Bina sat on Lucretius’ desk as he concentrated on his work. Even during the harvest celebration week, the emperor was still busy with work.

Bina placed her hand on the desk slowly, crumpling one of the many documents that were covering the desk. Lucretius looked up at her.

“Bina.”

“Hmm?”

She smiled innocently, making Lucretius’ heart ache. She looked so adorable that she was such a distraction.

Lucretius couldn’t help but to grab her waist and lifted her, so she sat on his lap. Bina didn’t resist as she pouted. “Shouldn’t you be working now?”

Bina had absolutely nothing to do. She was getting bored, so she giggled as she touched his shirt collar. Slowly and teasingly, she started to undo his buttons and continued, “This is why I like being around you when you are working. I have nothing else to do, and distracting you is so much fun.”

Lucretius chuckled in response. “You’re not being fair. If I don’t finish this work now, I won’t be able to spend the night with you and Beatrice.”

Officially, Bina was out of the castle, so every night, Lucretius went through the secret passage to get to Bina’s bedroom. He spent as much time as possible with his seductive wife and his adorable daughter.

He loved the evenings he spent with his family, and if he didn’t finish his work now, he would have to complete it in the evening and miss the happiest time of the day.

Bina smirked. “That’s your problem, not mine.”

Bina wound her slim legs around Lucretius’s body. When he caressed her back lightly with the tip of his fingers, she purred.

Bina smiled and whispered, “We haven’t spent much private time together lately… Haven’t you been wanting me? Like the way I want you right now?”

“…”

Bina was right. In the past few days, Lucretius and Bina hadn’t had time alone together. The royal tradition dictated that after the baby was done breastfeeding, she or he was given a separate wing and left the mother’s side. However, Bina wanted to keep Beatrice with her until she turned five at least, so a separate room for the princess was created within the empress’ wing.

Usually, Lucretius and Bina spent the night together alone while the nannies and the maids cared for Beatrice, but since the princess and the empress were officially absent from the castle, Beatrice had to remain with Bina and Lucretius at night.

The princess loved spending so much of her time with her mother and Lucretius was happy that Beatrice and Bina were happy, except for one thing.

Bina was trying to seduce him now.

“…”

Lucretius sighed with pleasure. He could never refuse her.

“If you are like this… I won’t be able to control myself.”

He kissed her.

“…!”

Their kiss was more passionate than usual. Was it because they were in the office rather than their usual bedroom?

***

“Oh, that hurts! Stop!”

“Hmm? Really? It hurts?”

Lucretius looked at his wife in surprise. He was holding her corset string and helping her put it back on.

“But I’m not tightening it as much as I can reasonably do so.”

Bina complained quietly. “No one’s gonna see me anyway, so keep it loose. I can never get used of the corsets no matter how long I have been wearing them. They are so uncomfortable.”

Lucretius nodded and made a loose knot. He then helped her wear her crumpled dress. Usually, her maids and her servants helped her dress, but right now, there was only one person who could help her, and it was the emperor of this great kingdom.

Bina sighed. “Gosh… I know I am the one who seduced you, but this was unnecessary.”

Lucretius hugged her and kissed her forehead while chuckling.”As you said, you are the one who seduced me, right? All I did was to let you do so. Besides…”

“Yes?”

“You liked it too.”

Bina grinned and poked his cheek.

Lucretius asked, “Are you leaving?”

“Yes. I have done my job of distracting you, so I will now leave you to your work. Beatrice is probably awake by now from her nap.”

Bina came here after putting their daughter down for a nap after all. Lucretius thought of keeping Bina here for a while longer but stopped himself. He knew she would get really mad at him and the one thing he feared the most in this world was Bina getting angry at him.

Bina walked towards the fireplace and pushed the poker into a small spot back and forth. A strange noise then resonated throughout the room. Afterward, the entire wall connected to the fireplace turned around to reveal a dark path. It was the secret passage that connected the emperor’s office directly to the empress’ bedroom.

Bina yawned and whispered, “See you later.”

“Alright.”

“Don’t work too late, Luc.”

“… I can’t promise you that, thanks to you.”

“Hmmm, well I guess it can’t be helped. It’s too late. Just make sure to rest when you need it, okay?”

“Don’t worry.”

Lucretius smiled and helped her into the passage. He then returned to his desk.

“…”

Crumpled papers were scattered everywhere around the desk on the floor. He looked up with a sigh and started to pick up the documents one after another.

By the time he was done with all of his daily work, it was very late. When he entered the empress’ bedroom, Bina and Beatrice were asleep soundly. Lucretius looked down at the girls and kissed their foreheads. Making sure not to wake them up, he got into the bed very carefully. He no longer looked like the fierce ruler of the biggest kingdom; in this room, he was only a lovesick father and husband.

This was four days before the last day of the harvest celebration.