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Chapter 5 – Part 2

As the Emperor spoke in a cold tone, Amelia’s heart sank. With anger seething behind his gaze, the Emperor said towards Amelia.

“Please wait.”

“Yes.”

Having given an answer, she was led by the Saintess. Those who did not hear the whole conversation looked at Amelia and the Saintess alternately with puzzled expressions. After taking in a sudden breath, she sighed nervously and sat among the high priests. The high priests were glancing sideways at her.

“Don’t be so nervous.”

The Saintess smiled softly and said. But she was not at all comfortable with her consideration. The Saintess observed Amelia’s expression.

“Why? Are you offended that His Majesty won’t let you participate?”

Amelia shook her head at that question. She couldn’t be honest about how she felt.

“I think I have troubled His Majesty.”

Hearing those words, the Saintess smiled at her.

“No, Miss Laszlo. If you were originally appointed as the Empress, it would be right for you to participate in the ceremony. It is not strange that Miss Amelia is here now.”

“…….”

“Besides, we can only thank Miss Amelia because you respected the temple and wanted to participate.”

At the words of the Saintess, Amelia finally felt at ease a little. However, the firm expression that the Emperor had as he looked at her still bothered her heart. The Emperor stood once more in front of the fountain and undressed. The priests reached out and retrieved his clothes.

Before she knew it, the Emperor was wearing a pure white silk robe. He looked around and, without hesitation, walked towards the fountain of holy water. Entering the water rising to his waist, he turned around to face the audience.

“In the name of God, I atone for the sins of all who were born here.”

After declaring this with a loud voice, he walked to the fountain where holy water flowed and drenched his body. His black hair became shiny, and the baggy clothes were also wet and stuck to his body. Then, a solid body with tight muscles was revealed. He was beautiful, as if he was not of this world, receiving the light of the holy water shining blue.

All the people watched as the young Emperor took on all the sins of the world and made atonement for them. The golden eyes reflecting the waves were absolutely beautiful. The women gulped as they watched, and even the Saintess was captivated for a moment.

Amelia was enraptured as well. Then, suddenly, Amelia looked at the others. People who were of higher stature than her were also attracted to the Emperor. She watched them and clutched the hem of her skirt.

For an hour, he recited the temple prayers and performed the ceremony. Seeing his beautiful face, Amelia’s heart raced.

“God’s mercy and love will come upon us, and God has forgiven us of all our sins.”

After all the prayers were finished, the Saintess and the high priests spoke in unison, announcing the end of the ordinance of atonement. Then people closed their eyes and began to pray, clasping their hands together and exhaling as though their breathing had been blocked.

Amelia looked at the Emperor’s face, not putting her hands together. Then, the Emperor turned to look at Amelia.

Amelia averted her gaze.

Now left alone in the chamber of atonement after all the nobles and priests had all left, the Emperor spoke to Amelia.

“You haven’t left yet.”

“That’s… because Your Majesty told me to wait.”

At Amelia’s words, the Emperor laughed. Was it a sarcastic laugh? She didn’t know. Amelia bowed her head like a sinner.

“Raise your head.”

At that, Amelia raised her head. In her eyes, she could see the pale figure of the Emperor covered in cold water.

“Your Majesty, you have to warm up your body…”

“I will take care of it.”

“…….”

Seeing the dripping water, Amelia lowered her head again with a dreadful expression on her face. It was a cold rejection from him.

“Follow me.”

Amelia followed the Emperor. His body was still wet, dripping with every step he took. As she entered his chambers, the Emperor glanced at her and headed for the nearby bathroom. Did he mean for her to wait here, or did he mean for her to follow? Amelia asked the servant carefully.

“Should I go in?”

Her expression told Amelia that she didn’t know either. It was true that the Emperor told her once to follow him, and he never told her to wait here. And how should she interpret him looking at Amelia before entering? The servant said cautiously.

“I think it would be better to follow His Majesty’s orders to the end.”

Amelia nodded. She entered the bathroom cautiously. The Emperor’s bathroom felt humid and warm as if there was warm water. Her vision was blurred by the misty vapor rising from the water.

“Your Majesty?”

“Amelia?”

Amelia turned to the direction where the Emperor’s voice came from. However, the marble floor was wet from the Emperor’s clothes, and she was wearing shoes, so her steps were unsteady. Eventually, her body faltered.

The sound of splashing water was heard, and at the same time, Amelia felt his arms around her. When she came to her senses, she was already in the Emperor’s embrace.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“No, no.”

The Emperor asked with a serious expression. It was the same Emperor as before, infinitely sweet and warm to her.

Amelia had a puzzled expression on her face. Then she found that her own body was a little wet. She thought it was strange, and as she glanced towards the Emperor as he embraced her, it was clear that he had been sitting in the bath and he stood back up just to catch her. Startled, she looked at the Emperor. He was naked. She was taken aback by the sudden appearance of his naked body.

“Your, Your Majesty.”

She was hugged by the Emperor’s naked body. Normally, a man’s nakedness was fine, but somehow she was concerned. Amelia struggled to hold her balance and stand up.

“Your Majesty, it’s okay. Let me go!”

“Amelia, if you move like that…”

“No, I mean!”

But the more Amelia struggled to keep herself upright, the more her foothold became slippery. The sudden movement also made the Emperor unbalanced.

Splash!

Eventually, she slipped into the bath. Hot water soaked her whole body. Fortunately, the Emperor caught her, so she didn’t drown.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

“Amelia, why are you acting like that in the bathroom?”

“Sorry. I’m sorry, Your Majesty!”

Amelia shouted, hurriedly, her face blushing red. The Emperor sat down in the bath. Amelia didn’t know what to do. She looked at the Emperor, then realized again that he was naked, and couldn’t find a place to rest her eyes. She decided to just cover her face with her hands. Then the Emperor began to burst into laughter.

“Stop being funny. Amelia, calm down. I didn’t know you would follow me all the way here when I asked you to follow me.”

“I’m sorry.”

At the sound of the Emperor’s laughter, she glanced and raised her head. The Emperor had a soft expression on his face.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you mad at me?”

“Yes, I am mad.”

“I apologize for being arrogant. I’m not even an Empress yet, but…”

“Amelia. You’re already my Empress. If you had participated in the ordinance of atonement with that thought in mind, then I might not have been upset.”

“Then…”

The Emperor stroked Amelia’s head. Then, he sat up and looked into her eyes.

“Amelia, you think that you’re a sinner.”

“…….”

“You have no sin to atone for, so what atonement should you make?”

It was so unexpected that, for a moment, Amelia forgot her disheveled appearance and the fact that the Emperor was naked in front of her. She could only stare blankly at his face.

“I am a sinner, but Amelia is not. You have nothing to atone for. Nothing.”

“…….”

“Atonement in front of others? I don’t want you to do that.”

Amelia bit her lips tightly. The Emperor had been telling her that she was innocent of her sins for a long time. These were the words that even her biological father, who loved her, could not tell her. Her heart started pounding. She had become like this after all. She bit her lip.

“…….”

“And I hate to see Amelia standing in front of other people like this.”

At her Emperor’s words, Amelia looked down at her clothes. Her dress was quite thick and heavy, and it wasn’t see-through. But it clung to her body.

“Just the thought of them going into heat when they see you like this…”

The Emperor gritted his teeth and muttered in a gloomy tone. Amelia looked up at him sullenly. A firm body felt over the wet collar. Amelia remembered her dream earlier this morning, about the time when she was held by a man and struggled with the pleasure. To be honest, she used her body back then only to survive.

It hadn’t been long since she met the Emperor. Nevertheless, Amelia began to like him. So she wanted to give it a try.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes?”

“Take off my dress… Please.”

“…….”

Can she hold this man?

At Amelia’s words, the Emperor remained silent for a long time. A warm, moist air clung to her face. As it got harder to breathe, she said again.

“My dress is wet and it’s too heavy to move. Your Majesty, please take off my dress.”

“…….”

The Emperor made a subtle expression. He seemed confused. Amelia said with a dazed expression on her face.

“I can’t reach my back. Or would you like the maids? But since His Majesty’s body is exposed, that’s also not possible.”

“…….”

“Can’t you?”