1.1.4

“So bored.”

Viscount Lisbon’s mansion, where today’s party was held, was decorated with rather splendid guest rooms. Milia just had to wait until Theofield finished his business. But it seemed that wait would be very dull.

‘Maybe I should call for Meril on the first floor.’

Her maid, Meril, was probably waiting for her in the servants’ room. Milia glanced at the large grandfather clock on the wall.

‘I’ll wait just five more minutes, and if he doesn’t come, I’ll go to Meril.’

Just as she made up her mind, someone entered the room. It sounded like two people. As Milia was about to get up, she froze at the sound of a familiar voice.

“Don’t worry. This is a guest room. The servants won’t come in carelessly with guests still here.”

“But Clara…”

“Don’t say anything. I’m a little upset today. That Sophie Crayble, she…”

The voices belonged to Clara Selgier and Kailo Leviwan.

‘Why are they here?’

Milia wondered if she should reveal her presence in the room.

‘Are they going to talk in secret? Gossip?’

If so, she definitely shouldn’t be here. Even if it wasn’t intentional, it would still be eavesdropping. As Milia tried to make a sound, she suddenly heard ragged breathing.

“Haah, Clara. It’s… dangerous here.”

Kailo’s voice was filled with a strange, heated undertone, making Milia’s shoulders jump in surprise.

“I told you, no one’s coming in.”

Clara’s voice sounded oddly excited.

“Hng!”

Then came a rough, wet sound, like someone eating, mixed with heavy gasps. Milia cautiously peeked over the back of the couch.

‘…Oh my!’

Her jaw dropped in shock. Clara and Kailo were kissing fiercely, almost as if they were devouring each other, and hurriedly undressing.

“Clara, Clara…”

Kailo’s voice trembled with longing as he called Clara’s name.

‘What am I seeing right now?’

Milia’s heart raced. As Clara’s dress and corset slipped off, Milia forgot to breathe.

‘What are they doing? What are they doing?’

The two, now n*ked, fell onto the bed and began to explore each other’s bodies passionately. Clara’s arms wrapped around Kailo’s neck. Kailo took Clara’s pale br*ast into his mouth, sucking hungrily. His long, white hand teased her other br*ast, playing with and twisting it rhythmically.

“Hnn, Kailo!”

Clara moaned. As she lay there, her legs spread and Kailo positioned himself between them.

“Hurry… please…”

Clara, her face flushed, urged him on. Kailo responded by moving his hips deeply. Clara’s body bounced up toward the headboard.

“Ah!”

Clara let out a short cry as Kailo continued to move. Milia, pale as a sheet, could only watch.

‘Oh no, are they… are they really doing that?’

Milia instinctively knew what was happening. It was the very thing that happened in her favorite romance novels, the part where the protagonists confirmed their love, the thing married couples did to have children.

‘Why is Lady Selgier doing this? She’s going to marry Duke Aliph!’

Milia was in shock. The explicit scene before her eyes was too much for someone inexperienced like her.

“Haah, haa, hnn…”

“Ugh… ugh…”

Their rough breathing sounded almost animalistic.

‘This is so strange! This isn’t what I imagined!’

Clara’s legs, shaking with each of Kailo’s movements, reminded Milia of frogs in a garden pond. Kailo’s pale hips, thrusting back and forth, looked awkward. Was this really what it meant for a man and woman to share love? Milia’s heart pounded in fear.

“Aah, haa, Kailo! So good!”

Clara’s voice rose, and Kailo’s breathing grew heavier.

‘Did she just say she liked it?’

Just as Milia was questioning her ears, the couple’s m*ans began to subside.

‘…Is it over?’

Milia wished the moment would pass quickly. But then, they started to change positions.

‘Wait, are they not done yet?’

Kailo grabbed Clara’s slim waist from behind as she lay on her stomach. Something, looking like a dirt-stained carrot or sweet potato, slid inside beneath Clara’s hips.

‘Eek!’

Milia recoiled at the sight of Kailo’s grotesque male part. Regardless, the two moved even more vigorously. The slapping of skin and heavy breaths made Milia feel like she was losing her mind.

‘Please, just stop…!’

The scene Milia secretly watched was almost painful. Their faces, flushed and gasping for breath, looked as if they were suffering.

‘Why do they keep doing it if it’s so hard?’

She couldn’t understand. Clara’s half-open mouth let out a whimper that sounded like sobbing. With each of Kailo’s thr*sts, Clara’s pale br*asts shook. Milia even thought the scene looked like the mating of horses she’d seen in the stables as a child.

And then, Clara’s half-open eyes met Milia’s.

“…!”

Milia, mind blank, ducked behind the couch again. Clara’s briefly halted m*ans burst out even louder.

“Ahh, haa, ahh!”

Her voice grew sharper, almost as if in pain.

“Aah, Clara! So… tight…”

Kailo’s voice was strained, as if he was suffering too. Soon, the room fell silent. Milia, still hiding behind the couch, glanced at the grandfather clock and was startled.

‘Only ten minutes have passed?’

That long, hellish time had only been ten minutes. But it seemed the beastly act had finally ended. She could hear the rustle of clothes being put back on.

“Clara, you seem strange today. Did something upset you?”  

Kailo’s gentle voice was heard. It was a very different tone from the blunt way he treated Sophie.  

“It’s nothing, Kailo. Could you go out first? I think it’ll take me a while to fix my dress.”  

“Then I’ll help you. It looks hard to put on that dress by yourself.”  

Kailo tried to help Clara out of concern, but she gently refused.  

“If you go out and wait at the carriage first, no one will suspect anything. I’ll be out soon.”  

Clara’s sweet voice was followed by the sound of a light kiss. Soon after, the door closed and the room became quiet. The sound of a dress rustling was heard again.  

“Don’t just stand there, help me with my dress.”  

At Clara’s words, Milia’s heart dropped.  

‘She really did see me!’  

Milia, shrinking in fear, carefully got up from the couch. While hesitantly approaching Clara, she kept thinking of excuses. ‘I wasn’t trying to spy. I was here first. I was about to leave when you started your affair. I swear I had no bad intentions.’ But what came out of Clara’s mouth was unexpected.  

“Lady Lisner, have you ever done it with Lieutenant Manders?”  

Milia, who was helping Clara with her dress, was startled.  

“Why would I do such a thing with him?”  

Clara smiled leisurely at Milia’s serious expression. In fact, Clara’s hands were trembling, but Milia didn’t notice.  

“In the capital, that’s how it’s done. Childhood friends.”  

Clara spoke confidently, a sly smile on her lips.  

“In the capital? No way, that’s weird!”  

No matter how much more open-minded the capital was compared to Lohandra, something felt off. Childhood friends sharing love? Even when both had fiancés? By Milia’s standards, it was nonsense, and in fact, it really was nonsense.  

When Milia finished fastening the buttons on Clara’s back, Clara quickly turned around to face her.  

“Lady Lisner, aren’t you moving to the capital next year?”  

For a moment, Clara looked like a predator about to devour her, and Milia shrank even more.  

“Y-yes, but…”  

“If you’re going to live in the capital, you can’t keep those provincial thoughts. They’ll show right away. Milia Lisner’s country-style Lohandra mindset…”  

“C-country-style? Provincial?”  

Provincial, country-style.  

Those were magic words that could move the people of Lohandra. Words that could make the impossible happen.  

“Lady Lisner!”  

Clara suddenly grabbed Milia’s hand. Her grip was strong, and Milia’s hand hurt. Clara’s hand felt unusually cold, but Milia had no time to think about that in the face of the situation.  

“Childhood friends are the safest choice for a first experience. In the capital, that’s common sense. Think about it, your families know each other well, so who could be safer?”  

“…Safe?”  

Milia was overwhelmed by Clara’s nonsensical logic and was slowly being persuaded. If she thought about it just a bit, she’d realize how strange it was, but unfortunately, Milia’s mind was in panic. The shock of witnessing such a raw, explicit scene had left her shaken.  

“In the capital, no one marries with their purity intact. Man or woman.”  

Clara, having fixed her dress, smiled elegantly as she opened the door.  

“Think carefully. Will you adapt perfectly to the capital, or be shunned as a country bumpkin?”  

Clara smiled sweetly and left the room with composure. As the door closed, something fell onto the carpet.  

“What’s this?”  

Even in her dazed state, Milia picked up what had fallen. It was a small glass bottle, about the length of her middle finger, with the label ‘Della-Rivera’ printed on it. The brand name meant ‘Water of Freedom’.  

‘Lady Selgier must have dropped it.’  

Milia headed for the door to call Clara back, but staggered and collapsed. Her legs had lost strength.  

‘What do I do?’  

Her legs trembled so much she couldn’t get up. And she didn’t want to force herself to see Clara’s face again. She was simply scared. Of everything.  

‘Do I have to do as Lady Selgier said to live in the capital?’  

Just as Clara had said, Milia was scheduled to move to the capital next year. It was because of her father, a senator, and she might end up living there for the rest of her life. To adapt to the capital, she had to be open about such things. Even with Theofield, she’d have to do those things! Milia clutched her head, falling into deep confusion.