The Return of Lilietta - Chapter 162

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 162

“….”

The back of Gid’s neck turned red.

Seeing him flustered and avoiding her gaze, he looked similar to her little brother’s boyhood days when he would give their mother a gift and then become embarrassed after receiving a kiss in return, making Rita smile pleasantly.

“Gid, she really was a wonderful person, your mother.”

“…The Empress is not my mother.”

“Why? Because a mother is someone who turns away from you?”

At the direct question, Gid closed his mouth. Rita added to her words.

“Just because you call her mother doesn’t mean the Empress would become that kind of person. You already know that, don’t you?”

“….”

Instead of answering, he took out the verdant laurel wreath from the box in her hands and put the box away.

“Let’s practice first, Rita.”

It was an obvious attempt to change the subject, but Rita didn’t refuse. She wasn’t bringing up this topic to provoke or torment him.

“Alright.”

Rita took the laurel wreath made of fresh branches from him. Recalling what the Empress had taught her, she headed toward the end of the altar.

“Wait.”

Gid pulled off the cloak he was wearing and approached her with it held in both hands.

“Instead of a veil.”

With a voice tinged with laughter, he covered her with the cloak. It was a substitute for the veil that the Coronator wears during the ceremony.

Rita watched through the thin cloak that half-covered her vision as he stepped back and took his position.

Standing tall on the black marble altar, under the gaze of the black dragon statue, sunlight from the central glass dome fell over his head like a halo.

Bathed in gentle light, he looked up at the giant black dragon’s golden eyes with his own golden eyes.

Glory to the Descendants of the Black Dragon.

Suddenly, that greeting offered to the imperial family came to mind. The sight of Gideon standing on the altar facing the black dragon seemed to fit so perfectly with that greeting.

‘Is this why they hold the succession ceremony here every year?’

So that anyone would have no choice but to acknowledge the glorious descendant of the black dragon.

She slowly approached him, holding the laurel wreath with both hands.

Walking from the end of the altar along under the black dragon statue’s wings, then changing direction at the center toward the pure gold laurel pattern.

This way, from below the altar, it would look like the Coronator was emerging from the embrace of the giant black dragon.

Gid was staring intently at her. A strangely fervent gaze.

Looking down at her for a while as she stopped within the laurel pattern in front of him, he slowly raised both hands.

He gently pushed aside and let fall the cloak he had personally covered her with earlier. Making it fall and pile in a circle at her feet, he confirmed the appearance of his revealed ‘companion’ before slowly kneeling before her.

Placing both knees on the ground, bowing his head, and clasping his hands together. Like a faithful servant praying to a god.

Lillieta raised the branch crown high and recited the words of the succession ceremony.

“I place brilliant glory upon your head, know its weight, uphold its honor, and inherit its great legacy.”

She placed the laurel wreath on his black hair as he closed his eyes and bowed his head. Wearing the crown, he opened his eyes and looked up at her.

Following procedure, she should extend her right hand, no.

Lillieta extended her left hand.

His golden eyes widened, then curved brilliantly, filled with light.

Gideon took her left hand and whispered.

“Will you do this at the real ceremony too, Rita?”

“Would that be wrong?”

When she asked back calmly, Gid let out a small laugh. Pressing his lips to the knuckle of her left ring finger, he said.

“Then I’ll have to put the ring on your left hand too.”

The Coronator wears two rings shaped like dragons coiling around fingers, and when the Emperor kisses those rings, she removes one and gives it to him.

“…Come to think of it, we don’t have rings so we can’t practice that part.”

“It’s terribly disappointing, but it can’t be helped.”

His voice and breath tickled between her empty fingers. Feeling somewhat heated, she tried to curl her fingers and pull away, but he held onto her fingertips.

“Gid?”

He remained silent for a long while with his lips pressed between her fingers. With his eyes closed and even his breath stilled.

Sunlight quietly cast a sheen over his black hair and laurel leaves. The air seemed to have grown strangely dense.

Rita took a breath and called to him again.

“Gid, what’s wrong?”

He slowly opened his eyes. Looking up at her, filling his vision with her, then suddenly smiled lightly.

“Just.”

“Just?”

“I felt so good, I wanted to stay like this for a moment.”

Then he gently bit her ring finger where his lips had been resting, not enough to hurt. Rita jumped in surprise and let out a small scream.

“Ah!”

“Hm? Don’t tell me that hurt?”

“What are you doing! Why did you bite me!”

“Instead of a ring?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Sorry, you were so pretty I couldn’t help myself.”

Answering with his eyes curved to the fullest, he stood up and immediately swept her into his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“Your leg is completely healed, right?”

“I got a clean bill of health the day before yesterday. I can run around freely now.”

“Let me see.”

Gid sat her on the black dragon’s wing that covered the dais diagonally and grabbed her leg. Rita instinctively caught his hand as he naturally began to lift her dress hem.

Gid, who had stopped, gazed at her quietly. She could feel the weight of his gaze.

“Why?”

That’s right, why?

Checking each other’s injured areas was nothing between them. They used to undress without a care, examine wounds, and bandage each other.

But why did she suddenly block him now….

Rita replied like an excuse.

“It feels awkward here.”

“The location is the problem?”

“Yes.”

“Rita.”

Gid leaned close to her. In a subtle, languid voice, he asked near her ear.

“Really, is the location the problem?”

“….”

She remembered his touch caressing her bruised thigh. If you had any awareness, you wouldn’t let me do things like this. His roughly spoken voice came to mind.

She took a deep breath. Then, grabbing his shoulders and pushing him away, she replied.

“No.”

Gid was pushed back obediently as she pushed him. Rita got down from the wing and stood straight, adding.

“It won’t be okay in other places anymore either.”

He didn’t ask why. He didn’t ask what wouldn’t be okay. Instead, he asked a different question.

“Forever?”

Somehow her mouth felt dry.

Rita swallowed dry saliva and slowly closed and opened her eyes. Then she spoke in a calm tone.

“That depends on what you do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“If you speak so ambiguously, I’ll interpret it however I want. Is that okay?”

“What’s your interpretation?”

“Hmm.”

Gid chuckled and leaned toward her. Placing one hand on the dragon’s wing behind her and bringing his upper body close, he cupped her cheek with his other hand and whispered in a low voice.

“You mean try to tempt me and see if that makes me feel like it?”

Lillieta stared up at him quietly, then covered his face with her hand and pushed it away as his face drew closer, speaking matter-of-factly.

“Wrong.”

“…Then explain it to me properly.”

He grumbled in dissatisfaction from beneath her hand. Rita gazed at where his eyes would be, hidden by her hand, and opened her mouth.

“Gid, you’re surprisingly dishonest.”

“Me?”

“With the Empress, and with me too… More precisely, I should say you’re quite cowardly.”

“I’m cowardly?”

Gid asked back as if it were absurd. She replied while still covering his eyes with her hand.

“You still have many stories you’re hiding from me.”

“What?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? That would be disappointing in a different way.”

“…!”

Gid’s body stiffened. Watching his Adam’s apple twitch with tension, she continued in a soft, gentle voice.

“Gid, I can wait as long as it takes.”

“…”

“But until you reveal everything you’re hiding, there won’t be any progress between us.”

“…Progress?”

His voice cracked. He removed her hand that was covering his eyes with somewhat hasty movements. His anxious, trembling gaze swept over her above his flustered face.

“What does that mean, Rita?”

“Well.”

Rita smiled slightly and walked past him, adding as she moved.

“You’ll find out when you become more honest, won’t you.”

Actually, I’m not really sure either, Gid. What kind of progress there will be between us.

Finishing with these inner thoughts, she headed down from the dais.

Gideon stared at her blankly in a daze, then suddenly snapped to attention and followed when Lillieta looked back at him and said, “Practice is over, aren’t you going to escort me?”

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