Chapter 5 – The King’s Scheme (Part 4)

Soon after, the carriage arrived at the Loden estate, where Killian left Julia waiting inside while he went to find Clive alone.

“What brings you here at this hour?”

It was the first time he had left his duty to come to the Loden estate, so Clive’s eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Do you know a woman named Julia?”

The moment he heard the name, Clive’s face turned pale yellow.

“I-I don’t know.”

“Do you really not know? That woman came to see me. With a child.”

“That’s not my child!”

“Just in case, I brought the child’s blood. So we can compare it with your blood, brother.”

“What? What did you bring? That’s a lie, it can’t be my child.”

“Your woman and son have come to the Loden estate to meet you. Are you still going to lie?”

Realizing that lying was no longer an option, Clive fell to his knees and begged with clasped hands.

“Please spare me. If Father finds out, I’m in big trouble!”

Having been severely punished for his wrongdoings since childhood, Clive was extremely afraid of Duke Loden. If he found out about the secret child, he wouldn’t let it go.

‘Live as you please, but don’t do anything that will hold me back.’

The last conversation the Duke of Loden had with Clive, as he gave up on him, was more of a warning.

“I don’t think there’s just one child… Speak honestly, and I’ll help you.”

“O-one child.”

“Really?”

At that moment, Killian’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“Ah! It’s not just one. There are two more!”

Frightened, Clive confessed honestly.

Three children…

If the Dveshi family found out, they would surely refuse to proceed with the marriage to Sophia. In the worst-case scenario, the existence of the children could be revealed at tomorrow’s wedding, causing it to be canceled.

Therefore, Clive needed to be dealt with first. Killian could handle the rest himself.

“I’ll give you the necessary funds, so do not show up at the wedding. If you do, I won’t tell Father you ran away.”

“You want me to run away?”

Clive looked bewildered.

“What will you do if I don’t run away?”

Killian looked at him with a cold gaze. Overwhelmed by the mere look, Clive trembled slightly.

“Okay, I’ll leave right now, so please don’t tell Father that I ran away!”

In the end, Clive accepted Killian’s proposal.

“Of course. Julia and her son are waiting in the carriage, so pack your things and leave with them.”

“Th-thank you!”

When Killian provided him with ample travel expenses to live comfortably elsewhere, Clive forced a bright smile and expressed his gratitude. Although his face still showed dissatisfaction, that was none of Killian’s concern. He simply nodded in response.

Although the matter with Clive was resolved, Killian didn’t feel at ease after threatening his brother. So he tried to offset his guilt by thinking that Clive and Sophia were not meant to be.

* * *

Awakening from his past thoughts, Killian looked down at the point where their bodies were joined and pressed gently on Sophia’s lower abdomen. He could tell just by touching that she was filled with him.

Sophia’s blushing face and her shallow breaths were so provocative that just watching her made his desire surge.

“W-when will it end?”

Her voice, mixed with air and sound, trembled due to her heavy breathing.

Seeing her cheeks flushed like peaches and her eyes brimming with tears, it was clear Sophia was embarrassed. Yet her entrance was tightly gripping him, refusing to let go.

A woman with the face of a lady but a body that contradicts it is indeed dangerous. Even with such thoughts, Killian couldn’t stop his movements.

Each forceful thrust drew out her clinging flesh. As moisture spread inside her, he could move more smoothly.

“Soon?”

“Really?”

He chuckled this time, seeing Sophia relieved by his lie.

“Do you really think it will end soon? It’s far from over.”

“Oh… wasn’t once enough?”

The expectation in her eyes quickly turned to disappointment. Her voice was filled with regret.

“Did you really want it to end after just once?”

He deliberately targeted her sensitive spots.

“Ah!”

Sophia’s body trembled, and a pitiful moan escaped her lips.

“Even with this?”

“Ah!”

Killian once again stirred the tender flesh. Sophia gripped the sheets tightly with both hands and shook her head.

Seeing that she no longer asked to stop, it seemed she quite liked his body as well.

With a satisfied smile on his lips, Killian put a little more strength into his body and pushed himself in. Each overwhelming wave of pleasure increased his pace. With every rough thrust, Sophia’s body shook in response.

He felt the impulse to explore her body all night long, but that feeling quickly faded.

Since it was her first time, he couldn’t be too forceful. Regrettably, he thought it best to finish after two more times, before his sadistic desires consumed him.

* * *

The next day, when Sophia opened her eyes, she found herself alone in bed. Seeing no sign of Killian anywhere in the room, it seemed he had gone for early morning training.

Even after tormenting her so thoroughly from last night until dawn, the fact that he still had energy left for training was truly impressive.

“He didn’t become the Knight Captain for nothing.”

Muttering softly, Sophia tried to sit up, but her body wouldn’t cooperate, likely due to the exertions of the previous night.

Groaning, she finally managed to lift her upper body and looked around the room. The space, which should have been filled with the traces of last night’s chaos, was impeccably tidy.

Even the sheets, which should have borne traces of blood, were spotless.

“Did he clean everything while I was asleep?”

She wondered if she had slept so deeply that she didn’t notice anyone entering the room. As she stared blankly at the bed, memories of the previous night suddenly flooded her mind, bringing a wave of embarrassment.

What do I do? I…

Hiding under the blanket, Sophia covered her face. She had crossed the final line, and her body was filled with that man.

Thinking about it made her face flush red.

The fact that she felt ecstasy underneath someone she disliked was so shameful that she didn’t have the courage to face Killian.

Even though there was plenty of time until she would see Killian again late at night, as all her tasks were completed, she was already filled with anxiety about meeting him.

What should I do? Should I just run away?

Running away was an option, but it wouldn’t solve anything. If she could have run away, she would have done so like Clive long ago.

So, for now, she needed to ponder her future actions while hiding under the blanket.

What should I say when I see him tonight? Surely he won’t ask for it again today, right?

With all kinds of thoughts swirling in her mind, Sophia tried to clear her head, but the more she thought, the more complicated it became.

* * *

Killian arrived at the mansion as darkness fell, as usual. Just hearing his footsteps approaching the bedroom made her heart race.

When the door opened with a knock, she felt like hiding somewhere, but she held back, thinking it would only make him more suspicious.

“Y-you’re back.”

However, she couldn’t completely hide her nervousness, so her voice trembled slightly. Worrying about experiencing the same thing as the previous night, her reaction came naturally.

Her sensitivity stemmed from being tormented by Killian all night, leaving her unable to leave the bed all day. Her body felt too heavy to do anything.

Even taking recovery potions didn’t help, which said it all.

So, if he demanded intimacy again, she planned to refuse outright, but the thought of bringing it up was so embarrassing that she feared hearing those words from Killian.

But what he said was entirely unexpected.

“If it’s okay with you, I plan to take a two-day leave.”

Why is he taking leave all of a sudden?

“Do you need my permission?”

At that moment, an indecent thought crept into Sophia’s mind. The idea of taking a two-day leave and asking for her permission made her fear that he intended to keep her in bed for two days straight.

“I want to spend that time going on a date with you. Just the two of us.”

However, the moment Sophia heard Killian’s words, she realized it was just her own misconception. While she felt relieved, she also felt a sense of shame, so she avoided his gaze and asked.

“What kind of date?”

“Since we haven’t had time alone together since we got married, I thought it would be nice to have a leisurely date together. Is that alright with you?”

Now that she thought about it, she had gone on a couple of dates with Clive, but never really spent such time with Killian, who was now her husband.

At the Loden household, she was busy with tasks assigned by the Duchess, and he never came to the bedroom. Here, she only saw him at night, so there wasn’t much time to talk.

Since it wasn’t an unpleasant suggestion, she was about to readily agree when she hesitated.

If we’re going to divorce anyway, is there a need to go on a date?

“If you don’t want to, let’s forget it. Please pretend you didn’t hear what I said.”

When Sophia hesitated and didn’t respond, Killian immediately withdrew his suggestion, and his slightly softened expression turned stern again.

“Oh, it’s just…”

Before she could even make a decision, he took back his words, leaving Sophia flustered. At the same time, she felt a bit disappointed that Killian retracted his offer so quickly.

To ease the current awkwardness, she needed time to talk with Lord Loden… If she refused now, he probably wouldn’t suggest a date again in the future, right?

After hesitating for a moment, Sophia gathered her courage and spoke.

“Y-yes. Let’s go on a date.”

Killian seemed momentarily surprised, as if he hadn’t expected her to accept, but then he let out a small laugh and raised one corner of his mouth.

“Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“No. I’ve been so preoccupied lately that I haven’t thought of any specific place.”

“Then I’ll choose the location. I’ll let you know the vacation dates once they’re decided.”

“Yes, alright.”

It was an opportunity to see Killian’s sense of taste, so Sophia nodded.

“You must be tired today, so please rest comfortably.”

After finishing the conversation, Killian kindly left so that Sophia could rest. It was the first time they used separate rooms after moving to this place.

Is he being considerate of me?

Sophia was relieved to escape the awkward situation. If they had shared intimacy again today, she would have surely been bedridden.

As the tension eased, sleepiness crept in, but so did worry.

She had agreed to the date to have a conversation, but she wasn’t confident about spending an entire day alone with Killian. It seemed like it would end with awkward silence rather than any meaningful conversation.

During her bridal training, she learned that couples grow closer after being intimate, but why did it feel like they were drifting apart?

Especially after spending the night with him, Killian only felt uncomfortable. She thought that if things continued like this, their relationship wouldn’t improve.

So, despite being exhausted, her worries kept her from falling asleep easily.

* * *

The next morning, the overwhelming feeling was slightly alleviated by the numerous gifts sent by the Dveshi family.

“Oh my, what is all this?”

“These are gifts from Duke Dveshi and the Duchess.”

The Duke and Duchess of Dveshi couldn’t visit because they were wary of Killian, the master of the house. So, they sent gifts to her instead, perhaps concerned that she might be lacking anything.

Under Victor’s instructions, the attendants carefully placed the gift boxes in Sophia’s bedroom. Sophia immediately untied the ribbons on the visible boxes to check their contents.

There were various kinds of meats, from bear, deer, to lamb, and many dresses in styles she usually liked.

Though they couldn’t have known about the date, there were also casual outfits that seemed perfect for her outing with Killian.

Feeling immensely grateful, Sophia immediately picked up a pen to write a letter. To reassure them that she was doing well.

But her hand paused as she wrote about being well.

“Am I really doing well?”

For some reason, Sophia couldn’t continue writing the letter. In this ambiguous situation, she couldn’t bring herself to lie.

Perhaps she would find the answer after her date with Killian. So, Sophia decided to postpone sending the letter to her parents.