“You want to eat something like this even though I’m here.”
I opened my mouth slightly in bewilderment.
Kaian quickly took advantage of the gap.
“...”
As I pulled back from his icy grip as if pushing me, Kaian lifted my small body and sat me down on the windowsill.
Click.
When I felt the glass frame catch on my shoulders and back, I could no longer avoid him due to the precarious feeling of sitting in midair and was swept away as Kaian did.
“Claudel.”
“Ugh.”
“You’re pretty today.”
My cheeks turned red at the sound of him biting his lips and mumbling softly.
“You say that out of the blue.”
“You tell me every day.”
“I never said every day. Ugh.”
Of course, what I wanted was for him to tell me ‘first,’ but since they were the same two letters, Kaian interpreted them arbitrarily.
That’s it or that.
He wondered what he should say to the woman who asked him to believe that he should not draw a line.
“You are beautiful, Duchess.”
“You are acting like you are teasing me!”
My flushed cheeks reminded him of ripening apples.
“You like things just like me.”
The lips of the woman who had not yet eaten the apple tasted sweet.
“This is driving me crazy.”
The presence of the woman who was sick felt like an elixir, and Kaian felt his blood boil all over his body with just a brief kiss. He didn’t want to let her go.
Because she had betrayed him and tried to run away again.
For some reason, stirring up a woman he could not trust was all the more thrilling.
“Ha.”
I gasped.
“How is it? Do you still want to eat apples?”
When he asked shamelessly, I changed my expression to a serious one and got down from the window sill to avoid him.
Kaian closed the distance between himself and me, who seemed to be openly avoiding him.
Then as if I were a rabbit in a corner, I fidgeted and went to sit on the sofa in the living room.
He was dumbfounded, so he went to the sofa and sat next to me.
Then, this time, I moved my buttocks away and moved to the seat next to me.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
It really didn’t make sense. We had no reason to be in a relationship, so why was she acting awkward all of a sudden?
In the early morning, a thin layer of frost would form on the still-green moss.
The moss, like grass, would turn crimson and brown, like autumn leaves.
It was a completely different scene from the seasons of the Oberon Kingdom.
Duke Vermont sat down with his daughter and ground his teeth.
“Buying a mercenary group from the Sol Continent costs a lot of money.”
I opened my mouth slightly in bewilderment.
Kaian quickly took advantage of the gap.
“...”
As I pulled back from his icy grip as if pushing me, Kaian lifted my small body and sat me down on the windowsill.
Click.
When I felt the glass frame catch on my shoulders and back, I could no longer avoid him due to the precarious feeling of sitting in midair and was swept away as Kaian did.
“Claudel.”
“Ugh.”
“You’re pretty today.”
My cheeks turned red at the sound of him biting his lips and mumbling softly.
“You say that out of the blue.”
“You tell me every day.”
“I never said every day. Ugh.”
Of course, what I wanted was for him to tell me ‘first,’ but since they were the same two letters, Kaian interpreted them arbitrarily.
That’s it or that.
He wondered what he should say to the woman who asked him to believe that he should not draw a line.
“You are beautiful, Duchess.”
“You are acting like you are teasing me!”
My flushed cheeks reminded him of ripening apples.
“You like things just like me.”
The lips of the woman who had not yet eaten the apple tasted sweet.
“This is driving me crazy.”
The presence of the woman who was sick felt like an elixir, and Kaian felt his blood boil all over his body with just a brief kiss. He didn’t want to let her go.
Because she had betrayed him and tried to run away again.
For some reason, stirring up a woman he could not trust was all the more thrilling.
“Ha.”
I gasped.
“How is it? Do you still want to eat apples?”
When he asked shamelessly, I changed my expression to a serious one and got down from the window sill to avoid him.
Kaian closed the distance between himself and me, who seemed to be openly avoiding him.
Then as if I were a rabbit in a corner, I fidgeted and went to sit on the sofa in the living room.
He was dumbfounded, so he went to the sofa and sat next to me.
Then, this time, I moved my buttocks away and moved to the seat next to me.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
It really didn’t make sense. We had no reason to be in a relationship, so why was she acting awkward all of a sudden?
“It’s been a long time since we’ve done this.”
“Long time? What about what happened on the ship?”
“Ugh! Don’t say that!”
Kaian laughed silently as he watched me frown.
“You wanted me to keep you warm?”
“I told you I didn’t remember.”
My cheeks finally turned bright red like a ripe apple.
‘I want to bite you so badly.’
Kaian was really just thinking leisurely.
“You were too proactive to say you don’t remember.”
I said I didn’t remember much about what happened on the ship. It seemed to be because of the hypothermic shock.
When did I cling to him like that because I was cold?
Somehow, I felt awkward as if I had not seen him in months.
Kaian thought that her attitude was not in her right mind then, but now.
Because she had never been shy or reserved with him like this since she had come to Rowen Castle and spent her first night there.
That's why, seeing her bashful appearance made him want to tease her even more.
On the other hand, he felt sorry for her.
'I was the one who really hurt you.'
The woman who had been so weak that her life seemed imminent all along, just venting her troubles, her complexion brightened and she seemed more energetic. It was obvious how much the frustration of not being able to speak had been eating away at her. He wondered what she meant when she asked him not to draw a line.
He thought he should at least pretend to do what Claudel had asked him to do, and he didn't know that her health would change this much with just a few words that went along with the rhythm.
When her complexion visibly improved, he thought there was nothing he couldn’t do, so he did everything he could, but now Claudel was complaining that it was too much.
“Don’t tease me. Really.”
When Claudel said in an offended tone, Kaian finally returned to his serious expression.
“I didn’t tease you when I said you were pretty.”
“I was pretty before, but I'm not anymore.”
She lowered her head.
“You’re still pretty enough in my eyes.”
It seems like only yesterday that she was burning with kind words when she was exhausted and not recovering.
After giving birth, Claudel’s breasts grew and her hips widened.
Kaian had already learned that this added to her sensuality, so whenever he saw her, he would endure it as if practicing.
No matter what, he couldn’t attack someone who was sick.
“I’m barely kissing you,”
He said to Claudel.
“Can’t you see that I’m enduring it?”
“...What did you endure?”
Kaian laid Claudel down on the sofa and trapped her under his arm.
“Claudel.”
The sound of him chanting her name seemed to touch the hot heat.
“Get well soon. I’ll do anything you ask me to do.”
Clear heat lingered in his red eyes.
“Anything you want.”
As you want.
Her wish had originally been very simple. Since she was already married, she wanted to become a Duchess by his side, raise the baby, and live well.
Her husband’s thoughts seemed quite different.
When the delicate heat surrounded the two, a loud cry was heard.
“Ugh! Don’t say that!”
Kaian laughed silently as he watched me frown.
“You wanted me to keep you warm?”
“I told you I didn’t remember.”
My cheeks finally turned bright red like a ripe apple.
‘I want to bite you so badly.’
Kaian was really just thinking leisurely.
“You were too proactive to say you don’t remember.”
I said I didn’t remember much about what happened on the ship. It seemed to be because of the hypothermic shock.
When did I cling to him like that because I was cold?
Somehow, I felt awkward as if I had not seen him in months.
Kaian thought that her attitude was not in her right mind then, but now.
Because she had never been shy or reserved with him like this since she had come to Rowen Castle and spent her first night there.
That's why, seeing her bashful appearance made him want to tease her even more.
On the other hand, he felt sorry for her.
'I was the one who really hurt you.'
The woman who had been so weak that her life seemed imminent all along, just venting her troubles, her complexion brightened and she seemed more energetic. It was obvious how much the frustration of not being able to speak had been eating away at her. He wondered what she meant when she asked him not to draw a line.
He thought he should at least pretend to do what Claudel had asked him to do, and he didn't know that her health would change this much with just a few words that went along with the rhythm.
When her complexion visibly improved, he thought there was nothing he couldn’t do, so he did everything he could, but now Claudel was complaining that it was too much.
“Don’t tease me. Really.”
When Claudel said in an offended tone, Kaian finally returned to his serious expression.
“I didn’t tease you when I said you were pretty.”
“I was pretty before, but I'm not anymore.”
She lowered her head.
“You’re still pretty enough in my eyes.”
It seems like only yesterday that she was burning with kind words when she was exhausted and not recovering.
After giving birth, Claudel’s breasts grew and her hips widened.
Kaian had already learned that this added to her sensuality, so whenever he saw her, he would endure it as if practicing.
No matter what, he couldn’t attack someone who was sick.
“I’m barely kissing you,”
He said to Claudel.
“Can’t you see that I’m enduring it?”
“...What did you endure?”
Kaian laid Claudel down on the sofa and trapped her under his arm.
“Claudel.”
The sound of him chanting her name seemed to touch the hot heat.
“Get well soon. I’ll do anything you ask me to do.”
Clear heat lingered in his red eyes.
“Anything you want.”
As you want.
Her wish had originally been very simple. Since she was already married, she wanted to become a Duchess by his side, raise the baby, and live well.
Her husband’s thoughts seemed quite different.
When the delicate heat surrounded the two, a loud cry was heard.
“I think the baby is awake.”
When Claudel flinched, Kaian quickly lifted her up. Opening the door to the living room and going to the nursery, the nanny and Madame Repel, who had already been resting, were holding the baby and soothing it.
The nanny lowered her head when she saw the couple appearing side by side.
“Why are you crying when it’s not yet time to wake up?”
“Really? Are you hungry?”
Madame Repel placed her finger next to the baby’s mouth. The baby whined and closed his eyes.
“I patted the corner of his mouth with my hand, and when he's not hungry, he stays still like this.”
Kaian asked for her explanation.
“When he’s hungry?”
“It thinks that the touch will fill its stomach, so his mouth follows it.”
“Ah.”
“I think he's uncomfortable. He must be sleeping.”
“Then we’ll put it back to sleep, so go and rest.”
When Kaian reached out, Madame Repel placed the baby in his arms.
“Aren’t you tired?”
“A little.”
Claudel answered, embarrassed. This was because she had been sleeping in Kaian’s arms the whole time and had only been up for two hours after a good night’s sleep.
“You need to rest more. The doctor said you’ll get better quickly if you rest.”
“You have to get up to see the baby.”
“The nanny and Madame Repel will help you. Don’t be so hard.”
Kaian led the baby and Claudel through the living room and into the bedroom.
“Just lie down and take a nap.”
“What about you?”
“I don’t usually take naps, so it’s okay. I’ll put the baby to sleep.”
Claudel quietly lay down on the bed at Kaian’s words. He knew that she couldn’t take her eyes off the baby. When the baby cried or something, he felt that she was looking at him with hot, longing eyes, so he would intentionally go out of his way to hold the baby and soothe him.
As Madame Repel said, the baby was not hungry, but just woke up startled and irritated, so he quickly fell into a deep sleep. Kaian carefully placed the sleeping baby on Claudel’s chest, who was lying on her side.
“You lie down too.”
Seeing her happy while looking at the baby made him feel happy as if his happiness was contagious.
Feeling good?
That was too much to express. The dreamlike miraculous moment unfolded before his eyes every day. Watching the baby sleeping with its colorful and regular breathing, Claudel’s eyes also closed. But what happened next was unexpected.
“Ah. I have to get up.”
Kaian, who had difficulty relaxing and lived a life far from napping, dozed off.
“I have to check the food warehouse in the afternoon.”
He didn’t know if there would really be a war. He thought it was likely.
“Claudel. What would you say if a war broke out in Rowen?”
Kaian knew that he was more affectionate toward the baby than that. Will he cry for her too?
'She shouldn't have to cry, though.'
The man's consciousness, which had traveled a long way to reach his heart, gradually fell into the peace that Claudel and the baby gave him.
***
August was the time to grow grain before the autumn harvest throughout the continent, but it was different in the castle of Valmonde.
In the early morning, a thin layer of frost would form on the still-green moss.
The moss, like grass, would turn crimson and brown, like autumn leaves.
It was a completely different scene from the seasons of the Oberon Kingdom.
Duke Vermont sat down with his daughter and ground his teeth.
“Buying a mercenary group from the Sol Continent costs a lot of money.”
He could not send the Valmonde Territory people to the battlefield.
They had just emerged from a long drought.
So, if he was determined to bring in a mercenary group from the Sol Continent, the problem was how much each would cost.
“Why don’t you just not go to war?”
Duke Vermont’s forehead blushed at Irena’s words.
“How many times have I told you? It was that damn Duke Temnes who made this war unavoidable!”
Fortunately, thanks to Valquiterre, the soldiers could fight without worrying about starvation whenever they went out to battle.
“I won’t send you to that guy,”
He assured Irena.
“King Valquiterre seems to be out of his mind. I’ll find another groom for you.”
At that moment, there was a knock on the office door, and a servant handed him a tray with a telegram.
“A letter from His Majesty the King.”
The Duke of Vermont trembled at the sound of the word “King” and picked up the envelope.
“I can’t ignore this.”
In any case, they were an alliance that had agreed to kill Kaian.
However, the fact that they had never actually worked together was also worrying.
The Duke, who had opened the letter, sat up without realizing it.
Irena asked him in surprise.
“Father. Why are you doing this?”
“...A boy was born in Vermont?”
They had just emerged from a long drought.
So, if he was determined to bring in a mercenary group from the Sol Continent, the problem was how much each would cost.
“Why don’t you just not go to war?”
Duke Vermont’s forehead blushed at Irena’s words.
“How many times have I told you? It was that damn Duke Temnes who made this war unavoidable!”
Fortunately, thanks to Valquiterre, the soldiers could fight without worrying about starvation whenever they went out to battle.
“I won’t send you to that guy,”
He assured Irena.
“King Valquiterre seems to be out of his mind. I’ll find another groom for you.”
At that moment, there was a knock on the office door, and a servant handed him a tray with a telegram.
“A letter from His Majesty the King.”
The Duke of Vermont trembled at the sound of the word “King” and picked up the envelope.
“I can’t ignore this.”
In any case, they were an alliance that had agreed to kill Kaian.
However, the fact that they had never actually worked together was also worrying.
The Duke, who had opened the letter, sat up without realizing it.
Irena asked him in surprise.
“Father. Why are you doing this?”
“...A boy was born in Vermont?”
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