Edmund said nothing, focusing solely on bringing spoonfuls of soup to Olivia’s lips. His face, completely absorbed in her, was both earnest and tender. His careful touch was endlessly gentle.

Olivia suddenly felt miserable at his attitude. If he had someone else he loved, he shouldn’t be so affectionate. He shouldn’t make her hope.

How many days had her heart fluttered at Edmund’s warm demeanor? 

She couldn’t count on both hands the days she’d been excited with wishful expectations.

But Olivia knew well. She shouldn’t resent Edmund over something like this. If the Dustin Ducal House hadn’t become entangled in the Ember Countess’s family business, she never would have dared stand beside Edmund.

She should be grateful that she’d become Edmund’s lover, even superficially, that she could at least share obligatory interactions with him. Olivia kept reminding herself of her place to suppress the emotions welling up inside her.

The melancholy feeling slid down her throat along with the hot soup. Edmund, who had been silently attending to her, cleared away the empty bowl and advised her.

“It can’t be helped today. But tomorrow, you should see a physician.”

“You don’t need to do that. I’m not sick…”

“Then?”

“…”

Edmund, who had been staring intently at her silence, reached out his hand. Olivia’s eyes widened at the touch gently rubbing her cheek. Edmund spoke in a nonchalant tone.

“You had soup on you.”

Olivia hurriedly felt her cheek with a flustered face. Nothing came off on her hand. She thought he must have already wiped it all away, but when she glanced at his thumb, it was perfectly clean.

Edmund laughed softly, seemingly noticing her gaze. The rumbling sound of his laughter tickled her ear and made her quickly forget the trivial question.

“Then rest comfortably. Don’t worry about this week’s appointment.”

Appointment?

Olivia’s eyes rolled at Edmund’s words as he laid her down and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

“Ah.”

A lightning bolt of realization struck her mind a beat too late. The weekly appointment with him. That was none other than a clause in the contract.

[Contract Marriage Clause Article 2. Fulfill marital duties once a week.]

Olivia sat up as though she’d been launched. She urgently called out to Edmund, who was just about to leave through the door.

“Your Grace.”

Edmund turned around, his hand still on the doorknob. A faint wrinkle had formed on his smooth brow.

Olivia’s shoulders shrank at that minor change in expression. It seemed like Edmund found her summons bothersome. Her desire to hold Edmund back instantly withered.

But still, even so, she didn’t want to let Edmund go like this.

Seeing Edmund’s face changed her mind about somehow avoiding him. She wanted to keep him by her side, even if only physically. That seemed like it would ease this anxiety, even just a little.

“I, I want to.”

Her hand clenched into a fist under the blanket tingled from how much tension she’d put into it.

No answer came back from Edmund. Before all the courage she’d gathered could evaporate, Olivia squeezed her eyes shut and cried out.

“About tonight… I’d like to honor our agreement.”

“Not with that body of yours.”

Edmund dismissed her outright, his refusal as firm as it was cold.

“But I want to… Can’t I?”

A feeble excuse slipped through her lips, unable to express her true feelings. It was a pathetic reason that failed to sway Edmund’s heart in the slightest.

But this is a clause in the contract. They have to keep it. Though, the clauses already in the contract are…

Olivia was fumbling her way into a swamp of gloom when she felt the edge of the bed sink. Her chin was gently caught.

“Say that again. What did you just say?”

“Pardon? Ah. I, I said I want to…”

“Do you even realize what you’re saying right now?”

The warmly sparkling eyes now emitted a sharp, cold edge. Olivia’s body froze at the unfamiliar gaze.

Edmund, who had been staring intently at Olivia as she failed to answer, let out a hollow laugh.

“Of course you wouldn’t be.”

“…”

“Just what thoughts are you harboring in that little head of yours?”

Edmund leaned in, his face so close it seemed like he might kiss her. Olivia, unable to blink, stared at the elegant man whose face was now inches away from hers.

“You wouldn’t be deliberately testing me.”

Edmund’s low voice brushed past her ear. His face was too close. Olivia’s mind went blank and she couldn’t understand his words at all.

A brief kiss landed on Olivia’s round nose tip. Even in the moment of kissing, Edmund’s persistent gaze remained fixed on her.

“I understand.”

Finally, Edmund wore an elegant smile. His sharp impression softened instantly. It was a magical transformation.

“As my wife wishes.”

Edmund’s solid build and body heat overlapped with Olivia’s in one stride.

* * *

“Aah…”

Olivia let out a yearning breath.

Seemingly conscious of her poor condition, Edmund moved frustratingly slowly. Though he was usually meticulous in bed anyway, today the degree was exceptional.

“You must tell me if it’s too much.”

Edmund slowly yet thoroughly pressed his lips to Olivia’s skin while raising his eyes to examine her face.

Olivia didn’t like his consideration at all. He looked like someone who wanted to stop this act.

“I’m fine, ah, I’m fine…”

“Are you doing this because of the appointment?”

At Olivia’s stubborn nod, Edmund raised one eyebrow. He deliberately made a smacking sound on Olivia’s flat stomach, then pulled his body away.

“…Yes.”

At his prompting gaze, Olivia reluctantly gave a false affirmation. It seemed better to let him misunderstand rather than confess the truth and make things uncomfortable between them. But unable to contain her frustration, she added a timid protest.

“We mustn’t break the contract.”

A subtle crack appeared on Edmund’s face at her words. His lip corner, rising ambiguously, was decidedly crooked.

“How diligent my wife is.”

Edmund, who had muttered this, lowered his head as he was.

“Ah!”

Olivia was startled by the stinging pain she felt on her collarbone. She thought she heard a vicious sound. It was the first time Edmund had bitten her like a mischievous cat.

When their eyes met with Olivia’s wide open, Edmund curved his eyes like he was apologizing, or perhaps playing innocent about what had happened.

“Then I must do my best at my duty as well.”

After that, Edmund stopped checking her face. Instead, he immersed himself in the act. The force with which he sucked on Olivia’s skin grew stronger.

“Ngh. Ah…”

A faint moan burst from between her clenched teeth.

Edmund took her br*ast in his lips without using his teeth. Her n*pple, standing er*ect with arousal, was rubbed and rolled this way and that by his soft tongue. At the same time, his thick-jointed fingers dug into her flooded s*x.

While one hand obscenely rummaged through her private parts, the other hand, incongruously with the situation, was gently stroking the back of Olivia’s clasped hand. Even that ticklish contact was far too stimulating for Olivia right now.

“Aah. Hng…!”

Edmund’s caresses steadily drew out Olivia’s pleasure. Just hearing Edmund’s ragged breathing was enough to heat her entire body like kindling a fire.

“Hngh.”

Where his lips and hands landed felt like ecstatic sparks flying.

Edmund moved his lips methodically, seemingly soothing her as she twisted her waist helplessly. Rising from her chest along her slender neckline, past her jaw, he devoured Olivia’s lips.

“Mmph, ngh.”

A hot, wet tongue slid in and swept over the tender mucous membrane. This strange sensation stirring inside her mouth never seemed like it would become familiar. 

When Edmund gently nibbled on her lower lip, goosebumps raced down her spine, and when he thrust his tongue deep into her throat, the back of her head prickled.

Olivia clung to his neck, letting out soft moans. Edmund pulled her into a tight embrace, like he wouldn’t let go.