Chapter 3: Thorny Path (Part 5)

“….”

As Sophia remained silent, a heavy silence filled the bedroom. The first to break it was Killian, who had been lost in thought.

“Are you thinking of your kiss with my brother? Is it because my kiss is inferior?”

His eyes gleamed at that moment. Like a wild beast, his fierce gaze left her breathless.

What on earth is he talking about?

Killian’s sudden words were bewildering. She should deny it, but his overwhelming presence left her speechless again.

“Tell me.”

The vivid memory of him cutting someone down surfaced in her mind, causing Sophia to let out a strained breath.

“W-what is it that you want from me?”

Sophia’s voice trembled slightly with fear.

“Ah, what I want…. There’s a lot.”

A lot? 

Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer.

She had nothing to offer that man. She had almost nothing, so what could he possibly want from her?

“W-What do you want?”

“Ha.”

Instead of answering, he laughed. Just hearing his laughter made it feel like her breath was catching in her throat. His smile wasn’t gentle—it was chilling enough to make all the hair on her body stand on end.  

S-scary. I need to run away. If I stay here, I’ll die.  

When the man came closer, she wanted to run, but her body wouldn’t move as she wanted, perhaps because she was too full of fear. Instead, Sophia’s gaze fixed on the sword at his waist.  

Is he going to kill me? No way…. He wouldn’t do that, considering the family’s honor.  

Even if it was the family’s will, there was no reason for this man to suddenly take her as his bride. Who would force a marriage with a woman they despised?  

So when deciding to get married, there had to be a reason. Since it was likely a reason that wouldn’t be pleasant for Sophia, it was only natural that she was afraid of him.

After holding her breath for a long time, Sophia finally closed her eyes tightly. She thought it would be better to avoid those fiery red eyes.  

But even with her eyes closed, she could feel the man quietly approaching like a shadow, and her body began to tremble on its own.  

She naturally expected a cold sensation to brush past her neck. His sword was faster than the wind, so he could easily cut her throat in the blink of an eye.

But it wasn’t like that. Contrary to her expectations, something soft touched her lips. When Sophia, startled by the unfamiliar sensation, opened her eyes, she was shocked to find herself sharing a kiss with the man before her.  

Her body stiffened, and her heart began to pound in her chest at the unexpected situation.  

Why on earth am I kissing this man? Didn’t he hate me?  

No matter how much she thought about it, Sophia couldn’t understand the situation, so she had no choice but to remain standing still.

There was something else she couldn’t understand about this situation. It was that the kiss with the man wasn’t unpleasant.

She thought his lips would be cold, like the aura he usually exuded, but they weren’t. His lips were warm and soft. They even had a refreshing scent that made her feel good.

I should push him away….

While she hesitated, the moment she felt a soft sensation inside her mouth, Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise.

He-he put his tongue in. He must be crazy!

It wasn’t that she hadn’t received any s*x education. But what she learned from her tutor was  “how to kiss a loving husband,” not how to handle a forced kiss with a man she would eventually divorce.

So she wanted to refuse, but as his tongue delved deeply and explored her mouth, sucking harshly, her strength kept draining away, making it impossible.

When Killian’s hand wrapped around her waist, her dazed mind returned to clarity. Sophia hurriedly pushed against his firm chest.

Even though she was lacking in strength, Killian’s body was pushed back.

“Haa, haa.”

Breathing heavily, Sophia glared at him.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Since we are now officially a couple, I just wanted to do something a couple would do.”

“An official couple?”

“Yes. Didn’t we become a couple yesterday?”

“We’re an arranged couple. Is there a need to do things like a couple?”

“Whether arranged or not, you are now my wife. So is there a problem?”

When there was no response, he insisted on an answer again. The faint smile that had been on his lips vanished instantly, and even the atmosphere turned cold.

Sophia couldn’t understand why he was reacting so excessively when she had never kissed Clive. She didn’t even know why he was angry now.

“I-I haven’t kissed him.”

She didn’t know why she had to explain herself, but there was no reason not to answer, so Sophia forced her reluctant lips to move and replied.

“If you had shared your first kiss with my brother, I would have gone to him immediately and put a sword to his neck, but I’m glad that’s not the case.”

“What?”

His words were incomprehensible, implying that if she had kissed him, he might have committed murder.

Weren’t the brothers on good terms?

She knew Clive was a wicked person, but Killian’s words were too extreme. Besides, was it normal for the head of the Imperial Knights to consider killing his brother just because of a kiss with her?

Sophia thought she might have misheard. But seeing the murderous intent in Killian’s eyes, she realized that wasn’t the case.

Why is he acting like this?

Everything was incomprehensible. Killian spoke to her, who couldn’t understand how the situation was unfolding.

“Today, I intend to end things with just a kiss.”

Seeing his eyes, it didn’t seem like a lie, so Sophia’s tense body relaxed a bit. However, the word “today” bothered her, so she felt she needed to address it.

“Not just today, but there’s no need for that in the future either.  We aren’t a true couple….”

She was afraid to meet Killian’s gaze, but she slowly and clearly expressed her thoughts.

“I believe I mentioned earlier. Whether formal or unexpected, the conclusion is that we are a married couple.”

“I can’t accept that.”

Even as she refuted Killian’s words, Sophia watched his reaction. His face was expressionless.

That made it even more frightening, and just waiting for him to speak made Sophia feel like her insides were burning.

After a short silence, he chuckled and said,

“Are you rejecting me because you’re thinking of divorcing me?”

Though he was smiling, his eyes looking at Sophia were chilling. Her mouth felt dry, and she swallowed slowly.

When she couldn’t respond out of fear, he continued speaking.

“Well, it’s only natural to want a divorce since you had an unwanted marriage. Are you planning to get engaged to another man immediately after our divorce?”

“… “

“For instance, the young lord of Valkeres.”

The familiar name made Sophia’s face turn pale as Killian’s lips, which seemed to be smiling for a moment, hardened and his red eyes flashed.

At that moment, she was sure. When he had cut her necklace before, it was deliberate. It was strange for him to swing his sword just because of a bug; there was indeed another reason.

Her suspicion turned into certainty, but that didn’t change the situation. Instead, she couldn’t understand that man’s mind even more.

If the conversation continued like this, it seemed the situation would turn unfavorable for Sophia, so she hurriedly changed the subject.

“You didn’t want to marry me either. You must have someone you like, right?”

Knowing he had feelings for Lady Aeri, Sophia pretended not to know and probed Killian vaguely.

“I do have someone I’ve harbored feelings for a long time.”

As expected, he didn’t deny liking someone. Yet, he didn’t avert his gaze from Sophia.

In that case, shouldn’t he refrain from such actions even more? 

She wanted to say, but Killian’s gaze was so intense that she couldn’t utter a word.

Since Killian also remained silent, another silence fell between them, and this time Sophia spoke first.

“That’s good news. We should get divorced so you can marry that woman.”

“… “

Again, Killian didn’t respond.

What is it? Why isn’t he saying anything all of a sudden?

As Sophia’s eyes narrowed, Killian unexpectedly spoke.

“I have no intention of divorcing you.”

“What?”

“You might have entered this marriage thinking of divorce, but unless His Majesty orders otherwise, I will never pursue a divorce.”

Ah…

At that moment, Sophia thought something was wrong with her marriage.

That stubborn man was someone who acted according to the king’s orders. So it was clear he wouldn’t defy his words and would instead strive to fulfill his given duties diligently.

That meant he would also see marriage as one of the tasks to complete, so Killian would never mention divorce to the king first.

Does that mean my plan for divorce is doomed?

Sophia, who had secretly hoped he would be a romantic, had her expectations for divorce brutally crushed.

Would it hurt to be a bit more proactive about love?

Realizing her hope was gone, Sophia’s body slumped. Meanwhile, Killian unexpectedly spoke again.

“It’s a bit disappointing.”

“What is?”

“One of the conditions of our marriage is to have a child, but your actions show you’re not prepared at all.”

Though she wasn’t prepared, she couldn’t let him discover her plan to find grounds for divorce.

“I’ve learned diligently!”

“Can you guarantee it? Seeing how clumsy you are with a kiss, I’m increasingly doubtful about how well you’ve learned.”

Sophia’s heart skipped a beat, feeling as if her lie had been exposed. It was true that she hadn’t received proper s*x education.