I
He looked at Erna, who was lying down again. Just as he had changed, Erna was completely different from her past self.
The knights would blush and straighten their posture just as Erna passed by. Then, when Callion wasn't around, they would whisper that Erna was the most beautiful woman in Hessengard. Callion agreed. Putting aside personal feelings, looking at her objectively, Erna was undoubtedly quite beautiful. The problem was that this fact didn't evoke any feelings in him.
As he pondered how he could finish the job quickly and without touching her, without even a shred of lust, he heard a small sob from beneath him.
"No..."
Startled by the sound, he looked down. He saw tears streaming down Erna's face, which she was covering with both arms.
For a moment, Callion stopped moving.
He was perplexed. What would someone think if they saw this scene right now? A woman lying on a bed, crying. And a man is trying to undress her. Anyone could tell he was the one who would kill her.
So, Callion felt wronged.
He was the first to suggest they start tonight. Honestly, he had no intention of starting right away. He thought it would be better to start early, but Erna, who always quibbled and challenged his every suggestion, didn't think she'd readily agree.
So, if they were to start today, he figured even with some discussion, it wouldn't start until about a month later at the earliest. Things like this require some mental preparation.
But Erna, contrary to his expectations, nodded as if understanding, and even set the time and place. As the appointed time approached, Callion's nerves grew tense.
He had never experienced anything like this before. So, he needed to prepare himself mentally. But then, out of the blue, tonight.
At 10 o'clock, Callion finally took out the liquor from the cabinet. He didn't like alcohol, but he needed it tonight.
He picked up his glass and stood before the door on the left side of his room. It was a door he hadn't opened since their humiliating first night. He sighed and, with great difficulty, opened it. A room appeared, unchanged from his memories of long ago. The sight sent chills down Callion's spine.
The people of the Grand Duke's castle knew very well that Erna and he had not been near this room since that night.
“And yet, this is what you prepared.”
It was surprising how clean it was, considering it had been abandoned for ten years. The fireplace crackled with a pleasant crackle, as if they knew they would be using it today. Of course, that couldn't be the case. So...
“So you were preparing like this every day.”
Callion placed the bottle and glass on the table and sat down on the sofa.
The heir born between him and Erna would, in fact, be desired more by the people of Hessengard than by either kingdom. After all, neither Erna nor he held even the slightest affection for the other kingdom. That's why he was even more obsessed with the position of Grand Duke of Hessengard and acted for Hessengard. The country's prosperity would directly lead to their own. Furthermore, he was doing his best to ensure the activities of the Hessengard Council, which he had wholeheartedly supported since childhood.
In this situation, the arrival of a new Grand Duke would not be good for the people of Hessengard.
'Even so...'
He never thought he'd prepare it like this every day. Callion took a sip of the liquor he'd brought. The strong whiskey slid down his throat.
"Ha..."
A long sigh escaped his lips. His mind was in turmoil. Looking at the same room as before brought back memories of that day.
Although he wasn't eating comfortably anymore, he had no trouble eating and drinking. His body was larger and stronger than any of the Knights, and he was carrying out his duties as a Grand Duke without a hitch. But why, from the moment he entered this room, do the thoughts of his old self keep coming back to him? Furthermore, the thought of having to sleep with Erna soon was gnawing at his mind.
'Is it possible?'
Even he considered himself to have little sexual desire. Perhaps because of his childhood memories, he had never been moved by women.
Sometimes, when he went to the far reaches of the capital to subdue monsters, the local nobles would try to seduce him. Since only Erna's child would be recognized as the successor to the Hessengard, they whispered to him, "Don't worry about that, just enjoy your time."
Objectively, they were all beautiful women. Beautiful faces, mature bodies, and even their seductive behavior. They all said they couldn't resist such temptation. But Callion never once responded to such temptation.
So, at first, he suspected something was wrong with his body. But after waking up and seeing his body rip open, his doubts were completely dismissed. But his body had never reacted to anyone. So, when it came time for him to sleep with Erna, Callion worried about whether he could.
There is a big difference between not doing something and not being able to do something.
Callion, who had been looking down at his lower body without realizing it, wiped his face with both hands.
“What the hell is this?”
Normally, he would have reviewed the documents submitted to him without any such embarrassing thoughts in his mind. But now, he felt like a stallion at a ranch. It was incredibly embarrassing and devastating.
'I should have at least tried to whisper something to that Cedric guy.'
He remembered his foul-mouthed adjutant, a commoner by birth. He was perhaps the most foul-mouthed of the Knights, and while he was considered frivolous, his skills were solid, and his execution was precise, earning him the trust of Callion.
If he had asked Cedric for advice about tonight's events, what would he have said? He would have either chuckled for a year, saying, "Your Highness, are you worried you won't stand?" or looked at him with genuine pity.
Callion shook his head and finished his drink. Despite not being a heavy drinker, he didn't feel drunk at all after a few drinks. Just as he was realizing he was stronger than he'd thought, he suddenly heard the door open on the other side of where he'd entered.
The moment he raised his head, Callion was momentarily speechless. There stood Erna, clad in a thin, white nightgown. Her still-dry hair was wet, a deeper shade of gold than usual, and her pale face was bare of makeup.
He had to admit it. Erna's appearance right now was so beautiful that even he was momentarily astonished. He thought that if she approached him like that and beckoned, a single gesture would surely send countless men kneeling and serving her.
But to Callion, Erna was a "pumpkin." No matter how beautiful she was, he could only think of the girl who had glared at him at their wedding ten years ago, as if she were about to wave her bouquet at any moment.
“You’re here.”
Callion briefly regained his composure and stood up. He'd started anyway, so he planned to finish as quickly as possible. According to the book, while some people get pregnant right away, others take months. The thought of spending a night like tonight here for months on end was suffocating him even before he began.
He stood in front of Erna and looked down at her.
'Was she this small?'
In the Grand Duke's castle, they kept a distance, never getting too close. The closest they were to each other was in the conference room, where they were facing each other from opposite ends of the table. Seeing Erna, who stood out among the crowd, had struck him as quite large. But standing right in front of him, her head barely touched his shoulder. Of course, the others were below chest height, so Erna was on the larger side, but it felt strange to be so small compared to him.
'Well, when I first saw her, she was bigger than me.'
Erna, standing at the wedding hall in a wedding dress that seemed ready to burst, was clearly taller than him. So, when they were about to exchange our final vows, he remembered struggling to get up onto his tiptoes. While he gazed at her, lost in thought for a moment, Erna suddenly turned around. Then she went back to her room.
“...?”
Callion was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. What was this? Did she really think she couldn't do it now that it was happening? While he was debating whether to follow her or ask her why she'd gone back, Erna returned. In her hand was a strong fruit wine that Callion had seen before. She poured it into a glass and drank it down in gulps. His brow furrowed as he watched. It was a terribly strong drink. It would sting your lips and throat if you drank it straight. And she was going to drink it straight?
As expected, Erna's eyes immediately opened. Callion watched her unpredictable behavior. Then, suddenly, she climbed onto the bed and spoke to him.
“Do it quickly. Can you do it yourself?”
And now they have reached this point.
Callion stopped trying to undress. He turned to get off the bed. But suddenly, a hand grabbed him from behind.
“Where are you going? Hurry up!”
Turning his head, he saw Erna's wet eyes, holding him captive. Callion remembered seeing her face like this. Ten years ago, in this very room. That night. Erna, wrapped in a blanket, sat there with a look of disgust on her face, her expression identical to his own.
The knights would blush and straighten their posture just as Erna passed by. Then, when Callion wasn't around, they would whisper that Erna was the most beautiful woman in Hessengard. Callion agreed. Putting aside personal feelings, looking at her objectively, Erna was undoubtedly quite beautiful. The problem was that this fact didn't evoke any feelings in him.
As he pondered how he could finish the job quickly and without touching her, without even a shred of lust, he heard a small sob from beneath him.
"No..."
Startled by the sound, he looked down. He saw tears streaming down Erna's face, which she was covering with both arms.
For a moment, Callion stopped moving.
He was perplexed. What would someone think if they saw this scene right now? A woman lying on a bed, crying. And a man is trying to undress her. Anyone could tell he was the one who would kill her.
So, Callion felt wronged.
He was the first to suggest they start tonight. Honestly, he had no intention of starting right away. He thought it would be better to start early, but Erna, who always quibbled and challenged his every suggestion, didn't think she'd readily agree.
So, if they were to start today, he figured even with some discussion, it wouldn't start until about a month later at the earliest. Things like this require some mental preparation.
But Erna, contrary to his expectations, nodded as if understanding, and even set the time and place. As the appointed time approached, Callion's nerves grew tense.
He had never experienced anything like this before. So, he needed to prepare himself mentally. But then, out of the blue, tonight.
At 10 o'clock, Callion finally took out the liquor from the cabinet. He didn't like alcohol, but he needed it tonight.
He picked up his glass and stood before the door on the left side of his room. It was a door he hadn't opened since their humiliating first night. He sighed and, with great difficulty, opened it. A room appeared, unchanged from his memories of long ago. The sight sent chills down Callion's spine.
The people of the Grand Duke's castle knew very well that Erna and he had not been near this room since that night.
“And yet, this is what you prepared.”
It was surprising how clean it was, considering it had been abandoned for ten years. The fireplace crackled with a pleasant crackle, as if they knew they would be using it today. Of course, that couldn't be the case. So...
“So you were preparing like this every day.”
Callion placed the bottle and glass on the table and sat down on the sofa.
The heir born between him and Erna would, in fact, be desired more by the people of Hessengard than by either kingdom. After all, neither Erna nor he held even the slightest affection for the other kingdom. That's why he was even more obsessed with the position of Grand Duke of Hessengard and acted for Hessengard. The country's prosperity would directly lead to their own. Furthermore, he was doing his best to ensure the activities of the Hessengard Council, which he had wholeheartedly supported since childhood.
In this situation, the arrival of a new Grand Duke would not be good for the people of Hessengard.
'Even so...'
He never thought he'd prepare it like this every day. Callion took a sip of the liquor he'd brought. The strong whiskey slid down his throat.
"Ha..."
A long sigh escaped his lips. His mind was in turmoil. Looking at the same room as before brought back memories of that day.
Although he wasn't eating comfortably anymore, he had no trouble eating and drinking. His body was larger and stronger than any of the Knights, and he was carrying out his duties as a Grand Duke without a hitch. But why, from the moment he entered this room, do the thoughts of his old self keep coming back to him? Furthermore, the thought of having to sleep with Erna soon was gnawing at his mind.
'Is it possible?'
Even he considered himself to have little sexual desire. Perhaps because of his childhood memories, he had never been moved by women.
Sometimes, when he went to the far reaches of the capital to subdue monsters, the local nobles would try to seduce him. Since only Erna's child would be recognized as the successor to the Hessengard, they whispered to him, "Don't worry about that, just enjoy your time."
Objectively, they were all beautiful women. Beautiful faces, mature bodies, and even their seductive behavior. They all said they couldn't resist such temptation. But Callion never once responded to such temptation.
So, at first, he suspected something was wrong with his body. But after waking up and seeing his body rip open, his doubts were completely dismissed. But his body had never reacted to anyone. So, when it came time for him to sleep with Erna, Callion worried about whether he could.
There is a big difference between not doing something and not being able to do something.
Callion, who had been looking down at his lower body without realizing it, wiped his face with both hands.
“What the hell is this?”
Normally, he would have reviewed the documents submitted to him without any such embarrassing thoughts in his mind. But now, he felt like a stallion at a ranch. It was incredibly embarrassing and devastating.
'I should have at least tried to whisper something to that Cedric guy.'
He remembered his foul-mouthed adjutant, a commoner by birth. He was perhaps the most foul-mouthed of the Knights, and while he was considered frivolous, his skills were solid, and his execution was precise, earning him the trust of Callion.
If he had asked Cedric for advice about tonight's events, what would he have said? He would have either chuckled for a year, saying, "Your Highness, are you worried you won't stand?" or looked at him with genuine pity.
Callion shook his head and finished his drink. Despite not being a heavy drinker, he didn't feel drunk at all after a few drinks. Just as he was realizing he was stronger than he'd thought, he suddenly heard the door open on the other side of where he'd entered.
The moment he raised his head, Callion was momentarily speechless. There stood Erna, clad in a thin, white nightgown. Her still-dry hair was wet, a deeper shade of gold than usual, and her pale face was bare of makeup.
He had to admit it. Erna's appearance right now was so beautiful that even he was momentarily astonished. He thought that if she approached him like that and beckoned, a single gesture would surely send countless men kneeling and serving her.
But to Callion, Erna was a "pumpkin." No matter how beautiful she was, he could only think of the girl who had glared at him at their wedding ten years ago, as if she were about to wave her bouquet at any moment.
“You’re here.”
Callion briefly regained his composure and stood up. He'd started anyway, so he planned to finish as quickly as possible. According to the book, while some people get pregnant right away, others take months. The thought of spending a night like tonight here for months on end was suffocating him even before he began.
He stood in front of Erna and looked down at her.
'Was she this small?'
In the Grand Duke's castle, they kept a distance, never getting too close. The closest they were to each other was in the conference room, where they were facing each other from opposite ends of the table. Seeing Erna, who stood out among the crowd, had struck him as quite large. But standing right in front of him, her head barely touched his shoulder. Of course, the others were below chest height, so Erna was on the larger side, but it felt strange to be so small compared to him.
'Well, when I first saw her, she was bigger than me.'
Erna, standing at the wedding hall in a wedding dress that seemed ready to burst, was clearly taller than him. So, when they were about to exchange our final vows, he remembered struggling to get up onto his tiptoes. While he gazed at her, lost in thought for a moment, Erna suddenly turned around. Then she went back to her room.
“...?”
Callion was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. What was this? Did she really think she couldn't do it now that it was happening? While he was debating whether to follow her or ask her why she'd gone back, Erna returned. In her hand was a strong fruit wine that Callion had seen before. She poured it into a glass and drank it down in gulps. His brow furrowed as he watched. It was a terribly strong drink. It would sting your lips and throat if you drank it straight. And she was going to drink it straight?
As expected, Erna's eyes immediately opened. Callion watched her unpredictable behavior. Then, suddenly, she climbed onto the bed and spoke to him.
“Do it quickly. Can you do it yourself?”
And now they have reached this point.
Callion stopped trying to undress. He turned to get off the bed. But suddenly, a hand grabbed him from behind.
“Where are you going? Hurry up!”
Turning his head, he saw Erna's wet eyes, holding him captive. Callion remembered seeing her face like this. Ten years ago, in this very room. That night. Erna, wrapped in a blanket, sat there with a look of disgust on her face, her expression identical to his own.
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