Night fell upon them once again, and the sound of raindrops beating fiercely against the window grew loud. Immersed in that restless melody, Rochelle blinked rapidly. Through her falling hair, golden eyes met hers.

When Rochelle lifted her hand and gently stroked Yevgeny’s soft hair, in the blink of an eye, he moved over her. In his broad embrace, she lost all freedom. As if it were the most natural thing, Rochelle relaxed her entire body and entrusted herself to his touch.

Even if she had tried to resist him with all her strength from the beginning, she could never have overcome his overwhelming force. Under Yevgeny’s hands, her soft dress was thoroughly crumpled and fell to the floor of the cabin.

“Yevge…!”

There was no undergarment to hide her curved body. When the cold air touched her bare skin, Rochelle was startled and stretched her whole body stiffly like a twig.

Yevgeny, suppressing his excitement, caressed her delicate skin. Sometimes he stroked her gently, sometimes his fingers spun and tickled her playfully.

It was neither a wild, animalistic frenzy nor the awkward fumbling of an inexperienced man. With skillful and fluid movements, he excited her body.

With his rhythmic motions, Rochelle kept missing the chance to catch her breath. It was as if the blood in her entire body was surging.

Caught up in excitement she didn’t even realize, she grabbed the front of Yevgeny’s shirt, but he only smiled as if he knew nothing.

“Why are you grabbing my shirt, Rochelle?”

“…”

“Yes?”

“Hurry… ah…!”

Looking at his deep smile, Rochelle waved her hand in a pleading way. Following her movement, Yevgeny’s collar gradually loosened. Naturally, his gaze also shifted to his buttons.

But slyly and teasingly, he wrapped her small hand in his palm.

“Hmm?”

“…”

“If you don’t say exactly what you want, how am I supposed to understand?”

“Ha… You’re really so annoying.”

Rochelle’s face turned bright red with embarrassment. Unable to meet his eyes, she squirmed under his gaze, and Yevgeny leaned down and gently bit her lips.

Rochelle’s plump, cherry-like lips were incredibly sweet. Yevgeny licked them as if they were candy, sometimes filling his mouth with them, sometimes sliding his tongue through the gaps.

“Mm…”

Awakened by desire, Rochelle couldn’t resist and welcomed him with parted lips. She had no way to match his skillful touch anyway.

His tongue, hot as fire and as sly as a snake, explored her mouth as if it were his own. Rochelle, unable to bear the shame of his bold movements, gripped his collar even tighter.

Pop—a button came undone.

Her bent fingers naturally brushed against Yevgeny’s bare skin. It was firm, the texture of muscle clearly felt…

Suddenly overcome by emotion, Rochelle pressed even closer to Yevgeny’s lips, starting to unbutton him one by one. As their movements grew more intense, her knees naturally gave way. Sensing the opportunity, Yevgeny quickly pressed his hips between her thighs.

f*replay was dragging on for too long. Unable to hold back, he started to undo the belt of his suit pants, when his hand brushed against the back of Rochelle’s.

Even after unbuttoning his entire shirt, Rochelle’s hand seemed unsatisfied, moving lower, toward even more sensitive places. With a voice barely controlled, Yevgeny spoke a short word.

“Rochelle?”

“No, it’s not, that’s not…”

“What were you planning to do with your hand here, hmm? Shake it?”

“Absolutely, never, not at all!”

“Then what?”

Coming to her senses late, Rochelle’s hand trembled with embarrassment. Watching her, Yevgeny’s face twisted with barely contained frustration rising from below.

He urgently rubbed his cheek against her neck. Then, like a starving beast latching onto its mother’s br*ast, Yevgeny lifted his head and persistently sucked and nibbled at Rochelle’s earlobe, asking in a husky, dazed voice,

“Can I put it in now?”

***

Exhausted, Rochelle lay between Yevgeny’s knees. Strong as a mountain range, he stroked her hair, relaxing in the bathroom as if this time with her was the only joy in his life.

It was no wonder—Yevgeny had said he didn’t really have any hobbies. Why was that? Rochelle couldn’t understand.

In that country, covered by cold frost, there were so many things to enjoy as the seasons changed. Sledding down frozen mountains, or rolling up snowmen with a loved one—such simple things.

As she frowned and tilted her head in puzzlement, Yevgeny smiled softly.

“Winter in Castiya is very different from Brittany’s. It’s not just snow piling up and condensation on the windows.”

“Is it much worse?”

“Even if you wore a wild animal’s fur, the harsh cold would be unbearable. It feels as if your skin is being slashed by knives.”

“Oh my.”

Rochelle’s eyes widened in alarm. As she twisted her upper body, water splashed over the edge of the tub and spilled onto the floor.

“Then how do you manage daily life? Like going to the market or attending mass?”

“Until spring returns, no one can easily leave their house. The window frames and front doors freeze solid. Still, people have to live, so there are days when the wind blows a little less.”

“So if you run out of food, you just have to wait for a calmer day?”

“That’s why you buy food in bulk to avoid such disasters.”

“Pain like being cut by a knife…”

As she mulled over Yevgeny’s words, her neck felt damp. He was hugging her, burying his nose and lips in the nape of her neck.

“Yevgeny, it’s hot.”

“Just a moment, let me stay like this a little longer.”

Rochelle reached back and gently stroked his cheek. This moment made her happy, but her heart felt uneasy. At some point, the familiar sadness in her heart had been replaced by Yevgeny, who now sat firmly in its place.

Even when she resolved to distance herself, remembering her parents who left late at night, the moment she turned to look at Yevgeny’s face, her resolve crumbled without fail.

Rochelle bent her knees and slowly slid her upper body into the water.

“Rochelle?”

He called out, sounding flustered above the surface. His low voice echoed like a cave, reaching Rochelle’s ears. It felt like he was urging her to come up quickly.

Instead of answering, Rochelle slowly opened her eyes underwater. The man’s handsome face shattered into pieces in the rippling water. He opened his mouth again, as if saying something, but the water was quiet and misty, and nothing reached her.

So she moved her lips as she pleased.

“I love you too.”

Air bubbled up to the surface. As she blinked her sore eyes, suddenly two arms plunged into the water, grabbed her shoulders, and lifted her up at once.

“Puhah!”

“…Rochelle.”

Gasping for breath, Rochelle looked at him. Yevgeny’s face was so calm, as if he might sink to the bottom at any moment.

He lifted his hand and slowly brushed away the strands of hair clinging messily to Rochelle’s cheeks, with the delicate touch of an archaeologist discovering a treasure.

“Your eyes are bloodshot.”

“Are they?”

Rochelle gave a small reply, then leaned back against Yevgeny. Silence flowed between them. After a moment, his strong arm wrapped under her neck, and he slowly turned her shoulders.

Floating lightly in the water, Rochelle turned to face Yevgeny. His shadowed face was almost perfect. His eyes, sparkling with the passion of the sun, shone down on her body.

Breaking the silence that seemed like it would last forever, Yevgeny made his proposal without hesitation.

“When we arrive in Castiya, let’s get married.”