The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 13.2

“Kuht…”

“Ah…”

Finally, he filled her completely. This warm sensation was familiar yet still strange on the second encounter.

But it wasn’t unwelcome.

What if their child were to occupy this space? What would that feel like? Elfreda’s heart raced at the thought of an event yet to occur.

‘…A child.’

The moment the story she heard from Serena last night crossed her mind, Elfreda’s eyes met Ejnar’s, which were glaring at her intensely.

At the same time, she strengthened her mind.

‘I won’t be influenced by my father’s wishes.’

Even if she were to have a child with him, that child wouldn’t bring Machi over to Makaeri. She would raise the child thoroughly as if they were one of Machi’s own.

Therefore, at least the guilt she felt towards him regarding that matter could be lessened.

As Elfreda lay there listlessly, Ejnar took a few deep breaths before slowly getting up. He looked ready to leave immediately, just like the day before. She almost reached out to stop him but quickly gathered her senses and stopped herself.

However, Ejnar noticed her hand hanging in the air and looked at her intently. After much deliberation, Elfreda finally spoke up with a resolved face.

“Why don’t you rest here a bit longer before going?”

“….”

“You seem tired…”

She couldn’t bring herself to express her genuine wish for him to stay a bit longer and awkwardly beat around the bush. While Elfreda tried to maintain a calm demeanor as she spoke, she felt her sincerity slipping through and eventually turned her gaze away from him.

Ejnar quietly watched her, then softly broke the silence.

“What if I’m not tired?”

“Yes?”

“Would you have told me to just go?”

“Uh…”

As her face flushed with embarrassment, Ejnar couldn’t help but smirk, feeling a sudden urge to tease her further.

“It seems like you might be tired, but then again, maybe not…”

“If it’s inconvenient for you, I can leave instead…”

“And you’d go out looking like that?”

Hearing that, Elfreda instinctively lowered her gaze and then quickly blushed even more.

Teasing her further might make her cry again. Ejnar chuckled silently and lay down beside her without saying another word. The bed was spacious, and they weren’t lying too close to each other, but Elfreda felt her heart drop just the same.

For the first time, she was nervous about lying in bed.

How to position her toes, where to place her arms, even the smallest details became a concern. Breathing itself felt like something she had to be conscious of.

‘…But still.’

It was nice.

Unaware, the corners of Elfreda’s mouth curled up as she closed her eyes. Ejnar quietly observed the smile on her face, then finally decided to ask the question he had been holding back.

“Have you met Princess Serena?”

“…Yes, somewhat.”

Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Elfreda fumbled her response. Though she tried not to show it, Ejnar caught the slight discomfort she couldn’t hide and continued.

“She’s returning in three days. Machi must not be as interesting as she thought.”

“It can’t be that. She probably knows staying longer would be an inconvenience.”

“Probably. But tell me.”

Ejnar sharply asked.

“Do you also speak formally to your sibling?”

“…Ah.”

Elfreda’s face momentarily paled, but she quickly masked it with a smile.

“I’m still not fully accustomed to the Machi’s way.”

“If you find formal speech challenging, perhaps not using it at all is an option.”

He spoke firmly.

“You are the queen of Machi. Your actions reflect on me.”

Essentially, he was telling her to consider the weight of her actions. Elfreda nodded in acknowledgment.

“I’ll bear that in mind.”

Elfreda responded awkwardly. She was relieved that he didn’t probe any deeper.

In the meanwhile, Ejnar observed her for a moment before straightening his gaze. Oddly, a part of him felt a sense of unease. However, without any reason to feel that way, he brushed off the feeling.