Chapter 1.5

The woman touched Edgar’s body with her frail hands.  

The soft sensation made Edgar unable to control his excitement.  

Grabbing her hair again, Edgar shook her roughly.  

“Ah!”  

Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain, but she endured.  

The rough shaking of her head eventually stopped as Edgar released her.  

Throwing her onto the bed, Edgar spread her legs and thrust into her.  

The woman’s mouth opened instinctively.  

Even though she should have grown accustomed to the pain, it was still unbearable.  

Placing her legs over his shoulders, Edgar moved vigorously.  

The more intense his movements became, the louder her voice grew.  

As her voice rose, Edgar’s face flushed with excitement.  

The room was filled with lewd sounds.  

The sounds, coupled with the shaking of the bed, created a rhythm.  

After a while, Edgar flipped her over.  

The stronger stimulation overwhelmed her senses.  

“Ah!”  

Gripping the bedsheets tightly, the woman let out sharp cries.  

As Edgar pushed deeper, her moans grew louder.  

Her escalating cries brought a satisfied smile to Edgar’s face.  

Turning her head to face him, Edgar forced her to look at him as he cruelly laughed.  

“Cry more.”  

“Ah… sob… sob…”  

Watching her tear-streaked face, Edgar moved even more aggressively, like an enraged bull.  

Sweat began to drip down Edgar’s back. Finally, his rough movements stopped.  

He had reached his climax.  

“Phew.”  

Edgar set the woman down on the bed and left without a second thought, putting on a robe as he exited the room.  

Outside, his aide Jeff handed him a glass of water.  

Edgar gulped down the water and wiped his sweat with a towel Jeff had given him before heading to the underground bathroom for a shower  

After showering, Jeff was waiting with clothes in hand.  

“You know I only wear robes here.”  

“It’s time for you to leave.”  

“Where to?”  

“To visit your fiancée, Lady Hildeltrud.”  

Edgar frowned slightly.  

“You should have gone much earlier.”

“So you want me to go now? Right after I finished ‘exercising’?”

“You were planning to ‘exercise’ again, weren’t you?”  

“Sigh.”  

Edgar let out a deep sigh.  

“Did my mother order this?”  

Jeff didn’t respond.  

“It’s her order, isn’t it? Fine, I’ll go.”  

Reluctantly, Edgar changed into the clothes Jeff handed him.  

Though he wasn’t fully satisfied yet, he had no choice but to leave.  

As Edgar climbed the stairs from the underground chambers, Jeff glanced at Room 2.  

‘At least she survived today.’  

Had Jeff not intervened, Edgar would have gone straight to Room 2 for another round.  

If that had happened, he might have discovered that she was pregnant.  

Fortunately, the Empress’s orders had saved her today.  

But Jeff knew this luck wouldn’t last forever.  

***

Edgar arrived at the Duke’s mansion to visit Hildeltrud.  

It was a bit late for a courtesy visit.  

Hildeltrud welcomed Edgar alongside Duke Leopold Astros and Patrick.  

Edgar, stepping out of his ornate carriage, approached Hildeltrud with a large bouquet of flowers in hand.  

“Welcome, Your Highness.”  

Duke Leopold greeted him first, followed by Patrick and Hildeltrud.  

“Thank you for visiting us, Your Highness.”  

“Thank you for coming, Your Highness.”  

Edgar handed the bouquet to Hildeltrud.  

“I heard you were unwell. Are you feeling better, Lady Hildeltrud?”  

Though his gentle smile made Hildeltrud shudder internally, she maintained her composure and replied with a smile.  

“Thanks to your concern, I’m doing well, Your Highness.”  

“That’s a relief.”  

“Please come inside.”  

Nodding, Edgar followed Leopold, Patrick, and Hildeltrud into the parlor.  

Hildeltrud handed the bouquet to a maid and whispered softly to her.  

“Please call Elisabeth to the parlor.”  

“Yes, Lady Hildeltrud.”

Leopold and Patrick shared tea with Edgar in the parlor.  

Sensing the need for privacy, they excused themselves, leaving the two alone.  

Hildeltrud felt uncomfortable being alone with Edgar, but she had given instructions to the maid beforehand, so she decided to endure until that moment arrived.  

“You’ve lost weight.”  

Edgar placed his hand on Hildeltrud’s cheek.  

Though startled and disgusted, Hildeltrud pretended not to mind, clasping Edgar’s hand with both of hers and smiling.  

“I’m fine now.”  

“I was very worried when I heard you were unwell.”  

“Were you?”  

Hildeltrud could tell Edgar’s words were insincere. Despite claiming to be worried, his eyes betrayed annoyance.  

Why hadn’t I noticed such things in the past?  

At that moment, someone knocked on the parlor door.  

“Who could it be? Excuse me, Your Highness.”  

Rising from her seat, Hildeltrud opened the door herself.  

“Elisabeth… Come in.”  

With a smile, Hildeltrud took Elisabeth’s hand and led her inside.  

She inwardly mocked Elisabeth’s overly adorned appearance.  

“Your Highness, Elisabeth is here. May she join us?”  

With a gentle smile, Hildeltrud sought Edgar’s approval. Edgar responded with a nod.  

Elisabeth offered a polite bow and greeted Edgar with a bright smile.  

“Hello, Your Highness. I’m Elisabeth Kanian.”  

“Come, have a seat, Miss Elisabeth.”  

“Thank you, Your Highness.”  

Elisabeth feigned shyness as she greeted him before sitting across from Hildeltrud and Edgar.  

“It’s so romantic of you to personally visit Hildeltrud to check on her.”  

“It’s only natural for me to care for my fiancée when she’s ill.”  

“Oh my, how considerate of you.”  

Hildeltrud chimed in, agreeing while enjoying the exchange of glances between the two.  

“Your Highness, isn’t Elisabeth truly beautiful?”  

“To my eyes, Lady Hildeltrud, you are the most beautiful.”  

“Oh, Your Highness…”  

Feigning modesty, Hildeltrud lowered her head.  

She felt nauseated.  

Just looking at the man who had mocked her was unbearable.  

Elisabeth, watching the affectionate interaction between Hildeltrud and Edgar, felt a pang of jealousy.  

How wonderful it would be if Edgar looked at her instead of Hildeltrud.  

Elisabeth envied Hildeltrud, who had easily secured the position of future Princess simply because she was born into a ducal family.  

‘I want it.’  

Moreover, Edgar was the ideal man Elisabeth had always dreamed of.  

‘Should I seduce him? No, I shouldn’t act rashly.’  

If she wasn’t careful, she could end up being labeled as the shameless woman who stole her friend’s fiancé.  

Elisabeth smiled brightly and said, 

“You two look so good together. Hildeltrud, don’t forget about me when you become the Princess, okay?”  

“Of course. When I become the Princess, I’ll bring you along as my maid. Your Highness, wouldn’t that be fine?”  

“When you enter the palace, Lady Hildeltrud, you might feel lonely. Having a close friend as your maid would be a great companion.”  

“Thank you, Your Highness.”  

Hildeltrud deliberately leaned her head on Edgar’s shoulder and glanced at Elisabeth.  

Elisabeth’s gaze never left Edgar.  

Edgar, too, smiled subtly at Elisabeth’s blatant stare.  

Having encountered countless women, he could easily guess her intentions just from her gaze.  

‘Interesting.’  

Edgar smirked and deliberately kissed Hildeltrud’s forehead in full view of Elisabeth.  

He noticed Elisabeth’s gaze deepening with desire.  

“I feel like I’ve taken up too much of your time. Lady Hildeltrud, you must rest.”  

“I’m fine. Since you’re already here, why don’t we have a picnic outside? The weather is so warm today.”  

“That sounds like a good idea.”  

With Edgar’s approval, Hildeltrud smiled brightly with joy.  

She called for a maid and instructed her to prepare for the picnic.  

The three of them headed to the Duke’s garden.  

On a sunny spot in the garden, a mat was laid out. Hildeltrud sat on the left, placed Edgar in the center, and naturally seated Elisabeth on Edgar’s right.  

“The weather is lovely, Your Highness.”  

Hildeltrud spoke cheerfully, and Edgar nodded in agreement.  

“It’s warm, as it’s spring.”  

As he spoke, Edgar subtly brushed his hand against Elisabeth’s hand.  

Startled, Elisabeth widened her eyes.  

However, Edgar pretended not to notice and focused solely on Hildeltrud.  

“Oh, you have a leaf stuck in your hair.”  

“Where?”  

As Hildeltrud reached up to touch her hair, Edgar gently lowered her hand and removed the leaf himself.  

“Thank you, Your Highness.”  

Hildeltrud’s innocent and pure gaze made Edgar feel a surge of heat in his lower body.  

Trying to suppress his reaction, he turned his head, only to meet Elisabeth’s eyes.  

“I’m feeling hungry; perhaps we should eat something.”  

“Shall we?”  

Hildeltrud smiled and took out sandwiches, fruits, and orange juice from the picnic basket.  

While pouring orange juice, Hildeltrud deliberately spilled some on her clothes.  

“Oh no, what should I do?”  

“Are you alright?”  

Hildeltrud looked distressed, her face showing regret.  

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I made a mistake.”  

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”  

“If you don’t mind, may I go change my clothes?”  

“Of course.”  

“While I’m gone, please keep Elisabeth company.”  

“She’s your friend; I wouldn’t neglect her.”  

“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll be back shortly.”  

Hildeltrud hurriedly left, ensuring that even the maids followed her, leaving the two alone.  

Once they were alone, Elisabeth spoke with envy.  

“I really envy Hildeltrud. She has such a considerate fiancé like you.”  

“Miss Elisabeth, you are beautiful, so you’ll find someone wonderful too.”  

“Will I?”  

Elisabeth tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled shyly.  

Edgar’s gaze shifted to Elisabeth’s neckline.  

As his eyes moved downward to her collarbone, he noticed her ample chest.  

Elisabeth deliberately stretched her legs and leaned back to reveal her cleavage.  

Edgar’s blatant gaze swept over her figure, but as an experienced hunter, he didn’t let his emotions show.