CHAPTER 12…….
. Three hours should be enough, right?
After the chaotic wedding ended, I suddenly found myself in the bridal chamber, the Eastern Palace bedroom.
The Eastern Palace was mainly where King Mikrok resided. It contained not only his bedroom, but also a study, lounge, office, official audience chamber, and even a formal banquet hall.
I was told I would live in the Southern Palace, also known as the Queen’s Palace. But with the Eastern Palace already so complete, would he ever bother to visit the Queen’s Palace?
Wait… am I disappointed by that?
Shaking off the unfamiliar feeling, I looked around. The bridal chamber, they said, was the very bedroom King Mikrok usually used.
The wide bed was neatly made with refined, luxurious bedding, and the room was filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance.
On the bedside table sat fine champagne and fresh fruit, and just past the arched door was a small adjoining parlor.
As I gazed at the bed, his passionate kiss from earlier came to mind, and heat suddenly rushed to my face.
Feeling my body grow heavy, I sat at the edge of the bed, waiting for Mikrok.
It was uncomfortable to keep wearing the wedding dress, but taking it off by myself also felt strange.
On the wedding night, the husband was supposed to undress the bride—so I should wait, right?
My eyes wandered to the armor and helmet placed by the arched doorway. The polished sword, gleaming helmet, and armor looked far too out of place in a bridal chamber.
I stepped closer to inspect them, but just then the door burst open after a knock, and Millie hurried inside.
“Lady Lea—no, Your Majesty the Queen! Have you heard?”
“Heard what?”
“His Majesty Mikrok and the knights are leaving for campaign immediately!”
“I already know. I thought he’d probably leave at dawn.”
I nodded, pretending I was already aware, but Millie shook her head angrily.
“No! He’s departing right now—without even consummating the marriage!!”
“What? Really?”
“Yes! You know well what happens in Harren if a bride fails to consummate her marriage, don’t you?”
Of course I knew. A bride who failed the wedding night was scorned, dismissed, and treated as less than human.
“They say this campaign will take at least four months. What if the rumor reaches Harren? Worse, what if it reaches the Marquisate of Uzcal…!”
My heart lurched. I hadn’t even thought of that! If rumors spread that I was abandoned on my wedding night, the Marchioness and my sister Hailey would rejoice with glee.
“Look at her, flaunting herself as queen. The Marquisate’s disgrace has now become Fritan’s disgrace!”
I could already hear their scornful laughter ringing in my ears. No, never—such humiliation must not happen. I bit my lip until I tasted blood.
“Millie, I will have my wedding night, no matter what!”
“Do you have a plan?”
“I’ll convince him—even if I have to cling to his legs and beg.”
Seeing my firm resolve, Millie nodded solemnly and left the room.
Left alone, I anxiously paced back and forth.
What do I do? What can I say to keep him in this room even for a while??
Could I, of all people, possibly delay a campaign that had been planned for ages? The more I thought, the more desperate I felt.
“Ugh… this is driving me crazy!”
“That would be a problem.”
Startled by the sudden voice, I turned. Mikrok stood there, his ceremonial jacket slightly unbuttoned, lips curved in a faint smile.
At the wedding, he had exuded a cool, commanding charisma. But now, with just two buttons undone, the atmosphere around him had shifted—dark, sensual, almost decadent.
Seeing those red lips curved in a smile brought back the memory of his deep kiss, but I quickly shook it off. That wasn’t the issue now.
“You’re leaving right now?”
“Yes. I had planned to leave after dinner, but things were delayed.”
He scratched his forehead with long fingers, then added,
“I wanted to dine with you, but I’m sorry—I’ll be leaving soon. So please, wash up, eat, and rest well. You’ve had a long day.”
“Dinner? That’s what you’re worried about right now?”
His calm tone about food made me snap.
“Then is there some other problem?”
Looking puzzled, he slowly unbuttoned the rest of his jacket.
Gulp.
Damn it. Of all times, I swallowed hard watching him undress.
I wasn’t thinking of that—but what if he misunderstood? I quickly checked his reaction.
Luckily, he didn’t seem to notice. He simply draped his jacket over a chair and reached for his armor.
“No!!”
I darted forward and stood in front of the armor, clutching his helmet tightly against my chest.
He crossed his arms at his waist, tilting his head as he looked down at me.
“And what exactly is this supposed to be?”
“You can’t leave. You must stay here at least three hours—no, at least one hour! You cannot walk out of this chamber yet.”
“And why is that?”
I hugged the helmet tighter. I had to say it—no matter how embarrassing.
“Because until we consummate the marriage, you cannot leave this room!”
“What?”
His dark-blue eyes widened, shock and confusion flickering within them.
Yes, of course he’d be startled. But I couldn’t yield on this.
“You have to stay at least an hour. If word spreads to the Uzcal Marquisate that I was abandoned on my wedding night, I… I…”
Breath came ragged as I spoke, my face burning with shame.
“Truly…”
Seeing me tremble with frustration, he looked at me strangely and then asked slowly,
“Do you truly… wish to consummate with me?”
“…Excuse me?”
Oh no—I’d been so caught up in my own panic that I hadn’t explained properly!
“I didn’t mean it literally! I do have some conscience!”
I flailed my hands to clear the misunderstanding, but his confusion only deepened.
Meanwhile, Mikrok had been distracted all day since the wedding began.
Standing beside him in her wedding dress, Lea had drawn his gaze again and again, until it was hard to look straight ahead. The urge to rip that dress off her right away was overwhelming.
Of course, he couldn’t disgrace her during the ceremony. He had restrained himself… until the priest pronounced them husband and wife.
“By the authority vested in me by the Holy Goddess Vestea, I declare the marriage of King Mikrok of Fritan and Queen Lea of Fritan complete.”
Lea Fritan. His wife.
Traditionally, the groom kissed the bride here. He calmly pressed his lips to hers.
But the moment he touched her lips, something snapped inside him. He hadn’t planned to kiss her so deeply in front of the priest, but desire consumed him. He wanted more—deeper, longer, harder.
Her soft lips were irresistible. He pried them open, tasting every corner, savoring her sweetness.
It was intoxicating. So this is what kissing is meant to be.
He recalled his parents’ affection. His father was notorious for kissing his mother at every chance, regardless of who was watching. At five years old, Mikrok himself had once been chased away from their bedroom after only five minutes. Peeking back, he had seen his father devouring his mother’s lips. It had shocked him then—now he understood perfectly.
After the wedding, Mikrok’s resolve strengthened.
“William! We ride at once, sweep them all, and return like the wind! Prepare the troops for immediate departure!”
He had meant to leave quickly, don his armor, and depart—so he could return to her sooner.
But there she was, hugging his helmet, shouting furiously:
“Don’t even think of running off to war without consummating our marriage! If word reaches the Uzcal Marquisate that I was abandoned on my wedding night, I’ll… I’ll…”
In that instant, he wished she were clutching his head to her chest instead of the helmet. Insanity!
Seeing her flushed and trembling, he asked cautiously,
“Do you truly wish to consummate with me?”
“Who said that? I have some conscience, you know!”
He had asked with eager expectation, only to be struck down with a completely unexpected reply.
“What??”
His eyebrows shot up. Did she want it, or not?
“I wouldn’t demand something so shameless of a husband about to go to war,” she murmured, hugging the helmet tighter.
“…Shamelessness wouldn’t bother me. So then, what exactly do you want from me?”
“Just stay here for an hour. That’s all I ask. Stay long enough that the palace servants believe we consummated. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“Of course! If not, everyone in Fritan will treat me like a scarecrow queen.”
Mikrok scoffed.
“If anyone dares mock you in my castle, just tell me. I’ll tear their mouths apart in front of you.”
“No! Please don’t.”
Lea shook her head frantically. At times like this, he was every bit the tyrant.
“Just… give me a little of your time.”
Mikrok sighed lightly.
“One hour will do?”
“Three hours would be even better… but no, even one hour is fine.”
He tugged the bellcord by the bed. Millie rushed in at once.
“You called, Your Majesty?”
“Tell William—the departure is delayed three hours.”
“Y-yes, right away!”
“And prepare dinner in the adjoining parlor.”
“At once, Your Majesty!”
Barely containing her joy, Millie dashed away.
Mikrok had never before yielded to desire over reason, but seeing Lea, begging him to stay in her own shy way, made him feel like a fool for even considering postponing the wedding night.
Of course, she clearly had some other scheme instead of actual consummation—but it was already too late. She had no idea what kind of beast she had awakened.
The moment he accepted desire, a fierce hunger surged within him.
She had asked only an hour, but he had delayed three.
Three hours should be enough, right?
