“Or would you rather receive it down here?”

Kallian traced the parted slit with his finger, pressing firmly against the swollen, reddened nub. His touch was practised and skilled, like a man who knew his wife’s body intimately.

“Ah… ugh.”

Elliope arched her back and pulled Kallian closer between her legs. His hardened p*nis, still covered by the cloth, pressed firmly against her wet heat, rubbing insistently.

“Hurry…”

As if urging him on, Elliope pressed her heel against Kallian’s spine and tailbone. She could feel the muscles in his back twitching sharply in response.

“…Hah.”

Kallian hastily lowered his trousers and thrust into her, her warmth soft and inviting. Elliope unconsciously let out a breath.

“…Ah, ugh… hmm.”

“Madam.”

Though it was still a challenge to take him completely each time, Elliope had gradually learned to accommodate Kallian. Her inner walls, now accustomed to him and becoming wet at the slightest stimulation, clenched tightly around his p*nis as if enveloping it, releasing a thin, slick fluid.

Kallian’s thick, stiff length pushed forward with a force that stretched and smoothed every delicate fold of her inner walls. Elliophe’s waist trembled at the familiar sensation.

“Ah, ahh…”

With Elliope’s hips slightly raised, the fluids from Kallian’s p*nis and the nectar she’d released mixed and dripped in thick strands. The viscous liquid seeped steadily into the leaves.

“A little more…”

Sweat dripped from Kallian’s forehead and pooled on her chest. Noticing this, Elliope whispered softly,

“Hey, come here…”

She pulled Kallian’s face closer and planted soft kisses on his forehead and nose. When her lips lingered, Kallian let out a long breath before capturing her lips in his own, as if silently urging her to do the same.

“Ah, yes…”

As Kallian sank deep inside her, Elliope planted a series of soft, fleeting kisses on his lips. Somehow, the more she kissed him, the harder it became to hold back.

What was rising inside her wasn’t just pleasure – it was something heavier, like a wave of grief crashing over her.

“Ugh… ugh…”

If his broad, firm chest had once been small, the mere thought of him holding a tiny coffin was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

As she bit her lower lip, trying to hold back the sobs that threatened to escape, Kallian’s voice reached her.

“Madam?”

“……”

“What hurts you this time?”

There was no pain in his gaze – only quiet understanding.

As if his eyes held no trace of the past.

Until he became like this.

How much effort had it taken?

How much had he endured to hide himself so completely?

Elliope knew the feeling only too well.

Sent away as a Grand Duchess, the three years she had spent in the ducal residence had been a time of learning – learning how to silence herself, how to bury parts of who she was, how to disappear into the role she had been given.

The wounds she had slashed still bled from time to time. Sometimes her heart ached with a dull pain, as if it might burst.

…Kallian must have had such moments too, even if he never spoke of them.

Elliope looked into Kallian’s blue eyes and whispered,

“I’ll try, too.”

“……”

“Me too…”

“What do you mean?”

Instead of answering, Elliope wrapped her legs around Kallian’s waist, pulling him deeper. Without another word, he resumed his thrusts.

“Madam.”

“Please out it in.”

It had always been like this, but this time she wanted it more than ever.

If only she could conceive his child quickly…

***

After Leanne’s arrival, the Ducal Castle remained in a festive mood for several days.

There were grand banquets, informal feasts and a series of events in which Leanne visited marketplaces and other public places under the pretext of inspecting the Duchy.

The overt message was clear – the Imperial Family and the Duchy were now entering into a cooperative relationship.

However, the citizens of the territory reacted with neither joy nor discontent.

“What does the Imperial Family think?”

“Well, what do we gain by trying to understand the minds of those in power?”

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

“Now that things have come to this, it would be nice if they offered some support to the duchy.”

All in all, the atmosphere remained neutral. The deep rift that had long existed between the Ducal House and the Imperial Family seemed to have been bridged by Princess Leanne’s presence.

Still, questions remained.

“So is Her Highness here as Grand Duchess, or…?”

“If that were the case, wouldn’t they have announced the marriage?”

“Perhaps they’re just testing the waters?”

In this atmosphere, Theodor suggested a group hunting trip.

Kallian, who was effectively tied to the ducal castle with no means of leaving, also received an invitation in the name of Viscount Elsen. Hunting was a common event in the Duchy, enjoyed not only by vassals and knights, but also by their wives.

So when Princess Leanne appeared in hunting dress, several noblewomen, including the wives of vassals, followed suit, dressed in their own hunting outfits as they mounted their horses.

Elliope was among them, positioned at the back of the group.

“Your Highness, have you ever used a bow?”

“I practised briefly as a child… as part of my education.”

“And what about you, Viscountess Elsen? Did you learn as well?”

Elliope simply answered the question with a calm, quiet smile.

Almost everyone knew that Elliope had once been a servant, so she felt no need to answer the obviously pointed question.

“I will be the one to teach her.”

It was then that Kallian entered the conversation. When the others saw his muscular frame, the taut veins visible even under his clothes, they drew back subtly. Their behaviour made it clear – they had no desire to speak carelessly in his presence and risk his wrath.

Several noblewomen cast lingering glances at Kallian before quickly averting their eyes. While the ladies of House Elsen openly scrutinised him from head to toe, those from the ducal castle stole discreet glances before hastily looking away.

Elliope smiled faintly as she watched Kallian approach. He spoke in his usual calm manner.

“I’m a pretty good archery instructor.”

“We all know that.”

Kallian excelled at teaching physical skills. It was he who had given Elliope an intensive crash course in riding when she had yet to learn, just before their first hunt.

Not that riding was the only thing he had taught her.

“You never know what might happen, so let me teach you some simple things.”

After being nearly attacked by a spy in Zenya and later drugged by Theodor, Kallian had taken it upon himself to teach Elliope the basics of self-defence.

The training sessions – where he stood close to her back, carefully guiding her through each move – were…

“…Is it really okay to touch this spot here?”

“Do you find it strange?”

“Ah, w-wait! Hngh!”

Soon the atmosphere became more and more suggestive.

“Of course, you teach well too.”

Elliope spoke, forcing the blush from her cheeks.

“You won’t be able to teach me this time anyway.”

“The hunt is not a one-off.”

This time the noblewomen would form their own group, while Theodor and the male retainers would gather separately.

The only exception was Leanne and her maids, who would hunt alongside Theodor.

In addition to Leanne, Baroness Taleon, the Head Lady-in-Waiting, was to lead them as the representative of the noblewomen in the Grand Duke’s castle.

With the Chief Chamberlain off sick and in seclusion for several days, the Baroness’s expression was anything but pleasant. The only time her eyes seemed to regain some sharpness was when she stole glances at Elliope and shot her piercing looks.

“Viscount Elsen!”

When the hunting formation was finally set, the other retainers and knights called out to Kallian from Theodor’s side.

At the same time, Leanne was led to her designated group.

They gathered and chatted, their movements on horseback more resembling a leisurely picnic than a proper hunt.

“So, this time, Baron Modella…”

“That family is still the same?”

“Madame Mucelle must be disappointed. The Grand Duke recently got rid of his mistress…”

“And who do you think made him do it?”

“Ahaha.”

“Thanks to that, it’s like serving someone else a fully cooked stew.”

As gossip of all kinds continued to circulate, Elliope kept her distance from the group, quietly riding her horse without joining in the conversation.

Even if she wanted to join in, she wouldn’t be welcome – the noblewomen of the Grand Duke’s castle, led by Charlotte, had subtly but deliberately excluded her.

Since the incident with Theodor’s use of a drug, Charlotte had drawn a clear line between herself and Elliope.

‘I don’t care.’

Rejection was nothing new to her. Elliope did not feel particularly burdened or hurt by it.

The only thing that worried her today was Kallian, who once again had to follow Theodor around with a look on his face as if nothing was wrong.

‘And now I’m worried?’

Kallian had managed to hide his origins and stay at Theodor’s side the whole time. There was no reason for him to slip up now. But knowing the truth made it impossible for her not to worry.

As Elliope absentmindedly loosened and tightened her grip on the reins, a commotion broke out ahead.

“There! A fox!”

“Catch it, quick!”

“Look at that fur! This one’s mine!”

At Charlotte’s cry, the noblewomen rushed forward in a group, galloping after the fox.

Elliope couldn’t react immediately to their swift movement.

After all, she had only recently learned to ride.

Riding at such speed, or manoeuvring as effortlessly as they did, was still too difficult for her as a beginner.

“……”

In the end, Elliope was left behind, alone.