At the unfamiliar man’s voice, Ivona was truly horrified. Without time to think, her body instinctively jumped up with a start. If she’d had her way, she would have already sprinted back to the tower and then some.

Unfortunately, however, Ivona’s slender limbs wouldn’t follow their owner’s wishes. Far from sprinting, all she could manage was to collapse weakly.

“Haah—”

And to top it off, she let out a moan that sounded strange even to her own ears. The moment she’d jumped up in panic, strength had flooded her entire body. 

When her lower parts inevitably squeezed, the impudent bead ruthlessly jabbed inside and asserted its presence. Really, it was a bead just as thoroughly detestable as the young master of Mutheira who’d given it to her.

Terrified, Ivona looked toward where the sound had come from. Unable to move as strength drained from her legs, her fear only grew. The enormous shadow wavering through the gaps in the roughly nailed planks stimulated her terror.

But the moment a jet-black head suddenly popped out and she met the gleaming golden eyes beneath it, Ivona forgot even her embarrassment.

‘N-no way… Calix?’

How could she forget him? Memories of the last day she’d seen him poured out chaotically and churned through her mind.

‘C-Calix, Father’s going to lock me in that tower. Once I’m locked up, we’ll never meet again!’

‘Don’t cry, Miss. I won’t let that happen. I’ll protect you!’

Though he’d entered as a squire later than other children his age, his manner of speech was already that of a knight. How reliable that face had seemed when he’d gently comforted her with such mature words.

So foolishly, Ivona had run away with Calix. Without knowing what a dangerous thing that was to do.

‘Calix!’

Her little knight had been dragged away like a dog by the soldiers’ rough hands. Her mother’s hook-like fingers had snatched her up and hidden her in her embrace. So Ivona could only hear her mother’s voice crying out desperately.

‘Your Grace! Spare him! He’s just a child! I’ll teach him! Please, if you’ll just forgive him this once! This will never happen again!’

In all her life, it was the first time she’d seen her mother cry out so desperately. The hands that clutched her small head and body tight enough to break were the first such touch she’d felt from her mother. 

When she barely managed to lift her head, she met the yellow eyes of the Marquis glaring at her mother and herself. Ivona would probably never forget her father’s eyes that day for the rest of her life. 

They were the eyes of an absolute ruler who could snuff out her mother’s life and her own with a single glance.

That day, Ivona’s childhood ended. For a while after that, she heard no news of Calix. It was because her mother, locked up with her in place of the Marquis, never took her eyes off her. 

Even the maid who brought meals or the priest who visited once a week couldn’t escape those desperate watchful eyes.

Only after her mother passed away could she learn through Rona that he hadn’t died. But that was all. Even Rona didn’t know what punishment Calix had received or what harsh treatment he’d endured.

What if he’d suffered irreversible injuries because of her? 

It was a burden that had weighed heavily on one corner of her heart all along. At least the Calix standing before Ivona now looked fine and tall, but Ivona’s insides burned. 

The fence acted as a screen, preventing her from seeing his body properly. How could she know if he was limping on one leg or missing an arm?

He slowly walked around the fence and approached Ivona. The way he walked with his palms spread open seemed deliberately slow, like he was trying to reassure Ivona. 

Even so, his massive body and well-trained muscles weren’t something that could be hidden by merely crouching.

The moment he encountered an enemy, the muscles throughout his body would swell taut and close such a distance in an instant. A languid tension like a predator leisurely searching for prey enveloped his well-developed body.

The closer he came, the better she could see the details. Calix hadn’t lost any limbs, his back wasn’t hunched, and his waist wasn’t twisted. Two eyes shone intact in the face that thrust forward.

‘He’s safe!’

The moment she realized he was safe, relief melted one icy corner of her heart. She wanted to get a little closer and confirm his unharmed appearance. So without realizing it, she tried to stand by putting strength in her legs.

But the cruel bead made its presence known again this time too, insisting she not forget about it. At the strange sensation that suddenly surged up, she collapsed ungracefully. 

The sense of reality she’d momentarily forgotten seemed to become an ice hammer that painfully struck her entire body.

Along with heavy footsteps, she saw the toes of the man who’d approached right in front of her. Until he bent his knees and closed the distance, she could only remain frozen like a stone sculpture.

“What are you. Doing. I asked.”

The voice asking again borrowed the form of a question but wasn’t really a question. 

Because his low voice sounded unnecessarily pleasant to hear, Ivona felt even more wronged. Because that pleasant voice was full of reproachful tones.

Calix’s body, facing her directly from right in front, was overwhelmingly massive. Every time his broad shoulders and solid chest moved, she could clearly feel the overflowing strength. 

When he extended his arm, warm body heat rushed in, cutting through the cold air. She couldn’t control her racing heart at the masculine scent carried in that warmth.

But the golden eyes looking straight into hers were full of reproach. The round, cute eye shape had already changed into a sharp man’s eyes. The more she realized how excessively well he’d grown, the more shabby Ivona felt.

‘Wh-what have I done…’

Compared to him, what kind of sight had she shown? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to tear at her hair. If only she could turn back time!

But Ivona couldn’t turn back time, nor could she run away from Calix. All she could do was curl up to hide her utterly shabby appearance even a little.

Shame seemed to whip her entire body, and her eyes burned hot. Her frantic hands fumbled to pull down her skirt, but it was a useless effort.

‘He must have seen everything.’

Her still-exposed legs shone white in the moonlight. The sight of barely covering only her privates was so embarrassing that being completely n*ked would have been better.

And until just before, her skirt had been raised even higher. So Calix must have seen it too. 

What Ivona had been doing while touching herself beneath her skirt, which was now hidden. Every single detail.

Her lips trembled like tears would burst out any moment. Ivona raised her trembling eyes to look up at the man standing before her. 

The man’s face, bathed in moonlight pouring from above, was shadowed and his expression was hard to read. But she could clearly tell that his gaze was slowly groping over her.

The golden gaze that passed over her disheveled blonde hair carefully traced her fair face before moving downward. It was a gaze she could feel so clearly that being touched by hands would have been less embarrassing. 

The moment it reached her fully exposed legs, the man’s thick eyebrows twisted sharply.

Ivona squeezed her eyes shut in shame. But when his lips opened, what Calix said was somewhat beyond her expectations.

“If you’re going to play with yourself, do it in your bedroom. Why so dangerously…”

The moment his slow voice burrowed into her eardrums, Ivona’s face blazed up in humiliation.

Playing with herself. Did he think she was doing this to gain secret pleasure? 

In her sense of injustice, Ivona forgot she needed to be careful and shouted with flushed cheeks.

“I-I-it’s not playing with myself!”

“It’s not?”

But Calix didn’t seem to believe her at all. His suspiciously narrowed eyes turned toward the precariously covered space between her legs. He’d clearly seen what was happening there just moments ago.

The golden eyes looking straight at her again seemed to ask how she could tell such a clumsy lie when he’d seen everything. Unable to withstand the interrogating gaze, Ivona burst out shouting without realizing it.

“I said it’s not!”

“Hmm…”

But her vehement reaction, far from convincing him, seemed to solidify Calix’s suspicions even more firmly.

Seeing certainty settle in his golden eyes, heat surged to her face in frustration. But she didn’t have the energy or composure to explain the situation clearly. Feeling her eyes grow moist, Ivona put even more strength in her legs.

“I already said it’s not, hic, didn’t I…”

At the voice tinged with tears, the golden eyes that had been shining suspiciously like an interrogation were colored with bewilderment. Ivona continued speaking pitifully, pouring out the injustices she’d suffered all day.

“What kind of ruffian behavior is this? Is this the chivalry you learned? A lady’s in trouble and instead of helping… hic— ngh…”

The more she spoke, the more her sorrow overflowed. In the end, Ivona ended up crying while stifling her sobs. She could feel Calix’s hand wandering above her head, unable to find a place to land.

“I-I’m, I’m sorry. If you say it’s not, Miss, then it’s not.”

Eventually, his large hand wrapped around her shoulder and patted it. But the moment she raised her tear-filled eyes, the next trial followed.

“This place is dangerous. I’ll escort you to the tower.”

“…”

Ivona couldn’t readily answer yes. She’d already failed several times trying to walk.

‘But if Calix supports me…’

Maybe this time would be different from the last two times. But the moment she grabbed his tightly packed muscular arm and tried to stand, putting strength in her legs—