Chapter 6 – Changes in Relationship (Part 2)

“Mmm.”

When Sophia came to her senses, she was in the forest, locked in Killian’s embrace, kissing him.

Apparently, one brief kiss on the boat hadn’t been enough for him. He had taken her to a nearby secluded forest to kiss her again.

With a force that seemed determined not to miss a single drop of saliva or breath, Sophia found herself repeatedly pushed against a tree.

Each time, the flowers blooming on the tree fell like flower rain, creating a romantic atmosphere.

Of course, Killian’s kiss was far from romantic. Initially, it was just a touch of the lips, but soon it became an intense kiss that seemed to draw out all of Sophia’s breath.

As their hot breaths mingled, Sophia’s body heated up. She wanted to be closer to Killian and kiss him more deeply. Just kiss.

However, there was something that kept interrupting her feelings.

The problem was what was touching between her spread legs. Each time something hard rubbed between her legs, a strange emotion welled up.

That place, fully aroused, was telling her that he wanted her. Sophia was unsure how to process the awareness of a man’s desire.

At this moment, she felt that it might be okay to accept him. It might not be so bad to be filled with Killian.

Even as Killian’s hand traveled down her soft curves, Sophia did not resist. Instead, she pulled him closer by the neck, signaling her consent.

At this moment, she thought it might be okay to give in to lustful desires. After all, sometimes it’s not bad to succumb to sweet temptations.

But when she suddenly heard a person’s voice, Sophia’s reason returned.

What am I doing? This is insane.

She hurriedly pushed against Killian’s chest. He retreated willingly, stepping back.

By then, the voice had disappeared, leaving only their heavy breathing and the sounds of nature echoing in the forest.

Sophia looked at Killian with a somewhat empty expression. His eyes were still flickering with desire.

She quickly averted her gaze. If she continued to meet his eyes, it felt like the boundary she had drawn between herself and Killian would crumble.

Even if she could excuse it once due to the potion’s effects, this time was different. If they were to become physically involved now, it would mean it was her own will. So she had to refuse while she still had her senses.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do this.”

After rejecting Killian, Sophia walked first in the direction of the carriage. He silently nodded and followed her.

Inside the carriage, the heavy atmosphere lingered until they returned to the mansion.

However, with another date planned for tomorrow, they couldn’t let this mood persist. After spending such a pleasant time today, they couldn’t end on an awkward note.

“I really enjoyed today. I mean it.”

Sophia broke the uncomfortable silence between them.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Killian replied in a polite tone, and the awkward tension between them eased. Although no further conversation took place, the atmosphere in the room became noticeably calmer.

The next day, Killian took Sophia to a vast meadow on the outskirts of the capital.

“I originally thought of taking you to a hunting ground, but I chose horseback riding instead because I thought you might not like it.”

“That’s right. I’m not fond of hunting. Did you hear that from my brother, Liam?”

Sophia looked puzzled, as if wondering how he knew.

“Yes. I was told you might faint if taken to a hunting ground, so I hesitated for a moment.”

“Why did you hesitate?”

“Because I thought you might rely on me a lot, given how scared you’d be.”

Since it wasn’t entirely untrue, Sophia let out a small laugh. She had thought Killian to be a rigid and uninteresting man, but it turned out she was mistaken. Since yesterday, she’d realized that Killian was more entertaining than she had thought.

“What a pity, then?”

“There will be plenty of opportunities, so it’s fine.”

Killian smiled and, standing in front of a prepared horse, extended his hand courteously. It was a gesture for her to mount the horse.

Sophia approached the horse carefully and, with his help, climbed onto it. Once he confirmed she was securely mounted, Killian got on the horse next to hers and began to ride slowly.

The horse, which started at a slow pace, gradually picked up speed. Although Sophia was confident in her riding skills, she hadn’t decided on a direction, so she simply followed Killian.

Riding through the invigorating space of the wide meadow gave her a sense of freedom. The awkwardness from the previous day completely disappeared, leaving her feeling refreshed.

“Whoa, whoa.”

After galloping for a while, Killian stopped his horse first and waited for Sophia to halt. As she stopped and followed him, a breathtaking view of a lake unfolded before her eyes, eliciting a spontaneous exclamation of admiration from her.

The sunlight sparkled on the water’s surface, and the cool breeze dried the beads of sweat on her forehead.

The beauty wasn’t limited to the lake. Surrounding it were vibrant, colorful flowers in full bloom, capturing her gaze.

“Would you like to rest here for a while?”

When Sophia nodded slightly, Killian dismounted with a graceful and elegant motion and approached to assist her.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Killian placed his hands on Sophia’s waist and gently set her down on the ground. Then he laid out a blanket he had prepared and gestured for her to sit on it.

As she sat on the blanket as instructed, she could see the colorful flowers swaying in the breeze beside her. The petals, carried by the wind, tickled her cheeks like flower rain.

While she was smiling broadly, a butterfly fluttered over and gently landed on the back of her hand. Just that small gesture brought Sophia immense joy.

Feeling peaceful, a smile naturally appeared on Sophia’s lips. Seeing this, Killian, who had been watching her intently, cautiously opened his mouth to speak.

“I apologize for yesterday.”

“No, it’s fine. You were just trying to fulfill your duties as a husband.”

“I didn’t think you would dislike it.”

“It’s not that I dislike it, but our relationship is still awkward.”

“I’ll be more careful in the future.”

She didn’t mind his considerate attitude, aiming to avoid making her uncomfortable. Starting with yesterday’s conversation, Sophia engaged in various discussions with Killian today as well. Today’s topic was about their families.

“My brother Liam has the best personality among our family. He looks at people without prejudice, which is probably why he gets along well with you, right?”

“I’m well aware of that. He’s gentle and humble, so many knights follow him.”

“I figured there would be many people around him. Sir Loden, do you have many knights who follow you?”

“I’m not the type to easily let people get close, so not as much as Liam.”

Sophia nodded, understanding that his demeanor didn’t easily invite closeness. His cold impression likely played a part.

Not just Killian, but everyone in the Loden family seemed to have personalities that didn’t easily open up to others. Except for one, the family’s anomaly, Clive.

As they talked, Sophia suddenly became curious about the Loden family. She began to wonder if, as her second brother had mentioned, they might not all be bad.

“What are the Loden family members like? You all seem a bit cold from the outside.”

“My family members aren’t the warmest personalities, so they might seem aloof at first glance. But if you observe the Loden family closely, you’ll feel the strong bond among us.”

“Who is the most affectionate? Who could I possibly get close to?”

Even though she thought there might be no one, Sophia asked Killian.

“My mother.”

The Duchess of Loden?

Anyone from the Loden family would be surprising, but the Duchess of Loden was especially unexpected. She was the person who had tormented Sophia the most while she stayed with the Loden family, so how could she possibly get close to her?

“Mother may seem stern on the outside, but she’s warm-hearted.”

Warm-hearted?

Sophia recalled how the Duchess of Loden had behaved during her brief stay with the Loden family.

What stood out most in her memory was how the Duchess ignored her greetings. Based on that alone, she didn’t seem warm inside, but upon further thought, Killian’s words might not be entirely wrong.

Although the Duchess had given Sophia many tasks, she had never mistreated her. While she hadn’t explicitly praised her, she had said words that were close to praise. If she were truly a malicious person, she would have picked on Sophia for everything and gotten angry, but she had never acted that severely.

Sophia had always thought she was being harassed for no reason, so she hadn’t deeply considered the Duchess of Loden’s behavior. But now, looking back, she thought there might have been a reason behind the harassment.

Are the Loden family not all bad?