Chapter 13: Land to Take Root In (4)

“Now, hmm, wait…….,”

his whisper rumbled wetly between her legs. Even the sound was too much stimulation, and Larié blinked restlessly.

Her breath caught in her throat as the hot, slimy sensation continued to stimulate her bump, and pleasure surged through her. The pleasure, like a wave, rose higher than she was tall at one point, then crashed down in a torrent.

“……Terian, ahhh!”

Larry’s head snapped back at the sound of his name. The bright sunlight flooding the room washed over her.

At the same time, she could clearly feel a spring welling up in her secret place. Terian’s tongue snaked out and licked greedily at the wellspring.

Tears welled up in her eyes at his er*tic touch. It was like being sucked into a swamp of pleasure that had suddenly overtaken her.

“Are you all right, ma’am?”

Releasing her trembling thighs, Terian slowly raised his head. His hair, peeking through the hem of his skirt, was disheveled as if someone had run a hand through it.

His eyes, clouded with emotion, mesmerized her, and she forgot to breathe.

“…….”

“…….”

But Terian pulled back, as if he intended to end it with her satisfaction. It was embarrassing, embarrassing, embarrassing, but Larié missed the warmth of his withdrawal, so she clung to his arm as he stepped back.

“……, Your Majesty.”

She was embarrassed by the way her hands moved. She didn’t even know if she should say anything as his eyes bore into her, and she stammered, and she could see his jaw clench as he spoke.

“My Lady…….”

“Uh.”

Pressing down on her again, Terian kissed the nape of her neck. Below them, the rustle of fabric rustled in a frenzy.

“Mmmm…….”

“I’ll be moving right along, my lady.”

“Ah……!”

A voice with no room to spare rang in Larié’s ear as he pressed his lips to her white lobe. He didn’t stop there, though, he seemed to want to swallow her tiny ear whole. His lips, hot and moist, kept coming back and forth over her sensitive auricle.

“If it hurts, let me know,”

he said, and the frenzy of lovemaking began, just as it had when he came into this room. Larie’s restlessly swaying vision alternated between Terian’s blue eyes, disheveled hair, and the pure white ceiling. The sound of their hems rubbing together echoed through the room as they tried to muffle their breathing.

The dangling earrings clinked together as Terian pressed his lips to her auricle, causing them to clatter.

The hot pillar that ruthlessly rushed inside her shook her violently from the start. Larié’s body, already close to climaxing once, welcomed the Terian’s movements.

The most sensitive of flesh was stroked, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. The pleasure built and built, caressing and roaming beneath her skin. She couldn’t tell how long she’d been rocked. Already swallowed up in the aftermath of pleasure once, Larié was somewhat exhausted.

“Now, hmph,……. Ah!”

The moment she cried out, she suddenly felt a strong sensation of pleasure, as if a bolt of lightning had struck her. It took a moment for her mouth to open and her body to shudder, and then the heat spread throughout her.

“Haa, haa…….”

“Hoo…….”

For a while, only their breathing passed between them in silence. When her rapidly rising and falling chest finally calmed, Larié looked up at Terian with hazy eyes.

As their gazes met, the two of them suddenly let out soft chuckles at the same time.

It was the realization that they had behaved like lovers in the height of passion.

“Did it hurt at all?”

“No……”

He picked up a cloth from the side and gently tended to Larié’s lower half. The touch was so delicate and respectful that it embarrassed her—she turned her head away while holding up her skirt in silence.

“My lady.”

“Yes.”

Terian, now fully dressed, called to her again in a voice tinged with a quiet smile.

Embarrassment surged up her throat, and Larié could only answer in a small voice. But Terian didn’t seem to mind at all—he simply pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

“Larié.”

“Yes.”

And like that, the two of them stayed locked in each other’s warmth for a long, quiet moment.

The air outside the window grew colder by the day, but it never seemed to reach between them.

***

A few days later, in the early morning—

Count Ventus visited the forest cabin.

The firewood crackled softly in the hearth, spreading warmth through the little cottage.

The road there must have been bitterly cold, even though most of the snow from before had melted. It couldn’t have been easy for someone his age.

But the Count had said he simply wanted to see the cabin where Larié was staying. She hadn’t minded his interest—in fact, she had gladly invited him.

“Did you finish the book, dear?”

“Yes. Thank you for lending it to me.”

Count Ventus had been helping Larié in her exploration of her roots in every way he could.

He not only shared the history of their house, but also lent her the books he owned on mythical beings. Sometimes, he even told her stories of her mother, who had been a nymph.

Through those experiences, Larié had gradually come to understand what she needed.

And so the two of them—grandfather and granddaughter—had shared a short but meaningful time, as if trying to bridge the years they had lost.

Now, however, that peaceful time was coming to an end.

“…It seems I must return at last.”

The Count had responsibilities—people in his territory who depended on him. He had rushed to the capital without hesitation upon discovering his granddaughter, but it seemed he could not remain away any longer.

“You said it takes over a day by carriage…”

“This time I plan to take the train. His Majesty was kind enough to make special arrangements, so there’s no need to worry.”

If he traveled by train, the journey would be significantly shorter. Still, for some reason, Larié couldn’t shake her unease.

Should she walk through the forest with him, just in case? No—that would be too dangerous, even if she could still move swiftly. Walking through a winter forest in this weather wasn’t something to take lightly.

As she pondered these things, Count Ventus spoke, as if reading her thoughts.

“Viscount Partin has agreed to accompany me again. And besides, this will be a good chance to see the train. Not many nobles have had the privilege of using it yet.”

The warmth in his gaze made it clear how proud he was of her. That gentle affection touched Larié deeply. Bit by bit, she was learning what it meant to have a family’s love.

Was this the way she looked at Rui, too?

Before heading to the mountains to find Terian, Larié had entrusted Rui to Count Ventus and the Grand Duchy of Avnir. At the time, she had been too frantic to fully grasp her own reasoning.

But after returning—when she learned how close Rui had come to danger—she finally understood what had driven her.

Deep down, she had been afraid of Rui losing his family.

She didn’t want him to experience what she had—to return only after a long, lonely journey.

She had always intended to return with Terian. But even so, a small part of her had feared the worst.

In the end, that fear had led her to make the right decision. She had expressed her thanks to her grandfather many times since then.

“Um, well…”

As they continued talking, time slipped away. The hour Count Ventus had mentioned for his departure was drawing near. Viscount Partin was probably already waiting near the forest.

They should be getting up—but the count hesitated, as if unspoken words weighed down his steps.

“Grandfather.”

Larié could guess what was holding him back.

So this time, she chose to speak first—for the man who had spent so many years wounded, longing for those he had lost.

“I’ll write to you often.”

At her words, the count’s face brightened like a child’s.

It wasn’t even a difficult promise, yet he still looked so cautious and hesitant—it made her heart ache for him.

“And when spring comes, I’ll visit your estate. With Rui, too.”

Hearing her speak of the future, the count opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if words had caught in his throat. Finally, his voice trembled with emotion as he answered.

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

They were family. No matter how many years had kept them apart, that truth hadn’t changed.

As his emotions slowly settled, the old man found his smile again. He believed now that this brief farewell wouldn’t stretch into another long separation.

His voice lighter than before, he even managed to joke.

“Who knows? I might come back to the palace before then.”

Larié immediately understood what he meant.

They had spoken before about the still-vacant empress’s seat. To be precise, Count Ventus had once mistakenly believed it was Terian’s idea for her to remain in this uncertain position.

That day, Larié had glimpsed a fearsome glint in her grandfather’s eyes for the first time. And surprisingly, so had Terian. When confronted by the count, he had responded with an uncharacteristically meek attitude.

Thankfully, the misunderstanding was cleared up quickly—Larié had earnestly explained that she had requested things to stay this way for the time being.

“It’s just that…”

But when she began to respond now, she faltered. Caught off guard—unsure how to answer.

To be honest, she had completely forgotten about the matter of the Empress position.

It had certainly been a significant worry—how could she have forgotten it? Had she simply become too immersed in this serene winter? Larié wore a dazed expression, unable to believe she had relaxed this much.

Seeing his granddaughter’s face, Count Ventus let out a quiet laugh.

Then, with the most affectionate gaze in the world, he spoke.

“Whatever it is, follow your heart, dear.”

The old man’s gaze always left Larié with a strange feeling. Perhaps it was because it carried the love of her parents within it.

And so, before she knew it, Larié asked like a child pouting.

“Really……?”

“Yes.”

His gaze remained the same.

If anything, it seemed even warmer now.

“I will always be the shade of a tree for you.”

It was truly the most reassuring thing in the world. Overwhelmed by that solid affection, Larié quietly nodded her head.

The fireplace continued to crackle softly, as if comforting the two who had to part for a little while.

❖ ❖ ❖

After seeing her grandfather off, Larié spent some peaceful time with Rui. Then, in the afternoon, she left the cabin.

“This way, Rui.”

Holding Rui’s hand, Larié took a step toward the forest opposite the imperial palace.

“Why~?”

“I promised we’d go out and play today. We’re going to the Grand Duchy of Avnir.”

As she said, she had arranged a visit to the Grand Duchy of Avnir for today. To be precise, she had sent word that she would visit with Rui.

Whether he recognized the name ‘Grand Duchy of Avnir’ or not, the child grinned brightly and walked eagerly beside Larié. She was ready to pick him up if he showed any sign of weariness, but he seemed more familiar with walking through the forest than an adult.

By the time the child’s chubby cheeks turned slightly red from the cold, the two of them had arrived at the backwoods of the Grand Duchy.

“Watta!”

“Yes, we’ve arrived. Rui, you know how to find your way, don’t you?”

Smiling brightly at the cheerful child, Larié smiled along. While not quite as attuned as he was at the lake, Rui often showed a natural ease with the forest too.

As they stepped out of the woods, the welcoming party came into view—Grand Duchess Avnir, Marquis Fridas, Susan, and several other attendants.

“Ah, you’ve come.”

Marquis Fridas was the first to greet Larié and Rui.

His blonde hair was, as always, swept back with impeccable neatness. His stern face still bore that signature air of dignified gentleness.

Then, he bent at the waist to speak to Rui.

“Ooh, ooh, here comes our little Rui!”

“…”

Larié nearly tripped over her own feet for the first time in the forest.

She stared blankly at the Marquis, forgetting even to greet her elders.