At a time when clouds alternately concealed and revealed the moonlight.

The guard assigned to Castle Cream’s outer wall night patrol suddenly felt something strange while watching outside the castle.

‘…I think I saw something moving.’

He was a newcomer who had only been assigned to the night patrol team for a few days and was still adjusting to the job.

Actually, he was quite timid for a knight, often startling and breaking into cold sweats just from seeing tree shadows swaying in the dim light. Strangely, while demonic beasts didn’t frighten him, these things did.

Swish swish.

Regardless of his feelings, something dark and eerie seemed to be approaching from far away, undulating in blackness, making the guard widen his eyes.

“Hmm?”

As his back grew increasingly cold with dread, he wanted to abandon everything and run away, but he forced himself to stay calm.

‘The horn… should I blow the horn? Ring the bell? What should I do?’

Though it clearly wasn’t a demonic beast, the darkness made it impossible to identify precisely. Without being certain what it was, it felt awkward to call out loudly for someone.

He just strained his eyes, trying to see as clearly as possible.

That black stain-like thing was approaching at an incredibly fast speed. As it got closer and began to reveal its form to view, it looked like… well, a human figure wrapped in black mist.

A human form wrapped in black mist — what could that possibly be?

It grew larger and larger, showing no signs of slowing down even as it nearly reached the castle wall, charging forward madly.

“Wh-what is that?!”

The startled guard reflexively drew his sword. With his other hand, he put the horn to his mouth.

Just before the black figure collided with the castle wall, it suddenly changed direction and began climbing up the wall.

The guard stood frozen with his mouth agape at the sight of it shooting upward at incredible speed, almost as if flying. He forgot even to blow the horn.

“Urgh!”

The black mist-like thing instantly soared up the castle wall into the air, then whirled and changed shape. When it landed on the ground with a thud, it had become a sturdy man and a black lion.

“Don’t blow that horn, it’s noisy.”

Now there was no mistaking who it was.

“Y-Your Grace! L-loyalty!”

Indeed. It was Duke Constantine Kramer.

Castle walls meant nothing to those who could ride Guardian Spirits. They were only necessary because of demonic beasts.

Being new, the guard had never seen the Duke riding through darkness before, so he hadn’t recognized him.

Duke Kramer had returned alone urgently in the middle of the night.

* * *

Constantine washed thoroughly to remove the dust and smell of demonic beast blood. Even after that, he stayed in water hot enough to scald, trying to raise his body temperature as much as possible.

‘It’ll cool down soon anyway…’

When Constantine came out, Nadia was waiting, having been informed of his arrival. A servant must have hurriedly woken her.

“Your Grace. How could you return without any prior notice…”

“I came ahead alone riding Morev. The knights will return tomorrow, so prepare to receive them.”

— Ah, what a delightful time it was! Wasn’t it, master? When shall we go out again? Hehe. I feel so good, so good.

Only you enjoyed it.

With Saena absent, Caligo had been chattering endlessly as if let loose, putting Constantine’s nerves on edge.

“Should I inform the Madam?”

“No. I’ll go myself.”

— Eck?! Where are you going right after arriving? Master! Are you trying to ruin my good mood right after I finally got happy!

“She’s already retired for the night.”

“…I’ll go there.”

He desperately needed Saena’s help. He didn’t think he could endure until tomorrow.

Nadia’s eyes widened briefly but quickly returned to her usual expression as she acknowledged with understanding.

— Don’t wake someone who’s already asleep! Master, how can you be so unconscionable!

Constantine internally cursed at the repulsiveness of something inhuman lecturing about conscience.

“No need to wake anyone. I’m just going to sleep too.”

“Yes.”

“But tomorrow… there’s no need to come wake me early.”

“…Understood.”

A slight curve appeared on Nadia’s lips before she turned away, while Constantine was already striding toward the Duchess’s chambers.

— No! I don’t want to! Don’t go! I’ll be quiet! Hm? Is it proper for a noble to visit someone’s chambers so privately! What if your wife dislikes it!

Though he flinched momentarily at Caligo’s unnecessarily proper words, Constantine deliberately ignored them.

— Master! Ugh. I can smell it already! Your wife will surely hate it! Hate how improper you are, master!

“Shut up, you bastard.”

— Master! How can you like that woman more than me who’s been with you for decades? I may talk a lot, but our years together… mumble mumble…

‘I’m going crazy.’

Click.

As expected, the door wasn’t locked.

Though he didn’t fling it open noisily, Constantine opened the door without trying to muffle the sound.

Secretly hoping she would wake up, being a light sleeper…

— Ugh! What a foul smell! It seems even stronger today!

“Kyu?”

But the light sleeper turned out to be not Saena, but the beast cub sleeping in her arms.

— That’s it! That’s the culprit. The smelly beast cub!

Yolly perked up his ears and poked out his head, discovering Constantine and expressing small displeasure.

“Kak.”

One of his eyebrows rose crookedly.

‘…Was this one male?’

He recalled examining it when he received it from Saena before. Right, it had been male.

The sight of it curled up so boldly in Saena’s arms as if it belonged there greatly irritated him. His intention to quietly slip in beside her and sleep shifted.

Constantine grabbed Yolly by the scruff of his neck. Dangling like a coat on a hanger, Yolly clearly disliked his position and thrashed his short legs while making kak-kak sounds.

“Kyang!”

Constantine set Yolly down, almost throwing him onto the empty space on the far side of the wide bed.

— Yes! Let’s chase him away quickly. No, let’s throw him outside the castle, hmm?

Then he quietly climbed onto the bed beside Saena.

— Then I won’t beg to go out for one month, no, two months…

He carefully turned her from her side position to lie on her back, then slowly pressed his lips to her forehead. Even more slowly, he cupped her cheek with one hand.

‘Ah.’

Yes, this feeling.

This instant tranquility. Peace. Warmth.

Constantine looked down at her with satisfaction, feeling these newly missed sensations throughout his body.

Though it felt too good for him, it might not be the same for her.

Although he had warmed himself thoroughly in the hot bath, it had made little difference by now. After all, his coldness wasn’t really a problem with his body itself.

He watched carefully, worried she might feel cold from his cool hands touching her, but she only slightly parted her lips and mumbled in her sleep.

“Mmm.”

Sweet breath escaped through her slightly parted lips. He stared intently at her soft pink lips before lowering his own.

First kissing her eyelids, then moving down her nose bridge. The sensation of her sweet skin pressing under his lips felt exceedingly soft.

“Kak!”

Suddenly Yolly rushed over and pushed at his cheek with his bear paw.

A mere beast, how dare it. Was it trying to protect its owner in its own way?

Feeling slightly annoyed, Constantine raised one corner of his mouth in a sardonic smile and slowly pressed his lips to Saena’s.

His gaze fixed on Yolly.

His expression said: What are you going to do about it if it bothers you?

“Kyah!”

Now the beast cub outright smacked his cheek with its bear paw as if telling him to get lost.

The impact was easily ignorable. He kissed her more deeply as if Yolly didn’t exist. When he grabbed the back of her neck and tilted it back, her lips parted wider. Constantine delved in wetly.

“Kyiit!”

Though Yolly stamped his feet and showed his indignation, there was nothing more he could do.

“Hmm. If you want to watch more intimate moments between husband and wife, well, I won’t stop you.”

Constantine’s lips traced down her neck as he taunted Yolly.

“Mm.”

When he lightly nibbled at the sensitive flesh, small sounds escaped between Saena’s teeth even in her sleep.

Constantine’s fingers followed her neck to her shoulder, pushing aside her nightgown. The delicate curves of her neck and shoulder line gradually revealed themselves.

Not satisfied with just that, his hand continued to slowly follow the soft lines downward. Past her shoulder, his fingers now moved along the neckline seam of the nightgown that had been pushed aside toward her chest.

Simultaneously, his fingertips slipped inside the seam, pulling down the nightgown and gradually delving into the rounded mounds.

“Heek!”

At that point, Yolly bristled his fur and leaped off the bed with a thud. The sound of pattering feet was followed by the small body disappearing somewhere.

Swick. Only then did a smile form on Constantine’s lips. He had finally driven away the unnecessary intruder.

‘But still… why does she sleep so deeply?’

Sae-aek sae-aek. She showed no signs of waking despite someone handling her body to this extent. She might not even notice if someone carried her away while sleeping. He felt both envious and displeased that she could sleep so deeply.

Originally, he had come just to hold her and sleep, but feeling her soft touch in his hands and breathing in her skin’s scent made his body heat up.

“Saya.”

He called her name, not too loudly but above a whisper.

“……”

She still slept without the slightest movement.

Hoo. A quiet sigh escaped. He felt conflicted. Two thoughts fought fiercely in his mind.

‘Why keep trying to wake someone sleeping so well? Leave her be!’

‘…I want to touch just a little more. Want to feel her skin just a little more. We’re married. Isn’t this much okay?’

Though Caligo was gone, his mind still buzzed with thoughts.

But when he felt her hardened peak against his palm as he kneaded one of her br*asts, he could no longer hold back.

‘Just a little…’

In the end, the latter won.

He pulled down the nightgown further and bit into the white flesh that rose up.