The voice belonged to Narcissus, who had reportedly moved to the High Temple a few days ago. Surprised by this unexpected encounter, I instinctively grabbed his arm with delight.

“It’s been a while. Are you working under the High Priest?”

“I have to stay here for now. They say there will be a grand festival before the Helcamber delegates return to their homeland.”

Narcissus, with only a white cloth wrapped around his waist under the golden sun, looked more radiant than ever today. Perhaps I was mistaken because he seemed paler than when I first saw him during his captivity in that dark room. Regardless of his natural nobility, he looked like a pure deity even wearing just a single piece of linen that slaves typically wore.

“You’ve… been quite busy, I assume? Well, the banquets are in full swing after all.”

This time, the golden-haired youth inquired casually. His tone seemed to imply, “How busy must you be that I can’t even see your face?” which was truly peculiar. Though he tried to hide it, Narcissus too had apparently been waiting for me, the only person who had treated him kindly in this enemy country. What a touching thought!

“Princess Kesera has been having headaches because of the priests lately. I might visit the temple frequently on her errands.”

I giggled to myself as I patted his shoulder energetically.

“I’ll play with you occasionally when I’m here.”

His ruby-colored eyes, clear as gemstones, gazed down at me thoughtfully.

* * *

For a week, I was incredibly busy.

Following the Princess’s orders, I greeted guests outside the banquet hall and prepared food in the kitchen. At night, I stood guard near the Princess’s bedchamber while she intertwined bodies with handsome imperial men.

Given the grandeur of the event, diverse people from all regions flocked like flies to a honey pot. The Princess would invite any man who caught her fancy to her bedroom regardless of status, where she would torment them with pleasure.

When her partner’s status was particularly low, she would blindfold him, cover his ears, and tie his limbs to the bedposts. Then she would mount his lower body, teasing him while joyfully rocking her hips. Naturally, these men never realized they were having intercourse with Kesera, the First Princess of the great Eodiphia Empire.

Surprisingly, Lord Shahan also frequently visited her bedroom despite being busy with festival preparations. He would receive my reluctant greeting with a sneering face before entering the inner chamber to entangle himself with the Princess for hours.

During those times, passionate cries would leak outside more intensely than usual, almost deliberately loud enough to be heard. Most of the moans came from Princess Kesera.

Shahan drove into her so forcefully that even she, a notorious sensualist, would beg him to stop. In my four years of serving the Princess, it was the first time I’d seen her plead like that.

Once Shahan entered the room, he wouldn’t emerge until late the next morning, forcing me to stay awake all night. He would pass by, mocking my face with dark circles reaching my chin. He visited so frequently that it seemed intentional, and I was absolutely miserable from lack of sleep.

Consequently, I had to catch up on sleep whenever the Princess didn’t bring guests.

Just after the first week had passed, I was once again preparing flower oil to welcome a new man. Everyone except the High Priest was required to apply this oil before spending the night with the Princess.

Today’s oil was mixed with pearl powder, which made the skin shimmer when applied.

“Lie down here.”

I sensed someone behind me, presumably the night guest. Without bothering to look, I carried the jar of oil to the makeshift bed.

When I felt something unusual and checked the man’s face…

“Bel?”

Bel lay quietly on the makeshift bed, watching me with only his lower body covered.

“Why are you here?”

“Am I not allowed? I too was chosen by the Princess.”

Chosen? How ridiculous. When did you start seeking Princess Kesera after all that talk about me? I mentally scoffed before wiping my expression clean and placing the oil jar beside him with a thud.

“You’re from an enemy country. The Princess accepted you?”

“I’m in disguise. Come here and apply the oil.”

Bel smiled briefly. The difference in this déjà vu situation was the subtle relationship that now flowed between us.

With awkward movements, I scooped up some oil and began spreading it over his body. The thin flower oil flowed down his muscular upper body with its prominent bulges. His sleek, lean physique, long limbs, numerous scars etched like brands, and tattoos covering them—they might have been manifestations of his overflowing demonic energy. Regardless, most were old wounds, so I didn’t need to be as careful as with Narcissus.

Without hesitation, I lifted the towel covering his lower body and casually touched his exposed g*nitals.

“Keep lying down.”

Bel half-raised himself to stare at me as I stroked his member. From this close distance, I could unmistakably smell the sweet scent of kamora and dried roses. The fresh ash tree scent I’d detected before must have been his preferred perfume rather than his natural body odor.

“I got the Princess drunk, so she’s probably half-passed out.”

“So? Stop talking and lie back down—this is embarrassing.”

Oh, Princess! Our Kesera who can never refuse alcohol offered by a handsome man!

If Bel was telling the truth, she might be dozing off in bed while waiting for him. The Princess had a low alcohol tolerance; once drunk, she wouldn’t notice even if someone carried her away.

“Vivi, the reason I came to see the Princess was to meet you.”

Silently, I gripped his gl*ns with my oil-covered hand and squeezed it firmly, venting my frustration.

“I haven’t seen you once in a week. You’re not avoiding me, are you?”

“It’s not that. I’ve been assigned to work in the kitchen by the Princess’s orders.”

His p*nis, growing increasingly rigid, gradually swelled in size within my palm. I glanced anxiously toward the Princess’s bedroom. That room, perfectly blocked by red curtains, remained eerily quiet except for the steady sound of breathing.

“Vivi.”

“Not here. The Princess might wake up.”

However, Bel was unlikely to accept my unconvincing voice.

He placed his hand over mine, which had slowed, making me continue to rub his member. My body trembled slightly from the tension of possibly being caught and a strange s*xual pleasure.

Although I couldn’t clearly define our relationship, I genuinely liked Bel, and he was now openly seducing me. Not knowing what to do, I blinked and carefully climbed onto the bed.

“Bel, tell me honestly just once—how do you feel about me?”

Truthfully, I didn’t care what answer came back. I perked up my ears, feeling somewhat dejected.

Unlike his confession in the rose garden, this time he didn’t answer immediately. No “yes” or “no”—just a slight smile with an unreadable expression…

Ugh, how annoying. Even more annoying because he’s unnecessarily handsome.

“Should I tell you I love you?”

“Forget it. I’m stupid for expecting anything from you.”

Bel really is impossible to understand. I grumbled as I pushed away his face when he tried to kiss my cheek. I wanted to bite his neck hard enough to hurt with my sharp rabbit front teeth. I wanted to bite him repeatedly until he confessed that everything was his fault and that he was being spiteful about the garden incident.

“Do you have any sleeping incense? Something mild, not too strong.”

After I handed him a candle made from sleep powder and lotus petals, Bel lit it and placed it beside the Princess’s bed.

“What are you doing?”

“You seem anxious, so I’m taking precautions. The sleeping agent is weak, but combined with the alcohol, she won’t wake until morning. The scent isn’t strong, so it’s easy to eliminate the evidence.”

The Princess was sound asleep, wrapped in blankets and lying face down.

And I completely surrendered to Bel’s seduction. Though not entirely trustworthy, he said he liked me—yet rather than feeling reassured, I had the bitter premonition that I would end up clinging to him more desperately.

Even if my feelings weren’t exactly the same as six months ago, my heart still skipped beats whenever I saw his face. Didn’t Bel know that?

I carefully lifted my petticoat and sat between his knees. I felt his hands coming between them, caressing my white skin. With an inexplicably emotional feeling, I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face there.

‘I lost again. Damn it, I lost to Bel again.’

His hands moved behind my back, untying the white ribbon. Today I was wearing a soft sleeveless turtleneck instead of a blouse, with deeply cut armholes that naturally loosened the front when untied from behind. When Bel unfastened the pin at the neck and pulled the top sideways, one br*ast fell out, bouncing between the white fabric.

“…”

“What?”

“You’re not wearing underwear?”

Ah. I’d forgotten that I’d removed it briefly before leaving the palace because it felt stuffy after working all day. Since my final duty was simply to stand guard beside the Princess, I didn’t need to wear it.

Bel quietly laughed while looking at me with his annoyingly handsome face. Embarrassed, I burrowed back into his arms, trying to hide my flushed face. But before I could, my upper body was pulled away, forcing us to face each other again.

“Mmm, mmm.”

Bel cupped my br*ast with one hand and buried his lips against the ar*ola that had risen upward. Then he opened his mouth, swallowing the soft flesh while stroking my n*pple with his tongue tip. The sudden stimulation drew muffled nasal sounds from my crumpled lips.

“Hm, ahh…”

I felt slightly impatient because I couldn’t kiss him while his thick lips were busy fondling my br*ast. Though this felt good, it would be more ecstatic if he sucked my lips lovingly with his own, fragrant with sweet kamora.

I slipped my hand inside my dress and pushed my underwear aside. The sensation of his firmly er*ect member pressing against my lower abdomen made my mouth feel parched. I grabbed his swollen member and forcibly pulled it out, rubbing it against my private parts where hair had just begun to grow.

I tried to tease him by slightly lifting my hips. It was a small revenge because I felt like I was constantly being dominated.

Ha, Bel threw his head back at my movement, exhaling all at once like someone who had suddenly surfaced from underwater.