The pannier made my hips look fully inflated, and the waistline of the overdress had abundant peach-colored frills.

“It feels like she’s leading around three little piglets.”

The V-line overdress design made it appear deeply cut, but it wasn’t different from the ball gowns I usually wore.

“The neckline is too low. How is this different from walking around n*ked?”

Tired of the constant criticism, the Madam recommended a muslin dress that hadn’t even been ordered.

“Th-then how about this one? It’s a modest and innocent style.”

When I came out wearing it, Kaien immediately furrowed his brow.

He glared at the dress I was wearing with a murderous look in his eyes and shook his head.

“It reveals too much of your figure.”

Why are you unable to take your eyes off my body while saying that?

With harsh criticism flying at each outfit during the mid-fitting, both the Madam and I who had to keep changing became completely exhausted.

I was wrong to bring him here, forgetting how much he enjoyed shopping.

Other men supposedly can’t stand the boredom, but Kaien’s eyes lit up with each dress I tried on.

The Madam, who had turned pale to the point of looking sickly, looked so pitiful that I intervened.

“Let’s take a break. Please prepare some tea again.”

“Oh my, yes, I’ll wait inside, please call me when you need me.”

The Madam shuffled away, unable to even straighten her back, and went into the inner room. She truly was a professional, never losing her smile until the end.

I sat down on a single-person sofa away from Kaien.

The non-constricting muslin dress at least allowed me to sit comfortably.

“We looked at the dress book together, so why are you finding fault with every single one?”

“When you actually wear them, they don’t suit you.”

“There’s not enough time to have a new one made for the upcoming Hemington family reception.”

“Wear what you tried on today only when meeting me, and have a new dress made. We can pay the Madam extra to meet the deadline. Time can always be bought with money.”

“But you said you didn’t like the dresses?”

“I don’t want to show your beautiful appearance to other men.”

What is he saying now? This man.

Anyone listening would misunderstand and think I was a beauty who could captivate even the Emperor.

He spoke so nonchalantly that my cheeks instantly grew hot.

“……You say such embarrassing things so easily.”

“It seems you don’t understand my sincerity, so I’ve decided to express it from now on.”

Kaien perched on the armrest of my single-person sofa and leaned close enough that his firm thigh touched mine.

Why does he have to act when words would suffice?

I could feel his hot body temperature through the thin muslin dress.

I tried to avoid his gaze while forcing my lips to curl upward.

“Kaien, it’s cramped.”

“Do you hate the idea of attending the reception with me that much? Hmm? Ivy.”

He grabbed the backrest and the opposite armrest, lowering his head toward me.

I was trapped between his arms.

I pulled back as much as possible, reclining deep into the sofa, but the more I retreated, the closer his body came.

His breath touched my cheek.

“You heard me. I need to be my father’s partner for his promotion celebration.”

“Or is it that you don’t want others to see you with me?”

“That’s not it. You also have to escort the Imperial Princess.”

“I could refuse, saying I need to attend with my fiancée.”

Unable to think of another excuse, I bit my lip and lowered my head.

I had already told him I wanted to break up, and he had seen me run away from him, so he should know how I felt, but he didn’t take it seriously.

“Ivy.”

He urged me to answer.

The longer my silence continued, the calmer and deeper Kaien’s eyes became.

“You still haven’t answered my marriage proposal.”

“Give me more time to think.”

“What more do you need? There’s no need to think about anything else. You can come to me just as you are now.”

“Marriage isn’t such a simple matter.”

What if I had received his proposal before breaking up with him?

If I hadn’t known he was the villain and thought he was just a foreign merchant, I would have accepted with joy.

If I hadn’t known about the future where Kaien would fall for Rebecca at the Hemington family reception, I might have sincerely considered his proposal.

His large hand cupped my cheek, making me look at him.

His palm was rough with calluses and scars from years of training.

“You think too much.”

“That’s just my personality.”

“You were more assertive when we were dating. You were so passionate that you surprised me.”

“The M-Madam is inside! What if she hears!”

I hurriedly covered his mouth with both hands.

Looking around, I saw no one nearby.

Before I could feel relieved, my hands covering his mouth were brought close to my face.

His lips pressed against my palms, and my lips touched the backs of my hands.

With my hands between us, we kissed.

His breath slipped between my fingers and brushed against my face. His lips parted, and his tongue traced across my palm.

“Huh! K-Kaien.”

“I’ll invite you to my residence. Until now, I couldn’t invite you because you only thought of me as a foreigner. From now on, we’ll do many things together.”

His husky, sweet voice tempted me, and I couldn’t take a deep breath due to the tension.

His black hair fell forward, touching my forehead.

“N-not today. I need to go home. I have to celebrate my father’s promotion too……”

Disliking my response, he pressed his lips firmly against my palm, causing my lips to touch the back of my hand again.

My heart pounded even more intensely than when his lips touched mine directly, making me dizzy.

“Then when?”

His lips moved, tickling my palm. He kissed it with a smacking sound.

“Why are you in such a hurry? We have plenty of time.”

“Because if I wait, you might run away.”

“Kaien, I won’t run away.”

Even if I did, you would catch me soon enough.

As I avoided his gaze and tried to push his shoulders, he grabbed my arms instead.

He bent his knee to the floor. His large body pressed down on me as he lowered himself to my eye level.

His lips touched mine as they moved to speak.

“Ivy, look at me. You don’t need to think about anything else.”

“Kaien.”

“You only need to look at me.”

It was like a mage’s spell. My reason was anesthetized by his deep voice.

“Hah.”

Our lips overlapped. I closed my eyes when I saw the veins in his neck, which was wrapped in a cravat, tensing and hardening.

As he cupped my cheek and tilted my head, his tongue entered deeper. The thick mass filling my mouth was overwhelming.

Fear that I might completely surrender to him and the tingling ecstasy in my brain simultaneously assaulted my body.

When I clutched his shoulders from the thrill running up my spine, he caressed my leg.

The muslin dress consisted of two or three layers, but the fabric was thin. Since I had put it on temporarily to see the design, I hadn’t properly dressed underneath.

His large hand traveled up my thigh and reached the line of my groin where my leg began.

The touch on such an intimate area made my lower region tighten.

“Huh!”

I pushed him away, opening my eyes wide in surprise.

“Kaien……”

Good heavens.

This was a dress shop.

Even though it was a private space meant to protect nobles’ privacy, employees and the Madam could enter at any time.

However, Kaien seemed unbothered as his hot lips descended to my neck and gently licked my skin.

This shouldn’t be happening.

I should refuse and keep my distance, but my body responded to him with excitement. My body was hot.

My legs parted, pressing closer.

His c*ck, bulging thickly under his pants, touched me. The hot, pulsating sensation touched my moist, concave region.

“Ah!”

I pushed against his shoulders, but his lips, which had been sucking on my neck, made a loud wet sound as they slightly pulled away.

“Ugh, Kaien, the Madam will come back.”

“She has enough sense not to return until called.”

“How am I supposed to face the Madam after this?”

His rough breath sprayed on my neck as he raised his head.

I shrank back at his narrowed brow and gaze, which seemed to blame me.

Although we had secretly kissed and enjoyed the thrill of it before, we had never done this in such a place.

‘Besides, word spreads so quickly in dress shops.’

But Kaien didn’t care.

“We’re lovers who will marry. Why is that a problem?”

“Kaien……”

Under his intense gaze, I bit my lip nervously. If I rejected him too strongly, the villain might harm my family.

I needed to be careful.

“I’m embarrassed.”

“……Are you doing this on purpose? Trying to make me more desperate?”

Kaien frowned even more deeply and growled.

“What? Ah!”

“I’ll give you what you want.”

He suddenly lifted me from the single-person sofa and carried me into the inner room where I had changed clothes with the help of the employees and the Madam, then pushed me against the wall.

‘What is he going to do?’

Thump, he heavily punched the wall.

“Don’t come in until I call.”

“Y-yes!”

A response came from beyond the wall.

‘Did they hear everything? Were they listening the whole time?’

My face turned red as I tried to look back, but Kaien knelt in front of me. In an instant, my muslin dress rose, and he kissed my stomach.

“K-Kaien!”

“I won’t do it.”

His rough breath touched my stomach.

Contrary to his words, his hands quickly moved inside and untied my undergarments. I grabbed his arms and pushed his shoulders, but he wasn’t someone I could stop with my strength.

“K-Kaien, don’t do this.”

“Even though you’re this excited?”

“Eek!”

His hand wiped my sensitive area as if cleaning it. He showed me his hand. His fingers glistened, wet with my fluid.

Kaien deliberately rubbed his fingers together for me to see.

‘How can I control my body’s reactions?’

Is it my fault that I’m aroused?

After touching me in a place like this.

“Not here……”

The inside of my eyes grew hot. As I looked at him reproachfully, Kaien pressed his lips together and glared at me.

“I won’t do it. I always give in to you.”

Just as I was about to feel relieved by those words, he embraced my waist and devoured my lips. That kiss was desperate and urgent.

He pressed me against the wall with his body, creating a narrow, intimate space. The dress rolled up, allowing cool air to touch my legs, making it even more stimulating.

I struggled, but his knee was between my legs, making it look like I was rubbing against him.

Kaien slightly pulled away from my lips and whispered lowly.

“You’re excited, so I’ll help you.”

“No, Kaien, I don’t need—mmph!”

As I opened my lips to speak, his tongue entered, and something thick also entered my opening below. Although I had spent many nights with him, I shuddered at the sensation of someone else’s hand widening my narrow space.

Despite being wet with arousal, his fingers were dry and rough. I pushed his shoulders and hunched my back at the unfamiliar feeling, but Kaien followed my movements like a predator unwilling to release its caught prey, rustling inside my mouth.

The finger that had entered below also moved in sync.

“Mmm!”

The moan that burst from my blocked mouth was devoured by him.

This was the first time we had done something like this.

Though forceful, he moved not to satisfy his own desire but solely for my pleasure.

My eyes grew hot and moist.

His hand pressed flat against my lower region, moving. It was thin, so it wasn’t his c*ck, but it entered and pressed everywhere, making it impossible for me to gather my thoughts.

“Kaien, Kaieen……”

A sob escaped me.

His calloused palm scratched my small cl*toris. The tingling sensation made my knees come together, squeezing his hand.

“Trust me.”

He muttered lowly, seemingly impatient. He kissed the corner of my eye where tears had fallen, licking them away with his tongue.

“I hate this, stooop……”

My body trembled from his fingers rustling inside. Instinctively, I grabbed his arm to pull it out, but he caught both my wrists.

Kaien held both my wrists together, turned my body, pushed me against the wall, and said roughly.

“I’ll finish quickly.”

Good heavens.

Through blurred vision, I saw my reflection in the mirror.

I was sobbing with his hand between my legs, under the dress hem.

My head grew even hotter.

I was more aroused than ever before.

“Huu, I hate this.”

“I know you like it. These lips of yours only tell lies.”

“Eek, huh, mmm……”

When my arms were released, I embraced his neck as he burrowed into my arms. He sucked on my lips.

Kaien moved roughly, like someone who wanted to devour every part of me.

His neck, which excited and craved me, was also moist with sweat.

I bent my knees from the tingling pleasure, pressing against his hard c*ck.

Kaien was also aroused.

“Damn it!”

Suddenly, Kaien’s back tensed as he held me, and his fingers pressed strongly inside me.

“Aaaah!”

I couldn’t suppress my voice from the pleasure that shot up to the crown of my head.

My vision scattered.

Everything shattered.

I embraced and held onto him. I couldn’t think of anything.

***

“Miss, His Grace the Grand Duke has sent a letter.”

“Leave it there.”

I waved my hand dismissively without looking, lying in bed.

“Won’t you check it? It’s an invitation to a reception and a letter from Count Glee.”

“Yes, I’ll look at it later.”

“All right.”

Love, who had been hovering around the bed wondering if we had fought again, left the room after I waved my hand once more.

I stayed home for a week.

I needed to distance myself from Kaien and make him lose interest, but I had become aroused by his touch.

I should meet Edwin and find someone to help Rebecca, but I felt unmotivated, thinking that even without my intervention, things would proceed according to the novel.

I had only sent Edwin a simple letter asking him to take care of Rebecca.

Kaien was dangerous as the novel’s villain, yet he acted as though he loved me passionately, all while knowing I didn’t like him and concealing his true self.

I hated myself for having my heart flutter at his actions despite knowing the truth.

‘It’s not like I’m starved for affection.’

I just sighed deeply while rolling around in bed.

“I wish I could attend the Hemington family reception soon and resolve this situation.”

“Miss! The Baron has returned!”

“……Already?”

It was barely past lunchtime.

Since his promotion to Baron, my father’s loyalty to the Emperor had skyrocketed, and he would leave for work at dawn and return late at night by carriage, making it difficult to see his face.

Surely Kaien hadn’t fired my father for ignoring his invitation?

I hurriedly went downstairs to find my father standing at the entrance with a blank face, looking as if he might collapse at any moment.

He appeared even paler than when he was promoted to Baron, and his appearance was a mess.

Looking closely, his neat shirt was severely wrinkled as if many people had grabbed at it, and his hair, which was usually tied neatly at the back of his neck, was disheveled.

Tears welled up in his eyes as soon as he saw me.

“Father! What happened? Are you alright?”

“Ivy, something terrible has happened.”

I took his trembling hands and spoke as calmly as possible.

“It’s okay, Father. We can live well anywhere, even without money. Let’s leave the capital.”

My father blinked with tears in his eyes and asked.

“……Leave the capital? Why?”

My father’s loyalty to the imperial family was so strong that he couldn’t even consider leaving.

“Then will you continue to stay in the capital? Even though you’re in such a state today…… Something worse will happen.”

My father tilted his head and looked down at himself.

“Oh, this is because my colleagues were congratulating me. Ah, to think I’ve been walking around like this, I’m ashamed as His Majesty’s servant.”

“Congratulations? For what?”

“Well, Ivy……”

My startled father looked around cautiously despite being inside our home and said in a small, careful voice.

“I’m a viscount now. I’ve become a viscount.”

“What?”

“I’ve been promoted again, Ivy.”

Another promotion so soon after the recent one, to the same person?

My face must have shown disbelief because my father explained the circumstances.

“His Majesty visited the Finance Department, and I greeted him. He said I greeted him with such dignity that he bestowed a title on me right there. He rarely even visits the Finance Department.”

“……A greeting? This isn’t children’s education—he promoted you for greeting well?”

“They searched the precedent collection and found a case from the reign of Emperor Magron.”

“Emperor Magron’s reign was a time of tyranny.”

It’s Kaien. Kaien has intervened again.

A deep sigh rose from within me.

“What should I do, a viscount……”

My father seemed to share my feelings as he muttered in bewilderment.

“This time, there’s a fee of a thousand gold for the title bestowal. What should I do? They say I must pay it no matter what.”

“A thousand gold?”

“If I don’t have it, they’ll collect it with interest for the rest of my life. Where would our family find such a large sum?”

A part of the novel came to mind.

The villain gives the female protagonist trials to make her depend on him by causing her slum-dwelling father to fall into gambling and debt, making the female protagonist come to him.

Is it just my imagination that this situation seems very similar?

***

I resolved the title bestowal fee by taking gold from the chest under my bed, but another problem arose.

My father, pale as a sheet of paper, was groaning and lying down.

He had some vitality when he became a baron, but three days after becoming a viscount, his cheeks had hollowed and his eyelids had sunken, making him look like an invalid.

The diagnosis was overwork.

“Love, please take care of Father.”

At first, I went to the Finance Department wondering if there was workplace bullying due to the consecutive promotions, but despite others trying to stop him, my father was working zealously.

“Miss, why are you going to see the Grand Duke when the Viscount is suffering from overwork?”

“Viscount? The Viscount is here, Your Majesty! Viscount Rabbit reporting!”

At the word “Viscount,” my father suddenly sat up, then lay back down due to weakness.

“I should go to work quickly and thank His Majesty for his grace…… Your Majesty, I apologize. This servant is incompetent, Your Majesty……”

“You’ll die before you can repay his grace. You need to be alive to repay grace or seek revenge.”

“Ah, Your Majesty……”

My father’s plaintive voice, which I had never heard before, made me sigh involuntarily.

He hadn’t been this passionate even when trying to convince my mother that I needed a sibling.

“Please take care of Father.”

“Yes, Miss. Have a safe trip.”

I boarded the ordinary carriage waiting in front of the house.

“Please take me to Grand Duke Blemer’s residence.”

“What? Yes. We’re departing.”

‘This is all because of Kaien.’

My father is just a commoner! He was content with being a baronet!

I planned to send a letter, but with my father’s condition being poor, I decided to visit Kaien directly to make my request.

‘I need to ask him to revert my father back to a baronet.’

“Miss, we’ve arrived, but……”