What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 127
“Was I really in that state, wandering in the hallway?”
“Yes. I suspect you might have been affected by a drug, but that’s not all. It seemed like you couldn’t see properly either. Your focus was blurry, and you couldn’t meet my gaze.”
Kazhan furrowed his brows, deep in thought. Even with Ysaris’s explanation, no clear memory came to him.
“The last thing I remember is going to the dressing room. Something must have happened the moment I stepped inside.”
“So, you went to the dressing room, and the next thing you knew, you woke up in bed with me?”
“Exactly. At first, I thought it was a dream.”
A dream so peaceful and ideal that realizing it was reality felt almost strange.
Kazhan’s gaze lingered on Ysaris as he finally spoke with a regretful tone.
“I only wish I could remember the night we spent together.”
“…You’ve forgotten something far more important. Whoever orchestrated this wouldn’t have left you in such a state without a reason. Your pants were half-removed too…”
Ysaris trailed off as she recalled the scene, suddenly realizing how his pants had managed to stay barely in place.
Because something swollen and tense had stretched the fabric taut.
Just like now, as the lower half of Kazhan’s robe was visibly rising.
“…”
Ysaris instinctively averted her eyes, struggling to ignore the persistent throbbing in her body and the unabashed desire in her husband’s gaze.
Why was that standing like that now, of all times? She had been trying to piece things together, but his sudden arousal disrupted her focus, entirely his fault.
Though he hadn’t asked for anything yet, Ysaris mentally blamed him and quickly shifted the topic.
“Anyway, do you have any idea who might have done this?”
“Well, I think I might if you kissed me.”
‘…Did I hear that wrong?’
Ysaris’s expression wavered, and Kazhan couldn’t hold back a chuckle, a light puff of air escaping his lips. He tilted his head slightly, just like the Cain Jenut of her past, leaning closer to rest his forehead gently against hers as he whispered softly.
“I’m joking. I do want to kiss you, but don’t worry. I’ll track down the culprit myself and deal with them.”
“…Kazhan.”
“Yes, Ysaris. Trust in your husband. I’m more capable than you think.”
His warm crimson eyes locked onto hers. Thump. Thump. The sound of her heartbeat suddenly filled her ears, a sensation both familiar and comforting, yet tinged with inexplicable sorrow.
‘Why?’
Ysaris pushed the question aside, as she always did, tucking it away in a mental box and locking it tight.
Feeling as if she were walking a tightrope, she stretched out her hand and pulled Kazhan’s head toward her. His unsteady gaze momentarily flickered, but the instant their lips met, he wrapped his hands around the back of her head and her waist instinctively.
“…”
“…”
The kiss wasn’t long. Kazhan mirrored Ysaris’s actions, following her gentle caress of his lips without pressing further. The moment she stopped, he also withdrew.
The reason he hadn’t pushed for more was simple. Ysaris, who had avoided deep physical affection until now, had kissed him without explanation, and he couldn’t discern her intent. Even though they had shared a night together, he had no memory of it, and this made him cautious.
He kept stealing careful glances at her, trying to decipher her thoughts, and of course, Ysaris noticed. She opened her mouth to explain her own actions.
“You…”
She began to speak but paused, unable to define the reason behind her impulse to kiss Kazhan.
Was it a momentary urge? Maybe she wanted to linger in the comfort he provided. Or perhaps she was trying to confirm something.
Maybe his face had been the cause. He was devastatingly handsome, after all.
Although, it might have been better if he were a little less so. She realized, for instance, she preferred softer, gentler features—her actual type.
Unconsciously, her fingers brushed across Kazhan’s cheek as she concluded.
“Because you said you wanted to kiss.”
It was a flimsy excuse. That’s why it took Kazhan a moment to fully grasp her meaning.
Because he said he wanted to kiss her?
“If that’s the case, Ysaris…”
He didn’t waste the opportunity. Holding her gaze, he slowly leaned forward, gently easing her to lie back on the bed.
Towering over her now, Kazhan masked his longing with a veneer of politeness. Ignoring the simmering heat in his lower abdomen, he adopted a noble expression as he asked,
“If I said I wanted to do even more with you… would you grant that as well?”
But his pretense had been futile from the start. The fiery intensity in his gaze burned brightly enough to scorch Ysaris, making it impossible to hide his true desire.
