Chapter 18

“Do you happen to know who owns the ring?”  

“No. If I did, I would’ve tried to buy it from them. I’d have paid any price, but I have no idea who it is.”  

Erta shrugged, disappointed.  

“There must be someone like us somewhere else in the Empire.”  

Celiana felt a bit comforted by that.  

Not just Erta, but there were others with tastes like hers.  

“So don’t lose hope, Celiana. Who knows? Maybe it’s Marquis Dalton.”  

Celiana was startled and waved her hands.  

“No way, absolutely not. Robert isn’t like that.”  

Celiana kept denying it, not even imagining how close Erta’s guess was to the truth.  

“Hmm, is that so?”  

Erta seemed unconvinced, so Celiana told her about the incident in the carriage at the banquet.  

“Actually, Robert found the gift I got that time.”  

“What, really? What happened?”  

Erta fussed in surprise.  

Judging by her reaction, Erta must have secretly hoped Robert would discover the gift.  

Of course, Celiana herself had hoped, just a little, that Robert would have a positive reaction.  

Or at least, not a negative one.  

“Actually…”  

But Celiana’s face fell.  

“He just asked what kind of thing I’d received as a gift. His expression froze… I guess he didn’t like it.”  

“Unbelievable…”  

“Robert is the model of a nobleman. He’d never understand, even if I told him.”  

Celiana’s answer was filled with many emotions—not just frustration, but despair about the future as well.  

Erta sighed sympathetically, holding Celiana’s hand tightly to comfort her.  

“Don’t lose hope, okay? Anyone can discover new tastes.”  

“Okay. I’ll try.”  

Celiana didn’t really believe it would help, but she lied for Erta’s sake.  

“Promise me. You must.”  

But it seemed Erta saw through Celiana’s feelings.  

‘She must be having a hard time.’  

Erta couldn’t hide her sympathetic expression. She herself had suffered before marrying Reytan, unable to tell anyone about her own submissive tendencies.  

That’s why she could empathize with Celiana’s frustration more than anyone.  

“You can always come to me, but there might be secrets you can’t tell even me, right?”  

“Well…”  

Celiana hesitated. It was true. She could share her tastes with Erta, but she was too embarrassed to admit that she hadn’t even had a proper first night.  

There was a night she remembered, but that was…  

“It’s okay. I understand.”  

Erta responded as if there was no need to say more.  

“But you must be frustrated. Why not try going to Bondage Cathedral?”  

“Bondage?”  

Celiana repeated.  

“You don’t have to have committed a sin. You can just let out what’s weighing on you. You don’t even have to see the priest’s face, so it’s easier.”  

Erta suggested she try it if she was interested, saying she herself had shared many stories at Bondage Cathedral in the past.  

“Thanks for the advice. I’ll go if I get a chance.”  

Celiana nodded, remembering the name ‘Bondage’.  

***

Even today, Celiana and Robert spoke only about formal matters.  

‘Did he find out? Even if not, maybe he suspects. And I was so defensive…’  

Celiana was anxious that Robert might have caught her lie. After all, strong denial can mean strong affirmation.  

And since he’d shown an unusually sharp reaction, she thought Robert might be disappointed in her.  

‘I’m not myself. Every time I see Celiana, I…’  

Robert was bothered by his own display of disappointment. Since he’d rarely shown such emotional changes, he worried Celiana might notice why he was disappointed.  

And yet, every time he saw her, his desire grew stronger, making it harder to calm himself.  

For days, an awkward atmosphere lingered, like rubbing his chest with sandpaper. Both believed it was their own fault and hid their pain.  

So night came again. As usual, Robert lay on the bed, keeping his distance from Celiana, feeling uneasy.  

‘Why am I doing this because of that old woman’s words?’  

He had placed all his favorite items under the bed, just as the old woman had said.  

And since they were things Celiana must never see, he worried she might discover them.  

He felt ridiculous. Was he just grasping at straws?  

‘What difference does it make to sleep with these here?’  

The old woman’s words were all strange.  

Mentioning Celiana, talking about dreams—it was all odd.  

Robert sighed softly.  

In the end, his relationship with Celiana was a problem he had to solve himself.  

Rather than doing pointless things, it was better to talk to Celiana.  

He couldn’t keep living with this awkwardness.  

“…Celiana.”  

Finally, Robert called out to her.  

He heard the rustling of the blanket nearby, and suddenly Celiana came right up to Robert.  

She was very close. No, she was pressed right against him. Celiana had nestled into Robert’s arms.  

“Ce-Celiana?”  

Robert called her again, his voice flustered. He hadn’t expected her to come to him like this.  

But it wasn’t unpleasant. In fact, he welcomed it.  

Thump, thump.  

Robert’s heart beat pleasantly. Her scent tickled his nose.  

He was grateful Celiana had come to him first. She must have been frustrated too. Yes, why had he acted that way before?  

Even if Celiana had different tastes, he loved her.  

He should respect her as she was. He resolved not to do anything she disliked or even wish for it. As Robert reaffirmed this and moved to embrace her—  

“Robert, I…”  

She called him again, but hesitated to continue.  

“Celiana. You can speak.”  

Holding her in his arms, Robert reassured her. He whispered that she could say anything, and he would listen.  

But—  

“Hug me, Robert.”  

An unbelievable request came from within his embrace. Had he misheard?  

Celiana was already in his arms. But for her to ask to be held—could it be…  

He felt his blood surge, his heart thundering in his ears.  

“Celiana, that means…”  

He couldn’t help but speak in broken, hesitant phrases, afraid he might lose control.  

‘Was this a dream? Had I already fallen asleep without realizing it?’  

Celiana would never ask for this first.  

Just then, the old woman’s words flashed through Robert’s mind.  

“This time will be different. You’ll be the reality, and the other will seem like a dream.”  

He couldn’t quite grasp the meaning, but for this to happen tonight…  

But Robert’s thoughts couldn’t continue. Celiana pressed on.  

“With all your preferences. Okay?”  

He didn’t care anymore. Whether that night was a dream or this was a dream—what mattered was that Celiana wanted him right now.  

She was looking into his eyes from within his arms, saying those words. There was no way Robert could resist. He’d already felt blood rushing below for a while.  

And she’d said ‘your preferences’. If she was asking, knowing his desires, all the more so.  

“It’s too late for regrets.”  

Robert didn’t wait for Celiana’s reply. He gathered her delicate wrists in one hand and moved above her gentle body.  

In an instant, her body was pinned beneath Robert. Holding both wrists above her head, Robert found her lips.  

“Mmm…”  

His tongue pressed in roughly. Each time he explored her mouth, it felt like a tidal wave surged inside him.  

Like someone tasting sweet cream for the first time, Robert devoured Celiana’s lips.  

Celiana gasped at his rough movements.  

Her response drove Robert even wilder. Raw desire surged in him. He wanted to make her gasp even more.  

L*st flickered in Robert’s eyes.  

“Ah, mm!”  

After a long kiss, when he finally pulled away, Celiana was breathless.  

Taking advantage of the moment, Robert reached under the bed and grabbed something.  

“Celiana, I’ll do exactly as you wish.”

The object was a leather collar.  

“It’s time for you to receive the punishment that’s been bothering me for days.”

Robert said, and fastened the leather collar around Celiana’s neck.  

He was quite pleased by the fact that the end of the collar was held in his hand.  

She looked like a dog, or perhaps a slave from a vanished era.  

“R-Robert…”  

“Who gave you permission to call my name?”

Robert sneered, tugging the collar.  

Celiana trembled sweetly, looking up at Robert as if responding diligently to his gesture.  

“I’m sorry, I was wrong.”  

Did she even know what she was apologizing for? Robert knew the truth. Right now, Celiana was like a fantasy—his wife, but not his wife.

Still, no matter what, every word from Celiana’s lips stoked Robert’s desire.

Whether it was because of that old woman, some god he didn’t believe in, or even if it was just an illusion—it didn’t matter.  

Robert had no intention of refusing the delicacy presented before his eyes.  

“Lie down.”  

Robert commanded roughly.  

Celiana, her body weak, managed to kneel and bow before him.  

“You look just like a b*tch in heat.”  

The moment he allowed himself not to suppress his long-held desire, crude words slipped out reflexively.  

No one would have expected such words from the upright Marquis Dalton.  

But look—  

Celiana Dalton, her slip half-fallen, exposing her br*asts, wearing a collar, on all fours like a dog, looking up at him.  

Could there be a sight more beautiful and ecstatic for Robert?  

“D*mn, it’s arousing.”  

Such an exclamation was only natural.  

With a satisfied smile, Robert tugged the collar again.  

“Ah!”  

Celiana couldn’t resist and was pulled forward. Before she knew it, her face was pressed against Robert’s groin.  

His swollen front pressed against Celiana’s cheek.