The Evil Empress Adores Me

Your feet, theyre awfully sore.

My feet were swollen to the point where the naked eye could see how sore they were.

Red. Just looking at the swelling somehow made it more painful for me.

Well, it hurts now but Ill be fine after a night of rest.

Youre just going to leave your feet like that?

A straight-faced Damian got up.

He pulled on the rope of a bell pull and a maid appeared shortly afterward, entering the room with her head bowed.

You rang, your Highness, the Crown Prince?

Bring me some hot water and a basin. A soft towel and soap as well.

Huh? Hot water?

With that lingering question in mind, I stared at Damian.

Damian explained himself to me.

If you leave your feet as they are, you wont be able to walk tomorrow. Ill have to reduce the swelling with a massage.

WHAT? A MASSAGE?!

I almost jumped up from the sofa.

No, that entails Damian touching my bare feet!

Damians visage became rather puzzled.

What? Im good at massages.

Really? Howd that happen?

Well, my feet would get really swollen even when I wore combat boots.

Oh..okay.

.nope!

After a moment of silence, I yelled.

Im fine!

Im well aware that you have a habit of saying, Im fine, when youre not.

Damian remarked sternly.

But cant you see how bad it is just at first glance?

Nevertheless! Your Highness will be touching my feet, I dont think thats appropriate one bit!

While we argued about that.

The maid returned to the living room.

Here are the things your Highness asked for.

The maid faithfully followed Damians orders, she brought some hot water, a basin, soap, and a soft towel.

No, this is too much!

My face was flustered.

I-Ill have to take off my stockings too

How did this argument even start between the two of us?

We were children once back then, but not now!

At my protest, Damian groaned.

Thenshall I call a physician?

.even if you did, I dont think its a good idea to call a physician over swollen feet.

Aargh, then what!

An irritated Damian howled.

One, you get a gentle foot massage or two, Ill call a physician and youll get treatment for your feet. Choose between the two.

Theres no third option? Just getting some rest?

No.

Damian flatly denied it.

.then.

I stared at Damians headstrong demeanor for a while before voicing my intention.

Please turn around for a moment.

Why?

If I take off my stockings, will you give me a massage or not?

Y-Yes.

Damians face turned bright red as he quickly turned around.

Now youre ashamed of yourself, why were you being so stubborn before?!

In a rush, every sound of rustling from my dress rang out in the living room. It was made worse by how quiet the rooms atmosphere was.

Every swish, whish, and rustle seemed amplified just for the sake of it.

Seriously, why does it have to make so much noise?

After struggling for a bit, I was finally able to take my stockings off.

I quickly gathered my skirt and sat back down.

Im done.

Ah, okay.

Damian knelt down and dipped my feet into the basin filled with the now warm water.

When I felt the warmth, the tension in my feet began to ease.

Ahhh.

A strange sound left my lips at that very instant.

Oops.

Embarrassed, I quickly closed my mouth.

At the same time, Damian shot back at me with his cheeks flushed.

Dont make strange noises.

Hey, I didnt want to, okay?!

I lost my temper.

Damian shook his head and turned his attention back to my feet.

After gently rubbing and kneading the soles of each foot, he massaged my toes.

My eyes were the size of dinner plates.

Wow, this feels amazing!!

I tried wiggling my toes.

It felt lax as the tension faded away and the feeling in my toes gradually returned.

youre really good at massaging.

Well, I was stuck for eight years in the North. I was bound to pick up something like this, right?

Damian said as he shrugged his shoulders at the sound of my praise.

Speaking of which, you spoke eloquently.

What? What are you talking about?

When Lady Bennett picked a fight with you earlier.

Oh, that?

As if he could feel a hint of self-reproach in me, Damian glanced upwards.

Whats the matter?

Ihonestly, Im not sure I did the right thing today.

I dropped my shoulders in a doleful manner.

Today was where I would make my first social debut as your fiancee, wasnt it?

And?

.and no matter how annoying she was, wouldnt it have been better to be a little more patient?

I barely caught myself from sighing.

No matter how much Lady Bennett provoked or lambasted me, was it too far of me to respond the way I did?

Could I have handled it more maturely?

Just as I pondered on what happened with guilt.

What are you saying?

Damian frowned as he gently put down my foot.

Id hate it if you were being intimidated and you did nothing about it, or if you were to just stand there and look at others.

But

So, its all right, you did well.

Damian shook his head.

I guess I was waiting for someone to say that.

When Damian said that, I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

I could smile a little.

Actually, I was extremely nervous, I thought I was going to die.

Really? You were very articulate despite that. I didnt expect you to bring the Emperor into your speech.

Then he glanced back down at my feet.

Harmony between classes

Damian murmured before massaging my feet again.

There was only the sound of water splashing.

After a while.

But you know.

Mmm?

I tilted my head.

Before I knew it, Damian was staring at me with an unwavering gaze.

Even if you were one of the higher-up aristocrats or the daughter of a political opponent

Those scarlet eyes of his narrowed gently.

I would have chosen you.

For a moment, I bit my lip.

Damian probably doesnt know.

how he shocks me with what he says, most of what he says, he says without a second thought.

Damian picked up a towel and wiped my feet thoroughly.

Then he looked back up at me and smirked.

Mmm, its done.

Ah, thank you.

I pretended to be relaxed as I calmed my facial expression.

Then, Damian asked me, with concern in his voice.

Ive thoroughly washed and massaged your feet. Youll also need help getting to your room, right?

No, I can walk on my own two feet.

Im sorry, but I dont want to see that happen.

Damian held me and lifted me up like it was nothing.

after holding me two or three times now, Im no longer surprised.

I asked Damian with a gloomy look.

Your Highness, do you enjoy holding me like this?

Huh? Well, I never thought of it that way.

Damian playfully winked at me like he was up to mischief.

I think you do.

Like that, Damian carried me to my room.

I laid my head against his arms.

The inside of my chest felt fuzzy and ticklish, like being tickled by a feather.