Medea slammed the book closed and came to bed.

Lyle had planned that if she had insisted on sleeping on the sofa, he would have carried her; however, she didn’t have that intention.

However, since it was the Emperor’s bed, the bed was so expansive that if two people lay down on the ends, they couldn’t touch each other, even if they stretched their arms out.

Medea observed where Lyle was and laid down on the opposite end. There was a heavy silence.

Lyle, who had only thought of holding Medea in his arms all day, was nervous and despondent: I know you’re angry, but…… as expected, I want to sleep with Medea in my arms.

He waited and wondered if she fell asleep as the sound of her breathing slowed and paced itself smoothly. Lyle crept next to Medea. Then he quietly held Medea in his arms.

“Ugh!”

At that moment, Medea opened her eyes and bit Lyle’s arm.

Lyle was surprised, pulled away, shocked.

“Medea! Did you just bite me?”

“Then should I kick your majesty?”

Even in the blurry darkness, her glare was sharp and livid.

Lyle was bewildered and faced Medea.

“Are you out of your mind? You bit the Emperor!”

“So how should I protect myself? Your Majesty is only concerned with your own wants, and completely ignores my will!”

“Medea!”

“What! It’s my body! If I don’t allow it, it’s only right that no one can touch me! The reason you have held me is because I thought you were good enough— not because you are the Emperor! So now I don’t want to—so NO!”

Medea screamed, turning her body away and covered her whole body, including her head with the blanket.

Lyle was completely taken aback and utterly shocked.

“Wha- what?”

Lyle was trying to wrap his mind around how absurd ‘because I thought you were good enough’ was…. He should be furious but was strangely feeling better.

‘Damn it, damn it!’

Lyle stared at Medea’s back and couldn’t even think about getting angry.

When she sleeps……

However, Lyle was more persistent than Medea, who was filled with anger. After some time, Medea geniunely fell asleep, breathing steadily, murmuring some sleeping talking gibberish while the blanket fell off her a little.

“Haa…[sigh sfx]”

Lyle was going crazy. He couldn’t touch her even if she was right next to him.

When he couldn’t see her, it felt so unfair, so he would sneak into Medea’s bedroom to watch her sleep. But it didn’t matter that she was in his room; he still couldn’t touch her. His throat felt stuffed and burned to the brim.

When they had gone to bed together, Medea would fall asleep in Lyle’s arms as he hugged her tightly.

Now when he slept alone, he hugged a blanket or pillow.

‘I think I’ve developed a sleeping habit now that I have to hug something.’

Now Lyle was attempting to sleep, holding a blanket tightly. It was awhile since the weather was hot, but it was getting chilly in the last few days……

After a long deliberation, Lyle gently pulled the blanket away that was in Medea’s arms.

Since she was sleeping, it slipped away easily.

As if she was sleeping deeply, she couldn’t detect any subtle movements and only inhaled and exhaled.

‘A little more……’

Lyle was worried about her waking up feeling cool but planned on covering her up again later. He finally gently pulled all of the blankets and pushed them aside.

“Uhngh… .”

Maybe because it was cool, Medea shank and curled into herself. Lyle almost burst with laughter because of her cute expression, pressing his mouth together, holding back.

Medea tossed and turned and then turned in the direction of Lyle’s body. Even though she barely turned his body, the flesh touched through the hem. Medea, seeking his warmth, penetrated into Lyle’s arms in her sleep.

Lyle silently shouted joyfully, covering Medea and himself with a blanket. Then he hugged Medea tightly over the blanket.

It was a satisfying night.

***

“Slap!”

A hand attached to a shocked Medea hit Lyle’s cheek. As if she had struck him on impulse, Medea’s eyes widened in surprise, becoming huge.

Lyle, who had woken up first and had been watching her sleep, was half resentful and half angry.

“… What are you doing, Empress?”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you.”

Medea stared at Lyle in astonishment as he held her wrist after she had struck him. He had been watching her sleep in his arms, which was why Lyle couldn’t instantly defend himself from Medea’s hand.

“You dug into my arms while you were sleeping. I didn’t embrace you first.”

Medea cried at Lyle’s confident excuse:

“Then you can push me away! And what’s with your hand on my waist!”

“You came first to my arms; why should I push you away?”

“Because I hate it!”

“You slept pretty well with your face stuck to my chest for a person who hates it.”

He responded calmly, but Medea’s words of dislike made Lyle’s heart tingle. Medea glared at Lyle with a resentful face.

“It won’t happen again!”

“Next time I’ll take it as a sign of permission.”

Lyle’s blatant words of desire left Medea speechless.

Lyle, feeling the urge to kiss her for a moment, glanced at her.

Furious, Medea broke out from his grip and slapped away Lyle’s hand and arm, hugging her waist.

“Now I woke up, so let me go!”

Lyle was tempted not to let go until he kissed her but instead, he gently lifted the arm she hit.

He couldn’t even touch her. He just hugged her and slept.

It was unfair.

* * *

***