Chapter 23 – At the Start of Winter (Part 2)

“W-Wait a moment. Here, huff…!”

Ria was utterly flustered. The situation had spiraled out of control just as they were nearing the villa!

“We couldn’t miss the opportunity while those two were late.”

“What do you mean—no, but still, who does this in a carriage!”

“We can’t stop the carriage and do it outside, can we?”

Honestly, that might not have been so bad. 

At Kahin’s calm remark, Ria gasped and squirmed. But her slender frame, already caught in the hands of two men, had no chance of escape. Moreover, the carriage was completely enclosed. Even if she somehow managed to slip away, there was nowhere to run.

In the blink of an eye, Kahin pulled Ria onto his lap and lifted her long skirt. As he spread his legs, Ria’s knees, resting on either side of his thighs, naturally parted as well.

Wait a moment…! 

Before Ria could even voice her protest, a rough hand pushed aside the thin fabric covering her lower body and slipped inside.

“Ah!”

Thick fingers parted the narrow space and rubbed against her sensitive flesh. Her body jolted, causing her already exposed, rounded br*asts to bounce. Kahin, who had been sucking and nibbling on her flushed peaks, took one into his mouth again.

As his tongue swirled around her, the walls of her inner core clenched tightly around his probing fingers. 

The earlier f*replay had left her drenched. When a second calloused finger entered and began to thrust, her juices splattered, soaking the velvet-covered seat of the carriage.

“Even while spilling this much, Miss, you still act so shy.”

Kahin, leaving red marks on her pale chest as he released her n*pple, chuckled lazily. 

Lately, he had become increasingly mischievous in bed—both in words and actions! Pretending to be a bear when he was really a sly fox! 

But Ria couldn’t refute his words. No, she couldn’t.

Whenever she tried to speak, the hands gripping her hips would tighten, and the fingers inside her would rub her inner walls more roughly. Ah, mmh! The words she wanted to say dissolved into heated moans.

She clung to his shoulders, panting heavily. How long had she been gasping like this? By the time four fingers were inside her, stretching and exploring her, they suddenly withdrew. She could feel the slickness of her own fluids dripping from her still-gaping entrance.

Her mind, hazy with pleasure before she could even climax, belatedly registered that the scenery outside the carriage had completely stopped moving.

Ria’s eyes widened.

Her sluggish brain slowly pieced together why the carriage had stopped. They had arrived at the villa.

Her face flushed with embarrassment. But before she could do anything, a hot, solid mass pressed against her lower body.

Startled like a cat caught off guard, Ria glanced down, but her view was obscured by her skirt. Yet, she couldn’t mistake what was pressing against her entrance.

Her wide brown eyes darted up to meet the owner of the invading object. Their gazes locked, and his green eyes, filled with desire, briefly disappeared behind lowered lids.

His lips curled into a smirk before capturing hers. At the same time, the thick shaft pushed its way inside.

“Mmgh!”

As the massive length filled her completely, Ria inhaled sharply, and his large hand soothingly patted her hips. A warm tongue slipped past her parted lips, exploring her mouth.

“Haa, mmh…”

Gripping her slender waist, he pressed her down, grinding the tip of his shaft against her deepest spot.

The tight, stretched walls clung to his pulsating girth, squeezing him snugly. Kahin exhaled a languid, heated breath as he spread her pale cheeks apart, leaving his handprints on her reddened skin.

His green eyes met Rune’s blue ones, which burned with the same heat.

“It’s fortunate the carriage is so spacious.”

Lifting Ria effortlessly, Kahin let only the tip of his length remain inside as he kissed her flushed cheek and whispered. Before she could grasp his meaning, her skirt was once again lifted, and something hot and firm pressed against her folds.

Ria stiffened, a dreadful suspicion forming in her mind. She turned her head sharply, only to have Rune seize the opportunity to kiss her.

“This—this isn’t right. At least wait until we’re inside…”

Realizing what was about to happen, Ria frantically shook her head. But the two, already consumed by l*st, paid her no heed.

“Yes, we’ll continue inside as well.”

Rune’s hand, already preparing her entrance, gently spread her inner walls. Slick and pliant, her body welcomed him, whether knowingly or not.

“We should make sure Ria’s belly is full before we disembark.”

Grinning softly, Rune pushed his thick shaft inside alongside Kahin’s, stretching her further.

“Ah…!”

The simultaneous intrusion left her gasping, unable to form coherent words. The sturdy carriage rocked violently under their relentless movements.

***

Ria could only step outside properly on the afternoon of the second day after their arrival.

Once in the carriage, and then several times again after entering the villa. She had been so thoroughly worn out from accommodating them that by nightfall, Eden and Cherta, who had arrived late, looked at her with aggrieved expressions, as if to ask how she could have done such a thing without them.

Seeing their expressions through her hazy, exhausted eyes, Ria felt even more wronged. Who would willingly want to go through that?

However, her body, now completely drained and pliant, couldn’t even resist Eden and Cherta as they eagerly claimed their turn.

In the end, she had no choice but to accommodate them several more times.

She didn’t even know when she fell asleep after that. What was certain was that she had collapsed as if she had fainted. When Ria finally woke up, clutching her aching waist, the sunlight was streaming brightly through the curtains.

By now, Ria had a rough sense of how much time had passed. Since she had woken up once or twice during her sleep to accommodate them again without rest, she figured at least two days must have passed. …Though she was still incredulous when she was told it had indeed been two days.

They had promised to see the ocean and enjoy fresh seafood dishes, yet here she was, confined to the bedroom without even stepping outside. It was enough to make her question whether this trip had been planned for that purpose all along.

So, when they brought her food, she immediately took the initiative.

She declared that no matter what, she would see the ocean today. If not, she would simply sleep alone.

By now, Ria had learned how to handle them to some extent and was confident her method would work. Indeed, they nodded repeatedly with troubled faces.

After eating the food they had brought, washing her already clean body once more, and stepping outside, she found the once-blazing sun beginning to set.

The southern region, known for its mild winters, lived up to its reputation. The breeze was pleasantly cool, just the right temperature. Ria inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh outdoor air that felt like her first in ages, and began walking. Her steps, filled with excitement, quickened, prompting Eden to quickly catch up and take her hand.

Kahin then joined her side, opening a parasol to shield her from the sun, while Cherta and Rune, who had been speaking to Diharn, promptly followed behind them.

The ocean was within walking distance from the villa.

Perhaps because of this, it wasn’t long before the salty, briny scent of the sea began to mingle with the air. Ria urged them to hurry.

Soon, they arrived at an emerald-colored sea.

The gently lapping waves, the sunlight sparkling on the water’s surface, and the fine, sandy beach added to the breathtaking scenery.

Ria let out a small gasp of admiration at the view, which exceeded her expectations. It was the most beautiful sea she had ever seen.

Just as she had done when she first saw the forest lake, she took in every detail of the ocean’s scenery. As always, the four men etched her image into their minds as if engraving it.

Before long, their footprints began to dot the sandy beach. Their shoes were neatly placed in a spot safe from the waves.

Ria had insisted that one could only truly experience the ocean by walking barefoot on the sand. Though unfamiliar with the idea, the four men obediently complied without a word, like well-trained puppies.

The private beach, now their personal property, was serene.

The sound of the occasional waves and the soft crunch of sand underfoot formed the backdrop, occasionally interspersed with their laughter.

They dipped their feet in the cold seawater, playfully pushed each other, and picked out pretty seashells embedded in the sand by the waves.

Before they knew it, the sky was painted with the colors of sunset.

The emerald sea, now bathed in warm hues, presented a new kind of beauty.

Ria stopped in her tracks, staring blankly at the scene.

A myriad of thoughts crossed her mind. Among them, she couldn’t deny that some were about Korea.

After all, it was the place where she had lived for over twenty years.

Even if her true origin lay with the divine, and the place where she was first born was by the side of the gods, the world she first saw and lived in after opening her eyes was Korea. She would likely consider it her hometown until the day she died.

Now, her resolve to live her life here, by their side, was unwavering. Even if someone offered to send her back to Korea, she would refuse without hesitation. Yet, the word “hometown” carried a sense of longing and poignancy.

And above all, there was one person—her grandfather, whom she had buried there. Not being able to visit his resting place weighed on her heart. He was the only person in Korea she had considered family, and she knew she would miss him for the rest of her life.

Ria slowly closed her eyes, trying to shake off the sentimental thoughts, then opened them again.

That was when something cold touched the bridge of her nose.

Blinking rapidly, Ria extended her hand, palm facing upward, and tilted her head back. Her wide, round eyes grew even larger.

“…It’s snowing.”

One by one, small snowflakes began to fall from the sky. Soon, they multiplied, becoming visible even to the n*ked eye.

As Ria stood there, staring at the snow falling over the ocean, something was draped over her shoulders. It was Cherta’s jacket.

“Cherta, it’s snowing.”

Ria murmured, her brown eyes sparkling with wonder. Cherta chuckled softly and nodded, unable to hide the warmth in his heart.

No matter how warm the southern region was in winter, it had never snowed there before. This snowfall was clearly artificial.

The court mages had likely been worked to the bone to create this.

After all, these were the same mages who had been utterly drained—down to their very souls—when crafting the magic stones for teleportation.

But as always, their superiors paid little mind to their subordinates’ hardships. The four men, their faces adorned with gentle smiles, gazed at her with eyes brimming with affection.

“Ria.”

Eventually, Rune called her name and gently took her left hand, which had been catching snowflakes. A moment later, he slid something onto her fourth finger.

It was a ring, set with a black diamond.

When Ria looked at him with wide, astonished eyes, Rune cleared his throat, his face visibly tense, and spoke.

“I’m not trying to pressure you. It’s just… as I said when we watched the fireworks, you are my blessing—my only light.”

His words, uncharacteristically rambling, trailed off. Rune paused, exhaled, and ran a hand over his neck. His palms were already damp with sweat from nervousness.

“So….”

Biting his lip briefly, he met her unwavering brown eyes with his own warm, blue gaze.

“Stay by my side forever.”

His blue eyes, filled with warmth, held only her. His slightly upturned lips softened his gaze.

But his body, tense with anticipation for her response, remained stiff. The three others, also waiting for Ria’s answer, were no different.

Before the trip, they had argued over who would be the one to place the ring on her finger. Now, they were united in their hope.

Ria looked at the ring on her left hand, then at Rune, Eden, Kahin, and Cherta, who all wore expressions of nervous anticipation.

An indescribable emotion surged within her chest.

As she had been dwelling on memories of her past and feeling stuck, they had once again reached out and pulled her forward, speaking of the future.

From the very beginning, they had never wavered.

Their love, given and given again, was as vast and deep as the endless ocean.

How could she reject such devotion? How could she not accept it?

Even if she were told to let go now, she knew she never could.

“…Yes.”

A warm sensation filled her eyes. She was so happy, so overjoyed, that tears welled up.

“I’ll stay by your side forever.”

Ria, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, smiled brightly and embraced them. The overwhelming emotion swelling in her chest made one thing abundantly clear:

Just as they had always said she was their blessing, they were hers too.