The maids remained silent the entire time they prepared Leticia.

It was as if speaking to Leticia would somehow bring misfortune upon themselves. One of the maids applied fragrant oil to various parts of Leticia’s skin, where her pulse could be felt. Leticia felt like she was suffocating from the scent of the oil.

They slathered her with oil, treated her dry, ash-brown hair—damaged from lack of proper nourishment—with more oil, and dressed her in a negligée that revealed her silhouette. Over that, they draped a translucent gown, and only then did Leticia begin to regain her sense of reality.

She kept calculating how today’s events would affect the rest of her life. Was trusting Callius Maxis truly the right choice? What if he turned out to be a petty man who hit women?

Left alone, Leticia instinctively looked around the room.

‘Hold onto something.’

It felt like she could only feel secure, even if nothing happened, if she had something in her grasp. She looked around, and the room slowly came into focus.

The room was neither large nor small. Like the other rooms in the prince’s palace, it was lavishly decorated. The walls sparkled even in the dim candlelight, giving her a sense of unease.

The candlesticks couldn’t be hidden. A small pen or cutlery would have been ideal, but unfortunately, none were in sight. Feeling anxious, Leticia opened and closed the desk drawers and even lifted the curtains.

Still, she found nothing.

“What are you looking for?”

Leticia jumped in surprise. She turned around abruptly and accidentally knocked over a vase with her hand. The vase fell to the floor with a heavy sound and shattered.

“Don’t move.”

Callius Maxis exuded a completely different atmosphere from earlier in the day. During the day, he had seemed unrestrained, but now, wearing only a gown over his upper body, he felt like an entirely different person. With just a word, he immobilized Leticia and began picking up the broken pieces of the vase.

“I’ll do it.”

“It’s fine.”

It didn’t seem like he was doing it for Leticia’s sake. His curt tone was evidence of that. Leticia decided to let him finish cleaning up. She briefly worried about him getting hurt, but now was not the time to worry about him—she needed to worry about herself.

“Did they soak you in honey or something?”

How could someone say such things so casually? It was a manner of speaking Leticia couldn’t imagine using.

He said this while looking at Leticia, covered in fragrant oil. Leticia wanted to make it clear that this wasn’t her choice.

“The maids did it on their own.”

“Does it matter?”

After clearing away the vase shards, he extended his hand to Leticia. She stared at him, unsure of what he wanted.

“Take it. If you step on a shard I missed, it’ll be a hassle.”

It was similar to something he had said earlier, but perhaps because it was late, his words sounded oddly different. Leticia quietly placed her hand on his palm.

“What are you doing…!”

“I told you, if you step on something, you’ll get hurt.”

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him in one swift motion, sliding his hand under her knees and lifting her up. Leticia flailed in his arms like a freshly caught fish.

“Even if you tell me not to put you down, I’ll do it eventually, so stay still. Or do you want me to drop you like this?”

“Just put me down now!”

As he lifted her, her bare legs were exposed. She thought he would tell her not to make a fuss again, but unexpectedly, he gently set her down. Her worry that he might not put her down was unfounded.

Up close, she could see his appearance more clearly. If the maids had soaked Leticia in honey, Callius Maxis looked as if he had been bathed in the dew of a summer morning. His bangs, neatly combed during the day, now fell over his eyebrows. Through his surprisingly long lashes, his golden eyes were visible. The flickering candlelight cast shadows over his face.

This was too… close.

Feeling flustered, Leticia took a step back. Only then did Callius turn his head. This was the wedding night. She had agreed to marry him in name only, so it wasn’t as if she hadn’t anticipated this situation.

Until recently, Leticia had been a student at Damian Academy, known as the most prestigious institution on the continent. Although she hadn’t graduated due to her family’s downfall, she was fundamentally different from other noble ladies who only learned the ways of the world from their governesses.

Leticia understood what her governess meant when she spoke of a wife’s virtues. Damian Academy was coeducational, and romantic relationships often occurred there under the guise of social interactions. Leticia had no interest in romance, but that didn’t mean she was completely disconnected from it. She knew what could happen between a man and a woman.

…At least in theory.

But Leticia had always excelled at applying theory to practice. Her professors often praised her for her ability to adapt. She could handle any theory with skill, as if she had practiced it multiple times, even if it was her first time.

So, matters between men and women wouldn’t be any different.

Leticia looked up at Callius with an oddly confident expression.

“You look like a soldier heading into battle.”

Callius Maxis seemed to be mocking her. It was as if he found it amusing that Leticia, unaware of what was about to happen, was acting so boldly.

But he was wrong. Leticia knew exactly what was about to happen.

“If it’s something I have to do anyway, it’s better to get it over with quickly.”

“……”

Callius Maxis gave her a strange look at her words.

“What do you think I’m going to do?”

“I know that much, Lord Maxis.”

“You know?”

Yes, it must have been surprising. Most noble ladies probably wouldn’t know anything.

“Most people wouldn’t describe it as ‘getting it over with.’”

“Well, they said it wouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

“Who said that?”

The last question was almost reflexive. Leticia could have listed the names of her Damian classmates, but there was no need.

“My classmates at Damian.”

“Ah, Damian Academy.”

Callius emphasized the name Damian with a sneer, as if he had a grudge against the place.

“Who told you that? That it wouldn’t take long?”

“……”

There was no need to name anyone specifically. More than one classmate had said so.

“Besides, I don’t intend to finish quickly.”

His last words sounded almost like a threat. Moreover, Callius had carried Leticia, who had been standing far from the bed, and her knees were now touching the edge of the mattress. She felt like prey cornered by a predator. Leticia regretted not moving earlier to find something to protect herself with.

“Do you still think you know what I’m going to do?”

He moved closer. Leticia’s pulse quickened, and the scent of the oil became overwhelming. Callius furrowed his brow as if he found it unpleasant.

“Stop stalling.”

Callius’s lips parted slightly, as if he’d been struck by her words. A low sigh escaped him.

“…Don’t say things like that anywhere else. You don’t know anything yet.”

His words pricked Leticia’s pride, but she didn’t argue with him this time.

“If we don’t consummate the marriage, the prince will doubt your loyalty.”

“……”

“If I still don’t know anything, the prince will be certain of it.”

So, if someone had to teach her, it had to be Callius Maxis. It wasn’t a provocation or an attempt to agitate him.

Leticia needed to do this to survive.

“You might have a point.”

Callius Maxis, seemingly convinced, approached Leticia again. He smelled of fresh grass damp with morning dew. He pulled her fingers toward him.

Leticia watched his actions closely. It felt like seeing everything clearly would make it less frightening when she looked back on this moment later.

His breath touched her index finger. Then his lips pressed against it. His lips were soft and warm, and Leticia instinctively curled her fingers.

“Tell them I kissed you everywhere.”

“……”

“If you say that, the prince won’t ask further questions.”

He released her hand. Leticia’s ears rang with the sound of her pounding heart.

“And forget the nonsense your Damian classmates told you.”

He coaxed her as if she were a child, then rummaged through the bedside table. He pulled something out without hesitation, as if he knew exactly where it was.

Before Leticia could stop him, he held a brooch in his hand. The old brooch had a sharp edge. He swiftly cut his own finger, letting blood drip onto the pristine white sheets.

As if completing a predetermined task, he sucked on his finger and placed the brooch back in the drawer.

“I trust you understand why I’m doing this.”

That was all the explanation he gave. Leticia’s face flushed as she realized what he meant. He had left proof of their wedding night.

Callius then lay down on the couch at the foot of the bed. The couch was too short for his height, leaving his feet sticking out awkwardly. Still, he didn’t seem to mind, as if all he needed was a place to sleep.

“I know you’re still awake.”

His tone was like that of someone soothing a child. Leticia tried to convince herself it was a misunderstanding and closed her eyes. Soon, she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, when the maids rushed in to prepare for the chaotic reception, Callius was already in the bathroom. Amid the chaos, one thing was clear: Leticia saw the maids exchanging glances as they changed the sheets.

Callius Maxis might be a brute, but at least he wasn’t a fool. That fact alone reassured Leticia.