Chapter 49:
“Kyaaa!”
Layla hastily covered her eyes with her hands and spun around.
“Oh dear.”
Rainier, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed.
“W–Why are you showering already?!”
When she shouted in fluster, he even chuckled. She could hear his laughter in his breathing, which only made her more embarrassed.
“Seems you’ve lost track of time. I got tired of waiting for you to finish happily picking out dresses and decided to take a shower.”
With him steadily coming closer, Layla could hardly think straight anymore.
“Ah… now this is truly a problem.”
“W–What? What is?”
Instead of running away, Layla crouched down on the floor, curling up like a startled rabbit. Rainier couldn’t help but smile at the sight.
“I’ve lived so chastely, never showing my body to anyone, and yet you’ve seen it all.”
“No, that’s—!”
“Shouldn’t you take responsibility now?”
“It was an accident! I’m sorry…! I didn’t know you’d be in the shower…!”
Seeing her ears turn bright red, Rainier stifled a laugh. Layla glared at him, trying to withstand the heat in her face.
“I see. So saying it was an accident makes everything fine. I just showed you my naked body, you know.”
He was so brazen that she grew even more flustered. She’d never in her life seen a man’s naked body before.
“You… you had a towel around your waist!”
“Oh, so unless I take this off, you haven’t seen everything? Then perhaps I should—”
“Kyaa!”
Layla jumped up and grabbed his hand, afraid he might actually undo the towel.
“You’re truly cruel, my lady. I see you want to avoid taking responsibility by not seeing it all. Then I have no choice but to show you the rest.”
“How does that even make sense?!”
“I’ve already shown you everything, so you must take responsibility. I have no other choice.”
“W–What nonsense! Then what about all those knights walking around shirtless?”
“They’re them. I’m me. And according to my personal belief, whoever sees my body must take responsibility for me.”
Layla wondered if he was drunk, but he was perfectly sober. And his smile didn’t seem fake.
“It was an accident…!”
“All the more reason you should take responsibility. Intentional or not, adults take responsibility for what happens.”
“A–Ah…”
Her head was so hot she could hardly think.
“I’m sorry. I truly didn’t know you were bathing.”
He looked at her eyes, wet with embarrassment, and kept smiling.
“And… I’m already engaged, so I can’t take responsibility for you…”
At that, Rainier’s expression dimmed slightly.
“May I ask why you insist on this engagement? Haven’t you broken it off several times before?”
Layla looked at him, surprised by his sudden seriousness after all the teasing. Then he smiled again—but it wasn’t the kind of smile that reached his eyes.
“I love Sonnet.”
“Not just like, but love?”
“…Yes. I fall in love rather easily.”
“Then wouldn’t you move on to someone else just as easily?”
“This time is different.”
“But it hasn’t been different until now.”
“This time is different. I’m certain.”
She was telling the truth. Once she got rid of Sonnet and Sieber, she didn’t want to see anyone else ever again.
“I see.”
A drop of water slid from his hair and into his eye, making it look strangely like he was crying. Layla couldn’t look away.
“Do you like me?”
“…No. I told you before, I don’t.”
“Then don’t.”
“You can’t order my emotions around.”
The second drop that fell from him didn’t seem to come from his hair.
“Who I like is my own business.”
“And so it is for me, Layne.”
Her words silenced him. The mood quickly turned heavy, and she sighed.
“Could you… put on some clothes?”
“Why did you call me here?” he asked, wiping the moisture from his eyes. She wondered if he really was crying, but then he smiled again, masking his expression.
“To kiss you.”
“…Pardon?”
His smile vanished instantly, as though he were genuinely shocked.
“Is this to test my feelings for you…?”
“No. You said you wanted my first kiss to take from Sonnet as revenge.”
“Ah… right. I did say that.”
He looked deflated.
“What’s there to test? Who doesn’t know their own feelings?”
“Some people don’t.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Myself. A long time ago.”
It didn’t seem like he was making it up; when he spoke while meeting her eyes, it felt sincere.
“So… you waited like this for me?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Layla figured if he really wanted revenge on Sonnet that way, now was the time. Who knew when Sonnet might come barging in, claiming he wanted to ‘practice.’
And kissing wasn’t such a big deal. Survival was the priority.
She still needed to deal with Rainier, Hugo, and the Anasis crown prince—and she needed the blood Rainier was willing to give.
That’s why she called him. To seal a perfect business partnership.
“And if I don’t feel like it right now?”
“I might end up kissing Sonnet tomorrow.”
He wiped his eyes again at that. She wondered if he truly was crying, but then he smiled as if putting on a mask.
“Let’s do it, then.”
“Ah…”
The moment the words left his mouth, he pushed her onto the bed. Droplets from his hair fell onto her neck, and even those were warm, as if his body heat had seeped into them.
When he leaned in close enough to almost touch her, she closed her eyes.
“Once we do this, there’s no going back. Are you sure?”
“Yes. I’ll be doing it with Sonnet anyway.”
He froze mid-approach.
“Why aren’t you doing it?”
When she asked, he smiled faintly.
“I’m thinking.”
“Thinking about what?”
“I dislike physical intimacy without feelings. But if I kiss you now… I wonder if you’ll develop feelings for me.”
She frowned.
“I won’t.”
Then she pulled his neck down and pressed her lips to his.
Through his parted lips, his tongue swept in like an outlaw, stealing her breath.
Layla knew how kissing was supposed to work, but experiencing it was something else entirely.
The way his tongue filled her mouth, the weight pressing down on her, and the unfamiliar heat made her tremble.
When she started to falter from exhaustion, he pursued her even more deeply, refusing to let her go.
By the time it ended, her jaw ached so badly she wondered if it had come out of place. And the water in his hair was completely gone.
“Haa…”
As she exhaled, Rainier rested his head on her shoulder.
“What do you want?”
“I want your blood, Rain.”
He chuckled and whispered in her ear,
“That’s easy enough.”
She couldn’t help but feel relieved at that.
“Your plan is both meticulous and ruthless.”
Layla had just opened her new shop, Mont, directly in front of Eclair.
Inside, everything was an exact copy of Eclair’s merchandise—so exact it was impossible to tell how she’d done it. The design was more luxurious, and the selection far wider.
“You should thank me, Rain.”
“It’s not the time for that yet.”
Dressed like a perfect gentleman, Rainier stayed close by her side.
“When the Anasis crown prince comes, don’t forget to behave appropriately.”
His subordinates were inside, posing as shop assistants, and young ladies who’d been heading for Eclair peeked curiously inside as soon as the doors opened.
“Don’t forget the plan.”
“A shame I can’t take off this ridiculous mask.”
“Even with it on, you’re handsome. Don’t worry.”
He chuckled and draped an arm over her shoulder.
“Using the crown prince to build your influence—brilliant idea, even if I say so myself.”
“Right?”
“Yes. And deeply satisfying.”
His praise made her smile without thinking, as if her new business had already succeeded.
“What is this place?”
Much sooner than expected, a curious young lady stepped inside.
“Welcome to Mont.”
Layla recognized her instantly—Lady Weimar, a prominent figure in high society.
Layla thought she was incredibly lucky. With Lady Weimar’s influence, ruining Hugo would be easy.
