The Return of the Female Knight

CHAPTER 25

"I want us to share a bed."

He answered before he knew it.

"I don't like that."

"Why?"

"Because…"

Elena bit her lip. It's not something he didn't think of. Just because it's a political marriage, it doesn't mean that they won't share the bed. To strengthen her power, it was best to give birth to a prince who would inherit the throne in the future.

He knows right. The problem is that Elena's ambition does not always lie in strengthening her power as empress in and of herself. His goal is to prevent the destruction of his family with Carlisle by his side. Coincidentally being empress is the best way to do it.

In an aristocratic society, where scandals often turn out to be true, Elena grows up with a rare innocence. After her family died, she never had time to be with men because she spent her entire life seeking revenge, and inadvertently never had any experience. It was even a matter of common love relationships, and she instinctively rejected the idea of sleeping with anyone.

Kkuugeu–

Elena tried to force herself to think rationally by clenching her hard first under the table. He was the one who proposed the first political marriage, and Carlisle only raised related issues that had to be addressed.

Now it's time to make a quiet judgment rather than an emotional one.

“... This is not an opinion. Thinking objectively, I don't think now is the right time. "

"How's what?"

"That .. means I can't live just as your wife. I don't know why you agreed to marry me, but I made this proposal because I wanted to become empress. Until then, I am unwilling to give up my sword fighting abilities. ”

Carlisle listened to Elena in silence. He could not read the emotions from his expressionless face, so he tried to persuade her further.

"Until I become empress, I would rather act as your secret weapon than your wife. I would not hate this decision, even if a child born to another woman later became crown prince. I'll write it down in the contract if you want. "

He trained every day after returning to the past. Elena will be Carlisle's sharpest sword. It was Elena herself who would stand at the vanguard of every war and slash at the enemies blocking her path.

The ordinary life of dressing for her and waiting for her to return to bed at night was no match for Elena. She was not meant to be a queen. Carlisle, who had been listening quietly until then, was the first to speak.

"… Do you really want to be empress?"

Hearing the question, he suddenly wondered what she looked like in Carlisle's eyes. He must have looked like a noble who was still puer. However, she did not care whether she risked her life for power or came across as a mad woman, as long as she kept her family safe.

"Yes, I want to be queen."

Carlisle listened to her answer and remained silent again. Elena swallowed. Each contract required mutual concessions, and even though Elena was bargaining from a relatively weak position, she was still firm on her condition. From Carlisle's point of view, it wasn't fun. Then he said something completely unexpected.

"Because of you, there's one more reason I should be emperor."

"That means…"

"If that's what you want, I'll accept the offer. We will not sleep together. "

"Oh, thank you, Your Majesty."

Bright face. He was worried about what he would do if Carlisle refused.

'…Thank you God.'

Only a moment could Elena sigh in relief. Carlisle is not done.

"Until you become queen. Not after that. Once you become the empress as you please, then live only as my wife. ”

"Well…"

Elena did not immediately respond to what she said.

She was in a married position, and had chosen the person she thought would be most beneficial to her. In fact, this married life was a future she had not painted after Carlisle became emperor. After that, there was a chance that he could meet another woman and not care about Elena. She was able to enjoy a relatively free life as empress and end her life quietly. Or, Carlisle could dismiss her from the empress position, or Elena could fire her if she led a dangerous government and she could put someone else in her place.

He doesn't care what kind of future he's going to have. But what Carlisle proposed was a future he had never thought of so far. His words about life were solely because the woman seemed meaningful to him.

Carlisle spoke as if he knew what the woman was thinking.

"Didn't you like it? If you use me to be empress– ”

"No, I'll do it. I will live like your wife. "

As soon as the implication came that she was "using" him, Elena stopped thinking and answered quickly. Carlisle had already made many concessions and was in dire need of his protection. His conscience pierced him with guilt, but he could not give another answer. Carlisle seemed satisfied, not knowing if it was a reluctant choice or not.

"I told you, you make me greedy sometimes."

"…"

"I hope you'll have my son. They'll be pretty with blond hair and red eyes like you. ”

"…What?"

Elena exclaims. Sounds like she can't love her son unless it looks like her.

Carlisle smoothly changed the subject, as if he had no intention of explaining himself.

"You know, I've been trying to listen to a lot of your opinions."

"Oh yeah. For that I am grateful. "

"I'll tell you what I want from now on."

"Please do it."

It was time for Carlisle to offer his terms for the marriage contract.

Elena gulped because of the tension floating in the air.

"Call me Caril."

"B-excuse me?"

Elena opened her mouth like a fool. He wanted her to call him by the name of a pet all of a sudden? Wh why?

Carlisle continued with a smooth expression.

"You asked me to pretend to love you. But will you continue to call me formally? I'm gonna be your husband, right? ”

"Ah, but …"

Couples should not use pet names. In aristocratic societies where political marriage is common, many couples use honor until the day of their death. The name of the pet, indeed, is an intimate expression that can only be used for lovers.

More menacing questions would arise from him, but he only nodded his head when he saw Carlisle's steady face on his face.

"Well .. I'll call you that."

Ja. It doesn't matter if he calls her Caril. He would happily call her dog poop if she agreed to the other terms.

“It may seem strange to others if I use a pet's name in the first place, so I will act formally in situations outside. Please understand this. "

“I'll leave it to your judgment. But you can call me that when we're alone. ”

"Yes, I'm .. Caril."

A beautiful smile adorned Carlisle's lips. It was his first sincere smile that did not seem like a joke or a grim expression.

Elena looked at him confusedly for a moment, then immediately came to a realization.

'…What was that?'

He did not know anyone who smiled like that just because they were called pet names. But he's not done yet.

“We ate together. Unless you have other commitments. "

That means seeing it every day. Usually couples in political marriages end up taking their own food, and don't often meet face-to-face unless it's absolutely necessary. Of course, in Elena's case, she intended to stay as close as possible to Carlisle to protect him. But he never imagined that he would suggest it first.

"I saw. I accept your terms. "

He immediately agreed because it was not a bad transaction, but he wondered what he really wanted. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again.

"Our contract is getting longer, so can you bring me a pen and paper?"

Carlisle stood up and put pen and paper on the table in front of him. He carefully began to write down all their conditions.

For some reason it feels like a very long day.