HFMD - Chapter 43 < Crack >


‘...I’m worrying for no reason.’

Before she knew it, it was getting dark. Before going into the bedroom, Sylvia untied and re-tied the ribbon on her gown. The first day of the wedding had already passed a long time ago, but she felt strangely strange. It was as if she was really having a first night. Sylvia shook her head to shake off the thoughts and turned the doorknob. Just like the first day of the wedding, Randall, who was sitting on the sofa, shrugged his shoulders and turned around.

“Sylvia.”

“Why are you there and not on the bed? Come here.”

Sylvia sat down on the bed and waved her hands. Then Randall sighed deeply, muttered something, and sat down on the bed with unnatural movements. Seeing that, Sylvia felt strangely nervous, thinking that she wasn't the only one who was concerned.

“I'll turn off the lights.”

"...Yes."

Sylvia blew out the candles and then lay down on the bed. Randall also awkwardly sat down next to her. There was some awkwardness, but they had become accustomed to each other’s warmth and presence, so they soon fell asleep. Randall’s forehead, which had been sleeping peacefully, furrowed as midnight approached.

<Randall>

As the line between dream and reality began to blur, a familiar whisper was heard. Randall opened his eyes from his dream. Immediately afterward, he hesitated and stepped back.

'...Sylvia?'

He was so surprised that he couldn't even make a sound and just opened his mouth. It was understandable because Sylvia was standing in front of him, her black silk gown half-open. Randall, who had almost reflexively fixed his gaze on her white skin, quickly raised his head. He bit so hard that the veins in his neck bulged so that he wouldn't accidentally look down.

‘Sylvia, what on earth is that outfit...’

<...I like you.>

At that moment, his thoughts stopped and his breath caught in his throat. He slowly lowered his head, as if his promise to himself that he would not look down even if the world were to end was meaningless. A faintly smiling face came into view. Sylvia, who came close to him barefoot, placed her hand on his cheek and whispered again as if hypnotizing him.

<I really like you.>

'...'

<Randall...>

Was it because I thought it was something I wanted to hear even in my dreams? 

Even if this was just a fleeting illusion, he somehow felt like crying. Randall stared blankly at Sylvia, who was calling his name as if she wanted something. He hesitated and slowly placed his hand over Sylvia’s. Then he looked into her eyes and asked.

'Can I... touch you?'

<...Yes?>

'Is it okay if I can reach as much as I want, however I want?'

At that cautious question, Sylvia looked momentarily embarrassed, then nodded with a picturesque smile on her lips.

<Of course. Do whatever you want.>

After finishing speaking, Sylvia gently hugged Randall's neck. He froze for a moment, then lowered his lips as if possessed. His entire body felt hot as if he was on fire. Randall could not bring himself to touch her lips, so he first placed his lips on Sylvia's chin. His lips, which had been moving along her slender, sharp jawline, slowly moved down. Randall, who had been caressing her pure white nape, lightly licked and bit the part where her neck and shoulder met, and a groan as if in pain flowed from above his head.

“Ugh...”

If that voice somehow felt clear as if he had woken up from a dream, was it an illusion? 

Randall repeated the same action along Sylvia's shoulder in a dazed mood. It was definitely a dream, but the skin touching his fingertips was so soft that it was crazy. Randall bit and licked Sylvia's skin so persistently that it felt like he was trying to engrave this feeling in his mind. Soon, his lips passed her collarbone and began to move lower.

“...Randall!”

Suddenly, he came to his senses as if he had been splashed with cold water. As soon as he came to his senses, Randall was startled by the sight of Sylvia's face.

“...Sylvia?”

His voice coming out of his mouth was as cracked as the ground cracked by heat. Randall realized belatedly that he was holding onto Sylvia's wrist and climbing on top of her, and he quickly pulled away. He staggered for a moment, uncharacteristic of him for moving so quickly, and barely managed to straighten his upper body.

“...!”

He froze as he noticed the flower-like marks on Sylvia's nape and shoulders.

"Ah."

Sylvia, who had been following Randall, raised her upper body and pulled up her gown as she realized where his gaze was directed. Sylvia's voice was also similarly choked. She took a breath with a rare expression on her face. Randall's face turned pale in an instant as he realized that this whole situation was not a dream but a reality.

"...I'm sorry."

Randall got up after saying those words. He staggered out of the room without a moment to say anything. In fact, Sylvia didn't have the presence of mind to stop Randall. She desperately took a deep breath, thinking back to what had happened to her a moment ago.

'...?'

Sylvia, who suddenly woke up from the pressure surrounding her body, frowned and blinked. With her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see Randall, who was holding her. Sylvia was momentarily taken aback by the hot body temperature she could feel through her thin gown, but she couldn’t shake him off because she wasn’t sure if he was sleeping or conscious. 

Meanwhile, Randall’s hand that had been wrapped around her waist slowly moved up her spine. The movement, like the exploration of a wild beast, gave her goosebumps. Something... different. 

Almost at the same time that an instinctive realization came over her, Randall brought his lips to her jawline. Randall stroked his lips along her jawline as if she were a ripe fruit, and soon he began licking and biting her neck.

"Ugh..."

Sylvia bit her lips to swallow her moans at the strange sensation that blossomed from that movement, but it wasn’t enough. The stimulation was getting worse. She felt her eyes burning. Sylvia put both hands on Randall’s shoulders and tried to push him away.

"Randall."

If it were the usual Randall, he would have let go immediately upon recognizing that movement, that call. No matter how sleepy he was, he was obsessively upright in that way, even unconsciously. However, when Sylvia showed signs of pushing Randall away, he held her wrists tightly as if pinning them to the bed and continued to move his lips. The light green eyes that met briefly were empty, like a dead person. Sylvia felt a chill for a moment and raised her voice.

"Randall!"

Fortunately, Randall's eyes came back into focus at the call. For a moment, he was frozen like ice, then blinked his eyes as if he was confused himself and left the room. Sylvia was able to continue her thoughts only after cooling down her body, which had been heated up along with Randall's body temperature. When the stimulation subsided, a belated question arose.

“...Something feels strange.”

The white and delicate eyebrows were wrinkled. Sylvia knew best that Randall had no sleeping habits. It was strange that he didn't wake up even though he was biting and licking her, and it was suspicious that he barely came to his senses when he was called the second time.

"Ah."

Sylvia, who had unconsciously placed a hand on her shoulder, let out a soft groan of bitterness. Thinking about the marks that must have covered the back of her neck by now, her body became hot again. In the end, Sylvia had no choice but to stay up all night due to her suspicions and fever. 

*** 

As soon as the sun rose, Sylvia dismissed the servants and changed her clothes alone. It was no wonder that the marks she saw in the mirror were much more obvious than she had thought. It was obvious that showing them would cause quite a stir, so Sylvia changed her clothes herself and went down to the dining room. When she met Randall again in the dining room, his face was haggard, as if he had stayed up all night. The couple did not say a word until the servants had finished serving the food and left. After that, they remained silent without even touching the dishes, but at the same time, they parted their lips.

"I..."

Sylvia and Randall looked at each other in surprise as they tried to say something. Sylvia coughed slightly and opened her mouth.

“Well, let me tell you first.”

After saying that, she picked up her plate to ease the awkwardness. Randall watched Sylvia eat only the grilled vegetables from the meat dish, then blurted out.

“I think we’ll have to use each room.”

"... Yes?"

Sylvia momentarily doubted her ears. But when she raised her head, she saw Randall's face frozen in coldness.

'Ah.'

The moment she saw that face, her heart sank for no reason. She had seen Randall with a cold face several times before, but he had never shown that kind of face to Sylvia.

‘...First of all, we need to keep our distance.’

Meanwhile, Randall chewed the inside of his cheek and tried to control his expression which was about to distort. Last night. Randall, who had moved rooms while leaving Sylvia behind, had to struggle all night, clutching at the sheets because of the heat that burned his entire body. It was too much pain to endure it, even if it was just lust. Randall immediately sensed something was wrong and became alert.

'I'm not sure if the target is me or Sylvia... but if it's the latter, it's more dangerous. I guess I should move rooms first.'

It was highly likely that the 'Sylvia' who appeared in his dream was a succubus. However, since succubus were high-ranking demons, there was not much information about them. It was also questionable why the opponent was trying to overwhelm Sylvia instead of simply taking his energy as was commonly known.

'Besides, the solution is not even clear.'

Randall's face darkened silently. Randl was the shield and leader of the North. The fact that he was being attacked by an unknown demon and without a solution would make people tremble in anxiety. So at least until a solution was found, he had to keep the fact that the succubus was after him or Sylvia a secret and keep her away from him. His declaration of a separate room came from this train of thought. However, Sylvia, who did not know this fact, just held the fork in her hand. After remaining silent for a while, she followed Randall and hardened her expression, nodding with difficulty.

“...Let’s do that.”

It was the first time Randall had pushed her away so 'directly'. That must have been why. That was why one side of her chest felt like it had been cut with a knife. 

*** 

After that, Randall and Auston searched through the library and various data books to find a way to destroy the succubus's abilities. However, there was a limit to the data they could find in places where they could investigate secretly. The best thing to do was to request data from the palace library, but that was on hold for now because it might be discovered that Randall had been targeted by a succubus. 

Finding a solution was slow, but Randall's symptoms got worse day by day. Since succubus was a type of demon that used its abilities through dreams, he tried to endure it without sleeping, but at night, he would forcibly lose consciousness like blowing out a candle. Then, the succubus in Sylvia's form would appear again to torment him. The body that was forced to heat up because of the succubus tried to find Sylvia to relieve the desire, but Randall resisted by tying his wrists and ankles to the bed. 

Since it was an artificially created desire, the pain of not being able to relieve it was immense. However, Randall never went to Sylvia even though he bit his lips until they bled. Today, the succubus, as usual, toyed with Randall in the form of Sylvia and only left in the morning. Randall tidied up his appearance with a haggard face and went outside.

‘Today... there was also a schedule for an inspection of the western forest.’

Even while suffering because of the succubus, he had to carry out his duties as a lord without any problems, so his fatigue doubled. 

The moment Randall rubbed his bleary eyes with his hand and stepped down the stairs, his body swayed violently.



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