Even if it was a political marriage, she would be fortunate to find a match at all. If she failed to secure even that and continued to age, she would instantly become unwanted.

For someone in Ivona’s position, a great noble family like Mutheira was an undeservedly good match. Whether the groom was old or young, whether she met the son only to be sold off to his father instead—she wasn’t in a position to complain.

She understood this intellectually. She knew it all too painfully well, yet misery welled up inside her. Even though she didn’t know what she wanted to do instead, the thought that she hated this ran wild in her mind.

So Ivona kept her head lowered and stayed still, seemingly nailed in place. Calix’s rebuke was like the final drop of water falling into a cup already brimming with shame. Yet she had no intention of blaming him.

This was entirely her own stupidity. Her own thoughtlessness in coming here without thinking properly, simply following where her feet led her.

Hot sorrow swelled and bubbled up in her chest. Overflowing and heating her eyes, it finally became tears that fell.

“Huu…”

“…”

At the miserable breath that escaped through her lips, the large figure standing before her flinched. Finding that even more irritating, Ivona raised her fists and roughly rubbed her eyes.

But no matter how much she wiped them away, tears kept welling up anew. Embarrassment and irritation tangled together, making her wiping motions grow rougher.

“Stop, stop that.”

A hot, large hand caught the hand rubbing at her eyes. Thinking that what was covering her face had disappeared, Ivona struggled in panic.

“Let go…!”

She didn’t want to show him her crying like a fool. But her resistance didn’t last long. A heavy arm wrapped around her shoulders and a solid body drew close with a rush. Over her frozen, stiffened head, a pleasant voice settled down softly.

“…!”

“I’ll do whatever you ask. Please, just don’t cry.”

Ivona was dumbfounded by the proper body scent that pushed away the cold and enveloped her entire body. When she slowly raised her gaze, she saw trembling golden eyes.

‘Is he… hugging me right now?’

When their eyes met, she felt the hand wrapped around her shoulders flinch. When had he been so bold in raising his hand, only to panic now? 

She was so dumbfounded that a hollow laugh nearly escaped.

But when the hand that had lost its way slowly stroked down her back, it was Ivona who lost her words. The comforting, affectionate touch traced a path of warmth along her spine several times. Then it rose back up to her shoulders and began patting them.

“…Your eyes are red. Around your eyes…”

Her shoulders jumped at the voice heard right next to her ear. Only then did she belatedly feel the burning sensation occupying the area around her eyes. 

Following that, her heart raced at the hand that gently held the back of her head and pressed her tenderly into his embrace.

Calix imprisoned Ivona in his arms with his back to the wind, like a mother bird sheltering her chicks. Then he held her chin and took out a handkerchief to gently wipe her face. 

The ticklish touch handled her like delicate glasswork that might shatter at any moment. Under his gaze that wouldn’t drop, seemingly quite upset, Ivona gradually felt strange.

“It’s, it’s nothing much…”

Unable to endure his gaze any longer, Ivona reached out and pushed Calix away. Though she didn’t seem to use much force, his body, solid like a stone wall, was pushed back obediently. Even so, his golden gaze wouldn’t drop and clung to her persistently.

“It’s swollen, I think we need to cool it down…”

“I’m, I’m fine. I’ll, I’ll go back now.”

When his seemingly suppressed voice spoke worriedly, Ivona hastily cut him off. A feeling of restlessness rose up, making her want to flee, like standing on fire. But Calix didn’t let her escape.

“Then I’ll escort you.”

“What?”

At the unexpected words, Ivona turned around and asked without thinking. She flinched at his golden eyes that had become insolent again, displeased about something.

“Or were you planning to go back just like that?”

Only after Calix’s point did Ivona realize the problem. It was strange that she had escaped here without any interference. She couldn’t even gauge how much time had passed. If she carelessly wandered back now, she would surely be caught and cause a commotion.

The only way to return quietly was to receive Calix’s help, as he said. Just like the method he had used last night.

‘He’s right, but…’

She didn’t know why she felt defeated by the masculine body scent that drew close. Yet strangely, that feeling was of a comforting kind. So Ivona hesitated but eventually surrendered her body obediently to the arms that lifted her. 

When she relaxed and nestled deeply into his chest, the large figure seemed to flinch for a moment. His voice, sulky like last night, settled down over her head like a sigh.

“…!”

“Don’t open your mouth at all until we reach your room. You’ll bite your tongue.”

The room was just as it had been when Ivona left. The moment Calix’s feet silently stepped on the windowsill, Ivona’s chest tightened.

‘Father’s pheromones!’

When the Marquis scolded Ivona, he didn’t hold back in releasing his pheromones and temper. He thought no one would know since it was a remote tower. If the pheromones still remained, full of malice, and Calix noticed…

The moment she imagined it, goosebumps rose along her spine. If it was the perceptive Calix, that alone would let him figure out what kind of treatment she received. She hated that more than anything. So Ivona hastily jumped down from Calix’s arms.

But despite her quick leap, there were no traces in the room. The mercilessly seeping cold wind was helpful at times like this.

Ivona turned around awkwardly and issued her dismissal, looking at the slightly widened golden eyes.

“Th-thank you, now you can…”

But contrary to her expectation that he would bow and turn away, Calix didn’t leave obediently. 

Instead, he closed the distance with a stride and grasped Ivona’s fingertips. Her heart tightened at the gesture that carefully lifted them, seemingly handling delicate glass artwork.

“…I tried not to ask.”

“…”

“But it seems I can’t help it.”

“Wh-what?”

At the ominous feeling, Ivona unconsciously stepped back. But unlike last night, Calix didn’t pretend not to notice and let it go. With one stride, the distance she had created disappeared far too easily.

“Who did that to you?”

“Huh?”

Ivona couldn’t understand the question. But when the golden eyes she faced began to burn fiercely, her mouth went dry.

“Today’s crying too… and last night’s incident as well…”

“…”

She never imagined Calix would directly mention last night. But more urgent than her heating cheeks was something else.

“Who’s been tormenting you, Miss?”

“…It’s not like that.”

“You’re lying.”

“…”

“Tell me. Who did it?”

The voice that whispered subtly and coaxingly felt sweet. If she opened her mouth, she felt she would cling to that sweet, warm sensation. So Ivona pressed her lips together firmly and kept them shut.

“Who threatened you, Miss?”

Still, Calix didn’t give up. The voice that asked again was as affectionate as coaxing a child. Feeling she would cling to him mindlessly if she opened her mouth, Ivona just shook her head side to side.

“Haa…”

Her chest tightened at the sigh that sounded like evaporating patience. Even so, Ivona couldn’t honestly explain the situation.

‘Father will kill Calix this time for sure.’

She understood that Calix had grown into a strong man. Even among beast-type shapeshifters, leaping up to the Northern Tower, the highest point in the castle, in one bound wasn’t an ordinary ability. 

Even Ivona, who had lived confined and didn’t know much about the world, could tell that much.

But Ivona’s problem wasn’t something that could be solved with strong physical ability alone. The Marquis was a wealthy man who controlled the entire southeast including the Castillia region, and one of only five Electors in the empire. 

He was one of the five people with the highest power who had placed the current emperor on the throne.

How could Calix resolve something ordered by such a father? 

It wasn’t something that could be solved by running away recklessly like when they were children. This time, he might truly die a dog’s death. She hated that.

“…I’m grateful you helped me.”

The voice she finally squeezed out after hesitating several times sounded wrung out. When his picture-perfect eyebrows rose, urging her to continue, Ivona hurriedly poured out her words.

“But it’s not… your business. So please, just go…”

“Ha—”

At the sigh that burst out in disbelief, Ivona swallowed her words. When she raised her gaze, his angry face had golden eyes shining fiercely.

“Right. It’s not my business.”

Though his mouth obediently agreed that she was right, his neat forehead was creased. In the atmosphere that had become dangerous in an instant, Ivona unconsciously stepped back. But Calix didn’t let Ivona create distance this time either.

“However, I went through quite a bit of trouble helping you last night, you see.”

At the same time he closed the distance, Ivona’s knees caught on the bed as she stepped back. Without time to do anything, the moment she sat down, the man’s eyes that had been above her head suddenly lowered. 

He knelt down with a thud, and it was Ivona who was startled by their eyes meeting without any chance to avoid it.

“Th-that’s a lie… What trouble did you go through?”

Though flustered by the sudden action, Ivona protested stubbornly. It was an answer blurted out in confusion, but after saying it, there was nothing wrong with it.

Calix hadn’t gone through any trouble. If anyone had struggled, it was Ivona. She had struggled, moaning and straining as the clumsy Calix stirred various wrong places while trying to remove the bead that had entered a strange place. 

Because of that, she had collapsed and slept until dawn today. But seeing the corners of his mouth curve with mischief, an ominous feeling washed over her.

“How do you know, Miss? Whether I struggled or not?”

“Huh?”

Was it thanks to last night’s experience? Ivona keenly noticed the suspicious signs. But unfortunately, there wasn’t much she could do sitting on the bed.

“I really can’t do it a second time.”

And Calix’s reaction was faster than Ivona’s. At the body heat that crept up, lifting her skirt hem and gripping her ankle, Ivona unconsciously pulled up her caught leg. 

But contrary to her intention, this only made what Calix was doing easier. The hand gripping her ankle followed along without letting go, and his smooth face drew close.

“Helping you do such a thing outside while worrying sick that you might show your lower parts to some random guy…”

“Wh-such a thing!”

The way he lowered his eyelids pitifully looked forlorn at first glance. But the mouth of terror that had made Ivona faint last night showed no signs of stopping.

“Su-such a thing! What do you think I was doing?”

“Who knows?”

In the way he tilted his head with his now-docile golden eyes opened wide, she glimpsed the innocent face from childhood. But his neat, well-shaped lips, whenever they opened, spouted words of ruin.

“Then what do you think that thing last night was, Miss…”

“…”

“…that makes you so repulsed?”

“…”

Though she bit her lip belatedly, it was already too late. As Calix said, Ivona’s reaction was excessive. To anyone watching, it was the reaction of someone caught doing something shameful and inappropriate to tell others.

Bringing his unnecessarily handsome face close to her knee in a familiar way, Calix whispered.

“I knew it… You were playing with yourself, weren’t you?”

Like a well-tamed beast, Calix rested his chin on Ivona’s thigh and raised his eyes meekly. In his rounded eyes, not a trace of wicked intent could be seen.