Chapter 5.2

The kiss, which had started abruptly, grew deeper. Though it had begun as an impulse, neither of them wanted to stop this sweet and intoxicating connection.

As she leaned awkwardly forward, he slowly pulled her closer. Without breaking the kiss, he guided her to sit on his lap.

It was at that moment, as Carnier followed his lead without much thought, that she flinched.

“Ah…”

“……!”

At her small but sharp gasp, Servante froze. He stopped the kiss, and the thin trail of saliva connecting their lips broke. Carnier awkwardly averted her gaze.

“…Are you in pain?”

“Oh… That…”

There was no use hiding it. The moment she sat lightly on his lap, the sound she made revealed everything. It was all too clear where she felt discomfort.

Servante swallowed a sigh.

“You said you were fine.”

“No, really, I’m okay.”

Carnier muttered softly.

“Except… maybe I could use a cushion.”

“Hah.”

He had been the one to push her so far last night. Even when they parted, she had been so exhausted that she hadn’t been able to wake up until this morning. There was no way she could have recovered so quickly.

And yet, here she was, pushing herself to go out.

“Everything else is really fine. I’m not as fragile as I look…”

“Let me see.”

“…Pardon?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. His grip on her waist tightened.

“Let me see. I’ll decide whether you’re fine or not.”

“Here? Now?”

“Is there a problem?”

“There are so many problems…! What if someone comes in and sees…?”

“Who would dare enter here without my permission?”

“…Good point.”

Oh no, I shouldn’t have agreed to that.

As his crimson gaze bore into her, Carnier broke into a cold sweat.

* * *

The rustling sound of her skirt brushing against the chair made Carnier’s face flush red. The sunlight streaming through the various shades of the glass conservatory felt unbearably bright.

“Um, I don’t think this is…”

“Stay still.”

“Yes.”

At his stern voice, she instinctively replied without thinking. Where had the adorable, flustered man from earlier gone? Now, the intimidating Crown Prince was here.

Lying on the long chair, Carnier covered her face with her hands. Since this was his private sanctuary, the chair was as soft as a bed, and the cushions brushing against her cheek were plush. But none of it was comforting.

Unlike her embarrassment, Servante’s gaze was serious and calm.

As he lifted the hem of her skirt, the marks he had left on her pale legs the night before came into view. His fingertips brushed over the numerous red marks scattered along the inside of her thighs. The sensation made her legs instinctively close.

“Carnier.”

“…It’s unfair to call my name only at times like this.”

Despite her grumbling, Carnier relaxed the tension in her legs as he wished. The sight of his head disappearing between her thighs brought back vivid memories of the previous night…

“If that’s the case, you should call my name too.”

“…Pardon? Ah, wait…!”

Before she could even process his casual suggestion, she froze. The thin underwear that had served as her last defense was pushed aside, exposing her most intimate area to the cool air.

There was no need to debate which was more embarrassing—being entirely undressed or having only that part exposed. Both were mortifying!

Her face turned crimson as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish. Whether he noticed her distress or not, he examined her with a serious expression. A hint of guilt flickered in his crimson eyes.

‘…It’s too red.’

Her swollen, tender flesh was flushed to the point where even touching it felt like an apology was necessary. The deeper he looked into the folds, the darker the redness became.

Servante let out a sigh of regret.

“It must’ve hurt a lot.”

“What? Oh, um…”

His concerned tone pulled Carnier out of her daze.

“It doesn’t hurt that much. Only when I sit on something hard, like earlier. Otherwise, it’s fine…”

Though she answered, her mind couldn’t let go of his earlier words.

‘Call his name? Is that really okay? Should I?’

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to call him by his name. But she had never heard anyone address him by name before. Not even the Emperor or the late Empress. To everyone, he was simply the “Crown Prince.”

Was it truly okay to call him by his name? 

While she wrestled with her thoughts, his fingers gently touched her swollen area.

“Ah…!”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re completely fine.”

“That’s just because you startled me! You touched me so suddenly…”

No matter how accustomed she became to this, she knew she shouldn’t get used to it. Flustered, Carnier hesitantly reached out her hand, wondering if she could pull her skirt back down.

But as the fabric slipped slightly, he pushed it back up again. 

Nope, not yet. 

Carnier once again covered her face in embarrassment.

“Did you apply anything? There’s something faintly smeared here.”

“Yes… Just a bit of ointment to reduce the swelling…”

“…By yourself?”  

“Of course, I applied it myself…”  

Carnier could count on one hand the people who knew about the time she had spent with him last night. Only Beth, who had helped her get ready, and Aisha, who had silently prepared the place and the ointment, were aware.  

Considering that the affected area was there, how could she entrust it to someone else? Even just receiving the ointment had been mortifying.  

Still covering her face and trying to cool her blush, Carnier didn’t notice the subtle change in the way his gaze lingered on her.  

“How, if you couldn’t see it?”  

“Even if I can’t see it… I can still reach the sore spot…”  

“Even inside?”  

“Why do you keep asking such detailed questions…!”  

She moved her hands away from her face to protest, but then she saw his expression. He looked as though he wanted to devour her.  

Ah… It was the same gaze he had given her last night.  

As she froze, unable to speak, he asked again.  

“By yourself, even inside?”  

“I, uh…”  

“It must’ve been quite deep. I distinctly remember…”  

He slowly trailed his hand down to her lower abdomen and pressed gently around her flat navel.  

“It felt like I reached about here. Did your hand get that far?”  

“Ah, no, not that far…”  

“I thought not.”  

Removing his hand from her trembling stomach, he grabbed her wrist, which she had used to cover her mouth, and pulled it toward him. Then, he kissed her trembling fingertips.  

“With such small hands, it wouldn’t have been possible, would it?”  

Carnier couldn’t answer. Though it resembled the polite hand-kissing gesture a gentleman might give a lady, it was entirely different. His breath, warm against her fingers, and the way his eyes gleamed as he looked at her made her heart race.  

As she sat there, unsure of what to do, blushing furiously, he slowly lowered her hand. Not to rest it on her face or her stomach.  

But over her exposed lower region.  

“Show me.”  

“W-What?”  

“How can I know if you properly applied the ointment to a place you can’t even see?”  

His eyes curved into a sly smile.  

“I’ll check for you. Do it the way you did before.”  

“W-What?!”  

“Don’t just say what. Hurry up.”  

Wait, that’s not what I meant by “what”!  

Startled, Carnier pulled her hand back. His eyebrows furrowed.  

“Why?”  

“Why? Because there’s no way I’m showing you! And besides, I didn’t even apply it that deeply!”  

“But you did say you used your fingers to reach where you could, didn’t you?”  

“……!”  

Her eyes widened as she opened and closed her mouth in disbelief. His gaze was laden with meaning.  

“Before coming to me, by yourself.”  

Wait, how did this turn into something so suggestive?!  

Before she could fully process his words, Carnier tried to rise. But he was faster, pulling down her underwear in one swift motion. The fabric slid down her thighs, leaving her completely exposed.  

“Your Highness!”  

“Aren’t you going to call my name?”  

He responded nonchalantly, lowering his head. Her flushed, swollen lower region still looked tender. Yet, he didn’t bother hiding the desire stirring within him.  

‘So, she didn’t have anyone to help her and ended up… touching herself down there.’  

He resolved that next time, no matter what, he would stay with her until morning.  

Whether or not she realized the thoughts running through his mind, Carnier desperately pushed at his head with one hand while trying to lift herself with the other.  

“Your Highness, this is the palace…!”  

“Yes, the palace you’ll soon call home.”  

His warm breath brushed against her swollen flesh.  

“Just two more days.”  

“What does that have to do with this… Ah…!”  

Carnier’s back arched as if struck by lightning. His tongue lightly swept over her reddened petals, tasting her.  

“The ointment’s a bit bitter. Are you sure it’s okay to use it here?”  

“Y-Yes, I’ve told you… repeatedly… Ah!”  

His tongue continued to part her folds, teasing the sensitive areas. At first, there was a dull ache, but it quickly gave way to a tingling pleasure.  

Carnier found herself clutching his head instead of pushing him away, pulling him closer despite herself. It was just like last night.  

‘But it’s broad daylight now!’  

Though she had moments of boldness, Carnier couldn’t entirely abandon her sense of propriety. She pleaded with him.