Chapter 30
After losing his memory, Kartian held a nobles’ meeting for the first time. Even though he had lost his memory, he still had his awareness as Emperor, so he was able to run the meeting smoothly.
What bothered him, however, was the topic of “sharing a bed” that came up during the meeting.
Since Duke Seronian was banned from entering the Imperial Palace, he couldn’t attend, but many nobles loyal to him were present. Kartian couldn’t ban all of them from attending.
The discussion about the bed-sharing had come from them, the Duke’s followers.
When the nobles brought it up, Kartian firmly cut them off.
Still, he knew they wouldn’t back down easily, so his expression twisted with displeasure.
Lia wasn’t ready yet, and he himself didn’t want to proceed.
Although part of him wanted to be with her, he didn’t want to force something she didn’t want.
For Kartian, what mattered most wasn’t the act itself, but winning her heart. Still, they couldn’t postpone it forever.
Carrying the heir—the next Emperor—was the Empress’s basic duty, and sharing a bed was necessary for that. Delaying it could destabilize the Empress’s position, and any neglect could spark controversy over her seat.
Even if he planned to prevent such problems as much as possible, he would have to give in at some point.
That’s why he needed a plan.
A plan to quiet all the talk.
Annoyed, Kartian headed toward Lia’s office.
If she was working, he would leave quietly, but he wanted to see her face for a moment. Maybe it would ease his irritation from the nobles’ meeting.
When he opened the door quietly, Lia was indeed busy with her work.
His eyes fell on the desserts and tea on her desk—items he had asked the palace chef to specially prepare.
Did she like it?
Even though he hadn’t prepared it himself, he cared about her reaction. He had told the chef to make it carefully for the Empress, but he didn’t know how it would turn out.
He wanted to ask her, but now wasn’t the right time—she was working.
Just as Kartian was about to leave quietly,
“You’re here?”
Lia finally noticed him and looked up.
“Ah. Yes.”
He answered calmly, watching her reaction.
“Then let’s eat the dessert together. There’s too much for one person.”
Even though Lia spoke casually, Kartian subtly watched her.
“Am I… disturbing you?”
“Not really. People can’t work all the time.”
Still, after finishing so much work yesterday, her workload had decreased.
Hesitating, Kartian finally sat down. Lia placed tea and desserts in front of him and sat across from him.
“I’ll get some more tea.”
Before Lia could say anything, the maid quickly left the room.
“The new maid?”
“She’s my personal maid, apparently.”
“Do you like her?”
“It’s her first day, so I’m not sure yet. But judging by now, she seems fine.”
Lia casually picked up a cookie. Kartian’s eyes followed her movement, looking expectant.
“Are you staring because you want one?”
“No. I just…”
“It’s delicious. I’ll eat it with thanks.”
“Mm-hm.”
Kartian smiled in relief.
“You should have some tea too.”
“Ah.”
Kartian hesitated for a moment.
“Don’t you like it?”
“No…”
He didn’t dislike it, but he didn’t like it either. The cookies were made sweet to suit Lia’s taste, and Kartian wasn’t fond of sweets.
“Hmm.”
Seeing his vague reaction, Lia murmured quietly.
He doesn’t dislike it, but he doesn’t like it either.
She didn’t insist; she only offered it briefly since there was too much for her to eat alone.
Even so, Kartian flinched slightly, still watching her.
“No need to watch me. I’m not upset.”
Lia, reading him perfectly, said this. There was nothing about the situation that could make her upset.
Kartian always paid a lot of attention to her reactions. Lia knew why, but he didn’t really need to be so careful.
“Fine. I’ll try it.”
Though she said it was okay, he couldn’t refuse when she offered it, so he picked up a less sweet cookie. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to eat it immediately.
Lia stared at him. Under her gaze, Kartian closed his eyes tightly and took a bite.
Lia smirked.
It wasn’t poison or anything dangerous—he didn’t have to eat it—but he chewed with such a reluctant expression that she couldn’t help laughing.
“So? How is it?”
She asked, but she already knew his answer from his face.
“Too… sweet.”
He couldn’t hide it and frowned.
“It was just right for me.”
Unable to resist, Lia ate another cookie.
Kartian watched in amazement. Just one bite was already too sweet for him.
“Why?”
Lia looked at him curiously.
“You’re impressive, Lia.”
Kartian said admiringly.
Lia gave a deadpan look. Admiring her for eating one cookie?
“It’s too sweet for me.”
He shook his head, clearly unable to eat more. His scrunched-up expression showed how much he disliked it.
Seeing this, Lia felt a small urge to tease him. She didn’t usually force people to eat what they disliked, but his reaction was so clear she wanted to test him.
“Tian.”
“Hmm?”
Kartian’s face twisted from the lingering sweetness, then he looked at her.
“Here.”
Lia offered him a cookie. He looked at it uncertainly.
“Uh… you want me to eat this?”
“If you don’t want it, it’s fine.”
She spoke as if it didn’t matter. She was teasing him, but she wouldn’t force him. Yet Kartian couldn’t refuse.
It’s a cookie from Lia. She’s offering it herself.
Hesitant, he finally took the cookie she offered and ate it.
“Hmm?”
Lia had expected him to take it by hand, so she looked surprised.
Before she could react, Kartian smiled brightly.
“It’s delicious.”
“But you said it was too sweet before?”
“This one isn’t.”
It was the same cookie, but somehow the one Lia gave didn’t taste too sweet. Or rather, it wasn’t unpleasant.
“That’s strange.”
Lia shrugged lightly.
Not exactly the reaction she wanted, but… well, it doesn’t matter.
She ate another cookie, and Kartian’s gaze followed her.
There was a look of expectation in his eyes, as if asking for more.
Lia ignored him completely.
If he wanted more, he could take it himself—why look at her that way?
Kartian’s disappointment was obvious. His shoulders slumped, eyes half-closed.
But the disappointment didn’t last. As much as he wished, he couldn’t ask her for more. There was something more important.
“Lia, I have something to say.”
“Something to say?”
“Yes. It’s… about us sharing a bed.”
Kartian carefully spoke while gauging her reaction.
The moment he said it, Lia’s expression twisted completely.
Sharing a bed? Absolutely not.
She didn’t want the act itself, nor the consequences it could bring. Worst-case, if she became pregnant, she would be trapped in the palace.
Seeing her reaction, Kartian flinched. He had expected it, but seeing it firsthand hit harder.
However, he wasn’t actually proposing it. He had a plan.
“At today’s nobles’ meeting, the bed-sharing topic came up…”
“So?”
Lia’s tone was sharp.
“I feel we can’t postpone it forever… so we might have to…”
“So you want to do it?”
“No… that’s not it.”
“Really?”
He said it might need to happen but insisted he wasn’t suggesting it. Lia frowned, confused.
“I thought… maybe we could pretend.”
If no one actually saw them, no one would know. They only needed to make it look convincing.
“Pretend how?”
“I’ll do it alone. Just make it look like it happened…”
Kartian said cautiously, watching her. Lia didn’t like the idea.
She hated anyone invading her space. She also slept poorly when someone was nearby.
“Nothing else?”
“Even if we postpone, they’ll keep talking.”
She couldn’t refuse forever. It was the Emperor and Empress’s duty.
But for Lia, delaying it as long as possible was ideal. Preferably until she returned to her world.
“Considering the situation, maybe it’s better if Tian isn’t Emperor.”
Since the Emperor couldn’t easily avoid it, Lia spoke coldly. Kartian’s shoulders drooped, looking pitiful.
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
Pretending to share a bed was annoying, but it couldn’t be helped. Kartian hadn’t truly wanted it either—it was because the nobles kept bringing it up.
Lia sighed.
“Mm.”
“Then… when?”
“When… do you think is best?”
“I don’t know.”
She didn’t care about the timing, as long as it wasn’t before she left.
“Maybe a week from now?”
Even if they weren’t actually doing it, some preparation time was needed.
“Fine.”
A year later would have been better, but it would have to do.
Lia frowned.
“…Sorry I couldn’t stop this again. Forcing you to do something you dislike.”
Kartian’s face was gloomy.
“It’s fine. You didn’t bring this up first anyway.”
The problem is those nobles. Or maybe that Duke of his father or something.
That explained the letter she had received earlier.
The only relief was that it was just pretending—not real. If Kartian had truly proposed it, she would have avoided it by any means.
“Once we do this, things should be quiet for a while. No more talk.”
“Let’s hope so.”
Lia firmly refused for the same situation to repeat. Kartian just nodded gloomily.
Later, the maid brought the tea, but the atmosphere between Lia and Kartian remained tense.
