While Ashar felt disgusted with himself and blamed himself, Jedrian sauntered toward the two who had frozen in place facing each other.

With each movement, the scabbard at his waist rattled, making threatening sounds.

“The atmosphere’s strange, huh? What, were you about to kiss?”

Though he seemed playful, his calloused hands had already gripped the sword hilt.

Ashar, keenly noticing Jedrian’s hand movement, quickly prostrated himself and pressed his forehead to the ground in greeting.

“I greet the Lokan.”

“Mm, looking at Lauren’s expression, I don’t think that’s it. What, did this b*stard make you angry?”

Without even glancing at Ashar prostrated at his feet, Jedrian stood close in front of her.

The man who immediately read Laurencia’s mood from her expression alone urged her soothingly.

Like telling her to hurry up and say yes.

The bright red eyes of a beast desperate to see blood shone with anticipation. The glittering crimson eyes stared at her persistently, like a whining child.

If she said yes, the sword at his waist would immediately and mercilessly sever Ashar’s neck without hesitation.

His hand, already prepared, was just waiting for her answer to fall.

Laurencia glanced down at Ashar lying flat.

She could see his fingertips flushed red. His back, muscles tensed, twitched like it would spring up immediately if danger struck.

She wanted to punish him with her own hands. But she didn’t want him dead.

Though she was still resentful and angry, she didn’t want to see someone else die because of her again.

More than anything, even knowing it was false, if she lost even him who had worried about her saying he was on her side, she felt she’d experience a deeper despair than when she was alone.

Just those few days of feeling another person’s warmth made her weak heart fear being alone again.

“Lauren.”

“Dancing.”

As his voice sharpened and revealed his savage nature, Laurencia slowly turned her head and answered with an embarrassed expression.

“I asked him to practice. But Ashar said he can’t dance…”

“Dancing?”

At the unexpected story, Jedrian’s beautifully curved eyes immediately furrowed.

“What dancing? No, why dancing all of a sudden?”

She quietly watched the man looking at her with suspicious eyes, then asked with an unusually shy face.

“It’s been a long time since I enjoyed a banquet. So… could you hold a banquet for me?”

“A banquet?”

“Yes. I came back after three years, but you didn’t even hold a welcome ceremony…”

Laurencia lowered her eyes like she felt hurt.

Though she knew this behavior was unlike her in this situation, she had no choice but to push forward now.

Sure enough, at her softened appearance, Jedrian’s eyes narrowed.

He too knew that she would never make such a request.

A woman who would willingly offer even her proud body out of worry for her father’s safety, asking for a banquet when she didn’t even know what situation that father was in.

Jedrian’s narrowed gaze turned toward Ashar prostrated on the floor. His eyes slowly returned to her, then curved beautifully.

“Oh my, I was too indifferent. The flower of the empire returned, and I didn’t even hold a grand welcome ceremony.”

He approached stealthily and casually pulled her slender waist close.

Then he rubbed his lower body against her shamelessly and made a disgusting apology.

“Sorry, you know I’ve been a bit busy.”

Laurencia barely managed to contain her expression that was about to twist inevitably, and forced the corners of her mouth up to show a sweet smile.

Like that false smile was amusing, he chuckled, then slowly brought his face close like he would kiss her.

Sure enough, cracks appeared in the smile she was barely maintaining.

But if she avoided him here, the man who was knowingly playing along would reveal his true colors, so she chose to close her eyes instead.

But from the lips she expected to touch came an unexpected command.

“You, leave now.”

Her eyes snapped open.

His eyes, which hadn’t left her for even a moment, smiled brightly.

“You acted so pretty today. Even making such a request to me. It seems like you’ve opened your heart, and I can’t contain this joy.”

Gradually pushing her to lean against the windowsill shelf, he embraced her slender body tightly and caressed her exposed skin.

The touch that slid down from her back, passing her slender waist and firmly grasping her voluptuous b*ttocks, made the fine hairs that had been rising one by one stand up all at once.

Laurencia, gritting her teeth and enduring, made eye contact with Ashar who had risen in the meantime.

The man’s expression, coldly sunken, looked like he would cause trouble at any moment.

But now wasn’t the time.

Not only outside the door, but there would certainly be Jedrian’s escort knights in the reception room too.

Unable to convey her meaning with words, she ultimately showed it through action.

Looking at Ashar with dry eyes, she embraced Jedrian’s neck.

Then she let out a faint moan like the man’s caresses on her nape were satisfying.

It was a signal that she had started her job, so he should do his.

But Ashar, who she thought would leave immediately, stepped back then stopped again. His gaze was nailed to her, staring piercingly.

She could feel unbearable anger boiling in his eyes.

She didn’t know what the anger was about.

But whatever the reason, she thought it wasn’t anger for her sake.

Just then, Jedrian, already drunk with excitement, boldly pushed his hand under her skirt.

Whether someone was beside them or not, he was desperate to satisfy his l*st like it didn’t matter.

The hand that immediately dug into her crotch made Laurencia’s face flush red. The moment he nibbled at the rapidly sensitized nub, her body, stiff with tension, jerked violently.

Being subjected to this in front of Ashar made her feel like she’d die of shame.

She was starting to resent the man who stood there stubbornly.

She tried desperately to at least hold back her voice, but at that moment a thick finger suddenly pushed into the narrow gap without warning.

“Ah…!”

A moan she couldn’t contain burst from her mouth, startled by the stinging pain.

Even in this situation, feeling increasingly hazy, she buried herself in Jedrian’s chest.

She could no longer face Ashar.

Her whole body burned hot, feeling like all her shame had been exposed.

The lips that had been continuously licking and sucking her nape, now wet with saliva, slid to her earlobe and poked into her ear canal.

Laurencia gripped the man’s jacket collar tightly and desperately held back her moans.

Then, a vile voice flowed into her ear.

“You’re very wet, Lauren. Are you more excited because another b*stard is watching?”

Like he would inform her of her state, rough fingers gently rubbed her thoroughly soaked v*lva.

The hand covered in slippery fluids slid around, ravaging her entire v*lva.

“Hng!”

“I feel dirty, but your reaction excites me more. Should I make that b*stard kneel and really enjoy ourselves?”

This was a disaster.

She’d been so focused on Ashar that she’d momentarily forgotten about Jedrian’s existence. Even while being messily touched by his hands, her mind was preoccupied with the man watching her.

The bigger problem was that she only now realized Jedrian’s true intentions.

The reason he’d tolerated Ashar stubbornly staying despite the order to leave.

It was useless to deny it now.

Her body, well-trained by him, had responded faithfully without knowing this was a test to probe her.

And Jedrian had already concluded that her lewdly wet lower parts were because of Ashar.

She’d fallen perfectly for his despicable trick.

But she couldn’t just stay still either.

Laurencia gripped Jedrian’s collar tightly, trembling and shaking her head.

To look more pitiful and pathetic in his eyes.

If his mood soured further here, he would definitely make Ashar kneel on the floor and ravish her shamelessly.

Then he’d gouge out the eyes of the man who witnessed it all.

Seeing that cruel ending clearly, Laurencia decided to do what he liked in the submissive manner Jedrian wanted.

Though the thought alone was terrible, that was the only way to appease him.

She released her hand that had been gripping Jedrian’s lapel and grasped the back of his neck.

She leaned into his embrace, now embracing him of her own accord rather than being forced.

Then she whispered pleadingly.

“Take me to the bed.”

Even as she said those words, Laurencia hoped for just one thing.

That Ashar would be gone.

At that moment, Jedrian lifted her body without hesitation and whirled around.

She squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in the man’s solid shoulder.

Even on the way to the bed, the hand that had pulled up her skirt fondled her fully exposed v*lva. Laurencia gritted her teeth at her body twitching helplessly.

But Jedrian was quiet.

If Ashar had been there, he would have said something.

Only then did she carefully open her eyes slightly and look around. Fortunately, the man she’d worried about was nowhere to be seen.

Her relief was brief as merciless hands set her down on the bed like throwing her.

Laurencia, barely raising her body that had collapsed helplessly, froze upon seeing Jedrian’s expression.

Seeing the man’s face completely devoid of laughter, she could clearly see what would become of her today.

Staring down at her and casually stripping off his clothes, he smiled eerily again and tilted his head side to side.

Watching him, Laurencia emptied her mind.

When Jedrian was in a bad mood, he was more perverted and rougher than usual.

And sure enough.

“You must pay the price for deceiving me.”

He had seen through everything.

The man, now not wearing a single thread, looked down at her and commanded.

“Strip. With your own hands.”