Chapter 65. Inconsistent Words and Actions

Camilla was speechless at his earnest confession. She wanted to accept his heart immediately, but the words that came out of her mouth were cold.

“Do you want me to say I love you too? If so, I will.”

Aster’s expression crumbled at her words. He had no intention of forcing her to say such things.

Camilla Francis was quite cold. Despite seeming affectionate, she never gave him the words he wanted to hear. Her stubbornness was frustrating, but he loved that about her too.

Aster shook his head. He didn’t want to beg for her to say she loved him.

“Don’t.”

“……”

“I’ve always said it. I love your kindness, your strength, your weakness, and even your coldness.”

He meant it. Whether she was cold or warm, he loved her. At least her gaze towards him had deepened since the beginning.

For now, that was enough. If it would be enough later, who knows.

“I’ve learned that emotions aren’t only expressed through words.”

Aster deeply kissed Camilla’s lips. Then he looked at her intently and murmured.

“At least I can feel that you care for me.”

Aster poured out his pent-up feelings and pushed back inside her. It was like a hypnotic suggestion, something he had to believe in to endure.

As Aster moved again, a moan escaped her lips.

“Ah.”

Having reached climax once already, she was even more sensitive. Their joined bodies felt incredibly hot.

Camilla was busy interpreting his words. The way he acted as if he knew everything from her gaze made her heart ache.

It felt like he had seen a part of her heart. But he still didn’t seem to know everything. She wanted to keep it that way.

Camilla didn’t refuse Aster’s advances. The more she didn’t, the more desperate Aster became, not letting her go.

Until the air in the bedroom became humid with heat. Until her lower belly was filled and taut with him. He didn’t let her go.

* * *

Camilla woke to the sound of splashing water. She tried to wait until her blurry vision cleared. She might have succeeded if it weren’t for the large pillar thrusting inside her.

“Aster?”

At her sleepy call, Aster gently covered her eyes with one hand. He didn’t want her to see the deep sorrow on his face.

“Sleep a bit more.”

“…What are you doing?”

Camilla asked, puzzled. The man who had been relentlessly pushing her now sat in the bathtub, scraping her insides.

Splash, splash.

With every movement of his large hand, it felt like something was gushing out from inside her.

“You seemed tired, so I was cleaning you.”

“Cleaning there?”

“You’d be in trouble if you got pregnant.”

“I’m taking contraceptives, so it’s fine.”

“I know. I just wanted to do this.”

Aster answered in a calm voice, busily moving his hand. It was more than just cleaning, it was an endless act.

Every time his hand plunged inside her, s*men would flow out, and his insides would subtly get wet.

The water seemed to amplify the stimulation. Still covering her eyes, Aster continued his actions, making Camilla squirm.

“Move your hand.”

With her vision blocked, the sensation was more intense. But Aster didn’t release his grip and continued his actions.

“No.”

“……”

“Stay still.”

Aster’s voice was somehow unsettling. But the lingering lust in his voice was evident.

He wasn’t pushing her further, probably because of his last bit of patience.

She had fainted during their lovemaking. His intense confession and the ensuing passion made her lose consciousness.

He exhaled hot breaths as he nibbled her earlobe. Yet, his hand diligently scooped out the s*men inside her with utmost propriety.

With each deep breath, she could feel the s*men being expelled from her. Camilla lowered her hand to meet his.

“Should we do it again?”

“You need to rest. We overdid it.”

“You’re the one who overdid it.”

“That’s why I’m taking responsibility…”

“Don’t you think you’re stimulating rather than cleaning?”

“……”

“You’re still unsatisfied, aren’t you?”

At Camilla’s sweet accusation, Aster groaned and reluctantly mumbled.

“As long as you’re satisfied.”

“No, I’m not.”

When Camilla gripped his hand tightly, he stopped. The sound of water echoed quietly in the bathroom.

Camilla carefully removed his hand from her eyes, revealing the bathroom’s interior. In the mirror in front of the bathtub, she saw herself and Aster.

“Huh.”

Camilla let out a moan at the sight of the red marks all over her body. When had he left so many marks?

Aster’s body was just as marked, with bite and scratch marks, making her feel embarrassed. Being with him seemed to unconsciously draw out her deepest desires.

“We were rougher than I thought.”

“That’s why we don’t need to do more…”

Aster stopped mid-sentence when Camilla had turned and kissed him. As she gently traced his lips, she grasped his thick pillar with her hand.

“On second thought, putting it in again might be too much for me.”

“……”

“Instead, I’ll do it with my hand. It’s easier in the water.”

Camilla smiled brightly as she stroked his pillar. The sensation in the water made Aster grab her shoulder.

“That’s not enough.”

“What?”

“Let’s do it like this instead.”

With that, Aster turned Camilla to face forward again.

“Hold on here.”

“Like this?”

“Good.”

Aster lightly praised her before sliding his pillar between her thighs. Each time it rubbed against her swollen entrance, a sharp pain mixed with intense pleasure surged through her.

The sensation of her mind being soaked in him made Camilla tighten her grip.

“I’ll finish quickly.”

Aster continued to knead her br*asts while moving his waist. Camilla looked down at the p*nis moving between her thighs. The sight was maddeningly appetizing, making her hips lift involuntarily.

She wanted to hold it inside her again, even if by accident. But Aster didn’t allow her indulgence. He slapped her b*ttocks.

“Stay still.”

“Ouch.”

“I’m also holding back from putting it in more.”

“Hmm…”

With that, Aster continued his movements. How long had it been? Just as she felt she could no longer bend over, he cl*maxed.

“Ah!”

Unfortunately, she was bending over, so his s*men splashed onto her face. Camilla looked back at him with a stunned expression.

“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“You wanted to hold it. Consider this a substitute.”

“Really…”

“Come here. I’ll clean you up.”

Aster smiled and wiped her face with his wet hand. The anxious and dark look on his face earlier was gone, replaced by the usual Aster.

Seeing his familiar, kind expression, Camilla felt a wave of relief and snuggled into his arms. Was she secretly afraid he would give up on her?

She didn’t know, but knowing that Aster still looked at her kindly was enough to reassure her. Leaning on his shoulder, she whined.

“I want to rest now.”

“Leave everything to me.”

Aster gently stroked her back and kissed her crown.

Soon after, Camilla fell asleep in his arms. She slept deeply, not waking even as he washed her again.

* * *

With Helen’s wedding just around the corner, Camilla became very busy. First, she needed to inform Sezad that part of the plan had been discovered by Isabelle.

After hearing the news from Camilla, Sezad was surprised that Helen had taken such a risk for him. He thought she only valued her own life.

He expected Helen to make excuses and escape once caught, so it was even more surprising. Sezad was also uneasy, knowing that Camilla had discovered his lie.

Camilla’s low voice came through the communication stone.

— Why didn’t you tell me you received half the notebook from Helen in advance?

Her questioning tone lacked any anger. Her voice sounded unusually weak, almost dazed. It was actually because of Aster’s recent confession, but Sezad had no way of knowing that.

Sezad quickly made an excuse.

“I thought I needed to check the remaining contents.”

— Why do that?

“Just in case. I had a subordinate move the notebook to Moss. Once everything is settled, you can check it yourself, Queen.”

Sezad deliberately avoided answering. The truth was that he had been at a loss for words after checking the remaining notebook from Helen.

Initially, to him, Aster seemed purely malevolent due to Helen’s manipulations. There had even been times when he misunderstood Aster as intentionally pushing misfortune onto the Francis family and fleeing.

But after verifying the contents of the notebook, Sezad felt a bit sorry for him. This sentiment arose after seeing Isabelle’s numerous assassination requests.

Thinking about the endless threats to his life from a young age made him seem pitiful. Sezad had only been abandoned by his biological mother once, and that was painful enough. But for Aster, abandonment was a constant.

“I don’t know anymore. The Queen should see and judge for herself.”

Camilla was silent for a moment at Sezad’s words, which seemed to wash his hands of the matter. She shared all the travel routes with him, starting with switching carriages.

Helen still didn’t know that Sezad was deceiving Blanche. He didn’t tell her, fearing she might inform Isabelle.

After a brief hesitation, she asked.

— …Why did you hide that Helen is carrying another man’s child?

“What? Did the princess tell you that too?”

Sezad was startled to learn that Helen had revealed even that. He assumed she would keep it a secret out of pride, but Camilla’s next words clarified the situation.

— She thought I knew everything. She probably suspected that you and I were having an affair behind her back.

“That’s a very fitting thought for the princess.”

Sezad chuckled as he fiddled with the communication stone. It was a misunderstanding only Helen could have. He couldn’t fathom how she could misconstrue things so drastically.

Even if he managed to escape well, he wouldn’t be able to see Camilla for a while. The Duke and Duchess of Blanche would be desperately searching for him in Apelli.

So this might as well be their final farewell, especially with the unexpected burden of Helen Blanche.

— Helen seems to like you a lot.

Sezad felt strange at those words. It made him feel like a scoundrel who had deceived an innocent woman. He muttered self-deprecatingly.

“She just never had a proper pillar to lean on. She’s clung to rotten pillars, so she clings to someone like me. Besides, she says she likes me but sleeps with another man. That woman won’t be satisfied with me later on either.”

— That’s the feeling I get when I look at you.

Sezad flinched at Camilla’s pointed words. Then a hollow laugh escaped him.

Camilla was right. He too had been so consumed by loneliness that he met women indiscriminately. He couldn’t be satisfied with one person, to the point of creating a harem.

Despite claiming not to believe in love, he lived a crippled life, constantly yearning for it.

“Haha. The Queen is right. Now that I see it, she’s similar to me.”

After admitting this, he understood why he had been so angry with Helen. It was a form of self-loathing.

There was nothing more disgusting than facing someone who mirrored his own hated, weak aspects.

Camilla spoke.

— Don’t die. If you do, I might really regret calling you.

She seemed apologetic for putting him in a situation where his life was threatened. But from the moment she saved him, Sezad’s life was practically hers.

If he could die for her, he would gladly do so. Sezad cheerfully replied.

“I will obey, Your Majesty.”

With that, the communication with Camilla ended.

* * *

On the day of Helen’s wedding, there was an undercurrent of tension amidst the cheerful atmosphere of the ceremony.

Aster and I subtly kept an eye on our surroundings. There might be someone from the Black Shadow blending in. However, no one stood out. Since we couldn’t sense any presence, it seemed they were concentrated near the harbor.

Helen, who had been in tears and snot the night before, was now smiling brightly as if nothing had happened. That innocent smile was particularly fortunate today.

If she had shown even a hint, Isabelle might have altered her plans.

I glanced at Aster. Ever since his confession, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. It was a heartrending confession. Even though he knew my answer, he couldn’t help but whisper his passionate sincerity.

It seemed he was afraid I might push him away.

What was making Aster so anxious?

Why did someone who always seemed so confident waver for a moment?

I could only sigh at the unpredictable situation. Just then, Aster approached me closely and asked.

“It’s about time we moved.”

The wedding ceremony had already ended, and the reception was underway. Because Helen was pregnant, the reception was brief. The wedding had been hastily arranged, so it wasn’t prepared to be grand.

The bride and groom had already finished their greetings and were nowhere to be seen, likely having gone to the wedding carriage.

“Yes. Let’s move.”

Nodding at Aster’s words, I discreetly slipped away.

When I arrived at the designated location, Helen and Sezad were there. They had already changed their clothes. I handed them the tickets I had brought.

“Head to Port 3.”

“Got it.”

Sezad took the tickets and handed me a key. It was the key to the box containing Isabelle’s notebook. I reiterated my instructions.

“Don’t contact us until you’ve completely escaped. You might be tracked midway.”

There was a chance they could trace the coordinates via the communication stone. Hence, when Sezad began his escape, he mainly used messenger pigeons trained with magic to avoid being tracked.

Sezad chuckled and replied.

“You don’t have to remind me so earnestly. I know.”

“Alright.”

I glanced at Helen, who seemed somewhat tense. She seemed to understand that following Sezad would make her life difficult.

She might even regret it now, thinking it might be better to raise the child under her parents’ scorn than to live a wandering life with Sezad.

I held Helen’s cold hand and asked.

“Are you really okay with this? You don’t have to follow if you don’t want to.”