“Not the Imperial Guard Knights, but the Silver Knight Order, they say.”

Elena covered her mouth and whispered so others couldn’t hear, even though only the two of them were in the carriage. She built up tension unnecessarily.

“The Crown Prince created the Silver Knight Order separately because he was conscious of the Imperial Guard Knights. This is our chance to wipe out the entire Silver Knight Order. Then we can lead with the Imperial Guard Knights and conquer the imperial palace, how about that?”

“Good idea.”

Elena’s body lightly rose and fell with the jolting carriage. Leaning against Rudfelix, her balance was disrupted.

Only after Elena straightened her upper body did Rudfelix’s right hand become free. He gathered her hair that gently brushed over his hand.

When Elena fully straightened her upper body, her hair slipped through his lightly closed fist.

Rudfelix raised his hand again to grasp her hair, but Elena leaned her back against the carriage wall, causing him to miss his chance.

Unaware of what Rudfelix was thinking as he stared at his empty hand, Elena excitedly continued her story.

“Since they’re just dolls made after the original bearwolves, they’ll disappear in a month anyway.”

She would have preferred real breeding, but Fatie had pointed out something crucial.

A very important flaw: paper couldn’t instantly grow cubs into adults.

Would hundreds of cute cubs baring their teeth at Viscount Tozille be threatening at all!

In the end, she changed her approach and created convincing bearwolves.

“He’ll either force his way through or turn back and find another route, whipping the reins day and night. Even though they’re dolls, they’re modeled after bearwolves, so they won’t be easy to deal with.”

Elena herself seemed like a doll as she swayed with the carriage’s movements.

“I would have liked to see his expression when he finally reaches the Grand Duchy and discovers Alix isn’t there……”

Elena muttered that would have been the most pleasurable part of this affair. Rudfelix stared at her intently.

They were alone in the carriage. Built to withstand external attacks, it barely shook unless there was extreme movement. There was no worry about sound leaking outside. So why wasn’t Elena leaning against anything?

“Ah…… that feels refreshing.”

Feeling as if she had taken revenge, Elena stretched and spoke with a refreshed expression.

“Now let’s……”

Elena’s eyes sparkled to celebrate throwing off Viscount Tozille. As the carriage smoothly traveled down the road, her spirits soared.

“Play a fun game?”

Rudfelix deeply suppressed what he had almost said.

That he would prefer a physical game.

It was time to take one step back for two steps forward. Rudfelix matched Elena’s rhythm with a gentle smile.

“What do we get from the game?”

***

Elena demanded confidently.

“Give me that gold button on your shirt.”

The winner of the game could take anything from the loser. When Rudfelix asked if it could be anything at all, Elena answered with a grin.

“Even ordinary clothes are above average when worn by a Grand Duke.”

He wore a simple white shirt without jewels and black pants. Yet the shirt had tiny gold buttons.

Rudfelix chuckled and grasped a button. Despite careful stitching, the thread securing the button broke easily at his light touch.

He pulled the dangling gold button from his clothes and handed it to Elena.

Elena watched triumphantly as Rudfelix tore off the button and gave it to her. She now had a gold button, and as a bonus, she could admire Rudfelix’s chest exposed by the parting fabric. Three gold buttons previously won in the game rolled around beside Elena.

“Your clothes keep opening up as the gold buttons disappear.”

While pretending to cover her eyes in embarrassment, Elena slightly spread her fingers to peek through.

“Again.”

Rudfelix changed his casual attitude toward the game with the formidable Elena.

He didn’t mind losing, but he disliked the widening gap even in defeat.

Moreover, he had forgotten that Elena was an opponent who should never be underestimated, beyond being his lovely partner.

Already losing consecutive games, the muscles in his jaw tensed with anxiety that this might end in Elena’s complete victory.

No longer approaching it playfully, Rudfelix straightened his back and looked at her.

“I’ll go first.”

Rudfelix seriously picked up the pen. The tip of his pen touched the paper as sharply as a knife.

A black circle formed as ink spread across the paper. Elena countered with an empty white circle. She needed to prevent consecutive black circles from forming.

The game required five circles of the same color in a straight line to win. Without Go stones, they played by drawing black and white circles.

In the midst of fierce attacks and defenses, Rudfelix’s divine move shone.

“Congratulations.”

Elena congratulated him with a silent clap of her fingers.

“Tell me what you want.”

Elena asked while brushing her clothes. Though not adorned with many jewels, she had several valuable items.

Rudfelix, seemingly having already decided, demanded what he wanted without hesitation.

“Give me your lips.”

Elena was startled and protected her lips.

She feared what body part he might ask for next after taking her lips.

“And after this?”

“Let’s start with the lips.”

Like a predator instantly snatching its prey, Rudfelix pounced on Elena and raised her hands that covered her mouth. The sight of Rudfelix licking his lips resembled a predator savoring the taste before devouring its prey. Soon after, he pushed away Elena’s hands and bit her plump, defenseless lips as if to tear them.

Elena raised her hand at the sharp pain spreading through her lower lip. It was a reflexive action to touch the painful area, but Rudfelix blocked her.

“Alix.”

Elena’s mumble about her painful lips disappeared into Rudfelix’s mouth.

Rudfelix gradually moved over Elena’s body, which was half-covered by his own.

He entangled his legs with hers, covering her completely.

Rudfelix tilted his head sideways and lowered it toward Elena. He extended his tongue and gently stroked her lips as if to soothe them. As his moist and sticky tongue repeatedly attached to and detached from her lips, a strange sensation spread from deep within Elena’s abdomen throughout her entire body.

As she parted her lips to call his name, his tongue slipped in and captured hers, drawing it in deeply. He teased every part—her tongue, the roof of her mouth—with the soft pressure of his tongue, making Elena tremble.

Even her moans were blocked by his mouth, so only heavy breathing filled the carriage.

His hand, which had slipped under her clothes, lightly caressed her flat stomach. Then he circled his finger around her navel. Elena tried to twist her upper body to the side, but being firmly held by Rudfelix, she had no choice but to receive his stimulation.

The hand inside her clothes brushed against her soft skin. His long, large hand that held the pen moved like playing an instrument. It lightly grazed, then firmly gripped, then curled to stimulate with its tips. While Elena closed her eyes and steadied her breath from the stimulation rushing to her chest, Rudfelix raised her skirt with his leg. As the skirt draped over his knee brushed against Elena’s skin while rising, goosebumps simultaneously stood on her legs. Her toes tingled in response to the stimulation she received from Rudfelix.

After thoroughly exploring the lips he had demanded, Rudfelix finally raised his head. Elena’s wet eyes trembled. He trapped her between his arms and looked down at her face. Her eyes reddened, and her lips stained even redder.

“You were only supposed to take my lips.”

“When you give your lips, you give everything.”

She tried to push his chest, but it didn’t budge. Instead, her hand only brushed against his smooth skin.

Well-developed muscles drew in Elena’s hand. She stopped resisting beneath him, who had completely covered her lips. Moving her hand from his chest, she touched the protruding peak, causing his body to tremble slightly.

“Haah.”

Elena exhaled heavily as if resigned. Then she tore off the remaining gold buttons that she hadn’t yet taken from Rudfelix.

“This is why I asked for the buttons, but……”

Rudfelix had started faster.

Unlike her subtle kindling of the fire, he had ignited a large flame with just one kiss.

Elena’s hand moved toward Rudfelix’s depths.