The stairs were high and if he stumbled, they would be seriously hurt. Riv was anxious.
Their bedroom was on the third floor.
“We’re not going to go all the way to the third floor like this, are we?”
“If possible.”
Lionel was brimming with confidence.
Her face softened.
“Then I’ll trust you.”
Riv quietly surrendered to him.
After they climbed the central staircase up to the third floor and made it to the hallway, he put Riv down.
“That was difficult, wasn’t it?”
As Riv checked Lionel’s condition, he gently raised one eyebrow. It was a habit of his that expressed his dissatisfaction.
“Riv, do I look tired?”
“……”
Riv looked at him. Lionel’s breathing was labored as he carried Riv, but he didn’t seem to be having a hard time.
“I am fine, my wife.”
Lionel grinned and threw Riv over his shoulder, as if to prove his strength.
“Huh?”
Carrying her was not enough, so she was thrown on his shoulder like luggage.
Blood rushed to Riv’s face.
“L-Lionel!”
She felt dizzy.
Even as Riv squirmed, Lionel didn’t let go.
“L-Lionel, I was wrong for teasing you.”
“Too late.”
He strode through the hallway and arrived in front of the Duchess’ room.
“Open the door.”
“……?”
While Riv was puzzled, he strode into the Duchess’ room.
“Everyone get out.”
At Lionel’s command, the maids scurried out of the room.
He laid Riv down on the Duchess’ bed.
“Ah.”
Riv was still dizzy.
Lionel brought his face in front of hers.
As if he couldn’t wait any longer, he took off his coat and tried to tear off Riv’s velvet dress.
But Riv blocked his hand.
“Th-This is my favorite dress. Let me take it off.”
“Okay.”
Lionel chuckled. In fact, he hadn’t even taken off his shoes.
Just when Riv was about to take off her coat and carefully unbutton her velvet dress…
“Just a moment.”
Lionel pushed Riv down on the bed and climbed on top of her.
His firm and heavy body pressed down on Riv.
“Let’s stay like this for a moment.”
Lionel buried his face in Riv’s chest.
As he pressed his face between her bre*sts, he said.
“The fabric is too thick. It’s worse than a summer dress.”
“It’s a dress for the winter.”
Lionel grunted and raised his head.
He stared at Riv’s face, which was red with excitement.
His mischievous hands moved, caressing her but*ocks and chest.
“Riv, don’t pretend to be modest in front of me.”
“I’m not.”
His hand inched further and further down Riv’s body.
“Then take off your clothes. I want to taste you right away.”
Lionel slowly turned into a beast.
“Give me your body.”
Lionel’s lips met hers.
It was careful contact. But within that moment, they both caught on fire.
Having been apart for half a year, their suppressed passion exploded.
Lionel and Riv entangled madly, craving each other’s lips.
They tasted and touched each others’ bodies endlessly.
Forgetting the dress she loved, Riv gave in. Lionel’s claw-like hands tore it off of her.
Her underwe*r became a rag in his hands. Riv removed his jacket and tore off his shirt.
She felt his bare skin under her palms. It was burning hot. Riv traced the firm muscles of Lionel’s body.
“Haa.”
“Riv.”
With his lips, Lionel frantically traced Riv’s body. His hands prodded every inch of her.
Their desires burned hot. They both became beasts.
They felt the joy of being alive, deep pleasures, and raw desires.
Their longing was fulfilled on the bed.
Lionel’s eyes blazed hotter than the sun.
She wanted to be ruled by him. Riv longed for the pleasure he gave her and everything he could offer.
“I dreamed of holding you for the past half year.”
“Did you want me?”
“Yes.”
“Did you yearn for me?”
“Hnn.”
Riv remembered when she saw him again.
Lionel looked unfamiliar and frightening. His face still hadn’t lost its sharpness.
But even that side of him… she wanted all of it.
For life, she wanted to be his one and only lover.
Riv longed for him.
“Lionel.”
“Only look at me today. Don’t take your hands off me.”
Lionel muttered, as if hypnotizing Riv.
It was their second honeymoon.
***
A few peaceful days passed.
Riv was absorbed in her role of being a loving wife. The night was theirs.
They were married, but they had been apart longer than they had been together.
As if to compensate for lost time, they barely stopped.
Occasionally, Lionel would attack Riv during the day. Whenever he did that, Riv was exhausted and slept again.
That day, just as Riv woke up from a nap, Claudel and Anna came in to change the flowers in a vase. They even brought firewood for the fireplace.
They noticed Riv, who had just woken up.
“Are you awake, Madame?”
“Yes.”
They looked at Riv, then each other, and laughed.
“The Duke must have fallen for his wife again.”
“You’re on good terms, so perhaps you’ll get pregnant soon.”
The two women laughed gleefully when they mentioned pregnancy.
“Pregnant…”
Riv murmured. They didn’t make any efforts to avoid pregnancy.
But she knew very well that she was not pregnant.
‘Is it nice to have children?’
Riv wanted to give birth to Lionel’s child.
She wanted to have a child who would become his successor. If it was a boy who resembled him, he would look cute and mature. If it was a girl, she would look elegant and refined.
‘But it’s not going to happen.’
Was it a pity that she wasn’t pregnant?
Riv carressed her flat stomach.
After Claudel left, Anna cleaned up the area around the fireplace and stared at Riv. Her expression said she wanted to gossip.
“Anna, is something wrong?”
Anna walked over to Riv’s side.
“Riv, did you hear about Princess Marianne?”
“Yes? I know Princess Marianne was pregnant and got married.”
“Did you hear who the groom is?”
“No.”
Riv shook her head.
Marianne’s situation wasn’t her concern. All she cared about was Lionel.
Anna whispered.
“They said that the princess had a miscarriage and her husband is Grand Duke Shantel.”
Grand Duke Shantel was a senior member of the Royal Family, but rumors about him were not good.
He was infamous for having many wives and lovers. He also had very… bad habits.
Marianne married him and had a miscarriage?
‘Marianne was fine when I died.’
Just as Riv’s fate changed, so did Marianne’s.
Clearly, Marianne’s life would now be miserable, however, she felt no sympathy.
Still, this development could not be easily understood.
“Madame, are you okay?”
Anna asked.
Riv nodded her head belatedly.
***
Her whole body was on fire. Her bones, her flesh, even her soul burned.
The pain spread through Riv’s body.
It was indescribable.
Riv continued to struggle.
She did not want to be burned alive again.
–Help me! I want to live!!
This was the moment when Riv Katana died. It was the memory of her dying moments.
“Hah!”
Riv woke up with a short scream and wiped her forehead.
Her body was wet with cold sweat.
She could feel the chill in the room. She wrapped a blanket around her body tightly.
Her dream felt so real that she couldn’t calm down.
‘It was only a dream.’
Just when Riv finally caught her breath, she noticed her hand and her eyes opened wide.
“Riv?”
Lionel opened the door connecting their rooms and entered. He had heard her scream.
He checked on Riv, who was deathly pale.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
Riv stared at him, hiding her hand under the blanket.
“Just a minute, the room is a little cold.”
It seemed that the fire in the fireplace had been out for a while.
Riv didn’t even attempt to approach the fireplace as she was afraid of fire, so Lionel started it himself.
She could hear it crackling.
Little by little, warmth spread through the room.
Riv looked at Lionel, who had his back to her as he lit the fire.
For a moment, he seemed too far away.
“Lionel, stay by my side.”
“Riv?”
Lionel turned to Riv with a puzzled expression.
“Are you still bothered by your nightmare?”
He hugged Riv. His body shared its temperature with hers, gradually warming it up.
“Why do you look so anxious, Riv?”
Lionel caressed Riv’s face.
“I’m okay now that you’re here.”
Riv pulled her hands out from under the blanket and wrapped them around his neck.
Her hand, which had been transparent, was slowly solidifying.
“I just had a nightmare, Lionel.”
***