Chapter 1 (Part 5)

Amelia had only recently become an adult and had just started receiving sex education. Perhaps her previously innocent life had become a disadvantage. 

It seemed that the illustrations depicting men and women engaging in explicit acts had greatly shocked her, which led to lewd thoughts manifesting in her dreams.

‘But why did it have to be a dream about Edwin?’

‘This is ridiculous. How am I supposed to face Edwin now?’

No matter how much she thought about it, she felt ashamed, so Amelia couldn’t leave her room until she calmed down. It took a long time for her racing heart to settle.

She finally stepped into the hallway, but the moment she saw Edwin approaching from the opposite direction, she felt as if her breath had been taken away.

When he greeted her as if nothing had happened, asking if she had slept well, Amelia couldn’t bring herself to look at his face, as her dream came rushing back. She also felt a sense of guilt, as if she had committed a great sin against him.

‘Edwin must never find out about my strange dream!’

Amelia considered that dream her dark secret. To avoid being discovered, the best course of action was to avoid Edwin.

As a result, she sent back refusals whenever he sent invitations, and when he came to see her in person, she used the excuse of being busy to avoid meeting him.

Even when the Duchess of Birken invited her, she used the excuse of being sick to decline. Initially, the Duchess was disappointed, but after realizing the awkwardness between Amelia and Edwin, she began to be more cautious.

Since Edwin also hadn’t sought her out or contacted her separately, their relationship naturally grew distant, making it uncomfortable to speak even when they met.

She had only intended to avoid him for a while to prevent awkwardness between friends, but her actions ultimately drove them apart.

So, when Mary suggested she ask Edwin for sex, those forgotten memories resurfaced. Along with them came the shame she had finally managed to forget.

Of course, she didn’t feel as embarrassed as she had back then. Three years had passed since then. Although Amelia still didn’t know a man’s body, she was no longer the girl who blushed at the mere sight of a man’s genitals.

Through continuous sex education, she had gained indirect experience with model genitals and had practiced, making her more comfortable with the idea of sexual intercourse.

“Sigh, it would be so great if you could ask Sir Birken.”

Mary’s voice, murmuring regretfully, brought Amelia out of her thoughts.

“Let’s drop the subject. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

As Amelia gave her a pointed look, Mary immediately fell silent. Seeing her so subdued made Amelia feel a pang of guilt. Just then, a bouquet of flowers sent by Edwin caught her eye.

Though they were mainly used as herbs, their pleasant scent led her to place some in a vase, filling her room with their fragrance every day.

Amelia picked a flower and inhaled its scent. The sweet yet refreshing aroma brought a smile to her lips.

‘If he really disliked me, he wouldn’t send these flowers, right?’

As she gazed at the flower, Amelia pondered Mary’s suggestion once more.

Edwin had been the person closest to her before, and even though three years had passed, she hadn’t heard of him being close to any other lady. There were no rumors of him being engaged to anyone either.

Come to think of it, Edwin was also very discreet. Even if he refused her request, he wouldn’t spread rumors about it, making him a suitable candidate to ask. 

The problem was whether Edwin would agree to her absurd request. Judging by his clean-cut appearance and dignified features, he didn’t seem like the type to indulge in casual affairs.

Thus, the likelihood of him agreeing to spend a night with her was slim. She could already imagine him responding with disbelief, especially since it had been three years since they last spoke, and now she was asking him to sleep with her.

If they were still as close as they used to be, she might have been able to ask jokingly, but their estrangement made it difficult.

Then again, he might have changed in the three years she doesn’t know about.

The last time Amelia knew Edwin well was when he had just become an adult. She didn’t know much about him after he became the captain of the knights, so she recalled the recent encounter with Edwin at a banquet.

His presence, a mix of gentleness and sharpness, sometimes gave off a chilling vibe. The intimidating aura made it difficult to approach him, let alone greet him. She had heard that he was called the Grim Reaper on the battlefield due to his ferocity and cruelty, and his demeanor alone explained why he had earned such a nickname.

This meant that Edwin had become a man Amelia hardly knew over the past three years, making it difficult to even strike up a conversation.

‘No, Edwin is not an option. It’s better to give up. It might be better to ask a stranger.’

No matter how much she thought about it, it seemed better to ask a stranger, but Mary’s words kept bothering her.

‘A man of questionable character….’

Thinking about that, it seemed more reasonable to ask Edwin.

‘What should I do?’

After much hesitation, Amelia finally decided to ask Edwin first.

Whether he refused, accepted and they had intercourse, or maintained their current relationship, it would still be awkward and uncomfortable. If the outcome would be the same regardless of what she chose, it was worth trying.

“I’ll ask Edwin first.”

“You’ve made a good decision!”

Mary cheered and grabbed Amelia’s hands, overjoyed that Amelia had come to the same conclusion after much deliberation.

‘Is it really something to be this happy about?’

Although she was bewildered by the unexpected reaction, Amelia nodded, understanding that Mary’s enthusiasm indicated there were many strange people at the masquerade ball.

“There’s a banquet hosted by the royal family tonight. Sir Birken will be there, right? You can ask him then.”

Mary, looking like there wasn’t much time left, grabbed Amelia’s wrist and led her to the dressing room.

“Oh, tonight?”

Amelia, looking flustered, let herself be dragged along.

As Mary said, there was a banquet hosted by the royal family tonight. The Duke and Duchess of Hamilton and Amelia were expected to attend, and Edwin, as the captain of the Royal Knights, would surely be there to guard the royal family.

It was a good opportunity to ask him since they were bound to meet tonight. However…. she wasn’t mentally prepared yet, so she wasn’t keen on the idea.

“You need to ask him as soon as possible. What if the royal family calls you tomorrow to check your purity with a magical tool? That would ruin your plan.”

Mary gave a realistic piece of advice. Hearing this, Amelia realized she didn’t have the luxury of time.

“You’re right. Could you pick a dress that’s easy to take off, just in case?”

“Of course.”

Marie pulled out a dress from the wardrobe that was held together by strings, smiling brightly.

* * *

‘Will he think it’s strange if I suddenly talk to him? Will he think I’m only acknowledging him when I need something?’

As Amelia boarded the carriage with the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, she sighed deeply. Her mind was filled with thoughts on how to approach Edwin naturally.

They hadn’t even exchanged greetings, let alone had a conversation, at the previous banquets, so she was full of worries. What she needed now was shamelessness.

If she could act shamelessly for just one night, she could become the head of the Hamilton family. Amelia kept reassuring herself until the carriage arrived at the royal palace.

When the carriage stopped, she got off with the help of the coachman. Following the Hamilton couple on the red carpet into the grand and luxurious banquet hall, she found it already filled with nobles who had arrived earlier.