[Didn’t you say you were hungry?]

Hector frowned as he watched Charlie nibbling.

Charlie, who lied to help the Wilkins family, naturally couldn’t be hungry.

Besides, it hadn’t been long since she ate the sandwich prepared by Mateo.

“Ah, it’s refreshing.”

Charlie, who had been watching cautiously, sat on the edge of the bed while making unnecessary noise.

But for some reason, Hector didn’t even move.

Normally, he should have been embracing Charlie and showering her with kisses.

[Your head.]

[Ah… It seems to be fine now…]

[…I’m glad.]

Should I not have lied about being in pain?

“Ahem–”

Charlie cleared her throat, but Hector’s gaze remained fixed on the documents.

“……”

He was upset. Very upset indeed.

She shouldn’t have been worrying about Noel at a time like this.

‘Did I just screw myself over?’

Charlie didn’t mean to deceive Hector with bad intentions.

More precisely, it was a white lie for Hector’s sake.

But she couldn’t just confess, ‘I’m worried because I know that since I’m a transmigrator, you’ll end up killing Noel and the emperor, and ultimately yourself.’

‘What should I do…’

Charlie’s eyes rolled around in the air.

She hadn’t expected Hector to get upset at all. She only thought about resolving the situation.

The Wilkins knight order was exhausted, and Noel also seemed to have reached his limit.

What suddenly came to mind then was hunger.

All this time, Hector had been acting like someone desperate to fatten Charlie up.

So the words came out without her realizing.

‘I crossed the line here.’

Why did she have to lie about being in pain? Charlie was filled with regret.

She didn’t mean to take Hector’s feelings for her lightly or try to use them…

Charlie, who had been watching carefully, cautiously opened her mouth.

“Would you like me to… wash your hair?”

“I already washed it.”

A cold voice devoid of inflection settled in the air.

Hector had bathed before Charlie.

As evidence, his thick black hair was still damp.

And that wasn’t all. The sturdy body revealed through the robe exuded intense masculinity.

“……”

How could he be so sensual and yet still be sulking?

Charlie deliberately turned her gaze away and mumbled.

“Then… would you like a massage?”

“……!”

At that moment, Hector’s eyebrows twitched.

But it was only for a moment. His gaze fixed on the documents still didn’t move.

“No need.”

“……”

He must be deeply hurt. What on earth could she do about this?

Charlie fell into contemplation as she looked at Hector sitting still like a statue.

Then suddenly her eyes lit up.

“I wonder if it’s because someone was worried… I feel like lying down today.”

Charlie casually lay down.

Her small head gently rested on his firm thigh.

“……?”

Only then did his gaze leave the documents and stare at Charlie.

His red eyes were quite dilated, seemingly surprised by her sudden action.

“What are you doing now?”

“What do you mean? I’m lying down.”

Blink blink–

Long eyelashes fluttering with cuteness looked up at Hector.

However, Hector pointed to the pillow placed beside him with an expressionless face.

“The pillow is right there.”

Ugh.

Deflated, Charlie let out a huff of breath.

On the other hand, Hector’s slightly raised eyes seemed to be saying ‘What?’

But she couldn’t give up like this. Didn’t they say that once you’ve drawn your sword, you should cut even a radish?

Charlie nuzzled her face and burrowed into Hector’s thigh.

“Oh my, how comfortable. Is it because of all the muscle? It’s so firm and truly s*x…”

“……?”

Why did her true feelings slip out at a time like this? Charlie hurriedly added words while avoiding Hector’s sharp gaze.

“It’s comfortable. It’s really comfortable because of all the muscle.”

“……”

As Charlie’s outstretched hand wrapped around Hector’s waist, his tightly closed lips twitched.

In fact, Hector knew it was a lie from the moment Charlie said she was hungry.

Nevertheless, he was concerned and worried that she might really be in pain.

But watching her force herself to eat twisted his mood.

That heart of hers that was trying to protect the Wilkins family even to the point of lying to him. The fact that Noel was at the end of it made him unbearably displeased and angry.

He didn’t mean to be angry at Charlie.

He had just been watching because her clumsy attempts to cheer him up were cute. At this moment, he wanted to think only of her, not Noel or the Wilkins family.

He didn’t want to share her with anyone.

Hector wanted to monopolize even Charlie’s good intentions.

“Do I look like a pillow to you now?”

“……”

Charlie hesitated at Hector’s gruff tone.

How much time had passed like that?

In an instant, Charlie’s pheromones exuded a lot of lewdness. Her hesitant lips were twitching as if about to say something.

“……?!”

Just as his head tilted in question,

Charlie suddenly sat up and kissed Hector’s cheek.

“……!”

Smooch–

A bright and sweet sound echoed through the tent.

Hector’s face, which had inevitably crumbled, finally broke into a smile.

“Hehe-“

Success. Charlie also smiled brightly.

After facing Hector like that for a moment, Charlie carefully spoke up.

It was better to apologize clearly than to gloss over it.

“About saying I was in pain earlier, it was a li…!”

But Charlie couldn’t finish her words as lips rushed to meet hers.

* * *

After the Wilkins family left.

The Hunt family camp was filled with boisterous laughter.

As if he had never shown hostility, even Luke was chattering with a casual demeanor.

Leon, who had been quietly watching him, let out a sigh of relief.

[How about excluding Luke from this expedition?]

Tanner was wary of Luke.

It was an unusual attitude for Tanner, who cherished not only the knight order but also the mansion’s servants.

[We also need knights to guard the mansion. I think it would be better for the vice-commander to stay behind.]

There was no mistake in Tanner’s words.

In fact, they had always divided personnel between those guarding the mansion and those going on expeditions.

But Tanner particularly disliked taking Luke along.

[This expedition will require our full strength. Leon and I may have to go to the front lines. We need a knight to guard Charlie in case of any situation.]

[……]

Tanner, who was about to say something, quietly closed his mouth at Hector’s glance.

[Make sure there are no clashes with the Wilkins family. If by any chance vice-commander Luke causes a conflict, it would be no different from the Hunt family doing it. Do you understand, Leon?]

It was well known among the Hunt family members that Luke had ill feelings towards the Wilkins family.

But if that was the case, all the knight order members were subjects of caution.

Gerard also had a grudge against the Wilkins family. Percy hated the Edwards family, and so did Derek.

Even Leon himself wanted to kill the emperor.

‘It was a bit too much this time.’

Tanner’s appearance, grabbing Leon’s arm and pleading with an anxious look, was certainly not ordinary.

[If Luke does anything rash, you kill him.]

[What?! Kill Luke?!]

[If such a thing happens, do you think it will end with just a war with the Wilkins family? Don’t you really know what will happen the moment Duke Noel with the wind ability helps the emperor?!]

[Well…]

[So even if it means disobeying His Grace’s orders, you must kill Luke. Do you understand?]

Leon’s gaze, lost in thought, turned back to Luke.

“Stop giving me more!”

“Why, man. You eat carrots well.”

“Just because I eat them well doesn’t mean I like them.”

“We can’t even eat them well, that’s why.”

Percy jokingly handed his carrots to Luke. Luke’s plate was already piled high with carrots left by the other knights.

“I don’t want any more either! I feel like I smell like carrots every time I speak!!”

“I’ve been smelling it for a while now.”

“Everyone shut up. It smells like carrots.”

“Hahaha.”

The boisterous laughter of the knights cut through the night air.

Leon quietly gazed at Luke’s golden eyes, so similar to his own.

* * *

“Haah……”

A heated atmosphere rose inside Hector’s tent.

How did it come to this?

She had only meant to soothe Hector’s sulking heart.

Amidst the rough kisses, Charlie was preoccupied with grasping her hazy consciousness.

The heated Hector seemed as if he was trying to melt Charlie completely.

“Hng……”

Charlie flinched as a large hand brushed her lower abdomen.

Seemingly in response to her moan, a strange light flashed in Hector’s eyes.

[There’s no problem with her health, but her physical strength is quite low, so please wait a little while…]

After their last lovemaking, Charlie, who had excessively used her holy power, had taken a recovery period.

He couldn’t even count how many nights he had endured his surging desire until now.

Moreover, Hector’s hardship had reached its peak after coming on the expedition.

It was because Charlie had burrowed into him every night.