‘My lower half is tingling.’

Will I even be able to walk tomorrow?

“Still not enough.”

Her brows furrowed at his insatiable response.

Seeing her expression, Leopold brushed his bangs back from his eyes and said,

“Please understand. I’ve held back a lot, and waited even longer.”

‘She’s right before my eyes……. Why does it feel like I’m embracing smoke that’s about to disappear?’

No matter how much he filled himself with her, even as her lips uttered his name, Leopold couldn’t feel satisfied.

Instead, a greater thirst nagged at him.

Fill all of himself with her. Suck in all of her essence.

He buried his face over her shoulder.

“I’ll try to remember. Though I’m not confident.”

His last words seemed teary when it reached Ariel’s ears.

What exactly made Leopold show such a vulnerable side, she wondered.

‘The homework you gave me, I will solve it no matter what. I can’t stand being curious, that’s who I am.’

A strong will was contained in her gaze, staring into the void.

***

Morning sunlight squeezed through the gap in the curtains.

Ariel Diaz rubbed her eyes as she turned over in bed.

‘Ah, I fell asleep talking last night.’

―When I said first time… it didn’t necessarily refer to our first night. Think about it. What other ‘firsts’ have you taken from me?

―Please understand. I’ve held back a lot, and waited even longer.

What could it be, exactly. What kind of connection do we have……

Ariel turned around to gaze at Leopold.

Black hair with a hint of blue, thick eyebrows, and deep eyes. A strong nose and jawline.

‘You, who never budged in the original story, to say you love me…….’

It’s hard to believe.

That’s when the corners of his eyes drooped, and his mouth curled into a smile.

“El.”

Ah, how surprising. I thought he was asleep, but he woke up already?

Ariel didn’t respond.

“If you look at me with those eyes, even I would feel a bit shy.”

“What kind of eyes are those?”

Leopold suddenly opened his eyes wide.

“The kind of eyes that look as if you’ve lost your mind to me.”

“……”

Playfulness swirled in his red eyes.

Ariel looked disheveled from just waking up,

‘The indifferent expression on her face as though she found me absurd is also cute.’

If it were someone else, they might have been scolded harshly, but his heart becomes infinitely tender only towards Ariel.

“It’s time to get up now.”

Ariel propped herself up on the bed with effort.

“Ah……”

She felt a sudden pain, like she was being clawed at her lower abdomen, which made her groan involuntarily.

“El, what’s wrong!”

Leopold sat up abruptly to examine her face.

As he checked her body for any signs of distress, he noticed the red marks he had left on her pale skin from the night before.

‘What exactly is hurting her.’

Unable to figure it out, Leopold waited anxiously for Ariel’s response.

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

Whose fault is it that I am suffering like this.

To worry with such an ignorant expression. Not knowing the pain of others……

Ariel sighed deeply.

“Tell me everything. I won’t leave it be.”

“It’s because of you, Your Majesty.”

“What, what do you mean?”

Leopold’s pupils shook at the unexpected answer.

“You embraced me several times yesterday. That’s why it hurts. It’s hard even to stand up.”

“……What should I do now.”

I am the sinner.

He was engulfed in so much pleasure that he hadn’t looked after her.

He had been too focused on satisfying his own desires.

Wrapped in guilt, Leopold pulled her into a firm embrace with his arms.

“I want to soak myself in warm water.”

“I’ll order the bathwater to be prepared immediately.”

Leopold got up and put on a robe.

“There’s no need for that right now…”

Ariel hesitated, but he had already made up his mind. To order a warm bathwater prepared for her and arrange for food that would be easy for her to eat.

When Leopold was about to turn the doorknob, he looked back at Ariel.

“Rest for a while.”

Click.

Ariel’s hand reached out to stop him but hung in the air momentarily before falling down.

‘No need to make such a fuss over it…….’

Her lips pursed together.

***

Led by May’s hand, she arrived at the bathroom.

As soon as she entered, she saw a large bathtub filled with sulfuric bath salts.

“Shall I help you undress?”

“No, May. It’s okay. I’ll do it. I want to wash by myself.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. Then I’ll just add this and leave.”

It was the lavender oil that Leopold had prepared.

May dropped about ten drops of the oil onto the water filled in the bathtub.

“His Majesty the Emperor has been very attentive.”

“Hmm, seems like it, May. I should thank him.”

An awkward smile formed on May’s lips at Ariel’s words.

Because of her master’s tone, which seemed to contain not a bit of sincerity.

‘When will you open your heart to His Majesty…….’

Even though you’ve had your wedding.

I hope you open your heart soon so that the wounds you have inside may heal with love.

May thought this as she headed towards the bathroom door.

“I’ll be standing in front, so please call me anytime you need.”

“Thank you, May.”

Thud.

As soon as May left, Ariel threw off her robe in front of the full-length mirror on one side of the bathroom.

‘There’s a reason I can’t be attended to by May.’

When she took off the negligee that had been wrapping her body, red spots appeared along her slender neck.

How could I show this to May?

Her shoulders, her chest, her sides. There was no place left untouched by his marks.

Ariel’s face flushed.

‘How could I tell him to stop when he gazes at me with those lethal eyes!’

When his lips touched those intimate places, and I let out a low moan, his reddened eyes scrutinized my face.

His gaze, brimming with possessiveness, intoxicated her along with the atmosphere.

Splash.

Ariel stepped into the bathtub.

Warmth enveloped her body.

“On that day too, I was caught by that gaze…….”

I felt pathetic for being too weak-hearted to push him away.

Ariel submerged herself up to her nose.

―Go wash first. I’ll prepare breakfast and bring it soon.

―Take your time, enjoy. I’ll be doing my own thing.

So affectionate, how can he be so affectionate.

‘Caught up in sweetness, I even forget that I must escape from his grasp. Get a grip, Ariel.’

The scent of lavender spreading over the warm water relaxed her tense muscles.

***

Leopold Diaz returned to his room after a quick wash assisted by Chamberlain Richard.

“Change into something comfortable.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Richard held the robe that Leopold had taken off.

On his shoulders and back were marks that looked as if a cat had deliberately scratched him.

Richard brought a shirt and trousers. Leopold was helped into his clothes.

Yet, Leopold’s mind was entirely on Ariel.

‘I’m losing my senses…….’

Last night, without realizing it, he had indulged in his desires and overworked Ariel.

He unknowingly made her suffer, she, who was so precious and dear to him.

His heart ached as he thought of Ariel, enduring without a word.

And he was worried. If this kept happening, Ariel might come to dislike spending nights with him.

‘I never thought I’d worry about such things.’

Before reuniting with her, he couldn’t even imagine it.

He’s in a position where he could have any woman he wanted anytime. Yet he had distanced himself from women and knew little about them.

“How is breakfast coming along?”

Leopold spoke as he sat in front of the dressing table.

“A soup made from crushed porcini mushrooms, salad, and steak made from veal is being prepared.”

With a heavy hand, Richard gently held Leopold’s hair. He pressed down the sides of his hair with the heat flowing from his fingertips and left the front hair scattered.

Leopold checked his hairstyle by turning his face left and right in the mirror.

‘I must keep my wits about me and pay attention. I shall treat her as the most noble woman in the world.’

Leopold’s eyes sparkled, and then he stood up from his seat.

“When Ariel finishes bathing, ask if she’d like to have breakfast in the room.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Richard opened the door to the bedroom, and Leopold left the room.

While she bathed, he hoped to briefly catch up on delayed state affairs.

“I will come to escort Her Majesty the Empress once she finishes bathing.”

“Guard the door.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Richard bowed and opened the door to the office.