Chapter 7 (Part 6)

Anthus gently pushed Yuliana’s hair behind her ear with his long fingers and lightly kissed her temple.

“I came to tell you about something I’ve prepared, Lia.”

Anthus’s arm wrapped tightly around Yuliana.

“What have you prepared… hmm.”

As Anthus stroked Yuliana’s arm, he looked at her and kissed her again. Anthus cursed his own short patience.

“I was going to hold back today…”

Yuliana smiled softly, kissed Anthus, and gently wrapped her arms around his neck. It was as if she had always been clinging to his neck, so naturally did her arms wrap around him.

Yuliana’s body pressed against Anthus’s gave him a sweet yet painful ache. Once felt, the pain didn’t easily subside. It was a familiar pain that Anthus knew better than anyone.

“Are you planning to torment me today?”

“Am I tormenting you, Yan? Then shall I move away for a moment?”

“No! It’s more tormenting if you move away.”

“Okay. I won’t move away.”

Anthus summoned the deepest patience from within as he looked down at Yuliana’s innocent eyes. He was quite proud of himself for managing such restraint.

He was trying to restrain himself before the engagement ceremony. And above all, he wanted to be considerate of her, who was grieving Rosaline’s death.

But that resolve and patience were like a candle flame. With a puff, it could be extinguished and disappear.

“Please don’t provoke me. I’m trying my best to restrain myself.”

Yuliana said to Anthus, who spoke with a sullen expression.

“Restrain? That hardly seems like the right word for someone who devoured my lips the moment he came in.”

“I want to swallow more, but I’m restraining myself.”

With a touch full of possessiveness, Anthus slowly stroked Yuliana’s shoulder down to her waist.

“I don’t feel any restraint in your touch, Yan.”

“If that’s what you felt, then you are correct.”

The patience he had mustered at her slightest flinch and every word was as fleeting as dust in the wind.

“Really…”

Anthus, who had been planning to indulge his desires, stopped moving.

“The reason I came is that there’s somewhere we need to go.”

“Where do we need to go?”

“I want to commemorate the engagement ceremony.”

Yuliana tilted her head and looked at Anthus, who seemed embarrassed. Anthus’s excited expression only heightened Yuliana’s curiosity.

And the place they arrived at was Drabianz, a hotel renowned as a luxury establishment even within the capital.

“I’ve reserved the top floor here.”

“Yan, our engagement ceremony is soon.”

Following him, as the door to the top floor opened, Yuliana covered her mouth.

“Since you like flowers, Lia, I decorated it a bit. I heard from Ferrell that women relieve stress when they see what they like.”

Rosaline’s death… Matthias, who intended to keep it a secret forever… It would be a lie to say she wasn’t upset by the truth she learned. She was deeply saddened and troubled, burying her sorrow deep within her heart.

“I’m really grateful for your thoughtfulness.”

Yuliana was overwhelmed with an indescribable joy from Anthus’s unexpected surprise.

“Yuliana Loengrin.”

“Yes?”

When Yuliana turned around, Anthus knelt on one knee and opened a velvet box.

“My beloved Lia. Will you be engaged to me and then marry me?”

Yuliana recalled her first meeting with Anthus.

<Does the Young Lady not know who I am?>

It wasn’t that she didn’t know. In the midst of the war, there was no one with golden hair and red eyes other than Anthus, the Young Master of the Rockbellion family. She just missed the timing to answer, and he was very embarrassed, so she pretended not to know.

<My name is Anthus. I would like it if you called me by my name.>

Every time he went out to the battlefield, he always took care of the room she stayed in. Looking back, for nine years, Anthus had hidden his feelings for Yuliana all over the place. She just didn’t realize it.

Tears rolled down Yuliana’s cheeks. Anthus took the ring from the velvet box, placed it on Yuliana’s left fourth finger, and kissed it.

“What do I do? I didn’t prepare a ring for you, Yan…”

“That’s why I prepared mine as well.”

Anthus handed Yuliana a velvet box that looked the same but was a different color from his pocket. Yuliana opened the velvet box and smiled at the ring that matched hers.

“I will tell you every day that I love you, Lia.”

Anthus extended his left hand to Yuliana.

“And the only response I want to hear from you, Lia, when you hear those words is…”

“I love you too.”

Yuliana nodded and placed the ring on Anthus’s finger. Anthus intertwined his fingers with Yuliana’s and kissed her forehead, lifting the corners of his lips in satisfaction.

Yuliana wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you for proposing.”

“What is your body made of, Lia? It’s hard to let go because of your wonderful scent.”

Anthus called Yuliana with a mesmerizing voice and hugged her even tighter. Yuliana blushed, knowing well that when Anthus spoke informally, it was always before he kissed her.

Anthus gracefully took Yuliana’s hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss.

“Lia, may I just kiss your lips? If not, at least allow me a peck.”

“Then just a peck. Just a peck!”

Anthus moved closer to Yuliana and let out a longing sigh.

Anthus showed a charming smile and pressed his body against Yuliana’s. Of course, he cursed his own short patience, which was as brief as his goldfish memory.

He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, lightly brushed against her lips, and slowly caressed down Yuliana’s back and shoulders.

Anthus’s lips soon pressed slowly against Yuliana’s neck. The rhythm of her heartbeat, along with his, played a pleasant melody.

As the forgotten moments of pleasure resurfaced, a warm heat began to rise. Anthus started unbuttoning his blouse, one button at a time. Watching him, Yuliana narrowed her eyes and spoke.

“Yan… Why are you unbuttoning your blouse? You said just a peck.”

To this, Anthus showed his flushed face and laughed naturally.

“I didn’t say where the peck would be, Lia.”

“A peck… should be on the lips.”

“A peck doesn’t have to be just on the lips.”

“Where else would it be! I thought it was only on the lips…”

“Today, I’ll show you that a peck isn’t just on the lips, Lia.”

Anthus’s hand slid smoothly over Yuliana’s body. It was delicate and careful.

Yuliana’s dress continued to slip lower with every move of Anthus’s hand.

As Anthus felt the strength gradually leave Yuliana’s body, he approached the bed, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as he laid her down.

“Words of love aren’t enough to express my feelings.”

Every time he looked down at her flushed face, something unbearable seemed about to burst. Every time her lips willingly accepted his breath, it felt like his breathing would stop.

Anthus gazed at Yuliana’s face as she lay exhausted next to him. His heart joyfully fluttered, making it impossible to sleep.

He stroked her lips with his fingertips. Then he placed his cheek against hers as she lay with her eyes closed.

‘So fragrant.’

The sun was gradually rising. Feeling the passing time was unfair, Anthus looked at Yuliana with more yearning.

How wonderful it would be if they could spend time together where no one else was. Where no one could see. Where only he could see. Anthus continued to gaze at the sleeping Yuliana with the happiest smile.

As the sunlight poured in through the window, Yuliana forced her eyelids open.

Awakened, Yuliana lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her body felt too languid, and she didn’t want to move.

“Are you awake? You can sleep a bit more…”

Turning her head to the side, she saw Anthus looking at her. He spoke with a face full of vitality.

“Yan, it’s time to go back.”

Anthus didn’t want to leave this place where they spent a passionate night. He wanted to stay here with her a little longer. He couldn’t let this great opportunity slip by.

“Please wait a moment.”

“Okay.”

Anthus left the room. After a while, he returned, pushing a trolley laden with food.

The delicious aroma emanating from the food made Yuliana swallow her saliva. Everything was Yuliana’s favorite: fragrant mushroom soup, thick steak, fresh salad, scones, and lemonade.

“It’s all my favorites.”

“Lia, I’ll cut it for you, so please wait a moment.”

“If you keep feeding me like this, it’ll become a habit.”

“Serving you like this is a right only I, Anthus, can have.”

“Anthus’s right?”

“Yes. Please don’t take away my right.”

Anthus neatly sliced the steak and brought it to Yuliana’s mouth. He gently wiped a bit of sauce from her lips with his finger.

Anthus smiled as he watched Yuliana chew delightfully.

“Yan, aren’t you eating?”

At Yuliana’s words, Anthus took a piece of the neatly sliced meat and ate it.

All of Anthus’s nerves and senses were focused on Yuliana’s eating. He couldn’t feel anything else. The satisfaction of watching her eat deliciously was a feeling that couldn’t be replaced by anything else.

As they took turns feeding each other, the food was quickly finished.

“Have some snacks.”

Anthus watched as Yuliana bit into a scone and followed suit, taking a bite of his own. Seeing powder on Anthus’s face, Yuliana brushed it off with her finger.

He gently nibbled on her finger with his lips.

“Yan! Don’t play around while eating.”

“I’m not playing.”

Yuliana smiled and gently stroked Anthus’s arm, and he placed a light kiss on her hair before kissing her soft pink cheek. With Anthus’s continued kisses, Yuliana’s cheeks grew increasingly warm and red.

“It’s nice. Waking up together and having breakfast.”

“From the morning… doing this.”

Anthus mischievously curled his lips and asked.

“Doing this? Doing this from the morning? What did I do?”

“You keep kissing me.”

“I want to keep kissing you, Lia.”

Anthus gently pushed the trolley aside and pulled Yuliana’s slender body into his embrace. He was satisfied with her squirming in his arms.

He lowered his head and buried his face in her neck. Inhaling deeply, he pressed his body closer to her, savoring the sweet and sour scent. Anthus’s nose brushed against her slender neck as he embraced her with his red lips.

“We shouldn’t be doing this in the morning. We have to return to the Ducal residence… There’s still engagement preparation left.”

Anthus firmly lifted Yuliana’s face as she shyly tried to escape his embrace, and quickly covered her soft lips with his.

He gradually leaned his weight towards Yuliana. She slowly fell backward.

As he held her slender waist in one hand, a dizzying heat rose beneath, reminding him of the night before.

Anthus gazed deeply into Yuliana’s eyes, smiling as he lifted his lips. His blatant gaze left no doubt about what he intended to do next.

Eventually, Anthus’s hand caressed her rounded shoulder. Her lips, glistening from the kiss, drew a graceful arc. Looking into her mesmerizing golden eyes, it felt as if his rational mind was going on a distant journey.

Anthus slowly lowered his head, kissing Yuliana’s flushed cheeks and eyes.

“Yan, we have to go back.”

Her pitiful voice only stimulated him further.

With a desire welling up from deep in his throat, he captured her lips, licking them to intensify the sultry heat.

The sweet words of love echoed in each other’s ears, resonating in the room without pause.

Thus, Anthus did not let Yuliana leave the room until lunchtime had passed and evening approached.