Chapter 4 (Part 2)

They walked slowly along the mountain slope surrounding the castle. After circling once, the sky showed no signs of change.

In fact, it seemed a bit brighter than when they had left. They decided to set up at the base of the mountain behind the castle. They chose a large tree with leaves that had not yet fully fallen, so they would have time to pack up if it suddenly rained.

“Watch your step. The ground is muddy.”

Just as he had when helping her onto the mule, Edan gently lifted her by the legs and carefully held her hand.

Ellenia thought his hand seemed soft, as if untouched by the hardships of the world. She gently rubbed his palm, recalling the tasks he had been doing lately.

He spread out a mat from the picnic basket and helped her sit as if embracing her. He folded his robe and placed it under her hips, dissatisfied with having her sit on the uneven and cold ground.

He took off her shoes, wiped his hands on the trousers he had changed into, and meticulously cleaned her hands with a damp cloth from the basket. Even though he was young, he couldn’t possibly not feel cold wearing only a tunic in late autumn.

From the lunchbox prepared by the kitchen, there were reheated stew, fruit pieces, and freshly baked wheat bread. He blew on the stew with a spoon and offered it to her.

‘At least make sure she eats regularly.’

‘It would be nice if she could at least eat properly.’

The words of the servants who had asked him in passing. During the rainy season, she ate even less, becoming more emaciated.

“It’s delicious.”

“You should eat too.”

“I can eat while you do.”

Ellenia slowly accepted the spoon he offered. The long-simmered stew had tender meat and soft vegetables, making it easy to swallow.

Watching her chew, Edan tore off a piece of his bread. He dipped the bread in the stew and ate it with a graceful motion. His habitual movements were quite elegant. Ellenia blankly watched his left hand, which moved familiarly.

Interpreting her gaze, he quickly tore off a piece of bread, added some stew, and offered it to her. White bread and whole wheat bread. Though they shared good food thanks to serving the the Madam, each had their own portion of bread.

“You eat well outside.”

“Do I?”

When the Madam took a bite, he then took a bite. Then another bite for her, and another for him. He also occasionally gave her sips of the grape wine the kitchen had packed in a water bottle. His white, long fingers moved busily to ensure she didn’t have to lift a finger.

When the stew in the lunchbox was nearly gone, Edan tore off the remaining bread, dipped it in the stew, and added a piece of tender meat. It looked like a canapé when he offered it to Ellenia.

“You eat it.”

“I can finish the remaining bread.”

Come on. 

Ellenia stared at his long, white fingers below. Soft fingers that knew exactly where her most sensitive parts were, caressing and teasing with familiarity.

“Hurry. It might rain.”

He urged her, gesturing with his hand. As he did, the stew dripped down his fingers.

Following the dripping stew on his white fingers, perhaps feeling playful, Ellenia slowly licked the stew off his fingers while accepting the food he offered.

“……Madam.”

The young man’s face turned red with embarrassment. Finding a bit of cuteness in it, Ellenia’s lips curled up mischievously. A dimple appeared on one cheek.

“It’s delicious.”

Though it was good to see her eat well… the young man, whose face had turned bright red, tried to withdraw his hand. Ellenia grasped his wrist. That light touch knew well that he wouldn’t stop her. Except when she tried to close her legs…

At that thought, Ellenia pulled his hand firmly. Knowing the heat in her blue eyes, he followed her lead.

Leaning in, with a hand on either side of her hips, Edan obediently offered his lips. Her small lips, the size of her petite frame, repeatedly nibbled on his.

Edan opened his mouth as she bit down on it. Her small, thin flesh penetrated his teeth.

Licking, licking, as her soft tongue touched his heavy one, he felt a buried desire rise. Ignoring it, he sincerely welcomed her invasion.

It happened for quite a while.

“……?”

At the sudden stop, Edan slowly opened his eyes. Ellenia, who had been exploring his mouth, was now watching him. Her blue eyes, narrowed to slits, came into view.

Between their slightly parted lips, a string of mixed saliva stretched. Ellenia licked her lower lip.

“……you know.”

Edan’s eyes shone obediently. The hand that had pulled his hand to overlap with hers slowly traced his lower abdomen. At the end, something hard pressed against his thigh.

Edan’s face turned bright red. He quickly withdrew his hand and grasped hers.

“Uh, Ellie, ah, Madam, this is……”

“Why?”

“This is outside.”

“But you’re already ready.”

“That’s……”

Ellenia held back a laugh. Her grandfather’s purification ritual, telling her to behave, now helped her tease a man slyly.

She looked up at him with a calm expression, lowering her waist. Edan, who barely managed to look down at her with his eyes, seemed on the verge of tears.

Under the clear sky, the young man’s face was just that of a boy in his early twenties. Though he sometimes spoke maturely, his beardless chin and fair skin matched his age.

Thinking of how he made her lose herself with his hands and c*ck under thunder and lightning, a sadistic urge surfaced at his seemingly innocent face.

On the other hand, it was also to confirm something. Beyond that young face, surely……

“It’s not even raining.”

But it was always like this. On stormy nights, or when a sudden downpour made her body tremble with just the sound, the young man sincerely embraced her, but that was it.

His voice, as if saying he had a limited amount of energy to use for her, was somewhat pitiful.

Perhaps it was all just a coincidence.

“……ugh.”

Pretending it was an accident, she pressed his p*nis with her fist as she stood up. It was clearly an act of venting her frustration.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, yes, Madam.”

Ellenia, who had roughly slipped her feet into the shoes he had neatly arranged beside her, walked briskly towards the mule.

“……kyaa.”

Or at least she tried to.

On the muddy path, slippery from daily rain, she stumbled.

“Ellie!”

He threw himself to catch her, almost falling over. He hadn’t even put on his shoes.

At times like this, when he treated her like a child near water, she couldn’t help but recall the kindness of the husband she lost ten years ago.

When they returned to the castle, the tousle-haired stable boy, who had been dozing off beside the stable, jumped up as if he had been waiting. If there had been a small blemish on Madam’s body, he intended to scold and embarrass the maids who were infatuated with his handsome appearance.

Though Edan’s pants looked like they had been rolled in mud while leading the mule, the Madam was fine except for her slightly dirty shoes. Thanks to the poncho that reached down to her calves, even a drop of muddy water hadn’t touched her.

The stable boy clicked his tongue secretly.

Edan, who had set the mule in the backyard, lifted the Madam by the legs as he had when he seated her. Ellenia, who seemed comfortable in his arms, draped her arm around his shoulder. Trust and affection were evident in her fingertips.

To someone who had long imagined such a scene, its specialness was clear.

Edan carried Ellenia all the way to her room. Fearing his steps would dirty the castle, he walked barefoot, holding his leather shoes. His steps, which had been washed in the icy stream, looked cold to the eye.

“Are you cold?”

“Not as much as you.”

Her curt voice made Edan’s lips curl faintly. The harsh voice directed at him was bittersweet, yet he liked that it carried some emotion towards him.

There was a ticklish feeling in his heart, something he had never felt before.

Standing in front of the Madam’s room, he hesitated for a moment, then placed his muddy shoes outside and looked around.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

Instead of answering, he pushed open the door and immediately took off his pants. He didn’t want to bring the muddy pants into her room.

Clad only in his undergarments, he quickly entered the room and seated her on the sofa against the wall. As he removed the poncho from her legs, he also took off her muddy shoes.

All standards were fluctuating. Although they had worn the same clothes outside, he left his clothes and shoes outside but neatly arranged the ones she had worn inside the room.

Placing her legs on the footrest he quickly brought over, Ellenia watched him blankly.

“Are you cold?”

“No, I was wearing the poncho.”

“But your feet.”

“You first.”

Ellenia tried to suppress the tickling feeling in her heart caused by his concern, speaking in a flat tone. But Edan, unaffected, quickly went into her bathroom.

Creak, creak, creak. The sound of the pump came from the bathroom. Though she had been exposed to the cold wind, she had been warmly dressed inside, and her feet were only slightly cold, which was typical for this season.

He could have taken his time washing up.

The earnest young man quickly washed his dirty feet, warmed his hands and legs with warm water so his skin wouldn’t be cold when touching the Madam, and brought a basin full of warm water. It was the same bronze basin he used to fetch water to wipe her down after she fell asleep, exhausted.

He wore only his undergarments over his body, which he had hastily splashed with warm water. His muscular thighs were visible through the thin fabric, and his damp hair…

As if it didn’t matter how he looked, he placed the basin at her feet and gently dipped her feet into it.

“Is it warm?”

There was no need for an answer. He had surely only splashed himself with lukewarm water while waiting for the pumped water to warm up this much.

Ellenia quietly watched him work in silence.