Thud.

As soon as the bedroom door closed, Erika turned around and placed her hand next to Ion’s head.

She had trapped him between herself and the bedroom door.

“Erika?”

Ion called out to her with a trembling voice, considerably flustered.

Erika stared into Ion’s eyes, then lowered her gaze and spoke in a low voice.

“Lower your head.”

“Huh?”

When Ion questioned her, not understanding properly, Erika raised her head again.

“I said lower your head closer to me.”

Ion hunched his shoulders and lowered his head toward Erika.

“Close your eyes.”

Thump, thump……

Ion closed his eyes while clutching his heart that felt ready to burst.

As his vision sank into darkness, his heartbeat sounded even louder.

But there was another sound that rang even louder.

Touch.

Along with the soft sensation on his lips came a sound that caressed his wildly beating heart.

Ion unconsciously parted his lips.

Touch.

Once more, the soft sensation covered his lips with warmth.

Ion eagerly captured the approaching lips like a starving man.

The lips trembled.

Ion unfolded his clenched hands and cradled Erika’s face that had come close to his own.

Erika moved even closer, making it easier for Ion to caress her face.

Ion held Erika’s chin with his thumb, opening her mouth wider and pushing in his desperate desire to reach deeper inside.

Erika embraced his waist.

Ion’s hands wrapped around Erika’s back.

Erika, the strongest and bravest person in the world, entered Ion’s embrace.

Though Ion was large enough to hold Erika in his arms, he actually felt as if he were the one being embraced by her.

“Have you finally decided to accept me completely?”

Ion whispered as he kissed Erika’s forehead, temples, and eyelids.

Opening his eyes slightly, he saw Erika’s face had turned bright red.

Noticing Ion’s gaze, Erika raised her hand and covered his eyes completely.

She still seemed shy.

Ion took Erika’s hand and placed it on his chest where his heart was pounding.

“Can you feel my heart beating? It only reacts this way for you.”

Erika’s lips met Ion’s more intensely.

Ion didn’t miss this opportunity either and captured Erika.

And he asked.

If he could go deeper.

As if giving permission, Erika’s arms naturally wrapped around his neck.

He lifted her up in his arms.

Her legs wrapped securely around his waist.

The heat in her eyes as she looked down at him matched his own.

A smile formed on Ion’s lips.

He no longer needed to hold back or hesitate.

In an instant, the bedroom transformed into a paradise of heat for just the two of them.

Ion busily sought Erika’s lips. The more he touched them, the more he delved into them, the more thirsty he became.

Yet while exploring her lips, a joy like finding an oasis in the desert spread throughout his body.

‘I think I might become addicted?’

Despite it being their first kiss, Ion was already deeply immersed and found it difficult to pull away.

Erika was both a labyrinth and a maze of pleasure.

Ion already knew he could never win against Erika in anything.

But even in areas he had never considered, Erika didn’t allow the slightest gap. Ion trembled at Erika’s slightest gesture and staked everything on her every movement.

My queen, my master……

Ion moved as Erika led him.

His entire body felt as if it were on fire.

“Let’s go to the bed.”

“Yes.”

His heart raced at her whispered voice.

But he didn’t rush.

After carefully placing Erika on the bed, Ion knelt before her. Since Erika clearly held the initiative, Ion waited for her next command.

Erika stroked his shoulder with one hand while untying her dress strings with the other.

He helped her remove the dress.

She had dressed meticulously, even wearing a corset, for the opera they had attended after a long time.

Despite occasionally helping her with her clothes, his hands strangely trembled, and his face grew hot.

Her earlobes had also turned red.

He gently bit her earlobe. His already heat-filled lips met the hot skin, igniting a fire.

His hand movements quickened again.

She lay down on the bed, receiving his touch.

His body leaned over hers, supporting his weight with his arms to avoid burdening her.

Looking down at her felt too overwhelming.

She was someone who should be looked up to like the stars in the sky, yet now she was beneath him.

He gave her bird-like kisses on her face, soft and apologetic, like a bird pecking.

It was already an honor that she had married someone as inadequate as himself, and now she was trying to become his true wife.

What an honor this was……

“I love you, Erika. You’re all I have.”

Erika said nothing and affectionately stroked Ion’s arm. Though she had realized she liked him, she was still awkward about confessing it in words. Erika decided to entrust everything to Ion’s touch while listening to his sweet voice.

Now that their hearts were connected, she wanted them to become a real couple.

Giving Ion, who had waited all this time, an answer as quickly as possible was the best she could do.

Ion came closer and deeper.

Erika embraced Ion tightly with both arms as much as she could.

Though her personality wouldn’t allow her to live with sweet words on her lips like Ion, she wanted to express her affection clearly when she did.

Ion lost himself in exploring Erika.

Erika felt fulfilled watching him like this.

Because she could tell that Ion didn’t just like her with words, but truly liked her with his entire body.

‘This person is genuine.’

The days spent with Ion unfolded in her mind.

Ion’s kindness, which she couldn’t understand at first, gathered under the name of ‘love’ and revealed his sincerity.

She could see that Ion had never been negligent in anything concerning her.

Even during the time when she didn’t understand Ion’s feelings, he had given his all without expecting anything in return. The moment she realized all of this was because he liked her, because he loved her, a shiver ran through her entire body.

Erika caressed his face, which was covered in sweat. She could feel through his entire body how happy and joyful he was right now.

A different kind of ecstasy than mere pleasure flowed between them.

Drop.

A tear fell from Ion’s eye.

It wasn’t sweat.

“Ion?”

“Ah….. I don’t know what to say……”

Erika gently patted his back.

As if she understood everything.

“I’m so, happy, Erika. And that makes me so scared too.”

“Why?”

“Do I deserve to be this happy?”

Ion had lost his mother at birth.

There were people who considered him unlucky, knowingly or unknowingly. Some even said he had devoured his mother when he was born.

Ion also harbored feelings similar to guilt, knowingly or unknowingly.

Though unintentional, his mother had passed away after giving birth to him.

How much had the wet nurses and maids who came to care for him at the Emperor’s command suffered?

There were numerous people who had endured hardships they wouldn’t have had to if not for him.

Ion had not yet fully repaid them.

Erika too had to go to the frontier because of him, a place she wouldn’t have had to go otherwise, and had to fight monsters at all hours. It was true that she couldn’t live a proper noble life, mixing with rough mercenaries in a barren territory.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized he was indebted.

There were too many things he needed to repay.

Yet, was it okay for him alone to be this happy?

“Of course it is.”

Erika’s permission was granted.

With the queen’s permission, Ion’s heart swelled beyond description.

“Really?”

“Of course. I’m certainly capable of that much.”

Ion nodded.

Erika was someone who could make others happy. He was fortunate to be the recipient.

Erika’s influence was so great that it made him forget all his past hardships in an instant.

Her single word changed the world.

Ion was no longer someone who brought misfortune. He was a fortunate person belonging to Erika’s world.

Ion buried his face in Erika’s neck while supporting his weight on his elbows. Warm tears fell onto Erika’s neck.

Erika embraced Ion’s head with both arms and caressed it preciously. Until Ion’s sobbing stopped.

“Sniff. Erika, can we do it again?”

Having calmed down somewhat, Ion raised his head and looked at Erika as he asked.

Erika was a bit dumbfounded, but she didn’t refuse.

It seemed unkind to tell him to stop when he was expressing his joy-filled heart with his entire body.

“As much as you want.”

“Erika, I really love you. This time, I’ll make sure you feel what I felt.”

Erika thought she had made a mistake, but it was already too late.

Ion was blindly devoted to her.

He was someone who would do anything to make her happy, regardless of what it was. So naturally, he would put even more effort into the act of making love.

Ion’s love offensive continued endlessly.

She gradually became accustomed to his bold expressions of affection.

It was truly wonderful.

To the point where it couldn’t possibly be any better.

※※※

“I’ve discovered who’s behind it.”

“Really?”

Erika, who had been reviewing documents in her office, put them down at Kitty’s report.

Nothing was more urgent than Ion’s safety.

“Who is it?”

“It’s His Highness Gerick.”

“Gerick? Are you certain?”

“I’m certain, having investigated starting from when the Grand Duke’s businesses were attacked.”

“Hmm……”

Erika bit her lip tightly, suppressing her anger.

It was hard enough to forgive him for interfering with Ion’s businesses, but to think he had even tried to kill him—her anger was uncontrollable.

“What’s his reason?”

“It seems His Highness thought that if the Grand Duke died, Your Highness would return to him.”

“Ha! What a ridiculous man.”

Gerick’s very idea was unacceptable.

The relationship between Erika and Gerick had long been severed. Whether it ended when Gerick married Evelyn, or when Erika decided on revenge and entered a political marriage with Ion, things with Gerick were over.

Even if Ion were to pass away due to an unfortunate accident, she would never return to him.

She wanted to dissect his brain to see what basis he had for thinking she would return if Ion were gone.

“But it doesn’t seem like His Highness Gerick was behind all the assassination attempts.”

“You’re saying there’s someone else besides Gerick?”