Lust for the King’s Wife

Chapter 22: Two Men (2)

The queen said she could not give him to the princess.

Not that she couldn’t allow the princess to be given to him.

The nuance was subtle, but the difference was anything but trivial. Confusion quickly spread among the attendees, their whispers filling the chamber.

The only one who could silence them was the king with his stern command. However, it took him some time to make that decision.

“Quiet. This is far too noisy.”

“…”

“So… what exactly do you mean by that, my dear?”

The king’s tone was hesitant, reflecting his surprise at the unexpected situation. In stark contrast, Mirian’s expression remained as calm as ever.

“I don’t believe Your Majesty’s memory has grown so dull that you need me to repeat myself.”

“You must have forgotten during your time away, but this is not a place for cryptic riddles. If you’ve made a statement that causes confusion, you owe an explanation.”

“My words are plain, Your Majesty. I cannot give him to the princess.”

“Then…”

“To be more direct, I cannot allow the hero to marry the princess.”

Her blunt clarification caused the murmuring to swell once again. Once more, it fell to the king to restore order.

“It is a king’s duty to listen carefully to differing opinions. May I ask your reasoning?”

“The princess is still too young. It is neither the time nor the age to discuss marriage. She has only just returned from being abducted by a dragon.”

“I would say it’s the perfect time. This is an ideal opportunity to celebrate her return by giving our people more joyous news. Besides, she’s not that young anymore.”

“Marriage is indeed an occasion that should be blessed. But in the royal family, it often sows discord and occasionally even strife. You and I are living proof of that, Your Majesty.”

“…”

“And didn’t several noble families recently visit to propose the hero as a suitor for their daughters?”

Her sharp remark rendered the king speechless. Among the gathered nobles, a few seemed to squirm, their avoidance of eye contact suggesting guilty consciences.

Had his past deeds undermined his argument? The king’s response, as he sought a way to salvage his stance, could only return to one point.

“Yes, yes. Perhaps it is a little early. But we made a promise, didn’t we?”

“A promise, you say.”

“I vowed to grant anything to the one who rescued the princess.”

“Ah, yes. You did.”

“The promises of the royal family are weighty. Therefore, we must—”

“Yes, of course. You promised to grant him anything he desired, Your Majesty.”

Mirian’s faint smile appeared as she spoke, realizing the king had inadvertently cornered himself. Those with sharp memories likely understood what she meant.

Yet no one dared to point it out—until now. Without hesitation, she pressed the point.

“But as I recall, he did not ask for the princess.”

“…You…”

“Am I wrong?”

She delivered the statement as if tossing a casual observation, her tone devoid of emotion. 

This lack of sentiment made it all the more devastating, silencing the king instantly.

At this, the princess finally spoke. She had remained silent until now, but her voice carried a sharp, cold disdain from the time she’d spent holding back.

“Just until recently, you nodded along without a second thought, and now you interfere so suddenly, Your Majesty the Queen?”

“Princess.”

“Since when have you cared so much about my marriage?”

“My, your words have grown coarse in my absence.”

Mirian’s detached critique only seemed to fuel the princess’ anger. Her hands clenched the armrests tightly as she retorted.

“I am neither as young as you think nor foolish enough to have my marriage dictated by interference. And as for Alf, I know him better than anyone else in this world.”

“If the length of time lived could measure the depth of love, how wonderful that would be.”

“No matter how you phrase it, my feelings won’t change. I love Alf, and Alf loves me. We will become husband and wife with everyone’s blessing.”

“That is not something you can decide alone.”

“I can. I am the princess of this kingdom.”

Then I am the queen of this kingdom. It would have been an easy retort to make, and entirely justified. 

Yet Mirian chose not to escalate, instead maintaining her composure and allowing the princess to speak further.

And, as if to meet her unspoken expectations, the princess blurted out a remark she would soon regret.

“Besides, this marriage has already been decided. Everyone in the kingdom knows we’re getting married.”

“Decided, you say.”

“Yes. So no matter what you say, Your Majesty, you can’t stop it. It’s too late for that now.”

“Hmm…”

Mirian elongated the sound as if deep in thought, her expression inscrutable. Tilting her head slightly, she eventually replied.

“That’s strange. I don’t recall any public announcement of the princess’ engagement.”

“…”

“Oh, were you referring to this?”

Without warning, Mirian rose from her chair and strode toward me. Before anyone could react, she stood before me, placing a hand under my chin without hesitation.

And, before anyone could intervene, she tilted her head and pressed her lips to mine.

The shock of it sent gasps echoing through the chamber.

“Your Majesty the Queen!”

“What are you—”

“Ah…!”

“…!”

The voices came from all directions, overlapping in confusion. But their words barely registered in my ears, as her kiss had left me utterly dazed.

Her touch was nothing short of extraordinary—gentle yet insistent, as though savoring every moment. Even as she withdrew, she ran her tongue lightly across her lips, as if reluctant to let the sensation fade.

To ensure the act went unnoticed, she shielded it from view with one hand, but she only covered one side. The princess, standing nearby, saw it clearly. Her stunned gasp revealed her shock.

“What… are you doing?”

“I realized I hadn’t thanked him personally.”

“…”

“Thank you for saving the princess, hero.”

It was a hastily crafted excuse, yet one delivered so smoothly it felt almost credible. Her typically emotionless expression betrayed no sign of duplicity.

However well-dressed the lie, it was still deception. And Mirian made no attempt to hide this as she stepped closer once more.

“Or was my gesture too small a token of gratitude for saving the kingdom?”

“…”

“Perhaps another kiss would be more appropriate?”

“W-wait a moment!”

The princess leapt from her seat, placing herself between us. Her face no longer burned with anger but with bewilderment.

“What are you doing?”

“Expressing gratitude.”

“There’s no custom of that sort in the palace! You of all people should know this!”

“Among witches, there is. We grant wishes with our lips.”

Mirian whispered the last sentence so only the princess could hear. Then, stepping back, she raised her voice again.

“If a kiss can signify an engagement, then this, too, must be acknowledged. After all, it was done before the kingdom’s most important figures, which may give it even more weight.”

“You’re mocking me.”

“Not at all. I’m merely pointing out your mistake.”

“My mistake?”

“If you still don’t understand, then perhaps you are indeed too young to be married.”

Having successfully unsettled the princess, Mirian returned to her seat. This time, she addressed the king and the gathered nobles.

“As the queen of this kingdom, I cannot approve of the princess’ marriage. I’m not sure how much weight my opinion holds these days, but if the system is still intact, it should carry considerable influence.”

“…”

“Or have I been absent so long that my authority has completely disappeared? Is that the case, Your Majesty?”

“That’s not the case.”

“Then may we consider the princess’ marriage postponed?”

With a calm, composed tone, she pointed out only the facts. It was a stark contrast to the king, who often relied on passion and determination to enforce his will. As such, he hesitated for a long while, reluctant to respond.

After what felt like an eternity, the king finally opened his mouth.

“This is the first time you’ve shown such a deep involvement in the kingdom’s affairs.”

“This isn’t about the kingdom; it’s about the princess.”

“That’s the same thing. May I ask if there’s a particular reason behind this change?”

“You were the one who asked me to take an interest in the princess’ matters, Your Majesty.”

“That’s true. But you’re not one to change your stance so suddenly without a significant reason.”

The king’s gaze turned toward me. When I lifted my head to meet his eyes, his gentle voice echoed in the chamber.

“What does the hero think?”

“I am uncertain what specifically Your Majesty wishes to ask.”

“The marriage with the princess. It seems there’s considerable opposition. Would it be acceptable to postpone it for now?”

“If that is Your Majesty’s wish, I will comply.”

“I see.”

I gave the expected answer to the expected question. The king studied me for a moment before nodding.

“Then it is decided.”

“…”

“Any objections?”

There were none. Yet, the room was far from calm. Whispers rippled through the silence, a testament to the disquiet brewing beneath the surface.

By the time they left this chamber, countless rumors would undoubtedly spread. Amidst this tension, Mirian rose from her seat the moment the king’s declaration ended.

“I’ve said what I came to say. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

“So soon?”

“As you know, I’m not in the best health.”

“Ah. In that case, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

“May you remain in good health.”

With those final words, Mirian turned and strode toward the door. True to her character, her steps were resolute, without the slightest hesitation.

But as she passed by me, she paused briefly. Leaning slightly closer, she spoke in a whisper meant only for me to hear.

“The situation has already spiraled out of control, hero. You know that as well as I do.”

“…”

“No more of those lukewarm games. You won’t win me that way.”

Her subtle whisper coiled around my neck like a serpent’s body, soft yet suffocating. 

Her amethyst eyes, shimmering like dawn’s first light, glowed softly as she stood before me.

If touched, they seemed as though they would dissolve into delicate droplets, tracing a path down her cheeks. 

This thought made her next words, spoken with a hint of wistfulness, all the more striking.

“So if you truly desire me, dance for me. Dance a chaos that engulfs the entire kingdom.”