Chapter 4 (Part 8)

A moment of awkward silence passed. Kelle, sensing a good idea, looked at Brienne with shining eyes.

“Brienne, I have new bedding. I can put it out today.”

When Brienne looked puzzled, Kelle spoke calmly.

“The Duke might stay over tonight….”

Brienne quickly said.

“I’ll sleep in the living room…”

Beside her, Cardin spoke.

“I’ll share the room Brienne used.”

“The bed there might be small. Is that okay? Or you could use my room…”

“No, it’s fine.”

Cardin smiled softly. Although his face was smiling, there was a subtle barrier in his smile that made it hard to argue.

Kelle seemed to sense something similar and didn’t say more. Brienne looked at Cardin.

“My room is small.”

Cardin chuckled.

“Even if it’s a small place, I want to be with you. Is that not okay?”

“It’s not that, but I thought you might be uncomfortable.”

Cardin briefly kissed her cheek. He whispered softly in her ear.

“The bed I saw earlier seemed wide enough for both of us.”

Her cheeks turned red for a moment. 

When had Cardin calculated and seen that?

“The bed in Brienne’s room is meant for guests, so it’s big enough for two people to sleep.”

At the sudden voice, she looked up to see Kelle smiling. She winked at Brienne and spoke.

“Since you’re getting married anyway, is there a need to use separate rooms?”

There was nothing to say. Brienne had said she wanted to think about marriage slowly, but Kelle seemed to understand that she and Cardin were getting married.

When she looked to the side, Cardin was quietly smiling with a faint smile. Brienne didn’t want to spoil the atmosphere by arguing now.

At that moment, Cardin looked at her. His eyes shone brightly as he gave her a warm gaze.

Brienne didn’t say anything more. Cardin smiled broadly and drank more wine. Kelle glanced at the clock and widened her eyes.

“It’s already this late! Brienne, I’ll clean up here, so show the Duke to the bathroom.”

“I’ll help too.”

Kelle stopped her hand and smiled.

“It’s okay. Just guide the guest who hasn’t visited. That’s actually helping me.”

With no choice, Brienne got up from her seat. There wasn’t much to guide about the bathroom. It was just a small one next to her room.

Cardin looked at her with quite a bit of curiosity. Brienne immediately headed to the place next to her room. When she opened the bathroom door, the small interior was revealed, making her feel embarrassed to guide him.

“Here it is.”

Fortunately, Cardin had used the cabin with her during the summer, so she thought he would understand this kind of bathroom.

Cardin naturally kissed her cheek.

“Thank you.”

He smiled broadly and was about to enter the bathroom when he paused. Cardin immediately turned to her.

“Do you want to wash together?”

Her eyes widened for a moment. She belatedly turned around to see Kelle. She was busy washing dishes at the sink.

It seemed she hadn’t heard Cardin’s voice due to the sound of water. At that moment, she met Cardin’s eyes. He chuckled and spoke.

“Is it that surprising?”

Blinking, she watched as Cardin smiled and spoke.

“I’ll wash first.”

Brienne nodded awkwardly. She knew he was joking, but she felt like she had reacted too seriously. She stared at the closed door for a moment, then quickly headed to the adjacent room.

The room wasn’t dirty since she cleaned it often, but since Cardin would be using it too, there were things to tidy up. She opened the window wide, laid out new bedding, and swept up the hair on the floor.

As she cleared the herbs scattered on the desk, she remembered something Cardin had said earlier.

“It smells similar to the herbs you used to pick often.”

After pondering for a moment, she hurriedly left the room. There were quite a few Rodlin herbs on the living room shelf. She transferred them into a small pouch.

At that moment, Kelle approached.

“Brienne, what are you doing?”

“Cardin seems to like the scent of this herb.”

“Really? Then why not take it all?”

“It’s okay. Even this much has a strong scent.”

Kelle seemed to think for a moment before speaking.

“By the way, does the Duke have any comfortable clothes to wear? We only have old clothes.”

“Cardin will be okay with old clothes. He’s worn them before.”

“Oh, you said you lived together for a while, right?”

“Yes.”

“Still, is it really okay? He’s Duke Messerode.”

“He’ll understand.”

“Then make sure to explain it well to him, Brienne, okay?”

“Yes.”

Kelle smiled brightly and hurriedly rummaged through the wardrobe. She handed Brienne a large shirt and loose pants.

Brienne knocked on the bathroom door.

“Cardin, the clothes to change into are in front of the door…”

At that moment, the door swung open. Startled, she flinched as Cardin looked at her with wet eyes.

“Thank you.”

His hand briefly brushed hers. Water droplets slowly trickled down her hand. She quickly gathered her hands and stepped back as Cardin chuckled and closed the door.

She stared at the door for a moment before awkwardly entering the room. She checked if anything was out of place and was closing the window when she heard a voice.

“It’s been a while since I wore clothes like this.”

When she turned around, Cardin was standing there with a smile. He walked towards her with long strides, filling the small room with his presence.

She awkwardly stepped back and said,

“I’m going to wash up.”

As she was about to leave, Cardin grabbed her hand.

“Don’t wash.”

She looked at him in surprise as he pulled her into an embrace. He naturally sat on the bed and pulled her between his legs, wrapping his arms around her waist.

His warmth enveloped her entire body, bringing a strange feeling. Cardin held her tightly and said,

“Stay with me a little longer.”

“But…”

Cardin lowered his head, burying his face in her neck and inhaling deeply.

“You smell good.”

“……”

“Like something I want to eat.”

Her heart skipped a beat. His breath, spreading softly, was hot. She stayed still for a moment, not wanting to avoid it.

“Didn’t you miss me during that time?”

His voice spread low, cutting through the quiet room. Her heart felt unusually ticklish. Unable to lie, she replied,

“I missed you.”

Cardin lifted his upper body and looked at her. His eyes, visible through his slightly damp hair, were clear. They stared at each other for a long time. When she lowered her gaze out of guilt, he spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

It was unexpected. She thought she was the one who should apologize. Surprised, she looked at him, and Cardin hugged her tighter.

“I should have told you my true feelings sooner.”

“……”

“I made you worry unnecessarily.”

“But I was happy here. I earned money in my own way.”

He laughed. His breath tickled her neck, and even her heart.

“Did you earn a lot?”

“Not much, just better than when I sold herbs.”

Cardin slowly leaned back. As a slight gap formed, he held her hands and spoke softly.

“I won’t delay my true feelings with you anymore.”

A gentle strength was felt in his hands. He pulled her slightly closer.

“I love you.”

Staring blankly, she watched as Cardin smiled and kissed her. His breath spread softly between their gently touching lips. Every time their lips parted slightly, his breath was hot.

Instinctively trying to move back, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. There was a firmness between her legs. Each time their lips parted, his tongue swirled deeper inside her mouth. It wrapped around the base of her tongue, mixing wetly. As his breath grew rougher, every time she tried to pull away, Cardin sucked her tongue deeper.

“Mm, mm.”

With a wet sound, a moan mixed with breath spread. Her mind became hazy, and her legs lost strength. She unknowingly leaned against his shoulder. His breath spread thickly, and his strong arms laid her on the bed.

His breath, along with a faint scent of grass, touched her. Cardin slowly pulled back his lips. His sticky breath lingered at the edge of her lips. He gazed into her eyes for a moment before slowly kissing her neck and collarbone.

It felt strange. Even though she had experienced this with him before, the sensation felt new. Unknowingly, she grabbed Cardin’s shoulder. Cardin exhaled and slowly lifted his gaze.

“Should I stop?”

His voice was low, as if he was suppressing excitement. Although he was asking, his eyes seemed to have already crossed a line.

“No.”

She didn’t want to keep the line either.

Cardin quietly looked at her. His eyes were deep with emotion, yet there was a strange calmness, as if he was holding back his rising desire.

Her heart fluttered, and her heartbeat quickened as if she was nervous. Noticing her rapid heartbeat, Cardin smiled and kissed her. His lips, lightly sucking her lower lip, tickled. His tongue, naturally entering, softly circled inside her mouth.

As he gently sucked her tongue, his breath gradually grew heavier. The heat between their bodies became more evident.

As Cardin naturally pressed his lower body against hers, a strange sensation gathered below. When she moved her leg slightly, he exhaled hotly and pulled back his lips.

Cardin kissed her cheek, neck, and collarbone in turn, then lowered the strap of her dress.