As these words were spoken, she suddenly felt a heavy sensation being pushed inside her.

“Ha, ahh!”

Elliope’s waist arched sharply as his p*nis entered her with intense force, showing no trace of its earlier slow motion.

“Ah, ah, ah! Ahh!”

It felt as if white sparks were crackling and flying up from the point of contact. A wet, crunching sound kept coming from the friction point. The spot, soaked and coated in fragrant oil, yielded to his so smoothly and pliantly that it even surprised her.

“Ha, ahh!”

She felt the impact of his t*sticles against her with each powerful thrust. Elliophe moaned at the overwhelming sensation.

“Ha… ahhh!”

Instinctively, she tried to curl up as the p*nis thrust in and out with relentless force, but her attempt was stopped as Kallian held her in place.

“W-what is this…?

Come to think of it, it wasn’t the first time she’d been taken like that. After all, she had given herself to him at the funeral. But unlike then, when her senses had been dulled by the *phrodisiac and everything had passed in a hazy blur, everything she felt now was sharp and vivid. The pain and discomfort she had felt in the hut was almost non-existent now.

What hit her with such intensity at this moment was a mixture of mild discomfort and overwhelming pleasure.

“Ah, ahhh!”

As soon as she let out a moan that sounded almost like a scream, Kallian reached out and grabbed her round br*asts with a firm grip.

This act alone sent a wave of pleasure through Elliope, causing her to instinctively dig her nails into Kallian’s clothing, raking them sharply.

“Haah, huff!”

Whether from the pain or something else, Kallian let out a groan before thrusting into her again. His forehead pressed against hers repeatedly, and then against her neck.

“Hah…”

“Ah, ahh, mm!”

The intense rush of sensation was almost terrifying. Every time the man ground against her inner walls, her vision seemed to flash.

The unfamiliar pleasure was mixed with fear, but she was always calmed by the way Kallian held her body with all his strength.

Her inner walls trembled in a way that surprised even herself. Every time he swallowed her deeply and hit her inside, it felt as if her peak was being squeezed.

“Ha, haa, ahh!”

In fact, it felt as if his p*nis was swelling a little more with each passing moment. She couldn’t help but wonder if her p*ssy was really bulging in the shape of him.

As she instinctively reached down to feel her p*ssy again, Kallian caught her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers as he held it tightly.

“Elliope.”

The moment her name was called in that deep voice, she let out a moan. Never before had her name been spoken with such warmth and intensity. It had always been accompanied by annoyance, irritation or sometimes outright contempt.

“You’re not what I wanted, Princess Elliope.”

The memory of those cruel words lingered in her mind, casting a shadow over the present moment.

Suddenly, she thought of Theodor, who used to call her that way.

“You must die as a stone woman.”

The loneliness she felt when she heard those words resurfaced. The realisation that the man she was meant to love would never love her back, coupled with the despair of not even having a child to lean on in his place.

A creeping fear that she would wither and die like this. And the terrible fear that if she were sent back to the Imperial family, she might be given to an even more terrible man next time.

“Elliope.”

There was a warmth in the way Kallian said her name that swept away all those haunting fears. It was a warmth she had never felt before, something completely new and overwhelming.

It felt as if all the grief she had been holding back was finally breaking free in one long, uncontrollable wave.

“Hngh, ahh!”

A tear slid down her cheek, tracing a long path before falling away.

At that moment, Kallian flinched and stopped, making Elliope tremble with his presence still deep inside her.

“…”

“Hngh, ahhh,”

Once the tears had begun to flow, they continued unabated. Kallian’s pupils wavered for a moment.

As she shifted slightly, Kallian pressed his forehead gently against her shoulder, a movement similar to that of a creature comforting its master.

When he began to pull away, she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist. She didn’t want him to leave, wishing he would stay inside her just a little longer.

“…Hngh, sob…”

“…Really.”

Kallian moaned again. It was surprising to see a flicker of discomfort cross his usually composed face.

Before he could speak, Elliope instinctively drew his face close to hers. As she cupped his face and gently pressed her forehead against his, his rigid posture softened and he began to move cautiously again.

“Mm…”

What followed was a tender kiss, unlike the one before – gentle, as if meant to soothe and heal rather than wound.

But unlike the kiss, his movements underneath were wild and intense, shaking her violently. Elliope finally wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly.

“Ah, ahh, aah! Aah!”
“Hah…”
Thud! Thud!

The force of his thrusts grew stronger, powerful enough to push her entire body upwards.

“Ahh! Ah! Aaah!”

“Hah…”

Kallian moaned deeply. The intensity of his movements had reached a point where it felt like he couldn’t push any harder, a sensation that sent a sharp thrill through Elliope’s entire being.

“Ugh!”

With a short moan, something struck deep within her walls, filling her with a searing, viscous fluid that overflowed, leaving no doubt of its presence.

“Hngh, ah…”

Elliope’s legs trembled involuntarily as they remained wrapped around his waist. Tears streamed down her face again, leaving a glistening trail that Kallian leaned in to lick away with his tongue.

It felt like being comforted by a loyal puppy, and with that thought, Elliope closed her eyes gently.

“Elliope?”

“Just a little…”

The moment she felt him release himself inside her, the tension that had held her body rigid since the day she was forcibly groomed by her handmaidens finally snapped. The exhaustion she had suppressed, compounded by the lack of proper rest the night before, surged through her body like a tidal wave. She felt like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

“Let me sleep… just for a little while…”

She murmured weakly, even as she faintly felt Kallian’s p*nis begin to harden inside her again.

Soon the embrace of sleep pulled her under, closing her eyes completely.

***

When she opened her eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling greeted Elliope.

“…”

It wasn’t the overly ornate ceiling of the Imperial Palace, nor the cobweb-covered, dilapidated ceiling of the Grand Duke of Ilmos’ outbuildings. Instead, it was warmer and more modest, reminiscent of a cosy family home. Still, it was somewhat larger and more refined than what one would expect from an average commoner’s home.

Her body was covered with a soft wool blanket, and she wore smooth silk pyjamas. It was already dark outside the window, and several candles were gently burning in the room, giving it a warm, golden glow.

“…!”

The next moment, something soft and warm brushed against her foot – a cloth, gentle to the touch.

Elliope instinctively tried to sit up, but a dull pain radiating from her lower back made her let out a small groan.

“Ugh.”

Her body protested, heavy with fatigue as she winced at the pain.

“You’re awake.”

The sight of the sharp-faced man carefully wiping her feet with a warm, damp cloth was almost too surreal to believe.

Elliope stared wide-eyed, frozen for a moment. Kallian, however, continued his task with the precision of someone polishing a weapon, his expression steady and meticulous as he cleaned her legs and feet.

A strange, fluttering sensation tickled her chest, leaving her unsure what to say. The man before her was impossible to read, and her hesitation only grew. After a long silence, Elliope finally found her voice.

“Your Grace.”

“…My dear.”

“Pardon?”

“You are my wife now.”

It was only after letting the words sink in that she realized what he meant—he was telling her to call him my dear.

Elliope felt her face grow uncontrollably warm, but she forced herself to continue.

“…By any chance, did Your Grace marry me for the purpose of…”

She was about to ask if their marriage was for his own political gain. If that was the case, she would have to withdraw what she had intended to propose back in the hut.

“If you wish, I can tell you how to bring down the Grand Duke of Ilmos.”
“I know how to bring him down.”

She had said those very words to him before. If he did not agree to such a plan, she would have to lie and claim that she had not meant it sincerely.

But before she could finish her sentence, his hand that was gently holding her small foot tightened slightly.

“…”

Startled, Elliope’s foot instinctively jerked back, but Kallian immediately loosened his grip. The warm cloth resumed its careful path, sliding between her toes.

His next words came as a complete surprise.

“Do as you wish.”

“…”

“Whether you bring the Grand Duke down or crush him completely.”

It was a surprising statement coming from a man who had often been described as Ilmos’ loyal hound and hunting dog.

As her eyes widened in shock, Kallian calmly placed his hand on the top of her foot.

“But if you choose to act.”

He continued, his voice calm as he slowly rose to his feet.

“Use me.”

Only then did she notice that he hadn’t even changed out of his clothes.

His towering figure loomed over her as he climbed onto the bed and moved closer to her. Elliope, unable to stop the small gasp that escaped her lips, could only watch as his large frame moved towards her.

“If you’re going to use me, don’t hold back – use me properly.”

“What does that mean…?”

“I mean don’t treat me like Ilmos’ dog. Make me your loyal dog instead, Madam.”

The sudden change in the way Kallian addressed her made her head spin. She felt a dizzying thrill as his fingers slowly trailed over her lips.

“If that satisfies you.”

“…”

“I don’t mind at all.”

Questions filled Elliope’s mind, a whirlwind of confusion and things she couldn’t understand. Why did he say this? What did he mean?

‘Why?’

Wasn’t he the one who roamed the battlefields for the Grand Duchy of Ilmos, practically another son of the late Grand Duke of Ilmos? Even Theodor, who trusted no one easily, relied on him and considered him his loyal dog.

‘So why?’

The question lingered in her mind, but quickly dissolved as his lips pressed against hers.

As she swallowed hard, feeling the now swollen p*nis pressing insistently against her lower body, a surprisingly petulant voice broke the silence.

“You fell asleep before me.”

It was a tone that didn’t match the usually calm and unflappable man. Elliope doubted her own ears, wondering if she had misheard him.

But all her doubts and inner turmoil…

They dissipated like dust under Kallian’s touch as his hands gently removed her clothes.