“Ah, hnn…! Nngh!”

Duke Felix continued without looking at Erica’s face. He bit her neck, adding his own marks over the traces Otis had left. Each time, fragile Erica flinched and trembled.

“Ugh…. Ah, it hurts…”

She couldn’t see Duke Felix’s face to understand why he was biting her body so fiercely.

‘Is he resenting me?’

Feeling both her body and heart being torn apart, Erica bit her lip hard. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to hate him while he held her tightly.

His excited breathing reached her ear. When his tongue entered her ear and licked inside, she felt herself becoming aroused too.

“Haa…. Erica.”

“Haa, L-Lord Kai!”

She wanted to see his face and kiss him, but he apparently didn’t want to look at her yet. As Erica’s lower body kept threatening to collapse, he gripped her waist and moved faster. His hard tip mercilessly scraped against her inner walls.

Just when Erica’s hands and feet began to curl, a boiling sound emerged from Duke Felix’s throat.

“Nnngh!”

“Nngh…!”

Warm s*men filled Erica’s insides. Even after finishing, he moved his member several more times, seemingly unsatisfied. Eventually, without pulling out, he embraced her from behind and fell asleep. Hearing his steady breathing in her ear, Erica slowly closed her eyes too.

Time passed quickly. The older nobles who had gossiped about the Duke Cox family gradually lost interest. However, it remained a popular topic among commoners and unmarried nobles.

Their story had already been turned into songs and plays that were quite popular. In these works, Duke Felix was portrayed almost like a villain who had separated Erica and Otis.

Pure white snow was falling heavily, threatening to blanket the world. All the duke’s soldiers were mobilized to clear the snow. Told this was also training, Erica joined them in shoveling.

While clearing snow, someone threw a snowball. A soldier who got hit threw another snowball back, and soon it escalated into a full snowball fight.

Erica staggered after being hit by a snowball. Jamie, who happened to be behind her, caught her. Thanks to him, she didn’t fall.

“Careful! Lady Erica.”

“…Ah, thank you.”

But Jamie didn’t let go. Instead, he tightened his grip and gently caressed her chest. Since Jamie was the only soldier who had been kind to her, she thought it must be her imagination. Just then, snowballs came flying at them from all directions.

“Aah…!”

Erica twisted her ankle while trying to dodge the snowballs. She wobbled and fell into the snow with Jamie.

She ended up completely in Jamie’s arms.

“Phew…. These guys are really getting carried away.”

Jamie grumbled.

“Let go of me…”

Erica struggled to get up, but Jamie wouldn’t release her. His breath touched her ear.

“Why? It’s nice being alone together.”

“What? Wait…! Nngh…!”

Erica’s mouth fell open in shock. His hand had slipped inside her pants and was freely stirring her insides. The piled snow in front of them blocked others’ view, which seemed to make Jamie act even more boldly.

“J-Jamie?”

“Stay still. If you move, everyone will know.”

His tongue licked her ear. Each time his thick fingers scraped her inner walls, Erica flinched.

“Ah, hnn….”

“Haa…. Lady Erica. You’re beautiful. Truly.”

Jamie rubbed his bulging pants against Erica’s buttocks. Her eyes widened. The soldiers were so engrossed in their snowball fight that they didn’t seem to notice the two buried in the snow.

“Ah, no. Stop…. Hic.”

“Do you really want me to stop?”

Jamie rubbed her cl*toris while probing her insides with his other hand.

“Haa, haa…!”

Erica couldn’t shake off Jamie’s strong grip. In the winter cold, her breath formed white clouds. Snow pressed against her buttocks. Her lower region became wet, like she had wet herself.

“I heard your marriage might be postponed.”

“Nngh…!”

She couldn’t bear it anymore. Feeling like she would cl*max any moment, Erica gripped his wrist tightly. He paused his movements. Jamie’s voice remained as gentle as usual.

“Don’t you want to finish quickly?”

His other hand rubbed her cl*toris hard.

“Ah…! Haaaah!”

Suddenly Erica’s legs tensed, and fl*id gushed out from inside her. Jamie stood up, his business complete. He put his glistening fingers in his mouth and sucked them like they were delicious.

“You came a lot. But it’s fortunate it’s snowing. …Your pants are soaked, but you can say it’s because of the snow. Right?”

Erica got up, limping. Thankfully, Duke Felix had gone to the imperial palace that day. If he had seen this, he would never believe in her innocence. Like with Otis, he would likely think she had seduced Jamie.

“Jamie. I’d appreciate if you kept this a secret…”

Jamie smirked at Erica’s words.

“Me? Why?”

“Well…”

Seemingly forgetting his commoner status, Jamie approached fearlessly. His shadow fell over Erica’s body, looking ready to devour her.

“Are you afraid your marriage will be called off? …But wouldn’t marrying you be worse for the Duke?”

“…What do you mean?”

Erica glared at Jamie. She was a noble, and he was a commoner. Though they received the same training, that gap couldn’t be bridged.

Jamie spoke casually.

“Duke Felix may have the nickname ‘monster,’ but he’s our hero. Nobles might not know, but he’s very popular among commoners. Especially here, there’s not a single person who doesn’t owe the Duke a debt of gratitude. Do you think anyone here would forgive a lady who insulted such a Duke?”

“…Jamie. I really was kidnapped by Otis. It wasn’t my will.”

“Yes, yes. Of course, I believe you because I like you. I believe you. But I’m not sure about the other guys.”

The soldiers showed excessive loyalty to Duke Felix. The soldiers who had been enjoying the snowball fight were now staring at the two of them. Though they had seemed distracted by play, apparently they had been listening. Sharp gazes pierced Erica.

Jamie grabbed Erica’s arm firmly, making a show of it.

“Jamie! Let go…!”

Erica struggled, but the soldiers only watched without helping. Other soldiers approached Jamie.

“Hey…. No matter what, she’s going to marry the Duke…”

“What marriage? Haven’t you heard the rumors? Lady Erica betrayed the Duke and ran off with another man. The Duke would forgive anything done to a woman like this.”

When Jamie released Erica’s hand, she slumped to the ground. Her legs were too weak with fear to support her.

“Jamie…. Hic. I really…”

Jamie crouched in front of her, looking amused. His hand grabbed her hair and smelled it.

“These guys are too cowardly to take you. Haha. But I’m different.”

He lowered his pants, revealing his thick, hard member. Covered with small veins, it looked grotesquely swollen and ready to burst.

“Take off your pants. If you don’t, I’ll force them off.”

“…N-no. This isn’t right, Jamie. L-Lord Duke will be angry…!”

“…I wonder. Will the Duke be angry at me, or at you? Everyone in this mansion already knows about your promiscuity.”

“I, I…!”

“I heard from the knight who went with the Duke that day. He saw you having s*x with Lord Otis… Ha, if our Duke still marries you after this, he’d be a fool, don’t you think?”

Jamie approached slowly, pressuring her. The other soldiers formed a circle around them, pretending to chat casually to block any view from the mansion. The more Erica backed away, the more the soldiers’ bodies formed a wall, leaving her no escape.

Trapped by this human wall, Erica’s eyes trembled. Would Jamie really force himself on her? The soldiers she had trained with weren’t helping her at all.

‘Do they all think I deserve this?’

Even if the misunderstanding was cleared up, she doubted they would apologize. Jamie especially licked his lips, scanning her body with eyes full of anticipation.

“Stop, Jamie…. Please.”

“Lady Erica. I’ll be gentle, okay?”

Just as Jamie’s hand tried to remove her pants, a maid’s voice rang out loudly from the mansion.

“Bath and meal after clearing the snow! Everyone! Oh my, what are you doing there?”

When the maid interrupted, the soldiers dispersed with awkward expressions. Jamie gestured toward the mansion with his chin, signaling the maid to leave, but she didn’t.

“My goodness, you’re soaked through! Lady Erica. Come take a bath quickly before you catch a cold. Come with me.”

The maid extended her hand. Relieved, Erica took it and went into the mansion. Fortunately, Jamie didn’t follow, though she felt stinging gazes on her back the entire way. Once inside, she felt safe. Soldiers weren’t allowed inside the mansion.

She was grateful to this maid whose name she didn’t even know.

“Thank you. What’s your name…?”

“Never mind. …I helped because I didn’t like what the soldiers were doing, but I don’t like you either for insulting the Duke. I especially hate the idea of serving you as the Duchess.”

As soon as they entered the mansion, the maid shook off Erica’s hand. She shook her hand vigorously, disgusted as though she had touched something filthy. Other maids quietly snickered at Erica.

The old Erica would have punished such insolent maids and soldiers. But she remained silent. This was Duke Felix’s mansion, and she was merely a guest.