Chapter 1.17

Karl Lavresion made an excuse to leave Leticia Evris’s side as soon as they returned from the picnic. It was too much for him to watch her gloomy expression.  

He entered a dark, empty room and pressed a hand to his forehead.  

‘Why did I do that?’  

It had been a sudden impulse, one he couldn’t even explain to himself. Just seeing those tear-filled blue eyes made him want to grant her every wish—whatever it might be.  

It wasn’t until after he had spoken that he realized his mistake. He had uttered words he couldn’t take responsibility for, driven by a fleeting impulse. Though he had tried to recover quickly, a mistake was still a mistake.  

Thinking back, this wasn’t the only mistake he had made. It wasn’t as if it was his first time being with a woman, yet he had made blunders worse than those of an inexperienced boy.  

He had never made such a low-level mistake before. Clicking his tongue in frustration, he considered the consequences.  

If something were to happen… He had too much to lose. Even if Leticia Evris became pregnant, there would be no benefit. Despite knowing this rationally, he had still made such a foolish mistake.  

“Ha…”  

He sighed. Lately, he had been seeing her far too often. Perhaps, unknowingly, he had grown lonely being away from home. That must have been why he had said unnecessary things and made mistakes he shouldn’t have made.  

Feigning kindness and smiles was easy. But taking responsibility was a different matter. For now, he could whisper sweet words to Leticia, but that wouldn’t last.  

He would eventually have to return to Arhadan, and Leticia Evris would be left behind, bound to her mother.  

No, from the start, their relationship had never been meant to deepen. No matter how he looked at it, his words had been rash.  

Of course, Leticia Evris was adorable and lovely. She was also beautiful. With slightly upturned eyes, she had the appearance of a cat-like beauty, but in reality, she was more like a mouse cowering before a cat. She was that fragile and delicate, as if she might break with just a little pressure.  

And yet, she exuded an unexpectedly alluring scent, like that of a rose. It was so captivating that he often found himself burying his face in her neck, inhaling her scent over and over again. Just the act of smelling her brought a sense of calm to his chest.  

He liked that sense of calm. It made him want to keep her by his side, to make her smile, to treat her kindly. At first, he had thought her tear-streaked face was beautiful, but now he no longer felt that way. Leticia was far more beautiful when she smiled.  

This made him more cautious about his actions. He wanted to see her smile, to treat her kindly. Her blue eyes always carried a hint of melancholy, which only drew his gaze more. And when those eyes smiled, it was unfamiliar yet mesmerizing, making it impossible to look away.  

But that was all.  

Karl Lavresion didn’t want to ruin things by succumbing to pity. Leticia Evris was a woman he would only see until he returned to Arhadan. Indulging in unnecessary emotions was a luxury he couldn’t afford.  

Clearing his thoughts, he felt a sense of relief. With lighter steps, he headed toward the room where Leticia Evris was.  

As soon as he opened the door, he saw her lying down. Her pale face startled him, and he rushed to her side.  

“Leti, are you feeling unwell?”  

“No… I’m just tired.”  

Karl Lavresion immediately understood the hidden meaning behind her words. When Leticia had a lot on her mind, she often used being tired as an excuse to change the subject. He gently brushed her dark hair aside.  

“What about dinner? Should we go downstairs to eat, or should I have it brought up here?”  

“I’m not hungry.”  

“That won’t do. You need to eat, even if it’s here.”  

He spoke firmly, pulling the cord to summon a servant. He then instructed them to prepare a meal.  

His fingers traced her thin, pale cheek. She could stand to gain a little weight, but Leticia had little appetite. She would always eat just enough before putting down her fork, quite unlike him, who had a hearty appetite.  

“Eat a lot.” 

Leticia kept her eyes closed, avoiding his gaze. With a sigh, he leaned down and buried his face in her neck.  

He knew Leticia, being as soft-hearted as she was, wouldn’t push him away.  

As expected, Leticia Evris didn’t resist. He parted his lips and touched her soft neck with his tongue, gently sucking on her delicate skin.  

“Ah…”  

A faint moan escaped her lips, and that sound was the trigger. Overcome with desire, he lightly bit her. As soon as he did, her body, which had been lying still, tensed up.  

Karl Lavresion slid his hand under her clothes, his palm gliding over her smooth skin. The more he touched her bare flesh, the more insatiable his desire became. His hands roamed over her flat stomach and slender waist before finally reaching her reddened n*pples.  

“Ah…”  

Leticia flinched, shrinking away slightly as if it stung. Clicking his tongue, he pulled her slip upward. Her n*pples, once a pale pink, had turned a deeper pomegranate hue after being touched and sucked on so many times. Out of habit, he took one swollen n*pple into his mouth.  

“It hurts…”  

Leticia murmured softly. Hearing her say it hurt, he immediately released her n*pple and moved his lips back to her neck. It was the most sensitive part of her body, among her many erogenous zones. He licked from beneath her chin to her collarbone, causing her to squirm in his arms.  

“Ah… Ah!”  

He watched with satisfaction as red marks bloomed wherever his lips touched. It felt as though he were painting on the canvas that was Leticia Evris. Her pale skin bore his marks so honestly.  

Her parted legs brushed against his shoulders, as if urging him to enter. Even if that wasn’t her intention, that’s how he interpreted it.  

Without hesitation, he pushed himself fully inside her. Leticia arched her back.  

“Ah!”  

She whimpered and wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, as if she had been waiting for this. When they had first been together, it was obvious she had been inexperienced. But now, she matched his movements, pressing her hips against his and even moving on her own. She was a natural.  

For a moment, an image of Leticia entangled with another man flashed through his mind. He froze, his movements halting as he stared down at her. It was an unbidden thought.  

What if someone else saw this face?  

What if she lay beneath another man, moaning like this?  

A wave of disgust washed over him. He didn’t want anyone else to see her like this. He wanted her to be his alone.  

Leticia looked up at him, puzzled by his sudden pause. Meeting her blue eyes, he slowly began to move again.  

Yes, this innocent woman wouldn’t be with anyone else. She looked at him like this, after all.  

The affection in her blue eyes gradually dissolved his unease. The satisfaction rising from deep within her body climbed his spine, reaching his mind.  

Leticia Evris was his.  

At least, until leaves the Chevrem Empire.  

To rid himself of his complicated thoughts, he began moving faster. Soon, he was consumed by the heat and tightness enveloping him. For now, he wanted to focus only on this sensation.  

***

Life at the villa was abundant and peaceful. Here, there was no mother to complicate her thoughts, and for a moment, she could escape from worries about debt and the Baron.  

It was merely an act of running away from unresolved problems, but even so, it was better than facing her mother.  

Occasionally, moments of melancholy and misery would creep in, but those were emotions she had grown so familiar with that she accepted them almost like resignation.  

Karl Lavresion and Leticia stayed wrapped in blankets until late in the afternoon, not bothering to get up. Having endured until dawn the previous night, her back ached.  

Even though she had woken up, she didn’t want to move a single step, so she remained in bed.  

Karl Lavresion lay beside her, sleeping soundly with a carefree expression.  

Had this man ever experienced worry in his life? Had he ever faced hardship or suffered because of someone else?  

Karl Lavresion always showed her his brighter side. A little arrogant, perhaps, but he was inherently kind and gentle. Even when dealing with subordinates, he maintained the same attitude.  

What would he look like when angry?  

She couldn’t imagine it. Always smiling warmly, how would he express anger?  

She stared at him as he lay facing her. Then, she reached out and lightly touched his pale eyelashes. He didn’t open his eyes.  

Growing a bit bolder, she touched his cheek. His bronze skin was smooth and firm. The line of his jaw, stretching from his ear to his neck, was strong and masculine, while his high nose was perfectly straight.  

Between his slightly parted lips, even breaths escaped.  

He had a strikingly handsome face. His exposed shoulders and toned chest… He was undoubtedly a man who could attract other women.  

She didn’t know where he went or whom he met on the days he wasn’t with her. She also didn’t know where he stayed.  

Though kind and gentle, Karl Lavresion wasn’t a man of singular devotion. She couldn’t believe he was involved only with her.  

How many women had there been before me?  

Among all the women he had been with, where did I rank in his preferences?  

He must like her at least a little; otherwise, he wouldn’t visit her twice a week or bring her to the villa.  

She bit her lower lip. Her chest ached. Every time she speculated about their relationship and what it meant, her heart hurt.  

If only he weren’t so kind. If only he wouldn’t smile at her like that. If only he wouldn’t make her expect anything…  

Even as she softly stroked his cheek, he didn’t wake up. She cautiously pressed her lips to his, thinking, 

This much should be fine…