Chapter 55
“I am not jealous.”
That’s what she said, but Riv was offended by the girls who showed Lionel interest.
They seemed to have forgotten that Riv was Madame Katana.
“So why do these ladies want me?”
Lionel, who was joking at first, became serious.
He was not very fond of the ladies’ attention.
“Lionel? You really don’t know? They wanted to make the Duke of Sentoren their lover.”
“Their lover?”
“You are a great candidate because you are strong, healthy, rich, and handsome, and was known for a good night.”
“Then what do you think, Duchess of Sentoren?”
“Hmm?”
“How was your experience first hand?”
[T/N: *squeeeal]
Lionel was shameless.
He was ready to attack Riv at any moment.
“Is it as they say? Or is it worse?”
“Do you want to be told that you are amazing?”
As Lionel nodded his head cheerfully, Riv added.
“Fine. You become a beast at night.”
“You mean I’m better than the rumors?”
“Yes.”
Lionel was confident and moved to Riv’s side.
“That feels good to hear.”
It seemed like he wanted to strip her naked right away, but he didn’t touch her.
Riv sat on his hard thighs.
The greenhouse was almost unbearably hot.
She looked up at Lionel, and his large hand caressed her.
“Riv, you’re not good at socializing.”
“…”
“But you have improved a lot. You have broken out of the shell of Madame Katana.”
Madame Katana existed to be ridiculed and disparaged. Riv had broken out of that shell.
The gazes on her had changed from ridicule to favor, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
She was being treated like this because she was now the Duchess of Sentoren.
Riv stared intently at Lionel.
“Lionel, have you been to the palace again?”
“Yes.”
Lionel answered the call of the royal family once or twice a week, but he never talked about it.
“How is Princess Marianne doing?”
“Fine. There has been no change. The royal family has not decided on anything.”
Riv thought for a moment.
“It is strange that Queen Selina hasn’t made a move. About Princess Marianne’s marriage, and also about our marriage.”
Even if Riv had not been killed by Marianne in her past life, as long as she remained in the royal family, she would have been removed after being used to the point of uselessness. Perhaps sensing Riv’s anxiety, Lionel said.
“Whatever the royal family does, leave it to me.”
“What if they kill me?”
“I will protect you.”
Riv’s heart grew cold as she recalled the ominous dream she had a few days ago. She seemed to have changed Lionel’s future by taking his hand so that she could live.
It was as if Riv had become a parasite to Lionel and sucked his life away.
Lionel sat Riv up on his thighs. The plants in the greenhouse were slanted over them, providing cool shade.
The plants covered their bodies, so it felt like they were the only ones there. Riv suddenly became thirsty. Lionel openly stared at Riv’s chest.
“Lionel, I…”
As Lionel read Riv’s darkened expression, he jokingly said.
“Riv, do you want me to attack you here?”
“What?”
“I’ll attack you.”
“What if someone sees?”
Riv tried to push Lionel away, but he didn’t budge.
Lionel was quicker than her.
He ripped the tiny buttons on Riv’s dress off and pulled it down.
Riv’s upper body was exposed slowly and delicately, as if Lionel was peeling the wrapping off of a precious gift.
“Riv.”
As he gazed at Riv’s smooth skin, his eyes blazed like fire.
Riv didn’t want to think about anything else either.
“Do you want to attack me, Lionel?”
Riv caressed Lionel’s face.
Heat rose to his face and body.
“Lionel.”
It was warm inside the greenhouse with large palm tree leaves and tropical flowers in full bloom.
They couldn’t tell if it was the heat inside the building or if it was hot because of the fever rising in their bodies.
Riv began to unbutton Lionel’s shirt slowly.
“Why?”
“I can’t be the only one with my top taken off.”
“So, you’re going to take mine off to get even?”
Lionel’s body became more excited.
However, he was very patient.
Leaning languidly on the bench, he observed Riv’s actions. She was sitting very close to him.
“I hope nobody sees us.”
“It’ll be obvious what the Duke and Duchess are doing if we don’t come out for a while.”
After taking off Lionel’s shirt, she tried to unbutton his pants as well.
“No more.”
Lionel grabbed Riv, laid her on the bench and towered over her body.
The bench was narrow and it seemed like they were going to fall off at any moment.
“Stay still.”
“Lionel.”
Lionel’s shadow completely engulfed her. This man’s body, digging between her legs, was hot as if it were burning.
He buried his head in the nape of her neck and let out a hot breath.
His body was hotter and more humid than the greenhouse.
Riv’s body was also warm.
“Haa.”
Riv’s arms wrapped around Lionel’s strong and wide back.
The sound of violent friction between her dress and his pants was heard over and over again. Riv had been craving him and actively clung to him. She was filled only with the feeling of being alive.
There was no fear of death when she was in Lionel’s arms. Only then was she able to forget her ominous dream and her foreknowledge.
After their moment of passion, Lionel had drained her energy and stroked Riv’s bare skin, leaning in her arms.
“Riv, you’ve been delaying attending a ball, but we have to go.”
“Yes. I have a lot of evening dresses for one.”
“Do you not like those dresses?”
“They’re too bulky. I think I’ll look bigger in a dress like that.”
“No matter how big you get, you’ll never be as big as Madame Katana. It’s amazing how you dressed up.”
At Riv’s dissatisfaction, Lionel stroked her long, messy, luscious hair.
He was obsessed with her dark hair, which contrasted with her exceptionally white skin.
What he liked about Riv was; her tall stature, graceful body movements, long arms and legs, and her body which was capable of accepting his desires.
And her intelligence. And everything else, everything about her.
“Lionel, have I told you I liked you?”
Riv, with the eyes of an innocent child, whispered to him.
Lionel listened to Riv’s slowing heartbeat. The woman who laid under him fell asleep, her naked body still exposed. It drove him crazy.
The warm air in the greenhouse enveloped them.
Lionel seemed to understand why Riv liked this place.
This was Riv’s hideout.
However,
“Why?”
Sometimes, seeing the woman in his arms, he wondered.
Why did this woman save him and why did he fall for such a woman? Was it because she saved his life? Or was it because of sexual obsession and lust?
Did these things overlap?
Lionel, who had complicated thoughts, stared at Riv who was fast asleep.
“Madame Katana. Riv Sentoren.”
Lionel redressed the puzzled Riv and put on her wrinkled clothes casually.
He couldn’t find the button to his shirt that had broken off, so he just left it as it was.
The servants secretly laughed when they saw Lionel’s wrinkled, torn shirt, and Riv’s soiled and crumpled dress as they came out of the greenhouse.
It was obvious what the sweaty Duke and Duchess had done.
Lionel laid Riv in the Duchess’ bedroom.
Having washed up in his own bathroom, he called his escort, Michelle, into his bedroom.
“Michelle, report on the royal family?.”
“They’re quiet for now.”
The royal family had not yet moved. It was still unknown what actions they would take.
Lionel grumbled as if he was annoyed to come up to the third floor away from Riv.
“We need to move my bedroom to a closer location. Rather than the third floor.”
Laughing at Lionel’s grumbled words, Michelle remembered what the butler, Karl, had said.
“Oh, by the way, each family has been ordered to attend the royal ball.”
“Isn’t there still a month left until the royal ball?”
“Yes.”
The social season was in full swing, and the royal ball would mark the end of the social season.
It was rare for the royal family to have already decided on a list of attendees and to notify them to attend.
“What are the ladies of the royal family thinking?”
The royal family may be calm on the outside, but the inside was probably chaotic.
The status inside was still unclean. Just then, Michelle opened his mouth.
“Ah, Claudel has something to say about Madame’s ball dress.”
Lionel remembered Riv’s expression of disdain for ball dresses.
She chose and wore casual clothes, and hated ball dresses.
“Call Claudel.”
After Michelle left, Claudel appeared.
“Do you have anything to say about the ball?”
“Yes.”
“The dresses must be ready. Ah, perhaps Riv didn’t like them.”
Claudel nodded her head with a displeased look.