Chapter 99

“A hide from the legendary polar bears that live on Mount Kalanysh, the most fearsome and revered mountain in the north. Do you think we’ll ever get to see a polar bear in our lifetime? You’d probably die if you did.”

“…”

“Polar bear hides aren’t bought or sold in the north, so you can’t buy one even if you’re rich. And if you wanted to take one by force, you’d have to fight the wild tribes for it. If you made a shawl out of such a hide, you’d be wearing something even Princess Annabelle couldn’t get her hands on.”

“…!”

Eloise’s eyes widened as if hearing something completely unexpected.

Just as I thought — she’s quite simple at times like this.

I sighed softly, feigning regret, and added fuel to the fire.

“Imagine how jealous Princess Annabelle would be. She wouldn’t even be able to sleep at night after seeing you gather all the attention. She couldn’t dare ask the emperor to hunt a polar bear for her.”

“…Amazing.”

Without realizing it, Eloise gasped in admiration, then quickly covered her mouth with both hands, startled.

I barely held back a smirk as one corner of my mouth tried to curl up.

Eloise thrived on the attention of her peers.

There was no need to mention how obsessed she was with rare dresses and accessories.

Especially if it was something that would make her stand out more than Princess Annabelle, she would stop at nothing, even using Alec to get it.

She would usually have the servants pass on messages like, “Lady Eloise is sick in bed because she can’t have this expensive swan feather,” to Alec.

While Princess Annabelle was the emperor’s sister, she wasn’t particularly close to him, so getting a polar bear hide would be next to impossible.

Besides, it wasn’t the kind of thing the emperor would care about in such trivial matters.

Would there even be a noble willing to risk their life to hunt a polar bear for the princess?

Even Andrew was treated like slaves.

I stoked Eloise’s interest once more.

“So, what do you think? For a trip to the north, that’s quite a reward, isn’t it? There’s nothing more grand than a polar bear hide for a noble lady whose family has returned from ruin. Your peers will be absolutely fascinated.”

“…”

Eloise swallowed nervously.

She knew well that the attention a polar bear hide would bring her in high society would last for at least three days.

But Eloise took a step back.

“No, I still won’t go! I’m not going to the north, ever!”

With that, Eloise spun around and ran off.

I looked after her retreating figure, not feeling too upset, before turning away.

She wasn’t someone who would give in so easily.

But I had a strong feeling that Eloise would end up going to the north after all.

Before heading to the bathroom, I called for the servant in charge of my clothes.

Since a good idea had struck me, I decided to have a long shawl made from the polar bear hide I had brought to the capital.

“Do you think it can be ready by tomorrow evening?”

“N-not at all, madam. It’s just a matter of cutting and stitching, so it’s simple enough.”

“Good to hear. Please take care of it.”

“Yes, madam. Have a good night.”

“Goodnight, Helen.”

Finally, I was able to prepare for bed.

I soaked in the bath for a long time, letting the fatigue wash away. My body felt more relaxed after the long carriage ride.

“If I lie down on the bed now, I’ll fall asleep in less than a second…”

Drowsing in the bathtub, I barely managed to get up, slipped on my nightgown, and headed toward the bedroom.

Is Alec still drinking with Andrew?

We had promised to spend tonight together in my bedroom.

I was still caught up in the lingering tension from what had happened in the carriage.

Holding my breath and limiting my movements to the extreme made me even more nervous, both thrilling and torturous at the same time.

Still, the way he hunched those broad shoulders and acted so persistently in the carriage was an unforgettable experience.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself but tried hard to suppress it as I opened the door to my room.

I glanced around without much expectation, then opened my eyes wide.

“Alec?”

He was leaning casually on the chair, showing off his long, sleek legs.

“Louise.”

He noticed me at that moment and stood up.

I shut the door firmly and walked toward him with a delighted face.

He was dressed comfortably for sleep, and through the open shirt, I could faintly see his chest muscles.

For some reason, my heart began to race.

As I stood close to him, I caught a fresh scent of bath soap.

“Honey.”

When I hugged him, pressing my face to his chest, he wrapped his arms around my waist.

His body was soft yet firm, warm, and incredibly comfortable to embrace.

“Did I keep you waiting long?”

“I just came in as well.”

“Really? How much did you drink?”

“I barely had two glasses.”

“And Andrew?”

“He passed out, so the servants carried him off.”

“Oh my.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

Well, considering he made it back alive to the capital, he must be thrilled.

“You didn’t drink any more?”

“If I drank any more, I thought I might smell like alcohol to you.”

“…Really?”

Surprised, I tilted my head to look up at him, and he nodded once.

The fact that he drank less, thinking of me, was surprising and a bit touching.

He hardly ever drank much anyway.

While he never refused when offered, he never sought it out himself either.

I lifted myself on tiptoes and brought my nose close to his lips.

I felt him flinch slightly, but I took a deep breath, inhaling his scent.

There was just a faint hint of alcohol, a heady and sweet aroma that was subtly intoxicating.

I lowered myself back down and looked up at him with a playful smile.

“The smell of alcohol on you is rather nice. I think I wouldn’t mind if there were more.”

He looked slightly surprised, parting his lips before responding.

“I didn’t expect that.”

“I just realized it now. Before, I couldn’t even get close enough to catch your scent.”

“…”

His eyes grew a little deeper, almost sympathetically.

We had almost always slept apart, and even when we were together, we were never this close, so I never had the chance to smell him.

Come to think of it, I had never really been curious about what he smelled like before.

The only thing I knew for sure was that I had never once found it unpleasant.

I hugged him tighter.

In response, he held me even more firmly, as if he would crush me, letting out a deep sigh.

“I like that you’re so greedy for me.”

“I still want you now.”

I chuckled softly.

What kind of greed was he feeling toward me?

Was it because we had spent such passionate nights together that he now desired my body?

Or had feelings developed where none existed before?

I looked up at him again.

“Could it be that you love me now?”

“…What?”

His eyes widened in shock at my sudden question.

So it wasn’t love?

It seemed more like physical desire, stirred up by the intimacy we had shared, which made sense, since I felt the same.

I placed my hand on his firm chest, wearing a dreamy expression.

“Someday, let’s love each other too. Will you do that for me?”

“…”

His eyes deepened with seriousness.

After staring at me for a moment, he removed my hand from his chest and gripped it tightly.

With unwavering eyes, he said, “I want you to like me as I am now, more than you ever did before.”

I drew in a quiet breath at his words.

My chest felt so full that I was short of air.

He wants me to like him now, more than before?

I took another deep breath and responded before it was too late.

“Of course. I think I’ll love you more tomorrow than I do today.”

“…”

“You satisfy me now.”

I smiled gently as I said that, but his expression remained serious.

He squeezed my hand even tighter.

“No, I don’t think I’ve even begun to satisfy you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that.

“How much more do you plan to overwhelm me?”

As our eyes locked, he suddenly lifted me into his arms.

It was effortless for him, as if he were lifting something light.

Soon, my back sank into the soft bed.

After being only in the carriage, lying down on the bed felt incredibly soft and comforting beyond words.

My heart started pounding, anticipating tonight.

As he cast a shadow over me, I could subtly see through his shirt, which made my cheeks blush slightly.

I lowered my gaze as if avoiding his, and spoke.

“But, Alec.”

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