“Ah!”
Lionel picked up Riv and carried her to the Duchess’ bed.
Lionel threw her onto the bed and climbed on top of her.
“You provoked me, my bride.”
Lionel’s body was as hot as a furnace. His black shadow was menacing.
Riv welcomed him who had turned into a beast. She realized that she liked his beastly nature. It was a taste she was unaware of.
“Lionel.”
Riv wrapped her arms around his firm neck.
“I want you. So wait for me.”
Riv slipped out from underneath him and lifted her robe.
Lionel’s eyes were about to pop out from their sockets.
Riv’s chest permeated under her sheer nightgown. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
“……!”
Lionel’s eyes flashed menacingly.
He tore off Riv’s thin pajamas at once. He whispered to her, locking her under his body.
“Is it my turn to tease you?”
Riv’s hot skin entangled with his body.
“I was going to hold back today!”
Lionel’s distorted expression caught her eye.
Riv just focused all her senses on his touch.
It was hot and distant.
Her body against his. Lionel, who only longed for her.
The savage beast dominated her.
Riv tightly clung on his neck to keep herself from drifting away. Their bodies, sticky with sweat, intertwined. He dug deeper and teased her. Their sweaty bodies were entangled together.
“L-Lionel!”
Lionel was a savage beast, and Riv seemed to have become his perfect prey.
He played with her entire body using his hands.
“Riv.”
Lionel’s voice rang in her ear.
Riv sank deeply.
After they finished, Riv embraced Lionel. She was already exhausted and couldn’t do anything.
She thought she should wash her body, which was covered in sweat, but she had no energy left to move. Lionel said playfully, raising Riv’s droopy arms.
“My wife has to increase her stamina.”
“Aren’t you the one overflowing with stamina?”
“Yes. I can do it many more times.”
Riv glared at Lionel who was still full of energy. However, she was not a threat to him as her body was exhausted and helpless.
Riv sighed and gave a small yawn.
“I want to bathe, so take me to the bathroom.”
Lionel nodded his head with a grin.
“Yes, my wife.”
He took off his clothes, he was naked as he held Riv lightly. Riv found nail marks on his back, where she had scratched him.
“Lionel, did I make your back like this? D-Does it hurt?”
“It stung a little, but it’s fine now.”
Riv was embarrassed at Lionel’s appearance.
“Don’t worry. This kind of wound is nothing.”
“B-But.” Riv had tears in her eyes.
“It’s really fine. A wound like this doesn’t even hurt.”
“What if it leaves a scar? We need to disinfect it.”
“Really, I’m fine.”
Lionel comforted her as they went into the bathroom together.
Lionel sat Riv down on the edge of the bathtub and filled it with water. Riv saw the numerous gruesome scars engraved on his body and held her breath.
Lionel looked beautiful.
However, the scars on the left side of his face and the numerous ones on his body showed how many deaths he had overcome.
“Does it hurt?”
Riv caressed the scar on his face and the old wound next to his heart.
The wounds must have been painful and dangerous.
Lionel smiled at Riv’s touch.
“It did at first, but it’s okay now.”
“Lies.”
“I’ve become numb to the pain.”
“Still, it must have been painful.”
“I don’t remember.”
Lionel pretended to be fine then placed Riv into the bathtub full of warm water.
He went into the bathtub with her.
The water splashed around them.
“Lionel.”
“What is it?”
Riv couldn’t bear it anymore.
“Stop messing around with your hands.”
“Why, don’t you like it?”
Lionel’s hands teased Riv’s body under the water. His hands splashed water around, making a noise.
Her body became hot in an instant. She moaned excitedly as she warmed up. She couldn’t push him away.
She didn’t have the strength to resist him in the first place.
So Riv did not reject his warm touch.
The water enveloped their bodies. Heavy breathing followed.
Warm water overflowed.
The bathroom was filled with thick mist and sounds of pleasure. All of those echoed in the bathroom.
Lionel moaned Riv’s name as he reached his peak.
It was dawn when they had finished bathing and returned to bed.
“Now go to sleep.”
Lionel caressed Riv like a child.
“You should get some rest now, wife.”
He couldn’t influence Riv, so he treated her like a princess. In the arms of Lionel, who was comfortable and warm, Riv was intoxicated with utter euphoria. As Riv fell asleep, she felt a warm energy surrounding them. Magical power, where happiness had become reality.
Riv had a dream.
A dream where she and Lionel leaned on each other affectionately, in a sunny meadow, laughing together.
Was this the future, or was it something she hoped for?
“Riv, sleep well.”
She could hear a man’s sleepy voice in the distance.
Lionel hugged the naked Riv. His body was hot and Riv’s body was cold. The opposite body temperatures met and mixed, and merged into a pleasant lukewarm temperature. As the quiet night passed, Lionel felt strange.
He opened his eyes suddenly. He felt something he couldn’t ignore.
There seemed to be no one else in the room except them. The Duchess’ room, engulfed in darkness, was too quiet. Like there was no one alive besides them.
“……?”
Obviously, Lionel felt someone’s energy.
“Hmm?”
It was as if someone was watching them.
It was the senses developed by a soldier or a beast who had gone to the battlefield.
He suddenly stared at the jewelry box next to the bed.
“Is it just me?”
He seemed to feel a red gaze on him. He looked around again, but there was nothing. Lionel gave up and went back to sleep.
Inside the jewelry box, the red glow of the ruby ring slowly faded away. Lionel hugged Riv and made her lean on him. As she listened to his heartbeat, she buried herself deeper into his arms.
***
Deep into the night, a man in a robe stood in the small chapel of the Bishop’s Church. He was looking off into the distance.
Enaldo, a fellow priest, spoke to him.
“It appears that the Duke and Duchess of Sentoren returned safely after the wedding. The Duchess has since been informed that she was not to leave the Duke’s mansion.”
“Is that so?”
Enaldo was very interested in the Duchess, but the robed man seemed indifferent.
Enaldo asked again.
“Have you met the Duchess of Sentoren?”
The robed man shook his head.
“Still, you are family, and share the same last name.”
“I don’t know Olivia Sentoren. She came after I left the family.”
Enaldo shut his mouth as he was about to say something.
There was no need to meddle in other people’s family affairs. The moment they chose the path of a priest, they abandoned their family.
Philip cut ties with his family and had been away from the royal capital for well over 10 years.
Clearly, Philip and Madame Katana had nothing to do with each other. However, Enaldo felt Philip’s subtle hostility towards her.
“Do you feel like she damaged the Katana name, Philip? Because she’s an adopted daughter? Or because her descendants may inherit the Sentoren title?”
Philip shook his head but said nothing. Soon after, Philip began to pray, so Enaldo went back to his room. After he finished his prayer, Philip went outside and looked up at the dark night sky. He mumbled to himself.
“Riv Sentoren is a witch’s daughter.”
***
Morning came. It was late in the morning and no one had come to wake them up. The sun shone through the curtains that were firmly drawn.
Riv opened her eyes blankly and looked to her side. Lionel was still sleeping soundly.
‘Wow.’
The sleeping man looked young and innocent, like a child. The red scar on his left cheek also made him look more human.
Without the scar, his beautiful face would have been perfect.
Without this scar, would Marianne have chosen Lionel?
‘Stop thinking of Marianne.’
Lionel twisted his body and stretched. He opened his eyes and greeted Riv.
“Riv, did you sleep well?”
Lionel’s sleepy face and hoarse voice were much sweeter than last night. Riv’s heart pounded.
“Riv?”
“Oh, what did you say?”
“I asked if you slept well.”
“I-I slept well.”
Lionel chuckled at Riv’s slow response.
“Did my wife fall for me again?”
Did she ever expect that the man she thought was cold blooded could joke like this?
It was all new to Riv.
Every day, she felt like she was discovering a new side of Lionel.
“Riv, are you okay? Why do you have that blank look?”
“I-It’s nothing.”
Riv, who hurriedly got up, groaned involuntarily.
“Ugh!”
The moment she moved her body, an excruciating pain arose.
Her body throbbed as if her bones had been broken.
As she pondered why she was in pain, her face turned red.