‘And in my absence, no less.’

The moment he saw her lying weakly in the prison cell came back to him vividly.

The two conflicting emotions that had always struck him together — revulsion and relief — had merged into one.

“Duke…”

Her whisper was faint, like a wisp of mist.

Hearing her fragile voice, Aiden could no longer deny his feelings.

He felt at ease beside this woman.

The feelings that had gathered inside him began to tilt unstoppably in one direction.

The thought of killing her had faded until it finally disappeared without a trace.

What was he supposed to do now?

His unrefined, unsettled heart beat heavily.

Like water sloshing in his chest, it rose and spilled over his face as he slowly splashed it there.

Beyond that door, she lay on his bed.

Realizing this, Aiden slowly rose to his feet.

◯◯◯

Pale moonlight seeped through the translucent curtains.

As she watched Aiden approach and pull his silk robe shut, she tried to sit up.

“…Duke.”

“Stay lying down.”

“…How… did you know? That I… didn’t steal…”

Though her words faltered occasionally, her mistress stubbornly strung them together, as if desperate for confirmation.

Aiden sat down on the edge of the bed. The plush mattress dipped to one side, and even the slightest shift sent her frail body swaying.

“That fact does not matter.”

“Wh… why, why?”

Again and again, Sveta asked about her innocence, about what he thought.

“Even if you had stolen it, you would still be innocent.”

“…But I didn’t… steal…”

“It doesn’t matter what you did. I will make you innocent.”

So that no one will ever dare lay a hand on you.

“It doesn’t… matter…”

Her slender body collapsed helplessly onto the soft bedding. Her glossy hair scattered across the white pillow, the radiant hues of the sunset lingering amongst its strands.

Sveta bit her lip and grew pale, but a faint colour soon returned to her face. Aiden watched in silence.

“B… because I belong to you, Duke. That’s the reason…”

‘I belong to you.’

Her weakened voice was soft, unusually so. Pleased, Aiden’s lips curved upward.

“That’s right.”

“Ah…”

With that deflated sigh, pale moonlight welled in her eyes. Her tear-filled gaze flushed red.

This was the first time he had seen her cry.

Slowly, she closed her eyes.

Aiden pressed his lips against the delicate curve of her lashes. The tears clinging there burned his mouth, spurring him on with their warmth.

From the wrist he was holding lightly, he could feel her pulse beating wildly, matching the fierce rhythm of his own heart.

He captured her trembling lips in one swift motion.

Her soft lips carried the faint scent of herbs, undoubtedly from the medicinal tea prescribed to keep her hydrated. The fragrance stirred a strange thirst within him.

Aiden slid his tongue into her mouth, moving it wherever he pleased.

A faint whimper escaped her lips. Her slender shoulders trembled.

As soon as she tried to turn her head away, he angled his in the same direction, closing the gap between them completely.

Their warm, heated breaths mingled as one.

He grazed the tender flesh inside her cheek, brushing against the roof of her mouth.

‘How could something be this soft?’

He savoured that unfamiliar sensation slowly.

She lightly bit down on his lower lip. At the sting, Aiden pulled away briefly.

This was all the resistance she could muster — it was so slight that it almost amused him. Yet the solemn look in her eyes made her seem endearingly defiant.

“Do you dislike it?”

“I want… to hate you, Duke.”

Her voice was hoarse yet resonant. It seemed her anger had not faded.

‘Why was she angry?’

Aiden found the reason easily enough.

Yes. Dismissing the stable hand had been an impulse. One might call it jealousy, and he was now willing to admit as much.

But should he apologize for it?

No.

He brushed the bridge of his nose along the sharp line of hers and whispered,

“In that case, I’ll take it as yes.”

Then he pressed his lips against hers so forcefully that her cheeks hollowed out. Her long, black lashes quivered like fragile butterflies.

Her body, freshly washed in hot water and clad only in a robe, still radiated heat.

In one swift movement, he pulled down her negligée, as delicate as a dragonfly’s wing. His straight nose trailed down her slender throat, drawing in her rich scent.

It was like citrus — fresh and cool as dawn, yet strangely warm. It was a fragrance that stirred something indescribable within him.

When his lips touched the smooth line of her collarbone, her slim waist arched sharply.

He pressed down on her br*ast with his large hand. The tender flesh yielded beneath his palm like fragile petals.

“Ah… it hurts.”

The words slipped out almost like a murmur.

And in that moment, Aiden realized—this was how much pain a person could feel.

The first time he touched a woman’s body, it felt as fragile and delicate as a glass flower sculpture. It was fragile, on the verge of shattering.

His touch became all the more careful as he loosened his grip. She twisted her waist as though she were being tickled. Even that small movement drove him wild with delight.

Wherever he touched her, red marks bloomed like searing brands.

Although she was the one being touched, it was his body that throbbed with excitement. Each subtle movement of her waist tested his restraint.

Even while possessing her, he felt as though he were enduring something. Yet the helplessness he felt at the hands of this small woman was not unpleasant.

“Stay still.”

Holding apart her thin knees as they drew inward, he whispered,

“Stay still.”

“……”

The kiss, briefly broken, began again.

Aiden slipped the negligee from her hips. Beneath the moonlight, her bare body unfurled in full bloom.

He buried his face at her center.

“Ah… it feels strange…”

As he moved towards her, Sveta did not dare touch him. Her small hand crept forward through the shimmering veil of his golden hair, but she flinched back.

Unable to grasp his hair, she clenched the sheets instead, twisting them tightly. Her pale hand grew flushed with strain, and a small scab appeared beneath her skin.

The sight made sparks flare in Aiden’s eyes.

“What is this wound?”

“It’s… from a shoe…”

The mark left on her by someone else was unbearably offensive.

He knew she wasn’t ready. But reason had already been obliterated and would not wait.

Aiden drove his body into hers.

“Agh…!”

Her delicate brows furrowed tightly. Frightened, Sveta struggled to push against his chest. It was useless.

He pressed down on her with all his weight, and she could barely take him in.

A hot, sharp, tingling sensation unlike anything she had ever felt before gathered in her lower belly and spread throughout her entire body.

It was as though she was being pricked by fine needles along every nerve; each delicate stimulus consumed her a little more.

Aiden moved instinctively.

“Ah… Duke… slower.”

Whispering softly, she gently touched the arm propped beneath her head. Her hot breath blew against his wrist like steam.

“Aiden.”

“……”

“Not ‘Duke.’ Call me by my name.”

“…I-I can’t.”

Each time Sveta shook her head, her sunset-coloured hair flew wildly around her. This movement seemed to be a warning, but he ignored it. It was already too late to stop.

The sensation was overwhelmingly soft and unbearably warm.

A sensation he had never once imagined.

Ecstasy surged in waves.

He moved as though bewitched. Sveta let out a sharp cry, her voice scattering wide into the damp night air.

It was a night under a half-moon.

Perhaps their hearts were mismatched halves, too.

But when he entered her, they became one.

The fullness of a perfect moon surged up his spine and engulfed his consciousness.

“Ah…”

Her whisper, faint as wind, drifted out.

“…I feel dizzy.”

Sveta looked at him, struggling to keep her eyes open. Her vision blurred, and her golden hair swayed at the edge of her field of vision like honey in motion.

He let out a strangled groan. A thick vein stood out on his straight forehead.

With languid movements, Aiden rose and cast aside his robe.

His solid, imposing upper body came into view, like armor.

Then, like a savior or a god of pleasure, he surged forward.

Sveta squeezed her eyes shut.

‘No. He is not a savior.’

Aiden had not saved her out of faith or affection.

It was only because he could not bear to see his mother challenge his authority.

When she had told him she hadn’t stolen anything, and he answered that it didn’t matter, hollow tears burst forth.

‘Why don’t you care about my heart?’

She wanted to cry out and pound her fists against his seemingly impenetrable chest in defiance.

The moment she turned her face aside with her eyes closed, his large fingers gently grasped her chin.

“Open your eyes.”

“……”

“Look at me.”

Alongside the violent throbbing in her body, a splitting headache pounded mercilessly. Her vision flickered. Her body no longer felt like her own.

She was shivering as if frozen, yet everywhere he touched, feverish heat flared.

Like a leaf tossed atop a raging sea, her mind spun out of control. With a fevered voice, she whispered,

“…No. I don’t want to see you.”

‘I want to hate you.’

He pressed down on her as though she were nothing but an object and gave a brief, quiet laugh.

The weight and pressure of him on top of her made her tremble.

He surged in and out like the tide. She bit her lips hard, unwilling to let the faint m*ans escape.

As if reading her thoughts, he forced his thick thumb between her lips.

“Breathe.”

Sveta tried to shake her head, but she could not fight the strength of the hand holding her jaw.

“Ahh…”

When at last she let out a hot breath, the Duke curved his lips in satisfaction.

Only for a moment.

As soon as he began moving again, her breath fell into disarray.

“Again.”

“……”

“This time through your nose.”

His damp fingers traced the smooth line between her philtrum and lips.

As Sveta exhaled heavily, he pressed his lips to her forehead.

“Well done.”

He whispered the words without ever halting his movements.