Chapter 9 (Part 2)

“I wasn’t doubting you… But I still don’t get it” 

“What don’t you get?”  

“Why do you find my actions so… seductive? Why do you think I’m trying to tempt you? I don’t even realize I’m doing it. Like earlier, with the cream and the kiss. What about that was seductive? I was just teasing you…”  

While Cordelia was awkwardly explaining herself, Nathaniel raised a hand to rub his face dry, letting out a deep sigh. Then, with his hand covering his face, he slowly responded.  

“Ah… That was… I… Um… It’s because you reminded me of a similar moment before…”  

“Me? When?”  

“There was a time. Think carefully.”  

Cordelia frowned, trying to recall. Had they eaten cake together before? No, she didn’t think so—most of the time, they only ate pies. Growing curious, she grabbed his hand, pulling it away from his face as she urged him to explain.  

“When did I ever get cream on my lips…?”  

Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind. It was from the time she had vented her embarrassment on him. She had provocatively taken him into her mouth and swallowed his fluids, all while making sure he watched.  

Oh no. 

So, it wasn’t some other experience; it was because of her. And yet, she had the audacity to question him about past romantic experiences. Her face flushed red with shame.  

“Do you remember now?” 

Nathaniel asked.  

As Cordelia chewed on her self-reproach, her lips pursed tightly. Just then, she felt a light kiss press against her forehead before pulling away. It was like a stamp instead of a reprimand.  

“That’s why you need to be careful. You unknowingly do so many things that provoke me,” 

Nathaniel said.  

“Uh… But that’s all there is” 

She replied weakly.  

“Even your sighs sound like the ones you make while sleeping” 

He teased.  

“Ugh… Then what am I supposed to do…”  

“That too—it sounds just like when you’re in the bathroom.”  

“I can’t live like this…”  

Mortified, Cordelia buried herself in his arms in protest. Nathaniel, clearly amused, hugged her tightly and chuckled softly.  

He really did seem to think about her every moment. It was astonishing how vivid his memory was, and how much he associated even the smallest things with her. The thought made her feel both touched and deeply cherished.  

“…Do you want more cake?”

She asked, looking up at him with a slightly pleading gaze.  

Cordelia knew Nathaniel was weak to this particular expression of hers. As expected, she soon felt something firm pressing against her stomach.  

“You said we’d take a nap. Should we just go to bed now?”  

“You don’t look like you’re planning to sleep, though. I really meant it when I said I wanted you to rest” 

Nathaniel replied, narrowing his eyes at her.  

Cordelia tilted her head, resting her chin against his chest as she looked up at him with an even more pitiful expression.  

“Please? Let’s go…”  

“No. I’m a husband who knows how to restrain himself…”  

At that moment, Cordelia raised her hands and gently ran them across his back. Her fingers slipped under his clothes, tracing his firm muscles and warm skin. Nathaniel froze briefly, swallowing hard as his words faltered.  

“Can you really hold back?”

She teased.  

At first, he didn’t move, clearly trying his best to maintain control. But Cordelia’s body was already heating up, and now she wanted nothing more than to drag him straight to bed.  

Nathaniel sighed deeply and shook his head, as if he truly believed she needed rest. Cordelia glared at him and warned. 

“If you keep holding back, I’ll do what I did last time—with my mouth.”  

“You…”  

“I actually enjoyed it. Seeing you struggle to hold back was quite attractive. The way your neck tensed, and the sweat dripping down…”  

As she described the details, she raised her hand to stroke his cheek. Nathaniel closed his eyes, clearly overwhelmed. His expression showed he was wavering, caught between resisting and giving in.  

Feeling mischievous, Cordelia wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear. 

“I’ll count to five. If you don’t move by then, I’ll start right here.”  

She began counting slowly. 

“Five… Four… Three…”  

When she reached “Two,” she suddenly felt herself being lifted off the ground. Before she knew it, they had arrived at the bed faster than ever.  

“Mm… Ah…” 

Nathaniel kissed her passionately, his body pressing against hers as he finally gave in to temptation. He had surrendered to her provocations. This sweet, endearing man of hers. Cordelia ran her fingers through his hair, deepening their kiss. 

And so, once again, they came together. Since Cordelia had initiated this time, Nathaniel didn’t even attempt to complain about being tired. Instead, he held on until he was completely spent, collapsing before her in exhaustion.  

The freshly made bedding was a mess, but the thought that today’s events would remain vivid in his memory brought her joy. Someday, they would recall this moment and share their love again, continuing to build their relationship one step at a time.  

Nathaniel clung to her, intertwining with her so completely that even the intensity of their passion seemed to fade into gentleness. In the end, he fell asleep before her, utterly worn out.  

“My husband is so adorable” 

Cordelia whispered.  

“I’d rather be handsome than adorable in your eyes…” 

Nathaniel murmured sleepily.  

Nathaniel held Cordelia’s hand as she touched his face, gently denying her words with a languid tone. Then, with a soft sigh, he closed his eyes, his breathing steady and calm.  

Cordelia, too, was just about to drift off to sleep in his arms when she suddenly heard a faint sound— 

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. 

At first, she thought it was just an auditory hallucination or perhaps an unrelated noise from somewhere far away. But the sound persisted, pulling her out of her slumber.  

“What is that…?” 

She muttered, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she carefully rose from the bed, making sure not to wake Nathaniel.  

As she moved, traces of their intimacy trickled down her legs, staining the floor beneath her. She quickly grabbed a towel, wiping it away before slipping into a dress. Then, she staggered toward the direction of the sound, still half-asleep.  

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. 

The persistent noise irritated her, mostly because she feared it might disturb Nathaniel’s sleep. Determined to find the source and put an end to it, she followed the sound until she realized it was coming from the back door—the entrance leading to the stables where Skoll was kept, as well as the storage area.  

It sounded like something was lightly knocking on the door. But the sound lacked any real weight or force, which reassured her somewhat. 

Could it be a suspicious visitor?  

Given all the dangerous incidents she had encountered recently, her mind naturally leaned toward suspicion. However, she reasoned that no intruder would politely knock on the door, and Skoll, ever alert, would have reacted aggressively if someone had tried to break in. Convinced that there was no immediate danger, she cautiously approached the door.  

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.  

“I’m coming out. I’m opening the door” 

She said aloud as she opened the door with a creak.  

Sitting on the railing of the staircase was a small, white creature. As soon as the door opened, it turned its head sharply to look at her.  

It was tiny, much smaller than she expected.  

Then, with a sudden “peep”, it flapped its wings and flew up.  

Cordelia recognized it instantly.  

“A bird…?”  

It was one of the carrier pigeons she had seen before—the ones that had come to deliver messages to Nathaniel. 

***

For days, Cordelia’s mood had been sour.  

There were two reasons for this.  

First, her newlywed husband, Nathaniel, had been overwhelmingly busy ever since their marriage.  

Second, a stranger’s visit had been bothering her nerves.  

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. 

Today, the knocking sound came again, right on cue.  

Cordelia had been tidying up the bedding when she heard the familiar noise. She stepped outside and opened the back door, only to find the same white bird sitting there, just like before.  

If it had been just a random bird, she wouldn’t have been annoyed. The problem, however, wasn’t the bird itself—it was the person associated with it.  

Whenever Cordelia opened the door, the clever bird would grab at her clothes, as if beckoning her to follow.  

On the first day, she had been curious and foolishly followed the bird’s lead.  

It flew over the fence, and for a moment, she wondered what is it trying to do. But then the bird perched atop the fence, chirping at her as if urging her to come closer.  

That’s when she realized the bird was trying to lure her outside.  

“This feels strange” 

She thought.  

But she didn’t make the mistake of stepping out.  

Reflecting on the recent events, she knew that most of the troubles she had encountered had originated from her stepping outside—or attempting to do so. She now viewed the fence as a protective barrier Nathaniel had created for her. She didn’t want to make him sad by crossing it. So, she simply tilted her head in confusion and turned back toward the house.  

Later, when Nathaniel woke up, she told him about the incident right away.