Tatiana stared at Gideon. She didn’t know what he was thinking, but his eye-smile looked much more natural than usual. That seemed very attractive to her.

Tatiana moved forward, parting the water, and straddled his thighs. Gideon immediately wrapped his arms around her waist. Then he laughed in a low voice and whispered,

“Shall we get out now?”

“……Yes.”

Tatiana nodded her head vigorously. In truth, both he and she had finished bathing long ago. The shared bath was entertainment, nothing more, nothing less. Since the couple had simultaneously begun to feel the desire to start another game, changing locations wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Gideon murmured “Yes, let’s do that” and stood up from the bath while holding her. As usual, his expression showed no sense of her weight.

Tatiana thought as she brushed back his platinum blonde hair that was wet and swaying above his forehead, Indeed, people with large thoraxes are good at using their strength.

Gideon only put her down after opening the bathroom door and stepping out. The two picked up towels and amicably dried each other’s bodies. This was the result of having sent away all those who would have attended to them.

He looked skilled, even though he probably had no experience drying a woman’s long hair. Tatiana, by contrast, had only given his body a quick, careless rub once. It seemed his meticulous personality manifested even in this. He looked like someone who knew that hair needed to be dried well down to the roots, which Tatiana found amusing.

Moreover, Gideon appeared quite pleased. After wrapping Tatiana’s body in a large towel, his eyes held a subtle smile as he tied a knot as if packaging a gift.

Gideon lifted her up again and headed toward the bedroom. He placed the gift he had personally wrapped on the bed, and then began to unwrap it himself.

Tatiana, who had become the contents inside the wrapping, lay on the bed and smiled faintly.

Her snow-white skin shone dazzlingly. Her cheeks, flushed from soaking in hot water, looked so lovely. Where else in the world could there be such a rapturous gift?

Yet while he couldn’t take his eyes off her, he seemed somewhat perplexed. He belatedly wondered if this was okay.

“Suddenly I feel a bit guilty.”

“About what?”

“Won’t you be tired? I’m asking if we really should.”

Gideon had limited conscience, but his common sense was properly aligned. He had more than enough affection and consideration for Tatiana. Most of the human emotions that existed within him were allocated to matters related to her.

But on a day like today when she had overexerted herself, he wondered if having intimate relations might just be his own selfish desire.

Did she really want to do it too? He had some doubts and wanted to make that aspect a bit clearer.

Tatiana made a sad face when Gideon suddenly looked at her with eyes like an inspector. The atmosphere had been so soft and tender until just now, but why was her husband acting like this again? He never just went “Huh?” and let things slide.

While letting out a hollow laugh, she gave him the answer he wanted to hear.

“I want to.”

“Really? If you lie about something like this just to accommodate me, that’s truly making a fool of your husband.”

“……”

Tatiana never had any intention of deceiving him about such matters in the first place. But when he spoke with such a serious expression, she ended up nodding her head.

It seemed like something she should write down in a notebook. Always be honest with your husband about your bedroom condition.

“I thought I would sleep well tonight.”

“Yes.”

“Honestly, I don’t feel very sleepy right now. I’m too alert.”

“Ah.”

Gideon nodded.

In fact, she too had been tense today, with all her muscles awakened and nerves on edge. Once her feelings were heightened, they wouldn’t easily subside.

At such times, rather than forcibly trying to fall asleep, it wouldn’t be bad to just watch the dawn break together.

Gideon, as if he had heard her honest answer very well, gave her a peck on the lips and buried his face in the nape of her neck. A pleasant scent immediately invaded his nostrils.

Since they had bathed together, he probably smelled the same way too. That simple fact gave him a strange satisfaction.

Tatiana felt a greater languor overtaking her than when she had soaked in warm water. He was so gentle and hot that her entire body seemed to melt. The places his lips had touched felt ticklish, making her body twist and turn.

However, the moment of union always came with a slight pain. She looked up at him while tightly gripping his shoulders.

His handsome face was subtly contorted, perhaps feeling the same pressure as the foreign sensation she felt. The reason she couldn’t take her eyes off that face was because those furrowed eyebrows looked so sensual yet attractive at the same time.

But thinking her own expression probably wasn’t very pretty right now, and because the reflection of her expression in his azure eyes still felt unfamiliar and strange, Tatiana turned her head and buried her cheek in the pillow.

Gideon seized Tatiana’s chin as she tried to hide her face and forced her to meet his gaze again.

“You should look at me.”

“I don’t want to. I look ugly right now.”

“……Who? Me?”

“Nooo, me.”

Gideon laughed as if bewildered. He couldn’t even guess how her thoughts had drifted there. He wiped away the small teardrops that had formed in her eyes due to physiological pain and kissed that spot.

“……You’re beautiful.”

Tatiana pouted and smiled faintly. It almost seemed like she was snorting. She appeared to consider his words as mere flattery rather than taking them to heart, which unexpectedly made Gideon feel wronged.

He wasn’t someone who spewed sweet nothings during intimate moments. He might not have frequently said words like “you’re beautiful” or “I like you,” but he had never once spoken falsely. What was he to do if even his wife, Tatiana, didn’t understand that?

Gideon stopped moving his body and pressed his forehead against hers, wanting to properly say it once more.

“Titi.”

“……Yes.”

“I…… really like you a lot.”

Tatiana made an ambiguous expression at those words. She seemed a bit surprised and also secretly pleased.

But she knew all too well that Gideon loved her.

After getting married, at some point, she felt that fact in every moment. Whether he was honestly expressing his feelings or not. She simply couldn’t doubt it.

However, hearing him say it out loud made her so happy and her heart flutter so much that she couldn’t help but smile broadly. And as if in response, she playfully whispered in his ear,

“Actually, I like you too.”

Didn’t you know? Were you fooled? Gideon burst into laughter at the informal speech that suddenly popped out.

Tatiana laughed along but then punched his shoulder lightly as if to say hurry up now. She also threatened that if he kept doing this, she would turn into a very scary frog.

Gideon, being perceptive, immediately understood what she meant and flipped their bodies while holding her tightly. Tatiana, now positioned on top of him, covered her face as if suddenly feeling shy, and Gideon again diligently pulled her hands away.

Then he traced her beautiful curves that he had briefly grasped and released in the bath earlier. His touch slid along those hills. Downward. Further down.

What was it she had said she liked about his abs? Gideon asked while touching the point where they were connected,

“Shall I tell you too, Titi, which parts of you are beautiful and impressive?”

“……”

He too could name every part of her body, call them out loud, and give reasons one by one why each was beautiful. Even spending all night wouldn’t be enough.

But could you really listen to that? My perspective is quite different from yours, are you confident you won’t feel embarrassed? How about it? Now you understand what a frightening game you’ve played with your husband, don’t you? You cute little frog.

Tatiana lowered her flushed face and blocked his mouth with her lips. Gideon let out a laugh and flipped their bodies again as he moved. Then whenever she seemed to get accustomed, he quickly changed positions again.

The irregular rhythm, a voice that didn’t seem like her own, the moonlight from the window illuminating them. As she flipped her wildly shaking hair behind her back, Tatiana thought that she really wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

But that was okay. Because she had someone to spend this long winter night with. Time spent with him would never be boring or dull, no matter what they did.

And if by chance he fell asleep first, she thought it would be nice just to watch his peaceful face. Wondering what dreams he might be having.

* * *

Tatiana savored a sip of tea and then took a good look around the reception room. She groaned “Hmm” at the sight that was quite different from usual, even somewhat desolate, and said,

“His Highness.”

“……”

“Seems to have such a meticulous personality. A bit excessively thorough.”

The assassins unanimously lowered their gaze. It wasn’t because they disagreed with her statement. Who didn’t know that the First Prince had such a personality? They simply didn’t want to add their voices to this matter. Because it might inadvertently appear as if they were criticizing their lord.

However, as the princess consort continued to give them looks as if seeking agreement, one of the assassins reluctantly opened his mouth.

“He does have such aspects.”

“What’s with that vague answer?”

Not even from the Foreign Ministry. Tatiana, who was examining the assassin while wondering if he too was similar to Sir Browning, took another sip of tea and said,

“But generally, people who practice swordsmanship tend to be meticulous.”

“……”

“The idea that they’re generous and easygoing is just a preconception of ordinary people. As you advance, a fierce and delicate personality becomes much more advantageous.”

“……”