Thanks to taking Leon hostage, the war ended instantly with only negotiations for reparations remaining.

Blake handed Leon over to the Grand Duchy as an act of apology to Bella. Of course, the fact that he had cooperated in capturing Leon was kept secret.

The Kingdom of Edelbern repeatedly tried to reduce Leon’s ransom, and the reason became clear after the peace negotiations were completely finished. Leon had been deposed as crown prince, and his younger brother had taken his place as heir.

The starting point of the problem was that he had started a war demanding the Empire’s princess, then publicly brought in women in a monogamous country, disrupting public morals. There were also widespread rumors, quite close to the truth, that he had been cut by Grand Duke Myers at the summer palace because he had offended the Grand Duke over women. Eventually, questions about the prince’s mental state were openly raised in the noble assembly.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the second prince, backed by the noble assembly, managed to bring Leon down.

Leon returned to his country after the negotiations ended, but he was demoted to duke and had to be confined to a remote rural estate. If he tried to leave his territory, they would find all sorts of reasons to prevent him from doing so, making it essentially exile. He would be unable to move from there at least until the new crown prince ascended to the throne and established a solid succession structure.

“There are rumors that he lost his ability to speak, and others saying he became a eunuch instead. I hear that even confined to his estate, he still brings in women with pink hair. They say he cries out for Bella and your name every night.”

“Ugh, that’s disgusting.”

Natalie shuddered and rubbed her arms at Melki’s words.

“Here, drink this.”

Melki perceptively handed her a cocktail glass.

They were at a beach on a small island nation, famous for its lemons and olives, where a high-proof cocktail made refreshingly with lemon was popular. Natalie drank the cocktail with a happy expression.

The two were still traveling here and there. With Everitt secretly helping from behind, their travels were much smoother than before.

Of course, Everitt did attach the condition that they should return to the Empire when the time was right. But when that time would be was ultimately for Natalie to decide.

When they left the Grand Duchy, Blake had wanted to follow them. He begged to be allowed to accompany them as a guard, willing to abandon everything he had—his title, position, wealth—but Natalie flatly refused.

“That won’t work, Lord Rowell. Melki can only take one person at a time.”

The expression on Blake’s face when she said that was devastating.

“Then please, could you at least occasionally let me know where you’re going?”

“Hmm, I don’t really feel like it. Just don’t tell His Imperial Majesty about this. I still want to enjoy life a bit more.”

In the end, Blake had to return to the imperial palace with nothing to show for it.

These days, he was said to be seeking out only conflict zones, swinging his sword as if consuming himself—that too was probably his way of living.

“I want to swim.”

Natalie put down her cocktail and stood up. Watching her walk across the hot white sand, dip her feet in the sea, and then wave her hands while laughing “Ah, it’s cold! “, Melki quietly smiled. He now had no intention of ever returning to the Underworld.

Because his princess was here.

***

Florian took Bella’s letter from his br*ast pocket. A very simple letter that only described how to find the medicine for treatment.

Now that the memories of past summers had returned through dreams, Florian knew well how to obtain the medicine even without the letter.

Besides, he had already read it so many times that he had memorized every letter, down to the punctuation marks.

Still, he unfolded Bella’s letter. Not to read it.

Florian kissed Bella’s name written at the bottom of the letter. It was as reverent as kissing a sacred icon. It was a very careful and light gesture, as if afraid the letters might wear away.

My tender-hearted lifesaver, my savior, who gave me a chance to live even after what I did to you.

If by chance I still have days left to live, I will spend my remaining life singing of you.

Calling Bella’s name, he finally swallowed the medicine he had found.

***

Bella was dreaming. Looking around, she found herself in the corridor outside the princess’s room in the summer palace.

Why have I returned to the summer palace? I thought it was all over…

She clasped her hands anxiously and tried to leave the corridor with quick steps. That’s when a familiar voice was heard.

“What were you praying for, Miss Carta?”

Suddenly, a huge figure blocked her path. Blake looked down at her, nervously brushing back his red hair.

“Nothing…”

Bella shook her head and stepped backward. But Blake scooped her up in his arms. Somehow, she couldn’t even scream.

“…!”

Bella was thrown down somewhere. When she looked up, she was in a forest. The night sky had no moon, not even stars, making the surroundings dark.

But something gleamed sharply from the grass ahead. Looking closely, three wolves with glowing eyes were slowly approaching her.

“W-wait…”

Bella thought these wolves looked very familiar.

The blue-eyed wolf standing at the front lunged at Bella first. Behind it came a large wolf with olive-colored eyes, and finally, a slender wolf with purple eyes. The wolves tore at Bella’s clothes with their teeth and claws.

Bella screamed silently.

The cold night air, sharp enough to cut her skin, clawed at her nakedness, and drool dripped from the tongues of the wolves pinning her down.

That’s when something soft touched her forehead. And as something wrapped around her skin, her whole body became warm.

“…?”

Bella suddenly opened her eyes.

“Bella.”

A sweet baritone voice tickled her ear.

Bella blinked several times. This was inside Windswell Grand Duchy’s castle, Everitt’s bedroom. She was in Everitt’s arms.

Everitt gently stroked her back and asked in a whisper:

“That dream again?”

When Bella nodded, Everitt murmured, “It’s been ten days…” The intervals between Bella’s dreams were gradually getting longer.

“Someday… they’ll stop… completely.”

His words became slightly muffled as he kissed Bella’s forehead and cheek in turn. The kisses moved from below her ear to her neck. The small pecking kisses made continuous sounds like “chu, chu.”

“Ahh, it, it tickles…”

Everitt’s breath and lips created a tingling sensation where they touched, making Bella giggle. That laughter gradually transformed into breathless gasps.

Only when his kisses descended below her collarbone did Bella realize that neither of them was wearing anything.

Then she remembered falling asleep in the middle of their lovemaking last night.

“Ah, mmh… Everitt…”

Before she knew it, he was rolling her n*pple with his tongue. Everitt spoke while his mouth was on her br*ast.

“You can sleep more if you want. I’ll make you fall asleep without dreaming anything at all.”

“Ahh, you just… want to do it again… Be honest.”

“Bella. There’s never a time when I don’t want you. I want you every moment, whether you’re by my side or not. If I’m not doing anything to you, it means I’m restraining myself from tearing off your clothes and taking you.”

“You’re too honest—ah, ahnn…!”

Bella’s m*ans grew louder as Everitt roughly squeezed her br*ast and sucked too forcefully. Her other n*pple was already being teased between his fingers. Her entire body was heating up deliciously.

‘Ah… it feels too good.’

Whether it was because she had been conditioned by the male leads or it was her natural disposition, Bella enjoyed slightly rough treatment. And Everitt seemed to have noticed this long ago. He knew exactly how rough to be and when to be gentle.

Bella’s thighs spread wide apart. Everitt looked down between her legs with eyes that seemed to be dripping with desire. As he licked his lips while maintaining his gaze, Bella couldn’t bear the embarrassment.

Her intimate parts, which had been a mess from last night’s lovemaking, had been cleaned while Bella slept and were now beginning to secrete clear fl*id. Everitt unhesitatingly put his tongue there.

“Mmph…!”

“Just a little sucking and it turns bright red, and look how wet you’re getting.”

“Ahh!”

“Cute and pretty, and delicious too. I simply can’t hold back.”

Where on earth did he learn to talk like that?

Bella’s face turned bright red as he made loud slurping noises while sucking, rubbing, and licking.

She couldn’t understand when Everitt had become like this. Before she knew it, their lovemaking would only begin after she had cl*maxed several times from his tongue.

While he enjoyed pleasuring her, if she tried to put her tongue on his member, he would instantly change tactics. He would steal her lips with his own, caress her until she lost her mind, and somehow manage to push himself into her entrance, rendering her immobile.

“Didn’t you once say you didn’t care whether it was my mouth, hands, or back entrance?”

When she asked him directly like that, his face turned bright red and he rubbed it irritably. Then, pretending to clean her ears, he begged her to forget those dirty words, saying he had been blinded by jealousy then and was sorry a hundred times over.

“If you really want it, I could do it, but… that’s not really what you want, is it?”

In the end, that day, after experiencing several climaxes from his tongue alone, Bella fell asleep almost unconsciously before they could even get to penetration.