Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Having done that, she felt there was no longer any reason to stay. She should have just suppressed her anger. Coming here had only caused her more trouble.

Biting her lower lip, Amelia tried to leave the drawing room. But she stopped in her tracks when she heard a voice from behind.

“Did you find the man you needed?”

She hadn’t found anyone because Edwin had interfered, so why was he asking? Had he lied about not interfering anymore?

“Since I can’t go to the masquerade ball, how could I find someone?”

She grumbled, feeling like he was mocking her, but then he said something unexpected.

“That’s good.”

“What?”

His smirk made him look almost villainous at that moment. It seemed as if he was deliberately trying to make her suffer.

‘Was he always like this?’

She had felt he was unfamiliar lately, but today he seemed the most unfamiliar she had ever seen. Feeling there was no point in continuing the conversation, she was about to end it when he said something unexpected.

“Use me.”

“For what?”

Amelia paused as she was about to walk towards the door.

“To be your first man.”

“What?”

Amelia thought she had misheard. She had expected him to ridicule her for such a crazy plan, but instead, he was offering to help. 

‘Was he serious?’

She couldn’t believe Edwin’s words. She had never imagined that the man who seemed unlikely to help no matter how much she pleaded would readily offer his help. And she certainly hadn’t expected him to propose it first.

If she had known, she would have asked him from the start. She wouldn’t have had to attend the unpleasant masquerade ball, and the Duke of Hamilton wouldn’t have found out she had gone there.

“Are you really okay with it?”

“Yes.”

Even after asking again, his answer remained the same.

“Are you really okay with it?”

“Why do you keep asking? Is there a problem with spending a night with me? No one would think it strange if you stayed over tonight, so I think I’m the perfect choice.”

Seeing the puzzled look on Edwin’s face as she kept asking, Amelia realized he was serious.

“No, there’s no problem. If you help me and keep it a secret, I’d be grateful.”

“Grateful?”

He chuckled.

“I hope you don’t regret what you just said. But there’s one condition.”

Of course, it couldn’t be that simple. She hoped it wasn’t an unreasonable request as she asked.

“What condition?”

“I want you to forgive me for the rude things I did to you.”

“Do you even know what you did wrong?”

“Of course, I do.”

Since he was offering help in a difficult situation, forgiving what happened at the royal palace and the letter he sent to her father didn’t seem like a big deal.

“Alright.”

Hearing her answer, Edwin’s lips curled into a smile. The smile spreading across his face had an oddly sensual quality. At that moment, her heart began to race.

‘I must be crazy.’

Amelia lowered her head, avoiding his gaze. The thought of what they were about to do made it impossible for her to look at Edwin’s face.

She tried to stay calm, but her heart pounded more and more. The idea of giving her first time to him made her heart beat faster than usual.

“It’s probably hard to do this sober, right? How about a drink first?”

Seeing Amelia fidgeting with her eyes downcast, Edwin seemed to read her mind and offered her a drink. Thinking it would be easier to go through with it under the influence of alcohol, Amelia nodded.

“If I tell my mother that I’m drinking with you, she won’t be suspicious. So, wait in my room. I’ll ask the butler to bring you a robe.”

“Alright.”

Knowing well where Edwin’s room was, she left the drawing room and headed to his bedroom. The room had a soft glow, creating a comfortable atmosphere.

* * *

After declining the butler’s offer to personally deliver the items, Edwin headed to his room with the wine and two glasses he had received.

Even though he had never felt nervous on the battlefield, today he felt his heart beating faster than usual.

As he opened the door, a sweet scent he had never noticed in his room before wafted through the air. Just Amelia being in his room made it feel entirely different.

Looking towards the sofa, he saw Amelia in a robe, waiting for him. Seeing her sitting upright and tense made him chuckle.

‘Wasn’t she the one who asked for this?’

Edwin approached Amelia slowly and handed her a glass. He felt that if he didn’t help her relax, he wouldn’t be able to enter her tonight.

“Drink as much as you need.”

As Amelia took the glass, he poured the wine. The only sound was the trickling of the l*quid, which made the atmosphere between them even more awkward.

‘Drinking wine should help, right?’

Feeling she couldn’t go through with this suffocating atmosphere, Amelia downed the wine in one gulp. The flavor spread in her mouth and went down her throat smoothly, a mix of sweet and bitter creating a soft taste.

“You drink well. Another glass?”

She nodded, and he filled her glass again. She drank it down quickly, and soon her tense body began to relax as she felt tipsy.

“One more?”

Amelia nodded again, but this time he didn’t refill her glass. When she looked at him, wondering why, he smirked.

“If you drink three glasses, you’ll fall asleep quickly. If that happens, we won’t be able to do what you want tonight.”

“Oh….”

Amelia realized she would fall asleep after three glasses of wine. She had forgotten her tolerance since she hadn’t been drinking wine lately.

Even after all these years, Edwin still remembered her tolerance better than she did.

‘Why does he seem to know me better than I know myself?’

Feeling a strange tickling sensation in her chest, Amelia immediately put down the glass. She thought she might be fine with just this level of tipsiness, but she still felt embarrassed.

“Um, wait.”

In her dazed state, Amelia found herself in Edwin’s arms, receiving kisses on her neck and cheeks. When she pushed against his firm chest, he paused and asked.

“Why, are you regretting it?”

His sweet voice in her ear made her heart feel like it was going to explode.

“N-no, it’s just that…”

Meeting his eyes filled with desire, her mind suddenly cleared from the intoxication.

“I don’t think I can do this.”

“Now, of all times?”

“Sorry.”

Amelia pushed Edwin away.

Even though she hadn’t undressed yet, the thought of baring herself suddenly felt too embarrassing. She had never considered having a serious relationship with him, which made it even more awkward.

“Weren’t you the one who said you didn’t want to become the Crown Princess?”

“Yes, but….”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Edwin didn’t seem inclined to stop. His unfamiliar demeanor made her avert her gaze, and she noticed the bulge in his pants.

It looked like it might burst if he stayed like that.

‘Could he be reacting to my body?’

Amelia’s face turned red. She had never imagined that a platonic male friend would react so quickly to her body.

Seeing this made her feel sorry for having aroused him. She felt she couldn’t stop now, but she also wasn’t confident she could continue.

‘What should I do?’

After a moment of contemplation, a good idea came to Amelia’s mind.

“Ah, how about wearing a mask? Do you still have the mask from the masquerade ball? Maybe it’s more uncomfortable because we know each other.”

Edwin’s face twisted slightly at her suggestion.

“Then I won’t be able to kiss you.”

She wanted to say that they didn’t need to kiss, but seeing his face filled with intense desire, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

“Then, maybe a half-mask that only covers half part of the face….”

She pleaded with a near-tearful face, and Edwin chuckled. He left the room and soon returned with a half-mask with silver and black patterns and another with white and gold patterns.

“Will these do?”

“Y-yes.”

Receiving the white mask, Amelia covered her face with trembling hands. Seeing Edwin’s face half-covered, she felt a bit more at ease.

“I didn’t know you had such tastes.”

“It’s not that. I’m j-just embarrassed.”

Even though her expression was hidden by the mask, Amelia still felt embarrassed and covered her face with her hands.

“Do you have any more requests?”

“Huh? No.”

As Amelia blushed and nodded slowly, Edwin approached her with a faint smile on his lips. He placed his lips on her neck while untying the strings at her back.