The Lord Of Sinal (8)

“Mm…”

A heat that began in her lower abdomen spread to her whole body. He slowly released the hand that clutched the collar and pressed it down onto the bed. His heavy body pinned the frail figure that had collapsed; the white lace nightgown, worn more for show than function, was pushed up to her hips.

Like a beast who’d devoured all the sweet chocolate, he nibbled at her nape as if he intended to consume even her sweet scent. His hand slipped without hesitation between her thin legs and, without warning, burrowed into her secret entrance.

“Hng…!”

She grabbed his shoulder with the freed hand in a panic, but it was clear she didn’t intend to push him away. Her hazy amber eyes held a vivid desire. To prove it, the place where his fingers had entered was already making sticky sounds.

“Ugh, Master…”

Accustomed to hanging on the impeccably uniformed man without an ounce of shame, she even spread her legs herself to give his probing hand more room.

“Ah, mm…”

With his index and middle fingers widening the narrow inner wall and scraping, Liris’s head tilted back on its own. She stuck out her tongue, licked his pronounced collarbone, and looked at him with languid eyes.

“Liris, tell me what you want.”

“Hng, Master… stop… Put your… in, please.”

He kissed her as she moaned and still voiced exactly what she wanted.

“Good. Well done.”

When he praised her she felt more than proud; she was thrilled. Perhaps her whole body remembered that the rewards that followed his praise were always beyond expectation.

“Hng…!”

The man who entered where his fingers had been was so overwhelming that she felt she might lose her breath, yet she clung on stubbornly.

‘You…’

Kaiston gripped her waist, no more than a handful, and held her steady.

‘You are the Crown Princess.’

“Ugh!”

A moan burst out as he thrust to the hilt. Even when he had thought she was a slave, she had seemed so beautiful as to be sacred and made him feel guilty; now that he knew she was the exalted Crown Princess…

On the first night when he’d drugged her with a weak narcotic and took her virginity, he had been startled by the clear maiden’s blood, and she had said, ‘I’m sorry.’

‘I’m sorry for not doing well. It’s my first time, sorry.’ She meant to say that. What had he answered? ‘Try harder from now on.’ What a bastard.

Because he had bitten his lip until it bled, a drop of blood fell onto her white nape.

He wrapped her legs, swinging in the air, around his waist to secure them and thrust his body deep inside again.

“Ahh, ugh!”

Exultant cries kept spilling out. Though it had been only a month, the man who had painstakingly studied her body down to every detail knew exactly what to do to send her into uncontrollable pleasure.

“Master…”

Overcome by rising ecstasy, Liris reached out and wrapped her hands around his neck.

“Liris.”

He, too, enfolded her with one arm. The flames of pleasure that ignited where their bodies met and pressed without a gap spread as if to consume them both.

“Hahk!”

Supporting her supple, bending body, he plunged deeply inside her. His seed, driven up to the entrance of her womb, was trembled in and swallowed by her flesh.

Both the Aikadum and the Baras imperial families were short on heirs, but in any case, the intent of this act had become clear. The imperial family would have Baras blood mixed in. A child conceived by the Crown Princess, who can manifest sacred power, with the seed of the owner of a spirit beast, whether girl or boy, would certainly become a glorious sovereign to elevate the Empire’s honor.

Kaiston knew the reason the Emperor coveted him. Once Liris bore a child, and once the hunt for those bastards was over, what would become of him?

Kaiston stroked Liris’s cheek.

‘Pretty, beloved Liris.’

He wished he could keep seeing her. He wished that even if his wish came true, she could remain by his side.

“I love you…”

Liris smiled shyly, her amber eyes sparkling. She whispered to him as he gave her a light kiss.

“I love you— you.”

That single sentence made his chest ache. He was very happy, and just as sad. He couldn’t bring himself to smile back.

Drip.

“Oh, Master…”

Kaiston could not help but let his tears fall.

Humming a tune to herself, Liris walked with lighter steps than usual.

“Why are you in such a good mood?”

Liris beamed in response to Kaiston’s question.

“Because of you…”

She swallowed the rest of the sentence—‘because I saw you crying’—and let out a private cry of happiness.

Transparent tears fell, plinking, from his jewel-like violet eyes. The poignant beauty made her heart feel as if it would stop.

There had been a reason Saik had been so arrogant. If the reason had been tragic, she couldn’t be this happy, but his reason was simply ‘because I like you.’ If that’s the reason, would it matter how many times he cried? Ah, she wanted to make him cry again. A strange heat lingered in Liris’s amber eyes.

“Me…?”

Kaiston tilted his head and asked the question she had swallowed. Liris answered energetically.

“Because I like you!”

Kaiston stopped and looked at her. He straightened her cloak again and spoke softly.

“If you keep smiling so prettily, I’ll drag you off anywhere and hold you.”

Thinking her reddened face was from embarrassment, he resumed walking, but she, lost in fantasies and twisting her body about, didn’t realize she should follow.

“Ha. Liris.”

Eventually she turned back and leapt into his arms, hugging him tight.

“Anything is fine. If it’s you doing it.”

Kaiston couldn’t help but snort, and in his peripheral vision he saw Kamel and Haris guarding at a distance with faces frozen stiff. Never mind that the illusion of the Crown Princess as graceful and dignified was shattered, but could they believe this about the Commander?

‘You two should fall in love too,’ he thought, and deliberately hugged Liris tighter and pressed a quick kiss to her flushed cheek before he resumed walking.

“No way. The Commander… The Commander…”

At Kamel’s stunned muttering, Haris grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

“Come quickly. You’ll miss them.”

“Our Commander, who was the ideal and fate of countless knights…”

“W-whoever thought of the Commander that way? Be quiet! The Commander will hear you!”

Whatever they said, Kaiston steadily walked Liris down Sinal’s main street until they reached their intended shop. The shopkeeper, seeing the duke enter, hurried out and bowed his head in fluster.

“Your Grace!”

Liris’s eyes glittered as she looked around the shop. This was Sinal’s largest jewelry workshop. Sinal owned several mines that produced rare, high-quality gems, and its craftsmanship was well developed.

“I’d like to have a wedding ring made for my wife.”

The shopkeeper and Liris both widened their eyes at Kaiston’s words.

He knew the Crown Princess lacked nothing. Indeed, the top-tier magic bag the Emperor had sent him was full of the lavish, beautiful dresses she had worn in the palace and boxes of expensive jewel-encrusted accessories.

Even so, he wanted to personally commission a wedding ring and place it on her pretty hand.

“Have this stone set and crafted.”

Kaiston took a small pouch from his pocket and handed it to the owner. The owner carefully opened it, and his eyes grew as wide as saucers.

“Gasp, Your Grace! Th-this is…”

Kaiston shook his head as if to quiet the owner’s reaction. Smiling at the curious Liris, he gently took her left hand.

“Put it on this hand.”

He felt her ring finger joint; it was so thin and delicate.

“Hmm.”

It seemed like it would snap with even a little force.

“Your Grace, it’s too much to use this on a ring alone. Shall we make it into a set?”

“That would be better.”

While the owner measured her hand and discussed the design, Kaiston waited quietly. She, too, seemed full of life as they talked about jewels.

They left the shop, bought a tall ice cream from a street vendor, and sat on a bench by a quiet winter park.

Haris and Kamel stood on opposite sides of the road but far enough away that their conversation wouldn’t likely be overheard.

“Liris.”

“Yes.”

“I know we can’t stay like this from now on.”

Liris, licking her ice cream, froze at Kaiston’s words.

“You are the Empire’s Crown Princess. I can’t keep dressing you in such… things as I please.”

“…You do realize these are ‘such things,’ huh.”

Liris pouted as she answered.

“You’re pretty in anything, anyway. I thought it best you’d wear warm, comfortable clothes. Also to block other men’s gazes.”

Liris was a little surprised he spoke so frankly.

“I should apologize for all the rudeness I’ve shown you and treat you properly as the Crown Princess from now on. But the truth is I’m not exactly a man of loyal service to the Empire.”

Liris snorted and laughed at his words.

“Yes, I know. I don’t care at all.”

She had heard him mutter about that damned Emperor more than once.

“Still, in official settings, I’ll treat you with proper respect as the Crown Princess, so don’t worry.”

“I’ll also treat you with proper respect as a duke in official settings.”

Seeing Liris’s amber eyes curve prettily, Kaiston gave a small laugh. Watching her finish her ice cream and clap her hands, he took out a handkerchief and wiped her mouth.

“Crown Princess Liriana.”

At the sound of her true name coming from his mouth for the first time, Liris opened her eyes wide and stared at him.

“Now that we are married,” he said in a low, declarative voice. “Your wish is my wish, and your enemy will be my enemy. You can rest assured now.”

His violet eyes held a gentle yet resolute light as he looked at her.

“From now on, I will protect you.”

“……”

Her mouth automatically fell open in a dumbfounded ‘heh’ at his words. He furrowed his brow at her dazed expression right after such a serious talk.

“Crown Princess? You heard me properly, right?”

“Ah, Duke…”

Tears welled in her amber eyes. Startled, Kaiston felt Liris throw herself into his arms.

“You’re so magnificent. So handsome. I feel so reassured.”

Overcome with excitement, the things she should have kept inside tumbled out all at once.

“You are my man forever, right? Say it quickly.”

Kaiston stood frozen in shock while Kamel and Haris, watching from a distance as the Crown Princess finally revealed her true colors, turned away with a sigh. In every sense, the Red Moon’s knights had had their commander stolen away.