Chapter 6

“…”

“…”

But in Avgenia’s eyes, things looked completely different. On the man’s face was only a subtle embarrassment, nothing else.

Only his gently moving Adam’s apple showed Alexei was focused on this playful lesson.

Does he really need this information so badly?

Does he want to satisfy that anonymous woman?

Avgenia felt a surge of stubbornness. A stubbornness to make his face even more flustered.

It was a stronger impulse than the shyness he felt thinking of that young lady.

She fluttered her fingers over the document as she continued.

“You can just graze it with your tongue, or bite gently, or press hard, or keep sucking…”

Glancing slyly up at Alexei’s face, she saw his eyes harden. But that was it—his neat face hadn’t really broken.

Not enough yet?

On impulse, Avgenia went even further with her words.

Just a bit more, and maybe this stoic man would burst—whether with pleasure or discomfort…

“I personally—”

“Yes?”

Alexei’s face froze.

…As expected.

Swallowing her crooked amusement, Avgenia continued calmly.

“At first, I like to start by licking gently, like soothing, but as I’m about to reach climax, I prefer when it gets rough and intense.”

With a flash, Alexei’s face was covered in a wildfire-like blush.

‘See?’

A brief sense of victory.

Whether it was discomfort, primal excitement, or perhaps just shyness at the thought of that unknown woman…

Trying to guess was pure defeat.

But the words were already out, and couldn’t be taken back. To clean up the mess she’d made, Avgenia continued her explanation, now feeling miserable.

Her only drive was bravado.

“You can lick all the way up from below, or dig between the folds with your tongue while touching the cl*toris with your nose, or use your fingers inside and out for even better effect. But—”

Avgenia cut off firmly and straightened her back. Leaning lazily on one hand behind her, she looked down at Alexei with a smile that feigned composure.

Only Avgenia herself knew her lips were trembling.

Alexei’s gaze rose with hers. Though pretending otherwise, his eyes trembled with fear at what bombshell would drop from her lips.

“If you keep stimulating, her legs will tremble uncontrollably, or she’ll keep trying to close them, or maybe she’ll ask you to stop because it feels so unfamiliar… But don’t ever stop just because you want to be gentle.”

Avgenia’s hand toyed with the hem of her skirt between her spread knees. The gesture, drawing attention to what was happening between her legs while describing it, was clearly intentional.

“If you keep pushing… clear fluid will gush.”

Climax.

Avgenia’s cute lips formed a soundless word. Alexei’s darkened eyes couldn’t leave her lips.

Taking his dazedness as confusion, Avgenia kept talking, mostly to cover her own embarrassment.

“By then, she’ll be totally aroused down there. Even after you penetrate, if you keep stimulating with your hand, she’ll keep climaxing. So…”

Trailing off, Avgenia looked down at Alexei’s neat face.

“In any case, sincerity is best. Instead of just thrusting right after one climax, if you push her to climax several times, that’s real tenderness… And, if the woman reaches climax first, it’s easier for both of you. Even if the man isn’t skilled or it’s his first time and he finishes quickly, at least her desire for that day will be satisfied.”

Finishing brightly, Avgenia leaned back against the desk. Her half-bent legs were spread carelessly apart, as if the aide’s desk were a picnic spot.

Not that anything between her thighs could be seen under her skirt, but it was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable.

So, all the while she continued her playful explanation… she found herself imagining that neat, fastidious man burying his flushed face between her thighs.

Not just when he wore that rare mocking smile, but even with his usual stoic mouth, smeared with what came from her, his sharp nose parting her hair and sensitive flesh, warming her with heated breath…

Before the idle fantasy could go on, Avgenia quickly erased all her worries and smiled brightly.

“How is it?”

Alexei paused for a long time, perhaps organizing all the information he’d just heard.

“Do you understand a bit?”

Maybe he found it a little disgusting…?

She couldn’t help herself, knowing he might dislike it. First, it was venting her anger, second, a faint hope.

If she recited such intimate things, maybe just once, he’d see her as a woman?

Whether she blatantly showed signs of spending nights with men or not, that stoic man who always handled things curtly…

‘As expected, he’s not thinking anything…’

Alexei finally spoke, just as her hope turned into familiar disappointment.

“…Your Highness.”

From Alexei’s lips, which had remained tightly closed and neither parted nor pursed, a voice finally emerged.

“Is that…… what you like?”

His words were filled with clear doubt.  

Avgenia immediately felt bitter. For someone as conservative and proper as Alexei, talk about a woman’s lower part or oral would always sound crude.

And for her, tossing out such words so carelessly, even as his superior…

‘And that lucky lady must have a very pure image.’

With all her self-mockery, Avgenia lifted one corner of her mouth charmingly.

“It’s not just me, all women are like that.”

“…”

“Really.”

Alexei’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘…Ah, that expression.’

So, it seemed he was still doubtful.

She knew she wasn’t greatly trusted as his liege, but she hadn’t expected it to extend to this matter. After all, there had been several times when she’d shown herself bringing a man in.

‘Besides, this is strictly a physiological issue.’

Where had the cute Lexie gone, who used to listen to her every word as a child, leaving only this irritable man who now automatically doubted everything she said? Well, perhaps she had teased him too much since childhood…

“I’m not trying to mess with you.”

“Yes.”

“If you ask the maids, they’ll all say the same.”

“…I’m not interested in the private lives of the maids of the Western Palace.”

Let’s just leave it at that. Alexei’s face, as he replied, was distinctly displeased.

That curt attitude reminded Avgenia of the cute Lexie, and before she knew it, she made a bolder remark.

Honestly, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it came from her lower lips, so uncomfortably wet.

“If you’re curious whether I’m telling the truth….”

Sssh—her dress rustled as Avgenia’s legs slowly parted.  

Her slender fingertips gently grasped the lace-trimmed hem of her dress, as if she might lift her skirt at any moment.

Alexei’s eyes looked as if they might drop to the floor.

“Would you… like to try for yourself?”

The moment those words finally left Avgenia’s lips—

“…What!”

Alexei shot up from his seat.

Whether from embarrassment or anger, his face was red all the way to his neck.

“Th-this is going too far…!”

“I’m serious.”

“I have dinner with Father tonight.”

Without waiting for Avgenia’s reply, Alexei spun around, snatched his jacket off the coat rack, and left the office in a hurry.

A thunderous departure.

He left without tidying anything up. The ink bottle’s lid was still open, the fountain pen’s nib still soaked in ink, and the documents they’d been staring at together were left with unfinished sentences.

Bang! Alexei’s uncharacteristically rough gesture made a sharp sound as he slammed the office door.

“Oh my…”

Left alone at Alexei’s desk, Avgenia’s face was tinged with clear bitterness. With no maids in the office, she let her expression show whatever it wanted.

It became a mix of self-mockery, disappointment, and sadness.

“There’s still an hour left. Did he hate it that much…?”

It was the first time Alexei had ever left before the end of work hours. Usually, he was stuck with overtime, handling the Imperial responsibilities pushed onto the clever Second Princess, instead of the person who should be showing such reckless behavior.

‘Others are desperate to get involved for money, but not him.’

Avgenia sighed deeply, her face full of sorrow.

As expected, she’d overstepped.

“Rozie.”

At her low murmur, a woman wrapped entirely in black with short hair appeared in the room.

“You were too mischievous. For a pure young man like Lexie, especially down there.”

“Enough. Did you hear? Find out who’s the lady Lexie has feelings for, and gather a list of everyone he’s interacted with at recent parties.”

“Even if you do this, Young Master Lexie…”

“Just want to know. Just to know.”

‘He’s the one who left, so why am I the one feeling irritable?’

Rozie felt a little unfair, but overcame it out of sympathy for her liege.

Alexei didn’t know of Rozie’s existence, but Rozie had known for over ten years what he meant to Avgenia.

Rozie gazed at her liege’s slender back.

If only she’d jumped into the succession battle herself, she could have used a political marriage as an excuse to take Young Master Lexie away from Duke Ramantus.

‘What kind of future did that Duke see in a seven-year-old?’

Anyway, power struggles always caused problems.

“…Yes, Ma’am.”

With a short sigh, Rozie’s form vanished.

Only then did Avgenia’s shoulders finally slump, completely alone.

‘It’s a hopeless relationship anyway…’

Nothing would change, no matter what.

Avgenia curled up and lay sideways on Alexei’s desk. The leather seat of the chair where he’d been sitting still seemed to bear the imprint of his solid frame.

The very place she’d almost never seen empty.

A spot where she could always see the one in her heart whenever she wished.

And now… a spot that would be empty.

…If only she could have had him, she wouldn’t have needed to put on such a foolish act.

She’d already come too far.

Where had things gone wrong? It was useless to wonder at this point…

A tear welled up at the end of her sigh.