Chapter 116 

Costance sat on the bed, gazing at the night of the Papal State. The night here was so different from that of Toramde.

The surroundings were dark due to the few streetlights, but the stars in the sky poured down like the Milky Way. Pilgrims, carrying backpacks, wandered around, admiring the stars and chatting. Some even held canvases, painting the night sky. It was a scene rarely seen in Toramde.

“Benny.”

At Costance’s call, Benny turned her head back, just as he had finished washing up.

“All done with…”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Costance, who had stepped out shirtless, came into her view.

His body, which she hadn’t seen in a long time, had become much leaner than before, but the defined muscles stood out vividly.

Costance shook his wet hair. The water droplets that hadn’t been wiped off completely traced lines down his torso, reaching just below his navel. Benny’s face flushed as she inadvertently followed the droplets with her eyes.

“How… was the water temperature?”

She swallowed secretly before asking.

“A bit cold.”

“What? That can’t be.”

“Benny.”

At his intense gaze, she quickly turned her head away.

“I’m cold.”

“…”

“I’m freezing.”

He whined playfully, as if trying to coax her. Despite claiming to be cold, he made no effort to put on a shirt.

Benny chuckled at his obvious behavior. She snatched the wet towel from his hand and climbed onto the bed.

“You’re cold because you didn’t dry your hair properly.”

She ruffled his still-wet hair with the towel. Costance closed his eyes, fully surrendering to her touch.

“My hair isn’t cold. It’s my upper body that’s freezing.”

“Shall I dry it for you?”

As she spoke, her hand moved to his back. Costance flinched, seemingly startled by the coldness of her touch.

“Sorry. Did I surprise you?”

“A little.”

She rubbed the towel on his broad back, wiping away the water and lightly grazing his defined muscles with her hand. A low, drawn-out breath escaped from Costance’s lips.

His body was warm, far from cold. While her hand rested on his back, she glanced at his still-damp hair and thought of the scissors in the drawer.

“Benny?”

“Hold on.”

Though her skills were poor…

“Come down to the floor.”

She fetched scissors and a comb, then seated Costance on the floor.

“I’ll just tidy it up a bit.”

Without a word, he moved as she wished. She parted his jet-black hair and carefully combed the back.

Snip, snip.

She was tense, worried about ruining his handsome appearance. She repeatedly leaned back to check the style.

After a few more snips, the back of his hair seemed neatly trimmed.

“Let me see your bangs.”

She moved closer to examine his bangs, narrowing the distance between them.

Being so close, his breath touched her chest through her clothes. A strange sensation tightened her lower abdomen.

She held her breath and focused on trimming his hair. Gradually, his hair looked much neater than before. Feeling relieved that she hadn’t messed up, she was just about to feel proud when…

“Ah.”

Her joy was short-lived. His arm wrapped around her waist.

“No! If you do this, I might mess it up…”

“I’ll stay still.”

He grabbed her back and pulled her toward him. Costance’s face was now buried deeply in her chest.

“Ugh.”

His lips brushed against a sensitive spot.

There was no way she could continue cutting his hair in this position. She let go of her arms, and the scissors and comb she had been holding fell to the floor.

“Ah!”

At her startled cry, Costance grinned. He found a sensitive spot and nibbled, looking up at her with wet eyes.

Their gazes met. After a brief silence, a whirlwind of emotions surged.

“Wait, wait…!”

Costance suddenly stood up, holding her waist. Carrying her, he walked to the center of the bed and laid her down, immediately seeking her lips.

“Cost… mmph!”

He kissed her lips without hesitation. Dissatisfied with just her lips, he cupped the back of her head to lift it slightly toward him.

As the kiss deepened, their saliva mixed. His soft tongue explored her mouth, insisting on delving deeper.

The blocked breath and stimulation made her dizzy. It felt like she was drunk, her consciousness hazy, and the back of her head buzzing.

“…Hah.”

“Benny…”

Costance looked down at her with damp eyes. Just one kiss left her body feeling heavy, as if soaked. He brushed away the strands of hair stuck to her cheek and kissed her face all over.

“Costance.”

“Yes…”

“…Hah, I’m so glad to be here with you.”

She struggled to form each word, catching her breath. Costance’s jaw tightened.

Without responding, he moved his hands. He unbuttoned her thin nightgown, biting her neck and shoulders just enough not to hurt.

“Please… keep talking.”

“Thank you for always staying by my side.”

“Keep going.”

All the buttons were undone. He paused to take in her body before cupping her cheek with one hand. On her other cheek, he placed a quick kiss. His lips then slowly began to move downward.

A strange sensation overwhelmed her. Instinctively, she lowered her arms, but Costance persistently grabbed her wrists and kissed them too.

“Hah…”

“Is there… anything else you want to say to me?”

He asked as he focused on his actions. Reaching out, she touched his freshly trimmed hair.

“I, I…”

“Yes.”

“…No, it’s just how I feel.”

“I’m listening, Benny.”

It was absurd.

To suppress the m*an threatening to escape, she clenched her teeth. Waves of sensation swept through her body repeatedly. Tightening her thighs only for Costance to stop her made her tremble.

Finally, his lips reached all the way down. Her toes trembled uncontrollably. The sounds escaping between her teeth were embarrassing even to her own ears, making her face burn.

“…I, I was scared too.”

Still, she wanted to be honest.

“When you were suffering and in pain, I wanted to die. Hah, I hated myself. I was terrified that you might leave me at any moment.”

Amid the euphoria, sorrow crept in. She covered her face with both arms and cried.

“Benny…”

“I was scared you’d abandon me. I love you so much, I don’t want to be apart from you anymore. But I was afraid you’d leave.”

“…”

“I love you. I love you so much. More than I thought I did. And so… I was even more afraid.”

“Benny…”

Costance gently pulled her arms away from her face. His eyes were also red by now.

“I love you.”

She looked him straight in the eye and said.

“I love you, Costance.”

As she moved her arm, Costance’s hand on her wrist followed. She kissed his fingers.

He held his breath, watching her every move. After kissing each of his fingers once, she bit one lightly.

“…Hah.”

A breathy sound escaped from Costance’s lips. When she licked the finger in her mouth briefly, his face contorted intensely.

“Ugh!”

“D*mn it.”

He pulled his finger back, lowered his head, and kissed her. At the same time, he removed her cumbersome nightgown and swiftly undid his trousers’ buckle.

“…Did you feel the same fear as I did?”

“Yes. Enough to need an entire day to express it.”

He whispered close to her after breaking the kiss.

“I have only you, Benny.”

“…”

“I don’t regret that. Not at all.”

He moved gently. She inhaled sharply at the sensation below.

“My goddess. Don’t be afraid.”

“…”

“Relax.”

She closed her eyes. Despite his soothing words, her body tensed so much it made her head spin.

“Benny.”

“…It’s, oh, difficult.”

“Did I… ever confess how much I’ve always wanted to do this with you?”

“Hah.”

“If I haven’t, I’ll confess now… even if it’s late.”

When she opened her eyes, she saw Costance’s furrowed face dripping with sweat.

“I’ve always wanted this.”

“…Costance!”

“I’ve always!”

She instinctively grabbed his back. Without realizing it, her nails dug into his back, scratching him.

She could no longer utter words of love. Her mind went blank. She could only call out Costance’s name desperately. The man who had clung to her, claiming he was cold, was now as hot and sticky as molten lava. Just as she was about to give up trying to hold onto him, her hands kept slipping.

“Ugh!”

Costance grabbed her hands firmly. Their clasped hands were drenched in sweat. The bed creaked and groaned. The movements grew so intense that she suddenly worried it might break.

“Who are you thinking of—hah—right now?”

“Co-Cost…”

“Me?”

The man who had seemed angry moments ago smiled slyly.

Annoyed, she wanted to retort, but Costance left no room for her to do so. He had seized control, leaving no gaps. Several times, sharp and tingling sensations coursed through her entire body.

Finally, Costance hugged her tightly, his movements ceasing. He exhaled in quick succession before letting his tense shoulders relax. She, too, trembled from the long-lost sensations.

The trembling wouldn’t stop.

“I love you, Benny.”

“Costance…”

“I love you. I love you.”

His kisses resumed once more.