Daniel trudged back to what had been their wedding chamber. Still, surely she would forgive him tomorrow. Surely she would come back once she felt better. He hoped, but over a month passed with no word from Lenore.

Often when he visited her bedroom at night, she wasn’t there. Where did she go?

Daniel looked down dejectedly at Lenore sleeping on the library sofa, ignoring two perfectly good bedrooms. He remembered how she had jumped and shouted when she saw the rows of books.

‘Is this a library!’

He had bought even more books until it really felt like a library. Though it made his pockets quite a bit lighter, what did that matter when she was so happy about it?

“I was proud then, but now I regret it.”

Daniel was getting a headache from his wife who went beyond just liking the library to practically living in it.

It wasn’t just the problem of not having opportunities for that act. Since Lenore wouldn’t leave the library, even meeting her was difficult. But if he went to the library directly, she was always sleeping at inconvenient times.

He considered waiting until she woke up, but watching her made his desires rise. He felt he might become a shameless person who would m*sturbate while watching her sleeping face.

Daniel had no choice but to cover her with a blanket and quickly leave the library.

Since the timing kept not working out, he had no choice but to call for her directly. He brought tea and sweet snacks and carefully brought up the topic.

“Wife, about our wedding night…”

“Ah, I’m really sorry about that.”

He was going to apologize but she beat him to it. It seemed she was still bothered about hitting him with her elbow. Though Daniel told her she wasn’t the cause of the nosebleed, she didn’t seem to believe him.

“It won’t happen again.”

Daniel interpreted her words hopefully. He thought she meant she wouldn’t hit him again, so they could try again properly this time.

So he waited. She’ll come. If I wait just a bit longer, surely she’ll come. He waited until dawn but she didn’t come. When he checked, she was sound asleep in her own bedroom.

“I should suggest combining our bedrooms.”

Though Lenore wanted separation saying she was uncomfortable with others, the world doesn’t always go as one wishes. Since they were married, she should endure some discomfort and probably be prepared to sleep together someday. Probably…

While looking for a chance to bring it up, Daniel received some information about her.

‘Duke Bergis would set daily schedules for family members by the hour and would starve them if they rebelled or were even one minute late to scheduled times.’

One might endure starving for a day to show will, but it’s different when the entire family must starve together as collective punishment. No wonder she had hurried away from him in the garden.

“Using family resentment for control…”

He couldn’t understand how someone could do such a thing. There was no way to respect and love such a father. According to the maid’s intelligence, Lenore too was happy to escape his shadow through marriage.

How hard must it have been in that controlled hell? He felt sympathy and worry at the same time. If he changed his mind and suggested combining bedrooms again, would she see her father’s shadow in him?

Of course, he had no intention of being coercive. He wanted to persuade her through sufficient conversation. The problem was that conversations with her rarely went well.

Her attitude was always polite. But when actually asked something, she would change the subject or subtly avoid the situation.

When he thought about what mistake he had made, there was really only one.

Though he had apologized and she said it was fine, maybe it actually wasn’t fine. Like himself, it was probably her first time with a man too. But he had tried to embrace her so roughly — though she didn’t say anything, it might have become traumatic.

“Could that be why she sleeps in the library too? Because she thinks her husband might visit her bedroom?”

Daniel was shocked as he finally realized this possibility.

Of course, Lenore was just falling asleep while reading, but Daniel completely failed to notice this and misunderstood.

How could he make her understand that he wasn’t a man crazy with lust, that he could show restraint?

Daniel pondered, and came to a not-difficult conclusion. He would have to show that he could wait until she opened her heart. And so the plan to combine bedrooms was ultimately abandoned. The moment he brought it up would raise suspicion of ulterior motives.

Daniel waited patiently, taking time for her to open her heart to him. But after three months passed without her properly looking at him even once, he became anxious.

“I’m not anxious. Today she even greeted me in passing saying what nice weather it was.”

It’s evidence that she’s opening her heart more and trusting more. I’m doing well. No matter how he tried to deceive himself, it was useless. His consciousness wouldn’t be fooled and finally created a dream.

In the dream, Lenore came to his bedroom and removed her robe. Though shouting that this was wrong, Daniel couldn’t take his eyes off her body. Meanwhile, Lenore climbed on top of him herself.

‘Ahnn, ang, aahn!’

She moved her hips on top of Daniel in pleasure. Daniel grabbed and kneaded her soft b*ttocks while thrusting up. Each time, she cried out in ecstasy and enjoyed it.

Sweat beaded and ran down below her shaking chin. Daniel raised his upper body to hold and kiss her. He gently licked inside her mouth while mixing their hot breaths.

The sensation was rapturous and his climax began building. Daniel held her tight and moved his hips quickly.

Finally, he poured into her all the seed that had been building up. Grinding his teeth and letting out rough breaths, her beautiful neckline caught his eye. He bit down on her neck right there.

Lenore’s body trembled in pain. Daniel’s c*ck, having just cl*maxed, didn’t know how to shrink and moved again.

‘Lenore, I love you. Please forgive me. Ungh.’

Afterwards, Daniel continued to take her in a way that could only be described as ravishing. While his lower body moved roughly, he begged her not to reject him like this. The dream Lenore held his back and spoke in gasping voice.

‘Haah, Daniel, ungh, hh, huu, lo-!’

Just when it seemed he might hear ‘love you,’ Daniel woke from the dream.

Do you know what follows a wet dream? Emptiness and self-loathing.

Daniel saw his swollen front was wet and punched his pillow.

Would he wake up every night embracing an illusion of her and feeling this misery?

He hated that. Even if he couldn’t embrace her right away, he wanted to get a little closer. He couldn’t be satisfied with just barely speaking and talking about the weather when they happened to pass by.

“Isn’t there some way?”

Daniel wanted to be more proactive. But what if he made mistakes again trying to be proactive but acting clumsy? What if she became completely put off and came to hate him?

The thought that things could get worse restrained him. While he felt this couldn’t continue but hesitated not knowing what to do, there was someone following and bothering him when he went out.

Daniel caught the man following him and questioned him. At first he thought he might be an assassin sent by Marquis Crebi. But the man revealed an unexpected truth.

‘The Countess ordered it.’

‘My wife? Why?’

‘Well… she was worried that perhaps, just perhaps, you might be meeting another woman, so she said she needed to check.’

Daniel’s face flushed hot hearing those words. He couldn’t believe it. This meant, in other words, that she was jealous!

Though the suspicion of him having a lover was absurd and unfair, he was still happy. Being jealous meant she wasn’t completely without feelings for him.

“I see. So that’s what it was.”

Daniel kept muttering like someone who had achieved enlightenment. While he had been too scared to do anything, she must have been waiting for him to approach.

Full of confidence, Daniel invited her to lunch the very next day. At first, the atmosphere was really good.

“I usually just eat bread simply in the library at this time, but having a meal out feels different.”

When their eyes met, Lenore smiled. Though it was a stiff smile from awkwardness, a smile is still a smile.
She smiled! She smiled at me!

To Daniel’s eyes, it appeared as if she had given him a bright smile. It felt good. It seemed like he might be able to bring up combining bedrooms now.