CHAPTER 17

“Of all the seasons, spring is my favorite.”

Lying on a picnic blanket spread out in the garden, she was enjoying the spring day.

“Because of the weather?”

Dian asked, leaning back against a tree, reading a paper.

“Yeah. It’s just right, not too cold or too hot.”

It was pleasant even to stay outdoors for a long time.

With milk leaking all day, going out was difficult, and with her wrist bothering her, training was tough, so they came out to the vast garden of the mansion for a picnic. It was a relaxing afternoon.

“What’s your favorite season?”

“I like both spring and autumn.”

“Autumn has the best weather. It’s also your birthday.”

“Your birthday is in autumn too..”

“Yeah.”

They were both born in autumn, just a few days apart. She was born nine days later than him.

She gazed blankly at nature for a moment, then sat up straight. She picked up a cup placed nearby and took a sip of water. Her throat always felt dry when breastfeeding. Before the cup could be emptied, Dian tilted a bottle and asked if she would like a refill.

“Do you want something else to eat?”

He opened the picnic basket and pulled out some food.

Somehow, it felt like no matter where she went lately, food followed her.

“Fruit?”

“Here.”

On the plate were various types of fruit, neatly prepared for easy consumption. She picked up a piece of pineapple with a fork and put it in her mouth. As she bit into it, the tangy-sweet juice filled her mouth.

“Eating and sleeping, I’ll end up gaining weight.”

“That wouldn’t be so bad.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah. You’re so thin right now. It would be cute if you gained a little weight.”

Dian looked at her closely and smiled. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, she put down the plate and this time picked up an orange.

“It’s hard to wield a sword if you get too heavy.”

“Still, you should eat a little. You haven’t been eating properly during meals.”

“That’s…….”

After the healing ritual, she wasn’t really in a state to eat anything.

“That’s?”

Dian looked curious.

“I’m not even hungry, because I’ve been so inactive.”

“Breastfeeding alone consumes a lot of energy. I hope you eat well.”

“Uh, yeah. I’m eating small and often.”

She finished eating a plate full of fruit and lay back.

On the surface, it seemed like they were enjoying a leisurely picnic, but on the inside, it wasn’t that simple. She was preoccupied with Dian’s presence, and guilt was weighing heavily on her mind.

Day 13 of the healing ritual.

After m*sturbating on the 10th night, similar days had followed. Dian would touch and squeeze her br*asts, suckling on them in place of her sore wrists. When she returned to her room, she couldn’t help but m*sturbate.

In his house, under the blanket, she would touch her br*asts and apply pressure on her cl*toris.

Imagining having s*x with Dian…

“…….”

Then, when she saw the real Dian, her conscience would prickle and she would find it hard to look him in the eye. 

Is it okay to m*sturbate while thinking about someone else?……. Dian would never know about this.

Imagination is free. In reality, no harm has been done. But even as she thought so, being with him made her uncomfortable. Her heart raced slightly.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

“Really?”

Turning her head while lying down, Dian was looking at her instead of the documents.

“Yeah. Why?”

“Because you look serious.”

“…….”

“Do you have something on your mind?”

She shook her head.

“There is nothing to worry about.”

She had confided in him about a lot of things in her life, but this was something she couldn’t bring herself to mention, even if her life depended on it.

My problem is that I m*sturbate thinking about you, and I wonder how you would react if I told you.

Suddenly, she noticed his hand holding the documents. A hand so large that it made a normal-sized paper seem tiny. Despite his handsome appearance, Dian’s hand was rough and strong. 

He’s using those hands to touch my br*asts…….

Damn it! I’m such a pervert.

“I’m going to read a book.”

Turning over onto her side, she lay on her stomach. She read the book she brought and kicked her legs intermittently. Dian seemed to be concentrating too; occasionally, she heard the sound of paper being turned. He has almost fully recovered now and will be going back to work.

She alternated between getting lost in the book and being distracted by Dian. Being with him always used to make her comfortable, but not anymore…

Honestly, it wasn’t the first time she had thought of Dian while m*sturbating. There had been times before, subconsciously, fleeting thoughts. But back then, it was brief and vague, so she felt less guilty.

It was the first time she’d ever thought of him so vividly, from the beginning to the end of m*sturbation, as she does nowadays.

“Aren’t you cold?”

Dian asked, coming up beside her out of nowhere. He spread the blanket wide, covering her warmly from her back to her thighs. He gently stroked her back over the blanket.

“…….”

She was looking at the book, but she couldn’t register anything. All her attention was focused on the hand stroking her back.

“What are you reading?”

“This.”

She put her hand between the pages and showed him the cover.

<Learning Herbalism in the Garden>

“It’s about herbs that are easy to grow in the garden.”

“You’re thinking of growing herbs?”

“Yeah. I think it’ll be interesting.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll tell the gardener, you can grow them anywhere.”

“Oh…….”

She blinked in slight surprise.

“I’m going to our manor soon, so I was planning to grow them there. I’ll be there for a while.”

The hand that had been patting her back paused for a moment before resuming its movement.

“Right.”

His voice sounded somehow groggy.

He was now stroking her hair. She wondered if she was the only one affected by the healing ritual, but Dian’s expression remained unchanged and steady.

She tried to hide her confused feelings and resumed reading the book. Dian continued reviewing documents with one hand on her.

Oh, I’m getting sleepy again.

Not long after she finished reading, her eyelids grew heavy with the magic potion and she drifted off to sleep. She lay down on her back and pulled the blanket over her. The sun was warm and the spring breeze carried the scent of flowers.

“Are you sleepy?”

“Yeah… it’s because of the potion.”

She added belatedly.

Seriously, I’m not usually this sleepy.

“Or spring fever.”

“If you’re going to sleep, let’s go inside. You might catch a cold.”

“Okay.”

Slowly, she pushed herself up.

She walked along the garden path where flower petals were falling and returned to the mansion. Before they parted in the second-floor hallway, she gestured to Dian.

“If I don’t wake up, wake me up.”

“Rienn.”

“Huh?”

He stopped as if he was about to say something, but hesitated.

“Why don’t you sleep in my room? I’ll work next to you.”