“Jürgen?”

Ah, this is awkward. He had made the mistake of staring too obviously while focusing on observing Diez. Jürgen belatedly lowered his gaze to his plate, pretending nothing had happened.

He tried to pretend to cut his food, but unfortunately, there was nothing on his plate.

It seemed too late to pretend he hadn’t noticed. Sensing this, Jürgen cleared his throat awkwardly and said,

“I was just lost in thought. Let’s continue our meal.”

“Even with such an appetizing meal in front of you? I didn’t even have a chance to think about anything else.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

He thought he had successfully evaded the topic, but only for a moment.

From across the table, Diez asked,

“May I ask what you were thinking about?”

Still with an empty plate in front of him, he hesitated. The thought he had while gazing at Diez was, of course, clear. But converting it into verbal expression was a different matter. Especially with the subject herself listening, it was an even more challenging task.

As he often thought to himself, Jürgen was a man with seriously poor aptitude for revealing his inner feelings.

He didn’t want to keep Diez waiting too long, but his lips wouldn’t part easily. What should he say? He didn’t want to appear pathetic in front of her, but it seemed half too late for that. Just fumbling over such a simple question was pathetic enough.

So he needed to come up with something reasonably impressive, but a significant problem stood in his way like a barrier.

His aptitude, which was seriously poor.

“I, well…”

He felt Diez’s gaze touch him briefly and then fall away. If he dragged this out any longer, he would only tire her.

“I was just thinking that you look especially beautiful today. That’s all.”

After forcing out the words he had carefully chosen, he inwardly sighed at himself. Was this the best he could do? He could have thought of something more pleasing to her.

Since he had been deliberately avoiding Diez’s gaze, he couldn’t tell what expression she was making.

Was that why he felt anxious?

Jürgen raised his gaze to meet Diez’s eyes. Fortunately, she was smiling shyly, seemingly pleased.

“Thank you.”

Diez said in a small voice.

“Come to think of it, I believe this is the first time I’ve heard such words from you.”

Somehow feeling as if her words were piercing through him, Jürgen added as if explaining,

“I’ve always been thinking it. That you’re beautiful……”

“I know.”

Jürgen’s eyes wavered at her natural response.

How did she know?

“I’ve always felt it, but I think I much prefer hearing it directly in words.”

It meant she wanted him to say such things more often in the future. As Jürgen was about to nod, Diez asked further,

“Don’t you have anything else you want to say to me?”

That was clearly not a question asked out of courtesy. Jürgen might be awkward with expressions, but he wasn’t a man lacking in perception.

Diez was hoping he would say something special.

What could it be? What words would she want to hear from him?

In truth, he knew the answer. He always did. The words Diez wanted to hear were the same words he always wanted to say to her.

“I love you.”

He said. This time, he could say it without hesitation. There was no need for that anymore. Telling her he loved her was no longer a frightening thing for Jürgen.

“I like you and love you more than anyone else.”

In response, Diez looked at Jürgen, leaving even her favorite egg dish abandoned on the plate. Her ears turned as red as a ripe apple. In contrast, her deep blue eyes trembled like rippling water.

Then, like a splendid flower in full bloom, a smile blossomed on her face.

Seeing that sight, Jürgen once again found himself at a loss for words. “Beautiful” wasn’t enough. She was the most precious and beautiful being in the world. He wondered if he was even worthy of adoring her.

For a moment, he could hardly believe that he would truly marry her someday.

Looking at her, Jürgen became a being with nothing to boast about. A prestigious family and the title of Duke…… what use were such things?

Living in a world filled with all the happiness in the world was what truly suited Diez. Sorrow, even trivial worries, didn’t suit her.

It was the first time he felt glad to have been born as the legitimate son of the Duke. Having everything that others didn’t meant he could give Diez the most prosperous life possible.

He would restore what Diez had lost for a long time. He intended to return, doubled, the happiness she should have enjoyed but couldn’t.

The halo of being the heir to the most influential duchy in the Empire was never meant for him in the first place.

Jürgen finally decided where to use what he had.

Although the Klaus duchy was admired by all, Jürgen had never once been proud of his family’s status.

There were times when he wondered what use were all the wealth and honor.

But now his thoughts had changed.

Protecting the peaceful life of a woman who shone more brilliantly than him, and rightfully so, was the role and meaning of everything he held in his hands.

The two, entangled in each other’s arms, threw themselves onto the soft bed. Diez, embracing Jürgen, begged for his lips. He wasn’t one to fail to notice what she was urging. Jürgen had always been a perceptive man, but especially so in bed.

Holding Diez, Jürgen swallowed her lips and carefully filled her thirst as if caressing her. Hot breaths mingled, and soft, tender flesh collided eagerly, fueling an even greater desire.

Just from kissing and rubbing bodies, he could feel his center hardening. His manhood, trapped in his pants, complained of discomfort. The instinct to penetrate her immediately surged, but he couldn’t dare to be hasty.

The priority in bed was not him but Diez.

Jürgen pulled her pelvis toward his lower body. The wet sensation felt between her spread legs told him that she was excited too.

“You’re wet.”

He said, rubbing his still-trapped manhood against her private part. Diez twisted her body, moaning at the firm sensation grinding against her.

The fluid that flowed out from beyond her thin underwear dampened his waistband. The feeling of getting wet from her fluids wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

No, it felt so good that his insides were boiling. Maddeningly so.

As he rubbed his c*ck repeatedly against the fabric of his pants, Diez wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I can’t put it in yet.”

“Mmm……”

“You should enjoy this thoroughly first.”

Jürgen lowered his head and sucked on the soft mounds of her br*asts, teasing the protruding tips with his tongue. He also didn’t forget to caress her other br*ast with his right hand.

The moment he pressed firmly on the nub and sucked it strongly, Diez trembled and twisted her waist.

“Ah, J-Jürgen.”

While satisfyingly sucking on her br*ast above, he simultaneously rubbed his firmly er*ect member against her below, teasing her. Diez, who had been squirming helplessly, embraced Jürgen’s head and moaned.

“Mmm……”

Judging by how she pushed her br*asts forward, his caresses seemed to be satisfying her. Diez particularly enjoyed having her br*asts sucked. This was something he had discovered after several intimate encounters. Jürgen caressed her br*asts softly yet intensely in the way she liked most while working his hands.

He pressed the tip of his tongue against her nub, then licked it in circular motions. At the same time, he scraped upward on the n*pple of her other br*ast, causing hot fluids to flow from between Diez’s legs, soaking his pants even more.

Confirming her excitement served as a powerful stimulant for Jürgen as well. As a result of his diligent work with his lips and hands, Diez was dripping with pleasure.

That was quite exciting for him too.

Jürgen briefly removed his lips from her br*ast and looked up at her. Diez’s face had long since turned as red as a ripe fruit. Complex emotions were mixed in her eyes. Was that embarrassment, or perhaps…

She exhaled a hot breath and met Jürgen’s gaze. He was always in a position to look down at her, being three hand spans taller. But in bed, it was the opposite. Somehow, that fact seemed to excite him, Jürgen thought.

“May I kiss you?”

She asked. The pink protrusions on her plump br*asts were beautiful, but her red lips were even more seductive. He was desperate to devour those lips right away, but every act required Diez’s permission.

As soon as Diez nodded, Jürgen embraced the back of her head and hungrily explored her lips, the object of his desire. Exchanging excited breaths and entangling tongues provided a different pleasure than caressing her br*asts. The wet sounds and intermittent moans Diez released were transmitted directly to him.