Chapter 6 (Part 4)

“Hmm…”

Yuliana woke up abruptly, feeling strange. She looked around.

“This place…”

She remembered fainting in Anthus’s arms. The atmosphere of the place she was in now was different from her room in the Earl’s mansion.

“Lia, are you awake?”

Rather than being startled by the familiar voice, Yuliana smiled.

“Yan!”

Anthus, who seemed to have just woken up too, slowly opened his eyes and blinked.

“Yan, did you sleep next to me?”

“I was going to leave after laying you down, but you held onto my collar and wouldn’t let go… So, I think I fell asleep too. I used a lot of energy fighting as well.”

“I see.”

Anthus lit the room with a magic stone lamp. He sat up and caressed Yuliana’s face.

“Your complexion looks better. I was worried.”

“I just fell asleep because I used up all my mana.”

“If… If you didn’t like me sleeping next to you… I’m sorry. I was exhausted and passed out as soon as I laid you down.”

Anthus sighed regretfully and looked at Yuliana.

“Don’t apologize. You said I held onto your collar and wouldn’t let go. I was just surprised. I don’t mind you sleeping next to me at all.”

“Really?”

“Yes, of course.”

Anthus’s persistent gaze lowered towards Yuliana’s face. It felt like he would touch her if he got any closer.

“Were you surprised?”

“You came so close all of a sudden. I was a little startled.”

“I was going to surprise you even more.”

“What?”

Anthus mischievously smiled and lightly brushed his lips against Yuliana’s. Before she could react, he pressed his lips firmly against hers.

implied

The tension of their bodies touching on the bed enveloped them. Anthus’s hand began to wander near her waist.

Yuliana’s cheeks and earlobes turned increasingly red. As he caressed her, he started kissing her again as if to soothe her.

“When you make that face, it’s hard for me to hold back. I can’t resist.”

Anthus spoke with a strained voice, trying to calm his slightly rough breathing.

“I’ll hold back.”

Even though he wanted to get closer, Anthus stood up.

Yuliana grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her, kissing his lips. Anthus understood what this meant.

“Lia, if I stay here any longer…”

In Yuliana’s golden eyes, which didn’t avoid his gaze, he saw only himself. Anthus could no longer hide his overwhelming emotions.

“You might get tired of my deep possessiveness. But I don’t want to hide my feelings.”

Yuliana nodded. After several deep kisses, Anthus gently laid her on the bed.

“If you look at me, I won’t want anything else. Just stay by my side.”

It was the beginning of a night where sweet sensations melted into each other.

* * *

Anthus wiped away his sweat and Yuliana’s tears with his fingers.

He kissed her again, their excited breaths enveloping each other.

“Lia, are you okay?”

“Yan, you seem to lack self-control.”

Yuliana looked at Anthus as if in a trance. Hearing such loving words from such a kind-hearted man made her heart flutter.

Yuliana hugged Anthus tightly. The skin contact caused their bodies to heat up again.

“Lia, if you tempt me like this…”

“I want you more today than yesterday, Yan.”

Yuliana covered her face as she spoke. She was so embarrassed. She felt like her endlessly pounding heart would be heard by Anthus.

“Lia, don’t cover your face. Let me see you.”

With just a word, unbearable emotions overflowed.

Anthus showed his restrained desire through his actions. Yuliana clung to the sweetness he offered without feeling embarrassed.

“Even if you abandon me, I will return to you.”

For the first time, Anthus revealed his deep possessiveness. Seeing his whispering lips and ruby-like red eyes, Yuliana was mesmerized.

“Dead or alive, I am yours, Lia.”

At the end of his words, Yuliana’s slender arms wrapped around his neck.

* * *

Butler Ferrell of the Rockbellion ducal mansion felt exceptionally good from the morning. Since yesterday, Anthus and Yuliana hadn’t thought about leaving the room. He thought Anthus would just lay her on the bed and come out… but he didn’t!

In fact, Ferrell had knocked on Anthus’ door to find him, but received no response. When he slightly opened the door and saw no one inside, he was flustered. While desperately looking for Anthus, he met Head Maid Sydney.

“They’ve been in the Duchess’ room together since yesterday. Hoho.”

Knowing this, Ferrell couldn’t help but feel excited.

“If they produce an heir soon, that would be wonderful…”

The Rockbellion ducal family had always had few children, so if an heir were to be born, he might dance with joy in the training yard. He would also have something to show off to the traveling former Duke and Duchess, Philip and Frey. They might even praise him greatly.

“Head Maid Sydney.”

“Yes, Butler Ferrell.”

“If… when the master comes out… please take good care of our Duchess.”

Sydney, understanding what Ferrell meant, replied.

“They might have just slept. If we expect too much and it turns out to be nothing, we’ll be disappointed.”

Ferrell’s excitement deflated a bit at Sydney’s words.

“I trust the master’s face. I believe in his good looks!”

“If by any chance what we hope for happens, I will take good care of the Duchess, so please do not worry.”

“Just in case, I should tell the chef to prepare some nourishing food.”

Ferrell prayed earnestly to a god he did not believe in.

* * *

On the other hand, the atmosphere at the Earl Loengrin’s mansion was gloomy. They thought Anthus had taken Yuliana to the mansion, but it was only in the morning that they realized she was not there.

Matthias and Louis were busy handling the chaotic hunting competition. They arrived home late at night, exhausted, assuming Yuliana was sleeping in her room and went to bed without asking the servants.

The Earl’s mansion was in an uproar upon discovering that Yuliana was not in the mansion.

“What are you doing! Our Lia hasn’t come back!”

“We assumed there was something going on since neither you nor the young master said anything… We didn’t ask.”

If they had asked and found out she wasn’t in her room, they would have stormed the Rockbellion ducal mansion right away.

“You should have come and asked about Yuliana even if I didn’t say anything!”

“We’re sorry.”

“A letter has just arrived from the Rockbellion mansion.”

Matthias snatched the letter and read it as quickly as possible.

The letter read:

[I was worried about Lia being alone in the Earl’s mansion, so I brought her to the Rockbellion mansion. Do not worry.]

“Lia… Lia… Our child… spent the night out with the dragon…”

Louis’s eyes blinked repeatedly in inexplicable distress. Matthias also turned pale enough for anyone to ask if he was ill.

“Prepare the carriage immediately!”

Matthias and Louis worried about Yuliana, who had spent the night at the Rockbellion mansion. They couldn’t help but worry about Yuliana, who was already enchanted by the dragon, even though they said to stay alert even in a dragon’s lair. A bad premonition crossed the minds of the two men.

* * *

In her sleep, Yuliana sought warmth and rubbed her face against something hard yet soft, like a cat. Anthus flinched as Yuliana rubbed her face against his chest.

“Please don’t rub too much. It’s uncomfortable.”

Yuliana awoke on the bed and rubbed her eyelids with her hands. Her body felt sluggish and very tired.

The soreness centered around her waist and thighs reminded her of the previous night. The hard, n*ked body of Anthus and the continuous sweet kisses. She vividly remembered his hands wandering all over her body, making her face and entire body heat up.

“I’m sorry for not controlling myself again.”

Yuliana spoke softly to Anthus, who was looking at her with a sullen expression.

“It’s okay, Yan.”

“Lia, your voice is hoarse.”

Anthus got up, poured water into a cup on the table, and brought it to Yuliana.

“Drink some water… Lia.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Yuliana kept glancing at Anthus. His broad shoulders and well-defined muscular body looked like a finely sculpted statue in an exhibition hall.

“Are you alright, Lia?”

Anthus asked worriedly, furrowing his brows.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

His gentle and soft voice began to ease the tension from the previous night’s heat.

Anthus continued to sweetly caress Yuliana’s back, asking if she was in pain, if she was okay, apologizing, and expressing his love. It made her heart flutter.

“Please wait a moment, Lia.”

“What?”

“I’ll be right back.”

Anthus left and returned with a trolley. The delicious aroma of stew from the trolley tickled Yuliana’s nose.

“It’s breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

She had spent the night out, wrapped in Anthus’s arms. She didn’t regret it, but Matthias’s face came to mind.

“He told me not to spend the night out… Father and Brother must be worried.”

“I sent a letter to Earl Loengrin’s mansion. I only wrote that I brought you to the Duke’s mansion because I was worried about you being alone in the Earl’s mansion.”

Anthus hugged Yuliana tightly, smiling happily.

“It’s so wonderful to see you before going to bed and as soon as I wake up.”

Anthus’s deep desire was reflected in his red eyes. Yuliana gulped again.

“I want to get married soon.”

“Brother and Sellie should get married first… Ah… Yan… in the morning…”

But the happy morning was short-lived. Ferrell’s urgent shout that Matthias and Louis had arrived at the ducal mansion, like rampaging horses, shattered the deep love they were about to share in the morning.

Anthus clicked his tongue, regretting sending the letter so soon.

“Lia, Head Maid Sydney will come in to help you. I will go down first and talk to Father.”

“I think my father will be very angry.”

Knowing that Matthias and Louis had arrived, Yuliana lowered her head, anticipating being scolded for spending the night out. Anthus gently touched Yuliana’s cheek and looked at her.

“I shouldn’t have stayed out, but I did, and I’ll be in trouble.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t be scolded, Lia.”

“What? What do you mean I won’t be scolded?”

“Leave it all to me.”

Anthus gave Yuliana a short kiss on the cheek and left the room to greet Matthias and Louis.