Later, while the emperor was relaxing in the grand bathhouse, his aide approached him with a concern.
Her Majesty's maid, Cecil reported, had already come to him for wound medicine. He suggested, gently, that His Majesty was being rather too strict with a delicate empress.
Ottol dismissed the worry without heat. His physician, he said, underestimated her.
He had come to understand something about Flora over those sessions on the training ground. She possessed real grit. There was a strong core underneath all that trembling, and — this appeared to please him enormously — a deep and personal hatred of losing.
Then he stunned his aide by comparing her to someone out of the House of Cecilia, and something like a new resolution settled into his face as he said it.
Hoping to recover from the day's grueling training, Flora came to the grand bathhouse that evening. She had another session with Ottol tomorrow, and she was determined to be ready for it.
She slipped into the warm, steaming water, and her moment of peace lasted about four seconds.
A strong hand closed around her wrist and pulled her off balance, and in an instant she found herself held firmly against a bare chest.
Stunned, Flora looked up into the emperor's intense, unreadable eyes as he broke the silence of the bathhouse.
Flustered, she apologised at once for intruding on his bath and tried to pull away.
He stopped her. He caught her wrist again and drew her back against him with undeniable strength, and with a look of amusement told her that since she was already here, she might as well keep him company.
Stunned into silence, Flora realised that this was the closest she had ever been to him, and her eyes caught on the faint battle scars marking his chest.
She was, frankly, captivated. Her mind reeled and refused to produce anything sensible.
The emperor noticed the staring and smirked, remarking that she seemed quite interested in his body.
Mortified, Flora snapped back to herself and stammered an apology, insisting that she had not meant to stare.
But Ottol was not upset. He told her not to hold back, and offered it as a reward for her diligent training.
Then he gently took her hand and guided it to his chest, leaving Flora utterly stunned and seriously questioning whether this surreal moment was happening at all.
With her hand resting there, a thought crossed her mind. Perhaps — perhaps — he was willing to accept her.
Then Ottol's focus shifted to a small bruise on her shoulder, and he asked whether it was from her training earlier.
Flora quickly dismissed his concern and assured him it was nothing serious.
Ignoring her entirely, he gently touched the sore place. Then he leaned in and softly set his lips against her skin, and Flora was left completely breathless, able to do nothing but whisper his name into the silence as the gesture overwhelmed her.
She was overwhelmed in every direction at once. Despite the gentleness of his touch — because of it — her heart pounded and her face burned and the closeness became more than she could hold.
Feeling that she could not take any more, she weakly said his name and asked him to wait.
Ottol pulled back, a slight flush across his own face, and asked what was wrong.
Flora admitted that her body felt strange and her head was spinning.
Seeing her completely dazed and unsteady in the water, Ottol suddenly laughed out loud.
Confused, she could only ask him why he found any of this funny.
He told her that he had only wanted to show his appreciation for her hard work.
Then his gaze settled on her, and his tone shifted, and he declared that he had changed his mind.
Before Flora could ask what that meant, he pulled her in and closed the distance, and their lips met in a sudden, undeniable kiss that left her breathless.
And as the surprise faded, a powerful realisation washed over her.
In that moment she finally understood the true nature of the overwhelming feelings she had been having every time he came near her.
Her body was overwhelmed, but her heart was crystal clear. She understood what she felt, and she wanted to be closer to him, and she found herself craving his touch. As the embrace deepened, her wish for him to continue only grew stronger.
But when Ottol saw the completely dazed expression on her face, he stopped himself and pulled back slightly.
A look of concern crossed his features as he wondered whether he had moved too fast, whether he had gone too far, and the two of them were left in stunned silence in the water.
Later that night, Flora was fast asleep, thoroughly worn out by the day.
Ottol, still awake beside her, noticed a book resting on the covers where it had slipped out of her hands.
He picked it up, and a small smile formed as he read the title, because she had been studying ways to help him with his condition.
Touched by the earnestness of it, he gently stroked her cheek and called her a cute one. Then he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead and quietly wished her good night, and a new tenderness filled his gaze as he watched over her.
A week later, Flora sat down with Cecil, and the imperial physician handed her a significant task: the preparations for the founding anniversary party.
Flora was taken aback and questioned whether she was truly suited to such an important role.
Cecil reassured her without hesitation. There was no one better suited for the job than the Empress of Nordvein, he said, and he promised her his full support at every step.
Touched by his trust, Flora felt her self-doubt evaporate. She understood this as her duty as Ottol's wife, and she resolved to do her absolute best, and a determined smile lit up her face.
Cecil opened their working meeting with a little teasing. His Majesty, he reported, had called her a sore loser — which left Flora completely flustered.
Then he got down to business. A grand ball would be held for the anniversary. Everyone in the empire was excited to see the emperor and empress dance together.
As he left the room, he wondered whether he was trusting her too much. He dismissed the thought almost immediately, remembering how greatly Ottol's condition had improved since she arrived, and that alone seemed to settle the question.
But as he walked away down the corridor, his confidence gave way to a flicker of doubt.
Was the empress truly worthy of that trust?
Because if she genuinely had nothing to hide, then why had her mother, the Queen of Pedania, gone to such secretive lengths merely to deliver a letter?
He grew suspicious. Perhaps, he speculated, Her Majesty would show her true colours at the anniversary party.
With a determined look, Cecil resolved to consult the emperor about the letter he had managed to obtain in secret. He needed to uncover the truth behind it.