The Queen Who Deserves To Be Tainted - Chapter 15.1
As soon as Elfreda spotted the king, she felt a chill run through her entire body. Ejnar was staring straight at her. Her mind went blank, unable to think of what to do next, but she knew she needed to act immediately.
She quickly bowed her head and quickened her pace.
However, the sound of heavy footsteps followed her at a similar rhythm, reminiscent of a hunter tracking its prey.
Given his longer stride, he would catch up soon.
As the footsteps drew nearer, Elfreda felt as if her throat was tightening and involuntarily shut her eyes tight.
“Ah…”
Finally, he caught her wrist and spun her around to face him.
Elfreda looked up at him with a fearful expression. Ejnar narrowed his eyes at her, and a quiet, cold anger settled over his face, contrasting sharply with Serina’s more overt rage. Despite not leaving the confrontation unscathed, the embarrassment of the situation was unbearable.
Having to show herself in such a state again, Elfreda deeply bowed her head towards him in a despairing manner.
“…This is just.”
“….”
“A quarrel.”
“With Princess Serina?”
“…Yes.”
A suffocating silence came. Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Elfreda tried to explain further.
“It’s not just me who ended up like this. I slapped the Princess’s face first…”
She attempted to continue her explanation but couldn’t find the right words. Elfreda ended her attempt feebly.
“She’ll be reflecting on it, too.”
“…Ha.”
A cold smirk appeared on Ejnar’s lips.
“So, the Queen doesn’t even listen to a word I say.”
“…Yes?”
Right after, Elfreda asked, puzzled.
As he took off his jacket and handed it to her, Elfreda held the jacket without understanding why and stood still until suddenly.
“Kyaak!”
Ejnar swept her up in one arm. Surprised, she looked at him, but he, with a face without any warmth, just stared ahead and instructed her.
“Cover yourself up to the top.”
Only then did Elfreda understand and cautiously draped the jacket over her head to hide her injured face.
Within the space obscured by the jacket, she breathed with difficulty.
As she breathed, his body scent filled her senses, and she felt his warm body temperature through it. It was fragrant and warm.
Ironically, at that moment, Elfreda felt protected. It was a rare sense of peace she seldom experienced, almost making her cry. Eventually, tears started to drop one by one from her eyes, which were on the brink of crying.
She thought about how much worse she would look if she cried with a bruised face. Elfreda was thankful he couldn’t see her expression right now and bit her lip hard to keep from making any noise.
She knew she had to stop crying before he took the jacket off.
With that worry, Elfreda tried hard not to cry and quickly stopped them.
The darkness lifted, and light returned a moment later.
As Ejnar took off the jacket, his eyebrows furrowed at the sight of her face covered in red marks. The left cheek, hit twice in a few days, was a given, but the reddened eyes from crying and the bloodied lips, which were fine just moments ago, worsened his frown.
“Why are your lips like that again?”
“….”
Elfreda, unable to find an excuse, awkwardly moved her lips.
Ejnar chuckled. Did she think he wouldn’t notice the tear streaks on her cheeks? Her act of feigning innocence was cunningly cute.
He asked her with a cold face.
“What did I tell you?”
“….”
“You forgot already?”
There were many things he could have referred to, but in this moment, the answer was clear. Avoiding Ejnar’s gaze, she carefully spoke,
“Wherever, whenever…”
“Right.”
“Act like I am the spouse of the king.”
“And this is the result?”
Elfreda felt slightly intimidated by his interrogative tone.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
