Eileen blinked slowly, opening and closing her eyes, her gaze lost in thought. Leone, seemingly oblivious to her distraction, turned his attention back to Cesare and continued speaking.
— I felt envious in my youth. But as I grew older, I realized that even that was futile. Humans can never truly imitate the gods, can they?
Leone's smile was warm and proud, reflecting his admiration for his twin brother.
I am proud that Cesare is my brother.
Her whispered words dissolved into the piano melody. Eileen, struggling to divert her attention from Leone, turned her focus to Cesare. However, her concentration on the performance wavered when she recognized something deeply familiar in Leone.
Her eyes mirrored those of her late mother, who revered Cesare as if he were a deity. The Empire also revered Cesare as the God of War. Eileen herself had always regarded him with almost divine reverence.
Nevertheless, despite all this, Caesar was ultimately just a man, not a god.
A sudden, inexplicable chill ran down Eileen's spine. As she instinctively clutched her dress, the music stopped abruptly. Cesare had stopped playing before finishing the piece, his intense red eyes fixed on Eileen.
Caught off guard, despite having requested the presentation, Eileen shuddered like a student caught daydreaming.
Without saying a word, Cesare closed the piano lid and stood up. Leone, though clapping, had a clear expression of disappointment.
"Why didn't you finish? " Leone asked.
Cesare, now standing before Leone and Eileen, replied indifferently.
I have urgent matters to attend to.
The only remaining commitment on her agenda was to return home. Eileen, understanding the implications of Cesare's words, made a conscious effort to mask any signs of embarrassment without blushing or shrinking back.
While struggling to maintain his composure, Cesare watched her with a slight smile before turning his attention back to Leone. Their eyes met, and Leone returned the smile. Cesare's smile widened, but for some reason, he remained silent.
The brothers shared a moment of wordless communication. Their gaze lingered, and just as a slight discomfort began to surface, Cesare's lips parted in a wider smile.
"Brother ," he said, gazing into Leone's blue eyes, "Next time, you'll be the one playing for me."
Eileen gripped the envelope tightly as she got into the car. Throughout the drive from the palace, Cesare remained silent, only holding her hand and gently playing with her fingers.
Eileen sat in silence, her hand still intertwined with his. Then, as if struck by a sudden impulse, she spoke.
"Your Majesty… " Although she had begun speaking impulsively, she hesitated and chose her words carefully. "He is very proud of you."
Cesare had always known this, as countless admirers revered him like a star. However, Eileen had difficulty expressing that Leone's admiration for him resembled the devotion of her late mother. In reality, Cesare, being Leone's twin, probably understood this better than she did.
Leone is especially like that.
Cesare, who answered briefly, looked at Eileen for a moment before turning his attention away.
"You can see the orange trees ," he commented.
Indeed, the distant brick house and garden were visible, with the orange trees clearly in sight. Eileen pressed her face against the car window, peering at the trees.
Fortunately, she spotted still-green oranges hanging from the branches. Eileen, who had been anxiously worried about possible theft or damage, felt a wave of relief.
After all, who would dare invade the residence of Archduchess Erzet? Cesare had publicly executed orange thieves before. The people of the Empire knew not to mess with Archduke Erzet. Although he was hailed as a hero, his reputation for cruelty ensured that no one dared to challenge him lightly, not even those of his own blood.
Eileen pushed those dark thoughts away and focused on more immediate concerns.
What should I make for dinner?
With nothing left in the house, Eileen worried about Cesare's meals. She couldn't let him go hungry.
Upon entering the house, Eileen had a pleasant surprise. Dinner was already prepared and served, steaming on the table. The food seemed to have been prepared just in time for their arrival.
"What will become of us without sandwiches today? " Cesare teased playfully, as he took off his uniform suit and placed it on a nearby chair. His movements were smooth and natural, as if he had lived in that brick house for years, even though he had only visited it a few times.
It was the second time they had shared a meal together in the brick house. As always, Eileen felt a deep sense of comfort in these simple moments with him. It was as if she were living a newlywed dream, lost in a fantasy she had always longed for. Trying to keep her feet on the ground, Eileen sat down across from him and said:
If you'd like, I can go buy the ingredients and prepare something for you…
Fortunately, Cesare simply smiled and didn't pressure her to cook. After the meal, Eileen was surprised when Cesare took on the task of cleaning up.
Still dressed in her evening gown and finding it uncomfortable to move, she stood aside. Cesare, skillfully moving the dishes to the kitchen and tidying everything up, left her unsure how to help. Her voluminous dress made any attempt at collaboration difficult.
When the cleaning was finished, Cesare approached Eileen. Rolling up his shirt sleeves and brushing his slightly disheveled hair aside, he asked with a hint of concern:
Shouldn't I help?
As Eileen tilted her head slightly, she saw Cesare reach out and gently untie one of the ribbons of her dress. The fabric yielded delicately at his touch.
Eileen bit her lip slightly. She had been thinking about changing clothes and had already struggled alone to remove the dress that was difficult to take off.
She couldn't undress in front of Cesare. Even though they had already spent the night together, she still felt ashamed of many things. Hesitantly, she whispered:
If you could just untie the ribbons on my back…
Cesare carefully turned Eileen around and began to undo the intricate knots on her back. His fingers, accustomed to the delicate touch required by the piano keys, worked skillfully to loosen the knots. As the tight knot loosened, Eileen let out an involuntary sigh of relief.
She then realized that, with the corset loosened, her breasts might now appear more provocative than intended. Shrugging her shoulders in embarrassment, she felt Cesare's warm breath on the nape of her bare neck.
A shiver ran down her spine at the sensation of his breath. In that moment of heightened alertness, Cesare instinctively wrapped her in his arms, offering a comforting embrace.
Ah…
A soft sound escaped Eileen as the man wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of his gentle lips brushing against her skin.
Her body, which had been alternating with sensations of unresolved arousal in recent days, especially this morning, quickly warmed up again when Cesare placed a few light kisses along her neck. The tingling and pulsing sensation in her vagina was already quite familiar.
Eileen gripped the arms that were around her waist and twisted her shoulders. As she moaned softly, he licked her exposed neck and whispered her name:
Eileen.
His deep voice was so captivating and delightful that it made Eileen shudder. She turned her head to look at him. Cesare held her firmly, repeating her name:
Eileen, Eileen…
The repetition awakened in her a strange feeling of unease, perhaps because Cesare's low voice seemed to resonate deeply in her ears.
The man's large hands slowly caressed Eileen's body. His fingers slid inside the loosened corset, squeezing the soft flesh, and he whispered:
I once had a dream.
The mention of a dream was unusual coming from him, as he normally avoided that kind of subject.
"We were together in that dream. At the time, I thought it was wonderful… " he said, pausing, then bit Eileen's neck, leaving a distinct mark before continuing, "But nothing compares to reality."
Cesare's tone conveyed a sense of tenderness and intensity, reinforcing the special and profound bond they shared.
To be continued…