Ishin had expected something since receiving Nergal’s letter. However, faced with a scene even more shocking than he had imagined, he could only stand there with his mouth agape, unable to say a word.

Of course, as Nergal was a healthy young man, Ishin had thought that despite his apparent disinterest, he might eventually meet someone.

But to suddenly bring an unfamiliar woman like this…

‘Who on earth is she?’

Who could she be, for Nergal, who had never so much as glanced at a woman’s finger before, to bring her here?

As Ishin tried to crane his neck to get a better look at her face, Nergal clicked his tongue and held Ir closer to his chest. Ishin was truly shocked by Nergal’s behavior.

‘Is he displeased that I’m trying to look?’

Such behavior was typically seen in lovesick fools who had completely lost their minds over someone. Though Ishin thought it impossible for his lord to be like that, Nergal went so far as to demonstratively pull up the hood attached to Ir’s coat to prevent Ishin from seeing her further.

Then he spoke in a cold voice.

“The preparations?”

“Ah, everything has been completed as you ordered.”

Ishin straightened his posture and bowed his head, regaining his composure.

“Good, we’ll talk slowly after washing up. We sweated a lot on the way here.”

“…Understood.”

Even in a royal carriage, it couldn’t have been warm enough to sweat in this winter.

Ishin stepped back and signaled to Seviti, the maid standing in the corner. She carefully approached and bowed to Nergal, saying.

“I will attend to the lady.”

Seviti tried to support and take Ir from Nergal’s arms. But Nergal shook his head.

“No need. I’ll wash her myself. Hurry with the preparations.”

At his response, Seviti looked at him in surprise before quickly lowering her head and retreating with swift steps. Ishin felt a sense of solidarity with Seviti’s reaction. Surprised, right? Me too.

Like the dutiful maid she was, Seviti had kept hot water ready for Nergal’s uncertain arrival time. Soon, hot steam filled the large bathroom attached to the bedroom.

The bathroom, built in Arcad Empire style, didn’t have a separate large tub but rather used a stone bath with beautiful mosaic tiles that could be filled with water. Though this style was typically used in large bathhouses, it had been elegantly adapted to a suitable size for this villa.

Nergal undressed Ir, whom he had laid on the bed. Despite his hands freely roaming her body, Ir remained soundly asleep, completely unaware.

A satisfied smile appeared on Nergal’s face as he looked at Ir.

Though her body had changed, Ir retained her habits as a knight. Because of this, as her body recovered, she would respond alertly to the presence of others. Even in deep sleep, she would immediately open her eyes at the distant sound of a door opening, and when he tried to grab her from behind, she would unconsciously push his hands away, then apologize in surprise.

He didn’t mind her being sensitive to others’ presence. No, he rather liked it. Such ability would be of great help to her in the future.

But he disliked her being equally sensitive to him. So throughout their journey to the capital, whether in the carriage or at the inns they stopped at, Nergal stayed constantly close to Ir.

“If you startle every time I touch you, people will find it strange. Shouldn’t you get used to it?”

Saying this, he touched her more frequently, and Ir, agreeing with his opinion, tried to get accustomed to his presence. In truth, she would have become used to it even without trying. After all, during the carriage ride, his body was always in contact with hers.

Her new body was sensitive, and even from his playful touches, Ir reached climax several times. When she finally exhausted herself, she would fall asleep using his thigh as a pillow.

The sight of her sleeping soundly on his leg was extremely satisfying. Equally satisfying was how she naturally accepted his caressing touches during those times. Now Ir no longer startled when he touched her, no matter when.

That wasn’t the only thing she had grown accustomed to.

Ir was quickly stripped n*ked by Nergal’s touches. Even as he removed her last piece of underwear, Ir remained deeply asleep. He too hastily threw off his own clothes and lifted the sleeping Ir into his arms.

As her soft body pressed against his without any gap, Nergal unconsciously let out a low sigh. The feeling of skin against skin was more intoxicating than he had imagined. Judging by how even the slightest gap felt regrettable, he must have already become addicted to this sensation.

As he stepped onto the tiles and entered, the warm water rippled. Adjusting his hold on Ir, Nergal slowly lowered himself into the warm water.

“Mmm…”

Perhaps she had been feeling chilly after all. As her body submerged in the perfectly warm water, he could feel the tension leaving her body in his arms.

Nergal turned her around so her back rested against his chest.

Though it was disappointing not to see her face clearly, this position would be more convenient for washing her.

Her relaxed body leaned against his chest without hesitation. After adjusting her head position so she could rest more comfortably, he too leaned back against the bath’s tiled wall.

Looking up, he saw the ceiling’s mosaic of small, densely packed tiles. The light from the lamp placed near the bath reflected off the stained glass windows. These lights sparkled, creating beautiful colored waves on the water and surrounding walls.

This bathroom wasn’t the only beautiful part of this villa. Built with yellowish-brown bricks, this place was calming just to look at. A two-story villa that was neither too large nor too small.

There was a small fountain in front of the villa, and the back garden contained various precious flowers along with fruit trees that offered tempting fruits in all seasons.

A quiet place built for rest, not pleasure. Still, being a nobleman’s villa, the study and atelier inside were decorated with elaborate ornaments.

The moment Nergal first saw this villa, he purchased it without hesitation. The owner, who had inherited it from his grandfather, named quite a high price upon learning that Nergal was the potential buyer. While others might have negotiated such an enormous price, Nergal immediately signed the papers on the spot.

He didn’t feel the slightest regret. This place closely resembled the house someone had once drawn, saying “When I grow up, I want to live in a place like this.”

Yet despite buying it without hesitation, Nergal rarely visited. Though Ishin grumbled that it was wasteful to buy a place he never used, Nergal never said anything.

But today, he clearly understood why he hadn’t visited this place before.

“…I didn’t want to come alone.”

Nergal kissed Ir’s head as she slept against him without any wariness.

Then he scooped up water with his hand and sprinkled it on Ir’s shoulders. Seeing the red marks remaining on her nape filled the depths of his heart with base satisfaction. Naturally, they were all marks he had left.

The delay in their schedule was due to this as well. The desire he couldn’t satisfy fully in the carriage, he continued to fulfill at the inns they stopped at.

As a result, Ir would sleep soundly until late morning, and Nergal didn’t particularly try to wake her. In the carriage, he ordered the coachman to drive slowly. In the less shaky carriage, Ir needed to feel his stimulation more clearly.

‘I hadn’t intended to be so rough.’

The desire he had suppressed deep inside for so long, once released, ran wild without restraint.

Nergal slipped his arm under Ir’s chest and lifted her br*asts. Above the rippling water surface, her n*pples, which he had frequently sucked over the past few days, glistened wet.

While massaging her br*asts that bore his handprints, he carefully washed the areas he had been sucking until just before they got out.

“Nnh…”

Though asleep, she must have felt the stimulation, as the body in his arms began to tremble and twitch. Whether due to the water’s temperature or his touch, Ir’s nape and earlobes turned red.

Nergal opened his mouth and bit them. As he sucked gently with his lips, careful not to hurt her, Ir twisted her body. This was a weak spot he had discovered while kissing every part of her body over the past five days.

After sucking on her ear for a while like a child with candy, Nergal’s hand slowly moved downward. Then it slipped between her legs.

He could feel something stuck on the tightly closed slit. As Nergal rubbed it clean with his fingers, it quickly dissolved in the warm water. That was fortunate. It wasn’t easy to clean dried s*men without causing pain.

Nergal carefully cleaned up the rest of what he had left behind. Since he hadn’t penetrated her yet, his seed only covered the outside of Ir’s womanhood.

His member, which had risen without notice, kept bumping against Ir’s lower region. For five days, he had only rubbed against her down there.

He could have taken her if he wanted to. But he didn’t want to force himself on Ir in a place like a carriage. So he kept holding back until they arrived here.

After wiping away all traces of desire he had left, Nergal paused and took a deep breath. His fiercely er*ect lower region throbbed with pain. Though it felt like his reason might snap at any moment, he endured well this time too, just as he had for the past dozen or so years.

But this wasn’t the end. His hand, which had been fondling her womanhood, seemed to hesitate for a moment before one finger pushed into the delicate slit.