I looked down at Eleanor, a soft smile spreading across my lips as she reluctantly assigned her rank among my wives. She had placed herself squarely in second, a position she claimed almost hesitantly, yet honestly.

In truth, I currently considered her equal in value to Asthenia.

Asthenia was definitely sulking over the fact that she had been designated merely as the Second Queen, rather than the main one. Or, perhaps, she was purposefully holding back exactly because she was not the Main Queen. Was she wary of me? Constantly wondering how I might react if she began making independent, authoritative decisions? It was highly probable. Asthenia was far too intelligent to repeat the mistake she had made back when she presumptuously sat upon the Queen’s throne.

She was probably confused by the sudden change in me and thus was playing it carefully.

Still, it would be a waste not to extract the very best from a woman of Asthenia’s caliber.

Setting those thoughts aside, I shifted my focus back to Eleanor, who suddenly looked as though she deeply regretted ever uttering her self-assessment aloud.

"Hm. So, you confidently place yourself above the Princess of Gardenia? Aren’t you quite the haughty woman, Eleanor?" I teased, raising a brow.

"Y—Your Majesty, please..." Eleanor fumbled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment as she tried to retract her logic.

I merely smiled.

"There is no need to feel ashamed of speaking the truth, Eleanor," I chuckled, holding her gaze.

She looked back at me, her green eyes wide and hesitant.

Stepping closer, I leaned in and gently pressed my lips against hers. Eleanor’s breath caught, and her trembling eyelids fluttered shut as she readily accepted the contact. I pulled back for a brief moment, savoring the warmth, before pressing in again for a tender, lingering kiss.

Slowly, the gentleness shifted into something far deeper and more possessive. My lips parted hers, exploring and tasting their amazing softness.

"Hm—hmmn~" Eleanor mumbled into the kiss, her yellow brows furrowing slightly as a deep, feverish flush consumed her face.

My hand rose to cup her cheek gently, holding her delicate face with care. The soft, wet sound of our lips meeting filled the quiet room as the kiss deepened. Eleanor’s hands, which had hung idle by her sides, slowly came up to press against my chest, as if she needed to anchor herself against the sudden, overwhelming wave of sensation crashing over her.

Her fingers curled tightly into the fabric of my tunic. She tilted her head further back, breathlessly receiving my kiss and even attempting, somewhat awkwardly, to reciprocate.

I felt a sudden, sharp spike of arousal surge through me. Raising my other arm, I reached around her waist to pull her flush against my body.

Click!

Right at that exact moment, the sound of the wooden door creaking open shattered the silence.

Eleanor instantly gasped and stepped backward, pulling her lips away from mine and tearing herself from my grasp.

I simply stood there, my hands still hovering in the empty air where her warmth and her face had been only a second prior, as Leilah stepped calmly into the room carrying our travel cases.

The masked woman stood perfectly still in the doorway, her head tilting a fraction of an inch as she quietly observed the two of us.

I kept my hand raised mid-air for a long second, watching Eleanor avert her flushed face. She quickly brought the back of her hand to her mouth, wiping her glistening lips as she fought a losing battle to hide her embarrassment.

"L—Leilah, thank you," she stuttered, her voice an octave higher than usual.

I finally let out an amused sigh, smiling quietly to myself as I lowered my empty hands to my sides.

Directly following the awkward interruption, I quietly exited the room, granting Eleanor and Leilah the privacy they required to change their clothes before sleeping.

Outside in the dim, creaking corridor, I stood waiting alongside Oliver and Mia.

"Mia, if you require a moment of privacy yourself, you may take this opportunity to step inside," I told her, noting her rigid posture. She was a woman as well, after all.

"I am perfectly fine, Your Majesty," she replied, her eyes fixed firmly straight ahead.

"That is an order, Mia," I said.

"U—Understood," she stuttered slightly. She turned and knocked lightly on the door. Once Eleanor realized it was Mia, she immediately permitted her entry, and the young knight quickly slipped inside.

A King truly always has the final say.

I smiled to myself at the thought, then slowly turned my gaze toward Oliver.

"It is quite remarkable that a brother and sister managed to enter the ranks of the Royal Guard together," I said.

"Mia is extraordinarily talented, Your Majesty. I assure you, there is nothing to be concerned about regarding her skill," Oliver responded swiftly, instantly jumping to his younger sister’s defense.

I let out a soft laugh, waving a dismissive hand.

"By all means, calm yourself. I never once doubted your capabilities or hers. If Arges personally selected you both, then I trust your skills implicitly," I assured him. "Though I must admit, you are both quite young. How old are you?"

"I am twenty-five, and Mia is twenty-two, Your Majesty," Oliver replied.

"Very young indeed," I said, nodding slowly.

Arges could have easily assigned me grizzled, battle-hardened veterans. Instead, he had entrusted my life to these two. Perhaps he was prioritizing absolute loyalty over years of experience when he made his selection. Given the current political climate in the Capital, that logic was entirely sound.

"I swear upon my honor, Your Majesty, I shall protect your life and the Lady Queen’s with my own," Oliver swore suddenly.. He clearly still suspected that I was quietly questioning their ability to protect us.

Naturally, age was not the definitive measure of a warrior’s worth, but experience was crucial, no matter how prodigious a knight’s talent might be, especially when tasked with escorting the King through hostile territory.

Roughly ten minutes later, the door swung open, and Mia finally emerged. She looked noticeably refreshed; her skin appeared brighter, and the tense exhaustion had lifted from her expression.

She truly was quite pretty, wasn’t she?

She could easily pass for a great model on Earth.

"Tell me, Mia, are you married?" I asked casually.

"Eh?" She blinked, raising a highly confused, bewildered gaze to meet mine.

"Are you engaged, then?" I asked, probing her.

"N—No, Your Majesty..."

"Your Majesty."

At that exact moment, the door pushed open wider, and Eleanor stepped into the frame, shooting me a stern gaze.

"You may enter now," she said flatly.

I chuckled under my breath and stepped past her into the room. I required far less time to prepare for bed than the women did; I merely unclasped my traveling coat, kicked off my boots, and climbed directly into the bed.

When the mattress let out a terrifying groan beneath my weight, I half-expected the wooden frame to shatter into splinters instantly. Thankfully, it held firm.

Adjusting the rather thin pillow beneath my head, I smiled as I looked over at Eleanor, who was now dressed in a simple, flowing white nightgown. Without the confines of her usual gowns or right now her traveling gown, and with her blond hair falling in soft, natural waves over her shoulders, she was phenomenally beautiful.

"Come here, Eleanor," I said, gently patting the empty space beside me.

She gave a stiff, jerky nod, walking slowly around to the far side of the bed before perching nervously on the very edge of the mattress.

Even though I had promised her that nothing was going to happen tonight, she was still paralyzed by the nerves of sharing a bed with a man for the very first time in her life.