He eventually made her, who said she didn’t know how, mount on top of him. Then he even pulled Chloe’s hand to directly confirm that place which had become completely wet.

“Please, Andert. This is too……”

Though Chloe shook her head and pleaded with tears welling up, he drank even those tears. After that, he consumed all of her sweet m*ans that shuddered with embarrassment.

Simultaneously thrusting his hips and rubbing the extreme point hidden within the reddened inner flesh, even her terrified face was lovely.

“Stop, stop it.”

Chloe pleaded.

The touch that constantly stimulated her private parts, not content with filling her body tightly, suddenly frightened her. Sensations strong enough to make her chin tremble continuously wrapped around Chloe. The tremor overwhelming her entire body was too much to bear.

“Andert…… hng. Please……”

The dying cries that were hard to believe came from her own mouth confused her ears. But what returned was an affectionate voice, as if soothing a child’s tantrum.

“It’s alright.”

Nothing was alright. The price of approaching a man who tried to step back politely was exactly as the warning that she might regret it.

Chloe tried to push away the arms that held and imprisoned her, but to him, it was just meaningless struggling. Eventually, she collapsed powerlessly onto Andert’s chest after experiencing a cl*max so intense her vision flashed.

Andert laid Chloe, who couldn’t properly control her body, on the bed and showered kisses on her cheeks and forehead as if soothing her. Her body, still lingering in the afterglow of cl*max, trembled slightly.

When he kissed the skin densely marked with congestion, desire that hadn’t subsided at all rose vividly. Chloe, who had collapsed as if exhausted and was only breathing heavily, belatedly noticed the movement of his frighteningly *rect lower body.

“Andert!”

Though alarm flashed in her tired eyes, Andert, who gripped her weak thighs, was faster.

“Just a moment.”

Chloe’s shrill cry followed. But the rest of her words were completely swallowed by Andert, who bit her lips.

* * *

The shadow that had placed his hand on Chloe’s forehead quietly moved away from the bed.

Fortunately, she hadn’t developed a fever overnight, so it seemed she wouldn’t suffer from a severe cold. Andert, who closed the door silently, approached the window on one side of the reception room.

Though it wasn’t yet 7 o’clock, dawn had broken long ago. Since he had drawn the curtains in the bedroom so Chloe wouldn’t wake up, she wouldn’t be bothered by the sunlight.

As the thick sea fog lifted, the dark blue sea spread out across his entire view. He quietly watched the scene of seagulls swimming through the sky, fading into small dots in the distance.

Being naturally an early riser, he often woke up at dawn. Today too, he had awakened much earlier but had stayed in bed for a while listening to Chloe’s even breathing before getting up.

‘A school of dolphins cutting through waves and a rainbow rising over the sea.’

A gentle smile spread across his lips as he recalled Chloe’s small wish upon boarding this cruise ship.

If possible, he wanted to see Chloe delighted at encountering what she had anticipated. But none of these were within the realm of what effort could achieve. Since these were sights one could encounter only with luck, they truly had to rely on fortune.

Andert turned his head when a careful knock sounded from outside the room.

“Did you call, Your Grace?”

He merely nodded his chin at the servant who bowed politely.

Bellisa, who placed a coffee cup and fruit plate with careful hands, quietly observed the situation. She needed to ask about the morning menu, but the mistress was nowhere to be seen.

Moreover, the duke, who approached the sofa and sat crossing his legs, looked like he had been up for quite some time. Bellisa repeatedly debated whether she should speak to the duke first. That’s when a short, dry instruction was added.

“We’ll have meals together after Chloe wakes up.”

“Ah, yes, Your Grace.”

Recognizing the hesitant person, Andert gestured as if the business was finished.

Since it clearly meant not to disturb and leave, Bellisa slightly pulled the hand of the maid who had accompanied her.

“Then, please call when the mistress wakes. We will withdraw.”

Though she bowed her head before turning around, there was no response as expected. It was a stark contrast to serve the kind mistress and then face the cold duke day and night.

In fact, Bellisa didn’t have many opportunities to directly encounter Andert at the duke’s mansion. There, it was the role of the dedicated servant and butler to closely attend to the duke.

As she closed the room door silently and stepped into the corridor, a secretive question reached her ear.

“The duke and duchess seem to have quite a good marital relationship, right?”

Though the voice was lowered considerably, the other person seemed to have many curiosities. Bellisa pretended not to hear and hurried her steps, saying she had things to prepare.

But the person who stuck with her, saying they should go together, bombarded her with questions again.

“Bellisa, you know a lot since you’re exclusively serving the mistress. Just tell me a little bit. Hmm? I heard that the duke often sleeps in the duchess’s bedroom. Is that true?”

“Why are you asking such things? Let’s hurry, I need to pick up some laundry.”

Bellisa tried to brush it off. It was common to encounter curiosity about the duke and duchess’s private life among the maids.

But the person who clung like a leech linked arms with her as if finding an opportunity.

“Come on, it’s not like it’s bad gossip, why are you keeping your mouth shut? It’s good if they have a good relationship.”

“……That’s true.”

“But that must also cause the mistress a lot of worry.”

“What? Why would the mistress?”

Bellisa frowned at the unexpected development. The other person opened her eyes wide as if surprised she didn’t know.

“It’s common sense. Good marital relationships lead to quick pregnancies. My cousin was like that, and looking at my friends, they’re all similar.”

“……”

“But the mistress had difficulty getting pregnant before too. Anyway, she must have many worries. The old duke in Lyon must also be waiting for grandchildren.”

There were occasionally such people. Those who cleverly dig into what they perceive as others’ weaknesses under the guise of concern.

Bellisa immediately pulled her arm from the other person’s grip and patted her apron vigorously. Just as anywhere else, the battle for dominance was fierce in the world of maids where dozens of people rubbed shoulders in one space.

She knew well. That there had been several discussions about the ducal couple’s heir among the servants at the duke’s mansion.

“No matter how I think about it, isn’t it hard for the duchess to get pregnant? There’s been no news for years. Her frame is so thin, even her bones look delicate.”

“Come to think of it, House Dietrich historically had few children. In other words, it’s not a family where descendants flourish.”

“Hey, watch your words. If the butler hears such talk, we’ll all be in big trouble.”

“No, that’s just a manner of speaking. Why would I say such things in front of the butler?”

The maids gathered in a circle had already concluded that Chloe’s pregnancy would be difficult.

But those familiar with the butler’s strictness didn’t carelessly run their mouths even in the break room. Roman didn’t allow actions that disturbed the ducal couple’s, especially the duke’s, mood.

Bellisa, who had tightly tied the waist string of her thoroughly shaken apron, retorted as if it was nonsense.

“Why should we worry about such things?”

“Well……”

“If you’re so concerned, ask the butler when we return to the capital. The butler will be the first to step up for House Dietrich’s affairs. Right?”

Bellisa pointedly mentioned Roman. It seemed that people who were at least careful with their words at the duke’s mansion became lax when away from the capital.

She quickly turned away from the person who seemed at a loss for words. It would only waste time to be caught up in unnecessary chatter.

To reach the laundry room on the lower floor, she had to take quite a detour. Bellisa hurriedly stepped onto the deck where strong sunlight poured down from early morning.

* * *

It was a rare occasion for Chloe to sleep in until after 8 AM.

Her eyes, suddenly awakened from sleep, checked the window as bright as midday and the empty space beside her in turn. With the time being so late, Andert would have been up long ago.

Putting on a robe and about to leave the bedroom, Chloe immediately met eyes with Andert sitting on the sofa.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Why didn’t you wake me? It’s quite late.”

“I deliberately didn’t wake you so you could sleep well.”

“But you must have been up for a while. Aren’t you hungry?”

Feeling sorry for being the only one who slept in, Chloe complained somewhat petulantly.

Andert, who pushed her disheveled hair behind her back, felt her forehead with his hand. Only after confirming there was no problem did he kiss her cheeks and lips.