Chapter 1

“Eloisa.”

Inside the steam-filled hot spring, a low voice startled Eloisa and made her step back. The water, reaching up to her waist, slowed her movements.

“Er…hart?”

From a secluded corner of the hot spring, a man frowned as he looked at her. His ash-gray hair and black eyes revealed some embarrassment and awkwardness on his face.

Eloisa suddenly remembered she was n*ked, quickly raising her hands to cover her chest.

“Erich, are you crazy?? This is a women-only bath!!”

She raised her voice at him, her face flushed red. She hurled words like ‘pervert’ and ‘creep’ at him.

Erhardt pressed his palm to his forehead and sighed deeply.

“Loisa. This is the men’s section. You’re the one who came in the wrong way, not me.”

His black pupils stared straight at her. Eloisa’s eyes trembled.

‘…That can’t be.’

The sign she saw on her way in clearly pointed to the women’s area. But she remembered all the times she’d gotten lost and bit her lip.

“Pretend you didn’t see me.”

With her head lowered, Eloisa tried to turn and leave.

At that moment, she heard men’s voices from outside. The voices grew closer, heading toward the hot spring. Her body stopped abruptly as she walked toward the entrance. Her mind went blank.

What should she do, where could she hide?

Eloisa trembled quietly, and Erhardt came over and grabbed her hand. His hot hand startled her, and she widened her eyes as she looked at him.

“Come here.”

His low voice echoed softly, and Eloisa nodded. Erhardt led her behind the pillar supporting the hot spring. The thick size and the right amount of steam seemed enough to hide both their bodies.

Dragged along, Eloisa’s gaze fixed on his broad back. Well-built muscles and wide shoulders. Every time he moved, his muscles shifted. She felt the blood rush to her face.

“Watch me! When I return, I’m definitely confessing. I am!!”

“Hey, then I’ll get ready to drink for that. Right?”

“When you’re sad after getting rejected, I’ll toast with you.”

Three men opened the door to the hot spring and entered.

Erhardt quickly pulled Eloisa into his arms. The huge man hid the woman in his embrace. Her slender body, barely half his size, touched him, making his arm tense. He looked down at her face. Her golden hair floated in the water, and her transparent blue eyes trembled.

‘For a weak magician, she sure looks delicate.’

His face twisted in displeasure. He had no intention of showing this side of her to anyone else.

They had been childhood friends, attended the academy together, and now served in the Imperial Army. They were in different units, so this was the first time they worked together. Also, Eloisa had spent some time avoiding him, so seeing her up close was rare.

Eloisa looked up at his tall figure, met his eyes, then quickly turned away. She was used to his gaze but too embarrassed to meet it. As she squirmed, Erhardt frowned.

“Stay still.”

The growling voice in her ear gave her goosebumps.

“…Just a little space.”

She whispered softly, moving aside. As she shifted, something hard pressed against her lower belly. Realizing what it was, Eloisa’s face turned bright red.

“…!!”

“I said stay still.”

His voice left her no choice but to freeze in place.

‘…Really.’

He used to be much shorter, but in his late teens, he shot up in height. With talent in swordsmanship, he joined the knight order and became muscular, almost giant-like. Eloisa tensed, forcing her head not to look down.

The corner where they hid was filled with water up to Eloisa’s shoulders.

“Haa…”

She was small, so the water made her chest feel tight. Her breathing grew rough, and Erhardt looked down at her. She avoided his gaze, breathing heavily.

On the other side, the men’s voices grew louder.

“I bet my right hand he gets rejected!”

“Ha, call me when you confess. Fun things should be shared.”

“You idiots!!”

Their voices echoed, ringing in her ears. Eloisa felt dizzy.

“Eloisa.”

Erhardt called her in a low voice. Eloisa slowly looked up. Her face was flushed, her eyes slightly blurred.

Then, her body was lifted up.

“Haa…!”

Erhardt picked her up in one swift motion, her golden hair wet and floating, covering her chest and back.

Eloisa panted softly for a while, breathing quietly so her sounds wouldn’t be heard.

Once she calmed down, she felt hot breath tickling her chest. As he lifted her, Erhardt supported her bottom with his arms. Unconsciously, Eloisa grabbed his ash-gray hair, her chest almost pressed against his face.

“W-wait a moment.”

She struggled, but Erhardt’s body didn’t budge. The more she moved, the hotter his breath became.

Her pink n*pples hardened in the cold air. Eloisa only looked away, avoiding his gaze. Erhardt’s breath brushed her n*pple.

“Haa…”

A shallow m*an escaped Eloisa’s lips. She flinched, her face redder than ever. She turned her head to hide her face.

At that moment, Erhardt took her full br*ast into his mouth. He stiffened his tongue and started licking her br*ast. He rolled his tongue around her *reola and sucked firmly on her n*pple.

Eloisa tried to push his face away in shock, but his solid body didn’t move.

“Hng!!”

She hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand to muffle her sounds.

“Did you hear something?”

“It’s just the wind. Scared?”

“Guess we should head back soon.”

The men brushed off the sounds without concern.

Eloisa felt her body heat up. Looking down, she saw Erhardt deeply sucking her br*ast, eyes closed. The sight was so sensual that a strange pleasure shivered through her body. Erhardt gently bit her n*pple.

“Haa…!!”

Her body jolted. Erhardt looked up at her. Eloisa covered her mouth, her face bright red. He smirked and took her other br*ast.

He slowly licked from bottom to top, making her body bounce with his movements. Worried she might fall, Erhardt tightened his arms. His manhood was already hard, ever since he saw Eloisa n*ked in the hot spring.

“Let’s go.”

“Hey, wanna drink in the room?”

“Sounds good. Let’s hurry.”

The men splashed out, doors opening and closing in succession.

Erhardt lowered a hand between Eloisa’s thighs. He gently stroked the gap between her spread legs.

“Hng…ah, no.”

Eloisa shook her head, grabbing his shoulder. Erhardt tapped her small, round cl*toris with his finger. Her body tipped forward. She leaned into him, her strength fading.

Erhardt smiled in satisfaction, twisting her cl*toris between his index and middle fingers. As she trembled, he stroked her entrance with another finger. When slick fl*ids began to flow, he pushed his thick, knuckled finger inside. Eloisa nearly sobbed as she struggled.

“Stop…!! Haa!!!”

Her fl*ids began to flow heavily below. Erhardt, sucking her br*ast, shook his finger inside her rapidly. One finger became two, then three. Eloisa let out wild m*ans from the heat she’d never felt before.

“Hng!!…Hng!!”

Three fingers moved inside her without hesitation. Her walls clung tightly, as if not wanting to let go. The strange pleasure made her hips tremble. When his fingers scraped her inner walls, her waist arched in shallow cl*max.

“Haa!!!”

“Haa.”

Erhardt exhaled hot breath. He looked up at Eloisa, then carried her out of the water. His careful arms held her as if she were precious. Eloisa, exhausted, clung to his shoulder, catching her breath.

Erhardt strode to the entrance and locked the door. He turned and walked to the marble table where towels and a bathrobe were placed, roughly pushing them aside and carefully laying her down.

Eloisa shivered at the cold touch on her back. Still lingering in afterglow, she looked up at Erhardt.

“Erich?”

She called him softly.

Erhardt bent over and kissed her round shoulder. Then he buried his face in her slender neck, sucking roughly. Like a beast devouring its prey, he began to ravish her.

Eloisa’s waist arched on its own. Feeling something gather in her lower belly, she barely managed to breathe. Her mind was blank, unable to think. She was wrapped up in a vague desire for him to touch her closer, deeper.

“Loisa.”

He called her, lips barely parted. Eloisa slowly opened her eyes, looking at him. His black eyes burned with intense heat, staring at her.

“Mm.”

“Accept my proposal.”

Erhardt, the eldest son of the Elden Earldom, was a man who earned his knighthood at a young age. Eloisa Bell, though a Baron’s daughter, was a certified Grade 2 Mage from the Mage Tower.

The Earldom had already sent a proposal to Eloisa Bell, their childhood friend. But Eloisa kept postponing her answer. If not for this mission, she might have kept running away, avoiding Erhardt.

Erhardt stroked her face as he saw her wavering eyes.

“If I have you, that’s all I need. Nothing else matters.”

His slow voice seeped into Eloisa’s ears. He already knew what worried her.

If he married a high-ranking noblewoman instead of a Baron’s daughter, he could aim for the Knight Commander. He had the talent for it.

Knowing she couldn’t do anything for him, Eloisa hesitated. She thought being by his side wouldn’t help him.

But she didn’t have the courage to reject his proposal. She liked him.

Tears began to fill Eloisa’s eyes.

“Me too…”

“Say it clearly.”

Erhardt gently stroked her hair. Eloisa, her face wet with tears, slowly opened her mouth.

“I like you.”

Hearing that, Erhardt smiled deeply. He hugged her fiercely.