Chapter 100
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Episode 100
Oh.
"...Should I run away?"
Grace, who had been muttering to herself in a daze without realizing it, suddenly startled and slapped her own cheek.
"What are you saying? Get a hold of yourself. A bride doesn't flee on her wedding night."
She rose abruptly from her seat to clear her mind.
Thinking a bath might help settle her nerves, I headed toward the bathroom when I noticed the wine sitting on the table.
'...That's it.'
Let me have a glass of wine first.
I took a deep breath and uncorked the bottle.
Since it was already half-opened, it came loose without much effort.
Though I'd intended to drink only a little, I changed my mind and poured a full glass.
They say alcohol makes people bold.
I'd never relied on drink before, but today felt like I might need its courage.
To act boldly, decisively, with an open heart.
Gulp— gulp—
My throat bobbed heavily as the wine went down smoothly.
The wine was stronger than I'd expected; I felt the intoxication rising almost immediately after finishing the glass.
Good, this was just right.
I hurried into the bathroom.
Unusually, this room had two bathrooms—clearly this was the master suite for newlyweds.
I rinsed my body with warm water and then sank into the bathtub filled with hot water.
Simply being in the warm water eased my tension somewhat. The alcohol rose quickly through my relaxing body.
'It's fine. It will go well. I'll do well. So... His Excellency will do very well too.'
If he kissed well, surely he'd be just as skilled at other things?
'But he also said this was his first time too... Will it really be okay?'
No matter how unprepared I felt, I knew that firsts were never easy.
And with two inexperienced people, wouldn't we stumble a bit?
The thought made my head spin again. Belatedly, I wondered if I should have prepared something. I tried to stay calm and mentally rehearsed what I should do.
'...We'll both need to undress, right? We can't do it with clothes on?'
Unbidden, his naked form came to mind.
That time in the Grass Field when he'd transformed into human form—I'd seen his thick chest muscles and firm waist, and....
"...!"
That thing back then!
The thick, solid something that had appeared so vividly before my eyes.
Grace trembled and covered her pale face with her hands.
'...No, no.'
People don't have something like that on their bodies, so it must have been a shadow for sure.
And I can barely remember it now anyway?
So it couldn't possibly be that. It absolutely couldn't be!
As time dragged on, my anxiety made my fingers and toes curl tight. A rhythmic pounding echoed in my ears as if someone were hammering somewhere nearby.
Grace realized belatedly that the sound was her own heartbeat.
"Hah...."
She took a deep breath and steeled herself once more.
'I can do this. I will do this. I can do it...! Yes, let's just go for it. He's not just anyone—he's the General. He'll do well!'
Clinging to this baseless faith that he would do well, Grace bolted upright from the bathtub.
The intoxication that had been creeping up on her seemed to have finally reached her brain.
She forced her slightly glazed eyes open and carefully dried every inch of her body. There were no handmaidens to assist her on this floor, not even attendants waiting outside.
It was a considerate arrangement for a time meant for only two people, but somehow it made her even more nervous.
Grace dried herself with meticulous care in preparation for what was to come.
Various fragrant oils were arranged in one corner of the bathroom.
She hesitated, then boldly selected one. She dabbed just a single drop on her fingertip and applied it delicately to the nape of her neck.
Yes, having come this far, there was no turning back.
Boldly, with the conviction that nothing was impossible!
"Here I go...!"
She tied the sash of her robe firmly around her waist and stepped out with a resolute expression.
* * *
Lucas swept his damp hair back and glanced toward the door.
By now, Grace should have emerged from the bathroom. She was probably sitting on the bed with a tense expression, lost in thought.
He'd briefly entertained the thought of running away. Even without seeing her, he could vividly imagine Grace's anxious face.
Those violet eyes that were usually so composed would tremble helplessly whenever he made even the slightest indecent move.
It had been the same when he'd laid her on the bed moments ago. Watching those clear eyes quiver with improper thoughts, I felt desire stirring within me as well.
How could anyone be so lovely? Every time I faced Grace, I wanted to nibble that adorable nose of hers, to lick her cheeks.
'But I need to exercise restraint today.'
I swallowed a languid sigh and slowly calmed myself. It would be a lie to say desire wasn't rising, but I had no intention of holding her here tonight.
There had been times when Lucas came and went from the Royal Palace as if it were his own home, so it wasn't particularly uncomfortable for him. But Grace was different. The Royal Palace was far too unfamiliar to her. Being forced to spend such an intimate and private night in such an unfamiliar place would undoubtedly be uncomfortable for her.
Above all....
'I can't stay holed up here for days on end without worry.'
Lucas licked his dry lips and rubbed the back of his neck where tension had gathered. He couldn't guarantee how much self-control he possessed. Besides, this wasn't our first time, was it? And with someone as lovely as Grace in my arms, there was no way I could be satisfied with just one or two encounters.
'How many times have I held back until now....'
It wasn't as though I intended to release all my pent-up restraint at once, but I certainly planned to hold her fully and taste sufficient happiness. To make that possible, I had accelerated all my schedules.
I'd worked day and night for several days, losing weight in the process.
For approximately a month, my subordinates could handle the work among themselves. I intended to pour all that free time into Grace.
Until I departed for Contana a week later, I had no intention of leaving the Separate Residence.
Of course, the schedule might shift slightly depending on Grace's stamina and endurance.
'I should instruct Cotti to prepare some nourishing foods.'
Particularly those beneficial for women. Lucas lightly shook his damp hair to dry it, then donned his robe.
Unlike someone who had tied their sash with all their might in nervous tension, Lucas's belt was tied quite loosely, allowing the well-developed contours of his chest to be visible through the loosely draped fabric.
Lucas pondered how to tease her as he opened the door to the bedroom where she would be resting, freshly emerged from her bath.
As it happened, she was just draining her second glass in one eager gulp.
"...Wine?"
Cough!
Grace Oellin, who had been hastily downing the wine, erupted into a startled fit of coughing. Lucas rushed to her side, gently patting her small back to soothe her.
"If you're going to drink, why not do it together instead of alone...."
"It's, it's not like that."
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, rosy as peaches. Lucas traced a finger lightly across her cheek and whispered tenderly.
"Drink slowly, Grace Oellin. I had no idea you were fond of wine. When we return to the Estate, let's visit the wine cellar together. There are quite a few excellent vintages there."
"No, it's not that I particularly enjoy drinking...."
"Then why?"
Lucas gazed at her with a subtle smile, feigning ignorance. Watching her trembling pupils, he felt his earlier resolve crumbling away.
At this very moment, he wanted nothing more than to devour her whole.
Who on earth had ever called him a herbivore? He was always prepared to indulge in carnivorous appetites.
Like a ravenous beast contemplating fresh meat, saliva pooled in his mouth. He had reminded himself to exercise restraint dozens of times over, yet all that effort collapsed before Grace Oellin's flushed cheeks.
...Gulp.
But that swallowing sound did not belong to Lucas. Grace Oellin, her lips stained crimson with wine, pressed them firmly shut and swallowed hard.
"May I have a sip as well?"
Lucas smiled with his eyes crinkled and gently took the wine glass from Grace Oellin's hands. There was still quite a bit of wine remaining, as if she hadn't managed to finish it all in one go.
He held her gaze as he let the remaining wine flow into his own mouth. More than half the glass, shimmering and full, was drawn smoothly into Lucas's lips.
Grace Oellin stared blankly, unable to distinguish whether what was being drawn into his mouth was wine or her very soul.
Even though he hadn't finished the wine, watching Lucas lick his lips with his tongue made her head spin.
Yet despite her heart pounding wildly, her reason remained far too vividly alive. If only that wretched thing would die, then she could muster courage or act recklessly....
Captivated by Lucas's blue eyes, Grace Oellin found herself unable to act recklessly—her lips even seemed to freeze, rendering her speechless.
"The taste is better than expected."
He murmured as he wiped the wine from his lips with his fingertip.
A single drop of wine clung to his finger, glistening crimson. Lucas, watching her dazed state, reached out and brushed his wine-stained thumb between her slightly parted lips. Her lips trembled involuntarily.
"Wine tastes different depending on temperature... How is it, Grace Oellin? Does it taste different from before?"
Her lips seemed to burn where his fingertip touched them.
Perhaps from her tension, when she unconsciously tried to lick her lips, the tip of her tongue brushed against Lucas's finger that was pressing against them. In that instant, a small spark of electricity passed between them.
Both Lucas and Grace Oellin felt the same thing and could not tear their eyes away from each other. They recalled a similar moment from before.
The Garden, heavy with humid fragrance.
The sound of laughter as they teased one another.
Moist lips tickling her palm and trembling fingers she could not control.
What had she said then? Had she teased him, saying that unmarried people couldn't do such things?
For Grace Oellin, it had been a remarkably bold jest.
But today was not a day for such jests. They had now held the ceremony and become an official married couple.
Now they had become a pair for whom such things were entirely permissible.
"...."
Very slowly, the distance between them narrowed. Their gazes never wavered from each other's eyes, and their drawing breath ensnared them like a spider's web.
Lucas Black's large hand, which had been slowly tracing her spine, gripped the nape of her neck.
In that instant, a delicious shiver rippled down Grace Oellin's spine. Without thinking, she urgently grasped the collar of his robe.
"..."
Before she could utter a word, their lips collided with fierce intensity.
And at the same moment, the sash binding Lucas Black's robe came undone.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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