Chapter 84
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Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Chapter 84
"Yes? What do you mean... Yes. Yes, of course! I understand!"
After that, the carriage moved at a pace that would make a tortoise seem swift.
No, that wasn't quite right.
The carriage barely moved at all.
The horses stood idle, taking a single sluggish step whenever the mood struck them.
Lucas, having sealed the carriage windows shut, tightened his grip on the hand Grace was holding and spoke with honeyed sweetness.
"If you wanted to hold my hand, you should have simply asked, Grace."
"...No, that's not what I meant."
"Please, hold it as much as you wish. If there are other places you'd like to touch, you're welcome to do so."
He loosened the front buttons of his shirt.
'Oh, oh no, why are you undressing...'
Grace startled and tried to pull her hand away, but Lucas held firm, refusing to let go.
'It's like a spider's web, what is this.'
As her fingers remained hopelessly tangled and immobile, Grace found herself in a state of panic.
Though she had initiated this, the situation had somehow reversed entirely.
With eyes like a rabbit moments before being devoured, she cast her gaze about, searching for an escape.
Lucas's expression, which had seemed burdened with worry mere moments ago, had transformed.
He leaned toward her with a face brimming with vitality.
"Why, why are you coming so close? I only meant to hold your hand..."
"That's right. We're only holding hands right now, Grace."
"...For just holding hands, this seems far too intimate, sir."
Unable to do anything about his face drawing so near, she lowered her gaze and murmured.
Softly, his lips brushed against her cheek.
"I'll keep it to just this much."
"Just this much is... how much exactly...?"
"Simply... on your cheek..."
"...Just on my cheek?"
As if to prove his words, he pressed his lips to the center of Grace's rosy cheek.
Then once more upon her delicately prominent cheekbone.
Once in the hollow of her cheek.
Once more along her smooth, defined jawline.
Each time his lips grazed her skin, Grace felt a strange ticklish sensation and had to suppress a shiver.
Heat spread throughout her body.
From her fingertips to her toes, from the hollow of her navel to the space between her shoulder blades.
Within the sealed carriage, only the sound of their mingled breathing echoed.
Outside was darkness, and the dim light within the carriage created an intimate, suggestive atmosphere.
Feeling her breath quicken, Grace gripped his hand—their fingers still intertwined—more tightly.
Without thinking, she bit her parched lips and slowly turned her head.
I gazed into Lucas Black's moist lips, then lifted my eyes to meet his gaze.
"Really...."
My parched throat tightened as I asked.
My voice emerged hoarse, like the scrape of metal.
"Only on the cheek?"
That became the signal.
Sparks ignited in Lucas Black's blue eyes.
In one swift motion, his lips descended upon mine like a tempest.
The texture of his warm, moist skin was shockingly soft and exhilarating.
I had to accept his demanding kiss with my entire body trembling, as he toyed with my lips, parting them and pressing deeper.
His body, drawn so close, pinned me down.
Breathing became a struggle.
It was scorching, far too sharp, and impossibly sweet.
The harder I tried to breathe, the wider my lips parted, and our first kiss grew increasingly fervent.
"Mm...."
When his teeth grazed my lower lip, the electric sting made me gasp, my lips parting slightly.
My shy tongue trembled and retreated, but Lucas Black seized it without hesitation.
It was I who had provoked what was already difficult for him to restrain.
My clumsy seduction shook the very foundation of his reason.
He consumed me as though he meant to devour me whole.
I gasped yet surrendered to all his hunger.
As the range of our joined lips expanded, so too did our desire.
Cradling both my cheeks in his large, vein-traced hands, he drew closer still, breathing in my scent without restraint.
'Good heavens!'
Lucas Black realized for the first time that a mere kiss could drive a person to madness.
I could not bear to let even my ragged breath escape him.
"Your Grace... please, ah... stop."
As my mind began to blur, I clutched at his shoulders.
His relentless onslaught left me dizzy, scarcely allowing me to breathe.
My heart raced wildly, and my body temperature soared beyond control.
This was the first time in my life I had engaged in anything so wanton.
The heat that consumed me now was incomparable to when he had licked my palm before.
"Two weeks... I thought there wasn't much time left."
He murmured, his voice thick with lingering reluctance.
I lifted my trembling eyelids to look at him.
His blue eyes burned with desire that seemed ready to swallow me whole.
My heart thundered in my chest.
"...From today on, it will feel far too distant, I fear."
Like a devoted fiancé, he pressed his lips tenderly against mine.
His lingering affection traced a path across my eyelids, temples, slightly swollen lips, and jaw.
"A kiss... I've never done this before."
At her words, he closed his eyes and smiled.
With a gentle smile that made me think, so this man can smile like this too, he whispered.
"Neither have I."
'...That's a lie!'
She sent him a look of suspicion.
Lucas kissed her eyelid once more.
"I'm telling the truth."
No matter what he said, I couldn't believe him.
How could something so passionate and skillful just moments ago be his first time?
"Your Excellency, it doesn't matter to me whether this was your first time or not. When I said it was mine... I was simply trying to tell you that I'm inexperienced."
"It was my first time too, Grace. Truly."
"...I don't think so."
Grace really couldn't believe it.
I could still vividly feel how he had invaded my mouth without hesitation.
I simply couldn't accept that someone experiencing something for the first time could be so skilled without any hesitation, awkwardness, or clumsiness.
He replied with a laugh.
"Of course, I studied quite extensively..."
"Studied?"
"Of course. A husband must possess the basic qualities required to welcome his wife."
Through such study... was there a way to become proficient at kissing?
I couldn't comprehend it.
But before I could ask him for more details, the carriage carrying them crawled forward at a tortoise's pace and finally arrived at the Estate.
* * *
"Excellent. Everything is proceeding smoothly."
Capren hummed contentedly as he climbed into the carriage.
He had secured twenty seats out of the forty-two available.
From them, he had obtained firm commitments to advance the marriage between Princess Vivian and Norman.
While enforcing a decision required more than half the votes, this was already sufficient.
Having all forty-two families participate in the Nobility Assembly was historically rare.
A majority of those in attendance could pass virtually any measure.
Thus, securing twenty seats meant this matter was as good as decided.
"I have an appointment with Viscount Andre, so I shall take my leave here, Father."
"Ah, yes. Building relationships is commendable. Expand your connections, Norman."
Capren patted Norman on the shoulder and handed him a thick bundle of money.
Norman accepted the funds without hesitation.
Lately, Father's spending had become increasingly lavish.
I understood he was relying on the diamond mines, but I remained skeptical.
What madman would gift a diamond mine to his wife's family upon marriage?
There had to be some hidden agenda or ulterior motive behind this.
'Hmm, perhaps... Could he be hinting that the Duke of Black might have perverse tastes and mistreat his wife until she dies?'
I smiled wickedly at the thought.
It was something wealthy elderly nobles who remarried repeatedly often did.
They would provide substantial dowries to take new wives, then impose various demands upon them.
When they eventually died, they would take another wife.
The woman's family could not protest, having received an excessive dowry.
'It's not an entirely implausible scenario.'
The Duke of Black, who had shown no interest in women, was pushing this marriage so urgently—he must want something from Grace.
'That woman has a certain quality that provokes sadistic impulses. Perhaps that appeals to him. No, that must be it.'
The thought delighted me.
After all, what would make a duke fall in love with a woman merely because of her face?
Speaking of faces... I recalled a beautiful one I had seen recently.
Trisha Onium.
The silver-haired wolf who had recently become head of the Onium Family.
'...It's a shame to waste such a face in the Borderlands.'
Why would someone with such a face insist on wielding a sword and living in such a place?
With a gentle smile and the mere loosening of a dress button, she could have men kneeling before her.
A vulgar smile crept across Norman's lips.
"Unless... that's how she became head of the family in the first place."
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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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