For a moment, Breti thought she was seeing a mirage when she saw Karsten standing there, drenched from the rain.

“Your Highness? How… why are you here…!”

Startled, she hurried over with a towel and draped it around his neck.

“Please, dry yourself first. You’re leaving on campaign tomorrow—what if you catch a cold…?”

“…”

Despite her worry, Karsten made no move to use the towel.

“…Your Highness?”

He only fixed his teal eyes on Breti. In that moment, an unfamiliar flush of embarrassment rushed through her. Hastily, she pulled her gown tighter around herself and stepped back.

“You should go back…”

“Breti.”

He spoke her name—not Laterna, but Breti.

Her eyes widened in surprise. It had been so long since she had last heard her own name from his lips.
Ever since arriving at the ducal mansion, it was as if Karsten had cut the name Breti from existence, never once uttering it. So much so that, at times, she nearly forgot she was Breti at all.

And yet…

“Why… why call me by my name all of a sudden…?”

“Or should I say Jena instead?”

Her lips parted in shock at the name.

“H-how did you…?”

“Wondering how I know your middle name?”

“…?”

“You told me yourself, Breti.”

Karsten took a step toward her. She instinctively retreated, but his longer stride quickly erased the distance. He closed in, each step narrowing the space between them.

Thump, thump.

She couldn’t tell if the tremor was from fear—or because it was Karsten who was drawing so near. A shiver ran through her, one she could neither explain nor stop.

“W-what are you doing…”

Whether he knew her middle name hardly mattered now. The greater problem was her heart—pounding so hard she feared he might hear it.

Breti stepped back, breath unsteady, praying her racing heartbeat wouldn’t betray her.

“Ah…”

Knocked backward, Breti dropped helplessly onto the edge of the bed. As she hesitated, Karsten brought his face so close it was nearly touching hers.

“Breti.”

His low voice pierced straight through her ear, sinking into her. Breti, unsettled by the tingling she felt in her fingertips and toes, turned her head to avoid his gaze.

“Don’t call me that, aren’t I Laterna?”

He shook his head.

“No, you’re Breti.”

Karsten’s fingers gently twined through her hair.

“Breti Jenna Harwin.”

His lips brushed her hair for the briefest moment before pulling away. Breti’s face burned at the unexpected gesture. Watching her flush, Karsten let out a soft laugh and brought his lips to her cheek.

“Are you embarrassed, Breti?”

His lips lingered on her cheek, and then, his next destination was her ear. When his low voice seeped into her ear, Breti felt a slow ache settle deep in her lower belly. She couldn’t break free from that unfamiliar sensation, and Karsten pressed a gentle kiss to her earlobe.

“There’s not a single part of you that isn’t beautiful.”

Her eyes widened.

“Hmm? Breti.”

Somehow, she found herself lying with her back against the bed, and he was hovering naturally above her.

Drip, drip—rainwater fell from his hair, soaking through Breti’s thin clothes.

His lips lowered, brushing her forehead, gliding down past her nose, just about to reach her lips—

“Stop.”

Breti turned her head, avoiding his kiss.

Thump, thump—between them, the sound of a racing heart echoed, though neither knew whose it was.

“Please don’t do this.”

“Why not?”

“The purpose Your Highness expected of me… I know this isn’t it.”

Breti still couldn’t meet his eyes as she went on.

“What you wanted from me was to act as Lady Laterna’s stand in, wasn’t it?”

“Purpose?”

“Yes…!”

No sooner had she answered than Karsten seized her chin roughly, forcing her to face him. The fierce glint in his eyes sent a tremor through her shoulders.

“Y-Your Highness…”

“So, while fulfilling Lady Laterna’s duties, you were just letting that b*stard have his way with you?”

“What are you—mmph!”

Karsten’s lips crashed down on hers. He bit her lower lip hard, and in the gap that opened, forced his breath between them. Shocked by his sudden intrusion, Breti pounded weakly at his chest, struggling against him. But he never broke the kiss.

As his breath tangled with hers, a haze swept through Breti’s mind, and her eyes squeezed shut.

“Hmm? Breti.”

At last, he lifted his lips, pressing small, wet kisses to her glistening mouth.

“I asked you a question.”

“Mmph!”

He demanded an answer, never giving her the chance to speak. Breti felt her head spinning from it all.

‘What is happening right now?’

How did she end up like this—kissing him on the bed?

While Breti was lost in thought, Karsten’s lips traced down her jaw to the nape of her neck.

“S-stop!”

Breti shoved him away with all her strength and shielded herself, but all she managed was to dampen the bed even more with her struggle.

“Breti.”

He called her name, closing in on her again. The chase ended only when her back hit the headboard. Breti stayed curled up, still covering herself.

“Y-Your Highness, please…”

“Jenna.”

She meant to beg him to stop, but the sound of her middle name on his lips made every nerve in her body tense. Tears welled up in Breti’s eyes as she found herself caught in his grasp.

“Why… Why are you doing this?”

She choked out, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Karsten pressed his lips to her tear-stained eyes and asked.

“Why do you think?”

She couldn’t answer.

“Why do you think that is, Breti?”

His lips, lingering at her eyes, scattered kisses across her whole face.

“Why do you think I was so furious seeing you with that b*stard?”

“S-stop…!”

Karsten grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. Startled, Breti stared back at him, her eyes still shining with tears.

“Don’t even look at that b*stard.”

She stayed silent.

“Don’t let him touch you, either.”

“No.”

Karsten’s grip on Breti’s chin tightened, rougher than before. She winced in pain, but he didn’t loosen his hold.

“I won’t let any man lay so much as a finger on you.”

She didn’t answer.

“I could never bear to see that.”

His lips claimed hers once more. This time, her lips, which had been firmly closed, parted easily. Their breaths tangled, and the wet sound of their kiss filled the room.

“Mm… ah…”

Breti let out a soft, helpless moan as she struggled to endure him. For a moment, their lips parted, and a thin thread of saliva connected them, stretching between them.

Following that thread, his lips returned again and again to hers, brushing, lingering, and pulling away only to press against her once more.

“Hmm? Breti.”

His endless kisses left her dazed and lightheaded.

‘Why?’
‘Why does he want me so desperately? Why does he cling to me like this?’

‘And why… why can’t I push him away? Why am I accepting him like this?’

His lips slowly drifted lower, moving toward what he hadn’t yet claimed. They trailed down her neck, then easily found their way to the exposed hollow of her chest.

“Ah…”

A moan escaped her lips—one she couldn’t believe had come from herself. Startled, Breti quickly clamped her hands over her mouth. But the sound had already reached Karsten.

With a sensual smile, he pressed kisses to each of her trembling fingers.

“You’re beautiful, Breti.”