Chapter 66
The thought of leaving the bed right after the act felt like it would deeply humiliate Yulia, so Cayente decided to lie down for a little while longer. But when he came to his senses, dawn was already breaking and the faint sun was beginning to rise. He had already returned to his own chamber, had the servants prepare bathwater, and washed his sweat-drenched body.
After cleansing himself, even the lingering lust that remained after the night’s affair gradually cooled down. Regaining his composure, Cayente dressed himself neatly and began his day as though nothing had happened, reading the newspaper in his study.
“Where’s Yulia?”
“She is still asleep, my lord.”
Even by the time he had finished breakfast and prepared to go out for lunch engagements, there was still no news of Yulia waking.
Did I overdo it…?
It was supposed to be nothing more than the matter of conceiving a child, nothing beyond that… Yet, when faced with Yulia’s eyes—half frightened, half curious, though she never outright rejected him—his rationality had certainly dulled.
No… no, this isn’t right…!
Even her words of refusal barely reached his ears. Embracing the Yulia who had ultimately accepted him, Cayente felt a strange sense of liberation in no longer having to wrestle against his own impulses. The blood boiling hot through his body to the point of being unbearable had, in that moment, not seemed like a bad thing at all.
He and Yulia were now husband and wife in the true sense. And Yulia herself knew she could not avoid this act. He had not been joking when he said he wanted at least three children. If this union, meant for conceiving children, could also be a source of simple pleasure between them rather than just duty, then so much the better.
But in truth… his body had simply moved before thought. Her scent was stronger than before, and he had utterly forgotten to be careful, knowing that a woman’s first time could be painful. Instead, he held on to Yulia when she tried to slip away. Their bodies had at first clashed awkwardly, but soon found their rhythm and balance. At that moment, Cayente had even felt wronged—why had he delayed such a good thing until now?
He should have taken Yulia on the very day their marriage had been confirmed.
“Shall I wake her, my lord?”
“No. When she does wake, show her around a bit. I need to be at the office.”
Even recalling the night caused heat to surge through him. All Cayente could do was maintain a mask of composure while fighting the unprecedented urge to return straight to Yulia’s chamber. He had originally intended to introduce Yulia to his duchy’s business holdings today and show her the surroundings. But since she was still asleep, perhaps it was fortunate—it spared him from facing her.
“I shall escort you, my lord.”
“I’ll go alone.”
If he had seen her face, he was not sure he could have suppressed the impulse. And it was all because of her reaction last night. It hadn’t only been him who had eagerly explored the other’s body. Though she had been overwhelmed at first, Yulia had eventually clung to him, unwilling to separate, spilling moans that still made him react below whenever he recalled them.
“If she doesn’t wake by late afternoon, then wake her. She could be unwell.”
“Yes, my lord. Please go safely.”
With those instructions, Cayente left, climbing into the carriage waiting at the front. He told himself to put the past night out of mind, but throughout the ride the same thoughts kept returning.
Is this why people, knowing it will cause trouble, still seek partners outside of marriage to indulge themselves?
“How pathetic.”
He had always known this was a weakness of his and should have guarded against falling too deeply. Yet now, having plunged in without restraint and unable to erase the thoughts, he could only feel pathetic—pathetic and shameful.
**
“My lady, shouldn’t you wake now? You’ll miss lunch at this rate.”
“Mm? Oh… yes.”
Even after Cayente had left the house, Yulia remained asleep for quite some time, only waking when Becky came in to gently shake her.
“Are you feeling unwell anywhere, my lady?”
“No, not… ah!”
“Where does it hurt?”
“M-my back…”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“No, it’s fine, Becky. Don’t worry.”
Sitting up groggily, Yulia felt as though her whole body had been beaten, and most of all her back ached. Still, she could only smile and insist she was fine. It wasn’t an illness—it was because of last night.
“I’ll prepare your bathwater, my lady.”
“Thank you.”
What embarrassed her more than waking late was the clear evidence left on the bed in broad daylight. The neatly tucked sheet had been half torn from the mattress during their rough passion, and along with dried traces of fluids, there were even faint smudges of blood.
“How did people in the past ever think it was good to hang this out in front of the house…”
Even letting her maids see the soiled sheets was mortifying enough. Yet in the past, this had been considered a precious sign of purity. Even now, in old noble families, elders would sometimes scrutinize the first-night bedclothes, though the atmosphere had certainly changed.
“Ah… I’m so… sore.”
When she climbed down to dress again, Yulia realized there wasn’t a spot on her body that didn’t ache. Her skin was mottled with handprints and kiss marks, making her face flush bright red.
She hadn’t taken any potion, but it was as if she had. The embarrassment and fear she had felt when first faced with Cayente’s body—where had that gone?
“I must have lost my mind…”
How had she looked to him? Would he, like after their first kiss, doubt her chastity? Would he think that no true maiden could enjoy her first night with a man so much?
“He must have seen… right?”
Yulia grew both ashamed and oddly relieved, realizing Cayente must have noticed the undeniable signs on the sheets. At least it proved she had not been like that with anyone else—only with him, her husband.
“My lady, the bath is ready.”
“Thank you, Becky.”
But what worried her most was tonight. After just one night her body was already a wreck—how would she even stand tomorrow if it happened again? Part of her wished he would let her rest, but another part reminded her that every married couple went through this, so surely she could endure it. Her cheeks burned as she touched them with her palm.
“Honestly, I’m ridiculous.”
Perhaps Cayente would think one attempt was enough, that she might already be with child, and refrain for a while. Yet here she was, already thinking too far ahead. Shaking her head, Yulia forced away the memory of last night, telling herself it was only because it had been her first time experiencing such sensations.
Her heart had wanted it so badly, but she did not want her body to be the first to crave it again. As she suspected, his feelings were not particularly emotional—merely the act of conceiving a child.
With a sigh, Yulia hugged the soiled sheets close, feeling bitter at how the night seemed to have been something only she had cherished.
**
Though Laroshi was a developed industrial city in the Empire, it could not compare to Durken, the capital of the Duchy of Esacudia. Everywhere there were tall buildings, bustling with cars and people. It truly embodied the word city.
“This is where His Highness Duke Quilln, the ruler of the duchy, resides.”
“In the Empire, the Imperial Palace is outside the city, but here the ducal palace is right in the center.”
At first the atmosphere had felt cold and dry, but as she walked the busy streets and observed everything, Yulia thought, as Merwyn said, that people were the same everywhere. Unlike Laroshi’s wooden buildings, these were all built of brick, offering a different kind of scenery.
“My lady, please spare a coin, I have a three-year-old child starving at home.”
“My lady, we haven’t eaten in a week, please!”
Just as she was starting to feel comfortable in the city, one aspect still struck her as strange—the beggars. She had seen them by the station and near the lake, and now, on the streets too, there were shabby figures everywhere.
“Will this be enough?”
“Thank you, my lady!”
“Me too! Please, I have a daughter starving at home!”
“My lady, you needn’t…”
“It’s fine, Becky. I won’t have much use for money here anyway.”
Of course, there were beggars in the Empire as well, but not so many, and they usually managed to eat from restaurant scraps or earn a little carrying goods for factories. They never looked as though they had been starving for a week, unlike the people here whose faces made one doubt they could survive another day without food.
“My lady! Over here, too! I have a starving child!”
“I haven’t eaten in ten days, please a coin!”
“Oh no, I’ve run out of change…”
“That’s enough already, my lady.”
Becky tried to stop her, but Yulia had never been able to pass by the needy. And when she thought that perhaps her own father might be somewhere suffering like this, she gave without hesitation. Thankfully, she had asked Cayente beforehand to fill her purse.
It was gratifying to see the grateful faces of those who received her coins. But when she finally came to her senses, she found herself surrounded by dozens of beggars.
“Move aside! I have nothing more, please step back!”
“Even small change is fine, give us something!”
“Anything at all, hand it over!”
“My mother is starving at home too!”
When they realized she had nothing left to give, the crowd’s mood quickly turned violent. Becky cried out for them to move, but no one listened. They pressed closer, shouting for Yulia to hand over whatever she had. The atmosphere grew menacing, as though they might snatch it by force.
Just then, beyond the mob, a stranger’s voice rang out.
“What’s going on here?”
