Epilogue – Dazzlingly Beautiful (Part 3)

He was the only man in a gathering of noblewomen, standing out like a blue rose among red ones. Occasionally, there were husbands who adored their wives so much that they would come to pick them up, flaunting their affection. But Elizabeth had never imagined Kiern would do something so ridiculous.  

Kiern smiled mischievously at Elizabeth, who looked utterly flustered. The noblewomen nearby coughed awkwardly, fanning their reddened faces.  

Though his personality was infamous, his face was undeniably attractive. Especially when he smiled like that—it was enough to make anyone blush.  

And then, the Duke spoke, leaving even the Queen coughing in embarrassment.  

“I just… missed you too much.”  

“Cough!”  

Ignoring the sound of coughing from the Queen and the noblewomen, Kiern continued speaking while gazing intently at Elizabeth.  

“I grew tired of waiting.”  

“…”  

“So I came to pick you up. Let’s go back together.”  

With that, Kiern extended his hand toward her gracefully. It was a gesture asking her to leave with him.  

Elizabeth’s face turned bright red as she felt compelled to take his hand and stand. She hadn’t expected him to pull such a stunt. The Kiern she knew would have chosen to return home first rather than come to a place like this.  

But here he was, making a dramatic entrance like a peacock showing off its feathers.  

From his meticulous appearance to his attention-grabbing actions, everything was done for her—Elizabeth.  

It was as if he were declaring that she was loved this much. That looking down on her because of her humble origins would be considered an insult to Agaphel itself.  

Realizing the meaning behind Kiern’s actions, Elizabeth felt overwhelmingly shy. It was strange—when she felt his love like this, she reverted to the innocent girl she had once been, losing the confidence she had just displayed before the Queen.  

The man who brought out this side of her was someone she still found endlessly lovable.  

Elizabeth, with a dazed expression, took Kiern’s hand, stood, and bowed to the Queen.  

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”  

“Of course. How could I keep you here when the Duke himself has come to pick you up?”  

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I’ll visit again soon.”  

Elizabeth expressed her gratitude. Her polite tone carried a faint excitement, and the Queen couldn’t help but feel a warm, fuzzy sensation.  

The way Elizabeth exuded infinite affection toward her partner made her seem endearing.  

And it seemed the Queen wasn’t the only one who felt that way.  

The Duke’s expression had already softened to the point where his overflowing love was evident.  

He was, after all, just another man. A man who loved deeply enough to be unable to hide the way he looked at the woman he adored.  

The Queen decided to acknowledge it. His world had already changed, and the one leading that change was the woman standing before her. She also realized that she would witness many more of the Duke’s eccentricities in the future.  

Watching the two walk away, the Queen murmured softly.  

“Love really is something. How it can make one person’s world shine so brightly.”  

***

Elizabeth touched her flushed face as she murmured after arriving at the carriage.  

“Why didn’t you tell me you had business at the palace?”  

“I thought it might make you worry.”  

“This kind of entrance makes me worry even more. Didn’t you see how surprised everyone was?”  

As Elizabeth avoided his gaze and mumbled, Kiern leaned in close to her and asked softly. His gentle whisper made Elizabeth’s face turn even redder.  

“Why? Did you not like me coming to pick you up?”  

“It’s not that I didn’t like it… I was just startled.”  

“So, you’re saying you liked it—me coming to get you?”  

Kiern grinned as he played with Elizabeth’s hair. His fingers gently combed through her red locks. The strands slipping through his long, thick fingers reminded him of Elizabeth’s flushed cheeks. Seeing her avoid his gaze, embarrassed, only made him want to tease her more.  

As Kiern kissed her hair, he said,  

“If you keep being this adorable, I might want to surprise you more often.”  

Elizabeth’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit at his words, spoken without so much as a blink. A moment later, she narrowed her gaze and chided him.  

“…You’re such a pervert.”  

But her scolding didn’t land as intended, her expression was far too endearing. Because of this, Kiern easily countered her, and with a response that would fluster her even more.  

“Just a pervert? If you want, I can be much worse.”  

“…”  

“Things I used to think were foolish… I can now do without hesitation.”  

What he referred to as foolish in the past were actions like today’s—behaving like men who would give up everything for the woman they loved. He was saying he could be that kind of man for her.  

Elizabeth decided to accept the reality that she couldn’t win against him in a battle of words. She looked into his blue eyes and said quietly,  

“Thank you. I know you did it for me.”  

“I did it for myself too. I missed you so much I couldn’t wait any longer.”  

With those words, Kiern lightly kissed Elizabeth’s lips. Then, resting his forehead against hers, he whispered sweetly,  

“It’s been far too long since I’ve been apart from these lips. I couldn’t bear it any longer.”  

Elizabeth, swayed by his seductive words, parted her lips slightly and confessed her feelings honestly.  

“I missed you too.”  

“If you keep saying such lovely things, I might make it impossible for you to leave this carriage, Ellie.”  

Kiern ran his hand over Elizabeth’s red lips as he gave a low warning. His gaze, already burning intensely, seemed ready to devour her.  

Seeing this, Elizabeth smiled faintly and murmured,  

“Then you’ll just have to carry me out.”  

Her bold response made Kiern’s eyes widen. A moment later, he chuckled softly and pulled her closer by the nape of her neck.  

“That’s exactly what I’d want.”  

With that, their lips met in a passionate kiss. His tongue slipped past her parted lips, exploring deeply and savoring her. Their heated breaths mingled, and the air around them grew thick and charged. Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck, ensuring the distance between them didn’t grow.  

Taking this as a signal, Kiern pressed her down beneath him. He swiftly untied her bothersome ribbon and cupped her soft curves, eliciting a moan from Elizabeth.  

“Ahh, Kiern…”  

Her pleading tone snapped the last thread of his restraint. As he grasped her supple skin firmly enough to leave red marks, he lowered his head and took her peak into his mouth.  

Holding her waist in place with one arm, he buried his face into her chest, his tongue teasing her sensitive peak. Elizabeth arched her neck, her delicate collarbone rising and falling as she gasped for air.  

The rattling noise of the carriage wheels muffled her moans. Realizing this, Kiern raised his head and nibbled on her earlobe. The faint sound of her moans, so close to his ear, sent a rush of heat to his lower body.  

Grasping Elizabeth’s hand, he guided it downward and whispered,  

“What are we going to do about this?”  

Elizabeth’s face turned crimson as she saw the bulge straining against his trousers. Kiern’s Adam’s apple bobbed as her touch made the tension there even more unbearable.  

When Elizabeth froze, unsure of what to do, Kiern spoke again.  

“Are you just going to stay like that? Not that I’d mind…”  

His languid gaze slid from her golden eyes to her lips. As he licked his lower lip suggestively, Elizabeth swallowed nervously.  

Realizing what he wanted, she hesitated briefly, but only for a moment.  

She thought that if she left him like this, he might explode from the sheer tension.  

Resolving herself, Elizabeth unbuckled his trousers and lowered the zipper. As his arousal sprang free, she wrapped her hand around it gently. Kiern’s expression lost its usual composure.  

“Ah…”  

A dry groan escaped him as he bit down on her earlobe again. It wasn’t enough—he devoured her lips hungrily, his breathing growing ragged as her hand moved up and down.  

When Elizabeth finally leaned down and took him into her mouth, Kiern’s entire body tensed. The sensation of her warm tongue made him grip her red hair tightly.