The sunlight slipping through the curtains wasnât enough to brighten the room, but one ray was shining over Seraâs face.
As the bright illumination poured down on her, Sera couldnât help but scrunch her eyes and soon open them.
For as much as she was tired out yesterday, her body was so stiff. She then stretched out her arms, but as she did, she saw the unfamiliar landscape in front of her. This wasnât her room.
âNow that I think about it, I donât remember riding a carriage.â
While waiting for a carriage in His Majestyâs office in the wee hours of the morning, she remembered drinking tea. It was only then that Sera realized she wasnât in her house.
She looked at the clock and saw it was ten in the morning. It was way past the time for the imperial palaceâs carriage to fetch her.
And the person in front of her caught her eye. She was wondering why His Majesty didnât wake her up, but now she knew.
Sitting with his long legs crossed and with his chin on the back of one hand, the perfect Helios looked like a Greek sculpture as he was sleeping.
Instead of the elaborate formal suit he was wearing yesterday, he was now wearing a light shirt.
âI guess we both fell asleep. His Majesty must have been so exhausted after preparing for the banquet.â
Sera glanced at him for a moment, then she carefully put on her shoes.
She expected her feet to hurt again after last night, but when she didnât feel any pain, she took off her shoes again.
Looking down at her feet, she saw that they were fine and without any wounds.
âDid His Majesty heal me?â
There was a grateful smile on her lips as she looked over his way.
However, the back of her neck went stiff. She suddenly realized that she didnât get to wash her feet last night, but he saw them.
Ah. It was a scene that she never wanted to think about ever again.
But she didnât have any control over any of that.
Sera set aside her shameful thoughts and put on her shoes again carefully.
Then, she slowly sat up on her chair and leaned closer towards him. His breathing was even while he was snoozing.
âYour Majesty, please wake up.â
Sera tried to wake Helios up with a small voice.
His fingers seemed to twitch slightly, but other than that, there were no other movements from him. Sera drew closer.
Looking at him from a close distance, her heart skipped a beat again as she gazed upon his face, which resembled a masterpiece.
Seeing his features was really bad for her heart.
She called him with a bit of a louder voice this time.
He soon replied, his voice soft and his languid expression showing a smile to her as he slowly opened his eyes.
Surprised, Sera hurriedly pulled back because of that deadly smile right in front of her.
However, due to her fluttering heart, she couldnât hide her own emotions on her countenance.
âI believe we both dozed off.â
Sera replied with a tone as soft as the late morning.
âI guess so. What time is it, Miss Popo?â
âItâs already ten oâclock, Your Majesty.â
Shocked, Heliosâ eyes grew wide and he glanced at the clock. But soon enough, a chuckle spilled through his shapely lips.
âI told myself Iâd only close my eyes for a minute, but that turned into six hours.â
Sweeping up his silver hair, Helios smiled bashfully. Then, he got up.
When Sera tried to stand up as well, Helios just said that she didnât have to and urged her to keep sitting.
Helios asked as he approached the windows. He reached out and pulled aside the thick curtains, letting in the sunlight.
When he opened the window, a refreshing morning breeze blew in.
âYou healed me, didnât you, Your Majesty? Thank you.â
âI noticed that you were a bit uncomfortable while you were walking, but I didnât know it was that bad. It must have hurt a lot, you didnât even say anything.â
âI was only a little uncomfortable, and I only found out how bad it was later when I took off my shoes. Iâm sorry for always inconveniencing you with such minor injuries, Your Majesty.â
âItâs no trouble at all.â
Helios shook his head, saying that it was no big deal. When he smiled, Sera smiled as well in response.
They gazed upon each other for a long time as they smiled, but since they had nothing else to talk about, they soon turned their heads away awkwardly.
Then, Sera came to a realizationâthey spent the night together. This made her blush furiously.
Perhaps her thoughts were obvious on her countenance because Helios let out a low chuckle.
âYesterday I⊠Oh, well this morning. I couldnât give these to you earlier.â
Helios approached her first and then held out a change of clothes and shoes.
Why was he giving this to her? Tilting her head to the side, Sera then remembered her request from earlier. Then she smiled brightly as she accepted the clothes and shoes.
âThank you, Your Majesty.â
âPlease go ahead and change, you must be uncomfortable.â
Instead of replying he walked towards the right side of his office and opened a discreet door there.
Sera came to his office often before, but she was surprised to see a door in such a place.
âItâs a secret door. Beyond this is a space for emperors to retire to when work goes on for a longer time than usual. You may change inside.â
Sera nodded. After entering the inner room with the dress and the shoes in her hands, she closed the door shut.
The head maid, Rosé, a knight who was carrying the groaning Ferre, and another knight tasked to escort them to this place.
They were standing in front of the emperorâs office now.
The face of the Star Palaceâs head maid turned red and blue because they rushed here in such a hurry. However, they couldnât open the door right away.
âHow can you not open the door?!â
Despite the head maidâs exclamation, the handmaid and the knights guarding the officeâs door could not easily answer.
Their confused gazes all headed towards Ferre.
âUuuuuugh. My tummy⊠hurts so muchâŠâ
Ferre weakly clung to the knight as he was sweating profusely. It was obvious enough from just his groans that he was in so much pain.
Even so, this was the first time this was happening, so they couldnât easily decide on what to do.
âWhy? Why canât you open it! Why arenât you doing anything when Ferre is so sick?!â
Watching from the side, Rosé stomped her feet and shouted in frustration.
Her eyes were red and swollen from all the tears she shed in concern for her younger twin brother.
The handmaid of the imperial palace felt very conflicted. She glanced back towards the door, then she closed her eyes tightly.
As though determined, she gulped for a moment, then she whispered into the head maidâs ear.
âHis Majesty entered with Miss Sera at dawn, and when we knocked, there was no answer. We tried to call His Majesty several times, but there really was no response⊠So we were wondering ifâŠâ