The sight of him jolted me awake. My face flushed suddenly, and I covered my cheeks with both hands, lowering my head.

“Isn’t it too much, avoiding me like this?”

“Hazel, it’s not like that…”

His voice was hesitant. It was absurd that the person who had embarrassed me seemed even more flustered. I managed to lift my reddened face and questioned him.

“Then what is it? Tell me clearly.”

Leopold ran a hand through his hair and let out a small sigh. His lips parted slightly as if he might say something, but in the end, he closed his mouth without offering any explanation. My anger grew.

“The deadline to complete the spell is approaching. You must have heard that if we don’t consummate, the spell’s power will fade. Are you planning to give up after already sharing life force with me?”

Leopold shook his head firmly.

“That’s absolutely not it. I promised never to make you sad again…”

It didn’t seem like he was just saying it, so I tried to calm myself. However, my emotions were too raw to hide the sharpness in my voice.

“Then why are you avoiding me? You won’t even touch me beyond a light kiss.”

“That’s…”

His continued evasiveness was frustrating. Finally, I voiced the suspicion I had been harboring alone.

“Is it because we haven’t signed the contract?”

“The contract? You mean the marriage contract?”

“That’s right. I haven’t signed it. Are you reluctant to have a marital relationship with someone who hasn’t signed the marriage contract?”

I couldn’t hide my upset and disappointment. I fiddled with the blanket and avoided his gaze. I didn’t want to act emotionally, but in front of Leopold, I turned into a childish fool. Why did my lips keep wanting to pout?

“Ha, Hazel…”

Did Leopold also see me as immature? His sigh pierced a corner of my heart. It became even harder to meet his eyes, so I turned my head toward the window.

“Why are you thinking such nonsense? Even without signing that paper, we’re already a proper married couple.”

He gently cupped my cheek. Our eyes met naturally. Seeing his endlessly warm gaze made tears well up again.

“You’re making me think this way…! It feels like I’m the only one anxious, the only one thinking about the spell, the only one, the only one who…”

I couldn’t bring myself to add that I was the only one who wanted to touch him. It was a matter of pride, perhaps.

“Even today, it’s the same. The sudden decision to take a bath was because today, with you, I wanted to at least attempt the spell…”

I tried to change the subject, but the embarrassment made it hard to continue. He watched me for a moment, then slowly raised the corners of his mouth and spoke playfully.

“So you’re saying you bathed and purified yourself to sleep with me.”

“Leopold!”

How could he express it so bluntly without considering how it sounded? Feeling my ears turn red, I lowered my voice as much as possible and scolded him.

“Do you have to make me feel so embarrassed?”

Even though no one could hear our conversation, my heart raced nervously. And that calm smile of his was annoyingly charming.

“Hazel.”

Leopold called me softly. The mischievous expression had vanished from his face, and he was closer to me than before.

“Don’t regret it.”

He uttered those enigmatic words and then moved over me. My body froze at once. Trapped between his legs, I looked up at Leopold with a startled expression. His clear green eyes appeared deeper and more intense than usual.

“I’ve been holding back, all along.”

“Ugh…”

His warm breath grazed my exposed neck, sending shivers down my spine. I instinctively twisted my body slightly, and he caught my wrist with one hand. He didn’t exert much force, yet I found myself unable to move.

“You may not realize it.”

The sensation of his gentle touch on my skin heightened my sensitivity. I wanted to respond, but my breathing grew more labored.

“Ha…”

I managed to exhale and open my mouth. He seized the moment to kiss me, slowly and delicately, yet with a hint of urgency.

“Hazel… ha…”

His desperate voice sent a jolt through my chest. Even though I wasn’t in a position to comfort him, I gently stroked his back with my free hand. Suddenly, Leopold stopped moving. I froze as well and looked at him, noticing the slight furrow of his brow and the faint smile on his lips.

“…If you do that, it makes it hard for me.”

Realizing the meaning behind his words, I quickly withdrew my hand, surprised. I hadn’t intended to provoke him. I looked at him with a face full of embarrassment. Then Leopold buried his face near my ear and whispered softly.

“But you can do more if you want.”

His whisper was unbelievably tempting. However, before I could place my hand back on him, Leopold lunged at me first.

“Leopold… hmph…”

A natural moan escaped my lips. Unable to touch him further, I covered my mouth with the back of my hand. Leopold, who was exploring me slowly below my neck, gently pulled my hand away.

“It’s okay to make noise.”

In the end, with both arms held, I surrendered everything to him. It was the beginning of a long night that seemed like it would never end.

***

The next morning, when I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was his muscular chest, so I closed my eyes again. It seemed better to pretend to be asleep until he woke up and left.

Even without moving, I felt sore all over. It was embarrassing to think that the specific areas of pain suggested something other than just a lack of exercise.

“Are you still sleepy?”

Leopold asked, hugging me tightly as if he had seen me open my eyes. Should I honestly admit that I was too embarrassed to look at him?

“Get some more rest. You must be tired.”

He casually patted my shoulder, concerned about my condition. This made me acutely aware of our n*ked bodies touching, and I wanted to hide under the blanket. Unfortunately, sharing the blanket with him made that impossible.

“…Are you okay?”

I tried to act nonchalant and asked him. He kissed my head with a soft sound and hugged me even tighter than before.

“Of course. Thanks to you.”

He was referring to the spell, which I had completely forgotten about.

“Oh, now that you mention it! How do you feel? Does anything seem different?”

Eagerly, I pulled away slightly to look at his face and asked. Leopold smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling.

“It’s hard to put into words… Until now, it was just that the pain had disappeared. But this morning, when I woke up, I felt alive, like before. It’s definitely different. It feels like the spell is complete.”

Such a primal feeling couldn’t be faked. Unable to hide my joy, I raised my voice.

“That’s a relief. Really, I’m so glad!”

“I owe my life to you… Thank you, Hazel.”

Yet, Leopold couldn’t erase his bitter smile. Time might heal him somewhat, but he needed to shake it off soon. With a deliberately bright face, I gave him a warning out of sympathy.

“Don’t say things like that anymore. Promise.”

Thankfully, Leopold nodded obediently. Then, reflecting on past events, he confessed something to me.

“Actually, I was preparing a marital bedroom.”

“A marital bedroom?”

His words, as if reading my mind, caught me off guard. I thought I was the only one considering it. Moreover, preparing for it meant he had been contemplating it for at least a few days before me. I felt guilty for having been upset alone.

“It was finished a few days ago, but I couldn’t muster the courage to tell you. I was afraid that once I touched you, I wouldn’t be able to control myself. Since we shared a deep kiss, I’ve consciously kept my distance from you for the same reason. Honestly, it was driving me crazy.”

I was too surprised to speak. If what he said was true, then the maids hadn’t been gossiping without reason.

“And…”

“And what?”

I watched him intently, curious about what he would say next. For some reason, my heart started beating faster.

But then he shook his head.

“…Never mind.”

“What is it?”

I asked with wide eyes, but Leopold remained silent, not offering an immediate answer. As I tilted my head in curiosity, he lifted himself slightly and buried his head in the crook of my neck.

“…Your scent is intoxicating.”

Then he took a deep breath. His breath brushed every tiny hair, making my senses acutely aware. His touch on my back was gentle yet overwhelmingly intense, making my body twitch involuntarily.

“Ugh… Leopold… it’s morning…”

I managed to utter a few words, but his smooth touch was relentless. Leopold gave a slight, lazy smile and spoke languidly.

“Tell me if you want me to stop… I’ll stop.”

But I couldn’t make any sound other than a moan. Before long, just like last night, he plunged into me without hesitation once more.