Chapter 3.1 – The First Night After a Year

The atmosphere on the way back to the mansion was completely different from when they went to Earl Stein’s party.

The air was icy cold, as if they were walking on a frozen winter lake—tense and precarious.

‘What is this…?’

Epona couldn’t understand why Karos’s expression was so frighteningly stern. She would have preferred him to smile for no reason. But now, Karos looked darker and more dangerous than ever.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Epona slowly recalled everything that happened at the party. During the short conversation Karos had with Earl Stein, she couldn’t remember doing anything that could have upset him.

She was about to ask if she had made a mistake when the carriage stopped—they had already arrived at the mansion. Karos offered his hand to help her out, just as he had at the party, but his touch felt cold.

She suppressed a sigh, but suddenly felt Karos’s intense gaze. She looked up, and there he was, as if he had been watching her from the start.

The moment their eyes met, Epona drew a sharp breath and hunched her shoulders. Normally, she would have found his red eyes beautiful, but tonight they seemed ready to devour her.

‘Why…?’

Why?

Epona wanted to ask why he looked so uncomfortable—no, so displeased. But before she could, Karos grabbed her hand and led her into the mansion, almost dragging her.

“W-wait. Can you slow down a bit…?”

Epona pleaded, struggling to keep up with Karos’s quick steps. But he didn’t seem to hear her, and didn’t slow down.

“Where are we going…?”

Bang.

The sound of the door slamming shut drowned out her voice.

Pitch-black night, not a single ray of light. Only after her eyes adjusted to the darkness did Epona realize where Karos had brought her.

“This is…”

The bridal chamber. A year ago, she had spent the night here alone because her husband hadn’t come. She felt as if all the blood in her body was draining out through her feet.

She tried to hide her trembling hands in her sleeves and leave, but Karos blocked her way.

“Please move.”

She spoke each word with effort, unable to meet his eyes. But Karos didn’t move. When she tried to push him aside and leave, Karos spoke.

“I’ll let you go as you wish after we finish talking. Please sit.”

Even his attempt to calm her carried a fierce undertone. Realizing this, Epona clenched her hands and looked up at Karos.

“That’s good. I have something to say too.”

Her grip tightened as if holding onto her lifeline.

“Do you remember what I said before?”

“What do you mean?”

Epona bit her lip, feeling tears threatening to spill.

“If, someday, you meet someone you truly love and wish to marry that person…….”

I would leave then.

She only needed to say this one last thing, but for some reason, her throat was blocked. She struggled to force out the words when she felt his sharp gaze.

Startled, she looked up and met Karos’s eyes. His lips were curved in a smile, but his eyes were not smiling at all.

“I don’t understand why you still say such things, Madame.”

“Huh?”

“Now and in the future, I will never marry anyone else.”

“What do you mean….”

Then what was that scene she saw before?

Before she could even be confused, Karos gently took Epona’s hand.

“That applies to you as well, Madame.”

“…”

Something was wrong.

But she couldn’t figure out what, and she was confused.

Karos looked down at Epona’s flustered face and tilted his lips in a sly smile.

“No matter what, it was too much to use me as an excuse.”

“What…?”

“Thinking poorly of our marriage.”

Karos slowly bent down to meet her eyes, and Epona stepped back. But his large hand held her wrist, preventing escape.

And—

“You are my wife.”

Just a hand’s span away.

So close their lips could touch with a slight movement.

Epona stared blankly, as if entranced, then finally came to her senses.

“Me? I’ve never thought that…”

“The brooch.”

“What?”

“Where is it?”

His relentless tone made Epona look away.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I heard everything from the maid.”

‘No way…’

Epona finally realized what Karos was talking about—the brooch she had prepared as a wedding anniversary gift.

“I’ll ask again. Where is that emerald brooch?”

“T-that…”

Pressed by his voice, Epona clamped her mouth shut.

‘No.’

Karos must never find out. Until the day she leaves, her feelings must never hold him back.

“I gave it to someone else…”

She bit her lip, feeling tears welling up. But Karos gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. The moment their eyes met, Epona felt breathless.

Karos’s twisted face looked as if he were about to cry.

“Did you really give it to that man?”

‘That man?’

But Karos didn’t seem to expect an answer. He smiled bitterly.

“If only you’d lied. You’re so honest.”

“I…”

“I was willing to be fooled.”

Karos’s eyes grew wet, as if tears might fall at any moment. Epona slowly raised her hand to wipe them, but then lowered it.

Karos watched everything and let out a hollow laugh. Soon, a cold smile spread across his lips.

“Come to think of it, there’s still something left for us to do, isn’t there?”

“Something left?”

The already dark room seemed to grow even darker. Sensing the ominous atmosphere, Epona cautiously stepped back, but Karos only drew closer.

“What else would a married couple do in the bridal chamber?”

“What? N-no, I…”

The situation was getting dangerous. She knew she needed to escape, but kept stumbling backward. Eventually, she hit something and collapsed—it was the bed. Before she could get up, Karos leaned over her, placing his hands on the bed, trapping her.

Karos in front, the bed behind. There was nowhere to run.

“The night we missed back then. Let’s have it now.”

With those words, Karos gently laid Epona on the bed. His eyes burned fiercely, but his touch was endlessly gentle.

Their lips drew closer. She couldn’t refuse. Epona closed her eyes.

The sensation of their lips meeting startled her, and she gripped Karos’s shoulder tightly. When she unconsciously parted her lips, Karos’s hot tongue slipped inside.

“W-wait… Hng…”

The unfamiliar sensation made her tense. Karos caressed her cheek soothingly as he persistently kissed her, tangling their tongues and nibbling her lower lip, making Epona unable to suppress her moans.

“Mm…”

Even when she tried to push his arm away because she was breathless, Karos didn’t let go. Instead, he kissed her deeper, and Epona’s eyes grew hot.

“Please… stop…”

It was strange. The sensation of him desperately wanting to get closer, the way he touched her as if he needed her. Everything was unfamiliar, and Epona wanted to push Karos away.

But perhaps annoyed, Karos pinned Epona’s hands above her head. Then, his firm knee slipped between her slender legs.

“Even if you cry, I won’t stop.”

Karos wiped Epona’s tears with the back of his hand, then slowly got off the bed. She felt both relieved and oddly disappointed.

“W-what are you doing…!”

She was too surprised to speak properly. Karos knelt on one knee on the floor, pulled Epona’s legs toward him, and traced his large hand up her pale leg from her ankle.

“Young Master…”

Whenever his warm palm brushed her thigh, Epona didn’t know what to do and grabbed Karos’s wrist. She looked up at him with tearful eyes, pleading, but Karos only smiled faintly.

“I told you I wouldn’t stop.”

His large hand moved under her dress. In panic, Epona desperately tried to push Karos’s shoulder away.

“N-no…”

“Why not?”

“Because…”

There was no real reason. They were married.

But her remaining rationality screamed that this was wrong.

Searching for some reason, Epona looked up at Karos, who smiled gently.

“We’re a couple brought together by the Goddess herself.”

Silver hair shining in the moonlight, half-lidded red eyes, and a smoothly lifted smile.

She was briefly mesmerized by his sly grin, then suddenly felt a chill below. When she came to, Karos had already lifted her dress up to her waist and was looking down at her.

“D-don’t look.”

His gaze was so direct that her face flushed. She tried to pull her dress down, but Karos stopped her and lowered his head.

Even then, Epona didn’t know what was coming.

“Young Master…!”

Karos quickly undid her garter belt, removed her underwear, and buried his face there.

“It’s dirty!”

She tried to stop him, but his lips had already touched her. Startled, Epona tried to push his shoulder away. But, as if annoyed, Karos pressed his tongue deeper, and Epona couldn’t help but moan.

“N-no… Ah…”

Her head spun and turned white. The more she struggled to escape, the more Karos spread her thighs. At one point, he put Epona’s hand on her transparent thigh and entwined his own over hers, as if to punish her.

“Hng… Please… Please stop…”

She hated this feeling. No, it was just too unfamiliar. Even with tears blurring her vision, Karos’s figure was clear.

His silver hair fluttered, and their hands were entwined on her thigh. Even then, his red eyes stared at her relentlessly.

Whenever their eyes met, Epona couldn’t help but burst into tears.

‘It’s hot and ticklish.’

She was scared. But even so, she couldn’t stop. The sensation blazing all the way to her head made her gasp continuously between her lips.

‘Too…….’

Too indecent.

Whenever she shrank back out of embarrassment, Karos became even more persistent, rubbing and sucking up and down. The moment his tongue touched the plump, protruding part, Epona gasped.

“Ah, huh……. Th-that place…….”

She couldn’t endure it any longer. As her vision turned white, her head tilted back and her legs tensed.

At that moment, Karos pinned Epona’s shoulders and climbed on top of her. He quickly began to undo her dress. Before she could protest, her pale, round chest was half exposed.