Droit du Seigneur: His Lordship's Right of the First Night - Chapter 23
Upon following the stranger to a secluded clearing behind the house, Louise found a carriage covered in black cloth waiting. A man she had never seen before stood beside it, scrutinizing her with sharp eyes.
“You brought her.”
The man, with glistening sun-like hair and blue eyes reminiscent of royal blue sapphires, had a striking appearance. He was tall and well-built.
However, unlike Richard, he exuded an aura that made him seem unapproachable, causing Louise to instinctively take a step back towards the house.
“W-Who are you?”
“How dare you! Show proper respect immediately. This is—”
“Sir Rionel.”
The man who had brought Louise stepped forward but was stopped by the blue-eyed man raising his hand. The knight, who had been standing two steps back, bowed respectfully and withdrew.
After the knight disappeared from view, the blue-eyed man looked down at Louise and spoke.
“I am Richard’s brother.”
At his words, Louise instinctively looked up.
“I am Richard Mikhail Günther.”
Richard was the lord’s name. His brother must be…
“Y…Your Majesty, the Emperor…!”
“Raise your head.”
Startled, Louise had lowered her head again, but she lifted her face at the Emperor’s command. Leonhart examined her slowly.
Although not his preferred type, she was undoubtedly a memorable beauty. Had she been born in the capital rather than this rural area, many men would have vied for her attention.
So this is my younger brother’s type.
Unlike the glamorous Empress, her clear and youthful features had a fresh charm. Her petite frame gave a girlish impression, but her large, melancholic eyes added a sense of maturity. Even in her simple attire, the curves of her upper body, which contrasted with her slender frame, caught his eye.
‘The first woman Richard has taken, hmm…’
It seems I’ve come to the right place.
When he heard that a virgin from the fiefdom had come to offer herself, he thought it a good opportunity, although he suspected Richard might reject her. After all, every woman he had pushed into Richard’s bed had been sent away, despite their beauty.
Nevertheless, things had proceeded smoothly, even with the imperial order, which pleased him greatly.
‘Once Richard opens his eyes to this, even his rigid nature might change enough to fulfill his royal duties.’
Leonhart got straight to the point.
“I have a task for you.”
“Your Majesty, what task do you have for me…?”
“You came to the castle last night for the droit du seigneur.”
“…Yes, sire.”
“Good. Your task is to stay at the castle for the next two months and share a bed with my brother. Just like last night. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
“Y-Your Majesty!”
Louise shook her head, pale with shock.
“Your Majesty, I cannot! I am soon to be married. I already have a fiancé—”
“Ha, soon to be married?”
The Emperor’s friendly demeanor instantly turned icy. His gaze bore into her, eerily similar to Richard’s. He let out a cold laugh.
“You’re quite bold. Not only did you try to deceive your lord, but you also lie to the Emperor’s face without batting an eye. Is it courage or ignorance?”
“……!”
“I know that you stood in as a proxy for the first night. I could have you and your family executed right now, and you wouldn’t have any defense.”
“Your Majesty…!”
Louise fell to her knees before him. Cold sweat trickled down the back of her slender neck, where her hair was braided. The thought that Mildred, who knew nothing, could also be harmed made her tremble.
“I am sorry! Please, forgive me… The truth is…”
“I don’t care about your reasons. Normally, you’d be executed for breaking the law, but I’m sparing you because I find you useful. After all, you’re the first woman Richard hasn’t rejected.”
The Emperor intended to use Louise. Though her deceit and attempt to deceive her ruling lord infuriated him, it also intrigued him. He didn’t know how she had succeeded where the most beautiful women in the Empire had failed, but to stay by Richard’s side, she needed that kind of resilience.
Moreover, the fact that Richard believed she was about to be married worked in his favor. Even if Richard didn’t know it now, once she married another man, his nature wouldn’t allow him to take her back. His plan was to introduce Richard to women of noble birth qualified to marry into the high aristocracy.
“Serve Richard in bed for the next two months and teach him about women. I’ll provide anything you need, even aphrodisiacs.”
“Your Majesty…”
“My younger brother isn’t easy to handle. If I hadn’t intervened, he would have realized your deceit long ago, and you wouldn’t be alive now.”
“But I can’t… I just can’t.”
Louise added, her voice trembling. Serving as the lord’s bedmate for two months… The Emperor seemed unaware of Richard’s impotence, but even if that weren’t the case, she couldn’t imagine doing it. She didn’t think the lord would accept her, either.
“You can’t?”
The Emperor asked, as if surprised.
“I heard you have a sick younger sister.”
At that moment, the Emperor’s guard, who had disappeared earlier, reappeared in the distance. Louise turned and saw Mildred in his arms, and her eyes widened.
“…Mildred?”
