Chapter 21

‘He’ll be fine, right? He can hold his liquor… He should be fine…’

I studied his expression carefully. I gripped the bottle tightly, ready to strike if he showed even the slightest strange look.

‘Hey! I’m a woman who can hit a man if I have to! I’m the woman who threw a snowball at the crown prince!’

If it came down to it, I was fully prepared to smash that bottle over Callis’s head.

“It seems a bit hot in here.”

‘Why are you standing up!’

When Callis suddenly loosened more buttons on his shirt and shot to his feet, I raised the bottle over my head.

+++

‘Just try touching me! I’ll kill you!’

Maybe it was the murderous glare I was giving him, or maybe it was the raised bottle, but Callis just stared at me, blushed, and walked out of the room without saying a word.

“What? That’s it?”

The anticlimactic ending made all the tension drain from my body, and I slammed the bottle onto the table with a sharp thud.

My heart had already been racing like crazy from the moment he shot up, and whether from shock or alcohol fumes, heat flushed through my whole body.

“Ugh. It’s hot. I need cold air.”

Why did Callis just leave… And why didn’t he say anything…

Still shaken, I walked out to the terrace and gripped the railing, letting the cold winter wind blow against me. The icy air threaded through my hair and clothes, cooling my overheated body.

“Philina.”

A low, chilling voice made me jerk my head toward the terrace next door.

‘Ca… Callis…’

Our eyes locked—his red ones glowing unmistakably.

+++

“Quick! I have to lock the door!”

The moment I saw Callis’s eyes, I sprinted toward my room.

His room was right next to mine. In the Luna Empire, noble couples’ rooms usually weren’t placed side by side, but I guess the Abel Empire was different—ours were right next to each other.

And… that look I saw on the terrace was not human. If he caught me now, I’d definitely become his delicious prey tonight.

My hand trembled like my racing heart as I grabbed the doorknob.

Clack.

Phew… luckily I was fast enough to lock the door before he reached it.

‘He won’t break down the door… right?’

Somehow, I felt like he might.

I’d already seen him shirtless before, and with arms and chest like that, he looked capable of punching through the wall, never mind the door.

‘He said he once killed a bear…’

Sure, he probably used a sword to kill it, but in my mind, he had now become a man who could kill a bear with his bare hands.

I turned around, planning to dive under the blankets to calm my shaking body—

“Philina.”

Callis was standing right in front of me.

The same burning red eyes I’d seen on the terrace, the same rough breathing—he stood just one step away, staring down at me.

‘How did he get in?!’

When I’d run to lock the door, Callis had crossed over from the terrace.

“Callis…”

My heart pounded like crazy again, like I was watching a horror movie. I felt the blood drain from my body.

‘Mom… I want my mom… Mother… I miss you…’

Tears threatened to spill.

And I didn’t even have the bottle now. I didn’t even have my blanket shield.

“Don’t be afraid, Philina.”

He must have noticed how terrified I was. His voice, low and cold enough to freeze winter itself, rumbled as he cupped my face and neck with both hands.

“Callis… I’m not… ready…”

“Don’t worry.”

Thankfully, his voice warmed slightly. His gaze softened too, easing some of my fear.

“Just a kiss.”

“…All right.”

‘Yeah… he is good at kissing… and he is my legal husband… In a romance novel, someone like Callis might not be the male lead, but at least he’d qualify as a second male lead.’

To justify this kiss, I officially demoted him to second male lead in my head.

When I closed my eyes, unaware that he had just been relegated in genre hierarchy, Callis slowly pressed his lips to mine.

As if trying not to startle me, as if restraining himself, his soft lips covered mine, gently claiming the inside of my mouth.

At that tender, careful kiss, my fear melted away.

“Not below the neck.”

After he spent a long time melting my lips with his, he moved to my neck—only for me to push against his chest in panic.

The neck was too… dangerous. If I felt what I felt last time, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.

“All right.”

‘Wow, he listens well… then…’

Feeling relieved, I wrapped my arms around his neck, giving him permission to go deeper since I wasn’t scared anymore.

A long while later—

“Callis… stop…”

My knees nearly buckled. I clung to his neck to keep from collapsing under his assault.

“I’m not touching your neck.”

Since I told him not to go below the neck… he went for my ear.

Each time his lips and tongue brushed my ear, I choked back a moan and tightened my hold around him.

Ears… were even worse than the neck. Far worse. The sensation was so dangerously intense I couldn’t even open my eyes.

“Callis… please…”

When he nibbled my ear with his teeth, I couldn’t hold back—I let out a breathy moan. Tears pricked at the corners of my tightly shut eyes.

“Do you want me now? My wife?”

His low voice, thick with restrained desire, vibrated against my ear. I didn’t dare open my eyes—I knew I’d see hunger burning in his.

“…No.”

I clung to him, trying to calm my racing heart and keep my fading sanity together enough to answer.

“My efforts weren’t enough, then.”

‘Mom… Mother… this bastard… he’s too good… too indecent…’

He attacked my lips and ears again, and I once more stifled moans while screaming internally.

‘No… I have to get divorced BEFORE I lose control and jump him first!’

The next day, for the sake of my body—and my goals—I resolved to push forward with revising the divorce laws as quickly as possible.

+++

A few days later, at Princess Velita’s palace, the four of us were reviewing Vivian’s business proposal.

“Why didn’t any of you work? You all graduated from the academy—you’re so capable.”

I genuinely wondered as I looked over their skills.

Princess Velita had no official work. Vivian didn’t help with her father’s merchant guild. Stella didn’t have any social activities before marriage either.

Vivian’s proposal needed some polishing, but the completeness was impressive—she’d always wanted to do this. She didn’t become the top economics graduate of the academy for nothing.

Velita, reviewing it, pointed out weak spots with sharp precision. She was clearly competent.

“Most noblewomen don’t attend the academy. And even if they do, they study literature or arts, not economics or law. Even after graduating, they receive bridal training at home until marriage… I was doing bridal training too.”

Vivian’s answer nearly made me gape.

Academy graduates were 18. Marriage happened around 22 or 23. That meant four or five YEARS of bridal training?!

Even someone like Vivian, who was adored by her father, had this treatment—others had it worse, surely.

“What about women from poorer families? Don’t they work?”

Right, these three were rich noble daughters or royalty—they could afford not to work. But surely some women needed to.

“Noblewomen can only work as palace maids. That’s the only social activity they’re allowed.”

“And poor families’ daughters usually can’t attend the academy. Tuition is too expensive… Most of them marry as soon as they complete the coming-of-age ceremony. For their families.”

I pressed my fingers to my temples, trying not to grimace. The cultural difference from the Luna Empire was still earth-shaking.

‘Good grief… where do I even start fixing this…’

In Luna, noble daughters received nearly equal education. They could study whatever subjects they wanted at the academy, and this knowledge granted them respect as partners in marriage.

Parents even hired private tutors to teach their daughters economics and law so they’d be well-treated after marriage.

“There really… is a lot to fix. Vivian, your role is important. If you do well, you’ll inspire other women to step out and enter society too.”

I could imagine how suffocating life was for women in this empire. I encouraged Vivian and prepared to break the first ground for reform.

“Now, let’s look at the designs! You said they’re sexy lingerie?”

“Here… these are the women’s underwear designs.”

Vivian shyly presented the designs. Velita and Stella blushed bright red as they looked.

But—

‘Hmm? Vivian… didn’t you say “sexy underwear”?’

To me, it didn’t look sexy at all. The underwear I was wearing today was sexier.

Vivian’s designs were just normal underwear shapes with decorative drawings on them.

“Wait… Is this fabric all sheer or something? Completely see-through?”

Maybe I misunderstood and this was meant to be sheer material.

“See-through?! That’s too scandalous…”

Velita imagined it, face going even redder. Fair—fully see-through underwear was extreme.

“Have you ever seen Luna Empire underwear?”

Now it made sense. This empire must be even more conservative, so their lingerie wasn’t very bold.

“Madam, is Luna Empire underwear… more revealing?”

Stella widened her eyes—very unlike her—and I nodded twice, big and slow.

Vivian’s eyes grew larger and larger, like she was being told a forbidden truth.

Then she stared at my body intensely. As if trying to see through my clothes to study my underwear.

“Vivian… come to the ducal estate this week. I’ll show you my lingerie.”

“Philina… Duchess…”

Vivian hadn’t even shown her underwear yet, but she was already making a touched, emotional expression.

For the sake of the greater good, I had boldly decided to open up this very private field.

“Everyone. I’ll help spark your imaginations. Watch closely.”

Then I asked for red ink and drew pictures of underwear on paper.

‘Of course, when it comes to something sexy, it has to be red!’

Underwear made of only a few strings. Completely see-through, covering only the essential parts. And when I even drew matching couple underwear, everyone except me looked like their faces were about to explode.

‘Hmph! They’re all so cute. We haven’t even started yet.’

I stopped there for the sake of maintaining appropriate boundaries.

“I’ll draw the sleepwear version next time. Pretty underwear sells well too. Let’s stimulate women’s desires.”

“Yes, Duchess Philina. I’ll look forward to it.”

Vivian’s eyes sparkled at my words, and she looked absolutely adorable.