“Since it’s your fault, you should hug me tighter so that it will heal.” 

“What does that have to do with healing a bruise?” 

“When I feel good, my ability to heal improves. So if you help me, it’ll get better in no time. Like this.” 

The woman, smiling sweetly, suddenly reached out and stroked Lucian’s cheek. 

“If we do this, it’ll heal quickly.” 

“……” 

“Ahaha, look at your expression. So cute.” 

“Don’t touch me.” 

“Didn’t you leave it out for me to touch?” 

“What?” 

“That.” 

As the demon queen’s gaze fell downward, Lucian’s face turned as pale as a corpse. 

“Absolutely not.” 

He quickly set the woman down and scrambled to pick up his trousers and underwear from the floor, hastily pulling them back on. 

“How shy.”

The sound of a soft giggle tickled the man’s back as he hurried to get dressed. 

“Lucian, let’s go. We’re going to be late.” 

Despite his earlier moans of pain, the demon queen now acted as if nothing had happened, getting up and preparing to leave. Lucian glanced at her back as she opened the wardrobe, then straightened his own clothes. 

“Dear, come here. I’ll fix your hair for you.” 

“There’s no need.” 

“Why not? I like it better when your hair is slicked back.” 

“I’ll do it myself, so leave me alone.” 

“Hmph, fine.” 

As he fixed his messy hair and glanced at the mirror, Lucian noticed the woman with her back turned, the black slip dress slipping off her shoulders. He stared silently at her bare white back without any reaction, carefully examining the area around her shoulder. 

There had been a bluish bruise near her shoulder blade, but now it was completely gone, as if nothing had happened. 

As he had suspected ever since he had reattached her severed arm, she seemed to have the ability to heal herself. 

“Dear, if you keep staring at me like that, I’m going to be embarrassed.”

She said as she continued to remove the slip dress. Then she suddenly turned and shamelessly exposed her bare br*ast. Lucian immediately turned his head away. 

This couldn’t go on. If he allowed this behaviour after only one day of marriage, he would surely lose the ability to protect himself. 

“Lucian, I’m ready.” 

The woman in the dress hugged Lucian from behind, but he responded in a cold tone. 

“Let go.” 

“Huh?” 

“I said let go.” 

“Why all of a sudden…” 

“Have you forgotten your promise not to touch me without permission?” 

As Lucian glanced at the arms wrapped around his shoulders, the Demon Queen let out an “ah”, seemingly realising her mistake and quickly letting go. 

“I thought hugging was already allowed.” 

“Didn’t you want to do more than just hug?” 

” That’s because your sleeping face is so… seductive…” 

“You really show no sign of remorse.” 

“Lucian, isn’t it petty to get angry about something like that when we’re married?” 

“Something like that, you say? Demon queen.” 

Lucian replied firmly to the Demon Queen, who looked slightly indignant. 

“No matter how close a married couple is, you can’t touch someone’s body without their consent.” 

He considered explaining how serious a sin it was to touch someone’s body without permission, but quickly decided against it. There was no point in telling a demon living in hell that his actions were sinful. Instead, Lucian decided to use the concept of marital duties, in which the demon queen seemed to have some interest, as his argument. 

“A marriage cannot be harmonious unless both partners cherish and respect each other, Demon Queen.” 

“…touching my husband’s body a little, is that such an inconsiderate act?” 

“It wasn’t just ‘touching a bit’, was it? You had s*xual contact with me without my consent. And worse, while I was unconscious.” 

“…….” 

“Even between a married couple – no, especially between spouses – this is something that should never be done.” 

“…….” 

“Especially trying to do it while the other person is unconscious is even more serious. How is that different from assault?” 

Ah, perhaps explaining it that way to the Demon Queen sounds more like a compliment than a criticism. 

But contrary to his fears, the Demon Queen didn’t say anything. She just stared silently into the air, her expression suggesting that she was lost in thought. 

After a brief pause, her expression soon changed and she smiled. 

“Okay, I understand.” 

Lucian’s eyes narrowed at the unexpectedly pleasant response. 

“Do you really understand what I’m saying?” 

“You’re saying that you don’t like me doing things while you sleep, right?” 

Of course. He should’ve known better. She didn’t understand at all. 

“It’s not about liking it or not liking it – it’s about it being something that should never be done, no matter how many times I explain…” 

“If you don’t like it that much, then I won’t do it. Besides, my preferences have changed now.” 

Her calm reply left Lucian speechless for a moment. 

“I’m sorry. Let’s go for a walk, shall we?” 

“…….” 

“From now on, I’ll make sure to ask your permission every time. All right?” 

Lucian, who had no idea how rare it was for a demon like her to apologise for something like that, felt like he was talking to a brick wall. 

“There won’t be a second chance, so remember that.” 

“Got it! Then I’m going to get some snacks, so wait here for a moment.” 

As soon as she had finished speaking, she disappeared like the wind. Lucian looked away from where her figure had just been. The walk hadn’t even started yet and he was already feeling exhausted. 

* * * 

Rose, who had disappeared to fetch snacks, returned shortly afterwards with a large basket in her hand. 

“Why did you pack so much?”

“It’s not that much! Just some food for us and a rug to sit on. Look, isn’t it comfortable?” 

Rose opened one side of the lid of the wooden basket, revealing a thick, plush fabric that looked more like a large blanket than a rug. 

“Are blankets really meant to be used like this?” 

“It’s all right. There are plenty of blankets in the castle.” 

Seeing Lucian fall silent, seemingly giving up on questioning her further, Rose quickly seized the opportunity to take advantage of his moment of hesitation. 

“Lucian, can I hold your hand?” 

“No.” 

“Why not?” 

“Because I don’t want to.” 

Although he’d looked like he’d lost his soul a few moments ago, Lucian had remained firmly unyielding all the way through the corridor. After being turned away about five times, they finally reached the courtyard. 

Clucking her tongue in mild frustration, Rose spread the blanket on the ground, patted the spot beside her and called him over. 

“Come sit here, Lucian.” 

But for some reason, Lucian didn’t respond. 

Rose glanced at him, only to see him standing still, gazing at the shimmering lake as if he were part of the scenery itself. She stared at his profile for a moment, then shifted her gaze to follow his. 

The back garden, where the snow had melted, resembled an enchanting, secret fairy forest. Sunlight streamed like jewels through the green leaves. The fresh scent of grass and the earthy aroma of soil mingled with the shyly closed flower buds, creating a serene atmosphere. 

This garden, which Rose had tended with her own hands for three thousand years, was something of which she was truly proud. As she saw the normally rigid man’s eyes sparkle with the shimmering hues of the lake, Rose let out a soft, amused smile. 

“Lucian.”

Only then did Lucian finally turn his head, as if out of a daze, and answer with a faint “Ah”. 

“Why were you so lost in thought?” 

“It’s the first time I’ve seen a view like this.” 

“Didn’t the place where you lived have a garden?” 

“There was, but it wasn’t full of flowers like this.” 

“What kind of garden is that?” 

“That’s the way the surface world is. In places that are extremely cold, not even trees can survive, let alone flowers. There’s always a fierce blizzard raging.” 

Pleased that he was continuing the conversation instead of falling silent as usual, Rose hugged her knees and tilted her head with a smile on her face. 

“Always?” 

“Yes, always.” 

“You mean it’s like this all year round?” 

“Since spring disappeared from the surface world, the seasons have lost their clear distinctions. There’s just a slightly colder period and a less cold period, but basically it’s winter all year round.” 

“Hmm, I see.” 

Rose, who had been nodding seriously, suddenly remembered something Lucian had said on their wedding day and made a slightly puzzled face. Wait a minute. 

“Demon Queen, in human society, life is often compared to the four seasons.” 

“You… You told me that on our wedding day, even though the human world doesn’t have four seasons anymore?” 

Lucian, who looked at her as if he didn’t understand what she meant, was met with Rose’s grumbling tone. 

“At the wedding. You said that to share the four seasons together was to spend a lifetime together.” 

“Ah.”