The Kidnapped Prince is Mine Now - Chapter 54

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 54
A war in the Southern Region.
Had such a thing occurred in the past?
Was this news I’d missed while confined to Maximilian’s bedroom?
‘No.’
Even imprisoned as I was, I couldn’t have failed to hear of something so momentous.
Which meant this was a new crisis born from my marriage to Rotar.
In other words….
“Your Highness the Imperial Princess, are you well?”
I lifted my head at Konrad’s call. His face was etched with concern as he regarded me.
I drew a deep breath before answering.
“Maximilian has begun to move with deliberate intent, Lord Konrad.”
“Pardon?”
“He will wage war. To offer the Demon God a vast abundance of souls.”
If countless people perished and Nakshura consumed their souls,
Maximilian’s power as the Demon God’s contractor would grow immeasurably stronger.
Perhaps to a point where no one could stand against him.
Before that could come to pass.
“We cannot afford to waste any more time.”
Rotar too needed to gain power.
‘Offer the corpse of your beloved on a grand battlefield and perish.’
This might be our final opportunity to receive Zaikas’s Blessing.
***
Rotar returned to the castle late into the night and handed his coat to the Steward who had come to greet him.
After downing the prepared spirits in one gulp, he turned to the Steward with a question.
“Where is Elise?”
“Today she took lunch with Konrad. Her appetite was normal. And….”
And?
Rotar turned his head at the Steward’s unusual addition to his report.
“She instructed me to tell you that upon your arrival, you are to come directly to her bedroom. Otherwise, she will refuse all meals from this point forward.”
“….”
A shadow of concern settled over Rotar’s eyes.
It had been a week since he’d locked the door to Elise’s bedroom.
During that time, I had not sought her out. I lacked the confidence to maintain my reason while facing her declaration that she would rather die.
Yet how much longer could I keep Elise bound and confined?
In this moment, I was no different from Maximilian. At least, that was how I saw myself.
I had not taken her by force. I had not tormented her with crude games and torture.
But in essence, had I not thrust her into a cage and stripped away her freedom?
‘Even so, it is better than Elise dying.’
Even if she spent her life resenting and hating me. Even if I never again heard the warmth in her eyes or the tenderness of her voice.
With such resolve, I had confined Elise.
Yet I found myself ridiculous and pathetic—wanting to peer through the bars to see if she was managing well, if she was taking her meals.
I felt like a stubborn child who refused to relinquish anything he had forcibly grasped.
‘Sigh.’
Rotar swallowed a long breath and moved with heavy steps toward the guest room where he was staying.
The moment he finished undressing, he headed straight for the bathroom. He needed to examine his face, which had been neglected for far too long, before seeing Elise.
“Damn it.”
And so the reflection in the mirror was pitiful.
His hair was disheveled from the cold wind, and his unkempt beard was unsightly. It had been four days of riding after visiting the nearby territories.
Rotar ran a rough hand across his stubbled jaw. I could not face Elise looking like this. It was not a matter of courtesy alone…
‘Elise is not one to judge by appearance.’
Though she had never said such a thing directly, her eyes and smile told me everything.
This was why my grooming time had grown longer since becoming Elise’s husband. All of my maidservants had noticed the change and approved of it.
‘So it really is true—people become more beautiful when they fall in love.’
Rotar had only smiled faintly at his maidservants’ teasing remarks and offered no rebuttal. If even the slightest effort could bring joy to Elise, there was no reason not to care about my appearance.
“Sigh.”
With a deep breath, Rotar then caught the scent of his own body. It carried only the smell of cold wind, yet even that troubled me.
“…Is anyone there?”
Rotar ultimately called upon the maidservants near the bedroom to fill the bathroom with water.
The thought of those serene and beautiful violet eyes turning toward me made it unavoidable.
***
Knock, knock.
At the sound of someone tapping on the door, I lifted my head from beneath the blankets.
“Elise, may I come in?”
A voice asking permission came from beyond the door.
Deep and resonant, with an unmistakable gravitas.
It was a simple question, yet my heart trembled at the sound. It was Rotar’s voice—one I hadn’t heard in far too long.
“…Come in.”
At my brief reply, the bedroom door opened immediately. Rotar stepped inside, dressed in casual attire.
As always, his appearance was captivating. Whether he’d had his hair trimmed during our time apart or not, his sharp, chiseled features were so striking that heat rose to my cheeks.
‘So he’s been showing that flawless face to everyone.’
I’d heard he’d been visiting the nearby territories. It was obvious that noble daughters of marriageable age had blushed at the sight of such a rare beauty.
They’d surely indulged in secret fantasies too. Late at night when everyone slept, imagining the Empire’s Second Prince visiting their chambers, sliding their shoulder straps down…
…while I was locked away in my bedroom!
‘Calm yourself, Elise.’
I deliberately suppressed the heat rising within me. If I let this jealousy consume me, our reunion would be ruined.
“Did you call for me?”
Rotar stood rigidly before the bedroom door like a knight awaiting orders. There was a distance between us that hadn’t existed before.
I leaned against the headboard and gestured for him to come closer.
‘I feel like a noblewoman seducing a young knight.’
After a moment’s hesitation, Rotar slowly approached and sat at the edge of the bed.
His large hand immediately cradled my cheek, his touch as careful as if he were handling a delicate stem.
“Have you been well?”
Asking if I’d been well.
Part of me wanted to snap at that worried face that every single day had been dreadful.
I thought perhaps seeing him apologize and stumble over his words might ease my frustration.
But I hadn’t summoned him here to vent my anger.
I gazed quietly at his somewhat fragile-looking face, then rubbed my cheek against the hand cradling it. I pressed my lips to his broad palm as I answered.
“I missed you.”
His eyes rippled like waves.
“You left me alone all this time. If you’d come any later, I would’ve dragged a guard into my bedroom.”
“…”
This time, his green eyes flashed with a different kind of darkness. I could feel the emotion surging through him instantly.
Now I understood. Rotar’s jealousy was formidable.
Strong arms wrapped around my waist in an instant. My suspended body was laid back onto the bed, shadowed by his large, dark form.
“Do you mean that?”
His hand gripped my thigh, and my waist reflexively trembled.
“Mm…”
“Are you saying you could do this with another man besides me?”
His lowered voice sounded like a growling beast.
“That depends entirely on what you do about it.”
“….”
Rotar tightened his grip on my thigh without a word.
He lowered his head and buried his lips against the nape of my neck, whispering softly.
“…Yes…!”
“I wanted to see you too.”
With that brief confession, he dragged his tongue across my skin.
My body, now accustomed to Rotar’s touch, surrendered easily. Every point where we made contact sent electric currents through me.
“Mmm….”
He kept my trembling body pinned down with his arms and thighs, his mouth and hands moving with increasing urgency. Growing impatient, he shed his shirt and pressed his warm, damp body against my skin.
I managed to catch my breath between ragged gasps. It was time to broach the subject.
“I received a letter from the Archbishop.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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