princess as I please.”

“Tch. You’ll grant the wishes of random old ladies on the road, but you’re strict only with me, huh? Is it because I’m a princess?”

“It’s because the princess is far too grand a person for someone like me to fully contain.”

“Then what about my mother? Did you think she was small enough to ask for as a reward?”

Her voice took on a chill for a brief moment. But she quickly broke into a playful grin, burying her face in my chest like it had all been a joke.

“I’m kidding, dummy. So don’t make that scary face.”

“I didn’t realize I was making such an expression. I suppose I’m more tense than I thought.”

“And your tone is too stiff, too. You weren’t like this during the journey. You even called me by my name a few times.”

“That was to avoid exposing your identity, Princess.”

“Then what about the way your ears turned red whenever you saw me? Was that part of the plan too?”

“…”

“Even now, you’re putting so much effort into that plan of yours, huh?”

I had no answer. No matter what I said, it would only sound like an excuse.

That’s why she was such a dangerous person to me. Not just her presence — but her ability to see through me.

Sensing my silence as a sign of victory, she twisted her waist playfully and leaned further into me with a smug smile.

“See? You’re so easy to read. Unlike that elf and sage, you’re so honest. That’s why I like you, Alf.”

“If that’s how you feel, Princess, I’m honored.”

“Speaking of that elf… ugh, I really don’t like her.”

“Please don’t be too hard on her. She may be wild, but she’s not a bad person.”

“How am I supposed to believe that? Oh, right, what was all that earlier? Was that just a joke too?”

Her face twisted in annoyance as she remembered the incident from earlier in the party. I knew that if I hesitated here, she would only suspect me more. So I answered her immediately.

“It was nothing, Princess. Please don’t concern yourself with it.”

“I’m not concerned. I’m just annoyed with that elf’s attitude.”

“She’s always been fond of playing pranks.”

“Sure, she likes pranks. She’s pulled plenty of them on me. But she’s even worse when it comes to you. And I know for a fact she wouldn’t play a prank like that in front of the king.”

“She must have been overwhelmed, being in a human kingdom for the first time.”

“Or maybe she was trying to protect you. For some reason, she’s oddly devoted to you, isn’t she?”

“Princess, I…”

“If that’s not it, then she deserves to be thrown in the dungeon for treason. Conspiracy to overthrow the state and multiple offenses of disrespect toward the princess while on the road.”

“…”

“But that’d be a bit much, wouldn’t it?”

At that moment, she slowly stepped back, separating herself from me. Tilting her head just slightly, she fixed me with a hard, serious gaze.

“Tell me, Alf. If you’re hiding something, now’s the time to confess. What’s really going on?”

“Princess.”

“Or just say it was all the elf’s doing. Tell me it was all her idea and she forced you into it.”

“But…”

“Alf.”

This time, her voice was cold. Unlike before, she didn’t smile. Her gaze sharpened, and her eyes pierced through me like frost-covered daggers.

“Do I look like I’m joking right now?”