A few dozen minutes ago. Randall and Sylvia returned to the castle after a date full of hardship and adversity. Sylvia was heading to the bathroom when she stopped walking and said, “Ah.”
'Was this my taste?'
It was a situation that she couldn't tell if it was because the other person was Randall, or if she had always liked this. Sylvia, who had been tilting her head, soon started kissing him from the stomach and tried to move up again, but Randall eventually grabbed her wrist as if surrendering. Of course, that only lasted a moment, and when she stopped moving, he immediately relaxed his grip.
“Sylvia. It’s been... five minutes, I think.”
Randall managed to finish his words, gasping for breath. Sylvia looked up at his face, her mouth slightly open.
"...Ah."
A small sigh escaped through her gaping teeth. Randall, whose eyes were reddened, was looking at her with a slightly distorted face. The moment she took that face in, her heart raced. A feeling close to the expression 'being possessed' that people often use. Sylvia unconsciously stared into the darkened green eyes that had grown darker as she tried to suppress her excitement. The moment she felt that her heart, which had always been calm as if dead, was beating a little faster. Without saying anything, their hands reached out. Sylvia wrapped her arms around Randall's neck, and Randall grabbed the back of her head and pulled her, and at the same time, their lips met as if they were crushing.
If the kiss at the wedding was a result of Sylvia's thorough rationality and Randall's bewilderment, now it was just a kiss based on instinct for both of them. They forgot the years engraved on their souls and the duties placed on their shoulders. They just breathed frantically as if the two of them were the only things left in the world.
"Ha...."
While they were kissing for a long time, a murky breath escaped from Sylvia’s lips. Randall came to his senses as if he had been splashed with cold water at that sound. Before he knew it, he had wrapped one arm around Sylvia’s waist and was covering her with his body as if he were covering her. Sylvia blinked her blurry eyes when their lips suddenly parted. A tear rolled down her flushed eye, unlike her usual pale face. Randall asked as if he was confirming, enduring the sensation of a fire rising inside him.
"I like you."
“...”
Sylvia's eyes returned to focus at that plain yet heavy confession. Randall watched her face, which had been heated, gradually calming down as if she were terrified. That expression was the answer. When Sylvia finally regained her senses and was about to open her lips in embarrassment, Randall got up first. He turned around, hid his bitter smile, and tried to speak in a calm voice.
“It’s not right to do something like this with someone you don’t like.”
“...Randall.”
“I kept my promise. Take a rest.”
With those words, Randall closed his gown and left the room. Sylvia instinctively reached out for the closed door but then withdrew her hand in surprise. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, hunched her shoulders, and gasped for breath. Her heart was still beating surprisingly fast.
'Are you crazy?'
It was shocking that she had kissed Randall in the first place, swept up in the momentary atmosphere and instinct. It meant that the reason and composure she had built up over hundreds of years had become useless in an instant.
She looked back at Randall with her rare clear eyes and warned him.
“You have to keep your promise, right? I’m waiting for you in the bedroom.”
“...Yes, Ma’am.”
Looking at that ambitious appearance, Randall began to feel a sense of crisis.
'Was the price too high...?'
He sighed deeply and headed to the bathroom, not knowing whether to be happy that it was effective or to cry that it was too much. He felt embarrassed and worried for some reason, so he stayed in the bathroom for much longer than usual, but there was a limit to how long he could delay.
“You’re late.”
"I'm sorry."
“Don’t stand, come and sit down.”
Finally, Randall returned to the bedroom like a criminal being dragged to prison and leaned against the headboard. As he settled in, Sylvia moved to sit across from him. Randall tried not to look at the nape of her neck, which looked even whiter than usual, perhaps because she had just come out of the bath.
'Come to think of it, what if I make a mistake?'
Only later did Randall begin to wonder whether he would be able to remain sensible under Sylvia's touch. But it was too late to regret it.
'If I act like an animal when I already have to look good, it's over.'
Randall took a deep breath, desperate to maintain his composure.
“I said five minutes.”
Sylvia said that and slowly swept her gaze down Randall’s body, which was covered by the gown. Her gaze, which had been tracing from the nape of his neck to his chest and abdomen, slowly moved lower. Randall became serious when Sylvia stared at his body and did not think of taking her gaze away.
“Only the upper body.”
“You really think that’s true? You didn’t say anything like that when we were trading. It’s unfair trading.”
“Since neither of us discussed the details when making the deal, I suggested the details first, and that’s what counts.”
Randall desperately protested. It was an excuse that seemed hastily made, but it wasn’t completely unreasonable. Sylvia bit her lips in frustration at being left speechless. The easiest way for a couple to look good together is through physical contact, so they try not to miss such opportunities. Aside from that, Randall’s refusal to touch her made her feel inexplicably angry. Sylvia’s pride was slightly hurt when she finally thought, “Oh, am I that unattractive?”
“You have to keep your promise, right? I’m waiting for you in the bedroom.”
“...Yes, Ma’am.”
Looking at that ambitious appearance, Randall began to feel a sense of crisis.
'Was the price too high...?'
He sighed deeply and headed to the bathroom, not knowing whether to be happy that it was effective or to cry that it was too much. He felt embarrassed and worried for some reason, so he stayed in the bathroom for much longer than usual, but there was a limit to how long he could delay.
“You’re late.”
"I'm sorry."
“Don’t stand, come and sit down.”
Finally, Randall returned to the bedroom like a criminal being dragged to prison and leaned against the headboard. As he settled in, Sylvia moved to sit across from him. Randall tried not to look at the nape of her neck, which looked even whiter than usual, perhaps because she had just come out of the bath.
'Come to think of it, what if I make a mistake?'
Only later did Randall begin to wonder whether he would be able to remain sensible under Sylvia's touch. But it was too late to regret it.
'If I act like an animal when I already have to look good, it's over.'
Randall took a deep breath, desperate to maintain his composure.
“I said five minutes.”
Sylvia said that and slowly swept her gaze down Randall’s body, which was covered by the gown. Her gaze, which had been tracing from the nape of his neck to his chest and abdomen, slowly moved lower. Randall became serious when Sylvia stared at his body and did not think of taking her gaze away.
“Only the upper body.”
“You really think that’s true? You didn’t say anything like that when we were trading. It’s unfair trading.”
“Since neither of us discussed the details when making the deal, I suggested the details first, and that’s what counts.”
Randall desperately protested. It was an excuse that seemed hastily made, but it wasn’t completely unreasonable. Sylvia bit her lips in frustration at being left speechless. The easiest way for a couple to look good together is through physical contact, so they try not to miss such opportunities. Aside from that, Randall’s refusal to touch her made her feel inexplicably angry. Sylvia’s pride was slightly hurt when she finally thought, “Oh, am I that unattractive?”
She glared at Randall with a scornful look, and one corner of her mouth turned up crookedly at the thought that suddenly occurred to her.
“You never said that I had to touch it with my hands, right?”
Randall froze in place. He remained frozen for about five seconds, not even breathing, and then he bit back as if someone had hit his head hard.
"... Yes?"
“This time, I spoke first.”
“What is that... Huh.”
Randall, whose thoughts were gradually returning to normal, was startled and tried to stop Sylvia, but she didn't give him a chance. She leaned down, tilted her head, and brought her lips to Randl's nape. He reflexively gritted his teeth.
“Sylvia.”
“You’re not trying to break your promise, are you? Just stay still. It hasn’t even been a minute.”
“But, this is too much.”
Randall covered his mouth with one hand as Sylvia mumbled against his skin with her lips. Sylvia ran her lips down Randall's neck, slowly moving down. As small kisses passed along his upper body, Randall felt like he was going crazy. Not because he didn't like it, but because he liked it so much that it made him lose his mind.
'Shit.'
Randall chewed the curses in his mouth, which was rare. He didn't just chew the curses, but he chewed the inside of his cheeks until they bled, and he held onto his senses. But unlike him, Sylvia kissed his body with a face that seemed so calm that it almost seemed indifferent at first.
'It's more fun than I thought, maybe because the reaction was so intense.'
It started out as a joke, but watching Randall's reaction turned out to be more enjoyable than she thought. She poked his stomach, which had become hard as a rock due to his nervousness, with her finger and let out a small laugh.
“You never said that I had to touch it with my hands, right?”
Randall froze in place. He remained frozen for about five seconds, not even breathing, and then he bit back as if someone had hit his head hard.
"... Yes?"
“This time, I spoke first.”
“What is that... Huh.”
Randall, whose thoughts were gradually returning to normal, was startled and tried to stop Sylvia, but she didn't give him a chance. She leaned down, tilted her head, and brought her lips to Randl's nape. He reflexively gritted his teeth.
“Sylvia.”
“You’re not trying to break your promise, are you? Just stay still. It hasn’t even been a minute.”
“But, this is too much.”
Randall covered his mouth with one hand as Sylvia mumbled against his skin with her lips. Sylvia ran her lips down Randall's neck, slowly moving down. As small kisses passed along his upper body, Randall felt like he was going crazy. Not because he didn't like it, but because he liked it so much that it made him lose his mind.
'Shit.'
Randall chewed the curses in his mouth, which was rare. He didn't just chew the curses, but he chewed the inside of his cheeks until they bled, and he held onto his senses. But unlike him, Sylvia kissed his body with a face that seemed so calm that it almost seemed indifferent at first.
'It's more fun than I thought, maybe because the reaction was so intense.'
It started out as a joke, but watching Randall's reaction turned out to be more enjoyable than she thought. She poked his stomach, which had become hard as a rock due to his nervousness, with her finger and let out a small laugh.
How could such a big and strong man not be able to move a finger because of me? It was really... Should I say it was nice to see.
'Was this my taste?'
It was a situation that she couldn't tell if it was because the other person was Randall, or if she had always liked this. Sylvia, who had been tilting her head, soon started kissing him from the stomach and tried to move up again, but Randall eventually grabbed her wrist as if surrendering. Of course, that only lasted a moment, and when she stopped moving, he immediately relaxed his grip.
“Sylvia. It’s been... five minutes, I think.”
Randall managed to finish his words, gasping for breath. Sylvia looked up at his face, her mouth slightly open.
"...Ah."
A small sigh escaped through her gaping teeth. Randall, whose eyes were reddened, was looking at her with a slightly distorted face. The moment she took that face in, her heart raced. A feeling close to the expression 'being possessed' that people often use. Sylvia unconsciously stared into the darkened green eyes that had grown darker as she tried to suppress her excitement. The moment she felt that her heart, which had always been calm as if dead, was beating a little faster. Without saying anything, their hands reached out. Sylvia wrapped her arms around Randall's neck, and Randall grabbed the back of her head and pulled her, and at the same time, their lips met as if they were crushing.
If the kiss at the wedding was a result of Sylvia's thorough rationality and Randall's bewilderment, now it was just a kiss based on instinct for both of them. They forgot the years engraved on their souls and the duties placed on their shoulders. They just breathed frantically as if the two of them were the only things left in the world.
"Ha...."
While they were kissing for a long time, a murky breath escaped from Sylvia’s lips. Randall came to his senses as if he had been splashed with cold water at that sound. Before he knew it, he had wrapped one arm around Sylvia’s waist and was covering her with his body as if he were covering her. Sylvia blinked her blurry eyes when their lips suddenly parted. A tear rolled down her flushed eye, unlike her usual pale face. Randall asked as if he was confirming, enduring the sensation of a fire rising inside him.
"I like you."
“...”
Sylvia's eyes returned to focus at that plain yet heavy confession. Randall watched her face, which had been heated, gradually calming down as if she were terrified. That expression was the answer. When Sylvia finally regained her senses and was about to open her lips in embarrassment, Randall got up first. He turned around, hid his bitter smile, and tried to speak in a calm voice.
“It’s not right to do something like this with someone you don’t like.”
“...Randall.”
“I kept my promise. Take a rest.”
With those words, Randall closed his gown and left the room. Sylvia instinctively reached out for the closed door but then withdrew her hand in surprise. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, hunched her shoulders, and gasped for breath. Her heart was still beating surprisingly fast.
'Are you crazy?'
It was shocking that she had kissed Randall in the first place, swept up in the momentary atmosphere and instinct. It meant that the reason and composure she had built up over hundreds of years had become useless in an instant.
Furthermore, the regret that had crept in at the moment their lips parted did not easily go away. Sylvia covered her mouth with one hand, making a rare expression of shock.
‘Was I this... weak to desire?’
Again, she had that same question.
‘Was I this... weak to desire?’
Again, she had that same question.
Was I weak to the body of the opposite sex, to desire?
But no matter how much she thought about it, she had never been attracted to anyone in this way. Then, there was only one cause for all this confusion and emotion.
'Randall.'
'Randall.'
Randalll Belfort. Sylvia was now beginning to see Randall as an equal, not just a 'husband', but as a person called 'Randall Belfort'. Up until now, Randall had been just a means for Sylvia to live a comfortable life, a foolish and naive young man, a husband on paper. Sometimes cute, sometimes brazen enough to temporarily break her composure, but in the end, that's all he was. A man likes a momentary storm. But what happened a little while ago made it clear.
“...I didn’t expect this.”
Not just a passing wave, but a tidal wave. Randall Belfort might be the one who would change her entire soul.
“...I didn’t expect this.”
Not just a passing wave, but a tidal wave. Randall Belfort might be the one who would change her entire soul.
***
The couple, who had been in and out of each other's lives for several days since that day, held hands again for a party at Countess Glever's mansion. Auston followed them as they got out of the carriage and entered the mansion.
As they entered the banquet hall guided by the servant, Rubia hurriedly approached them and greeted them.
“Are you here, you two?”
“It’s been a while, Countess Glever.”
“What a great party.”
Randall and Sylvia each greeted her affectionately. Thanks to that, the nobles who had been secretly ignoring Rubia since the treason incident and demotion of the former Marquis Glever became nervous.
“Are you here, you two?”
“It’s been a while, Countess Glever.”
“What a great party.”
Randall and Sylvia each greeted her affectionately. Thanks to that, the nobles who had been secretly ignoring Rubia since the treason incident and demotion of the former Marquis Glever became nervous.
That was the main purpose of Sylvia, who had been secluded for a few days under the pretense of resting. Of course, she also wanted to check if the gossip about Auston and Rubia was true, but that wasn’t the main point, so anyway.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, a man with a round face approached Randall and bowed his head. He then bowed briefly to Sylvia and looked at Randall and said.
“The results of the investigation into the matter you instructed me to do earlier arrived a little while ago. When should I report to you...?”
“Oh, already? That’s faster than I thought.”
Randall answered like that and then looked back at Sylvia with an apologetic expression.
“I think I’ll have to leave for a while, Ma’am.”
"Bye."
“I'll be right back.”
Perhaps it was because she had kept her distance for a few days and was calming down. Sylvia recognized Randall as an equal and a very dangerous person, but she was able to calmly control her expression.
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, a man with a round face approached Randall and bowed his head. He then bowed briefly to Sylvia and looked at Randall and said.
“The results of the investigation into the matter you instructed me to do earlier arrived a little while ago. When should I report to you...?”
“Oh, already? That’s faster than I thought.”
Randall answered like that and then looked back at Sylvia with an apologetic expression.
“I think I’ll have to leave for a while, Ma’am.”
"Bye."
“I'll be right back.”
Perhaps it was because she had kept her distance for a few days and was calming down. Sylvia recognized Randall as an equal and a very dangerous person, but she was able to calmly control her expression.
After Randall left, Rubia asked Sylvia.
“Shall I stay with you, Ma’am?”
“Yes. You have to take care of the guests. Go ahead.”
This party would play an important role in re-establishing the prestige of the Glever family. Therefore, Rubia, the host of the party, could not stay in one place. Rubia hesitated at Sylvia's persuasion and then lowered her head. Her face was strangely depressed.
“...Yes, I understand. But I think it would be best if you stayed in the break room.”
"What?"
“I’ll tell you the reason when I see you at the end of the party. But for now, would you do as I say?”
“...”
Sylvia was puzzled, but since Rubia's face looked quite tense, she nodded first. Then Rubia seemed relieved, greeted her politely, and disappeared.
'What's going on?'
Sylvia folded her arms and sat deep in thought. Since Rapold's rebellion, Rubia has been very kind to Sylvia. It was unlikely that she would have said anything nonsensical.
'I'll just take a quick look around and then go to the break room.'
After much thought, Sylvia decided to just let people know that the 'Duchess' was attending the party and then head to the lounge. Since she wasn't the type to attend every party faithfully, she would have to show that she was doing her job as a Duchess who leads the social world, so as not to cause any trouble. However, as she walked around the banquet hall, the small furrow between her eyebrows deepened.
‘...The atmosphere is strange.’
Based on her experience accumulated over many years, Sylvia was quite perceptive. Her intuition was telling her that the atmosphere in this banquet hall was strange. Normally, while Sylvia was looking around the banquet hall, two or three, or at least one noble would have come to stamp their eyes on her. However, the nobles attending the party only looked at her with strange expressions hidden behind their fans, and no one spoke to her.
“Shall I stay with you, Ma’am?”
“Yes. You have to take care of the guests. Go ahead.”
This party would play an important role in re-establishing the prestige of the Glever family. Therefore, Rubia, the host of the party, could not stay in one place. Rubia hesitated at Sylvia's persuasion and then lowered her head. Her face was strangely depressed.
“...Yes, I understand. But I think it would be best if you stayed in the break room.”
"What?"
“I’ll tell you the reason when I see you at the end of the party. But for now, would you do as I say?”
“...”
Sylvia was puzzled, but since Rubia's face looked quite tense, she nodded first. Then Rubia seemed relieved, greeted her politely, and disappeared.
'What's going on?'
Sylvia folded her arms and sat deep in thought. Since Rapold's rebellion, Rubia has been very kind to Sylvia. It was unlikely that she would have said anything nonsensical.
'I'll just take a quick look around and then go to the break room.'
After much thought, Sylvia decided to just let people know that the 'Duchess' was attending the party and then head to the lounge. Since she wasn't the type to attend every party faithfully, she would have to show that she was doing her job as a Duchess who leads the social world, so as not to cause any trouble. However, as she walked around the banquet hall, the small furrow between her eyebrows deepened.
‘...The atmosphere is strange.’
Based on her experience accumulated over many years, Sylvia was quite perceptive. Her intuition was telling her that the atmosphere in this banquet hall was strange. Normally, while Sylvia was looking around the banquet hall, two or three, or at least one noble would have come to stamp their eyes on her. However, the nobles attending the party only looked at her with strange expressions hidden behind their fans, and no one spoke to her.
Sylvia left the banquet hall, wondering if this was related to Rubia’s warning. She planned to follow her advice and take refuge in the lounge until she could properly understand the situation. Sylvia quietly headed toward the hallway lined with lounges.
'I guess there are people over there.'
As she was about to enter a relatively empty break room, a faint voice came from the direction of the break room where it seemed there were people.
“...She hasn’t even had her first night yet?”
'I guess there are people over there.'
As she was about to enter a relatively empty break room, a faint voice came from the direction of the break room where it seemed there were people.
“...She hasn’t even had her first night yet?”
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