Etienne, noticing Shioana's face had turned bright red, spoke in a hushed voice.
"Why are you ashamed to be served, Lady, who defeated an assailant in an instant?"
"Etienne! Hurry up!"
Shioana, whose cheeks had turned red from the hot water, kept waving her arms, but Etienne did not budge.
"You were really surprised today. So please let me help you out, just like you used to do for me."
Shioana had no choice but to nod at his words. Then, she gently dipped her arm into the water and stirred it. The white flowers floating on the water swayed back and forth, following the movement of her hand.
"..."
As Etienne said, it was a very difficult time.
Pierre Noah pursued her, and she was constantly on edge because of Harriet's frail health. Furthermore, Etienne, upon reuniting with her, completely misunderstood her.
Then, there was an incident where Etienne was struck by a poisoned arrow. She wanted to hate him, but she wished for the seriously wounded Etienne to wake up.
"You have no idea how worried I was that you didn't come out of the bathroom."
Etienne replied gently to Shioana's words.
"So, I'll help you today."
Etienne picked up a foamy sponge and slowly rubbed Shioana's neck. At the clumsy but very attentive touch, Shioana grumbled softly.
"You have no idea how stubborn he is."
“So you hate me?”
"Who said that? I'm telling you, they're really annoying."
She covered her chest with both hands and at one point bit her lip tightly.
Etienne stroked the scar remaining on her back. Although it had healed a long time ago, he could not forget the moment the wound was inflicted at all.
The scream she let out that day echoed in her ears, and his brother's face, which looked like a demon, was vivid in her mind.
Shioana stammered as she opened her mouth, due to a memory she didn't want to recall.
"I think I'm all done now. I'll rinse and head out, so you go ahead."
However, Etienne remained unmoved.
She could tell what Etienne was thinking as he silently kept tracing her wounds.
The reason she hated that incident the most was that Etienne felt a great deal of guilt.
"It’s the mark of glory. That I protected you."
As she deliberately spoke cheerfully, Etienne, who was stroking his wound, smiled faintly.
“Shioana”
"...Huh?"
“I want to kiss you.”
At Etienne's sorrowful voice, Shioana naturally turned her head.
There was her first love, lover, and husband.
"Come here, Etienne."
As Shioana reached out her arm and stroked his neck, Etienne sought Shioana's lips like a butterfly searching for nectar.
He merely pressed his lips against her moist lips and did not move rashly.
Etienne, who had been sharing a slight tremor for a moment, swallowed the hot breath flowing from between Shioana's lips.
"Etienne, Etienne."
Shioana, whose eyes were red from a light kiss, urgently called out her lover's name.
The pounding heart she felt the day she first learned his name and heard his voice was exactly the same.
"Shioana, don't rush. I'm taking my time because I'm worried it might be hard on you."
"When did you ever care that much about me?"
Etienne was momentarily speechless at Shioana's remark. It was true that he used to push Shioana to the limit every time she complained about how difficult things were.
"It is okay for a husband to love his wife excessively."
“That sounds like all the time.”
"Because my loving you is as natural as the sun rising and the moon setting."
Etienne held Shioana's hands together and slid a kiss onto her cheek and lips.
"Etienne, your face is turning red."
"It's because I'm with you."
Etienne, speaking coyly with his eyelashes lowered, was quite cute.
Then, Shioana, whose face had turned pale, made a troubled expression.
"Etienne, the water is getting cold, so I think we really need to leave."
"...Ah."
Etienne jumped up.
"You say you'll take care of the bath, yet you don't even know that?"
"Since this is my first time attending to someone's bath... I will do my best to ensure your satisfaction next time, Young Lady."
"Anyway, you really speak with such fluency."
Shioana, wearing the robe Etienne brought, was able to come into the bedroom in his arms.
"The moisture has almost completely dried."
As Shioana, who had been yawning repeatedly as if she were tired, was about to lie down, Etienne stopped her.
"Still, you have to dry your hair thoroughly."
Etienne diligently dried Shioana's wet hair as if to make up for the lack of service earlier. He also treated the wound again to prevent it from becoming infected.
A moment later, the two people lying side by side listened to the sound coming from outside. They didn't know if it was the sound of birds or someone singing, but it was quite pleasant to listen to.
With her eyes closed, Shioana whispered softly.
"Isn't it strange? I feel sad that the trip is coming to an end, but at the same time, I want to go back right away."
It was the first time in her life that Shioana had been separated from Larissa and Harriet for such a long time.
As Shioana was lost in thought about the children she had left behind, Etienne sat up on his side while still lying down.
"I'm fine staying just the way I am..."
"What?"
As Shioana blinked in surprise at the unexpected words, Etienne lightly patted her forehead.
"Because I can have you all to myself forever."
"...What is that?"
"How I wish I could kiss you all night long."
"E, Etienne."
Etienne lowered his head and gently kissed her lips. As small kisses followed, Shioana began to hiccup.
"Shioana. Why can't you breathe?"
As Etienne asked with wide eyes, Shioana lightly patted his chest with a clenched fist.
"Etienne, stop messing around."
Shioana, having straightened her upper body, lightly pushed his chest.
"..."
Etienne, who had fallen backward, opened his eyes wide.
"I really love being able to have you all to myself, too. You have no idea how hard it is to usually see a handsome husband's face."
"Shi, Shioana."
"I was happy to come to Siam and be able to be with you all day."
Etienne swallowed hard at Shioana's whisper. He was frozen in place, like a butterfly caught in a spiderweb.
His body felt as if it were on fire where her hand had touched it, and his wildly beating heart seemed to have lost control.
"Etienne, why haven't you said anything for a while?"
Suppressing a laugh at his cute reaction, Shioana rested her face against Etienne's chest. As he stroked her soft hair, he spoke in a pleading voice.
"Shioana, I can't take it anymore."
"Yes?"
When Shioana asked after lifting her head, Etienne kissed her forehead.
"I will give my all to you today."
Etienne's eyes, with his bangs all disheveled, were completely red.
Shioana, mesmerized by the sight of her handsome husband, reached out and stroked his cheek.
"I'm so happy that you're giving yourself to me."
At Shioana's affectionate whisper, Etienne hugged her waist tightly.
"Shioana, I love you."
They shared warm body temperature and heartbeats, but that was not enough.
"Why are you so afraid when you're together?"
As Shioana spoke to Etienne in a soothing tone, he lifted his bloodshot eyes and looked up at her.
"Because you'll protect me?"
"Of course. You remember I even caught a snake for you, right?"
"How could I ever forget that?"
Just thinking about that time still made Etienne feel dizzy. To think she had fearlessly faced a venomous snake with those small hands to protect the group.
No matter how much he thought about it, Etienne couldn't beat Shioana.
"Then will you repay me now?"
Shioana's hand caressed Etienne's firm chest muscles, then moved down to his waist.
“Of course, miss.”
In an instant, the two of them reverted to their primordial forms. All they were wearing was the soft moonlight filtering through the wooden wall.
Etienne, who had been gazing at Shioana with her long, disheveled brown hair, slowly intertwined his fingers with hers.
"You're beautiful, Shioana."
Shioana whispered softly as she gazed into Etienne's red eyes, which shone like starlight.
"I love you."
Etienne lowered his head and naturally kissed Shioana's lips, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"You are always sweet."
Etienne's eyes, whispering love, grew even deeper like the night.
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