Chapter 25
“Of course. This room reflects its owner—only gloomy furniture here.”
In a good sense, it was stately. Each piece of furniture was carved by master craftsmen, sanded, and decorated with intricate patterns. But Filina wanted to pretend she didn’t notice any of that.
“Close your eyes.”
Filina stood in front of Calis, who was perched on the bed.
“As you wish, my wife.”
Calis closed his eyes, curious to see what Filina would do, and she took out a scarf to cover them.
‘Covering his eyes like this isn’t bad. Not scary at all… maybe I should do this every day?’
She thought it might actually be quite fun. And while she was at it, she could tie his neck too—why not?
“You won’t be able to see your beautiful face this way.”
Calis murmured in a low voice, like fog rolling across the floor, his flirtatious tone making Filina pause for a moment, but she quickly remembered her purpose for being in the room.
“Just hold still for a bit. Now, your hands too.”
Filina tied Calis’s hands behind his back with two handkerchiefs and then wrapped another scarf over them in case he tried to tear them off.
“So my wife has this taste, huh? I’ll remember that.”
‘You big mouth! You sly mouth!’
Seeing Calis still talking while his mouth was free annoyed Filina. She thought about tying his mouth too but realized she wouldn’t accomplish her goal if she did, so she held back.
“Now, I’ll give you a gift.”
She whispered into his ear with a deliberately seductive tone.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Filina noticed Calis’s voice grow even deeper and, smiling devilishly, sat on his lap to face him.
‘Now, you’ll experience it! I’m not the only one being teased! Today, I’ll make you pay!’
Filina steeled herself to “attack” Calis.
‘Alright! I can do this!’
Already satisfied to hear Calis’s slightly ragged breathing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and began kissing his lips.
“Filina?”
Calis was startled when she suddenly climbed onto his lap and kissed him, but soon accepted her approach, helping her lips and tongue explore more freely.
‘No! Not like this! I’ll do it myself!’
Filina felt as if she was being drawn in by the bound Calis against her intentions, and resolved to regain control.
“Calis. Stay still. Don’t answer. Don’t do anything.”
Before Calis could say something flirtatious again, she leaned in to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his neck, but…
She jumped back from his lap in surprise.
“You crazy man! Hah!”
Her words slipped out, and shocked by her own outburst, she bolted back to her room.
“Crazy man?”
Calis, alone with his hands tied behind him and blindfolded, wondered why he had just been called that. Then he realized something, untied his hands and removed the blindfold.
“Filina… my wife… if you’re going to do it, do it properly.”
Calis got up from the bed holding the scarf and handkerchief.
+++
As soon as she returned to her room, she locked the door, checked the terrace window, and jumped into bed, covering herself with the blanket.
“Crazy man… how could he do that right away?”
How could that happen in such a short time…?
Her original plan had been to tease him for at least 30 minutes, enjoy herself, then casually return to her room with him bound. Not to rush like this in just three minutes!
“Beast!”
After defining Calis as a beast, she lay down and hugged the blanket tightly to calm herself.
“Filina. My wife. Don’t leave me.”
Suddenly, with a thud, a gust of freezing wind blew in, followed by a voice colder than the wind itself, right above her body.
“Calis…”
Crazy! He ripped the doorknob off!
She had locked the terrace door tightly, but the doorknob was hanging precariously. Calis held the scarf and handkerchief she had used, bending at the waist beside the bed, his red eyes staring at her as if to devour her.
“Take these scarf and handkerchiefs. Consider them a gift.”
She pulled the blanket up to her neck and clutched it with both hands.
“Thank you. Now I’ll return the favor for your gift.”
He smiled casually and waved the scarf and handkerchief over her face before grabbing her hand.
No! I can’t let him tie me!
“Calis. No need to return the favor.”
She sat up and tried to pull her hand away while scanning for anything she could use as a weapon.
‘I told you to read some books!’
There wasn’t a single book in the room.
“Now it’s my turn to show my sincerity.”
Calis sat on the bed this time, holding her hands, trying to tie them with the scarf.
“I’ll give… my neck.”
Seeing her hands about to be bound, she panicked and decided to protect her neck.
‘If I get tied, who knows what’ll happen… Better my neck.’
Still, she thought trying her neck once might be less scary… but absolutely not her ears.
“Neck? Fine then.”
He was reasonable enough to agree, so they had a deal.
“Kisses only. No ears, no weird stuff!”
Once Calis untied the scarf, she felt slightly relieved and stated her conditions again, intending to move somewhere safer than the bed.
“Stay where you are.”
He pushed her back onto the bed and began kissing her neck.
And… she was wrong. Neck was off-limits too.
Perhaps because he had done this before, he bit and licked her neck, tasting the wounds.
‘Y-you… you’re a vampire! Where did you learn this?’
The strange, alien sensation made her hold his arms and steady herself to avoid moaning.
“Calis… stop now…”
Eventually, when she couldn’t hold back and moaned, he finally let her go.
When she opened her eyes, his terrifying red eyes were right above hers.
“We’ll continue the rest on our next union day.”
Breathing heavily while suppressing his desires, Calis said something just as frightening as his gaze and left the room.
‘Continue… union day… I have to act immediately!’
Filina covered her mouth with both hands. Her heart, which had raced with his kisses, now pounded even more with fear.
+++
The next morning, Margaret flinched once at the terrace door, twice at the marks on her neck, and three times when Filina explained she needed her help with the first night.
“Understood, Margaret. You’re the only one who can help me in this duke’s house.”
Filina held Margaret’s hands and looked into her eyes, pleading. Margaret nodded resolutely.
“Yes, my lady. I’ll help you become Duchess Agnis again.”
“Thank you, Margaret. The urgent matter now…”
They began planning strategies for the union day.
“I’ll cover your neck as much as possible.”
After a simple breakfast, with Margaret’s help, she applied ointment on her neck, wore a white blouse that covered her wounds completely, and put on a blue skirt.
“Lady… I can still see some of it…”
Margaret frowned at the remaining marks.
“It’s fine… one more scarf should cover it. I’ll go to the study; you rest and prepare to go downtown this afternoon.”
“Yes. Here, wrap this. It’s from Lady Agnis, the Duchess.”
‘That… is…’
Margaret handed her the scarf used to bind Calis yesterday, making Filina pause. Out of all the scarves, why choose that one?
“I’ll use a different one.”
“Why? You liked this one the most.”
“Just… never mind.”
She grabbed a random scarf, wrapped it around her neck, and left the room.
‘Calis’s study…’
Her study and Calis’s office were on the left side of the second floor: her study in the first room via the central stairs, then two smaller rooms (library and a small reception room), and Calis’s spacious office at the end.
The right side was the duke and duchess’s private area with bedrooms, study, reception room, and hobby space. The third floor was reserved for their future children.
‘Children…’
Watching Calis’s office door, her thoughts on future children made her legs freeze.
“Watch out!”
Kalis, who had been coming out with his aide Hudson, must have spotted me because he ran over, wrapped his arms around my waist, spun me around, and pressed me against the wall.
“Kalis!”
Suddenly pushed against the wall and pressed close to him, I glared at him and pushed him away when Hudson and the others nearby started blushing while staring.
“Hmm. That was close to hurting you.”
“Where are you going? I was standing just fine on my own two feet in the hallway.”
It was true. I had only paused for a moment while walking; I wasn’t falling or dizzy.
“I see. That stance of yours must have looked too precarious on those legs.”
Kalis seemed a bit embarrassed for suddenly hugging me and blushed at his own ridiculous comment.
What is he saying! I’m the woman who caught a wild boar with my bare hands!
Of course, I had used a bow to catch it, but for now, I decided to let that slide.
“I’m strong, so don’t worry unnecessarily. I’ll be busy and home late today. Don’t wait for me—have dinner.”
I ruffled my slightly messy hair that had been pressed against him and said sharply while straightening it with my hand.
Even though I had pushed him away with my hands, we still stood close enough that our bodies nearly touched.
“We’ll eat dinner together. And since it’s dangerous for a little kitten to be out late, be back on time.”
Ah… little kitten…
I was momentarily stunned at the delicate words coming out of this huge man’s mouth and looked at his face. He, too, seemed embarrassed, his ears turning even redder.
“You’ve tied a scarf… then we’ll have dinner together.”
Then, he adjusted the scarf around my neck with his fingertips, and as if he had just seen something unbearable behind him, he grabbed Hudson and walked past.
Little kitten…
I still couldn’t shake off that shocking word. Goosebumps rose all over me, my face heating up, and I rushed into the office, throwing open the windows.
Insane! That kind of word comes out of those muscles?! Such muscles wasted!
I couldn’t handle it anymore. I needed to leave the Rubelia Ducal Mansion, leave the Abel Empire, as soon as possible.
+++
“Milady… could it be that you’ve caught a cold? Your face looks a little flushed.”
Stella looked at my outfit with a mixture of curiosity and concern as she closed the window.
Assuming it was my throat that hurt, she called for a maid to bring me a cup of warm tea.
Oh! What a perfect excuse. I’ll just pretend I have a cold.
“Right… my throat does hurt a bit. Now, let’s get to work.”
This afternoon, I was planning to go with Velita to tour the shops downtown, so in the office, I would only handle the morning’s work briefly before going out.
Sitting at my desk, I took out some documents and placed a blank sheet of paper on top.
“Stella… how do you amend laws? About first-night traces and all… does it normally take this long?”
I said it casually, glancing at Stella while asking the question I had been wanting to ask since last night, ready to jot down whatever she said.
