I Became the Master of the Empress - Chapter 255



255 – 259

Theodora had the maids bring food.

But I couldn’t see, making it difficult to use the utensils.

“I’ll feed you.”

An incredibly delicious aroma stimulated my sense of smell.

“Ah, try it, ah.”

It felt strange as no one had ever fed me before.

“Um… just give it to my hand…”

“What if you spill it? Come on, ah?”

It was a bit embarrassing to be treated like a child, but she was right… how should I put it? It felt a little shy?

“Dear, my arm hurts.”

At her words, I raised the white flag.

“Ah…”

Food carefully entered my mouth.

I gently closed my lips, letting the food sit in my mouth.

“Is it good?”

“Um… um… yes, it’s good.”

As I said that, I heard Theodora’s soft voice.

“Hehe… Then please have a bite of the soup now.”

With that, she brought the food to my mouth.

Before I knew it, the meal was over…

From noble mtl dot com

“Uh? You have a bit of soup on your mouth. Just a moment.”

Since I can’t see, it seems something got on the corner of my lips.

– Smack.

“Uh?”

The sensation left on my lips… could that be from her mouth?

“The soup tastes good.”

Di… did we just kiss?

It feels strange to receive something I usually give.

“I’ll clean this up.”

With that, Theodora vanished somewhere.

I gaze at the spot where she was, gently touching where her lips had been.

It feels odd.

A little while later, Theodora returned.

“So, what time is it now?”

“It’s 10 PM. You must have slept well, so you’re not sleepy, right?”

“Yeah. I’m not sleepy.”

Since I had surgery around 12 o’clock, it seems I’ve slept for about 9 hours.

Maybe that’s why I don’t want to sleep more.

But since I can’t see, I wonder if I should just space out, doing nothing.

Theodora’s voice wraps around my ears.

“Then, shall I read you a book?”

“Uh?”

Is there a book worth reading here?

Thinking of that possibility, I stared at the spot where Theodora was likely to be.

“Is it not the novel your sister wrote?”

“Huh? No way, that kind of novel… Do you want to hear it? That’s a bit embarrassing…”

Theodora, flustered.

It must have just been my misunderstanding.

19+ ASMR here. And it’s the Emperor doing it…

I shook my head.

“No… isn’t there something a bit more interesting?”

“Just a moment. There was a book my mother recommended a long time ago.”

I can hear her footsteps as she says that.

It’s quite frustrating not being able to see.

Theodora seems to be heading towards the bookshelf in the newlywed room.

“What kind of story do you like? A tale of a brave knight? Or perhaps a romance? Or maybe a comedy or a tragedy?”

“Just anything? I don’t really read novels.”

Now that I think about it, besides the fairy tales from my childhood, I haven’t really heard of anything in this place.

Except for the adult stories I’ve seen before.

“Then… how about the Knight of Hope, Job?”

“The Knight of Hope?”

In this place, a knight’s nickname corresponds to their achievements.

But hope? What kind of story is that?

“Yes. It’s the true story of a great knight who protected the Babylonian Empire a long time ago.”

“I don’t know much about it.”

“Hehe… then I’ll read it to you. It’s quite interesting.”

She begins to tell the story of Job.

Job, born into a noble family of knights in Nicaea.

But his family fell on hard times, and his parents died of a plague.

Eventually, after his parents died, the treasured heirlooms that had been cherished by his family for generations were taken by moneylenders, and he found himself sitting on the streets.

Here, a knight’s armor is traded for quite a hefty sum.

In modern terms, perhaps the price of a mid-sized car… or maybe the value of a small estate?

He became a mercenary for the sake of his sister and younger sister.

At first, he started as a mercenary wielding a broken sword, a shield, and a spear.

When he found himself in danger, he fought against beasts, participated in wars, and worked hard to earn money.

There were times he almost died, but he never lost hope.

In a hellish environment, sacrificing himself for his family, he touched quite a bit of money in exchange for his life, but he spent all that money for his sister and younger sister.

Because of the reason of being the eldest, he could not get married, but his sisters were married off to respectable families.

Now, when his goal became to raise his own family and become a knight.

War broke out between the Babylonian Empire and the Kingdom of Nicaea.

“Uh? Doesn’t the Empire appear in that story?”

“No. It seems to be a story from before the establishment of the Empire.”

“How long has the Empire existed… If it’s before that…”

How many thousands of years ago is that?

“Well, I don’t know when it was either, just that it was a long time ago. Anyway, in the war, Job didn’t have to participate because he wasn’t a knight.”

Babylon has a long history and war experience, enough to be called an empire.

When our Empire didn’t exist, Nicaea was in a period of great cultural development.

You could say it was the hegemonic power of the continent at that time.

But even so, it must have been quite difficult to withstand the Babylonian Empire, which mobilized hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

In the end, Job faced fierce battles against the Babylonian Empire.

There, he met a noblewoman from Nicaea and fell in love.

“Is this a true story?”

The meeting of a noblewoman and a mercenary with nothing…

“Yes, it’s true. Anyway, listen more.”

Job, who saved the noblewoman captured by Babylon, fell in love with her at first sight.

A woman with luscious blonde hair and blue eyes.

Job traveled with her to send her back to her family, and they fell for each other.

And they established a physical relationship.

Although the noblewoman was the daughter of a lower noble, it was a distant dream for her to be with Job, who had no status.

Thus, Job headed to the battlefield to marry the woman he loved.

Becoming a knight would increase his chances of marrying her.

So he left, overcoming several life-threatening crises, and finally became a knight.

And thus, Job was appointed as a knight.

He said.

– I have never lost the light of hope even for a moment in the darkness of despair. I hope that light exists for everyone.

“Ah? So that’s why he’s the Knight of Hope?”

“Yes. That’s right. No matter how difficult and despairing the situation, the lesson is that if you don’t lose hope and do your best, it will come true.”

I nodded at her words.

“Indeed, despair without hope is truly no different from hell.”

I somewhat agreed with that lesson.

I had suffered quite a bit under Valoran as well.

Back then, I did not lose hope.

No, it might not have been hope but rather revenge…

“But what time is it now? Isn’t it too late?”

At my words, Theodora replied in surprise.

“Oh? It’s already 3 o’clock. Aren’t you sleepy yet?”

“I’m not extremely sleepy, but you should just go to sleep! You have work tomorrow.”

Currently, the empire’s administration runs on three pillars.

The Grand Duke’s Office, the Chancellor’s Office, and the Emperor.

If one of these pillars falters, the remaining two will inevitably bear the burden.

“Hehe… then I’ll sleep next to you.”

Saying that, she moved closer to me.

She wrapped her arms around me.

“Hmm…”

“What are you doing?”

“When I smell you, I feel at ease.”

“Really?”

I tried to smell my own body at her words, but there was no scent, so I asked.

“I don’t smell anything.”

“Really? I smell something very cozy from you.”

– Sniff sniff.

As I felt her breathing in the scent around my neck, it felt different than usual.

Was it because it was late at night? Or was it because we hadn’t intertwined our bodies today like we usually did?

Her rosemary scent felt stronger than usual.

“See? It smells really good. Like this…”

– Lick.

I was startled by the unfamiliar sensation on my neck.

“Ugh…”

“Hehe… Still, you had a tough time with the surgery today. Just bear with it for today.”

– Peck!

Thus, the day of the surgery passed.

*

– Tweet tweet.

I woke up to the sound of chirping birds.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Hmm… How did you know I was awake?”

“You were moving around a lot.”

– Peck.

“Hehe… Since it’s morning, I guess I should wash up?”

Why does the thought of washing up feel so unsettling?

“Um… Can I wash up with the bandage on?”

When I mentioned the possibility of water getting on the bandage, Theodora spoke in a reassuring tone.

“You don’t have to worry. Just make sure it doesn’t get in your eyes.”

Well… thinking about not being able to wash my hair for a few days makes me feel uneasy.

“Here, give me your hand.”

I took her soft hand and slowly walked toward the bathroom.

“I need to wash up too… Is it okay if I wash up with you?”

“Uh…? Um… Yeah…”

I guess it’s fine since I can’t see anyway.

“Gulp…”

“Pfft… Did you just swallow? Pervert…”

“Ah… No, I didn’t? I can’t see, you know? What do you mean?”

As I said this, she started to undress me.

“Alright. Now let’s get into the tub.”

– Squeak… Splash…

In that moment, water touched my chest.

And Theodora’s voice followed.

“How’s the water?”

She said, sprinkling water on my chest.

“It seems just right, doesn’t it?”

“Really?”

“Hmm… it feels perfect.”

And thus, the bath with her began.

“Hehe… I didn’t expect to bathe together like this with you.”

“Right… but somehow, I feel like I’m the only one embarrassed.”

I’m completely exposed, yet she isn’t.

Moreover, isn’t it supposed to be bright here, unlike at night?

Compared to just a single night light being on, the mood feels strange.

Theodora laughed and said.

“Pfft… then let’s wash together again after I unwrap the bandages later.”