Chapter 1 (Part 23)

Since that day, Eden has visited Astina’s castle every day. Rune was annoyed but didn’t stop him, so Ria naturally spent more time with the both of them.

“Ria, do you like it?”

“Yes! I like spicy food.”

Today, the three of them had lunch together in the garden where flowers were in full bloom. When Eden saw Ria’s plate of food, he asked. The color of the food was so bright red that he was immediately concerned.

But Ria didn’t seem to mind and instead picked up her fork with a gleam in her eye.

The food in this world suited her palate better than she had expected, but occasionally, she longed for the spiciness she was used to. Because she liked spicy food so much. 

Sometimes, she couldn’t resist reaching for the food she was used to eating. Eventually, unable to resist, she asked fervently to the head chef yesterday, requesting a spicy spaghetti, explaining the flavor and recipe in detail.

As she rolled an appropriate amount on her fork and put it in her mouth, the spicy taste enveloped her tongue. Her appetite quickly returned, and her mouth was watering.

It was because she knew she couldn’t get the same ingredients, so she didn’t have high expectations, but even though it wasn’t as spicy as the noodles she enjoyed in Korea, she was still satisfied. The chef’s skill was excellent, and this dish, as it was, tasted delicious.

“Eden, do you want to try it?”

“I’m fine. You enjoy it, Ria.”

Eden, observing Ria enjoying a dish he had never seen before, found it fascinating. The fact that it was similar to what was common in her world piqued his interest. He wanted to know every little thing about her.

Rune, on the other hand, had eaten with her once when he’d gone to Korea, so he was quite familiar with it. He still didn’t know why Ria liked it, but he figured if she liked it, it must be good. It was just that it was very spicy to his own mouth, and he was worried that it might upset her stomach, so he shouldn’t let her eat it too often.

“What else do you like?”

“Well, I like sweet desserts and spicy food… I don’t think I have any particular dislikes. Oh, I don’t like cucumbers.”

Just thinking about it made Ria frown slightly. Even that sight seemed cute to the two men, and they laughed while asking for the reason.

“Why?”

“Uh-huh. I don’t like the smell… When I was young, I had a bad experience with it, and it turned out I had an allergy.”

“… Bad experience?”

“Yeah. My throat swelled up, and it was hard to breathe… Anyway, it was really tough. In severe cases, they say you can die, but luckily, it didn’t go that far.”

However, her subsequent words made the full smiles on their faces disappear instantly. What they thought was just a cute tantrum of picky eating turned out to be something else entirely. The words “You can die” echoed in their minds.

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier? What if you accidentally ate it?”

“I usually avoid it, and cucumber-related dishes aren’t served here often.”

“Is there anything else dangerous?”

“Nope. Other than that, I’m fine.”

The two men decided that they needed to make all cucumber-related ingredients and dishes disappear from the mansion immediately.

“Besides food, what else do you like?”

“Cute things, pretty things? I like animals. I like flowers too. I like everything but gross and scary things.”

Their frozen expressions softened again at the sound of Ria’s voice as she continued. It’s funny how all her favorite things are cute and adorable like her. Somehow, their tastes are going to change to cute and pretty.

The two pairs of eyes on her softened even more. Their definition of cute and lovely preferences solely referred to Ria. Throughout their lives, there was nothing cuter, lovelier, or more adorable than her – they didn’t even pay attention to anything else.

“Anything else?”

“Hmm?”

“Anything else you like?”

“Umm, no. I don’t think I do anymore.”

“Don’t I count?”

Rune asked, jaw set, grabbing the end of her hair, and pressing his lips against them. Ria blinked at the unexpected question, while on the other side, Eden took her hand, gently pulling it towards him, and pressing his lips to the back of her hand, asking the same thing.

“How about me?”

Behind the fluttering eyelids, a lurking obsession subtly revealed itself. Ria, shivering with an unknown sense of embarrassment, avoided their gaze.

They pressed their lips until she answered. As Ria blushed like a rose about to bloom, she answered softly.

“Not really… no…”

It wasn’t the satisfying answer they were looking for, but since she didn’t say she disliked them, it was enough for them. They pulled their lips away from her hair and the back of her hand.

But their obsessive questioning didn’t end there. They leaned down to her ear and asked simultaneously as if they had planned it in advance.

“What about my c*ck?”

Ria’s face blazed up instantly. The flush creeping up her earlobe and the pale nape of her neck ignited their desire intensely. Just before the obsession turned into lust, Ria abruptly stood up from her seat.

“What, what are you saying?! I’m going in!”

It’s still lunchtime, and I have nothing to say! 

They grinned mischievously at Ria, who was rushing around and gently seated her again. Rune rolled some pasta onto his fork and offered it to Ria, apologizing.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to tease you because you’re cute.”

“Finish your meal before you go. So we can catch you again soon, healthy and ready to be devoured.”

“Ugh… Don’t say that.”

A few days ago, the two who couldn’t stand each other were surprisingly getting along well. Ría took a deep sigh and drank water to cool down.

Watching her from behind, Kahin’s grip tightened involuntarily. The skin on the back of his hand stretched taut from the clenched fist, with veins protruding. His palm, calloused from the daily grasp of his sword, was bleeding from the nails that dug in with such force.

It wasn’t just Rune who had conflicting feelings of worry and joy when Ria came to this world and couldn’t move her legs. Kahin also felt joy at being able to see her every day now. It was a joy he could live with, even if it meant he’d only be standing next to his master.

But the greed of man knows no bounds. 

Every time he saw her in his master’s embrace, every time the Duke of Carlisle approached her, Kahin’s chest tightened more and more. Swallowing breaths as if they were being squeezed out of him, he endured the pain, feeling the agony of having to watch over it all.

And then the Duke of Carlisle had her. It couldn’t be ignored. Rumors had spread throughout the mansion from the moment the physician diagnosed her.

She was the center of everyone’s attention at the manor. Behind their backs, they whispered anxiety and worry, wondering what would happen if she were to leave for the Duke of Carlisle’s estate.

In the midst of his darkening vision and clenching jaw, Kahin gritted his teeth. Until his jaw ached, and even after. In the countless nights where he poured out his desire with unwavering loyalty, the guilt from it, the desire that surged to possess what he couldn’t, tangled and exploded until it finally erupted.

And in that moment of exploding tangled emotions, the thoughts that filled his mind were neither loyalty to his master nor guilt. There was only a lustful longing, a desire that, having accepted two, she might as well accept one more.

From then on, the thought of her being his lord’s woman gradually faded from his mind. Only the instinct to possess her grew rapidly.

It was becoming unbearable. If this continued, he was going to lose her.