Though Cain answered calmly, Nian felt like she was suffocating from tension. Unlike him, she had covered her entire face. She was also wearing a wig and a dress she never usually wore.

He couldn’t possibly recognize her.

‘Is he testing us? He might have recognized Cain and is just trying to provoke him.’

Nian searched her whitened mind and barely remembered a Samurin word she had learned briefly during childhood tutoring.

「Excuse me.」

Though her pronunciation was completely wrong, fortunately it wasn’t noticeable because her voice was so quiet.

Nian shook off his hand that was holding her wrist and hurriedly left the hall. Cain stopped Dade as he tried to follow her.

“Where are you going?”

“Somehow I think that Samurin woman would look better with black hair than silver.”

He had feared it, but it was true. He seemed to have recognized Nian. Cain suddenly regretted not wearing a wig himself. It seemed Dade had recognized him and then deduced her identity. Cain sighed as if defeated and answered.

“I was too clumsy to deceive Your Majesty.”

“Well. The clumsy one isn’t the Count, so don’t be too disheartened.”

Just by her gait. No, just by her scent. No, just by seeing her chest slightly revealed by the V-neck.

‘I wonder how much of a fool they take me for.’

Dade roughly shook off Cain’s hand that was holding him back and hurriedly followed Nian.

Nian almost fell as she was leaving the hall. Her legs were weak from the dizzying tension, and the already uncomfortable dress made her take small steps despite her urgent desire to run.

Coming outside, the cool evening breeze cooled her heated face.

Though it was only half, she had succeeded.

His blue eyes were still beautifully chilling, and his low voice was still sweet.

‘I should go back now.’

Nian turned toward the hall to find Cain.

“There you are.”

“!”

Seeing Dade walking toward her, Nian unconsciously stepped back before turning to run. Though her tight skirt wouldn’t let her legs spread as she wanted, it didn’t matter.

Despite knowing it was pointless, she desperately hoped he wouldn’t follow her.

Cruelly, contrary to her wishes, she didn’t get far before her wrist was caught by him and her body was suddenly turned around. Nian was panting from breathlessness, and Dade stared at her for a long time before speaking.

「I told you not to wear clothes like this.」

Though she couldn’t understand what he meant because it was in Samurin, Nian soon felt relieved.

‘Stay calm. He’s still speaking Samurin, so I might be overreacting.’

「What were you thinking, coming here?」

Ah. I should have paid more attention during tutoring.

Nian tried to recall the Samurin she knew, searching for words she could use in this situation.

‘Is he saying hello? Or…… This is driving me crazy. Really.’

「Thank you. See you again.」

Nian stammered in Samurin.

Dade chuckled. Then he knelt on one knee and removed his mask.

「I am Dade Belton. Who are you?」

Nian, who knew well what that gesture meant, bit her lip. The hand he held trembled uncontrollably.

「I am……」

Watching Nian struggling with Samurin she barely knew, Dade finally stood up as if he had no choice.

“Shall I tell you?”

Before Nian could stop him, Dade reached out and pulled off her wig. As the wig came off, her secured hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

He spoke with exaggerated pronunciation.

「I am Ilena Roben. It is an honor to meet you.」

Finally, her mask was removed by his hand.

With their masks removed, revealing their bare faces, the two stood gazing at each other endlessly.

In the quiet moment, as the murky tension settled like dust in stirred muddy water, only clear longing remained. The transparent longing revealed their innermost feelings, unable to hide anything.

When Dade finally faced Nian after removing her mask with his own hands, he felt breathless. As if in disbelief, he unconsciously raised his trembling hand to cup her cheek.

It was warm, so this wasn’t a dream this time. He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but couldn’t think of a single one.

“Ilena.”

“I, I…… Well.”

Tears welled up in Ilena’s large eyes before streaming down. She tried her best to hold them back, but it was useless. She had meant to say calmly that she had just come with Cain, that it meant nothing.

So please don’t worry about it. That’s what she had intended to say dispassionately. But when he called her name with such a longing voice, she couldn’t remain calm at all. Nian stammered helplessly.

“I came with Cain…… sob. I mean, I…..”

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Dade pulled Nian into his arms. At last, the woman in his embrace smelled of herbs. A scent he could never experience in his black and white dreams. Dade’s arms instinctively tightened around her.

“Yes. I know. You came with Cain. It has nothing to do with me.”

Nian sobbed silently.

“So, don’t force yourself.”

Dade buried his face in her hair. After sobbing for a while, Nian gradually quieted under Dade’s gentle pats, and finally stopped. Only then did Dade release her and pull her by the wrist.

“Where…… are you going?”

“The Main Palace.”

“Don’t do this. Your Majesty.”

“I’m going to hold you there.”

“Your Majesty.”

Nian began to resist with her full weight.

Though she was being dragged along helplessly.

“Your Majesty. Please. No.”

At Nian’s tear-filled plea, Dade finally stopped in his tracks. He bit his lip hard before speaking in a trembling voice.

“Please. Ilena. Just for today. If it’s not worse than death to be held by me. Just one day.”

Surprised by his shaking voice, Nian turned him around. His eyes grew moist before shedding tears.

“Even if it’s pretend. Just for today. Treat me like before. Ilena. I’m begging you.”

Ah. My goodness. Dade. Your Majesty.

Nian felt as if her heart was breaking at the sight of Dade’s tears, which she thought he would never shed.

Finally, Nian began to follow him, led by his hand.

As soon as they entered the Main Palace bedroom, Dade and Nian kissed each other without hesitation. Dade inhaled her familiar scent as if starved.

“Ilena.”

Having reached the bed, he called her name in a gentle voice. Having cried continuously since seeing his tears, Nian hiccupped softly.

Dade stroked her back soothingly before kissing her and carefully laying her on the bed. Feeling his firm, warm body heat, she pushed him away slightly.

Their eyes met at last.

Her black eyes, still moist and not yet dry, gazed at the blue eyes right in front of her before smiling shyly. Dade returned a faint smile before raising his hand to brush her lower lip with his thumb.

At his touch, Nian playfully stuck out her tongue and gave a slight lick. Her mischievous yet lovely gesture made his eyes darken with desire.

“This is maddening.”

After a very long time, he kissed her neck again.

Wherever Dade’s lips touched, deep red marks remained. Eventually, he pulled down her dress, which he had wanted to remove since first seeing her. Her dazzlingly white and delicate br*asts emerged.

Ah, what a lovely person.

Dade lowered his lips to her br*asts.

He sucked on the pink, firm peak and gently bit it with his teeth, eliciting a sigh mixed with a moan from above. As he sucked again and stroked it with his tongue, she embraced his head. Both of their breathing grew rougher with mounting excitement.

Nian’s body was now n*ked. Dade kissed every corner of her body. His hand, which had been kneading her br*asts, gradually moved down and delved between her legs.

Nian’s legs tensed and drew together, but Dade firmly spread them wide. He inserted his finger into her already moist place and caressed it. As her tight insides squeezed his finger, he slightly curved it to stroke her inner flesh.

“Ahh.”

Nian made an erotic sound. Taking advantage of her distraction in the throes of pleasure, he lowered his face.

When his hot breath touched her sensitive area, Nian flinched in surprise and pushed him away, but soon he extended his tongue and flicked her cl*toris with its tip.

As his long, slender fingers caressed her insides while his hot tongue licked her most sensitive spot, Nian’s head tilted back involuntarily and her waist arched like a bow.

“Ahhng. Ahh. Please. Hnng. Your Majesty.”

Tears flowed from Nian’s eyes. Her body trembled involuntarily from the sensation of melting completely. His persistent caresses only stopped after she reached her limit, tensing her entire body before finally going limp.

Meeting her gaze again, he licked around his lips, which were moist with her essence. Having already reached one climax, Nian exhaled hot breath, and her entire body turned a rosy red.

After a brief kiss, he positioned himself at her entrance.

“It might be…… a bit rough.”

“It’s alright.”