Chapter 4.2

“Flowers…”  

“Yes?”  

“I saw the flowers. In the garden, in the bouquet…”  

“……”  

Karos’s hand paused for a moment, seemingly flustered.  

But Epona no longer wanted to be hurt by her own guesses and suspicions. Now, she wanted to face his feelings directly.  

“Did you prepare them for me?”  

Again, her heart pounded loudly in her head. Epona, slipping out of his arms, looked up at Karos, who turned his head awkwardly.  

“…Yes. I didn’t expect you to see them so soon.”  

“And the flower’s meaning?”  

“……”  

Instead of answering, Karos cupped Epona’s cheeks in his hands. The slow, careful touch was as if he was handling fragile glass. Meeting her tearful blue eyes, Karos’s expression looked pained.  

“From the beginning.”  

His voice was heavy. Epona, gripping his clothes, looked up at him.  

“I’ve never not loved you.”  

His red eyes, filled only with her, made Epona feel she might cry. But the next words made her tilt her head.  

“Even if you don’t love me.”  

“What…?”  

Karos’s face was more sincere than ever. Realizing this, Epona raised her voice.  

“No! I, I…”  

She wanted to say she felt the same, but was too shy and lowered her head. Then she saw the gift box she’d dropped. As she tried to pick it up and dust it off, Karos gently pushed her hand away and took it himself.  

“Your hands will get dirty.”  

Even now, his care made Epona speak honestly.  

“It was a lie.”  

“What was?”  

“The brooch I said I gave to someone else…”  

“……”  

“I lied.”  

Unable to bear his intense gaze, Epona turned her head slightly. Karos frowned and asked,  

“Then where is the brooch?”  

“You’re holding it now.”  

“……?”  

Even though he heard her clearly, Karos slowly opened the gift box, as if not understanding. Inside was an emerald brooch, intricately crafted.  

“I actually prepared it as a gift for you.”  

“……”  

Karos silently touched the brooch. Still looking unconvinced, Epona tried to speak again, but Karos was quicker.  

“Then why did you lie?”  

“What?”  

“Saying you gave it to someone else.”  

“That’s…”  

Epona, looking troubled, rolled her eyes and answered with a sigh,  

“I thought the same as you.”  

“What do you mean?”  

“I love you, but…”  

Why does she feel like crying?  

“I thought you didn’t love me…”  

Even though she was so happy.  

At that moment, she realized her feelings weren’t one-sided. But strangely, she felt so overwhelmed she wanted to sob out loud.  

Karos seemed to feel the same, letting out a shallow sigh and murmuring,  

“I didn’t even know…”  

“Young Master…”  

As Epona tried to step closer, Karos’s red eyes flashed sharply.  

“How will you make up for lying before?”  

“What? Th-that’s…”  

At his unexpected words, Epona closed her mouth. She carefully put her hand on the brooch.  

“Will this gift do?”  

She blinked her blue eyes pleadingly. But Karos didn’t even flinch.  

“I want something else.”  

“What is it?”  

She said she’d do anything, and Karos’s lips curled smoothly.  

That was her mistake.

***

“S-slowly… Too fast, hnn, too fast…”  

Before she could finish speaking, a gasp escaped her lips. She tried to cover her mouth quickly, but Karos’s interlocked hands trapped hers, making her unable to move.  

All she could do was let out shallow moans, looking down at Karos. Before she knew it, Karos had lifted her dress and was licking her wet lower region. A faint moan escaped Epona’s lips.  

“Young Master…”  

The unfamiliar sensation crawling up from her toes made her try to pull her hips back, but his tongue dug in deeper as if to punish her.  

“W-wait… That’s too, hnn…! It’s strange.”  

She began to lose the strength to resist. In the end, Karos easily lifted the staggering Epona and sat her on the dressing table. The things on the table crashed to the floor.  

“You’re already so wet, and I haven’t even started.”  

Teasing her with his lips above and fingers below, Epona couldn’t stop the lewd sounds from escaping her mouth.  

“That, that’s, ah, not true!”  

She shook her head, denying it, but she knew the wet sounds below were clear. Karos, finding her denial adorable, slowly withdrew his fingers.  

“I think I can put it in now.”  

“What? No, wait, hnn!”  

As soon as she escaped his large hand, Epona grabbed Karos’s shoulder and shook her head. But his hot flesh was already thrusting in roughly. Without even a moment to catch her breath, Karos went deeper.  

“Huu…”  

“Hnn… Young Master…”  

Epona sobbed, gripping Karos’s shoulder tightly.  

Her trembling lashes, blue eyes filled with hot tears, and bitten lips.  

Above all, her body’s desperate movements to accept him inside made Karos go even crazier. So he wanted to hear it even more.  

“Come to think of it, I haven’t heard it yet.”  

“H-heard what, hnn…”  

Epona asked, moving slowly beneath Karos. Karos, gazing at her ecstatically, leisurely untied her dress ribbon and slipped inside. Grabbing her soft, pale chest, he smiled and answered,  

“Those words—I love you.”  

“That’s…”  

She wanted to lower her head in embarrassment. But as his hand teased her chest, Epona quickly grabbed Karos’s wrist. The more she tried to stop him, the more persistently he stroked her peak, making her eyes burn.  

“Quickly.”  

“Ahh! W-wait, hnn!”  

When she didn’t answer, Karos began moving faster. Under his relentless urging, Epona finally sobbed with a moaning voice,  

“I-I love you!”  

“Who?”

Beyond her trembling vision, Epona saw Karos smiling deeply. Seeing his face intoxicated with excitement, just like hers, she felt a heat rising from deep inside her chest.  

“You… ha, ah! I love you!”  

“Haa…”  

At last, a satisfied laugh echoed in her ears. At that moment, Karos shifted his grip on her legs. The urgent touch on her thighs made Epona shiver.  

“W-wait… ah, ahh…!”  

He pulled her hips closer, moving roughly, leaving her unable to speak. All that escaped her lips were thin moans.  

When Epona tried to escape the overwhelming pleasure, Karos gripped her waist tighter, thrusting deeper as if to punish her.  

“Do you know you’re still so wet?”  

“That’s not, haa, not… not true…”  

Even as she trembled, Epona shook her head fiercely. But just as Karos said, she could feel her fluids trailing down her thighs.  

“I didn’t know you’d like it this much, haa.”  

“Don’t say things like that, hng, please…”  

Already embarrassed, Epona whimpered at his words, which only made her feel more ashamed. Karos gently bit her lips and lifted her slender legs. As he entered her even deeper, Epona gasped, and Karos softly gripped her chin.  

“Epona.”  

The way he called her name in a voice mixed with moans sounded terribly seductive. Without meaning to, Epona’s body tensed, and Karos gritted his teeth fiercely.  

“You really are just playing with me.”  

“That’s not, ah, ahh! S-slowly, hng!”  

She could feel him growing inside her. With every deep thrust, Epona’s cries grew louder.  

“You belong to me.”  

“Ah, please…!”  

“And I belong to you.”  

Lost in pleasure, Epona squeezed her legs around Karos’s waist. Soon, new words began spilling from her lips.  

Just a little more, a little harder.  

Even the smallest moans made Karos breathe excitedly, pulling Epona deeper into the pleasure. Matching his frantic movements, Epona moved her hips, desperately calling his name.  

“K-Karos… I, haa, I…”  

Her voice, trembling as she called him while shaking uncontrollably, clung to his ears. Karos, seeming to understand, smiled with a sticky grin.  

Soon, the wet sounds of their bodies filled the room.  

“Ah, K-Karos.”  

“Haa, Epona.”  

Karos, excited, frowned slightly and moved even rougher and faster, pushing Epona to her limits. Unable to bear the sensation, Epona squirmed, and Karos tightened his grip on her hips.  

“Ah, please…!”  

“Ugh!”  

As pleasure peaked, Epona squeezed Karos’s waist with her legs. She cried out, throwing her head back, while Karos let out a wild breath and bit her chest. Without time to catch her breath at the dizzying climax, he licked her chest, making her moan again.  

Epona looked down at Karos with a flushed face. The moment their eyes met, Karos spoke darkly.  

“I want more.”  

Faced with his seductive smile, Epona couldn’t say no. Blushing, she nodded, and Karos smiled, carefully lifting her and laying her on the bed.  

The night was not yet over.