75. Ivan and the Other Ivan
Only after Regina dashed out of the room and turned the corridor, finally out of sight, did Karla turn around with a long sigh.
Today has been, unusually, an exhausting day… Karla thought uncharacteristically as she entered the room, and there she involuntarily flinched in surprise.
Sitting there, casting a long shadow across the floor against the moonlight, was someone.
The only people who had been in the room were Karla, Regina—and Ivan, who was drunk and asleep face-down on the bed.
Since Karla was still here and Regina had left, the only one remaining was Ivan.
“Did Regina have a good time?”
“What is it? You couldn’t sleep?”
Ivan was quietly staring at Karla.
For all she knew, he was likely smiling…though his expression was hidden in the shadow of the moonlight, she felt that was probably the case, had that impression.
“That kind of drunkenness means nothing to me. It’s trivial. Didn’t you know?”
“Don’t joke around. You lost control when affected by an aphrodisiac.”
“How could I have known that such a peculiar potion would be in vogue? At least this low-life…no, even one of noble birth such as myself wouldn’t be accustomed to it. In my time, there were no such cowardly potions.”
“All the same, you were affected, that’s a fact, isn’t it?”
Karla grumbled as she entered the room and took a sip of water. After all, she’d had her fair share of drink as well, leaving her throat parched.
“Pour me a glass too, B.”
“B?”
There was no point in refusing now, not after everything.
Besides, she did owe him her left arm, courtesy of that boy.
Karla decided against arguing further. After all, what if Ivan—or rather, the vile Ivan—had a change of heart and decided to take her left arm back? That would be a real catastrophe, wouldn’t it?
She had lost her arm once, and it had been difficult enough. Losing it again after having it restored would be pure hell.
“…Here, water.”
She had never imagined she’d be serving a commoner like this. Suppressing her rising irritation, Karla gave him the glass.
“…What are you doing? Didn’t you ask for water?”
“You lack the basic decorum to serve water to your husband. It’s disgraceful.”
Ivan smirked, looking down at Karla.
Husband? Husband?
What was this absurd nonsense?
“And what is this about decorum? If you think I’m going to act respectfully towards you, whoever you really are…!”
“Is it so hard to use two hands? If that’s the case, perhaps it’s necessary to remind you of the hierarchy.”
In an instant, Ivan’s hand snaked around her waist.
Before Karla could even gasp, he pulled her close, throwing her down on the bed.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“To put it bluntly, a woman must be pressed down to understand her place. You seem to be unaware. I intend to teach you that now.”
“What?”
Karla frowned, glaring at Ivan from her position on the bed. She disliked the fact that he was towering over her, and his words were infuriating.
“Let go… mmph…”
Karla’s words were cut short.
Ivan’s large hand tore through her blouse, roughly massaging her breast, leaving her no choice but to bite her lip to suppress her cry.
“It’s still night, Karla. Your body is one that doesn’t tire easily. So, let’s enjoy your body until you tire out this long night.”
As his fingers roughly kneaded her breasts, Ivan laughed.
Despite gritting her teeth and enduring her humiliation, Karla’s defiant glare brought him immense pleasure.
*
“So, what exactly are you, and what are you planning to do?”
In the heavy aftermath of a storm-filled early dawn, Karla, sitting up in bed and tying her hair, asked this question. She could still feel the lingering heat from the handprints left across her body, and the sticky discomfort between her legs made her crave a wash.
“My identity? You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Hmm, some ancient emperor who ruled a collapsed empire, perhaps?”
Karla wasn’t pulling this out of thin air.
She had studied magic meticulously and was well-versed in the stories about the final emperor of the ancient empire.
A prodigy, a man who saw the limits of magic but whose violent nature led him to tyranny. His kingdom rebelled after thirty days of intense battle, eventually defeating him…
Ivan remained silent to Karla’s questions, merely smirking instead. This silent affirmative made Karla snap her mouth shut, though she wanted to rage.
‘…Could it be true?’
Karla’s sharp mind rapidly spun, piecing together her memories of Ivan.
The young Ivan who displayed immense talent in magic, the Ivan who quickly advanced after reading a basic wind magic book, the Ivan who instantly burned Venere to death, and even Lucas, and then Kiara…
‘That Kiara, subdued so quickly in that torrential rain, right?’
His magic faltered the moment his necklace broke.
Kiara capitalized on that weakness, pushing Ivan back, chasing after him… And Lucas tried to inject some aphrodisiac into Karla.
In that brief moment, Ivan managed to subdue Kiara.
To subdue Kiara, the master of water magic, that quickly.
Considering that, perhaps the necklace served not as a power-up but as a suppression mechanism for Ivan’s immense power.
So then, Lucas really made a grave mistake.
“You seem to understand now, don’t you? You are sharp.”
Karla didn’t respond to Ivan’s words. Or perhaps, she couldn’t.
“I simply wish to reclaim my empire. Once that fool and I merge completely, he’ll also realize his connection to me.”
What did he mean by “two parts of one”?
Ivan was Ivan from the beginning.
Karla—thinking he was Carlo back then—had unknowingly reawakened his past life.
Still, now was not the time to reveal everything.
Shifting his gaze toward Karla, he eyed her curving back against the bed.
“Even this ‘fool’ won’t resist my choice of you. After all, a man who refuses a beautiful woman is nonexistent. Moreover, this fool has an excessive sense of responsibility. He says he must take responsibility for taking your purity.”
“Well, taking responsibility is expected… what’s surprising about that?”
To an imperial woman, purity is paramount.
Once given to a man, it becomes their bond. Even Karla is not exempt.
“Do you aim to force supreme devotion to the emperor?”
What an outrageous proposition—Karla didn’t know how to respond. Such insolence would result in beheading if voiced outside.
But if Ivan really was who he claimed, he would indeed cause widespread damage before being exterminated.
Moreover, all this talk of reclaiming the empire and ascending the throne seemed so far-fetched to believe.
“…Before that, there’s something we should do first.”
“What?!”
Before she could fully comprehend, Karla found herself yanked towards Ivan with a shrill squeal.
“A commendable magic, this Gravity magic, isn’t it?”
“What are you doing?!”
For some reason, she found herself lying on the bed with her limbs stretched wide. She couldn’t move a finger or a toe. It felt like something immense was pressing down on her, yet her breathing or speaking wasn’t hampered.
“There must’ve been someone wielding gravity magic who taught this skill. Such fascinating power. When I fully incorporate it into sorcery, flying will be a breeze.”
“Mastering Gravity magic…”
Karla frowned, glowering at Ivan. She recalled someone from the West who controlled gravity, though she didn’t remember his name. She personally defeated him, so she clearly remembered it. His magic appeared weak, his skills mediocre. Yet in Ivan’s hands, it displayed such extraordinary power.
“Regardless, I’m quite satisfied. It pleases me.”
Ivan licked his lips, surveying the fully stretched Karla on the bed.
“There’s still time before dawn. We have some time to enjoy together.”
Karla glared daggers at Ivan.
His silence made him notice her sudden quietness, prompting him to look closely at her.
“Forcing yourself on a woman by force is even scorned by peasants who know better. Did you know that?”
“Hmm.”
“Now, get this off.”
Without hesitation, Ivan released the gravity magic pinning her down. The weight lifted, and Karla let out a small sigh as she sat up on the bed.
“…Fine, agreed.”
Karla, wiping her sweat-drenched hair, forced a laugh.
“So, you plan to claim me fully as yours now, huh… Your Imperial Majesty?”
Ivan continued to gaze steadily, but ultimately, he smirked.
“Are you trying to provoke me? Are you this bold?”
Instead of answering, Karla narrowed her eyes and glared at Ivan.
“Let’s have a candid conversation, shall we? I understand you want me. But do you desire just my body, or do you want more?”
It was unexpected.
Ivan hesitated before replying.
Karla della Cascata.
She was knowledgeable in the pursuit of magic. She was obsessive, competitive.
Even though he had never welcomed love during his lifetime, Karla might just be worthy… possibly.
After a moment’s thought, Ivan replied:
“I wish to possess all of you entirely. But I have no taste for force.”
“Good thing,” Karla murmured inwardly.
Once intimacy begins, it clouds judgment.
Thankfully, this would be enough. Pretending her confidence wasn’t shaken, Karla spoke:
“Even now, my body may belong to you, but you’ll never have my entirety. Understand that.”
“I am destined to be an emperor, Karla. Whether you want it or not.”
“It’s up to me. It’ll be more interesting this way. A woman who doesn’t yield to an emperor, wouldn’t that be intriguing?”
Who would have thought she’d say such things?
“There must’ve been plenty of women you had easily. Perhaps resisting me could be an interesting change.”
Ivan’s eyes flickered.
“You seem to use your mind, Karla. That remark wasn’t simply to escape this situation. It wasn’t bad… In fact, I find it rather intriguing. Though perhaps, failing to allure a woman would also pose an issue for a man. Fine. Remember your words, Karla.”
His hand grazed Karla’s cheek. Gentle but firm.
“You will soon know why I am worthy of being emperor, Karla.”
